A Very Harry Potter Gift Guide

The holidays are around the corner and it's that time of year again to bring out the gift guides. Of course for those who know me, I am a huge Potterhead so of course I have to showcase some Harry Potter related gifts to get for your loved ones. If you know a Potterhead and don't know what to gift them, check out some of these magical wizarding gifts.

1. Out of Print | Harry Potter Socks - $12.00

So I decided to include Out of Print's four latest Harry Potter socks. I have to say that the Dobby mismatched ones are my favorites but they also have Hogwarts house icons, Hogwarts crest and the Gryffindor lighting bolts and stripes. Wear your favorite fandom with style everyday. They are great for casual wear, for cosplays and for even work under your trousers.

2. Out of Print | When in Doubt, Go to the Library Tote Bag - $20.00

Have a lot of books that you need to take out from the library? Need a tote bag to haul all those books home? Hermione would definitely suggest this When in doubt, go to the library tote bag. Show your love for books and the library in one go.

3. Williams Sonoma | Harry Potter Cookie Cutter Set - $24.95

Do you know a baker who happens to be a Potterhead as well? Why not get them this cute set of cookie cutters that include the iconic lighting bolt symbol to Hedwig to the golden snitch? This cookie cutter set can be used year round and the set includes 8 cookie cutters, 12 icing bags, 4 decorating tips, 1 plastic coupler and 1 storage box.

4. Alex and Ani | Deathly Hallows Charm Bangle - $28.00

For those who love jewelry, an Alex and Ani Deathly Hallows bangle is the perfect gift. The bangle comes in silver finish and a gold finish. You can even purchase a matching Deathly Hallows necklace if your choose to splurge. Alex and Ani has a bunch of other Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts jewelry available as well.

5. Society 6 | Evie Seo HP Pattern Mug - $15.99

Evie Seo designs some of the most wonderful bookish items that can be turned into almost anything on Society 6. Here is one of my favorite Harry Potter patterns that Evie Seo designed. This is perfect for coffee, tea and all beverages. Your giftee will be using this mug everyday!

6. The Melting Library | The Restricted Section 8 oz. Candle - $15.00

Candles are often a popular gift to give during the season, especially bookish ones for the book worms. The Melting Library offers wonder fragranced candles with cute library borrower card labels that adds to the aesthetic. This particular scent sounds magical! Explore the restricted library with the fragrance of leather, parchment, dust and a bit of dark magic. There are other Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts related candles on sale as well.

7. Wildandfreeprints on Etsy | Harry Potter I Solemnly Swear I Am Up To No Good Flask Set - $16.57+

For those are old enough to partake in drinking alcohol, this is the perfect gift. Not only does the set come with a cute flask with one of the memorable sayings in the HP universe, but it also comes with four shot glasses to share some delicious fire whiskey or your preferred booze with your family and friends.

8. ColorfulGeekiness (The Colorful Geek) on Etsy | Books Ampersand T-shirt - $25.00

This shirt is perfection! The grey and purple look wonderful together and it's so subtle describing all seven books in seven words. Show your fandom love without being over the top. Check out this T-shirt in unisex fit as well.

What Harry Potter related items are you gifting this year to your Potterhead friends and family? I hope this list provides some inspiration. 

Bookish Gift Guide 2017: Cookbook Edition

The holidays are swinging in full gear now. You can hear the ringing of the Salvation Army bell outside, holiday decorations are adorning stores and houses and the music has become more cheery lately. With the colder weather and the many holiday functions with friends and family, more time is spent eating. Why not spend time cooking up a feast from some wonderful cookbooks? Check out some of my recommendations for this holiday season. Whether you purchase them for yourselves or for your loved ones, someone will enjoy creating masterpieces and savoring over morsels of delicious home cooked food.

Myers+Chang at Home: Recipes from the Beloved Boston Eatery by Joanne Chang and Karen Akunowicz - $32.00
I love Joanne Chang's Flour bakeries and her baking books so I am pretty sure her latest book based on recipes from Myers+Chang restaurant will be excellent! If you want a taste of some delicious Asian fusion food, check out this book.

BraveTart: Iconic American Desserts by Stella Parks - $35.00
Stella wrote this book to remind people about their childhood. These amazing baked goods will remind you of some wonderful memories as a kid. Dive into these scrumptious desserts this holiday season.

