Gift Guide: Family

Family gifts are so important. Who knows you better than your family? (That can either be a good or a bad thing, depending on what you were like as a child.)
Anywho, I could not love that lipstick ornament more. It's not a huge gift, but it is a great thing to include with something else. (A clutch, mayhaps?) 
I am terrible at picking stuff for guys. (I think I've said that before.) But I think I killed it with that stupendous grilling kit. A tad bit cliche, true, but it's still an awesome gift.
Speaking of family, I will be taking a break from the blog until the new year. This is my favorite season and I want to be able to be 100% present for every minute of it. I'll see you in 2014! - xo Eliza
(Ban.do headband, Modcloth earrings, Lulu Guinness cosmetic bag, J. Crew phone and tablet charger, Izola pocket knife, Williams-Sonoma grilling kit, Henri Bendel ornament, Diptyque scent set, J. Crew clutch)

Gift Guide: Hostess

I don't know about you, but Christmastime is party central around here. It seems like just one get-together after the next. You may be one of those people who is very booked out with invites. 
It's a lovely touch to bring along a hostess gift (or host, whichever). It doesn't have to be huge, even bringing a dish along can fit nicely. But every once and a while it's great to give the hostess a little something to show your appreciation for the invite. 
Who wouldn't love that adorable pretzel tin? (And all things "mega calorific"!)
(Leif tart servers, Sugar Paper recipe box, Design Darling matches, Jonathan Adler container and pretzels, Modcloth book, Shopbop trinket box, Baba Souk bowls, C Wonder glasses set)

Gift Guide: Little Ones

I had so much fun putting this together. Honestly, I love kids. There are so many awesome things out there for our little counterparts, but I think my favorite may just be those adorable leopard shoes. Too cute!
For reals, how cool are those crayons? I would buy them just for their amazing color and shape. What will they think of next?
(J. Crew headband, Target mittens, Modcloth lamp, Hansel from Basel socks, J. Crew elephant, Target crayons, Oeuf pillow, Ban.do bobbi pins and pom pom flower, Zara sneakers, Seed Heritage mary janes, J. Crew charm bracelet)

Gift Guide: Guys

Shopping for guys is hard. Their stuff is expensive. (They're so high maintenance.) For a girl you can kind of just get earrings or lip gloss or something. For a guy, though, you have to put way more thought into the gifts. Or you could get food. Food's always the easy road.

The gentlemen in your life will thank you. 

(The Art of Shaving kit, Apple TV, Modcloth headphones, J. Crew gloves, Jack Spade iPhone 5 case, Modcloth iPhone dock)

Gift Guide: Girls

I love shopping for friends and family. I feel like that's really the best time of year to show people just how much you love and appreciate them. Often times, it can become really challenging to shop for people, especially if you don't know them very well. 
I rounded up a bunch of my favorite items, all at varying price points (because, hey, who wants to go broke?) for the ladies in your life. All of these would be easily suitable for just about any age (except maybe a 6-year-old, but then again, everybody loves glitter nail polish!) If I were the recipient, I would love the bejeweled beanie. (Not like that's a hint or anything, ahem ahem.)
(Meg Biram hair ties, Deborah Lippman nail polish, Modcloth necklace, Keds sneakers, The Outnet clutch, Topshop beanie, Target brush set, Ban.do hair clip, Juicy Couture perfume)

My Favorite Things

After watching Sound of Music Live, I felt inspired to round up a few of my favorite things. (And, no, it doesn't start with "girls in white dresses...") 

I live for warm socks. Seriously, they make me so happy I can't even stand it. My feet have always been cold, so having a toasty (and adorable) pair of socks on makes me feel much better.

And then I don't feel so bad!

