I'm Dreaming of a Monogrammed Christmas

Shockingly enough I love a monogram on just about anything...I know my blog title had you all wondering ;) Below are a few monogram goodies I have spotted over the last few weeks and added to my ever growing list of great gift items. Some are fun, some are useful, but all are great for any season of gift giving (not just the holidays) and can be made personal!

PS- I have to add that this is my first full post from my new Mac and it just might be a small miracle that I was able to finish it (I honestly had to cut it short because it was a little too overwhelming). Thank you to Google for helping me with all the shortcuts. Phew, it has been quite an hour and a half over here! I hope that my effort and time pay off and getting used to this get easier because right now I am have trouble jumping on board the Mac-obsession-ship. 

Monogram Paper Napkins ($16)

I searched high and low and decently priced personalized napkins to give as part of my Secret Santa gifts and these were the best deal by far. The font is not as fancy as other sites, but you get 100 napkins for $16 so one cannot complain (many sites offer only 50 napkins for more than that). The quality is wonderful and they offer loads of colors!

Monogrammed Shoe Clips ($48)

I love the idea of wearing all black and having a pair of these to add a personal touch (and even a pop of color depending on your color selection) to an outfit!

JCP Initial Necklace ($11)

I featured the initial necklaces I found at JCP a few weeks back and here is another take on a single letter necklace. I think it is very reminiscent of the Tiffany necklaces. JCP also has enamel single initial bracelets in store for $7 which are great friend gifts or stocking stuffers. 

Monogrammed House Slippers ($28)

While ladies are typically easier to shop for I still run into dead ends when it comes to my mother and grandmothers sometimes (they seem to have everything!). Enter in the perfect house slipper! These are great for at home wear as well as travel (no one wants to walk barefoot in a hotel) and the price is certainly right. 

Land's End Diamond Quilted Vest ($35)

Land's End always has the best prices on monogram clothing. This vest is available in a handful of colors (I love the chocolate brown) and is perfect for this time of year. 

Image found here.

Monogram Cut Out Ring ($76)

You cannot go wrong with personalized baubles! Necklaces seem to be all the rage right now, but rings are a little more personal in my opinion (you have to really know someone to have their ring size :)....) This cut out barrel ring makes a great gift for a family member or even a soon-to-be bride and is a gift that will outlast every other on this list.

Personalized Pencils ($7.50)

Order some personalized pencils for the teacher in your life or even your boss. These are available in so many colors and look great grouped in mint julep glasses on a desk!

Monogram Chevron Print (FREE)

Head on over to For Chic Sake and print out a last minute gift. You can insert these in trays or put it in a simple frame for all your friends and coworkers.

Hostess Gifts and Kappa Prep's Closet

Instead of continuing to have blog sales here I have opened a new blog where I will post items (several other bloggers will also post so there will be a bigger size range). The blog sale posts can get annoying for those not interested so this seemed liked a perfect solution. I have a number of Lilly (I plan to list LOTS more as I am overhauling my closet and my style is somewhat changing, GASP), J Crew and Elizabeth McKay items up for grabs at Kappa Prep's Closet.

Now on to the first post on gift giving. I know these posts are sort of overdone so I promise to keep mine short and sweet, to the point and affordable. There is nothing worse than looking at a never ending gift guide where you cannot justify buying a single item because they are impracticable or cost more than I can spend.

 Tis the season of parties! I like to have a small stockpile of hostess gifts at all times, but during the holidays I try to be a little bit more creative. Napkins and matches are always great, but you only need so many before you have a stockpile. Below is a handful of fun items that you can tailor to your host's hobbies or even start you very own signature gift that you can give year after year. All gifts are also $13 of less.

2013 Calendar 

Above image from happyprints

I love having small calendars on my desk and at home. Etsy offers a great selection of printable calendars which you can print more than once (be sure to check the maker's instructions though). You can print these out and tie them with a ribbon or give them with a frame. This would be a fun "signature" gift that you can give year after year.

Pashmina

You can never have too many scarves. Roll up a pashmina, tie it with a fun ribbon. You could even include a cheesy tag that says something like "Thank you for warming our hearts this year...wrap up and keep yourself warm with this!" Cheesy? Yes! However, the thought and sentiment are still meaningful. 

