Couldn’t resist, I bought this Star Garland Kit

Sweet Folk Reindeer Push Toy

Super adorable printable Gift Tags

Vintage Wallpaper Ornaments

Folk Christmas Stocking

DIY Wrapping Paper Trees

I am in love with Mabo, a new line of children’s clothing by local Salt Laker Emily McMaster.  When Emily had her first daughter Ruby, that’s her in the adorable tweed jumper below, she fell in love with dressing her and began making clothes for her.  She quickly realized there was a market for comfortable, quality clothing with classic lines in contemporary playful designs. Voila, Mabo was born!

All of the designs are made here in the good ol’ U.S. of A by a group of women who own a small manufacturing company up in Washington.   Recently Mabo has partnered with an organization called Global Artisans here in SLC. They train refugees to be artisans – weavers, knitters, seamstresses – and sell their goods to give them self-sufficiency and some extra income. Mabo has found a very enthusiastic audience so stay tuned for new designs in knits and cottons coming soon.

Become a fan of Mabo on Facebook to keep up to date on their latest news.

Here are some great gift ideas for the book lover in your life.

Personalized Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary covered in Italian leather; $195 @ RSH. Letter A bookshelf; $699 @ RSH.

Clothbound Penguin Classics; $20 @ Anthropologie.

Cast-Metal Animal bookends; $24 @ West Elm. Monkey bookends; $24 @ Tyrers.

Carved Wood Book Stand; $27.20 @ Dolls of India. Vintage Brass Book Stand; $25 @ Etsy.

Some sweet things for your Valentine.

Sweet Meat I Love You More Than….button

DIY Sweet Nothings Mini Megaphone via Design Sponge

Conversation Heart Sugar Cookies

Think of Me handkerchief

You Were In My Head, Rob Ryan screenprint

XOXO infiniti letterpress card

Penguins Poems for Love

Congratulations to the Winner of the Vietri Santa Plate: Mandy Mladenoff!

To the rest of my readers, thanks for making 2009 such a great year for Little Willow! I’ve enjoyed all of your comments and participation in my little blog and I look forward to spending more time with all of you in 2010! I’ll be posting lightly over the next few weeks but in the meantime I’m wishing you all a spectacular holiday with lots of love, laughter and light!

(snowflake image from Starn Studio)

For my final giveaway of 2009 Lizzy Fisher of Vietri in Fearrington, North Carolina has sent me this adorable white Santa plate. I would imagine that Good Ol’ St. Nick and his round little belly would shake with a laugh like a bowl full of jelly to find this plate filled with cookies when he arrives down your chimney!

The plate measures 9″ x 11″ and is made for Vietri’s Bellezza line by Tuscan artisans using traditional 13th century Montelupo techniques and enamel to create a low-gloss surface on each handmade terra cotta piece.  This plate would also be really cute hung on your wall during the holidays.

In order to win please tell me your favorite holiday cookie recipe! The winner will be announced on Christmas Eve!

Someone on my Christmas list is getting a set of Jane Austen’s hard cover books from Penguin Classics (available through Barnes & Noble or Anthropologie).  This person is notoriously hard to shop for but I happen to know her favorite books are Sense and Sensibility and Pride and Prejudice which she re-reads almost every year.  I thought these pretty cloth-bound editions designed by Coralie Bickford-Smith might actually be the perfect gift for her, wish me luck!