Darlings, I wanted to share one of my favorite DIY Valentine’s Day gift ideas with you, in case you are racking your brain trying to think of a way to show your Valentine how you feel (like I am!). I call this a Love Jar or Love Bucket and you simply fill a handsome jar with tiny heart-shaped love notes.

Here are the steps:

1. Find a jar and/or bucket in which to put your love notes. (I used a vintage decanter {similar} and silver bucket {similar} from my fave store in San Francisco, Past Perfect, but you can use whatever vessel strikes your fancy. I chose both a jar to put the love-note hearts in and a silver bucket so that my valentine, Fred Baby, had a place to put the notes he had read.)

2. Pick up a sheet or two of pretty paper. (I used Paris map wrapping paper from Paper Source. Papyrus and Kate’s Paperie also have great options. Be sure one side is blank so you can write on it!)

3. Cut out tiny hearts! (Or, use a heart-shaped punch, which is probably much easier. The number is up to you. I used our anniversary, 2/18, and cut out 218 hearts, which admittedly is a lot, but you could do whatever number means something to you and yours. Or, add a twist: Start with 14 for Valentine’s Day and then add a new one each day – that would be such a fun tradition!)

4. Use a pretty pen to jot down your favorite memories. Ideas of what to include: things you love about your Valentine, special dates, adventures, nicknames, inside jokes, or whatever you want to express (our Love Jar is filled with a lot of food references and travel adventures – big surprise!). It’s amazing how writing something as simple as “ancho fudge pie” or “San Marino snow” can bring back a flood of memories.

5. Deliver your Love Bucket to your love bucket! While it’s technically a gift for your valentine, it’s really such a gift to yourself, too, as you get to travel down memory lane with your favorite travel partner.

Do you have any favorite Valentine’s Day or anniversary gifts that you’ve given or received? Do tell, lovelies xx!

[Photos by BussBuss; art print by Shelby Healey]

Home, The Blog, The DailyBuss Gifts, Valentine's Day

So you guys know my boyfriend Andy Spade, right? His clever shop Partners & Spade is offering a really cool and cheeky Christmas present for a mere $.99. For less than a buck, they’ll send you (or your lucky gift recipient) a polaroid of “any over-priced product” in their store (packaging included!). Genius, right? Details here.

Or, make this idea your own by printing out fantasy gifts for your loved ones (or tear things out of magazine…or snap photos of things you want to give…or, if you’re really artsy, you could even draw them!). Think anything from those dazzling Louboutins for your bestie to a private island for your lovie. The options are endless.

I love this idea, how about you? Would you want to give or receive a gift like this? I know I would!

Fashion, Home, The Blog, The DailyBuss Andy Spade, Kate Spade

My sweets, how are you spending Thanksgiving this year? Last year we hosted my darling husband’s family at our place for the first time ever. And this year, we are excited to play hosts again – this time, hosting my parents for the first time! Since we are going to be a small – but merry – group of four, I’ve been asking each person, What are your Thanksgiving musts? What do you really love at Thanksgiving and would be crushed not to see on the table?

I’m all for Thanksgiving leftovers (it’s really the best part, isn’t it?), but with out-of-town visitors, I also know it’s fun to take them to eat at new places. So, we’re cutting out the superfluous and making our musts. So far, that’s been turkey and gravy, mashed potatoes (my Mom makes the BEST ones ever), stuffing (really dressing, but I will forever call it stuffing even though it’s not coming from inside the bird), and cranberry sauce. I’ll also be making some crispy Brussels sprouts and a simple green salad for added crunch.

I’ve never been a big pie person, so in lieu of that, we’ll be making chocolate mousse (my mother-in-law has the best recipe) and I want to try this pumpkin bread pudding just to try something new. And, in addition to Pizza Bianca, I might be making these sparkling cranberry brie bites as an appetizer to nibble on while we cook the day away.

But enough about me, I wanna know: What are your Thanksgiving musts?  What just isn’t Thanksgiving without it? Family fights and tears, not included.

[Table from The Perfectly Imperfect Home: How to Decorate and Live Well via A Lovely Being; Gnome via Slim Paley; Pudding by Romulo Yanes; Brie bites by Yummy Mummy]

Home, The Blog, The DailyBuss

Can you believe it’s Thanksgiving week already? Come Black Friday, we’ll have a dazzling Holiday Deals Gift Guide for you, chock-full of great gift ideas and coupon codes, but for now, let’s talk hostess gifts. I love coasters because they’re incredibly practical (who can’t use a coaster?), plus they can add just the right pop of style for not a whole lotta clams. They’re the perfect hostess gift, don’t you think? Here, a few cool and chic faves…

Jonathan Adler British Flag Coasters – for your British brother-in-law who sometimes misses where he grew up.

Kate Spade Live Colorfully Borough Coasters – for your friend who can’t get enough of the Big Apple.

Tree Ring Coasters – for your bearded husband who loves escaping to Rock Reach House.

Reclaimed Slate Coasters – for your friend who throws killer dinner parties.

Squares CoasterTray – For your whip-smart graphic designer friend who values color and pattern.

Rorschach Coasters – for your psychologist mother-in-law who always says “tell me more…”

Jonathan Adler Jet Set Coasters- for your fearless friend who spent the last year traveling around the world solo and is finally coming home!

iomoi personalized coasters – for your Palm Springs-loving friends whose house was smashed in by a tree over a year ago and finally got their re-building permits approved.

Home, The DailyBuss

How To Make It In America. Do you love it, too? I’m obsessed. Which got me to thinking… What would Ben, Cam, Rachel and Domingo do for Thanksgiving?

AphroChic Placemats – They’d eat on these oh-so-Brooklyn-it-hurts placemats.

Graffiti Cocktail Shaker – Let’s face it: Drinks will be the main event.

Cutipol Rondo Gold Cutlery- If Kappo’s not in jail, he’ll insist on these bombdotcom utensils.

Spherical Ice Tray Set – Because they know drinks these days are all about the ice.

Bicycle Glasses – I mean, hello.

Bear Rug Coasters – If there are any coasters, they’d have to be these.

Don’t Give Up The Ship Pillow – Word.

Beauty, Home, The Blog