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holiday gift guide : for the entertainers
always one of my favorite gift guides to make because i loooove pretty hosting things even when i barely host anyone at all! lots of different easy gifts for the host or hostess in your lives!
amazon
instax square instant camera
because if they’re into entertaining they must be into documenting memories and whatnot right? and it comes with a matching case
graza
the “drizz & dip” olive oil set
another gift you can’t go wrong with — good olive oil!! this set comes with two bottles of finishing oil, plus two pretty melamine serving trays and bowls that all fit together so nicely.
use code ALMOSTMAKESPERFECT for $5 off!
amazon
gold champagne stopper
if they don’t have a champagne bottle stopper they need one immediately, it’s a game changer
mark & graham
canvas double wine tote
a cute canvas wine tote you can also monogram! don’t forget to throw in a bottle of wine (or two)
anthropologie
arlo cocktail shaker
a very cute cocktail shaker for the mixologists on your list. plus it’s called the “arlo,” how could i resist
revolve
paddywax blown glass candle
a pretty candle always makes a great gift — upgrade it with some candle accessories below!
amazon
usb candle lighter
my favorite lighter forever! you just charge it and it will always work and doesn’t need fluid! and it fits inside a candle so much better than the short lighters. i have several of these!
moda operandi
jardin embroidered linen napkins
beautiful napkins that work well for holidays and beyond!
amazon
linen check napkins
and for a budget-friendly option, i love these linen napkins so much — they’re incredibly soft and i love this pattern
anthropologie
monogram cotton cocktail napkins
these little cocktail napkins are so cute and the monogram adds such a special touch
etsy
personalized checkered cutting board
a very cool serving / cutting board that you can personalize!
amazon
handmade greeting card & envelope set
everyone needs pretty stationary! you could also pair this with the custom stamp below
amazon
tell me more: conversation starter game
this game looks so fun — it’s filled with questions designed to get to know each other better!
etsy
handmade blue floral oyster plate
the most beautiful oyster plate! this would make such a special gift. just fyi this is commission based so order early just in case!
amazon
arty parties
a fun book on planning the perfect party, plus a beautiful coffee table addition!
amazon
mother of pearl caviar spoons
for the fancy hosts in your life, these caviar spoons are so pretty and a special gift they probably won’t get from anyone else. throw in some caviar and you’ll win christmas
amazon
bonne maman sampler pack
name one person who doesn’t like bonne maman preserves!! they could use this sampler set for so many gatherings (or just themselves)
amazon
la compagnie de provence hand soap
another soap option — this one smells great and comes in a pretty reusable bottle
amazon
pura gift set
you could get them a pura gift set so their house always smells good! this pack comes with linens & surf and yuzu citron scents but there are more options too
amazon
kitchenaid gingham oven mitts
these pretty gingham oven mitts are nice quality but so inexpensive
hope you found something good! let me know what you end up getting for the entertainers on your list
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holiday gift guide : for the little kids
yes yes i know it’s early but apparently many of you are already shopping! i hope this years round of gift guides provide you lots of much needed sanity, clarity and visual serenity while holiday shopping.
first up, adorable play things for the kids!
amazon
yoto audiobook player
the first has to be a yoto! we love this cute little audiobook player. i recommend getting the mini because it seems just as good and it’s cheaper. and you can get cute jackets in super pretty colors like the green one that comes in this bundle!
my favorite thing is that once your kid has one, you can just keep gifting them story cards for all occasions (and its a very easy gift to request from relatives or friends). you can buy the cards on amazon — but if you buy on their website, they have a lot more cards to choose from in the card store!
maisonette
good wood mini golf game
the cutest little mini golf set! i love this and all gifts that would be fun for parents too!!
uncommon goods
musical chain reaction construction set
ok i can’t really figure out what this is but i love it — it’s like an obstacle course/marble run thing that makes noises as it goes?! i don’t know but it seems SO FUN. (it does say 8+ but i think it seems kinda fine for kids that are used to marbles and can play with it with a grownup?!)
amazon
double-sided wood art easel
such a cute art easel — it comes with so many fun accessories and it can flip over into a table
amazon
balance bike
and if they’re not quite ready for training wheels, this little balance bike is great!
