Have you seen the gift guide yet? It's filled with beauty-related ideas that might inspire you as you make your shopping list. See what you think. And let me know if you have any ideas that I should add to it.
One of my favorite things to do is buy gifts for others. For Christmas, birthdays, any minor holiday, I love picking up items for loved ones and friends. I get excited thinking about how much they'll enjoy the gifts I've chosen for them.
Now, I'm excited to be sharing some of my favorite beauty-around-us items with you in the Glimsen Holiday Gift Guide. These are things that celebrate beauty in nature, art, color, and creativity, Many of them I own now or have owned in the past. And one of them is currently on a UPS truck on its way to my house. :)
I hope the gift guide is helpful to you as you shop for others (and yourself?!) this holiday season. I have ideas for other gift guides in the future, including one exclusively dedicated to books. Let me know if you have any ideas as well.
Note: If you click any of these links to Amazon and buy an item, I'll receive a small commission at no additional cost to you that will go toward keeping the blog going. Thank you for your support.
Now, on to the good stuff!
2018 Engagement Calendars/Planners
Claude Monet is one of my favorite artists of all time. Standing in front of one of his Water Lilies paintings was a moment I'll never forget. This Monet's Passion planner shows in gorgeous color the setting in which he painted those water lilies.
The National Gallery of Art holds many national treasures. This planner shows a wide range of those treasures. It's a great way to learn about art while you plan your days.
Last week, I was at the Metropolitan Museum of Art with my sister, my nieces, and my daughters. This Art of Flowers Engagement Book caught my eye. It's gorgeous, and it comes in two formats: a hardcover and a ring binding. If you or your friend love flowers, this is a great idea.
Sierra Club calendars may just be the most popular nature calendars, and when I saw this planner last week, it was easy to see why. It includes 56 color images from world-famous nature photographers alongside weekly planner pages. A treat for your eyes as well as an organizational tool.
If you are looking for a more functional, detailed type of planner, consider the Brilliant Life Planner. I bought the 2017 and 2018 versions so I could keep up with everything related to my life and Glimsen. It's loaded with planning and goal-setting pages, weekly reflection spaces, a habit tracker, time-blocking system, and more. The cover is sturdy, the rings are strong, and the paper is thick so you can use your favorite pens to write in it (like my favorite pens below). Because of its heft, this planner works best at home base rather than on the go.
2018 Wall Calendars
Through the years, I've bought this Secret Garden calendar several times. The flowers, the greenery, the gorgeous garden spaces shown each month inspire me and make me long for a green thumb. It's perfect for garden lovers, no matter what color your thumb is.
The name Audubon is synonymous with birds. This calendar is chock-full of images of feathered friends. For bird enthusiasts or anyone who enjoys the color and variety of beauty with wings.
The American Landscapes calendar showcases spectacular scenery. Every page is filled with long shots of stunning landscapes. It makes me want to visit every scene. A great gift for anyone who would enjoy jaw-dropping settings on their wall every month.
The Ansel Adams wall calendar, larger than most wall calendars, spotlights Adams' trademark black and white photos through the different seasons. His work always makes me pause because the images are so powerful and dramatic. I like this calendar because it seamlessly blends art and beauty.
Photography Books
Who can forget the image of the woman with the green eyes? This book, The Covers, is a collection of some of the best National Geographic covers and the stories behind them.
For those who want to improve their photography, Getting Your Shot gives expert advice and plenty of photos to teach and inspire.
Note Cards
We love color around here, and the people at Pantone are the color experts. I have these note cards, and my daughter has the postcards. Each card is a different color. You can't go wrong with either set.
I'm so excited about these Take Cover book spine note cards that I ordered some for us. They are perfect for readers and word-lovers and anyone who enjoys vintage books.
I can't resist old typewriters. Friends of my parents' had a manual typewriter in their study, and I would always sit at the desk and type out a few sentences or start a short story while the adults sat around the dinner table talking and laughing in the next room. I don't own a vintage typewriter, and until I do, these note cards will have to tide me over. Who do you know who might enjoy a set too?
Each of the clocks in this Clockworks note card set seems to tell a story. Like the other sets I've included here, these cards would work well for anyone to send or receive for any occasion.
Pens
It might seem strange to include pens in a gift guide, but we are kind of nerdy about pens in our family so they often end up in gift bags and stockings. The Staedtler is my current favorite for everyday use. My friend Phyllis gave me a set last year just for fun and I was hooked immediately. The pen has ridges that make it easy to grip (but not annoying), and the ink glides effortlessly on the paper. Purple is my color.
Le Pens are my second favorite. They are skinnier, which is perfect for people with small hands, and the colors are rich. They're a little harder to find than the others I've listed here, so Amazon is my go-to for them.
Sharpie Ultra Fine Points are a perennial favorite at our house. The color selection is wide and varied, and they last for a long time. They do bleed through paper, though, so keep that in mind when buying and using them.
My husband is a highlighter connoisseur, and Sharpie is his favorite, hands-down. He only uses yellow, but not everyone is a purist like he is (ha), so this set includes several colors.
Kids' Books about Beauty and Wonder
My daughter and I loved the Biscuit books when she was little, and I just bought several for my god-daughter. Biscuit is adorable, and this story is all about him exploring the garden. It's a great little book to foster a love of nature in little ones.
Through Your Eyes reminds me of my daughter and me. The book is about how the child's sense of wonder about the world impacts the parent. The illustrations are gorgeous. The author is apparently a news anchor, which I didn't know until after I bought the book as a gift. I really like it and may just keep it for myself.
Older Kids' and Teens' Art Kits
I wish we'd had this Who We Are poster when my daughter was younger. This is a great craft for families to do together to identify and define what makes their family special and unique. Such a great idea.
These Paint Your Own sets are a great introduction to painting pottery. Older kids and teens can put their creativity to use to create special pieces to keep or give as gifts.
The Kid Made Modern journal kit gives kids an opportunity to decorate and fill their own journals with words and images. Lots of fun supplies to make each page colorful and different.
Strathmore is a trusted name in art supplies. I've got a sketch book to capture ideas for Glimsen. This sketch book is great for teens and adults who want higher quality paper for their drawings (or their ideas).
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I hope the Glimsen Holiday Gift Guide has given you some great ideas. Please let me know if you have any questions. Happy shopping!
Note: Glimsen is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn a very small commission at no extra cost to you by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
I write about the beauty around us in nature, the arts, and the unexpected. Sign up below to receive my posts in your inbox and you'll also receive a free piece of printable art as a thank you.
