Valentine’s Day is just around the corner. Going to a Valentine’s Day party? Hosting one? Need a sweet gift for a special someone? Try some of these on for size…
Chocolate and salt are such a beautifully delicious combination. Add some caramel and walnuts and you have one amazing “turtle” chocolate.
Caramel clusters from John Kelly Chocolates
Remember pop rocks? The fizzy candy you used to eat as a kid? Introducing a very grown up version from Francois Payard: pop rock truffles.
Pop rock truffles from Francois Payard
A-D-O-R-A-B-L-E. That’s all I can say about these cinnamon marshmallows from Whimsy & Spice.
heart-shaped cinnamon marshmallows
My personal favorite? Chocolate-covered strawberries – a classic that never goes out of style! Add a glass of champagne and …. YUM!
I am on the hunt for a small (roughly 7×5) leather three-ring binder to use as an agenda. I’ve checked out most of my usual shopping haunts but am coming up a little empty (except, of course, for the lovely one I saw at Louis Vuitton).
In my pursuit for the perfect agenda, however, I visited Bally’s website and spotted this fabulous pink grained calfskin manicure kit. The lacey quilted lining oozes femininity. And the kit includes all the grooming essentials a properly primped girl needs. Wouldn’t this be a perfect gift for a favorite girlfriend or a bridesmaid?!
As I stare at the mountain of gift wrap in the wake of opening our Christmas presents, I cringe at the thought of throwing all of that pretty paper away. The ribbons I always keep, but the paper? I know I will never re-use it to wrap another gift (it would be so clear that was what I did!) so what else can I do with it?
Before throwing out all that decorative paper, check out these ideas on how to “recycle” the wrap:
Create Liners
Use the paper to line drawers (just test first to make sure the ink does not rub off on anything) or a serving tray (great idea from Martha!).
Tray Liners idea from Martha Stewart Living
Cut into Squares
Use the squares for origami or set a stack by the phone for notes. Keep some on hand for craft projects with children.
Cover Books or Journals
I’ve been really into covering books lately (which totally takes me back to high school when I covered all my books with paper bags and drew all over them!). Wrapping paper is the perfect decorative cover for your reading material.
Frame it
If it is particularly high quality and aesthetically grabbing, make it into a wall hanging by framing it. An inexpensive way to add a splash of color to your wall.
Make Cards or Embellish Gifts
Save the paper in your gift wrap stash. Use cut outs of the paper to embellish homemade cards or use a strip of the paper to add a layer of wrap to a gift.
Embellish a Box
Paper-Source is a great go-to resource for all-things-paper. I am digging their clever idea of using wrapping paper to embellish the top of a gift box. Click on the photo to be directed to the “how-to.”
It’s funny — I love receiving gift certificates (what’s not to love about free money to spend at a store or place I love?) but I always feel like such a gift-giving failure if I give a gift certificate.
If you’ve been as reluctant to give a gift-certificate like I am, these DC-area services may change your mind. Unique, tailored to the individual, and thoughtful, I can’t imagine anyone wouldn’t be jumping for joy if they unwrapped one of these this holiday season.
Interior Design — Owner Malena Kaplan of One Pretty House Interiors offers gift certificates for interior decorating, interior redesign, and personal shopping services. What a great gift for a newlywed, someone who just moved into a new home, or a friend who is struggling to decorate their home!
Image Consulting — Give the gift of style with a gift certificate for personal image and fashion consulting. Styleateur offers a variety of services that help clients project their best image.
Art Classes — Is there an art lover or artist on your list? Help them hone their craft at The Corcoran Gallery of Art. The Gallery has a wonderful set of course offerings from sculpture to printmaking to art education.
Local Getaway — Is there someone on your list that needs a weekend getaway? Stone Manor Country Club just north of Frederick, Maryland is the perfect escape. Nestled in the countryside, this charming B&B offers peace and tranquility to all its guests.
