2016 SBTB Gift Guide, Part 1: All Things Bookish and Wonderful

Y’all, we have been working on the Smart Bitches Gift Guide all year long. We have a Slack channel devoted just to gift ideas, and it is busy because everyone on the internet is creative and brilliant, and all the awesome gives me so much joy, I can’t even. Only odding is possible.

I can hear you snarling or maybe squeaking that it’s only October 26! Halloween hasn’t happened yet! I know. It’s true. It’s a bit early. But only because we have TOO MUCH EXCELLENT STUFF to share, and it helps to be prepared, right? Right! You want to leave time for shipping if items are some distance away, and hey, shopping a little early means less stress later!

Grab hold of your wish list and your shopping list: it’s 2016 Smart Bitches Gift Guide time.

Looking for a lovely, small, charming gift for friends, co-workers, or people who make your day better, like librarians?  Ideal Bookshelf has pins.

AND THEY ARE ADORABLE. 

Pride and Prejudice illustrated book pin
Pride and Prejudice, $11
Jane Eyre silhouette drawn on book cover made into an enamel pin
Jane Eyre, $11

And there’s Harry Potter 2-5 (1 seems to be sold out, woe is us), Little House on the Prairie, Joy of Cooking, and The Elements of Style.

And prints! There’s art for the walls like whoa.

There’s the Jane Austen Ideal Bookshelf print, or the Girl Stars print, suitable for making any room 42% more awesome.

And if you know a grammar fan or copy editor, gifting has been managed:

A hand drawn illustration of grammar and editing books such as Elements of Style, Eudora Welty on writing, chicago manual of style, eats shoots and leaves and many others

The prints are around $34 unframed. And if you don’t see one that’s ideal for you, you can commission your own Custom Ideal Bookshelf print or painting, and specify the books that define you or someone you love. Custom items start at $40. What a cool gift, huh?

And you can visit a few stores around the US to see other items, too!

If the book pins idea was rocking your world like it was mine, here are some other options for all your gifting needs. Literary Emporium on Etsy has several bookish pins, including this one, which makes me smile every time I see it:

Black enamel pin of an open book with Readers Gonna Read written across the cover and spine
Readers Gonna Read, ~$10

Their Just One More Chapter pin would pair well with the Bad Decisions Book Club mug in our Zazzle store, too.

And this is so adorable I might need to go lie down: Winged World, a store of prints of custom illustrations painted onto old library card catalog cards for beloved books.

Socks, by Beverly Cleary anyone?

A painted illustration of Socks the cat on the library card catalog entry card for Socks by Beverly Cleary
Socks print, $12

How about Narnia?

A painting of the red and gold dawn treader ship with dragon head and sail painted on the library card catalog entry for the book
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, $12

Elyse loves this Etsy store, Jezebel Charms, which offers “literary gifts for book lovers, readers and writers.”

There are science necklaces, a Mr Darcy’s proposal necklace, cuff bracelets featuring vintage map prints, and cuffs featuring literary quotes, too.

And I can’t forget Vintage Charmed Books: book charms that open to show a quote and illustration from the classic in question.

I’ll be posting new Smart Bitches Gift Guides every Wednesday, so if you have ideas, suggestions, or requests, please email me or comment below! Happy holiday shopping!

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  1. Ren Benton says:

    My bleary, letter-scrambling, 4 a.m. eyes recognized almost all of those Ideal Bookshelf: Writing spines by colors alone. I felt so understood, I thought about buying the print, but since that shelf actually exists in real life in my house, I decided instead to get the couple of books I’m missing from the print.

    Oh, are we supposed to be shopping for other people? *phlbbbbbt*

  2. Patricia says:

    I love Jezebel Charm’s Etsy store. My hubby has bought me presents from there before and they’re amazing. Love your gift guide.

  3. hng23 says:

    I really like the fingerless gloves with quotations printed on them, from https://storiarts.com/collections/gloves.

    https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/TheOhlala?ref=l2-shopheader-name The Ohlala sells gorgeous large scarves printed with book covers.

  4. hng23 says:

    https://www.etsy.com/shop/NovelCreations Handbags made from books! (I knew I forgot one when I posted before.)

  5. Ren Benton says:

    Litographs prints the text of classic and contemporary books in a designerly way on shirts, scarves, totes, and posters.

    https://www.litographs.com

    The “Romance” tab is a little light with only JD Robb and Sarah MacLean, but you can find Austen and Gabaldon and whatnot scattered in other categories, and other favorites like The Princess Bride and Anne of Green Gables and Kushiel’s Dart and and and!

  6. Karenmc says:

    I just picked up book pins at Ideal Bookshelf for Christmas gifts. Yahoo!

  7. Maureen says:

    I agree with @Ren Benton-I am buying presents for me, me, me! I just checked out The Literary Emporium and bought a few pins and a notebook. I love their stuff. These sites are all new to me, so thanks for the heads up, and my credit card company also thanks you 🙂

  8. ClaireC says:

    Well I only made it to the first shop before I bought the HP #4 pin for me! Now off to Etsy to see if I can whittle down the pin selection currently in my cart there …

    Yes, this is a shopping list for ME!

  9. Darlynne says:

    These are all … swoon-worthy. Wow, thanks.

  10. Rebekah Randle says:

    Can the Bad Decisions Book Club image from the mug be made as a sticker?? 😀

  11. KellyM says:

    I still have my childhood book of Socks (1973). I love the library card idea. I might have to get that for myself for christmas. I love that book.

  12. SB Sarah says:

    STICKERS? But of course! The Bad Decisions Book Club sticker is right here, and there are others, too. Thank you for asking!

  13. […] So, have you started your Christmas shopping yet? I always start early and this year, I’m nearly done (except for my dad and The Pilot–the two toughest guys in the world to buy for!). The always amazing Smart Bitches website will be publishing gift ideas every Wednesday from now until the holidays. Some great things on this first one–I want about 72 things! Check it out here:  […]

  14. Rhoda says:

    I love the jewellery on Coryographies etsy site: https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/Coryographies

    My favourites are the Harry Potter bookshelf pendant and the stack of books earrings.

  15. Rhoda says:

    Oh, and this shop: https://www.theliterarygiftcompany.com/collections/new
    (I got my husband to hide my wallet before I looked at the website. Safety first).

  16. […] time for another edition of our Smart Bitches Gift Guide. In Part 1, I highlighted bookish things, and in Part 2, I focused on comfort and self-care. This week, crafty business. Creating things, […]

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