My Favorite Things for Winter 2018

December 21, 2018

It's officially winter! It feels like it already began several weeks ago, but it's official now. I have to admit, growing up in the snow, I have a bit of a love hate relationship with it. I loved "Snow Days" which is when school was canceled due to extreme weather conditions. My father would cut our own firewood and build an amazing fire that we would sit around and enjoy while watching the snow fall outside. I now enjoy making my own home extra cozy and comfortable during the winter months and here are some of my favorites!

I like to switch out pillow covers seasonally and I am loving these faux owl pillows right now! They add an unexpected depth of color, texture and movement. Subtle variations of shading and patterns evoke natural owl like feathers. They're high quality and feel very substantial. I particularly like that they are faux fur on both sides and can be machine washed or dry cleaned. Available from Williams Sonoma Home, regular price starting at $79 but currently on sale for 20% off.

Pottery Barn Picture Frames With the shorter days and cold weather it's a great time to work on indoor projects like finally framing a few of those many pictures we all have on our cell phones! (if you're anything like me I have a bazillion pics of my dog ; ) and some pretty amazing sunsets and landscapes). I've been eyeing these modern acrylic picture frames and just discovered the silver bark picture frame that's perfect for adding texture and a little sparkle. Available from Crate & Barrel, starting at $11.95

Winter calls for a heavy duty doormat! This one is designed with the look of iron scrollwork, but is actually made of virtually indestructible molded rubber. Impervious to cold, heat, and water, they stay put when you're scraping your boots and rinse clean with a hose. Available in three sizes and there's also matching stair treads. Available from Ballard Designs and currently on sale starting at $16.50

I know, I know, I am probably the last person on the planet to sign up for Amazon Prime. I received an invite for a free month . . . and well . . . I'm hooked! Not only do I get free 2 day shipping (which during the winter, who wouldn't rather stay inside than run errands when it's snowing or raining?) but there are also terrific binge worthy shows and movies included with the membership that are perfect for snuggling up on the sofa. We are currently watching season one of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, I love her can do attitude and her dresses!

These earthenware popcorn bowls from Crate & Barrel are perfect for movie night. Available in large and also a super cute individual size. They're dishwasher, microwave and oven-safe and are only $5.95 for the small bowls and $19.95 for the large bowl.

What's better than popcorn? Buttery, truffle flavored popcorn! : ) I love using Ghee instead of butter and if you haven't tried it yet, you'll love it! Ghee has an intense, buttery flavor and comes with many health benefits too! (I also use it in my Bullet Coffee in the morning)

I'm addicted to all things truffles, so when I discover Trader Joes Black Truffle salt, I was so excited I told all my friends and family about it. It's available this time of year at Trader Joes, but if you don't live near one or they're sold out, I found them for sale on eBay.

Along with winter, unfortunately also comes cold and flu season. I use to be an over the counter nighttime / daytime cough syrup girl, but these days, I try to go the healthier and more natural route Boericke & Tafel Nighttime Cough Syrup whenever possible. I happened to discover this cough syrup by Boericke & Tafel at Whole Foods last winter. I have to admit, I was a bit skeptical as to whether it would actually work. To my amazement, it totally works! The nighttime cough syrup suppressed my cough, helped me sleep and best of all it doesn't leave me feeling groggy in the morning. I just picked up the daytime cough syrup with zinc a couple weeks ago, I especially appreciate that it doesn't leave me feeling jittery. Available from Vitacost.com

I happened upon this cozy sweater dress from Talbots.com. I try to keep my wardrobe classic and easy to wear so it's one less thing for me to fuss with. It doesn't get much easier than this dress! Just throw it on and it looks polished and professional. This would also be cute dressed down with tights and ankle boots. The best part is that it's machine washable! I've been loving that clothing companies like Talbots and Banana Republic are making dresses and Merino wool sweaters that don't have to be dry cleaned. It saves money and it's two less errands to run, one dropping it off and one to pick it up! On sale for $119.99

And of course, last but not least, our sweet pups need something to keep them warm and cozy during the winter months. I found this self warming bed by K&H Pet Products on Chewy.com. The pillow Self Warming Dog Bed has a layer of metalized insulation that radiates warmth generated from the dog's own body heat. It's also eco-friendly, the fill is made from recycled plastic bottles and it's easy to clean. Just remove the cover and wash on the gentle cycle with cold water and hang to dry or use the no-heat cycle on your dryer. Regular price $90.99, on sale for $51.49.

This is also a great time of year to get some of our indoor home improvements taken care of. If you've been thinking about adding moulding to your doors or walls, here are some customer submitted photos for a little inspiration : )