Stripes Everywhere

If you were to sneak a peek in my closet, the first thing you would notice is just how addicted to neutrals I am. Seriously. I have so many black tops and dresses that it's almost embarrassing. But that's another post. Anyway, I have tons of striped things. It really started quite recently, when I walked into Ann Taylor Loft and I saw it. The most perfect, simple, tailored tee (mine was in a bright blue, but they don't seem to have the exact one online), and it was on sale for $15. That was the start of a beautiful friendship. 
I love the last picture, with just the subtle little pop of stripes. It's a great way to rock a trend without "rocking a trend", you know?
(Striped shirt and hat via Katie Armour Tumblr, striped gown via Frou Frou Fashionista, hint of stripes via Atlantic-Pacific)

DIY Monogram Ornament Gift Tags

Wow. I literally feel like Christmas is coming like a freight train. It seems like just yesterday I was pinning Thanksgiving table settings, but now there's snow outside and we're counting down the days 'til Christmas. Oh well, I don't really mind. I just hope everything slows down so I can enjoy this wonderful season.
I love these beautiful gift tags made by Ashley from Sugar and Cloth. They are a really great way to add a personalized touch to a gift. Plus, it's like a little bonus present, since they can be reused. You can find the instructions here.
(DIY and all images via Sugar and Cloth)

I'm Dreaming of a Bright Christmas

White walls and pops of color a modern and clean space make. I can't tell you how many times I find a picture with colored walls and say, "I wonder how that would look with white walls." If you have a blank slate, you can literally do whatever you want to with the accessories. I think I'm in love with those adorable mini trees. How cute, right?
Even though these colors are non-traditional, they certainly bring in a lot of Christmas cheer. Besides, who could resist that little gingerbread man on that mantle? I need him in my life.
(Handmade ornaments via Purl Bee, neon pink mini trees via 101 Woonideen, holiday mantle via Stephanie Sterjovski)

Holiday Nails

Over the weekend I completely finished buying and wrapping all of my Christmas gifts. I think buying for my family is my favorite part of Christmas. It's so fun to picture their reactions when they open what I've picked out.
Anyway, glittery nails make me so happy. (If you haven't noticed that I'm a complete magpie yet, you will.) I think my favorites are the red nails with the lovely glittery moons.
All of these are super fun ideas for parties or just to show a little holiday spirit every day.
(Pink nails via Grape Fizz, red nails via East Coast Class, jeweled nails via Instagram)

We Are Filled with Joy

As the Christmas season is so quickly approaching us, it's easy to forget to just enjoy it. With endless to-do lists full of invitations to be sent, presents to buy, and cookies to bake, we can get so very stressed and miss the true meaning of this holiday.
God has given us so much joy in that we can have a special time of year to appreciate our loved ones. This Christmas I got an early start on things and bought my gifts. That way, when it gets to be closer to Christmas I won't have to rush around and get everything done.
Let's just savor this time, and be joyful. Don't forget the real meaning of Christmas; to celebrate our Savior's birth and to be with the people we love. 
(Image via Joyce Meyer)

Wreaths, Glorious Wreaths

I love wreaths. They're like the pretty little sentinels that welcome your guests to your home. While the traditional holly wreath is beautiful, some new ways to reinvent the wreath are most welcome. 
I think my favorite may be the candy cane one. It's made of straws. Simple, beautiful, and inexpensive!
(Candy wreath via Oh Happy Day!, gold wreath via Canadian Family, candy cane wreath via Martha Stewart)

Vintage Travel Posters

When the weather outside is frightful, I want to go somewhere exotic. Although, Tibet is cold, too. Oh well, I have coats.

Vintage travel posters are just so beautiful. These works of art were used to advertise different vacation destinations. They were often very colorful, which gets major attention from yours truly. Honestly, I'm really attracted to color. And shiny things. Is that so wrong?

(Tibet via Pinterest, Finland via Flickr, Capri via Old Towns)

Gingerbread Waffles

I love the idea of warm, toasty, gingerbread waffles on Christmas morning. (Or, really, any morning!) Just dress these babies up with a little syrup and some whipped cream and you have a wonderful breakfast to share with your family and friends. The recipe is after the jump.

December Wishlist

Happy December! We are officially in "23 days until Christmas" mode. I'll be sprinkling a bit of Christmas cheer into all of this month's posts. December is also really close to Mode Vintage's one-year anniversary! (Cue the trumpets, please.) I can't believe that I've been sharing here for almost a whole year. 

I love black in winter. (Honestly, I love to wear black year-round.) As the days get colder and colder, I find myself cocooned in hues of gray and black. I don't know why. Maybe since black is slimming, it's a subconscious reaction to eating waaay too many baked goods. Oh well. 

(Loeffler Randall heels, Modcloth gloves, Ban.do hair tie, Net-a-Porter sweatshirt, Bonlook glasses, Madewell sweater)