Rosemary Tree

This is the first year I have had a rosemary tree and I am a convert. It is the gift that keeps giving all year long if you take care of it. If you have a friend that lives in a small space or loves to cook this would be the perfect gift. They run between $10 and $13 at local groceries stores and usually come in a festive jar or wrap of some sort. They smell wonderful and add a perfect amount of green to any room.

Candle

While not a new idea, candles are always a fail safe gift. I love Bath and Body Works candles (I load up when they are 2 for $20 and top the deal off with a $10 off coupon) and think a big plus is that their packaging comes right off. You can then decorate or personalize the candles if you have the time. My favorite Winter scents are Fresh Balsam and Mahogany Teakwood.

Nutcrakers

These can be found anywhere and everywhere right now, and often on sale too. Pick up a nutcracker that you feel embodies the host's personality or hobbies. Wrap it up in cello with a note and you are good to go. You could give one each year and help build a little collection.

Cheers to gifts for the hostess with the mostess!

*All images from GoogleImages unless otherwise noted.*

Tis the Season

I hope everyone has had a wonderful weekend (and a very happy Hanukkah to those that are celebrating)! Mine kicked off with a wonderful work party on Friday night and was followed by lots of activities on both Saturday and Sunday.

I have written about getting together with my best friends at Neiman Marcus each year for the annual holiday buffet. This year was no different and our gathering happened to be yesterday.

Last year we added a Secret Santa portion to the event. There is a group of nine of us so rather than buying a gift for each person we each get a Secret Santa and buy a $60 gift. Our budget is a little higher than the average Secret Santa exchange but this is the one and only gift we buy for a friend. It works really well and is much more meaningful than buying everyone a package of napkins or a candle.

Last year we figured out who everyone had, but this year most of us kept our lips sealed which made it a little more exciting. Cassie had me and bought me a Blue Canton dinner plate which I LOVE!

After stuffing ourselves we headed downstairs to get our annual photo in front of one of the NM trees. The tree seemed a little smaller this year, but festive none-the-less.

Several ladies had to leave, but those of us that stayed decided to get a photo with Santa. I apologize for the "ghetto" and fuzzy photo, but they did not offer a digital version so we took a photo of our photo. Regardless, I do love this photo and we all agreed that we might have to make a recreation shot an annual tradition. 

We all had the most splendid time yesterday. I love our little annual tradition and am so thankful for all my friends!

On a more somber note, today I worked at a very touching event at the local hospital where I volunteer. Each year they have a memorial service for families that have lost a baby during the year. Each family adds an ornament to the tree in honor of their baby in heaven. There were about 25 babies that were honored today. The above poem was read at the service and I wanted to share it as I found it to be so touching. The holidays can be a very hard time if you are grieving a loss so I thought thought this might help those that are in a small way. 

I am now off to a second Secret Santa of the weekend. Tis the season to spread good cheer!

Tray Inserts Printables

As promised, here are some additional tray inserts for those that might be interested. You can print the Word document (or send it to Kinkos for higher quality printing) out if you go to Scribd and voila. I think it would fun to print out more than one and put it them all in with the tray gift so that the recipient can switch things out  throughout the year. Enjoy! 

Download here:

Tray Insert.jpg

DIY Acrylic Tray

This year I have tried to get more creative when it comes to gifts and have put my basic printable skills to use for an upcoming $20 budget Secret Santa.

I had found some inexpensive acrylic trays thanks to For Chic Sake at The Container Store and have been meaning to do a spin on their  trays for some time. I love their darling initial collection, but seeing as I do not know who will pick this gift I need something more generic and fun. Anyhow, I do love the look of acrylic trays with fun and festive inserts, but the price tag has steered me away from ever buying on. So, with both things said I finally got busy and made my own insert and am thrilled with how it turned out.

As I have mentioned in the past, I bought all my backgrounds from vendors on etsy. I used Adobe Photoshop to layer my images (circle on top of the background) and then added text. I came up with the above option.

I printed the insert out on legal sized paper and cut it down to size before laminating it. VOILA, ready for whomever picks the box!

This was such an easy, budget friendly gift. The tray cost $12 (there is a smaller size for $6 which you could use in a bathroom, on a desk or on top of a dresser) and a packet of digital papers runs around $3-$8 (but they can be used time after time) so I added a few dollars left to add in some champagne glasses. I should market this tray as a party tray to whomever picks it. 

