In a former life I wrote a fashion style blog and put out a Gift Guide every Christmas. My husband quickly figured out that that gift guide was his ticket to winning at gift-giving. I mean, how lucky for him that I gave him such a vast list of great items complete with links to purchase directly? He also realized that this treasured guide was ALSO the winning ticket for all of his male co-workers who no doubt struggle every year with what to buy for the women in their lives, and sent out the link to all of them explaining that their gifting dilemmas had been solved.
Fast forward through several job changes and alas, the Gift Guide blogs went by the wayside. And every year about this time, my husband would lament over its loss and was once again left stranded on the gift idea island. 
Imagine his joy when I joined the SGD team last year and started writing blog posts again. In fact, he asked me just over the Thanksgiving holiday when my Gift Guide was going up as he was ready to get shopping. Well, my dear. Wait no longer. In fact, you not only have the items in this post to peruse, but so many more in the Shop section of our website. 
For the guys who were blindly led here by a concerned friend, welcome. And trust us, here you can find everything you are looking for for that special woman in your life. 
XO
​Kalen

Check out our previous Gift Guides for her, him and millenials for even more ideas, and for our favorite holiday decor, click here. 

It's crunch time now. Make those lists and check them twice. We've been making our lists for a week or so now, and are excited to share with you not only some great products from companies you may or may not know about BUT you can WIN all of them on Instagram during our "12 Days of Giveaways"! Today? A preview of all the goodies. Then check our Instagram feed daily over the next 12 weekdays and enter  to win the featured gift on each day.
Contest Rules:
To enter to win the featured item, follow Instagram account for featured company, and tag 2 friends in the comments.
Winners will be selected at 9pm CST each day, so follow, comment, tag, enter before then.  
Winner will be notified via Instagram direct message within 24 hours of winning.

Now for the goodies! 

Listed top to bottom:
1. Lillian Farag Leather Coaster Set: Set of four hand-painted coasters in a splatter dot pattern on natural tanned leather. No two are alike so its like an original work of art!
​2. Annie Selke Java Plum Wristlet*: Purple python embossed leather and the perfect size for all your essentials; phone, ID, credit cards. 
3. Weezie Makeup Towels: No more makeup stained white towels with this set of 2 soft cotton navy towels made just for the task! 
​4. Chantal Ceramic French Press: Pretty enough to sit out on the counter, this 4 cup ceramic french press keeps coffee warmer way longer than the glass versions.
5. KT Woven Diamond Blanket: Seriously one of the best blankets we have come across recently. Gorgeous colors, perfect weight and soft cotton that softens every time you wash it! If you can't wait, buy now and save 20% with code SHAUNA20. 
6. Annie Selke Como Voile Kaftan*: Be one of "those" girls who wears a kaftan just because you can. Exclusive tie-dye pattern from artist Laura Park.
7. Annie Selke Citrus Garden Spa Set*: Ease away the stress of the day with this lavender infused flaxseed pack. Matching eye mask also included! 
8. Annie Selke Mora Camel Suede Tote*: Rich camel leather tote is hand crafted in Ethiopia and designed to hold everything you can toss at it. 
9. Annie Selke Gold Hide Tech Case*: Gold accented hide leather pulls double duty as a case for pads and tablets or a go-to clutch for a night out. Perfect for travel!
10. Faribault Everyday Throw: From our friends at Hygge & West, this cozy woolen throw is made from 100% repurposed wool. Buy now and save 20% with code THANKYOU. 
11. Alana Kay + Shauna Glenn Dessert Plates: Created and designed by artist Alana Kay and Shauna, this set of 4 melamine dessert plates brings bright and bold colors to your holiday table. 
12. Dana Gibson Leopard Accent Tray: Serve your holiday cocktails on this uber chic metal tray and maybe buy another one for your friend who will surely be jealous. 
*Save 25% on select Annie Selke products with code CYBER19

Be sure to follow our Instagram for our daily posts! Yay for Giveaways! 

As much as we shop major retailers, we are always on the hunt for cute, locally owed small businesses. When Ida Mae Home approached us about partnering with them we took one look at their quirky, fun kids bedding and felt like anyone who put lemurs on a kids quilt was someone who was speaking our language. And while our initial plan of a kids room makeover didn't pan out, we still found some adorable bedding and pillows to give a guest room a nice refresh. Nellie obviously approves and who are we to argue. 

In addition to bedding, pillows and throws, Ida Mae Home has the cutest jewelry, bags, gifts, kitchen accessories, candles....you see where I'm going. 