Half Baked Harvest Cookbook: Recipes from My Barn in the Mountains by Tieghan Gerard - $29.99

I have been a huge fan of Tieghan's blog called Half Baked Harvest and I was excited that she has a cookbook out! Not only are her recipes easy to follow and the food is delicious but the photography is superb and picture perfect! I love following the journey of a food blogger from a blog post to a finished cookbook.

The Malaysian Kitchen: 150 Recipes for Simple Home Cooking by Christina Arokiasamy - $35.00

I've love Malaysian food but never made any Malaysian dishes at home. Christina makes cooking Malaysian food easy at home with this wonderful cookbook. It's like bringing a part of Malaysia home with you from dishes like Hainanese Chicken to Pineapple Sambal Prawns. 

Molly on the Range: Recipes and Stories from An Unlikely Life on a Farm by Molly Yeh - $32.50

Molly is a food blogger and musician who moved from Brooklyn to a farm on the North Dakota-Minnesota border. Her food blog, My Name is Yeh, is simple and she has very creative recipes infusing her Jewish heritage. Molly's blog incorporates her life story with her wonderful recipes. Her photography gives off a muted vintage book and so does her cookbook. 

Do you have a favorite cookbook that you use frequently? What cookbooks do you recommend giving as gifts this holiday season?

Top Ten Harry Potter Gifts I Wouldn't Mind Santa Leaving Under My Tree

Since Pottermas is coinciding with Top Ten Tuesday, Elizabeth from Book YAbber, Marci from The Plot Bunny and I decided to combine forces to showcase top ten Harry Potter gifts we wouldn't mind Santa leaving under our trees. Of course I want a Hogwarts letter but I highly doubt I'll get one so these Potters items below are the next best thing! The items below are in no particular order. They also make greats gifts for any Potterhead! For those who are following Pottermas 2016, make sure to check out the introduction here. Also, follow us with the hashtag #Pottermas16.

1. The Case of Beasts: Explore the Film Wizardry of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Mark Salisbury - $45.00
If you've seen Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find them in theaters, you will love this very interactive book! It's chockfull of information and images from the film and I love how you can pull out posters, maps and more. This book is probably on of the most put together wizarding film books I have ever seen. I had a chance to flip through this beauty at Barnes & Noble and boy is it stunning!

2. The Art of the Film: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Dermot Power - $50.00
Of course I want to read about the magical film making journey about how Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them the film came to be. The set design and costume design are some of the most magical and it would be wonderful to see the makings of the film behind the scenes. The book has hundreds of production paintings, concept sketches, storyboards, blueprints and matte paintings.

3. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them Soundtrack - $11.86
I am in love with the score in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them! It's mesmerizing and probably one of my favorite wizarding world scores. The emotions that run through the music amplifies in my ears and I can clearly picture the scenes from the film in my head.

4. Felix Felicis Mug by Harry Potter Alliance - $13.00
I love mugs and this mug is perfect for any day for some luck! From coffee to tea to even Butterbeer! Cheers! You can never have too many mugs.

5. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: MACUSA Hardcover Ruled Journal by Insight Journals - $19.95
How gorgeous is this journal? MACUSA's emblem logo is embossed in gold foil. This lined notebook would be perfect to jot down notes about future cosplay ideas, Pottermas ideas or anything Harry Potter related.

6. Floo Powder Soy Candle by From The Page - $11.00
I am loving this Harry Potter inspired candle. Callie has some of best Harry Potter soy candles around and this one sounds fantastic. With notes of roaring fire, amber and a hint of clean cotton who doesn't want the ambience of a toasty fire while snuggling under a blanket?

7. Wizard Quibber Editor in Chief Pin by ohsogeeky - $2.00
There is no doubt that I am a huge Luna Lovegood fan so there is no surprise that I love this Quibber pin. Show your pride for the Quibber with this kickass pin!

8. Newt Scamander and Pickett Funko Pop - $12.50
Newt is one of my favorite characters in Fantastic Beasts and I also adore Pickett. I currently own the SDCC version of Newt but I wouldn't mind adding this Pop to my collection! By the way, this is a limited edition Hot Topic Exclusive. Get this Newt Pop soon before he disappears.

