Last week, Scissors & Sage was featured on Paper Source’s blog (*GASP!).  I could hardly believe it.  They posted a picture of my DIY Advent Calendar that uses their text-weight paper and mini clothes pins.  Also last week, I updated all of the recipes I’ve ever posted here on Scissors & Sage to now include that recipe view “print” button.  Check them out here!

I’ve got Christmas on the mind, so this installment of Picking Favorites definitely has a festive feel to it.  (By the way, are you all enjoying Picking Favorites?  I’ve been writing these posts, where I share current inspirations from other blogs, once a month since October.  You can find all of the Picking Favorites posts under “more” in the menu up top.)

The color palette of the three pictures above is very inspiring.  This seed stitch scarf from The Purl Bee looks so cozy.  I wish that I had the patience to make a big project like that!  There must be thousands of stitches in there.  And those soaps from Suki over at Varpunen? I’m not sure I could ever choose a favorite color.  Photographer Eric at Brb-Syd captured this rooftop picture in Reykjavik, Iceland.  I find it breathtaking.  I often think of summer as being the time to travel, but winter excursions bring out a different side of places, don’t they?

Hanging lights in tree formation against black siding is such an inventive way to gear up for the holidays.  It’s a nice change of pace from the usual wreaths and greenery, especially with that metal bench.  (Nicole Balch wrote about this DIY project for Babble.)  I wasn’t able to find the original source of the beautiful outfit on the right, however I did come across it here.  Let me know if anyone out there knows who took this photo or where it came from.  The long pleated skirt in combination with the denim shirt is very cute!

To the kitchen we go… These Pretty Package Almond Sugar Cookies from Better Homes and Gardens bring me holiday cheer!  I’ve never tried intricate icing like this ribbon before, but I would be interested in giving it a whirl someday.  The root vegetables above come from blogger Elizabeth Stark of Brooklyn Supper.  Don’t they look just divine?  I could probably eat the whole plate in one sitting, maybe with the help of my veggie-loving sister and cousins.

And finally, this DIY chalkboard fridge from Conan and Katherine of Keep Smiling has me all excited.  Anne and I have that same fridge in our apartment, and I would just LOVE to give it a head-to-toe makeover (do fridges have heads and toes?).  If only our landlord allowed it… The project seems very doable and, according to Katherine, holds up quite well over the years.  Maybe one day!