{click on images to see item in shop}

{click on image to see in shop}

{btw} Pearl Poodle is having an “Etsy Appreciation Day” starting Saturday 1/9 at 12:00 a.m. cst!

You can see more here.

Remember how exciting pop-up books made reading as a kid? The story would completely come to life. The fact that you could touch and play, instead of just listen and look, was so much better. Don’t you still freak out when you see a great pop-up book? {If you say no, I swear I’ll slap you silly, because I know if I dangled a pop-up book in front of you, you couldn’t help but squeal in delight. Even a grown man would get nostalgic and misty eyed. It’s a fact.}

Below are several videos of some great pop-up books. {If you are viewing this in e-mail, you must visit the site to see the videos.}

Also, the Little Prince is available as a pop-up book! I bought this one for Munchkin a few days ago. It’s beautiful. Expect pictures on the blog soon!

Apparently, Peter-Pan is also available as a pop-up. I have yet to see this one in person, but I’d like to! Munchkin had a Peter Pan obsession for awhile, so perhaps I’ll get it for him, too.

This one is obviously for me, since I don’t have a daughter. I’ve seen this one many times. My best friend and I drooled over it. There were so many little bits to explore. Absolutely gorgeous.

Do you have a favorite pop-up book? I’d love to know!

These are definitely on my holiday wishlist. I bet you’ve seen these crowns before! I know I’ve seen them make the rounds on weheartit and blogs. Now you know where you can get one.

{Click on the image to see item in shop}

I can’t think of a time that I have actually set foot in a store on Black Friday. I do most of my shopping after or online. Trust me, there are plenty of deals to be had. Online deals started yesterday, so why put up with psycho shoppers trying to run you over out there?! Nuts.

Poppytalk has a great list of black friday and cyber monday handmade deals. Buying handmade gifts is one of the best ways to guarantee that your gift will be unique, so swing by and take a look the list. {It’s huge!}

Chronicle Books, the makers of the Worst Case Scenario books, Oh Joy!’s gorgeous creations, Webster’s Pictorial {seen above}, and so many other favorites is having a friends & family holiday sale. Just click on the link and enter the code FRIENDS at checkout to get 35% off and free shipping.

Endless is offering 30% off of full-priced handbags, accessories, slippers, and boots. Yay, for actually offering a good chunk off of full-priced {read: current season} merchandise.

Shopbop is having one of their usual promotions where you spend more and get more off, which will be on until December 4th.

ModCloth released their gift guides, which are pretty cute. Love the francophile one. Oh, and they have up to 40% off on some stuff. Enter code, affiliate10 and you get 10% off.

Shopruche, my lovely sponsor, is offering 15% off today and Monday. Enter code RUCHEBFCM at checkout.

Chickdowntown is offering 40% off and I’m pretty sure you get free shipping if you spend $150 or more.

The best deal I could find from Ulta was 30% Off One Item and 3 free samples with each order. Click on the link and enter code 34481 at checkout.

Origins is offering the Origins Greats gift set. It’s basically six of their best-sellers for $55 instead of $111.50, so not bad. I’ve bought gifts at Origins for boyfriends, dads, and friends. {And, myself… C’mon, one for me, one for you!}

J.Crew is offering 20% off of sale items. Use code Extra20 at checkout. Damnit, J.Crew will you ever give us a nice big code for regular priced items?! Oh well, the sale stuff is good, too.

Ralph Lauren is offering 25% off every purchase you make until December 7th. Enter code HOL2009. Good place to get gifts for preppy friends, yourself, your dog, or your parents. {Plus their boxes are pretty.}

This might sound weird, but the Discovery Channel Store is a great place to get stuff for kids and the men in your life. {Who wants a Jon & Kate Plus 8 DVD set?! J/K!!!} They have a Black Friday and Cyber Monday deal, going, too. Up to 70% and free shippping on orders of $75 or more. Click on the link and enter code FREESHIP.

Ummm… what else. Oh the gap has a gajillion different offers. Seriously, I’m too lazy to explain it all here, but it’s between 10% and 50%, depending on item. Just go there, and you get the discount, plus free shipping on orders of $50 or more.

Also, Amazon has been promoting their black friday deals since yesterday. They have a bunch of those treasure box deal things. {You know, that golden box that you always wonder about? Am, I the only one who didn’t have a clue what that was?} Yesterday, they had the sweet new iMac’s on special. It’s worth a browse.

See how nice I am? I sorted through craploads of e-mails, websites, affiliate crap, to find you discounts. Now get to shopping!

{btw} Don’t forget to stop in next week for the gift guides and month of giveaways kick-off!

Jenifer Altman of Nectar & Light is publishing her first book with gorgeous images like those on her blog. You get a polaroid calendar with your order if you pay in full by November 1st, so hurry up!

{Click on image to see item in shop.}

I’ve always sucked at journal writing. You wouldn’t imagine it since I’ve got this blog going, and I write elsewhere, but I do. When I reflect, my mind races. I’m better at creative writing or writing someone else’s history. However, I might be forced to reconsider. I once read somewhere that to make your own home videos more interesting, you should capture only between 15 – 60 seconds at a time. I think that concept would translate well into a journal and am curious to see what 5 year’s worth of one line entries would read like.

ModCloth {via} mika 78

Venetian Decor, {my newest sponsor} makes some very beautiful furniture. Pam, the owner, gives new life to the old by using quality vintage furs, French furniture, leather, down cushions, natural wool stuffing, and eco-friendly VOC free paints and a lavender beeswax top coat. All her items are one of a kind.

Seriously, does it get more glam? A fur bolster on the bed or couch is so Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day. {Remember when Delysia purrs about feeling fur against bare skin?}

{btw} Pamela in no way promotes the killing of animals and only uses vintage items, so you can tell your conscience to pike down.