target
plantoys pirate ship
for arlos birthday years ago, all he wanted was a “pirate ship with an inside,” we got this one and we love it — it’s good looking and it’s super fun AND has an inside lol
amazon
picassotiles magnetic tiles
every kid looooves magnet tiles, but they usually come in really bright primary colors and are super pricey, but these colors are so cute and they’re cheap (and well reviewed too)
amazon
walkie talkie set
some of the cutest walkie talkies i could find, cute colors and inexpensive
amazon
wooden tea party set
a sweet little tea set that comes with tons of fun accessories including coins so you can sell your tea
amazon
marble run toy set
kids love marble runs!! this one not only looks pretty good but it also seems super sturdy which most don’t
amazon
wooden city building blocks
we loved these city blocks with arlo, super fun to create different scenes and the set comes with so much!!
target
instax mini 12 camera
but for $20 more you could get an instant film camera if your kids are trustworthy lol
amazon
magnetic scenes deep sea playset
magnet scenes are so fun — but i especially love these because they include storage for the magnetic stickers (the ones we have were just strewn literally all over our entire house at all times)
amazon
dual tip brush markers
these are the markers we get for arlo — they’re brush markers on one side and thin on the other and there are so many nice colors!!
amazon
wooden tool box
if you don’t want to get the whole bench, here’s a fun (and pretty) little tool box that’s inexpensive too
amazon
kids play kitchen set
another cute play kitchen that’s not too expensive and it comes with accessories!
ps. i have lots of play kitchens i like and lots and lots of play kitchen accessories rounded up here !!
amazon
star projector night light
we have a projection lamp and we love it. this one is very similar!
lalo
lalo play boxes
a perfect grandparent gift is a subscription kit — lalo play boxes are so cute.
kiwi co
kiwi co subscription crates
kiwi co subscription crates are also such a good grandparent gift — we have these in arlos closet for sick days / i’m bored days.
amazon
pop up play tunnel
my kids love this play tunnel so much!! it’s inexpensive and it looks cute! best part is, you can fold it up quite small and store it away.
amazon
foldable wooden slide
i love that this slide is foldable so you can stow it away when not being played with!
amazon
wooden ice cream cart
how fun is this ice cream cart? and it comes with a little bell for them to ring
amazon
wooden toddler tower
i really like that this toddler tower is foldable and it can also convert to a little table and chair set! perfect for smaller spaces
target
wooden train table set
love the size of this train table and that it comes with storage. the ocean theme is so sweet!
bed bath & beyond
loog mini acoustic guitar
this guitar is really fun and it comes in different colors. you can also download the app to teach your kids how to play!
amazon
silicone pretend play doctor kit
i feel like doctor kits are always a hit — this one is pretty and made of silicone
amazon
kids play couch
how about a nice-looking play couch?? you can also get it as a play castle or as a play gym
amazon
leapfrog let’s record music player
i have this music player for izzy and arlo loves it so much too. highly recommend!
amazon
ride on car
but if you want one they can drive on their own instead — this was arlos and he loved it for years
smol
basketball hoop
the prettiest basketball hoop finally exists! use code ALMOSTMAKESPERFECT for 10% off
the hut
wooden puppet theatre
a puppet theatre would be such a fun gift!! bonus points if you throw in the puppets too
amazon
manhattan toy washable doll
washable dolls that come with their OWN little stuffies and the cutest clothes !! love these
target
hot wheels rc barbie corvette remote control car
had to include some barbie on this gift guide since izzy is so obsessed. we got this for her for her birthday!
lalo
the play kit
the lalo play table and chairs are so good looking and you can also add on giant coloring sheets!
crate & kids
rattan toddler rocking horse
a sweet rocking horse that doubles as beautiful room decor
let me know what you plan on getting your little ones!!
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kind of scary movies that kids can watch
since i did a list of halloween tv + movies to watch with little kids, i started thinking about movies i thought my 7 year old could handle (he’s on the braver side!) and realized i’ve googled horror movies that kids can watch so many times i should just make my own list of what i’ve come up with!
obviously every kid is different, so use your own best judgement of what your kid can handle – but most of these aren’t too scary for your older kids! especially because the older ones have such terrible special effects kids these days would probably be like uuhhh that looks so fake?
this is coming from an 80s kid who had no parental supervision when it came to the TV, so i saw child’s play 2 when i was… 4? slumber party massacre 3, friday the 13th, all sorts of movies i had no business watching as a tiny little kid but at least all that trauma gave me my love of scary movies!
so here’s to encouraging our own kids to love scary movies, while being cautious with their feelings and comfort levels and without causing any actual major trauma/damage!
tremors
underground monsters, this really seems like a movie kids these days could handle!
where to watch: apple tv, amazon prime
killer klowns from outer space
this movie was on tv alllll the time when i was little, so i (and most millennials) have seen it many times, as children, who weren’t old enough to be watching it. it’s still silly enough, that i think it’s pretty kid friendly.
where to watch: amazon prime, youtube tv, apple tv
critters
again, silly looking alien creatures that kids probably would laugh at more than scream at!
where to watch: tubi, apple tv, amazon prime
gremlins & gremlins 2 (the new batch)
my son wasn’t scared at all of either, but if your kid is on the less brave side – gremlins 2 is definitely more of a comedy.
