gifts i love: geometry

GEOMETRY’S towels are undeniably gorgeous and you know I’m a total sucker for pretty things, but I assure you that’s not even close to their best quality. Aside from brightening up my kitchen, they’re also super duper soft and quick-drying, which keeps them from getting that gross musty smell that my cotton kitchen towels cling to even after being washed. And they’re super absorbent, actually soaking up water instead of just pushing it around. PLUS they’re made entirely from recycled post-consumer materials, diverting all kinds of crud from the landfill, which is a total win-win. Because of the enormous selection of prints, they are a seriously gorgeous gift for just about everyone, including teachers, therapists, yoga instructors, book club members, mothers-in-law, pet-sitters, neighbors and hosts [or yourself, of course]. In case you’re not familiar with Geometry’s awesome lineup, I’ve outlined my favorite products for you, but you really can’t go wrong. Use code Darcie15 to save 15% off your Geometry order any day of the year. GIFT A LITTLE HAPPINESS. xo

Geometry Products I Love

TEA TOWELS: Ok, for all the reasons I just shared, I have almost entirely replaced my whole dish towel collection with Geometry Tea Towels and banished the old ones to the bike wash station in our garage. The Bar Towels are same-same, just a little bit smaller if that’s a better option for your space. And they introduced Double-Sided Tea Towels that have a different print on either side, they’re super cute.

DISHCLOTHS: I love the pretty little Geometry Dishcloths for all kinds of uses. They’re such a nice size for things like soaking up the water from a colander of dripping berries, wiping down counters and even as little napkins. They have some mixed sets with different prints or some all the same and either way, they’re a perfect little gift for just about anyone.

WASHCLOTHS: I loathe using those crunchy over-bleached washcloths on my face when we travel, so I started bringing my own. Geometry’s Waffle Washcloths and Luxe Washcloths are super compact, soft and dry fast. Plus they’re pretty. I have and love both.

BEACH BLANKETS + TOWELS: Whether you’re headed to the beach, pool. picnic, camping or your backyard sprinklers, Geometry Beach Blankets and Towels are perfect. They come in a ton of super cute prints, dry quickly and fold up small for easy transport.

FITNESS TOWELS: I keep a Geometry Fitness Towel in my car for post-sweaty hikes and runs. I mop my drippy forehead and lean on it so I don’t get stinky sweat on my seat and then jam it back into my center console when I’m done. Don’t judge, I promise it doesn’t smell AT ALL and is like brand new the next time I need it. It’s incredibly durable and the quick-drying, anti-stink nature of it is pretty darn awesome. They also make a Yoga Towel that goes over your mat to keep it clean and dry. It has a grippy backside to keep it in place and the same quick-drying, anti-stink properties. AND a Magna Towel that sticks magnetically to the equipment at the gym, keeping it off the grody floor. They’re all fantastic gifts for your favorite sporty teen, gym rat, golfer or yogi.

NAPKINS: I have used only cloth napkins in our house for the last 20 years. I just pop them in the laundry with the kitchen towels and I feel good about not wasting paper napkins. Geometry Dinner Napkins are soft and absorbent and the edges don’t curl up when I wash them like my weathered cotton ones do. I have friends who iron their cloth napkins [I’m looking at you, O], but I for sure can’t be bothered with that, so these are perfect.

BATH TOWELS: I love the Waffle Bath Towels, too. They’re pretty, very lightweight and dry quickly. We have the Dusty Rose color and it’s subtle and neutral and really pretty in our bathroom. They’re an awesome gift for grads or newlyweds or anyone launching out into the world on their own.

DOG TOWELS: I have gifted a few of the super adorable Geometry Plush Dog Towels and Paw Towels to favorite pooches. The Plush Towels are a really nice size for the car or couch and are super duper soft and fuzzy. Of course, the whole collection features the same awesome prints you’d expect from Geometry. They make such a great gift for the dogs and dog-lovers in your life.

GIFTS, OF COURSE: I love gifting Geometry Towels to friends, family, teachers and hosts. Seriously EVERYONE can use a new pretty towel [or like 10] so you really can’t go wrong.

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thanksgiving + autumn books

THANKSGIVING is such a lovely holiday. I mean, a day reserved just for cooking and eating with family and friends is a total winner in my book. I love hearing about other family’s traditions and the dishes they HAVE to have on their holiday table [def sweet potatoes with marshmallows here]. Plus there’s the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, the Westminster Dog Show and football… I love it all.

IT FEELS to me like the wealth of super amazing books that perfectly illustrate the lovely tradition and sentiment of Thanksgiving are a bit trickier to find than with some other holidays. Maybe it’s something to do with an adorable [only in books] farm animal being eaten at the end or the controversial history of the holiday that just makes it tough to honor properly? BUT, never fear, I totally have you covered. Our little family def has a few really beloved favorites that are meaningful and funny or sweet and help start a conversation about gratitude and enjoying family and friends [plus a few more that I have my eye on]. I also included a few really lovely books about nature and the magical season change. As always, if you know of some Turkey Day gems, please share them in the comments so we can add to our collection. And Happy Thanksgiving, lovelies. I’m so grateful for you. xo

thanksgiving + autumn books for kids

> Bear Says Thanks is our hands-down FAVORITE Thanksgiving book. We really love the whole series of ‘Bear’ books, they’re all so charming and lovely. And the perfect lilting rhyming aside, this is just the sweetest story and it beautifully captures the real spirit of the holiday.

> ‘Twas the Night Before Thanksgiving is such a cute + FUNNY book from the creator of the super popular Dog Man and Captain Underpants series’. It follows the rhyming structure of its original counterpart, but has a VERY different ending. See what happens when a class full of kids on a farm field trip discover the fate of their new feathered friends. And of course Dav Pilkey’s illustrations are so fun and whimsical.

