Red State
I had a lot of fun last month writing my post about Pantone’s Colour of the Year – Tangerine Tango. And it seemed to have gotten decent pick-up to boot, as one of the most-viewed non-contest posts in the last few weeks. So I’m branching out and adding a new set of theme posts. Once a month or so, I’ll hone in on a specific colour and feature gift ideas with that shade, which may also be suited to the season. With that in mind, naturally I gravitated to good ol’ primary red. Not cabernet, not cranberry, not maroon. Just. Red.
Red Bandeau Set – $85 @ Amourouse
Holland-based handemade clothing designer Amourouse has got you all wrapped for Valentine’s day with this sweet, cherry-red bandeau top and bottom set. It can be worn both as an after-hours boudoir ensemble, or take it for a splash on the beach – the pieces are lined, although you are forewarned they may take longer to dry than normal swimsuits given they’re made of cotton instead of lycra.
Buy it for: A double-duty ensemble if you’ve got a mid-winter getaway planned, or a sweet treat for a special Valentine’s together.
Felt Roses Pillow – $49.95 @ Pier 1 Imports
Who says roses are just for Valentine’s Day? With a sculptured pillow that’s this pretty, you’d be hard-pressed not to want to keep this beauty on display all year-round. Generally speaking red looks striking with the most basic of neutrals – picture this as a colour pop against a pristine ivory couch or a jet black accent chair.
Buy it for: Score two as a generous housewarming or sweet wedding gift.
Shakespeare’s Love Sonnets – $21.95 / $16.68 (online) @ Indigo
Illustrator Caitlin Keegan brings a touch of whimsy to some of literature’s most famous words. This collection of 29 of the Bard’s most legendary fourteen-line sonnets are each accompanied by a stunning illustration – and if the cover is anything to go by, this tome will easily find its way off the shelves and onto your coffee tables.
Buy it for: Your Valentine. Your anniversary. Your perfect proposal scenario.
Red Suede Men’s Cordones – $82 @ TOMS
Show how much you love him with these ruby red slippers from benevolent shoe gurus TOMS. With a nod to the classic rounded toe of your everyday TOMS, these smart shoes are ready to go with or without laces thanks to their hidden elastic panels. As always, every pair bought means a second pair is donated to someone in need. Double smart.
Buy it for: Your boyfriend’s Valentine’s gift. Your brother’s birthday. Your husband’s anniversary.
Playboy Play It Rock Perfume – $25 @ Shoppers Drug Mart, Pharma Prix, London Drugs, Zellers, Walmart, PJC, and Katz Group
Love is in the air, but that doesn’t mean you don’t have time to indulge in your sensual side as well. This wallet-friendly fragrance from Playboy is an explosive pop of blood orange and candy apple that’s tempered by exotic saffron, passion flower, and orange blossom. The classic Playboy bunny is ever-prominent in the bottle’s fun design and rocker-themed box, and at this price?
Buy it for: Gift a single gal that’s using V-Day as an excuse to meet her next sweetheart, or put it in a package of red-themed gifts for the special lady you’re building a gift basket for (hint: check this post for other ideas).
Pop Phone – $39.99 @ Native Union
I’m bringing analog back…remember the days when phones actually tucked under your chin quite nicely? Or when you didn’t have to fear gamma rays invading your brain just by talking to a friend? Well the pop phone is for people that care about such things. It basically gives old world functionality to your new school digital devices. Plug it into your favourite mobile phone or tablet for an instant retro-cool factor that actually has today’s technology, including a sweet mic, clear speaker, and ultra-soft finish.
Buy it for: A funky housewarming gift for your best friend that refuses to get a landline, or a cool birthday gift for your hipper-than-thou sibling.
Girls Pettiskirt or Tutu – $55 @ Estella
Find me the child that doesn’t want to flounce around in a tutu, and I’ll raise them this scarlet number from NYC children’s wear designer Estella. With endless layers of tulle, any little girl can rock this skirt for special occasions, ballet lessons, or those days when make-believe is an absolutely must-have.
Buy it for: Your favourite niece’s birthday, or for your own child as a special treat. Cause really, how can you resist?
Heart Shaped Foldable Stool – $39 @ Potiron
Girly girls will flip for this folding stool, topped with a sweet and subtle heart-shaped seat. Consider tucking it away in the kitchen for those days when you just need to sit down at the table or counter while chopping, or keep a few on-hand for impromptu block parties. It’d look equally cute in an all-white kitchen as in front of a smoked glass bar.
Buy it for: Your sister and her boyfriend that just moved in together. Your single lady gal pal that’s all about flirty furnishings.