(fyi – gremlins does have a reference to santa legitimacy!)
where to watch: max, hulu, amazon prime, youtube tv, apple tv
nightmare on elm street (or the sequels)
this could be considered pretty scary for some kids, but if your kid is a blossoming horror fan then i think they could handle it! freddy kruger was never scary to me as a kid like jason or michael were, BUT again, the sequels get so dumb and ridiculous that they might be way less scary for kids than the original.
where to watch: max, hulu, amazon prime, youtube tv, apple tv
the monster squad
forever a favorite! barely scary, but the perfect amount for a younger kid just dabbling into scary movies.
where to watch: pluto tv, apple tv, amazon prime
beetlejuice (1998)
there are obviously some creepy visuals in beetlejuice, but i’m guessing most brave kids could handle! arlo has watched but got a little bored last year, i’ll try again when he’s into it.
where to watch: youtube tv, apple tv, max, hulu, amazon prime
the witches (1990)
obviously this is a kids movie, but i’d say it’s got some pretty scary visuals for little kids! makes for a good starter movie!
where to watch: apple tv, amazon prime
little monsters
while this is very much a “kids” movie, it TRAUMATIZED ME! i thought the villain monster was terrifying and there’s a scene that one of his child minions disappoints him so he removes their head and throws it in a basketball hoop. i’ve seen it again since and it’s not as scary but when i was 5 it was too much.
however, i showed it to arlo and he didn’t seem the least bit afraid haha.
where to watch: tubi, amazon prime, youtube tv, apple tv
the frighteners
a peter jackson ghost movie with michael j fox! i haven’t seen since i was young but i never found it scary, the ghosts are mostly silly and i think kids would enjoy this one.
where to watch: tubi, peacock, apple tv, amazon prime
scooby doo on zombie island
i haven’t seen this, but i heard it’s surprisingly enjoyable for kids and their parents!
where to watch: max, hulu, amazon prime, youtube tv, apple tv
poltergeist (1982)
i think poltergeist is one of the best scary movies ever – it could be really scary for some kids, but i feel like they’re so desensitized these days they may not even think it’s scary haha.
where to watch: max, hulu, amazon prime, youtube tv, apple tv
the house with a clock in its walls
eli roth made this as a scary movie for kids!
where to watch: hulu, youtube tv, apple tv, amazon prime
house (1986)
another one i haven’t seen since childhood, but i remember house being pretty not scary whatsoever haha.
where to watch: tubi, pluto tv, amazon prime, apple tv
nightbooks
another netflix scary movie for kids (i love that they’re making these!) about a little boy who has to tell scary stories every night or he gets stuck in a witch’s apartment.
where to watch: netflix
8 legged freaks
another one of those dumb creature features that can’t possibly be scary for kids these days right?
where to watch: apple tv, amazon prime
scary stories to tell in the dark
just like the books were freaky for little kids, the movie has some scary moments but overall i’d say it’s pretty tame and could definitely be watched by some older kids.
where to watch: netflix, hulu, youtube tv, apple tv, amazon prime
ernest scared stupid
this was on the other kids list, but i’m including it again because while it’s an ernest movie, it’s actually got some pretty good horror tropes and scares, while again, still being an ernest movie! that troll scared the crap out of me as a kid!! meanwhile arlo loves it haha.
where to watch: apple tv, amazon prime
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little women holiday decor from wayfair
this post is sponsored by Wayfair
i know last year all the rage was a little women christmas, but here we are a year later and I STILL LOVE IT. give me all the bows and popcorn cranberry garlands! (i even included one in the collage below in case you don’t want to actually make one!!)
