12 Days of Christmas - Day 12

PENS!!

I have a bit of an office supply issue, I guess you could say...

I love Sharpies, in all sizes and colors, and Pilot G-2s in all colors and sizes :D

And you know what would be really fun? Different lined papers to practice lettering (like the old penmanship paper?) and whimsical lettering books. I follow some FABULOUS videos on YouTube about lettering, but maybe it would be fun to practice away from the computer too.

12 Days of Christmas - Day 11

Don't let the specific pictures fool you - I mostly want a pair of running shoes that don't have holes in the tops. LOL

These are just a couple pairs I found on Zappos.com. While you'll never catch me running intentionally, these are the style of shoes that give me enough support to be on my feet all day when the kids and I are out and about. While there are some absolutely adorable casual shoes, most of them don't have enough support to feel good while we're out having fun all day.

I'm a size 8, and I think both of these shoes are cute. White looks too dirty too fast, and black looks, well, black. Most of my summer clothes are a bit lighter than that, and summer is when these will see the most wear. I'll probably be in my boots til then. ;)

12 Days of Christmas - Day 10

We have some of these to hold our board games in the second coat closet downstairs, and I think they're fabulous! I would love a few for my second closet in my office.

Shortly after moving in, we put full shelves in one of the office closets, but never got around to the other one. Now that I'm used to storing some bigger drawers and things in the other closet, I'd love to store a bit from the top down and use these. They even hook onto each other, so you can double them up.

They'd work great for some of my crafting stuff that's in small-ish boxes, or even with bins that would fit on them for other miscellaneous stuff.

12 Days of Christmas - Day Nine

I was trying, really trying, to pick things that were really 'personal' gifts for ME!

But apparently I'm not used to asking for stuff, and the things going through my mind now are really for our household. Which I'm a pretty important part of, and this would really make my life easier.

I would really like a programmable crock-pot. The one I have now is not programmable, but is 7-quarts, so that's about the size I'd want. This 6-quart (pictured) apparently got a lot of awards and stuff, and can really get the job done and then some. It's a Hamilton Beach, and even has a built-in meat thermometer. While I don't do a lot of roasts and such in my crock pot usually, it does look cool.

My main goals are to be able to set it to come on a few hours after I leave the house for the day, and potentially change the setting after cooking for a bit (for those recipes that say High for two hours followed by Low for four hours, or whatever), and to have it hold the recipes I'm used to making. Probably nothing smaller than the 6-quart, so it can still hold a double batch of chicken dip.

12 Days of Christmas - Day Eight

For day eight, I'm putting some more makeup. I think this is something that makes it to my list every year. I still love the MakeUp Forever Aqua Eyes Eyeliner. I'd actually like to try the 14L (White), and add the 10L (Copper) and 6L (Black with Purple Highlights) to my collection.

I'm also running low on my Covergirl - Bombshell Volume by Lashblast mascara. I think I always use black.

The eyeliner is available at Sephora or Ulta, I'm sure, and I've actually gotten the mascara at Target.

12 Days of Christmas - Day Seven

So I finally got an idea for today, but I totally thought it would be easier to find online than it has been. See, I got one supposedly 'warm' outfit a few years ago when I agreed to go out skiing one time with hubby. And I went exactly one time. I think I've mentioned before how much I DON'T like being cold? Yeah. There are not enough clothes in existence to make me comfortable outside for an afternoon in winter.

But I do like the SmartWool socks we picked out for me then. Because they're cozy when I wear them inside. They're a big thicker than my regular socks too. And I want more. So I Googled SmartWool socks, and found about a billion different things, but only maybe three of them looked like they might be like my old socks, and I wasn't crazy about the patterns those were shown in. Maybe I'm that difficult to please, but I prefer to think I just don't know how to search for the skiing socks that hubby helped me pick out years ago.

I know they're SmartWool brand. I believe they're knee socks (they come to the middle/near the top of my calf). And they aren't obnoxiously patterned. I have plain-ish pink ones. I'm not big on decorative socks. Especially while my tennis shoes have an actual hole in the top of one of them. I feel my socks should be my business, primarily, and right now the world can see them. So I'd rather keep them understated. Plain-ish, that is.

12 Days of Christmas - Day Six

I glanced at the wall next to my desk and realized something else I'll need before we head into 2016 - a new 2016 Anne Taintor Wall Calendar!