You just have to see it all for yourself. AND you can join Shauna there this Saturday, November 16 from 11-12:30 for a Sip & Shop Event. See more of our favorite goodies and get all your holiday shopping done in one place. For more info, check out their Facebook page. ​

Last year, we got a huge jump on holiday decor shopping because, well, stuff sells out and we wouldn't want y'all to have FOMO over these great finds. So, now this year....we started our hunt for holiday decor around the same time, mid October and it was pathetic. Nothing cute. Weird ornaments (a roast turkey? really?). Same stuff we saw last year. It was very depressing. 
Well, as it turns out, apparently all our favorite retailers had just been holding back from us and once November rolled around, we found all the great stuff we had been searching for. It's time to start decking those halls, friends! 

1. Pom Bonanza Wreath--Anthropologie
2. Vintage Snowflakes Pillow--Pier 1 Imports
3. Flash Milk Glass Trees--CB2
4. Embellished Happy Holidays Pillow Cover--West Elm
5. Village Salad Plate Set--Pier 1 Imports
6. Retro Christmas Ornament Doormat--Pier 1 Imports
7. Sputnik Stocking Holder--West Elm
​8. Noel Floral Lumbar Pillow--Pier 1 Imports
9. Claus Pommed Stocking--Anthropologie
10. Letters to Santa Mailbox--Pier 1 Imports
11. Clarence Monogram Stocking--Anthropologie
12. Bottle Brush Trees--Pier 1 Imports
13. Jingle Bell Garland--West Elm
​Shop more of our favorite holiday decor items here. 

This post contains affiliate links and we are compensated for purchases made via these links. 

If you've been a follower of SGD for a while, you are already familiar with the work of our next artist. Gina Julian's art was included in the HGTV Magazine story on Shauna's house last summer and featured on the cover. Needless to say, she is one of our favorites. Her studies on perspective and color seem simple on the surface but encourage you to spend some time and experience the impact of color and emotion. We recently caught up with this Franklin, Tennessee based artist. 

SGD: What artists do YOU admire and why?
GJ: I’m a huge art collector myself, and true to my nature I’ve noticed that I love two kinds of art: abstracts with a strong focus on color, and colorful realism or photorealism (gotta love that precision!). Works in my personal collection include art from: Mallory Page, Brian Tull, Christina Baker, Christopher Stott, Denise Stewart-Senabria, Tjalf Sparnaay, Rolando Rosler and Vita Kobylkina.
My all-time favorite artist is Wayne Thiebaud, and I would die a happy woman to have one of his oil paintings in my collection. His use of color to create a halo effect on his subjects still baffles me to this day.
 
​SGD: If you weren’t an artist, what would you be?
GJ: No doubt about it, I’d be a pastry chef. I am a sugar addict and my love of baked goods runs deep! Consequently, when I’m not painting my straight-lined op art I’m usually painting sweet treats like donuts or macarons just for fun. Food is a wonderful subject matter that everyone can relate to. Plus, you can eat the models when you’re done. :)

With the cool weather finally blowing in to the Metroplex, we are having a moment with fall bedding. Duvets and quilts in rich colors and yummy fabrics like flannel and velvet. Plush and faux fur blankets and throws that make it even harder to get up from the couch or your bed and turn off the most recent Netflix binge. 
Recently we shared with you Shauna's guest room update with bedding from Serena & Lily and another recent guest room project on Instagram stories featured a gorgeous quilt from Anthropologie. So, if you are in the market for some cozy layers, rich colors and a surprise or two, grab a mug of cocoa and check out our favorite fall bedding picks. 

Velvet
Velvet is definitely not going anywhere, and we are so OK with that. From pillows to quilts and duvet covers, velvet is the affordable luxury that everyone needs. These are all available in multiple colors, so you have no excuse, really. 
1. Belgian Flax Linen and Cotton Velvet Duvet Cover--West Elm
2. Crinkle Velvet Duvet Cover and Shams--West Elm
3. Velvet Tufted Quilt and Shams--Pottery Barn 
4. Kantha-Stitched Velvet Quilt and Shams--Anthropologie

Prints
Used to be that florals were reserved for spring. Not so much anymore. Both in fashion and in home decor, fall florals in rich colors make a bold statement in your bedding. Add in some texture like embroidery or fringe and our boho selves are in heaven. In an interesting twist, as we usually stick to white sheets all year round, these watercolor floral sheets layered with a faux fur blanket have us giddy with the prospect of an afternoon nap.
​1. Helena Embroidered Duvet Cover and Shams--Pottery Barn
2. Meguro Duvet Cover and Shams--Anthropologie
3. Lani Floral Sheet Set and Gray Faux Fur Blanket--CB2

