A collection of swoon-worthy
Goods In Fine Taste
for lovers of neat things.

 

KIRSTI’S PICKS

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DIPTIQUE FIGUIER CANDLE $32-60
This is the ONE candle you want to splurge on. The delicate fig scent is clean and beautiful and always gets compliments. My suggestion is to get one for yourself and one for your Secret Santa. It’s on my Christmas list every year.

 

EMILY WINFIELD MARTIN PRINT $18
I was recently turned on to this artist by my friend Melissa and I think I have gone back to the website every day just to get another peek! Her work is whimsical (how can you not love a bear playing a mandolin?), but there is a complexity to the character’s expressions that keeps me wondering what they are thinking. She offers 8×10 prints, books, notecards, postcard books and magnets. I would love to cover a whole wall with Emily’s art!

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SUGARFINA – BUT FIRST, COCKTAILS 8PC BENTO BOX $65
No one can resist a gift this sweet! Eight different cocktail-inspired candies: Brut & Rose Champagne Bears, Dirty Martini (chocolate “olive” almonds), Champagne Fizz, Kir Royale Cordials, Jamaican Rum Snowballs, Blood Orange Negroni, Spiced Pear Martini and Peach Bellini. Beautifully packaged – Happy Hour begins…now.

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FOOD52 BAKING COOKBOOK (SIGNED) $23
Go-to, easy-to-make recipes curated by the gals behind one of the best and most reliable food websites, food52.com. This is a great gift for food lovers and, let’s be honest, a great gift for you too. Signed copies available exclusively on their website.

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HERB LESTER ASSOCIATES CITY GUIDES around $6
Gorgeously designed city guides by London-based Herb Lester Associates. These guides take you off the beaten path in style. Perfect stocking stuffers for anyone who loves to travel. Whether you are planning a trip to Lisbon or Austin, they’ve got a guide for you!

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SEE’S CANDIES GIFT OF ELEGANCE $90.70
Nothing makes me happier than a box of See’s Candies, except a 4 lb. box of See’s Candies! I have tasted a lot of chocolate in my day, but there is nothing like See’s. Old fashioned handmade chocolates that make you happy to be alive. If someone gave me a 4 lb. box of See’s, I would lose my mind.

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MONDO MONDO HYSTERIA PERFUME OIL (15 ml) $65
A lovely fragrance with notes of Indian tuberose, Indian jasmine, palo santo, coconut, sunscreen and musk. It smells hysterically good.

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BUTLERS HOT CHOCOLATE DRINK $6
Ireland’s most beloved chocolatier since 1932. Put one adorable chocolate teacup into a mug, pour in hot milk, stir, and voilà—the perfect cup of hot chocolate! It’s not hard to understand why Butlers Chocolates are purveyors of happiness.

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ARISTOCRATIC ANIMAL TAPERS $158
Charming and whimsical, these tapers from artist Florence Balducci will get the conversation started at any dinner party.

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THE FOLIO SOCIETY’S ILLUSTRATED LOLITA $99.95
The Folio Society is known for its lovely collectible books, and the new edition of Lolita is no exception. Gorgeously illustrated by Federico Infante, this book is a stunner.

 

KIRSTEN’S PICKS

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SILHOUETTES FROM POPULAR CULTURE $12.22
My cousin gave me this book for Christmas a couple of years ago and it was a big hit as it made the rounds of holiday guests. The images range from characters in ’80s movies and sci-fi films to cartoons and video games. None of the silhouettes are labeled, so we all had fun trying to identify them. A great way to get the party going.

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MOONSTRUCK SNOWMAN TRUFFLE COLLECTION $30
Having thoroughly enjoyed the Haunted House and Fall Collection chocolates from Moonstruck last month, I can’t wait to try this new Snowman Truffle Collection. Featuring Moonstruck’s creamy truffles in the shapes of snowmen, Christmas trees, and presents with flavors like Milk Chocolate Cranberry, Gingerbread, and Candy Cane, this 13-piece collection in a keepsake box will melt even the coldest heart.

