Sale Alert: Designer's Guild Blankets

We've mentioned our abiding appreciation of Designers' Guild blankets before, and now some patterns are 50% off. The Alcina pattern (above) is one of our favorites, and it's available for $110 (was $220). The Delancy (below) is now $130. If you managed to survive the holidays with a little extra $$, these are great deals.
@ Designers' Guild

Pearl Table Lamp from Shine Home

Seriously, this is one gorgeous - -and dramatic -- light fixture. It's made by Shine Home, a furniture company that also makes these very lovely sofas that appeared today on Nook. But this lamp, we think, is quite the show-stopper.
@ Shine Home

Ruffled Burlap Pillows

Aren't these the sweetest pillows?
We found it at Amor Designs, an Australian-based designer with a supercute Etsy shop. The burlap is printed with French words, while the ruffle is unhemmed to work with the shabby chic look. We love the soft, feminine feel that ruffles give to the scratchy burlap.
@ Etsy, $40

Paperback Book Wreathes

These wreathes are so pretty -- and they are season-less enough to grace a wall long after the holidays. They are made from pages from a good old-fashioned romance novel (it sounds like the text is leading a better life now). The tutorial that we found at a lovely craft blog named Living with Lindsay makes creating one of these beauties look easy enough. Of course, that sentence has gotten us into trouble before....

Monogram Candlepot

We didn't notice these at first on the website/catalog, but they caught our eye on a display shelf at Pottery Barn. Once the candle burns down, the ceramic pots are a good-looking place to stash coins and other bits of clutter. We thought they'd make a perfect all-purpose gift. They'd work for co-workers, neighbors, hostesses .... too bad they're monogrammed, or we'd buy a few to keep on hand for unexpected situations.
@ Pottery Barn, $25
(Psst...They were on sale at the store, for around $18 or so)

Archipelago Diffusers

Archipelago Botanicals has an lovely line home fragrances called AB Home and we can't get enough of their yummy-smelling room diffusers. They offer about 30 luscious options, many of which are far more creative than the usual florals. Espresso, argula, mojito and caramel are just a few of their out-of-the-ordinary aromas that we'd like to have wafting through our home.
@ Amazon, from $44

Lino Cuts by Katie Muth

These original lino-cut prints by Toronto artist Katie Muth focus on the important things in life: Cuddling, cooking, catching up and, last but not least, caffeine. We just love her choice of subject matter as much as the rough-hewn aesthetic and lively colors in her work.
@ Supermarket, from $40

Snowflake Curtain

Here's a great, low-cost idea to get into the holiday spirit: A DIY snowflake curtain or garland. These gorgeous examples are made by Laura at Bugs & Fishes, who created them to work as real window-coverings during the holidays.

We can't quite remember how to cut paper snowflakes, but since we learned this back in elementary school, it shouldn't be too hard to figure it out. (Here's a quick how-to, for anyone who wants a refresher.) The snowflakes are then strung together with a needle and thread. Just lovely.
[via Poppytalk]

Medina Mirrored Sconce at West Elm

These mirrored sconces would add a flash of sparkle and light to an underwhelming room or corner. We love their scale (about 7"x 20"), their exotic, but not over-the-top, design and their affordable price tag.
@ West Elm, $39.

Floral Nesting Bowls

Aren't these pretty? This set has four sculpted melamine bowls that are designed to look like flower petals when clustered together. Pull one out to use as a catch-all for keys, coins, candy...
@ Spoon Sisters, $32

Gifts for Girly & Glam Girls

Our sister site, Nook, has been putting together a series of innovative gift guides for the holidays, and here's the one tailored to girly and glam girls. We'd be happy to unwrap any of these lovely items.
Above: 1. Rose petal soaps by Gianna Rose Atelier @ Amazon, $40. 2. Faux book box @ Wisteria, $44. 3. Brambleberry Rose lip balm @ Sephora, $7. 4. Maura Daniel pink sconce @ Layla Grace, $196. 5. Fleur-ette clutch @ Betsey Johnson, $85. 6. Skinny peony headband @ J. Crew, $13. 7. Pink Toile de Jouy chair @ The Lavender Barn, £185. 8. Martha Stewart recipe cocktail shaker @ Macy's, $25. 9. Bourgeois bow key fob @ Kate Spade, $50. 10. Niadros candlestick @ Anthropologie, $18.