> Fans of Bruce will love this wee, funny Thanks for Nothing. The mice are SO thankful for everything that they accidentally leave nothing left to celebrate with.

> Peyton Picks the Perfect Pie is a super inclusive, interesting and cool story that both teaches you about the origin of some of your favorite Thanksgiving desserts AND gently encourages ‘particular’ kids to try something new.

> Holly's Thanksgiving Wish is a super cute book about following your dreams with the loving support and encouragement of family and friends. It has a fun rhyming style and adorable illustrations.

> Poor Fletcher is concerned about all of the leaves falling from the trees. When winter comes he gets a sweet surprise in Fletcher and the Falling Leaves.

> Learn about the puppeteer who invented the original balloons for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in Balloons Over Broadway. With incredibly detailed collage illustrations, this cool book really shows the genius behind the beloved tradition.

> I love Tomie dePaola [I mean, who doesn’t?]. Strega Nona was one of my absolute favorite books growing up. Strega Nona's Harvest has the beloved Italian grandmother teaching you about the season’s bounty and what it takes to get there.

> I am Thankful is an inclusive book about the true spirit of gratitude. It also includes a little section to practice your own gratitude.

> A sweet simple story about gratitude for nature that ends with all the ingredients needed for you to make an apple cake at home. Apple Cake: A Gratitude is super sweet for littles especially.

> The Leaf Thief is just about the cutest way ever to learn about the changing of the seasons. The illustrations are so adorable.

> Cynthia Rylant is known for her poetic + peaceful stories. In November is about nature’s seasonal cycles, people gathering together and family.

> Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn is such a sweet celebration of nature in all of its transitional glory.

> Thanks for Thanksgiving is a cute, simple book that highlights everyday things to be grateful for, like puppies and piggyback rides and rain boots. But MOSTLY for family. There’s a page in the back for kids to write their own list of things they’re thankful for, too.

> Ok Peppa Pig Day of Giving Thanks is just adorable. It’s a super sweet story about being thankful for the little things in nature. The end is pure Peppa and very cute, especially for little fans of the Pig family.

> The Scarecrow is a really precious story of unlikely friendship and defying expectations. The illustrations are very detailed but serene.

> Turkey is terrified when Moose comes looking for him for Thanksgiving dinner. A Turkey for Thanksgiving is a sweet story about friendship and a big misunderstanding.

> We are So Thankful is a guided gratitude journal that provides prompts for you to talk about what you’re grateful for each day.

> In true Peanuts style, A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving is about friendship and being together with a few of the gang’s silly snafus and life lessons along the way.

> Gratitude is my Superpower teaches kids that happiness is about simple things like family and friends and that gratitude is always in their hearts.

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backpacks + accessories

school backpacks + accessories

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school supplies + planners

THERE ARE few things I used to get more giddy about than the end-of-summer aisles and aisles of brand new colorful school supplies. I LOVED them. The colors and patterns and newness and things in miniature and the potential for super dialed [nerdy] organization all just lit me up. If I’m honest, I still feel a little stomach flip when they start to surface and have to use alllll of my powers to resist stockpiling them. And I have to keep this little hit of joy to myself since they now pop up WAY before my boys are even remotely ready to think about going back to school.

INSTEAD I decided to live vicariously through all of the sweet kiddos who share my passion and I’ve concentrated all of that secret joy into putting together this BIG list of FUN, pretty, cool and very functional stuff that might make the school year just a bit easier and for sure prettier [which totally counts for something]. So whether you scroll for nostalgia or to help prepare your students for success, enjoy this little pop of joy. And for LOTS more ideas, check out the Gift Guide to Art Supplies, Gift Guide to Self Care for Tweens + Teens, Lunchtime Essentials and Backpacks + Accessories to be super dialed and ready for the year ahead. You’ve totally got this. GIFT A LITTLE HAPPINESS. xo

Fun School Supplies + Academic Planners

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lunchtime essentials

ONE OF my very favorite days of the year when I was little was the day my sis and I got to go to Target to pick out our shiny new school supplies and lunchboxes. While my sister leaned toward Donny and Marie or Shaun Cassidy, my hands-down favorite of all time was a Dukes of Hazzard lunchbox with a matching plastic thermos [which I’ve just learned could be mine again for just $385]. Man I LOVED that thing [and Bo Duke] despite the fact that the thermos absolutely always leaked, leaving a soupy mess of my lunch. We jammed that lunchbox with bologna sandwiches wrapped in tin foil and probably wasted 10,000 plastic bags for whatever else we packed inside.

IT’S A LITTLE sad for today’s kiddos that those clunky metal lunchboxes are a thing of the past, but they’ve been replaced with sooo many clever, eco-friendly, super stylish options instead that can be customized a thousand ways to keep everyone’s lunch tidy and just to their liking. No leaking or waste necessary. I’ve rounded up a bunch of awesome options for kids, teens and adults for every component from the lunchbox itself to lunchbox jokes that may garner a giggle or an eye roll. We own and have tested many of the containers that I’ve included [the W&P Seal Tight Glass Bowl is an everyday favorite for salad, soup and leftovers and has truly never leaked], so reach out if you have any questions about them or want to share others you love. Have fun putting together the perfect kit for the new school year, office, travel or work, it’s an easy way to express a little of your own style with something you need anyway. And check out the post on Backpacks + Accessories for something cute to carry your lunch in. GIFT A LITTLE HAPPINESS. xo

Lunchtime Essentials

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