Well what do we have here? I’d tell you to do a ‘spot the difference’ between this bottle and the Playboy ‘Play It Rock’ fragrance above, but I won’t insult your intelligence. Obviously this bottle spangled with Swarovski crystals is truly special – it’s so limited edition, you can’t even buy it in stores. You can, however, win this one-off bottle of Play It Rock through the Canadian Gift Guide. Cause I like you like that.
1) Leave a comment below until midnight on February 24th, 2012 and tell me which of these red gifts you’d most like to give (or get!) Be sure to use a valid email address so I can contact you if you win.
2) Entries are limited to one per person / per email address (or more if you score bonus entries). A random draw will be conducted on or around February 25th to select the winner, who will have 48 hours to respond before another winner is chosen in their place.
3) Entries are limited to Canadians that have reached the age of majority in their province. Quebec is not eligible to participate in this promotion.
4) Bonus Entry Time: I already get a lot of traffic off of Pinterest, but let’s spread the word that much more. ANYTHING you pin – past, present, or future – from the Canadian Gift Guide during the contest period will earn you a bonus entry. Just leave a link to each of your pins in the comments below. I’m seriously not putting a cap on this…so happy pinning!
Love prizes? Check out what else you can win through the Canadian Gift Guide by visiting the Winner’s Circle.
Canadian Gift Guide 
I love the pillow from Pier 1 Imports. Great Valentines day me gift, that could be used as an accent all year long. Love it!
I am single, but I will still take the Red Badeau Set, cause it is so damn cute. Then I will wear it as I turn up the heat in my apartment, watch TV, cuddle with my dog and drink beer.
laurieburns9@gmail.com
I love Shakespeare, and attend the Stratford Festival a couple of times each year to take in a play so the Shakespeare’s Love Sonnets would be a gift I’d treasure.
I like the red felt pillow from Pier 1
I would love the Heart Shaped Foldable Stool !!
dalleykt at live dot ca
I’d love to get and I’d also give “Shakespeare’s Love Sonnets.”
The red theme is cool.
Thanks!
I so love the red pillow! Wow!
the cordones
I would love the Playboy play it rock Perfume
I love the pillow! Very striking!
I like the red girl’s pettickirt or tutu the best. How cute would that be?
OMG!! I love Playboy stuff! I have purses and socks, jewelry and lotions. I soooooo would love to get the the Play It Rock fragrances
My favorite to receive would be the pillow.
I would love the fragrance! Its something you can never have enough of!
I would love to have the heart folding stool!
ksceviour at hotmail dot com
I’d love the pillow
I’d love the Playboy perfume
love the pillow mmmm
I would love the Book of Sonnets, such a nice thing to have.
I love the felt roses pillow!
I really like the rose pillow. It’s cute!
I am a perfume freak so I would love to win the Play it Rock, Playboy perfume
I’d love the Swarovski perfume bottle, but the roses pillow is awesome, too 🙂
Should we tell you our Pinterest name? Mine is Kitty Cartouche 🙂
If you’re pinning things, please just provide the links to ’em back here. You’ll earn a bonus entry for every pin!
The rose pillow! It would give any couch a splash of colour and texture.
My favourite is the heart shaped foldable stool…what a unique decorating idea for a corner in a room!
Heart shaped folding stool. I need a stool, so how perfect!
My daughter would love the tutu so that’s what I would like to give!
The red felt pillow from pier one is adorable.
I would love the Playboy play it rock Perfume
I would love to receive the felt rose pillow as a gift
bluebelle0367(at)hotmail(dot)com
omg!!! the Swarovski embelished perfume!!! after i used up the bottle, i would turn it into a beautiful christmas decoration for my tree…that…would bring back some happy memories!!!
I love the Pop Phone… brings back memories!
I would like the men’s suede shoes
I would love to get the Playboy Play It Rock perfume.
Would be delighted to win the Playboy Play It Rock perfume
I like the rose pillow the best.
I totally love the girls pettiskirt or tutu it is girliscious! Totally stunning! Pop Phone is totally unique reminds me of the 70s/80s, felt rose pillow is a must have for any girly girl room!The bottle for Playboys Play it Rock is total glam! really in awe of the tutu, its a must have!
I would love to give the red tutu to my granddaughter…..then take some great photos.
I would love for my husband to have the Red Suede Men’s Cordones – they are so funky!
I would love to receive the Felt Pillow the most.
I like the red felt pillow from Pier 1
I’d LOVE to win the Playboy Play It Rock Perfume… It sounds gorgeous ( I adore blood oranges). ❤
I just love the Felt Roses Pillow – $49.95 @ Pier 1 Imports. It would look just lovely on my sofa and it is so unique! Thanks so much for another great giveaway!
