Engagement Gift

Great gifts don't have to be expensive! Recently, two of my best friends got engaged. We don't live near each other anymore, so we were thinking "what can we send as a cute gift to say congrats?"

We sent off a couple bridal magazine subscriptions each (one was Southern Bride for my Southern belle gf) and a small little something (CD from Williams-Sonoma made for playing at a dinner party, for the pair who likes to entertain frequently). This is great because it's a gift that keeps giving pretty much until the wedding, and it helps the bride-to-be get excited about all the planning!

Love this site because they can send greeting postcards along with your gift subscription.



Congrats to Dane/Fish and Kate/Matt! xo

Soap/Candle Gift Set

Found another on GILT. The himalayan larch set from Red Flower, includes a soap, a soap dish, and a candle. So perfect for housewarming or gifts that need to go to couples! I know just who I want to give this to!

P.S. When doing fragranced items, make sure you know the tastes of the recipient. If you don't, it's better to go with a non-fragranced item or something that's very neutral. Never pick something that's a strong scent unless you know the person will love it. Ex: red currant.

Fun Earrings

I'm not going to lie, I love a good deal.

Just snapped up two pairs of Kendra Scott earrings from GILT for $42 (originally $88) and $35 (originally $75). They aren't fine jewelry, but great pieces for your girlfriends because they're fun and for a season. I'm thinking one for the gift box, and one for me! If you're not a member of GILT, you should join because they have some great deals.

Pictures are below, and check her website if you want to know where to purchase her jewelry.

Last Minute Gift Scramble No More

This post is directed towards my fellow ladies, I don't purport to think that my male counterparts will have the foresight to do this... but maybe someone will surprise me.

Have you ever been invited to a last minute house warming party? An office colleague's bday? Or you forgot about your friend's birthday dinner... that's tonight?

THE GIFT BOX

Every sensible lady should have a gift box in her home, a place to stash good finds and cute treasures to give at a future unknown date for an unknown recipient/occasion or for a very specific occasion for a known recipient.

Stocking the gift box: This is an easy task for ladies who are often out and about. Whenever I'm shopping, I always keep an eye out for things that are appropriate to stock up on. If you see a cute item and you think to yourself, "this is so cute, but I don't really need it" or "this would be great for so and so but their birthday just passed," then you should purchase the item for the gift box! I'm a huge fan of buying something you love when you love it, instead of scrambling to buy something that's not even that great later on when you're in a crunch.

Good things to have on hand in your box or to get you started

• nice candles (Votivo is great)
  
• gift cards THAT DON'T EXPIRE or REDUCE IN VALUE (restaurants, spas, itunes)
• great stationary (Cartier, Kate Spade, Crane and Co.)
  
• wine
• nice cookbooks (Willams-Sonoma has great ones!)
  
• leather notebooks/passport cases/luggage tags
  
• cashmere accessories
• Coffee table books (destinations, artist's work, photographs)
  

Currently in mine

• Candles (in different scents, some are seasonless so I can give them year round and others are more season specific), I recently purchased Votivo garden candles on sale from GILT

• Kate Spade Gift Cards (these are labeled for someone in particular)

• gloves
• A set of Richard Avedon postcards (Portraits of Power)
  
• Really cool silicone propeller trivets by Verbena

The gift box also helps when you've already purchased a gift for someone and you want to top it off with another little item!

First Post

I love gifts.

I love the whole process; the buying, the wrapping, the giving, the opening bit. I really just love knowing that I've given a gift the recipient will enjoy.

Good gift giving can be tough; never get an item the recipient would purchase for themselves! So many times I've heard the usual complaints, "I don't know what to get," "It's so hard to find a good gift," "what are you getting him/her?" Etc.

I genuinely enjoy the process so I've decided to blog it; it'll help me track the good gifts and help me not repeat (although repeats don't necessarily have to be bad!), and perhaps it might even give others who are in a bind a good idea.