Itsy Bitsy Wishes

Ok, so a little while ago I tweeted about posting a “Bitsy Wish List” for the Holidays. I was joking.

Looking for gifts for my friends has been a really tough chore this year, and I was wondering if everyone else was having the same problem. Apparently I am just as tough to shop for, as I have been asked many times now when I was going to post my wish list... So I’ve been forced to put one together for real, and it feels really silly.

Now I do not expect anyone to buy me anything. This is NOT being posted to ask for gifts!! I grew up not celebrating these holidays and this whole getting gifts is a strange and new concept for me. But between the holidays and moving into a new house, some of my lovely friends are already planning to give something and have asked for this list. AND IF you are looking for gift ideas for me, don't think I won't love whatever you give me- on this list or not! this is just ideas!

So hopefully this will help, if anything I think you will get a kick out of some of these links and may find that perfect gift for that unique, quirky person in your life!! OK, here you go…

www.PushinDasies.com -I’ve been looking at these two items forever!

www.goreydetails.net -All the Classic Monsters- Especially Frankenstein and his Bride, Alice In Wonderland, Tim Burton, Edward Gorey, Addams Family… Basically cannot go wrong with anything on this website haha

Etsy -I'm a huge supporter! And also of course of local art and crafts.

Support small businesses this holiday!!!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/idlehandsdesigns or http://idlehandsdesigns.com/-My friend Lyndsay’s jewelry is amazing! I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again- I love, love, love everything she makes! (*cough*greencoffinring*cough*) haha

http://www.etsy.com/shop/DollfaceDames or http://www.dollfacedames.com/ -A girl can never have enough hair flowers- especially the beautiful ones my fellow Tart sister Jezebel makes when she is not wowing us with her lovely voice on our stage :)

http://www.etsy.com/people/FableAndFury - fun jewelry, in just my style!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/uniqueartpendants - So pretty! I love the prints as well as the cuff bracelets.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/blackmirrordesign - The Victorian/goth/steampunk pinup side of me comes out when I see these clothes. I’m in love.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/lovedtodeath - My dear sweet Vegan friends beware, don’t go to this page. I’m sorry.

Oh, and Note: If you buy me dead things- no furry taxidermy for me please. Skeletons, pieces of bones, teeth and Insects yes, but I’m not one to wear furry faces or put them on my wall. Yuck.

Art:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/NightshadeStudios - Everytime I see these paintings anywhere I can’t help but be a bit green with envy. I will own one someday!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/GrandOleBestiary - I do have a quirky sense of humor and love of things a little dark and twisted, and I can’t get enough of these pictures. They make me smile and would look great on my Oddity wall.

http://www.etsy.com/people/strangeling - I’ve always been a fan of Jasmine Becket-Griffith. I’m not so much with ALL her fairies, but I love the mermaids, Alice, and many other of her beautiful little creatures.

http://www.impsandmonsters.com/ - I already have a few of Justin Hillgrove’s prints, I love his imps and monsters series, especially the laboratory/things in jars prints.

Bordello Shoes -Um, pretty much anything Bordello. Size 6, please.

Vintage Books -I love the look of old novels. I can never have enough of them.

Curios -Well, I love odd things. Vintage doll parts, creatures in jars, vintage apothecary bottles, framed insects, circus sideshow memorabilia, odd vintage photos… and so on and so on.

Rhinestones -A girl can never have too many rhinestones, on anything!

For those who like to give practical gifts that you know will get a lot of use as well as love:

1) Gift Cards. I can always, always use gift cards to any fabric, costume, crafting store. Seriously. Display and Costume, Jo-Anns, Pacific Fabric, Michaels... Also Travel gift cards for airlines and hotels are very useful!

2) The Emerald Dollies have a house to fill now, and so anything house related would be very practical ;) For those of you who have asked: these are the themes of the Doll(ies) House- GREEN (duh!)

But other than that- our two main rooms have distinct themes:

· Living Room: Ornate, 30’s/40’s Hollywood-esque, dark rich greens, gold and dark wood accents.

· Kitchen/dining: Shipwreck, tiki, retro nautical. Bamboo, teak. Lots of lighter, brighter greens- mainly tones of that 1950’s aqua-ish green.

3) Prints. If you have any great Dollies images- we would love to have them for our walls in our upstairs office/creative space.

And for the charitable gift giver:

1) I’m a huge supporter of Seattle’s Children’s Hospital and the Ronald McDonald House. They have been so great to my little brother and my family over the years, so support them! Donate money, time, toys and supplies (note: RMH always needs books, games and activities for teens and adults as well as younger kids. Parents and the family members of sick children need to have options of distractions and things to keep them busy and there are also quite a few teenage patients there as well)

http://www.seattlechildrens.org/ways-to-help/volunteer/

http://www.rmhcseattle.org/

2) I’m also a big supporter of Toys For Tots. It’s all of our responsibility to take care and make sure we give as much love and happiness to all children, they are our future.

http://www.toysfortots.org/

Hope that give you all ideas for some unique gifts :)

If anything, please remember to give to charity. So important to support our community!

Now… all of you can help ME out by sending me YOUR wish list!!

xo,

bits

The way I am.

Life is such a funny thing, you never know what it’ll bring. You know I’m just taking it day by day.

These last few months have been incredible: incredibly difficult, incredibly amazing, and utterly life-changing.

I look back to the person I was just a few months ago and am so surprised that I can see how much I’ve changed and grown in such a short time. Life threw me a few curve balls recently and for a month I was getting hit hard with heartaches, tragedies and general road blocks one after another, handfuls at a time.

I believe that these moments were a test to my strength and they helped mold me into the person I am today. In just a short month I gained a new perspective on what I want in life, grew more confident in my ability to achieve these wants, and lost a lot of the fear that was holding me back. In the wake of tragedy I experienced a few “AHA! Moments” and had some (positive, life changing) challenges thrown at me- I don’t think that I could of handled the pressure of the positive if I hadn’t just survived the tough times.

I’ve been lucky to have experienced a few great moments recently where you step outside of yourself and just watch in amazement, wondering how the hell you got to this very moment in life. It’s a great feeling.

Although I dearly miss those who I've recently lost- in death or just through life changes and choices- and who I fear I could be loosing soon... I’ve been so lucky to have them in my life and have them love me, even if for only a moment. I’ve recently added a few very special people to my life and have learned to appreciate and love even more some who’ve been in my life for a while now.

I am who I am because each one has touched, supported, loved, taught, encouraged, hurt or even broken me. Through the best moments and the worst- I thank you all for giving me the life I have had so far.

I feel very lucky to have the life I have right now and to have the wonderful people in my life that I do. I just want to say thank you and I love you all.

:)