Wayfair is always my go-to when i’m online shopping for furniture and decor because they have SO MUCH to choose from, and fast and free shipping. i put together a bunch of gorgeous holiday decor AAAND some very pretty faux christmas trees (including mine!)
little women holiday decor
click on the images in the collages directly to shop!
beautiful faux christmas trees
a few trees i think are so cute and i made sure to include a couple of size options!
easy set-up pine christmas tree
6 feet tall
pine hinged christmas tree
7.5 feet tall
easy set-up pine christmas tree
7.6 feet tall
lighted christmas tree
6.5 feet tall
norweigan spruce tree
7.5 feet tall
this is the tree we have and we get compliments on it annually! it takes a little zshushing but i am so happy with the quality and the look!
norweigan spruce tree with clear lights
6.5 feet tall
this looks like my tree but with lights on it already if you prefer that. it’s also a little smaller!
pine christmas tree
7.6 feet tall
fir christmas tree
9 feet tall
hope this inspires you to have very little women holiday 🙂
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home tour : jourdan fairchild’s colorful vintage wonderland
when i noticed jourdan on instagram, i immediately followed – while her house might not seem like what you’d normally see here, i am so drawn to it! it’s somehow colorful yet not in an overwhelming way whatsoever and playful and fun yet still feels totally sophisticated!
she is also so creative and adorable! they’ve only been in their house for 2 years and look at this home she’s made!!!
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halloween movies and shows to watch with kids
this post was updated in 2024
got some requests to share some kid friendly halloween movies and shows so i rounded up some of our family’s favorites. i also asked my followers on instagram to share theirs — so many good suggestions!
also, i included photos of each one because arlo is super visual and it sometimes helped him to see pictures of what he was watching before he watched it to brace himself when he was little! haha.
click on the section you want to jump to
for little kids
the skeleton dance — silly symphony
we watched this constantly when i was a kid, and so did gid, and then arlo liked to watch it literally every day when he got home from school during every halloween season 🙂 it’s only a couple minutes but it’s our family tradition… and now izzy loves it too!
where to watch: Disney+
sing: thriller
a short with the “sing” cast doing THRILLER!!
where to watch: netflix
the addams family (2019)
arlo really enjoyed this, it is PG but he loves “spooky” stuff so he was fine, any younger than 4 seems a little too young though! (ps i enjoyed the first one way more than the sequel but arlo liked both)
where to watch: Hulu, YouTube TV, Amazon Prime, Apple TV
it’s the great pumpkin, charlie brown
duhhhh! we watched charlie brown christmas daily last year.
where to watch: Apple TV
hotel transylvania
we actually love ALL four of these movies! some might think the fourth one is worse, but it’s still very fun.
where to watch: Apple TV, amazon prime
nightmare before christmas
i mean duhhhh.
where to watch: disney+, Amazon prime, Apple tv
spookley the square pumpkin
a childrens book adapted to a movie about a pumpkin who has to overcome feeling shame for being different.
where to watch: netflix, Amazon prime, Apple tv
double double toil and trouble
an olsen twin halloween movie, that’s all i’ll say on the matter!
where to watch: Apple tv
room on the broom
arlo loved this book! it’s pretty much exactly what you expect!
where to watch: Apple tv, amazon prime
the muppets haunted mansion special
arlo loveeeed it, we think it’s quite corny haha. but old gonzo is definitely a showstoppper.
where to watch: disney+
curious george: a halloween boo fest
for little little kids, this seems festive and super not scary!
where to watch: amazon prime, pbs kids
super monsters
a show all about preschool monsters!!
where to watch: netflix
casper
this may be better for big kids, but i also feel like there’s really nothing scary in it?! your call. arlo is a fan!
where to watch: amazon prime, hulu, youtube tv, apple tv
halloweentown
a classic that everyone seems to love! arlo actually hasn’t seen but i’ll try it this year.
where to watch: disney+, hulu, youtube tv, amazon prime
the legend of sleepy hollow (1949)
a cartoon of the classic halloween story narrated by bing crosby! and the songs are great. it’s rated G, but may be a little scary for the younger kids so have your remote on hand.
ps. you’ll find this show under the name “the adventures of ichabod and mr. toad” because it’s a bundle. skip past mr. toad (if you want!) to get to “sleepy hollow”
where to watch: disney+
if you give a mouse a pumpkin
if your kids are into the “if you give a mouse a cookie” books they will love this seasonal episode
where to watch: amazon prime
coco
not a halloween movie per se — but it’s set in the land of the dead AND on the day of the dead so there are skulls and skeletons aplenty!
where to watch: hulu, amazon prime, apple tv, disney+
toy story of terror!
a halloween short with woody, buzz and all their friends
where to watch: disney+, amazon prime, apple tv
mickey’s monster musical
a pretty cute musical episode with mickey and friends. it’s a two parter!
where to watch: disney+
monsters, inc.
monsters are very on theme for halloween!
where to watch: disney+, amazon prime, apple tv
for bigger kids
corpse bride
some little kids might be ok watching this one (if they’re ok watching nightmare before christmas obv) but i put it on the big kids list just in case!!
where to watch: max, hulu, youtube tv, apple tv, amazon prime
coraline
another one to watch if they like corpse bride!