1. Crystal rock tiara @ Not on the High Street, £110. 2. Lotus flower chandelier @ Modern Dose, $325. 3. Oyster shell candle holder @ Wisteria, $49. 4. Antique mercury votives @ Jayson Home & Garden, from $15. 5. Pearl bracelet and Versailles chandelier earrings @ Fred Flare, $16. 6. Abalone shell mirror @ Jayson Home & Garden, $30. 7. Silver plated frog bank @ Pottery Barn, $39. 8. Vere Tyvek bags @ The Conran Shop, $19. 9. Thymes Gold Leaf bath colletion@ Gracious Home, from $5.

1. Books @ Amazon: Handbags 2010 calendar; Fifty Shoes that Changed the World; In Vogue; Fashion Book and Penguin Classics clothbound hardcover editions, $14.
2. Holly Golightly wall decal @ ModCloth, $43. 3. High heel cake server @ Perpetual Kid, $16. 4. Pom pom throws @ Viva Terra, from $37. 5. Strawberry spots apron @ Anthropologie, $24. 6. Return to Tiffany & Co. key ring @ Tiffany & Co., $100. 7. Milkmaid butter dish @ Anthropologie, $28. 8. International Love pillow from Alexander Girard @ UO, $38. 9. Alice teacups and saucers @ UMA, $32. 10. Rose wellingtons @ Victorian Trading Co., $50.

1. Thomas Paul scarf and cases @ Burke Decor, from $18. 2. Perfumed cameo necklace @ Anthropologie, $78. 3. Missus monogrammed mugs @ Anthropologie, $6. 4. Jonathan Adler vase @ Unica Home, $175. 5. Pickney Street 8 rose bowl @ Kate Spade, $150. 6. Teardrop crystal frame @ Z Gallerie, $15. 7. Martha Stewart Park Leaf serveware @ Macy's, $20. 8. Diptyque candles @ Bigelow Chemists, $60. 9. Dubois Mirror @ Crate & Barrel, $90. 10. Silk sleep masks @ Victoria Trading Co., $20. 11. Luddite tray @ 2Modern, $20.

Rustic + Sophisticated

This house is featured on the cover of the latest House Beautiful, and we're so impressed with the upscale, yet homey feel of the rooms. There are flashes of mirror and metallic shine that give the space a bit of luxury too. Here's a slideshow with more pix, and an interview the designer, Jill Brinson, the creative director of Ballard Designs. She describes her home as 'wonky, but it looks like a million bucks.'

ReCreate Furniture

Interior designer Katie Thompson grants new life to battered goods. She turns forgotten suitcases into chairs, galvanized tubs into ottomans, hatboxes into stools, utility carts into, well, a different kind of utility cart and much more.

We love the ball-and-claw feet and tapestry used on the suitcase-chair above and the way she contrasts vibrant fabrics with her chipped and dinged finds. She's based in South Africa, which makes it hard for those of us who live elsewhere to give her 'junk' a home in our living room.
@ ReCreate
[via Apartment Therapy]

Land-Rich Ornaments

Aren't these lovely? Made by Land-Rich -- a Brooklyn-based shop that takes its inspiration from raw nature -- each ornament features a sprig of yarrow, tallow, moss or salal. We'd love to bring one of these ornaments to a big holiday bash (rather than our standard bottle of booze) or give a set of four as a hostess gift.
@ Land-Rich, $10 or $36/set of 4
[via Oh Joy!]

Lazo Throw

We can't decide which is more lush ... the plush textures of these gorgeous throws, or the rich, saturated colors. Either way, we'd love to cozy up under one on a snow day.
@ Z Gallerie, $60.

Stardust Jewelry Box at Anthropologie

The Sprinkling of Stardust jewelry box would make a perfect gift for a little girl, a teenager, a 20-something, a 30-something.... well, you get the idea.
It's made of twinkling brass and sparkling glass bead charms to light up the neutral cotton-linen box.
@ Anthropologie, $44

Holiday Cards by My Darling Clementine

These cards from My Darling Clementine are, well, just darling. Made by an Oslo-based artist, each card set is inspired by interesting bits of Americana, such as vintage invitation and Disney scenes. If we found one in our mailbox, we'd hold on to it long after the holidays.
@ Etsy, from $15