I love the Red Bandeau set!! I just can never get enough of this style 😉
I would love to win the Swarovski crystals limited edition bottle of Play It Rock, as a registered member of the Canadian Gift Guide Blog.
If I could win a red gift, it would be the scarlett red tutu for my four year old daughter, who is my sweet girlie girl. I would love to see her dancing around the house in it, entertaining Nanny and Grampy. 🙂 As a single mom, I can’t afford the little luxuries much these days….
Thank you and I hope to win – it would give this mama’s heart, a great big lift, this Valentine’s Day!
Warmest regards,
Dawn Baldwin
Sussex, New Brunswick
You can reach me: dawn.cruickshank.baldwin@gmail.com
I love the rose felt pillow. Very funky and pretty.
I like the foldable stool, very cute
I would love to get the Felt Roses Pillow – $49.95 @ Pier 1 Imports
I love the perfume!
The Felt Roses Pillow is awesome!! It has style and romantic tones. LOVE!
I definitely love the Felt Roses Pillow from Pier 1. So many great Valentine’s gifts to choose from though. #CGG
#CGG
Really great products!
I absolutely love the roses pillow. That’s so lovely!
Good job lady! You’ve earned yourself three bonus entries for pinning 🙂
How do you “PIN”? I would love to get bonus entries.
Hey Dawn! Sign up for an account over at Pinterest.com. There’s a short waiting period (usually no more than 24 hours) before your account will go active and from there you can pin an unlimited number of things. Good luck 🙂
Is Pinterest.com accounts free and what does PIN-ing do? (What are the benefits as a user?). I haven’t checked into this yet – but thank you for the information.
Are there other ways to get bonus entries?
How many do I have and when is the contest officially over, again? (I have this – just have to check back through – I know it’s before Valentine’s Day). lol
I would be so excited – big smiles – if I did win the bottle of perfume and the scarlett tutu….*fingers crossed* A gift for mommy and for little girl.
Thank you again!
Dawn
Hey Dawn! Yes Pinterest is absolutely free. It’s an online virtual ‘pinboard’ where you can keep track of your favourite photos / inspiration. This is the only way to get bonus entries for this contest, which is open until February 24th.
I would love to get/give the red Toms shoes love them http://pinterest.com/pin/134756213820082853/
I would love to give my BF the Red Suede Men’s Cordones!!
I really like the bandeau top and bottom set.
dls(dot)1957(at)hotmail(dot)ca
Would love to pin for bonus..but when I tried to sign up I got put on a wait list?
Hey Lisa! Pinterest’s wait list is mostly a formality..I imagine you’ll see an official invite in your inbox within a day.
Yes thanks! I got invited today. 🙂
Awesome! I see you’re already racking up some bonus entries…
I would love to receive the Felt Roses Pillow. It’s quite unique!
Red Bandeau Set looks so cute! Would love that!
As a gift, I’d give my guy TOMS suede kicks. Who wouldn’t want to rock those? For me, I’d love the Rose Felt Pillow since you can never have enough cushions. Or a copy of Shakespeare’s Love Sonnets.
Bonus – http://pinterest.com/pin/202591683207366126/
Bonus – http://pinterest.com/pin/202591683207366226/
I totally love the tutu! I would give it to my niece!
I actually really like the pillow
Definitely I would love to try the perfume! I could definitely not see myself in that Tutu! ha Ha ha!
I like to give Felt Roses Pillow as a gift
I love the Heart Shaped Stool! It’s cute and practical!
Bonus – http://pinterest.com/pin/202591683207396530/
I’d like to get the felt roses pillow:)
I love the felt roses pillow!
Here I go again! ;D
Well done 🙂
lol! I warned you in my original post – I LOVE Playboy stuff! 😀
I love the pop phone! I’m an old fashioned kinda gal so I love the retro look of it!
i would love to win this
Would most like to get Shakespeare’s love sonnets!
I would love to get the Felt Roses pillow!
Awesome Lisa! Can you do me a favour and double-check your email addy? It doesn’t look like a normal server and I want to make sure I can contact you if you win. Thanks!
? Its a gmail address? What are you seeing?
Im loggied in with twitter and posting throught tht if thats what you mean – re the@ Guppy5700…)?
Hi Lisa, I’m seeing Guppy5700@twitter.example.com. No sign of a gmail account!
Thats very weird. But as I get all your emailed newsletters shouldnt you have my gmail account too? Found that message in your Twitter feed…..now 😦
But will pm you my email addy there anyway.
My daughter would absolutely LOVE the girls red Pettiskirt! 🙂
love the tutu