On this weekend meander.. last minute gifts for friends and neighbors from the grocery store, make a basic wreath cool with cuttings from your yard, and an outfit for Tahoe.
Trader Joe’s Pink Poinsettias..
Right now the cutest gift for a neighbor or friend – or just for your holiday table is the pink poinsettias in these nice pots that you can use later for $8! The pots alone are worth the price. I loved the two different pinks and they work with the green of my runner. I moved my wooden bowl to my island and kept the plants here. Hopefully these won’t sell out. It’s rare to see such pretty pinks and who wouldn’t love one of these for a gift?
The world needs more pink poinsettias, if you ask me!



More Last Minute Gift Ideas- from the grocery store..
Sometimes finding a gift is as easy as dropping by your local grocery. Some of the things I like to give from the grocery are tea, candy, and baked goods. Our local stores like Lunardis and Whole foods have piles of Italian cakes, and gourmet chocolates from Seattle Chocolate Company and Lake Champlain. They also carry special hot chocolate mix in glass bottles, high end teas from places like Tea Pigs, and others in pretty tins. I like to tuck tea into a bag with some home made cookies or scones or just bottle of local wine, or preserves.
Food is a very appreciated gift and I would say greener as it its more likely locally made, and actually consumed. Older folks really appreciate these little goodies at the holidays. Nice for neighbors too.
At Homegoods and TJMaxx, you can find bunches of cute tea towels inexpensively. Buy a few and wrap them around loaf of banana or cranberry bread, scones or cookies with a pretty bow. Not a baker? Then pair them with a nice box of tea from the grocery or World Market! ( World Market is a fantastic place to get nice teas in pretty tins, German stollen, and chocolates.)
Some of my favorites from WM below. All their teas can be found here online.






Get a custom look with a grocery store wreath and yard cuttings..
This year I decided to save some money and get a basic grocery store wreath for $19 and zhuzh it up with succulents and cuttings from the yard.. I’m hoping it lasts for a while.

I started with the basic noble fir wreath with a few pinecones and juniper already on it…


I was lucky to have a plant with dried hydrangea balls that was perfect to tuck in here. I went around the yard a snipped bits of succulents, then wired or worked them in.


I ordered this ribbon from Amazon and I am surprised how much I like it. Took me about 15 minutes total.


On my French doors, I always buy two small advent candle ring wreath from Trader Joes to hang on the doors. Love the small size and kept it simple with orange ribbon that was leftover from a Hudson Grace gift. I use command hooks and black string to hang which sort of camouflages against the black trimmed doors.
A Tahoe/ Ski Holiday Look
I am excited to get up to our small cabin during the break and we just got 48 inches of snow! A lot of you get to the mountains or Tahoe at this holiday break and I thought I’d do a ski/winter look with some of the darling pieces I have noticed lately..
Madewell had me at this beautiful sage green parka made by Halfdays. If you want a longer jacket, there is also this adorable jacket and this even longer one.

These booties have a toasty lining and water and snow proof suede upper, but are cute enough to wear here in California in the cooler months (so are these.) The cold weather fleece tights will work for hikes and days out and even some skiing with a second layer( these with Stirrups are also cool.) Love the Barbour Sweater, also here, which nearly sold out as soon as I made this collage, but there are more fair isle options here and here . I’m kind of crazy for them now. I also love this cozy one for Tahoe and it’s a good price, as is this one. The shearling tote is now 40% off and this one is also cute.
Lastly, the new Mega Wayfarers are on my wish list and this green is especially pretty.
People are often asking what to pack and wear for Tahoe, so I did add clothing options for colder months and ski trips on my Lake Tahoe Cabin Style page, which is on the drop-down under Home & Decor at the top of the blog. I’ll keep adding to it.
Donate a coat
This has been one of the coldest winters in California, and elsewhere in many years. Many of us have a closet full of coats that we rarely wear. This is one of those years, where shedding a few might really help others. One Warm Coat is one of my favorite charities and such an easy one to help. You can find a local drop-off place where your coat or jackets will be distributed to nearby charity. It’s also easy and simple to hold your own coat drive. Directions how here.I did one with my kids when they were younger. You simply put out a box, either at your home, or it can even be at your kid’s school, or a library or public spot for a stated time, and then pick one of several local charities to deliver them to after.

#Blingit
Our #BLINGIT hashtag is still going strong and so many of you are sharing your lovely family heirlooms and brooches you have collected! Keep sharing them in Instagram, just tag us and we will share on our stories. It’s been a treat every day. More than a few have said getting these pins out really brought back so many special memories of their moms and grandmothers, and holidays past. That is kind of what I was hoping for! It makes me so happy to hear. It’s great to see those special pieces get a little day in the sun and out of the drawer, and remember those who once wore them at this time of year…
Just some of what you all have shared from Dana, Contessa, and Kathy, and so many others. I consolidate them daily on my BlingIt Instagram Story Bubble if you missed it!



Thank You Guys!
This is my last blog for the year and Juliet and I will be taking time off until the 7th of January. It’s been a great for me to do the Weekend Meandering with Elizabeth and Juliet and I can hardly believe we have done it every weekend since beginning in February! I’m hoping taking time off to recharge will be good and we can come back with more fresh ideas for the new year.
I also want to say thank you for being here and the kind comments and feedback! It’s truly the best part of the blog for me and I so appreciate you taking time to stop here. I feel like this is a circle of friends and I am so grateful.
Wishing you all a beautiful holiday season and wonderful New Year. Hugs to you all.
See you in 2023!
Kim
Please stop over at Elizabeth and Juliet’s blogs..
MAKE MINE A SPRITZER
PINECONES AND ACORNS
If your missed last weekend’s post, I shared my neutral Christmas Decor, holiday nights at Santana Row, vintage holiday pins, cute runners and napkins, an easy Christmas cookie to make and more…
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