 Cheers to DIY acrylic trays. One of the best parts is that the insert can be changed out. The recipient can make more, use some of the lovely initial options from For Chic Sake or print a favorite pattern (Scalamandre, Lilly, etc)...endless options! I will try to make up some other tray options for you all and post them later this week. I am thinking a red/green, a gray/black and a pink/orange if I have time??

Ribbon Garland

I saw this ribbon light garland idea a few years ago in a magazine I think (I cannot remember the exact source) and after staring at my sad pink lights around my fireplace I thought I would put it into action. Before I continue, I have to warn you that my Christmas decor is VERY pink and quite bright. I know some things do not go hand and hand and most people think Christmas and pink do not, but since I live alone I decided to go all out. I doubt I will be able to get away with it forever and honestly I am sure I will get tired of it, but for now my pink Christmas if fun. However, it might hurt some of your eyes. ;) 

Here is a photo of the sad lights. I should probably have looked for white wired lights to put on the mantle, but I found these at the bottom of my Christmas box and had to take what I could get.

I had spotted some winter pink and green ribbon at 70% off at Michael's on Black Friday and decided to snatch up one roll for gift wrapping. So much for gift wrapping, after staring at the mantle I remembered the garland and decided to give it a whirl. I cut the entire roll into strips that were about 8 inches long. One roll gives you between 25 and 35 strips.

I then started tying the ribbon on the garland. I did a simple single knot and and tried to be careful not to cover the lights. After tying the one roll on the lights this is what it looked like...half done and incomplete. 

I swung back by Michael's and I guess it was my lucky day because they were having a one-day 70% off holiday ribbon sale. I snagged one more roll of the same ribbon and and another in a complimenting pink on pink leopard. I cut more strips and went to town filling in the gaps. Above is the final product with the lights turned on.

And here is how the garland looks when the lights are turned off. I think it is fun both ways. A little tacky, but I think it looks much better than random wires hanging on the fireplace.

You could easily do this with any ribbon to match your decor. I think it would be especially pretty with the glitter ribbon (my top choice would be gold) that the craft stores all sell. I would make sure you have lights that do not overheat if you do make this and even then only turn the ribbon garland on when you are in the room. This was a quick fix and simple solution that is relatively inexpensive and changes the entire look of a simple string of lights.

Friday Five

It has been a long time since I have done the Friday Five, but I am bringing this old tradition back today.

1. Gold Sequin FUggs (Fake Uggs)

I scored these for $15 on Black Friday and it is safe to say I am in love. I have been wearing them around the condo the past two days and cannot seem to get enough. They are warm, functional and they sparkle!

2. Prince Harry Tatler

Need I say more?!

3. Clarisonic Mia

I finally bit the bullet and bought a Clarisonic last weekend. I started using it on Tuesday and my skin is already noticeably different and has started to clear up. So far this little gadget is worth every single penny!

4. Monogram Necklace

I have been eyeing the gold monogram necklaces online for some time, but the price tag has kept me from buying one. Well, I was at my beloved JCP this weekend and spotted this single initial version for a mere $10 (currently only available in stores I believe). I could not resist! For those of you that are more silver ladies, they have one for you too. 

5. Lights, Lights, Lights!

Lights have been going up all over Dallas for the last week and all the neighborhoods are a sight to be seen. I am taking the extra long way home every night so that I can take them all in. Next week I think a trip to Starbucks is in order followed by a late night drive around town with friends.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Muffy Winner and Discount

I loved finding out that so many of you all loved Muffy VanderBear as children too! It is fun to reminisce, isn't it? 

The lucky winner of their very own 2012 Limited Edition Chirstmas Rose Muffy is FaisonAnne. Congratulations!

However, the North American Bear Company fun does not end here. The company has graciously offered all readers a 20% discount through 12/31/2012! You can buy your very own Muffy or spoil the little ones in your life with a Rosy Cheeks doll!

Enter the code KAPPAPREP at checkout to apply the discount to your order through the end of the year. Happy shopping all!!

Thanksgiving in Photos

I hope you had a blessed Thanksgiving that ended with a full heart and stomach! My parents and I headed to GA to celebrate and give thanks with our dear family friends. We had the most splendid time!

 On our drive from ATL to Americus we passed many pecan (above), peach and cotton (below) fields.