I absolutely love her snarky sense of humor. I previously had a planner that I carried with her illustrations, but it was before my ErinCondren. So I'm happy to still have my wall calendar to look at as I work in my office. It took me a little longer to get a wall calendar one year, and I remember looking at that spot on the wall with frustration more than once. Even though my planner is always with me, my wall calendar is where I glance to figure out the day of the month, and when a certain day will fall during the week. I'll never go into a new year without my trusty wall calendar ready for my reference!

12 Days of Christmas - Day Five

I'm pretty sure I've mentioned before how much I love my Erin Condren Life Planner. I've had my 2016 one for about a month or so now, and I'm ready to start planning! I belong to a few Facebook groups where they make GORGEOUS layouts each week. While I don't anticipate taking it to that level, I'd love some planner stickers to decorate and, well, PLAN with :)

I can't say I'm really picky about what brand or whatever, but on a quick surf through Etsy, I liked the look of these from Sunday Palm Planner. The important details are that they're for the horizontal style planner, and that they're made for January (or beyond). See, they color coordinate them with the actual printed planner. Cool, huh? I've seen sets I liked on Pink Elephant Planning too, but it doesn't look like they're into the new year yet. I'm sure once they have January up with a pack for the horizontal, I'd like them too. It's like my love of school supplies has run over into my grown-up life. Yay!

12 Days of Christmas - Day Four

 Of course I need more slippers again!

Last year I actually had an unfortunate incident with a drink glass in the driveway while wearing my slippers near the end of summer. So I've been without slippers for months now!

I like the kind like these where you slide your feet in. I think I usually get size M (my shoe size is an 8, if that helps).

As we get more hardwood floors in the house, I figure I'll need more slippers as well. This year we pulled the carpet from Jack's room and replaced it with hardwoods, but that's just the first room on the second floor to get that fabulous treatment. Next will probably be Maggie's room or my office. I look forward to seeing it all in nice smooth hardwoods, with a cozy rug to accent right in the middle.

But I'll need snug, warm feet to walk across it all, so bring on the slippers!

12 Days of Christmas - Day Three

If this isn't an easy repeater each year, it should be. Even when I don't wear makeup, I finish my 'look' with a matter powder. I strongly prefer bareMinerals Mineral Veil because it's available with SPF 25. I don't have a lot of lotions with SPF, and even if I did, every little bit helps, right?

While I've linked to the actual bareMinerals site, I believe this can also be purchased at Ulta and Sephora. I just want the plain version (it's also available as a 'tinted' powder).

What's your go-to skin-care/makeup item? Of course I now use mainly Posh, but we specialize in pampering, not makeup. I've found over time that I use less makeup when my skin is healthy and pampered, so it's a win. I had a different product down in years past for removing my eye makeup, but I now use Posh's coconut oil. I slather that on my eyes and then gently wash it off in the shower. Works like a charm!

12 Days of Christmas - Day Two

There's always a hoodie on my list, right? I searched for one I saw last week, but it seems to be gone already (the red one with the elf hat that says, "The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear"), so I've moved on.

While I don't know all the details, some Perfectly Posh leaders are selling these as a fundraiser. I think they're doing something fabulous with the money to help out locals in St Thomas on their incentive trip in January.

Whatever it is, I like the simple look of these hoodies they're selling to raise funds. I don't think they'll ship til almost Christmas, but I don't mind getting it a few days after. ;)

Have you seen my other actual Posh branded hoodie? It's YELLOW. I mean, super-fluorescent yellow. I'd be able to wear this charcoal one (in a size medium) a little more discreetly.

Want to see why I'm so wild about Posh? - Check out my site here! Wonderful products, economically priced, and so pampering.

12 Days of Christmas - Day One

Yes, it's time for my annual listing of 'gifts I'd like to receive.'

I do it as a service to you - so you're not left wondering what will make my heart sing. LOL And I suppose for me to actually narrow down what I'm wishing for. Here goes!

Brown boots. Knee-high-ish. They're to go with my new leggings. I have a black pair that are still working, but I need a pair in brown. These are cute, and a little different style from my black ones. I don't want anything too wintery-y, as I'll inevitably wear them in fall, and probably into spring. When it's a yucky day out, I wear my winter Sorels anyway.

This particular pair are from UGG, and I found them at Zappos. More than I'd typically spend on boots for myself, but I was mostly looking for a style pictures. I'd probably wear them in a size 8. I think.

Have you had any specific boots that you've LOVED (or HATED, for that matter?)? I don't get shoes or boots very often, so I can certainly take suggestions.