just why not go for the whole enchilada???!!!

I always start holiday gift shopping in August. Or earlier. It's not always easy to guess what might be loved by a recipient at the end of the year, but I am getting better at choosing unique one-size-fits-all items.

For example, the past couple years I have discovered handmade soap. WHADDA luxury for a small price! The soaps can be amazingly lush, smell heavenly and you are going to want to bite into others! Yum. And, guess what, everyone uses soap. So easy to box it up with a scrubby, new washcloth, small fancy towel or a vintage glass dish.

My shopping list is fortunately decreasing steadily as my relatives get older. We no longer give to everyone, most of the nieces and nephews are college age for example. My husband, rightly so, always wants to honor his parents with a gift, and I do the same.

So mostly we are delighting our own two kids, still school age.

What does a little girl want? She is past the pink sparkle stage and entering the more sophisticated hairstyling stage. Her dreams involve anything that has fur or feathers and breathes. Um, know where I'm going?

We've gone through 2 long lived and loved guinea pigs over the years and I am NOT doing anymore 5lb weekly litter changes. I don't know how to take care of a bird (never had one) and I think it's not suitable for her age. A kitten? As much as I would do this in a heartbeat, our dog would eat it.

Maybe another mouse? Her brother has one and it is so easy to take care of it! But the lifespan is only about a year (On second thought, maybe that is a good thing).

Or just throw in the towel and get the horse she wants when she's 15. JUST KIDDING!!!!!! (about getting it, not about her wanting it).

Here's something not furry or feathery, and requires no cage cleaning.

Starfish Pendant

Sterling silver hammered shape enhanced with amethyst wrapped dangle, pink swarovski crystal and glass beads.