It should say Happy Holidays, but it’s a vintage card so…apologies to non-Christmas lovers.

Let’s get to the week in fun stuff!

♠ I like this short, but perfectly stated article called “There Should Only Be One ‘Santa Baby’.” All non-Eartha Kitt versions are invalid, because she knows how to purr with tongue implanted firmly in cheek:

“It’s just a novelty Christmas song, obviously, and not that deep, but it’s worth noting that “Santa Baby” is one of very few Christmas hits written by a woman (Joan Javits), so it’s interesting how the song, depending on the singer, can either be tongue-in-cheek or needy and vaguely depressing.”

The proof is in the purr:

♠ Warm Winter Salads might sound like the rudest thing someone could mention days before the big Xmas feast, but this slideshow from Food + Wine actually made my mouth water. You had me at “bacon vinaigrette.”

♠ Instagram released information about their new policies, to be updated in January, and received a huge amount of backlash. They have since reverted back to the original policy and thanked its members for being a community not afraid to stand up for their personal rights. It has made me think about how sad I would be if I had to get rid of a community that I felt inspired by, so I’m pretty happy they have kept the privacy. But, I’m still going to back up all my photos on flickr, my first online photo love.

♠ I think Gala Darling posted this last week, but I have been so busy I didn’t get to it now. Emily Henderson’s guide to picking the perfect color palette has my decorating wheels turning. We’ll be moving in March, and where ever we land, I am going to definitely use this to help me focus my haphazard decor.

♠ I must admit to feeling kind of nervous about taking our holiday photos because I didn’t want to look funky, so thank goodness for I Heart Faces’ post on fixing posing mistakes. Never square yourself to the camera, always lean in, and chin up! Steph’s post about makeup for photos also helped. I am a huge advocate of fake eyelashes – they make me feel like I don’t need any other makeup!

♠ As with many other bloggers, I am obsessed with typefaces and hand-made signs, so I love Jon Contino’s work and his instagram keeps me inspired. I have to say, I am pretty excited about the sneak peek of this 2013 shirt.

♠ The always creative Melissa created some inexpensive, but damn fancy looking coasters over at Honeybee Vintage. I think they would be perfect for a New Years countdown party, but what I love most are her GORGEOUS thrifted owl glasses.

♠ Quite Continental has a perfectly suited playlist of Christmas crooners on a Spotify playist so if you can listen, hop on over and please do.

What’s new in your neck of the woods?