Deck the Halls

So here we are, a mere week until Christmas morning.  This year I give to you the Babble's first ever 
HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE for DESIGNER-TYPES
I've put together this list of must-haves for the designer-type in your life (or maybe that's YOU!).  Happy Last-Minute Shopping. There's no time like the present to shop for presents, as I always say.
Books
Identifying American Architecture:  A Pictorial Guide to Styles and Terms, 1600-1945 

I've been eyeing this book since I spotted it in my boss's office last year.  As an architect, I'm always being asked "What style is that?" Of course, so much of what's built today is a big mish-mash of styles, no style at all, or something so out-there and modern that it doesn't have a style, but a reference book like this would give me a place to start to answer those burning questions.  And who doesn't love a good reference book?

Dwellings:  Living with Great Style

This book looks beautifully put together, and if you’re wondering about style, I’d say it’s about the “New Traditional”.

Calendars

I love a good calendar, and I hate starting the New Year without a new one.  Here are a few that inspire:

2011 Charley Harper Wall Calendar- a classic in every way

Linnea 2011 Collectable Poster Calendar- these are beautiful every year, and somewhat hard to find.  Usually Paper Source has them!

2011 Datebook from POST Impressions- I bought this for my self last year and LOVE it.  It was a leap of faith on my part, because I'm not typically a weekly calendar type of gal (I like the month overview) but I was desperate to get organized and this gorgeous little book helped me do so stylishly.  Last year I got it in the gold.  Tiffany blue for 2011, please Santa? 

Toys

MoMA Modern Playhouse- I saw this last week while walking through the children's department at Nordstrom's.  Sure, it'd be great for kids, but I know a lot of adults (ahem, ME) who would love to play with this.  Put together the interchangeable walls and furniture and you have hours of fun.

Tired of relying on your iPhone for vintage-looking photos?  Want to step back in time and create lo-fi images with a tried and true film camera?  Urban Outfitters offers a whole slew of cool cameras like the Lomography Diana + Parisian shown above, exclusive to UO.  Don’t want to wait for that film to be developed?  Try the FujiFilm Mini Instax Instant camera.

This little number will give you cute, credit card sized images in an instant, and no shakin’ that Polaroid picture.  Any photo or film buff would love these or the other cameras Urban Outfitters has to offer.

And lastly, if you want to be a really generous gift-giver to your designer-type friend, consider the Modern Shed.

This company, a husband and wife team out of Seattle, can provide the ultimate backyard getaway, workshop, or studio (yoga, anyone?) for your lucky designer friend.  I don’t think you can go wrong with this one.  Who would not want their own little shed for doing what they want, when they want?

That’s it for me this holiday season.  Please stay tuned in 2011.  I’m looking forward to a stronger year of babbling, what with our almost 5-month old teaching me all about it daily.  I have hopes and dreams for the blog in the New Year- thanks for sticking with me.

P.S.  I was not paid or perked by any of the aforementioned companies.  These are all just products I’m interested in telling my readers about, plain and simple.