Blankets & Throws
We debate between the importance of warmth over softness when it comes to blankets and throws. While wool might be the warmest, there's just something about that faux fur that we can't give up. With blankets, layer on top of sheets but under quilt or duvet for maximum insulated warmth. Throws are vital too so have a basket of them in the family room as well as on the end of the bed for naps and that Netflix binge we mentioned earlier. 
1. Wendover Wool Striped Blanket--CB2
​2. Sophie Faux Fur Blanket--Anthropologie
3. Overlock Orchid Throw--CB2
​4. Hilda Pom Throw--Anthropologie

​Don't miss these sales on Fall Bedding going on now! 
25% off all throws and poufs at CB2 through 10/29
​Up to 30% off bedding at West Elm (limited time)
25% off everything with code HOLIDAY25 at Pottery Barn through 10/29

And shop more of our favorite bedding here. 

This post contains affiliate links and we will be compensated for purchases made via these links.

We are gearing up for the holidays over here in the SGD office. If you are expecting house guests over the holidays, now is the time to get your guest bedroom and bathroom prepped for the invasion. I mean, the visitors. We've partnered with Serena & Lily to deck out this adorable guest room with their best-in-class bedding pieces from their Fall 2019 collection and now I'm seriously wondering why the guests get the good stuff? 

First tip in styling a bed is to remember to layer. Sheets, quilt, duvet, throw. Especially if you keep your house cool at night, you want to make sure your guests are comfortable. If there is no ceiling fan in the room consider a small bedside fan.  We love the Granada Quilt in this warm Terracotta color. Inspired by classic Indian botanicals, it is just the right weight for those early fall nights. Since the temps are still somewhat mild, we've layered the Positano Linen Duvet Cover in Indigo under the quilt without it's insert. However, when that cold front comes through, you'll want to pop that down insert into the duvet cover and snuggle down. Yes, you can use linen on your bed all year around, and the Positano has been washed to be extra soft just like your favorite pair of jeans. Best of all, the Positano comes in 9 yummy colors and you know how we feel about color. 
Styling Tip: When pairing a quilt and duvet cover, we usually get Euro Shams to match one piece and Standard Shams to match the other. In this bed though, the trim on the sheets was so pretty we decided to only do the Euro Shams in the Granada pattern. 

Speaking of linen, the Positano Linen Sheets are seriously life changing. If you've never slept on linen sheets in the summer, grab a set now and hang on to them. For now though, we've traded in the linen sheets for these elegant Solana Sheets in Sky. Made in Portugal, they feature just a touch of texture with a fringed trim and washed for super softness. ​
We've finished off the bed with the ombre plaid West Shore Pillow Cover in Coastal Blue. It's made from a cozy baby alpaca blend and again, so soft we're wondering how our guests deserve such luxury. There's a matching throw available too that is perfect for an afternoon nap. 
Styling Tip: Put the sheet on upside down so when you fold it back on to the quilt when making the bed, you can see the fabulous trim. 

For the guest bath, think about the swankiest hotel you've ever stayed in and all the fancy items stocked in the bathroom. Your guests should have it just as good! Stock your guest bath with toiletry items, fancy soap, bubble bath, a hair dryer, and any other pampering treats. Make sure you have more than enough bath and hand towels available. We picked the Healdsburg Bath Towels in classic white for their unique fringed finish and plush Turkish cotton feel. Don't be afraid to mix up your neutrals and combine white and ivory. The coordinating Healdsburg Bath Mat comes in white, but we went Ivory to add an additional color layer. 

So, that's it! Add some flowers to the bedside table and maybe a basket of snacks and your guest room is good to go! Check out all the great products from Serena & Lily and save up to 30% on bedding and beds during their SLEEPWELL EVENT through 10/28. 

**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links
​If you've yet to venture to turn the page on the calendar, let me be the first to tell you that Thanksgiving is less than 6 weeks away. And if you are the lucky one who has "volunteered" to host the big dinner this year, congratulations! Maybe the bonus part of that position is that you can justify a new dining table that can accommodate the growing fam. We are big fans of the contemporary style of Arhaus; modern but classic enough that your dining room won't look dated in 10 years. Right now during their Dining Event, you can get up to 50% off of dining chairs with the purchase of a dining table. We are especially in love with the Recycled Metal Table with Lyon Base. I mean, this copper table top is AH-MAZE-ING! The recycled copper top that is hand hammered over 3500 times and held over an open flame to get just the right texture and patina. So good! Add the classic Gage Dining Chair or Jagger Dining Arm Chair (or both! We love to mix and match!) and your dining room just got legit.

