The best stuff ever in the whole entire world for hip, happening ladies!

Today we are kicking off our holiday wishlist officially (I know that pretty much everything I post about it wishlisty for someone). Gleegarden readers submitted their wants and desire for the holiday season, and there were so many great ideas. They will definitely be the focus for the next few weeks. Great gifting for one and all.

So here is the first reader inspiration, Plywerk frames. The perfect example of going tete a tete with readers…what a cool thing to hear about! These simple frames allow you to mount your photos or art on inexpensive panels. No pricey framing in order to display your work in a nice, clean way. They offer a variety of sizes and the price is oh so right!

One of my absolute favorite gift ideas this year is seminars through the Friends of the Virgin Islands National Park. They have great choices like kayak/snorkel trips through the mangroves, Pastel Workshops, Eco Spa Days, and more. And this particular organization is also having an on-line auction in December.

How fun is it to support a great cause while getting something fun and fabulous? I think it is the best idea yet. Just check in on your favorite organizations and causes to see what they have going on. I guarantee a feel-good gift is lurking out there for you and your loved ones. Just sayin’.

Okay, so for those of you on the gleegarden email list, you received an email last week about the November and December giveaways. It asked for wishlists and gave a few examples of possibilities. One of those was the Absolutely Fabulous DVD set (Ab Fab for the shows fans). Whooooaaaaa! Little did I know…so many responses told me that they absolutely wanted Ab Fab on their own wishlists. Ladies after my own heart.

I have been wanting this for years myself (I hope the proper people are reading this post). Here is the latest and greatest set that I’ve found with 5 seasons and loads of extras. God I love those Absolutely Fabulous, Absolutely Hysterical, Absolutely Ridiculous ladies. Too true to life sometimes.

Bells. I love bells. Why do they say ‘holiday’? I do not know. But what a beautiful decoration, I say.

Get some little ones to go around the stems of wine glasses, tie them to doorknobs, make a delightful napkin ring accent. So many possibilities!

I love these bells as a decorative centerpiece. I would want them up year around!

Thanks for tuning in to this holiday party week! It was fun and could’ve gone on forever and ever. Much like the holidays, good things come to an end so that we can appreciate and anticipate their return.

*In the spirit of love and glee-filled lives, I am sending my deepest love and sympathies to the family of my dear friend Toni. She was a great gleegarden supporter and she will be missed. She lived well and was loved deeply by our community and beyond. There is a piece missing in our hearts.

If you are throwing a party, you know that the most significant thing aside from food and beverage is ambience. Dimming lights and the scattering of candles creates a perfect sexy warmth. Tea lights are perfect because they are super cheap and can be found anywhere. And these alabaster tea light holders are perfect for any setting. And hey, if you are a guest, what a great host gift!

*Although you may be tempted to not put your tea lights in holders, I don’t recommend that. I’ve seen fires break out at parties because the metal gets to hot and people get careless. A little flame coverage can make a big difference.

I don’t know that there is any other piece of furniture that I am more obsessed with owning than the iconic Eames Rocking Chair. It is just simply special. And I may just have to get it in white! That would certainly be not only practical, but hip and stylish.

I’ve always said that interior decor is my favorite thing in the world, and this chair in my life would make me sooooo Happy! (hint, hint)

Now I have to admit that I am not exactly what you might call an avid bird watcher. I’m not even a not-so-avid bird watcher (sorry to the few hardcore ornithologists with whom I am acquainted). But it does so happen that on occasion I see birds.

If I were to see these said birds, I think it would be very nice for them to have such a lovely little house as this. My lack of direct interest in the observation of aviary life is certainly a bit curtailed by this way cool contemporary birdhouse.

What a perfect accessory for a tree! And feed those little birdies to make them happy too.

When it comes to aprons, I’ve usually gone with the more old-fashioned bold prints in the past, but when I saw this one it was truly love at first site. It is sort of a chic version of an actual professional chef’s apron. And really, the lines and colours could be something I would want out of a dress almost.

Daydreaming about prancing around a lovely white kitchen cooking up some tender morsels. With a glass of red wine, of course.

Theme week, people! And the theme? White. Why? Because white is classy, luxurious, stark and gorgeous.

Sooo much white goodness in the world, starting with this organic duvet cover I got for my birthday from West Elm.

The appeal of a clean, crisp white bed probably started when I stayed in this beautiful boutique hotel in Stellenbosch, South Africa during a wine tasting weekend. Their white duvet covering the cozy down made me feel more special than a broke college student should.

Nothing screams comfort, class, and sophistication to me like white bedding. Plus, the decor versatility just boggles the mind. Cannot wait to get back to my new king size heavenly bed in Seattle and settle into zen-like happiness.

I love to cook, and I love to eat. So for October I asked the gleegarden subscribers to tell me their cooking inspirations for a chance to win a prize. So many fabulous suggestions that I thought I would share with you all.

Seems that the internet is popular, in particular allrecipes.com.

I’ve found the scores by other users to be really accurate and the best recipes float to the top. – Megan

I found a recipe on there called Chocolate Cavity Maker Cake, it’s just about the best cake I’ve ever had let alone made!  It was always a hit at work potlucks. – Debbie

It’s a bit generic but I always go to allrecipes.com. Why? Because they have EVERYTHING there. And because when I was challenged to an enchilada cook off with my Texan sister in law, I found my winning recipe there. (I had never made them before). – Jacynth

I love allrecipes.com. It has an endless supply of ideas and the ability to rate recipes, add your own, and search thousands of key words. One of my favorites is a recipe for flax and sunflower seed bread. It is amazingly delish. Tor says it’s his favorite bread ever. Another total plus is that is has the nutrition information for each recipe at the bottom. A great way to eat healthily. – Leah

And other websites??

I am kinda boring on the website front but I religiously use epicurious and foodnetwork. I love the rating/comment section and in general trust the reviewers and their advice.  I always incorporate their suggestions in the original recipe. I just made this mahi mahi recipe (and added garlic per reviewer advice) and it was damn tasty!!  Easy too. – Angie

I love http://www.thekitchn.com/ – so great!  recipes, cooking implements, restaurants – it all makes my mouth water! – Lia

Thanks to all the subscribers for their awesome advice. I can see myself ‘wasting’ hours of my life on the computer perusing these sites. I’ll let you all in on the non-web suggestions later.

Love to all and a gleeful fall weekend!