{ the jaunty magpie }

I admit to being a total sucker for twee little shops and boutiques lining historic old streets.  I mean, really -- who wouldn't?! For those who live in the area, I'd like to recommend a perfect, Fancy day trip/holiday shopping excursion -- head out to Snohomish for the afternoon and get your browse on!

I wandered downtown Snohomish back in the fall, it had been a while since I'd really done a proper visit to this charming little city.  It's a pleasant rural/farming city, not too different from where we live in Duvall, but Snohomish definitely has their curated antique/boutique store-thing down like a rockstar. I came away with many cool finds, both new and old. I picked up several holiday gifts for friends, along with a nice gift for myself -- a set of antique cut-crystal coupe glasses, under $20 (lookalikes sold new at department stores or specialty kitchen stores easily charge $20 for one glass!). I was also gifted with the sense of inspiration, from the way items were displayed, as well as crafty things I could do myself.

I highly recommend giving yourself the gift of a day trip to Snohomish one weekend -- skip the madness of the mall, or the robotic act of dot-com shopping. Spend a leisurely afternoon wandering the shops and being reminded how pleasant holiday shopping can be.

Jaunty Fine Print: Photos by Denise Sakaki