Raisie Speaks: 4 Gift Ideas for Bookworm Friends

Hey everybody! 

Do you have close friends who are bookworms? (Almost all of my friends from university are not just collectors but book hoarders! These are the hardcore, I-don’t-wanna-part-with-my-books-like-EVER-bookworms. Yeah I’m looking at you Ate K and J!) =p 

Do you often have trouble finding them a gift during the holidays? I’ve put together a gift guide to help you sort out the dilemma, chances are you can come up with something more affordable that is still just as cute, or this list can serve as inspiration for you to zero in on the best Christmas gift you can get your bookworm friends-after all, you know them well enough to gauge what it is that they really want. 

1. Elegant Bookmarks

Whether personalized or store-bought, it’s the thought that counts. You can give your bookworm friends something for them to put in between pages to replace those grocery receipts and even tissue paper as bookmarks. You can either

a.       Make them a personalized ribbon bookmark

b.      Buy them a magnetic bookmark

c.       Or get them a fancy shepherd’s hook bookmark

I'm a huge fan of Ma'am Yen's shepherd's hook bookmarks because they are just so memorable and very pretty. There are other designs like mermaids and dragonflies but I always pick up the dragons.

2. Statement Bookends

I just think that fun bookends can be great accents for any shelf and the kind of bookend you select can also reflect the genre of the books your friends are into. For example, a katana bookend will go well with any Asian Lit selection, this Lost Head in Book version can be good for Philo and other related genres. Could you guess what selection will suit the Falling Bookend? 

 

 Photo Source: Quirks

 3. Book Totes

This is more than just dual-purpose, it is also an essential. Any bookworm will definitely be grateful for a book tote that is exclusively used for weekend reads, notebooks and journals. Throw in a bunch of pens and highlighters as well as bookmarks and post-its for those favourite quotes. Want to go extreme? Include a tin of sugar cookies! This design definitely hits the spot! 

 Note: Look for materials that are durable, the straps should be able to support heavy weight especially if your bookworm prefers hardbound books. 

Photo Source: Love and Laundry Library Tote

4. Latest Releases From Their Favourite Authors

Some friends (who are huge fans of this or that author) might have eyes on the latest release and still might not have time to go to the bookstore, or may live too far away. Zamboanga needs more bookstores, I’ve heard this so many times. But if you happen to have an advantage, you might want to check out your friends' shelves and compare what they have or don't have. 

If you have the budget, you can get that final book of Sandman to complete the library, or get the latest Murakami flown in from Barnes and Noble (hand-carried, thank you very much) or the latest Stephen King that won't be released in the Philippines until after January 2015 but has been released in the US already. Hey, even your mother would appreciate a new cookbook for the holidays in the kitchen!

If there is anything I know about bookworms, it is the fact that they appreciate fun gifts or items that can protect their books for a long time, or even if you simply get them anything that can go on their shelves. 

What are you going to get your bookworm friends for the holidays? Here's a secret, I'm going to gift the dragon bookmark to someone really special! Clue: Year of the Dragon =)

On Fragrances: Love Potions by Armand Dupree-Tupperware Philippines

It’s been a while since I posted an On Fragrances post and I thought about doing one now that the holidays are nearing. I think that when a home is ready to receive friends and relatives over the course of the holidays, warm scents are usually what makes the atmosphere rather cozy. 

In all honesty I had to check twice to see if they were really decanters and not body perfumes. But then again, what’s the difference? 

Decanters are equally inspiring and refreshing fragrances for the home and other corners that need jazzing up scent-wise. They also make really nice decor and simply light up any room. Throw in some candles to warm up the place and boom, there’s picture- worthy corners in the home. 

To create an intimate atmosphere at home for the holiday season, Armand Dupree released three beautiful scents rightfully called Love Potions and I think they are great for Christmas season. 

The Love Potions are as follows:

Love Potion No. 1: Rose Garden-An oriental floral fragrance that captures the intimacy of lovers

Love Potion No. 2: Blue Mediterranean- A citrus floral fragrance that captures the warmth of excitement of paradise

Love Potion No. 3: Sahara Night- A gourmand musky fragrance that reminds you of sultry nights spent with a special someone

  

Pros

Here’s what I personally like about the decanters: 

• Affordable (Php 199 each-promo price) Regular Php 230
• Dual purpose-keeps closets and other corners of the house smelling good, also for the body
• Travel-friendly- 30ml decanters can easily fit any bag
• Giftable! –for friends who like scents for different corners of the home
•  Long-lasting scent- refresh as frequently as you like 

Cons

Here are some observations that don’t really make it for me:

• Scent is sometimes too overpowering
• Only three scents to choose from 
• Exclusively available from Tupperware dealers 

Conclusion

One of the love potions spilled on my hand when I was testing it and it stayed on for at least four hours even when I did so many things. It's dual purpose and very portable. I might show you a trick about how to use these to freshen up your closets and also to spruce up your guest rooms just in case you have friends and relatives staying over. 

