Holiday Shopping with Kelsey of Yellow is the Color

Today’s shopping list comes is from Kelsey of Yellow is the Color!  Take is away Kelsey…

When Lindsey asked me to make my wish list, I had no idea what to put on it. I didn’t want to be selfish and just put a bunch of stuff I want‚ ’cause that’s boring for everyone else. And since I’m handmaking all my gifts this year (gift baskets of baking ingredients and some of my favorite recipes), it wouldn’t really work to make a gift-giving guide. And then I had it: Since my boyfriend Jason and I are moving in together next spring, I thought I’d make a list of things we can use to spruce up our new place and help make our house feel more like home. Sort of like mini-budget, not-wedding-registry, if you will.

These gifts would be perfect for someone on your list who has just moved into a new home, a college student on their own for the first time, or a couple who just moved in together. A lot of these are also great jumping-off points for themed gift baskets — my favorite kind of gift to give!

1. 12 Pack Large Beeswax Votives from Enchinacea – $13.80 :I like to burn candles, but Jason doesn’t always like the way they smell. Beeswax is the perfect middle ground — they have a light scent that I enjoy, but that doesn’t bother him. They’re also better than regular candles because they burn cleaner and for a longer time. These would be the perfect gift for just about anyone.
2. Alphabet Mugs from West Elm – $6 :These mugs would be cute for a his-and-hers gift to a couple. They’d also be perfect for a tea/coffee/hot chocolate themed gift basket‚ add in a box of loose leaf tea, a tea ball, and some honey, or some exotic coffee and single-serving creamers (because those don’t need to be refrigerated), or tins of hot chocolate with gourmet marshmallows. Throw in in a mug cozy and you’re all set!
3. Milk Glass Pedestal Dish from Vintage Kats – $6 :I love milk glass. It’s another borderline obsession. I especially like these pedestal style vases right now. I’d plant my philodendrons in them, because I’m also borderline obsessed with philodendrons, and I’m sure our future apartment is going to be chock full of them. Any sort of milk glass (vases, mugs, tea sets, candy dishes, etc.) would be great for the antique/vintage lover on your list.
4. Large Seagrass Twist Wicker Storage Basket from Amazon – $24.99 :This is something I’ve personally dreamed of having the space for forever. I love the cozy, homey, inviting look of a wicker basket plopped next to the couch and full of blankets. This would also be good for storing yarns if you’re a crocheter or knitter (as long as you don’t have any mischievous kitties around to mess with your stash). When Jason’s cousins got married last year, they got a gift basket like this with blankets, a bottle of wine, and a pair of wine glasses, so it would be a cute gift basket idea for a couple, or even just one person who likes to get cozy.
5. Doorknob Bottle Stoppers from Pottery Barn – $10 :Jason and I love a good glass of wine, but we often don’t finish off a bottle for a week or more. We’ve had more than a few bottles spoil because our method of stopping the bottle back up thus far has been “jam the cork back in as far as it will go and hope for the best”. I like these crystal bottle stoppers from Pottery Barn. They’re pretty enough that they’d look nice at a dinner table, but small enough that they’re not gaudy. These are the perfect gift for the wine enthusiast on your list.
6. Skribent Bookends from Ikea – $4.99 :We are in dire need of bookends. I love the look of a group of vintage leatherbound books on top of a credenza/dresser/secretary/etc., but I have nothing to hold them up with. Mine are currently flopped over and being held halfway up by a vintage whiskey bottle I have sitting next to them. I like this set from Ikea because they’re neutral enough to go with any decor, and you could paint, stain, decoupage, or otherwise customize them to your heart’s content if you so please. Perfect for the professor, accountant, or just plain bookish person on your gift list.
7. Set of Neutral Linen Tea and Fingertip Towels from Found For You – $5.10 :Tea towels. I’m borderline obsessed with them. Jason and I use these for everything — lining and covering baked goods in a basket, keeping raw potatoes covered, draping over a wood surface underneath something that might ruin the finish, and, y’know, as actual towels or napkins sometimes too. They’re so versatile. I found this pretty yellow set on Etsy (can you tell yellow is my favorite color?). These would be a great gift for the vintage enthusiast or linens lover on your list.
8. Dangling Mini Pots from Amazon – $16.99 (Also Ceramic Planter Set from Amazon – $19.73) :Like I said before, I love me some philodendrons. And african violets. And spider plants. And ivy. And succulents. And‚ well, lots of house plants in general. Nothing makes a home feel more inviting to me than houseplants weaving their tendrils over bookcases, mantlepieces, desks, tables, and windowsills. These ceramic plant pots are beautifully painted and for a set of 3, are very reasonably priced. And the hanging set of mini pots is just so cute. Imagine a little family of succulents or african violets hanging out in those! These are perfect for the green thumb on your gift list.
9. Custom Vintage Silverware Garden Markers from Monkeys Always Look – Various Prices :Going along with the plant theme here, I have been in love with these silver spoon plant markers ever since I first saw them ages ago. This shop has the option for sets of 3-6 custom markers, so you can pick the right ones for your plants. These would be especially cute gifted along with a houseplant in one of those pots from above.
10. Vintage Yellow Pleated Apron from The Tin Tiara – $22 (Also Green Ferns Womens Full Apron from Aprons and More – $18.95) :I love love love to bake, but I also (apparently) love love love to make a mess when I do. It is a regular occurance in my house to find me in the kitchen with flour, egg, and butter smeared all over my jeans. Obviously an apron would solve this issue, and would make Jason less inclined to avoid messy old me like the plague while I’m baking. I love these two I found on Etsy, especially the yellow one! These would be great for the cooking/baking enthusiast on your gift list.

Thank you so much Kelsey for shopping with us!  I hope some of you find some lovely ideas for people on your list.  Pop over to Yellow is the Color for lots of lovely blogging!