A guest post by Mermaid Waterlily

If you're anything like me, you have taken advantage of 2020 by finding more ways to entertain yourself. I have personally found a lot more time to read, write, and explore new books this year compared to last year, especially those with pretty pictures to admire. Some of these books would make wonderful gifts for friends of all ages this holiday season and surprisingly, they aren't all mermaid-related!

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Maiden Mermaid - The Tale of Sirena
Written by Sheri Wall, Illustrated by Ilona Stuijt

This is a great book for children and mermaid lovers anywhere. It's a fun tale that also teaches kid's about trust and patience.

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Day 22 - A cute octopus gift for the octopus-obsessed person in your life! Find our five favorite octopus gifts here.

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Day 23 - A quirky kiwi bird gift for your friend. Find our five favorite kiwis here.

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Day 24 - An illustrated children's poem. Check out Loni Hoot's Little Bird series! Find books 1 - 3 on Amazon: Little Bird, Little Bird (book 1), Little Bird Meets Anne Marie (book 2), and Little Bird's First Day (book 3).

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Day 25 - An adorable woodland animal gift. Find our five favorites here!

Day 26 - Gift tags! I made these bear gift tags last year, and they are now sold out. Find some free printable gift tags here!

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Day 27 - A digital gift card to The Inky Octopus!

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Day 28 - Our gift to you, a free printable coloring page! Find tour full section of printable coloring pages.

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8 legs of fun! Octopuses are curious, intelligent, and cute! Find our five favorite octopus gift ideas from The Inky Octopus below.
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1. A fun Octopus Postcard Set, which makes a great stocking stuffer!
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2. A cute Octopus & Anchor mousepad, available in my Zazzle shop!
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3. The Octopus Coloring Book, available at The Island Octopus, and on Amazon!
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4. A silly Octopus & Umbrella tote bag, available in my Zazzle shop!
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5. An original illustration, like Alll the Shells! Find our current selection of adoptable critters here.

Traditionally, small pieces of pure resin are placed on top of a hot piece of charcoal so that the resin smolders and releases its fragrance. In modern times, special charcoal is now widely produced with the intent to be used for this style of incense, such as the Three Kings brand. Many other methods have been devised over the course of the centuries, but they all have one thing in common: they all produce a heat source. Resin incense must be heated to release its naturally-stored aroma.

Electric incense heaters are now becoming more widely available at an affordable price and are optimal for using naturally fragrant material. Rather than producing smoke, these heaters warm the resins and unlock the aromatic essential oils, releasing them into the air. This method is becoming more common and is preferred for indoor use. This method releases the therapeutic aspects of many plant materials without the hazard of smoke being released into the air. Some electric heaters, such as the Golden Lotus, provide a wide range of heat settings by thermostat control and may be also used for dried plant leaves and flowers, fragrant woods, and even essential oils. For those who love natural fragrances, but are turned off by the smoke produced by most incense, electric heaters are the way to go.

I have been making my own resin-based incense blends for almost 10 years now. Acquiring unique and interesting resins from all over the world has moved from being a hobby to a business venture. This has allowed me to merge my background in graphic design with my love for creating artwork and creating incense blends. The incense blends created under Ethereal Aromas Incense Company are unique in that they are mostly resin-based. Other natural ingredients such as fragrant wood, leaves, spices, flowers, homemade extracts, and essential oils help make up the unique blends that are sold in the Ink ’n Scents store. I strive to use all natural ingredients and to be able to identify the sources of the ingredients used in all of the incense blends. If you or someone you know loves incense, perfume, or aromatics, resin incense provides a unique window into the traditions rooted in thousands of years of history and lore.

Shop our selection of gift-able resin incense blends in our new Island Octopus shop!

We are excited to share 28 Days of Gifts with you! Here we will be sharing our favorite gift ideas for the holidays, with some special offers and sales sprinkled throughout. Follow along on our Facebook and Instagram for special offer codes!

​Disclosure: Some of the links on our blog are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

Day 1 - An adorable Raccoon Card for sending to your family and friends. Customize this card on Zazzle!

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Day 2 - A mini illustration for your friend who's decorating her new home. Check out the current selection of adoptable critters in the shop!

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Day 3 - Sweet mice greeting cards, available in our Zazzle shop. Customize the inside greeting, and even order matching stickers and return address labels!

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Day 4 - A stationery set to send to your best friend who lives out of town!