 Though likely not so politically correct these days, when I was little one of my favorite songs to sing was "Dixie Land". As you can imagine this gave my Yankee grandparents something to worry about :)

 Upon arrival in Americus we did a little shopping. How AMAZING are these pearl trees? I think I need to add one to next year's decor!

 We took the "Miss Ann" out as the sun went down on Wednesday which made for a beautiful and memorable evening.

 We slept in on Thursday and then watched the Macy's Thanksgiving parade. This reiterated that I HAVE to get up to NYC and see Annie sooner rather than later. I watched the movie daily for almost two years, had front row seats to the play when it came to Fayetteville and I still listen to the original soundtrack. I guess you could say I am sort of a hardcore fan.

 We enjoyed an AMAZING Thanksgiving day feast to which I contributed absolutely nothing.

 Between our feast and dinner I came down with some sort of stomach bug. Seeing as no one else caught it (thankfully!) we have deduced that it was due to bad whipped cream on my mocha that morning. This is the third time I have gotten sick from whipped cream. Be aware when ordering it on drinks this holiday season!

 Thankfully, my ill spell was short lived and I was feeling much better on Friday morning. Just in time to go visit the AMAZING Furlow Gatewood's home. If you are not familiar with Furlow you must look him up. He is an old partner of John Roselli and the two still work together (along with Bunny of course). The above home, which we visited, was featured in Veranda circa 2011. You can see the photos of the interior here (this blog is written by a darling Americus native that is now working in NYC). 

At the age of 91, Furlow is in the process of restoring and decorating another house he recently moved on to his property. 

 After a WONDERFUL time in Americus it was time to head back to Dallas. I armed myself with a sugary pre-flight snack...

 and then some Prince Harry for the flight home.

I rounded out my weekend with a little Black Friday shopping. I think this bright pink neon puffer might be my top purchase. I also snagged a new pair of jeans, some Bath and Body Works candles and lots of goodies for my Angels. 

I hope your Thanksgiving was just as wonderful as mine!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I hope all my friends and readers have a blessed Thanksgiving! May it be filled with all the things and people you are thankful for.

NABC Muffy VanderBear Giveaway

I was a total girl when it came to toys back in the day. Okay, who am I kidding, I still am all girl. Always have been, always will be. Anyhow, I LOVED dolls as a child. I collected Madame Alexander dolls, had American Girl dolls and a Ginny doll and then there was Muffy VanderBear and family and her bff Hoppy VanderHare (get it!?). I had a handful of Muffys as well as one Hoppy and the rest of the VanderBear family. We would dress them up for holidays and special occasions and then I would get to put them out in the kitchen. One of the most fun things about Muffy and her family were their creative and funny names that NABC came up with. Think "Beary Poppins", "A Night at the Pawscars", "My Bear Lady" and "Wizard of Paws". When I am home over Christmas I will be tracking down some photos to share...I am hoping I can find one of me with the blue and white pagoda set or the VanderBear carriage, but in the mean time you will just have to trust I was a VanderBear fanatic!

Recently I posted about my love for the VanderBear family on Facebook and was connected with the North American Bear Company. I thought Muffy had maybe died off but I was thankfully wrong! I was informed that each year a limited edition holiday Muffy is released. They graciously offered to send me a limited edition "Christmas Rose" Muffy:

"Inspired by the Christmas legend, holiday elegance blooms in cream colored taffeta with shimmering tulle overlay and ribbon rose accents, ruffle sleeve trim, velvet sash and satin ballet flats. Red velvet stocking includes adorable teddy bear. Holiday boxed limited edition."

Christmas Rose Muffy is just as I remember Muffy....petit but always festive! She has found a happy spot amongst my Christmas decor (yes, I have already started to put mine out). Thanks to North American Bear Company one of you can also be the owner of Muffy VanderBear Christmas Rose ($50 value)! Muffy is a great gift for the younger ones in your life, but she also makes a great edition to your decor as shown above. If you want to change her out for the seasons there are loads of outfits (many new in the package) on eBay for incredibly reasonable prices as well. Every home needs a little Muffy!

To enter this giveaway use the Rafflecopter below.
This giveaway with end on Sunday, November 25th, 2012. 

Best of luck to all and thank you to NABC!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

*I was given a Muffy VanderBear Christmas Rose in exchange for this review and giveaway. All memories and opinions are my own.*