Need a swanky bar cabinet to complete the look? Go with the Raja with its fish scale bone inlay and storage for 10 wine bottles and 12 glasses.

They have some great tabletop collections too in case your dinnerware, glasses, flatware, etc needs some sprucing up, and it’s all 20% off. Check out our favorites below, and don’t forget candleholders, vases, greenery and the like to make your Thanksgiving table complete. Sale ends on 10/31. ​

 I was compensated for this post and this post contains affiliate links. I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links.

If you love puff pastry, tomatoes, and cheese, you’ll LOVE this tomato tart recipe. I found it in a magazine and tweaked it some to make it my own.
​Here’s what you’ll need:
1 puff pastry sheet, thawed
3-4 roma tomatoes, sliced
¼ cup fontina cheese, shredded
¼ cup parmesan cheese, shredded (you can also leave out fontina cheese and use ½ cup parmesan instead)
½ cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 egg, slightly beaten
¼ cup olive oil
1 tsp herbs de provence (or Italian seasoning)
½ teaspoon garlic
salt
3-4 basil leaves, chopped
Place oven rack on lowest setting Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper and unroll the pastry dough. Fold over the edges ½ inch and brush with egg. Using a fork, poke holes in the dough. Sprinkle dough with fontina and parmesan cheese. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes. While the dough is baking, spread out sliced tomatoes on paper towels and lightly salt. Let drain for 20 minutes. After that time, blot tomatoes with paper towels to extract what water is left. After dough is finished baking, take out of oven and spread mozzarella cheese on top. Place tomatoes evenly atop mozzarella. Add herbs and garlic salt to olive oil and whisk lightly. Drizzle oil on tomatoes and place cookie sheet back in oven for 15 minutes or until edges of dough are golden brown. Remove from oven and transfer to a cooling rack for 5 minutes. Place tart on cutting board and slice into four equal parts.
​Serves 4

How convenient that all of our favorite retailers are having their Friends & Family Events this time of year. Last week we shared our picks from the Serena & Lily Event (which runs through 10/14). It's the perfect time to spruce up your home for fall OR to start checking things off the Christmas lists. 
The World Market Friends & Family Event starts today for Members, tomorrow for everyone else. (But you really should be a member, it's free and you get loads of coupons.) 30% off PLUS Free Shipping online if you spend more than $75. And here's a bonus, everything in our picks is under $60! 

1. Multi-colored Felt Garland. These are perfect for decorating a tree, adding to a bowl on the coffee table, draping over a picture frame, adorning a lampshade, you get the idea. 
2. Emerald Green Ceramic Peacocks. I don't know why, but these remind me of trinkets that my grandma might have had. Comes in a cute bedside table vase or bathroom trinket dish.
3. Finlay Dot Sculpted Towels. You might remember these from that amazing bathroom reno we did earlier this year. Still one of our favorite towel sets. 
4. Art Deco Fan Ceramic Coaster Set. We love the idea of a Great Gatsby-esque bar cart and these chic coasters add the perfect touch. 
5. Velvet Throw Pillows. The best thing about these pillows is not the amazing color selection, or the plushy velvet, it is the price point. $9.99 y'all!!! Before your 30% off! Gimme three of each!
6. Faux Eucalyptus Wreath. Sometimes Fall + Wreath = A Hot Mess. Which is why we like the simplicity and elegance of this door wreath. It doesn't have to be ALL pumpkins. 
7. Brushed Gold Planter with Stand. You know those pots of mums you bought last weekend? Pop those babies in two of these planters on your front porch and wait for the neighbors to ooh and aah. 
8. Multicolor Watercolor Foliage Napkin Set. Swap out your bright summer napkins for these muted earth toned watercolored ones. So many rich colors, they will go with just about any dinnerware you own.
9.Ivory Moroccan Wedding Blanket Throw. Unlike those snuggies  that you hide in a basket when company comes over, you'll be proud to toss this handcrafted throw on any sofa and leave it there!
10. Shanghai Rice Bowl Set. They may be meant to be used for rice, but we can think of a dozen uses for these brightly colored bowls. Soapdish, trinket dish, serving dips or olives. Trust me, you can never have enough cute bowls. 
11. Multicolor Patchwork Cadence Pillow. I mean, doesn't this pillow scream Fall? Pumpkin and cranberry and eggplant! So love. 
12. Painted Square Hooks Set. Raise your hand if you've ever walked down a hall or opened a door or stepped in to a closet and thought, "Gee, I could sure use a hook there." 
13. Evil Eye Coir Doormat. Not that we are superstitious or anything, but I mean, it couldn't hurt to ward off any evil from entering your home.  Right?