Happy New Year of the Mouse to you, my dear readers.

Mice are actually really cute animals. A few weeks ago I saw a tiny mouse at the Piaget boutique in Moscow’s GUM shopping center (on the Red Square). No, the boutique wasn’t infested, it was a designer solution. They installed a little terrarium with a real creature living inside on a bed of wood shavings to celebrate the Year of the Mouse in a creative way .

The mouse was white with itsy-bitsy red beady eyes, tiny precious pink toes and a little pink nose.

Unfortunately, I don’t have any photos, so instead please enjoy pictures of his distant relatives, hamsters (from the amazing Cute Overload).

Unlike another distant relative, Remy from Ratatouille, the little Piaget fellow can’t cook. His main occupation is eating. He grabs grains with both hands and stuffs the food into his microscopic mouth. Not in the same way as the little guys below, but with equal enthusiasm.

He (or she?) is a very busy mouse, concerned with decorating the interior of his tiny house, made of a ball woven of twigs, and with decluttering his surroundings.

While we examined the jewelry, the creature nonchalantly grabbed little chunks of dried poo from his bed with his teeth and pushed these “meadow muffins” through the twigs into a distant corner of the terraruim. Unfortunately, after a clumsy movement one of the dried “goodies” ended up in his drinking “bowl”, a small plastic cap of a soft drink bottle, where this weird “teabag” swelled and partly dissolved. But contents of the “tea” didn’t embarrass our hero and he took a few happy slurps of the mixture, sticking out his adorable pink tongue.

His actions cracked the room up. The mouse improved the already excellent service at the Piaget boutique. He held our attention long enough for us to stay and make a purchase. Without knowing it, the little creature became a superb spokesmodel for Piaget, much better than any human.

It’s funny how animals always go about their everyday business (which we think is pretty pointless) with a serious attitude and a lot of determination. They don’t even realize that we make fun of them. I’ve always wondered what they think about that. Do they care?

Have a terrific 2008!

Photos courtsey of Cute Overload

1. calla coasters, 2. Happy Furry Friday! , 3. Usaron, 4. Ricca’s sunglasses, 5. White Baby Breath, 6. _0016303, 7. Lily, 8. Enchantmints Now on Ebay, 9. Albino hedgehogs, 10. pure cuteness, 11. Monochrome wonderland, 12. Polo - Who Me?, 13. naturally fabric-softened, 14. local wildlife, 15. toyfield.net

So Frugalicious has compiled the Secret Santa List of fashionable jewelry under $5.

Diva In A Carry On has found the ultimate rolling carry on that meets the needs of every traveling fashionista.

Style Talk unleashes the inner style freak and marvels at the chic wooden clutches by Pucci.

Designer Tips shares the names of the participants of the New Gen shows at the London Fashion Week.

Throw a party with Designer Sense parading a cool metallic Kate Spade bag.

Stand out of from office crowd with Miu Miu Metallic A-Line Skirt, suggests Lifestyle Buzz .

Elite Choice is smitten with the luxurious Bottega Venetta Lizard Clutch.

Spice up your New Year Party outfit with the wild and glossy Jonathan Kesley Metallic Shoe Bootie discovered by Designer Planet.

Looking for a job in the fashion industry? Pink Rock Candy shows you how to dress for the interview.

Choose between the Classics, the Bombshells and the Ladies to figure out your handbag style with the help of Señora Cartera.

What’s Haute admires the tiny but practical Prada Dressy Gauffre Mini Saddle Bag.

Find out how you can plant a tree by buying a Green & Gorgeous eco-friendly bag, courtesy of Fashion Fling.

The Beauty Counter spotlights the refreshing Island Michael Kors Capri collection. Perfect for a cruise around Italy!

Glam & Tonic becomes a fan of Nicole Kidman after seeing her stunning outfits in the Golden Compass.

Spork Fashion talks to Twisted Silver jewelry designer Debra Mitchell about her inspiration, favorite pieces and plans for the future.

There’s a wonderful group on Flickr called Pink Christmas, however not all the photos I’ve picked for today’s post were found there.

