10 Ideas

The Holiday season is just as much about giving as it is about receiving, so cue my annual Christmas gift guide that will guarantee priceless cheer under the tree this year. Inspired by art, culture and design that have been featured on this very blog over 2013; from my Twitter and Pinterest boards as well as some new items thrown into the festive mix - here’s my curated countdown of ideas for connoisseurs and the curious alike…

1. Bring home the Bacon
2013 marks the year Francis Bacon’s triptych, Three Studies of Lucien Freud sold for a record $142.2 million at Christie’s – play auction house at home with this cushion after the artist’s Self-Portrait, 1969 available from The Estate of Francis Bacon 

2. Performance Art
Turn the WC into a White Cube with Tim Noble and Sue Webster’s printed toilet paper Wipe That Grin Off Your Face, 2013 - available at Other Criteria

3. Quality control
The good, the bad and the ugly with architectural historian Gavin Stamp - Anti-Ugly: Excursions in English Architecture and Design published by Aurum Press

4. Poolside patron
Culture cred at the cabana with Yayoi Kusama’s art towel for Works On Whatever, the annual initiative for contemporary art accessibility from Art Production Fund

5. Less is more
Five golden rings have nothing on this 1907 interlocking unisex band – available in solid brass, sterling silver and 18k gold from Wintercheck Factory

6. Mighty pink
Make a statement with Sir Paul Smith’s pen of choice - Caran d'Ache fluorescent aluminium ballpoint pen from Paul Smith

7. Big Kids
A host of celebrated international creative talent contribute to this grownup colouring book of graphic and graffiti design - Souris Hong-Porretta curates Outside the Lines: An Artists’ Colouring Book for Giant Imaginations published by Pengiun

8. Christmas Twist
“Please sir, I want some shmores” – forget the flambé figgy pudding and melt marshmallows around the fire with these handmade wire toasting forks from RE

9. Sun, sea and salt
Supersized fun under the sun – pretzel pool float from Urban Outfitters

10. Think twice…
… before refusing the brussels sprouts this year – soild milk chocolate ‘sprouts’ from Marks & Spencer

Images courtesy of The Estate of Francis Bacon, Tim Noble and Sue Webster, Aurum Press Ltd, Art Production Fund, Wintercheck Factory, Paul Smith, Penguin Group, RE, Urban Outfitters, Marks & Spencer 

10 Ideas

My annual Christmas gift guide is back for another year and there's no better day than 10th December to drop my ten gift ideas that will get you some culture points under the tree this Holiday season. Taken from the worlds of art and design over the year from both my twitter and pinterest boards as well as this very blog, here's my curated countdown to the big two-five. Merry shopping to one and all...

1. Crème de la crème 

Contemporary artist, Kenny Scharf's Squirt character explodes onto this year's annual philanthropic art customisation of several product lines at Kiehl's

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2. Cellar envy

Power of Creation - limited edition 750ml from 2003 - by David Lynch for Dom Perignon

3. Ladies who lunch

Prêt-à-porter versus prêt-à-manger - Saco de Papel by ADAISM

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4. Men who munch

Something to put inside your missus's lunch bag - Band of Outsiders cookie cutters at Neiman Marcus X Target Holiday24   

5. Smooth operator
Hand-painted tortoiseshell case for iPhone 5 at Case-Mate

6. That's amore

My favourite childhood Christmas treats - Amaretti Di Saronno at I Camisa & Son

7. Globetrotting gin

Heritage tipple from British eccentric, Wing Commander 'Monty' Collins via India and Germany's Black Forest - Monkey 47 Dry Gin available at Manufactum

8. Diamond Queen

Stencil or thread to connect all sixty dots to create a silhouette of Queen Elizabeth II  - Queen's Head Stencil, limited edition of 100 by Studio Velardi

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9. Trompe l'oeil tablet

2012's brand comeback kid gets tech-appeal with this iPad case from Kenzo

10. Plastic Fantastic
Kartell - The Culture of Plastics at Taschen

10 Ideas

With only ten days left to Christmas here are ten gift ideas that will get you some culture points this Holiday season - taken from the worlds of art and design that have featured on this very blog and @JMVELARDI over 2011 as well as some new items thrown into the festive mix
... and not a pair of socks in sight...

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1. First impressions count
Cheeseburger wrapping paper set at Gift Couture

2. Get the party started
Quartz Pinatta - handmade - by Confetti System at Other Criteria

3. Design Deity
Fornasetti: The Complete Universe at Rizzoli

 4. For those who have been naughty...
Christmas coal toffee at Fortnum & Mason

5. ... or nice

Andy Warhol Tribute Dom Pérignon Champagne at Dom Pérignon

6. The better to see you with

Maison Martin Margiela magnifying glass from 13 collection - available in right and left - at Selfridges Concept Store

                                                                                                  

7. Megabeads

Seat computer bag at Henrik Vibskov 

8. Hit the road 
36 Hours - weekend itineraries across 150 North American locations from The New York Times at Taschen

9. Exhibition of the year
Design for an interior (1983) by George Sowden from Postmodernism: Style and Subversion 1970-1990 at Victoria & Albert Museum
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10. Kitsch after Koons 

Balloon Dog decoration at Paperchase