where to watch: apple tv, amazon prime
beetlejuice (1998)
i was definitely little when i saw this and i’m sure i was terrified haha. arlo has never made it through the whole movie but he’s enjoyed snippets.
where to watch: youtube tv, apple tv, max, hulu, amazon prime
hocus pocus (+ hocus pocus 2)
if you’re a millennial i’m sure you’ve already been trying to get your kids into it!
where to watch: disney+, amazon prime, apple tv
scaredy cats
a cute tv series with black cats, witches and magic
where to watch: netflix
the halloween tree
a few people said this one! based on the book by ray bradbury.
where to watch: amazon prime, apple tv
goosebumps
i mean i was obsessed with goosebumps as a kid so…
where to watch: disney+, netflix
monster house
three teens discover that their neighbor’s house is really a living, breathing, scary monster.
where to watch: amazon prime, apple tv
the addams family (1991)
i guess i was 6 when i saw this and i loved it then, but i was very used to watching things that were too old for me haha
where to watch: pluto tv, hulu, youtube tv, apple tv, amazon prime
over the garden wall
a cartoon network show i’ve never even heard of, but the internet says it’s great and stars elijah wood
where to watch: hulu, amazon prime
the haunted mansion (2022)
this actually had some legit jump scares, i totally enjoyed it and was surprised because of how bad i heard it was! totally good pick if your kid is on the brave side!
where to watch: disney+, amazon prime, apple tv
frankenweenie
a tim burton twist on frankenstein. this one is rated PG but i think it’s a little scary for the younger kids so i’m putting it in the big kids list.
where to watch: disney+
ghostbusters (1984)
arlo has now seen almost all of the ghostbusters movies and loves them!
where to watch: hulu, amazon prime, youtube tv, apple tv
paranorman
a misunderstood boy tries to save his town from a curse
where to watch: tubi, pluto tv, amazon prime, apple tv
lego star wars: terrifying tales
for all the lego kids out there!!
where to watch: disney+
the house with a clock in its walls
a young orphan helps his magical uncle (jack black!!) find a clock that has the power to bring about the end of the world. cate blanchett also stars as the neighbor witch!
where to watch: hulu, youtube tv, apple tv, amazon prime
scoob!
this looks fun! scooby and crew have to save the world from the ghost dog cerberus
where to watch: max, hulu, youtube tv, apple tv, amazon prime
ernest scared stupid
ok this movie SCARED THE CRAP out of me as a 7 year old. arlo wasnt as scared as me but the monster is actually terrifying 😆 don’t worry it’s still a dumb ernest movie though. this is one of my favorites!
where to watch: youtube tv, apple tv, amazon prime
wednesday
a series starring jenna ortega as wednesday addams — prob for the older kids!
where to watch: netflix, apple tv, amazon prime
chilling adventures of sabrina
a spin-off series of sabrina the teenage witch
where to watch: netflix, apple tv
a series of unfortunate events
based on the lemony snicket books starring neil patrick harris
where to watch: netflix
i got more suggestions than these, but would love to hear in the comments if there are any you recommend!
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my top picks from the AllModern BIG Sale of the Year
this post is sponsored by allmodern
AllModern is having their BIG Sale of the Year so i put together some favorite things on sale for you!! sale deets – it runs october 5-7 and you can save up to 70%!
i buy so much of our furniture and home decor from AllModern, they have SO MUCH GOOD STUFF to choose from! (plus fast and free shipping)
this list is mostly gorgeous furniture but there is so much holiday stuff on sale too – i love the faux christmas tree!
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really cute trick or treat baskets & bags
if you’re looking for a basket for your little trick or treat first timers — i’ve got you! i’m so excited to see izzy trick or treating this year omgggg. i ended up getting izzy the kitten!!
click on the images in the collage directly to shop!
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cute halloween advent calendars for kids
halloween advent calendars are designed for only the most halloween-obsessed kids, so if your kid lives for halloween — this roundup is for you.
we used a halloween advent in 2020 because i was desperate for entertainment, but these are all so much cuter than the one we used!
and if you need something to fill them up with, i made these printable halloween activity cards that would be perfect (and much easier/cheaper than filling with actual things). i do recommend throwing a couple candies in there though!
click on the images in the collage directly to shop!
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cute halloween pajamas for kids + babies
it’s almost officially spooky season!! i love all of these fun pajama sets for halloween, but also you may know that halloween pajamas are worn all year long in our house 🙂
and hurry because halloween stuff sells out so fast these days.
click on the images in the collage directly to shop!