1. macarons, 2. Pink Santa, 3. “Flamingo” Wreath, 4. Santa Tags Trio, 5. Allsorts Elf Clogs

This post was written by Fashionably Cute’s contributing editor Wendy Brandes, an awesome jewelry designer (of Gigi Caron and Wendy Brandes Jewelry), journalist, blogger and fashion warrior on a never ending quest for scary fish shaped shoes.

I have a cute pooch named Gigi. Etsy has lots of superkawaii things
named in her honor.

Gigi Hair Tie

Gigi Giraffe Brooch

Gigi the Daisy Brooch

Gigi the Elephant

Gigi Monkey Painting

But you can’t have this one! She’s mine.

1. 20071203_0024, 2. Weihnachtsfest im Wichtelland, 3. Awesome Victorian Bottles, 4. Gingerbread Tree Centerpiece, 5. North Pole Dance Party!, 6. weeeeee, 7. Gingerbread Baby 2, 8. Calendar for Actis Co. | december, 9. Wishing, 10. Snowman, 11. Happy Holidays!, 12. don’t open ’til…, 13. Untitled, 14. Four in the bed, 15. The Christmas Tree Book: Cover

Thanks to John Singh of Lucasfilm, Fashionably Cute has got a hold of the fabulous teaser poster for the upcoming “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull”. This will surely be the hottest film of 2008! Enjoy!

Click here to download bigger version.

Lifestyle Buzz shows us why the Miu Miu Matelasse Leather Tote is a work of art.

What’s Haute wants to know if you think Gwen Stefani’s L.A.M.B. handbag is haute or not.

Lust after the stunning Tiffany Drop Earrings at Designer Sense.

Find out how you can win a free clutch at Sephora courtesy of The Beauty Counter.

Diva In A Carry On can’t recommend the Hilton El Conquistador Resort to traveling divas everywhere enough. Find out why this resort is the ideal travel destination.

Pink Rock Candy has compiled a list of 30 items every woman needs.

Designer Planet showcases the beauty of Mulleavy’s Heart Brooch.

Señora Cartera has a Louis Vuitton holiday gift guide everyone can use.

Fashion Fling gives us the details on the fabulous sale going on at Tobi. Don’t miss out on the savings.

Marvel at the exquisite Valentino Patent Histoire Bag and its’ hefty price tag at Elite Choice.

Kenneth Jay Lane’s latest jewelry creation has Style Talk thinking of Egypt.

Find out which inexpensive product So Frugalicious discovered is the trick to re-stimulating eyebrow growth.

ADAM dumped EVE for its’ Spring ’08 collection. Find out what GLAM & TONIC thinks about the change.

Spork Fashion is raving about fashion’s latest documentary, Lagerfeld Confidential.

Discover the unique beauty of the Crystal Crater Bracelet at Designer Tips.

I just love browsing Flickr. Here are my favorite picks grouped under the Little Red Riding Hood. I hope to make Flickr Picks a regular feature. All the thumbnails are clickable. Enjoy!

1 - An adorable baby, 2 - Polka dots can, 3 - Petite Blythe and Decole card holder, 4 - Peruvian pepper tree branch, 5 - Bowl of fruits , 6 - Lolcat, 7 - Smile Mama felt applique illustration , 8 - Black Berry Bush Blythe , 9 - Esquire Cook Book illustration, 10 - Kawaii Japanese fabric, 11 - Cute little toys, 12 - Polka dots mug and embroidered coaster , 13 - Decole Little Red Riding Hood, 14 - Kenner Blythe , 15 - Apricot mini cakes

As holiday season kicks off, Grace Bonney, editor of the fabulous home decor blog Design*Sponge has put together a series of holiday gift guides for all kinds of styles and budgets, including the cutest picks of handmade treasures.

Gifts under $25

Gifts under $50

Gifts under $100 

Eco friendly gifts

Handmade gifts 

Head over to Design*Sponge to read more, choose a gift for your loved ones or just admire Grace’s incredible taste.