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JEWELRY FROM NEST PRETTY THINGS $14 and up
I was going to select a single item from Nest Pretty Things as one of my holiday gift picks…but there were so many pretty things that I couldn’t choose! I purchased a favorite pair of earrings from this online shop and it came beautifully wrapped in a gift box with a sweet note, so put a special lady in fine feather by choosing (if you can!) a gift that is timeless and elegant with a touch of whimsy.

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JIMMIE’S CHIPOTLE PEPPER JAM $29.97 for 3 jars
I am fired up about this sweet and spicy spread, which makes a great stocking stuffer or present for the foodies in your life (why not choose a “flight” of three flavors?). Bring a jar to holiday parties as a host/hostess gift, or serve it at your own festive gathering and watch guests go wild. Last year, Jimmie made a cranberry version for the holidays, so check the website throughout the month of December for seasonal flavors.

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STERLINGPRO FRENCH COFFEE PRESS $29.97
What could be easier or more refined than making your coffee, tea, or brewed chocolate in a French press? This affordable model from SterlingPro has a double screen system to extract the most flavor from your brew while filtering out all grounds and sediment, and its non-toxic design ensures that only glass and stainless steel come into contact with hot liquids. The perfect gift for coffee and tea lovers.

 

OUTLANDER SEASON ONE DVD $18.99
In 1997, I went to Scotland with author Diana Gabaldon to see the places she’d written about in her popular Outlander series. All these years later, Outlander has been masterfully adapted into a television series for Starz. Season One follows the plot of the first book, introducing viewers to World War II combat nurse-turned-time-traveler Claire Randall and 18th–century Scottish clansman-slash-swoon-worthy romantic hero Jamie Fraser. The series has history, adventure, romance, drama, mysticism, humor and more—something for everyone (although the show is for mature audiences). Volume Two is now available, so be a good lad or lassie and give the complete season to someone you love.

 

DREAM CATCHER IRISH LIQUEUR around $17
This new liqueur has arrived on the scene just in time for the holidays. Based on an old Gaelic recipe, the luscious libation is imported from Ireland by the family that created Chambord and St. Germain. Fittingly for the season, it has the flavor of toasted chestnuts, transporting you before an open fire with each sip. Make someone’s dream come true and catch a smile when you present this bottle of Irish gold. Enter your location here to find out where to purchase.

 

CAKE PANS WITH CUTTER BARS $10.95
These old-fashioned cake pans have a rotating cutter bar to prevent cakes from sticking to the bottom. Genius! Sold as a set of two, the 1½” deep pans taper from 8” on the bottom to 9” on top. At this price, you can buy a set for all the bakers on your list and still get one for yourself.

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S’WELL WATER BOTTLE $25-45
I’ve been s’wooning over this stainless steel water bottle from S’well. Its chic, modern design keeps drinks cold for 24 hours and hot for 12, while keeping plastic bottles out of landfills. Non-toxic and virtually unbreakable, this is the last water bottle you will ever need. The company partners with many charities to make the world a better place, so why not give back by giving the gift of a S’well bottle? When they open it, recipients will say, “S’weet!”

 

MAHALO U-30 SERIES UKULELE $30-40
In The Art of Asking, Amanda Palmer encourages everyone to get this tiny instrument, since—according to her Ukulele Anthem—“It takes about an hour to teach someone to play the ukulele.” It can take years to master the guitar, and a piano is difficult to drag to parties, but a ukulele is compact, inexpensive and, per Amanda, “painfully simple.” If you know someone who’d love to play an instrument, but doesn’t think he or she has the money, time, or skill to learn, buy them one of these fun and colorful ukuleles from Mahalo, then refer them to this website to get started.

 

And, of course, you can always give a gift from The Swoon Society S.H.O.P.
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Have fun shopping, Swooners!