9. I Solemnly Swear That I am Up to No Good & Mischief Managed: Marauder's Map Inspired Shot Glass Set by Alder House Market - $18.00
Alder House Market makes some fantastic shot glasses including these wonderful Marauder's Map inspired ones. Definitely check out the other Harry Potter inspired ones such Polyjuice Potion, Obliviate, Deathly Hallows, Felix Felicis and more! You can never have too many Harry Potter glassware items! There are other glassware for other fandoms as well.

10. Harry Potter Horcruxes and Items 11 oz. Mug by GorillaWolf - $15.00
This mug is fantastic adorned with all seven of the Horcruxes and other wizardry items. This is the perfect mug for coffee, tea, hot chocolate or whatever your poison is. Seven cheers for Harry Potter!

BONUS:

11. Harry Potter Soappes by House of Wormwood - $7.00
Sidney creates some of the best cold processed soaps around. I am a big fan of her Harry Potter line as well as her other bath and body products such as spritzers. 3 Blondes is my absolute favorite soap by House of Wormwood. If you like Tobacco Flower, Black Tea, & Honey, you will LOVE 3 Blondes! Follow the House of Wormwood Facebook page here.

What do you hope Santa will bring you this year? Leave your comments below.

Holiday Gift Guide: Cookbooks and Craftbooks

The holidays are in swing and Christmas and Hanukkah are approaching. Still need a thoughtful gift for someone? Why not get a cookbook or a craftbook for them? Not only will people love these books but the great thing is that you can make memories with your loved ones through cooking, baking, creating natural bath and body products and even practicing your handwriting! Remember, the holidays is about sharing time with people you care about. Create memories that will last a life time.

Hello Glow: 150+ Easy Natural Beauty Recipes for a Fresh New You - $18.95
I love the Hello Glow blog and they have a lot of easy and natural recipes for scrubs, lotions and other spa like treatments. Put on your creative hat and blend some essential oils with some all natural goodies such as coconut oil, aloe and shea butter. This is the best time of year to moisturize. Many of these recipes would be fantastic for a girls spa night or for gifts.

Cravings: Recipes for All the Food You Want to Eat by Chrissy Teigen - $29.99
Not only are these photos fantastic but the recipes are very simple and the food is tasty. Why not have a cooking night with a significant other or try out some of these recipes for a potluck?

Flour: Spectacular Recipes from Boston's Flour Bakery + Cafe by Joanne Chang  - $35.00
I am a big fan of the Flour Cafes located in the Boston area. Not only are the desserts to die for but the sandwiches are delicious. Take some time to recreate staples such as the sticky bun or croissants. Try your hand at making homemade pop tarts.

Baking: My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan - $40.00
This baking book is one of my favorite baking books of all time. Not only are the recipes very easy to follow but Dorie pours her heart and soul into each recipe, making sure each scone or cookie is special. Spend some quality time pouring your heart and soul into these wonderful baked goods!

The Perfect Scoop: Ice Creams, Sorbets, Granitas, and Sweet Accompaniments by David Lebovitz -$18.99
Love ice cream? Try your hand at making some homemade frozen delights! Homemade ice cream accompanied with some pie is perfect for this holiday season! Not in the mood for ice cream or are lactose intolerant, try a sorbet or a granita instead.

The Nerdy Nummies Cookbook: Sweet Treats for the Geek in All of Us by Rosanna Pansino - $29.99
This is the perfect book to baking loving nerdy geek. Create edible nerdy confectioneries that are comic related, sci-related or video game related. Even kids will love this book! Geek out while having fun baking a storm!

Creative Lettering and Beyond: Inspiring tips, techniques, and ideas for hand lettering your way to beautiful works of art (Creative...and Beyond) by Gabri Joy Kirkendall, Laura Lavender, Julie Manwaring and Shauna Lynn Panczyszyn - $19.95
Want to practice your handwriting? Check out this book to help you fine tune your hand lettering. This would be a good new hobby to pick up and you will be adorning cards and scrapbooks in no time with fancy scripts. Send a letter a loved one or have a hand lettering/crafting party!

What cookbooks and craftbooks are you looking forward to this year? Do you plan to gift any to your friends or family? Any good suggestions that aren't listed above?