My favorite among the three is Love Potion No. 2 Blue Mediterranean because it smells fresh, crisp and clean. I wasn't that into Love Potion No. 1 Rose Garden because I had high hopes for this, I was expecting a deep rose scent but just had the sweet notes floating- it was too sweet for my liking actually. Love Potion No. 3 has amber written all over its scent even if it doesn't intend to, and it makes for a good warming scent during cold evenings, but I am on the fence on this one. It all boils down to personal preference to be honest.

Do you have these decanters? Which one is your favorite? Leave a comment below! Have a good weekend!

What's On My Christmas Wishlist?

I've been asked about what it is that I want for Christmas. If someone asked me that question five months ago, I would answer without any hesitation  "A TARDIS!" and I would map down the places I want to visit and when. However I acknowledge the fact that I can't really find a TARDIS, not in this town anyway and I am no Time Lord. 

So going back to the present day, Christmas is just three weeks away. I've been very careful with how I handle my finances this year and have always asked myself about splurges. So if you were contacts with me on Facebook, you would see how proud I am of having exercised my thriftiness. But yeah, I guess I can list down my needs and wants for this year's Christmas. Believe me, I am saving up too.

1. Mirrorless Camera- I've wanted one since my birthday, but I had to prioritize paying bills and rent so yeah, this sort of went onto backlog. But I just have the itch to play around with photos and I missed photojournalism and going onto Adobe Light Room. I was also seriously thinking of diving back into film because my grand-aunt used to manipulate chemicals being a film photographer's daughter and she could gladly teach me how to develop because I have a secret want to have my own dark room and I know my mother is going to scold me again for attempting to do it in my bedroom and the guest bathroom!  
2. I noticed that I needed to clean up some of my files especially the movies that I keep in my laptop and so that means I have to provide another place for them and my other files like documents and also photos. I'm not picky, I just need something that's within my budget and I don't mind if it is something that I have to come up on my own. 
3. My sandals are wearing out since they are my favorite, so I'd like a pair of comfy Ipanemas so I can be a model like Giselle (meh) but yeah, I'd rather invest on something that I know will last long instead of spend on something that is cheap but needs to be replaced frequently. 
4. I go crazy sniffing on scents so I guess that scouring fabulous fragrances will be my only splurge for this year. Feel free to count the S's yep. I've been on a lookout for a good rose scent and my Elizabeth Arden Cherry Blossom is nearing the bottom of the bottle, but I can't say I didn't have a lasting love affair with it though.
5. Lastly, nobody really knows that my annual New Year's Resolution is to inject more art and creativity in my life and I guess I succeeded in that aspect this year. So I've played around with paper cutouts, watercolor, colored pencils, crayons and digital media, now I really can't wait to get my hands on acrylic paint and just swoosh away. I think I'd also like some good brushes too please LOL. 

So I guess that's it.  It's a simple wishlist really but I know the budget is more of a splurge. Who knows it can come true this season but I know it needs a little bit of an effort on my side. 

How about you? What's on your Christmas wishlist? If you've got one posted on your blog, please leave a link below so that I can visit it directly and stay tuned because I will also be posting gift guides here pretty soon. 

XOXO!

Sundays Are Blessings + Time Off

I guess I have a knack for dragging my friends with me to go on road trips during the weekend. I just think that Sundays are blessings and great for time off. I spent Saturday morning coaching Sophomores and Juniors in debate and we had mocks. It was a productive morning but kind of exhausting. So when Sunday rolled in, I went on a two-hour ride to meet a really special person close to me for a really special time together just catching up.

 

I travelled quite the distance just to be there for this special lady and I am so glad that for once in my life, I went out of my comfort zone to get to Vitali. It was all so worth it.  I miss spending time with her and the trip was one of a kind.

 

And this is what I wore for our trip. I had a gut feeling that the scarf would be helpful to cover myself from dust and heat and I was right. Also, it helped me keep warm because on our way home we rode an open jeep and it was raining like crazy!

 

V Neck Tees in Gray by Giordano

Teal Bead and Purple Wooden Pendant Necklace by Christine's Books and Baubles

Teal Pashmina Scarf from Davao

Polka Dot Tote Blogger's Own

Blue Jeans by Penshoppe

 

Femme Pink Leather Watch by Avon

Pink BFF Beads Bracelet by Runway Shop

Silver Hair Tie Blogger's Own

When I arrived home I immediately had a warm shower and ended the day with a couple of butter cookies and chocolate milk.

 

How about you? What did you do during the weekend?