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Day 5 - A whimsical Yeti Santa card, to make your friends laugh. Available from Zazzle!

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Day 6 - A custom pet illustration, for your friend with the cutest dog ever! 

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Day 7 - Incense to make your home smell like the holidays all month long. Check out the selection of all-natural incense blends!

1. Maiden Mermaid - The Tale of Sirena 
Sheri Wall takes a legend and makes it a colorful world of rhyming and adventure with many lessons along the way. A must read for all little mermaids! Find The Tale of Sirena at A Matter of Rhyme.

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3. The Thankful Series 
This coloring book and gratitude journal series by Hayley Rose is a splendid way for little mers to write out their thoughts and express their goals and dreams.

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5. The Green Sorceress Jewelry and Accessories 
Mermaiding can get pricey, especially when it comes to finding plenty of FINtastic accessories that fit your mersona. The Green Sorceress handmakes plenty of affordable and abSHELLutely beautiful jewelry that can make all mers swim with excitement! 

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Small Business Saturday inspired me to write a post featuring some of my favorite local businesses! Although I do enjoy big box stores and our favorite online retailers as much as most folks, it is great to support local businesses, artists, and restaurants. Spending some of your money with these folks helps to support your local economy and improve your community! I encourage you to try shopping from some small businesses around you for the holiday season. If you're in the St. Louis, Missouri and surrounding area, here are some of my favorite places for holiday gifts!

Restoration Alley DIY Studio and Handmade Market located in Ellisville, features a variety of handmade items from local crafters. You can also sign up for classes in their studio, with projects for all ages.

LotusColour offers a variety of handmade and custom clothing for yoga, festival-wear, performance, and more. Check out their super soft fabric and unique designs! 

Binx Ceramic is the best place for super sweet ceramic creations! Find Binx at a variety of local craft fairs, and stop by the open house on the 21st!

The Tiny Hedgehog offers a selection of handmade baby & toddler clothing, featuring adorable fabrics and trendy designs.  Pick up something fun for the tot on your list!

Riley Construction offers modern handmade rag dolls and stuffed animals. Her plush mermaids are the cutest!

Bright Idea Toys located in Town & Country has a great selection of the newest, popular, and educational toys. They also have lots of fun events (they even hosted us, and our friend Mermaid Waterlily last month!), and they also offer gift-wrapping in store!

I Dream to Be written by local author Rebecca T. Clark encourages readers to use imagination by dreaming of different occupations.

The Sleep Catcher by local author Za Goodbrake is a captivating wordless tale about a young girl's dreamy quest to fall asleep.

Kind Soap Company in Webster Groves offers natural skin care, and other scented goodies! I just recently tried a few items from this shop, and love them!

Jewelry by Michele Mohr offers beautiful handcrafted enamel jewelry. What a decadent gift one of her pieces would make!

St. Louis and the surrounding area is really becoming a restaurant city! There are so many delicious choices, and I love that many are locally-owned. Here are a few places I frequent: Lulu's Local Eatery, Candici's, Tree House, Kakao Chocolate, and Sarah's Cake Shop.

If you're looking to find a variety of handmade items, check out one of the many holiday markets this month! 

Kiwi birds are the cutest! These adorable, plump birds are native to New Zealand, and are unable to fly. Kiwis have a very long bill with nostrils at the end, which helps these nocturnal birds forage for food on the ground. Find our top 5 kiwi bird gifts below!

1. This adorable Kiwi Bird Magnet, available in my Zazzle shop!
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2. This colorful Kiwi Bird Pillow, available from BittenByErmines on Zazzle.
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3. This funny ​Kiwi Bird T-Shirt, available from mikejoos on Zazzle!
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​4. A kiwi bird stamp, perfect for envelops, scrapbooking, and other fun. Find it from WoodlandTale on Etsy!

5. This pair of kiwi bird earrings that are just too cute! Find them from SilverRainSilver on Etsy.
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Disclosure: Some of the links on our blog are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

Six Holiday Gift Ideas for the Animal Lover:
1. A cute hedgehog art print bring a little woodland fun to their wall.
2. A kiwi bird stationery set, complete with stickers.
3. An Aquatic Coloring Book for some underwater sketching.
4. An original sea otter watercolor illustration for a playful gift.
5. An adorable holiday mouse greeting card.
​6. Six fun woodland animal postcards for sending or keeping.