It’s the last (belated) post of the holiday photoset-off! Every Monday since December 3, Kevin and I have picked our favorite items from some of the most stylish shops around. “Like” the post you like best! (or both!)

Week 4: Alder & Co.

“Alder & Co. features thoughtfully selected items that are suitable for everyday use, and also the grand occasion. We are inspired by the discovery of the artist, whether it be in our own backyard, the USA, or in our favorite cities abroad.” The store is in Portland, OR.

My picks:

  1. Cashmere scarf, made in Nepal for your big sister; $160
  2. Soy Apothecary candles, made in Australia for your dad, who travels for work; $36
  3. Cotton canvas Tembea bag, made in Japan for your mother’s trips to the farmer’s market; $125
  4. Delfonics mechanical pencils, made in Japan for your niece who’s starting high school; $10
  5. Rollbahn notebook to go with the pencils; $15
  6. Beeswax to make your sewing projects smell lovely; $10
  7. Leather Me & Arrow wallet, made in Los Angeles for your boyfriend who forgot his cash at home; $65
  8. Ceramic bird, made in Japan for your little brother’s desk at work; $125

Kevin’s picks here!

It’s a holiday photoset-off! Every Monday from now through December 24 (for you really last-minute shoppers), Kevin and I are picking our favorite items from some of the most stylish shops around. “Like” the post you like best! (or both!)

Week 3: Mjölk

“Mjölk is pure, honest, and essential. Mjölk is a lifestyle store; we look to our everyday life to find inspiration for the products we carry. Our smaller products can be used without thought, or quietly admired. In our eyes just the simple satisfaction of functionality and durability, is all you need for a successful product, but when you can derive beauty from the uttermost simplistic tools, then you have something special.” The shop is in Toronto.

My picks:

  1. wrapwrap by Naoto Yoshida for your brother, who always gets his headphones tangled; $25
  2. cotton Cross blanket by Pia Wallen for your best girlfriend’s new apartment; $245
  3. Finnish birch bark basket with reindeer leather straps for your mother-in-law’s knitting projects; $125
  4. Mjolk + Hoi Bo toiletry case for your boyfriend’s business trips; $160
  5. Concrete shaving kit designed by Lovisa Wattman for your father-in-law, who keeps it old-school; $98
  6. Tin cup set designed by Oji Masanori for a drink during your train commute; $175
  7. enamel Kaiko kettle designed by Makoto Koizumi for your mom and her tea habit; $150
  8. Koti earthenware plate by Nathalie Lahdenmaki for your sister-in-law’s holiday table; $90

Kevin’s picks here!

It’s a holiday photoset-off! Every Monday from now through December 24 (for you really last-minute shoppers), Kevin and I are picking our favorite items from some of the most stylish shops around. “Like” the post you like best! (or both!)

Week 2: Joinery

“Joinery is a place where all kinds of good things come together. It’s a collage of whimsy and restraint, an ode to vintage and a nod to experimentation, a mixture of the familiar with the exotic. A thing that finds its way into our shop is special. Whether it’s made of wood or cloth, whether it was found in our neighborhood or on a trip, we sell it because we admire its craftsmanship, respect its quality, appreciate its uniqueness, and the idea of it makes us happy.” The store is in Brooklyn.

My picks:

  1. Hand-thrown tumbler by Object & Totem for your best girlfriend’s work desk; $32
  2. Bezel Ring by Bailey H Robinson for your cool little sister; $180
  3. Garrison bag by Winter Session for your dad (always going to the library!); $285
  4. Hearth Stool by Tenebras for you, if you have a fireplace; $295
  5. Enamelware soup ladle by Riess for your mom, who makes you soup; $30
  6. Linden tote by Forestbound for your boyfriend, so you can borrow it; $285
  7. Rag rug, made in Minas Gerais, Brazil for your aunt’s kitchen floor; $160
  8. Boro pillowcase for your gay best friend’s couch; $105

Kevin’s picks here!

It’s a holiday photoset-off! Every Monday from now through December 24 (for you really last-minute shoppers), Kevin and I are picking our favorite items from some of the most stylish shops around. “Like” the post you like best! (or both!)

Week 1: Spartan

“Spartan offers a carefully edited collection of beautiful, practical objects & accessories, influenced by the changing seasons without straying far from our core inventory of reliable, classic items.” Stores are in AUS, SFO, and PDX.

My picks:

  1. Hemingway Wool Scarf for your best girlfriend; $270
  2. Brass Feather Earrings for your niece; $24
  3. Recycled Deerskin Keychain for your brother; $28
  4. All Weather Notebook for your mom; $28
  5. Recife Rollerball Pen for your dad; $55
  6. 6 Inch Fabric Scissors for your sister; $20
  7. Porcelain Bowl with Stripe for your mother-in-law; $60
  8. Handwoven Khadi Utility Towel for you; $28

Kevin’s picks here!

It’s a year-end photosetoff with a holiday twist.

Kevin and I will roll out our top picks from each of these shops (Spartan, Joinery, Mjölk, and Alder & Co) over the next four weeks.

Either he or I will claim ultimate photosetoff victory… but everyone wins when we’re ogling beautiful stuff.