Cooking Classes — What gourmand would not love the gift of culinary education? Classes offered at L’Acdemie de Cuisine or Culinaerie would be a wonderful treat for any home cook.
Personal Fitness — Just in time for the new year, one-on-one personal fitness classes are are perfect gift for anyone on your list — from health nut to couch potato! Fit One Studio in Alexandria offers some great options for fitness training gift certificates.
Entertaining Consulting — I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that Rex & Regina offers gift certificates, also! They are perfect for newlyweds who are just beginning to entertain, veteran entertainers who want to know the latest trends in entertaining, or anyone who wants to take their at-home hospitality to another level.
I am totally crushing on the letterpress invitations and other stationery offered by Linda & Harriett, a Brooklyn-based custom letterpress house. Don’t you just love this wedding invitation?
crescendo invitation suite from Linda & Harriett
And this one?
handwriting invitation suite from Linda & Harriett
And this one?
heirloom invitation suite from Linda & Harriett
You get the idea! The designs are crisp, clever, and thoughtful, right down to the envelope liners. The rest of their work is equally impressive. What about this Save the Date that mimics a Ben & Jerry’s lid? Adorable!
Save the Date from Linda & Harriett
And this paper doll-themed birth announcement is equally charming.
paper doll baby announcement from Linda & Harriett
Just in time for the holidays, Linda & Harriett is offering some adorable holiday gift tags and other items.
moose tags from Linda & Harriett
2010 Calendar from Linda & Harriett
There’s nothing better than amazing letterpress — and these ladies have it down pat! What talent!
The holidays are upon us and that means our calendars are full with lots and lots of parties. Just as a gracious host is always prepared to entertain his or her guests, a good guest never shows up empty-handed to a soiree.
Should you opt for bringing wine (a perfectly lovely hostess gift) to one or more of the holiday parties you attend this year, there are a few things you should keep in mind:
1) Don’t expect them to serve it.
A host is not required to open a bottle that a guest brings as a gift to a party — especially if they have already gone to great lengths to pair wine to their menu. A guest should never be upset if the wine is not served right away.
I did get a chuckle out of Lettie Teague’s column in the December issue of Food & Wine (her columns are always so fun to read), in which she says she is generally disappointed when hosts don’t open the bottles she brings. (Note: If Lettie Teague ever brought a bottle of wine to my house, you can be darn sure I’d open it on the spot!)
Ms. Teague came up a with a few clever wine-giving strategies, some of which she specifically designed to help ensure the hosts opens the bottle:
Bring champagne — it’s such a celebratory beverage and its easy for a host to re-gift (not a horrible thing!)
Select a wine with broad appeal — like Pinot Noir from California, Oregon, France or Argentina
Tell them in advance – let your guests know if you plan to bring a very special bottle and always ask what they are serving to make sure the wine will complement the menu
Present the wine ready to serve — chill the champagne or a white in advance if that is what you are bringing
Bring a magnum — a large bottle “demands to be shared,” says Lettie. And what host would be so greedy as to not open such a generous bottle!
2) Transport it carefully
Keep the wine at the proper temperature and protect it from breaking when you transport it by carrying it in an insulated wine tote. I like this one:
Built NY Double Wine Bottle Carrier, available from WineStuff.com
3) Presentation is key
It’s a gift right? So why not make it pretty?!
There are so many fabulous wine gift bags out there these days, you may just want to stock up on a few and keep them on hand for gift giving.
"Cheers" wine gift bag, available from The Craft Pantry on Etsy
Solo Felt Wine Bag, available at www.bambeco.com
organza wine bags from Gumps
Built NY Fishnet One-Bottle Wine Tote available from Ecobags
Are you a chocoholic? Do you have friends that are chocoholics? Then you should not read further at the risk of completely falling off the wagon.
I mean, what could be more sinful and delicious than hot chocolate — on a stick!! Simply stir the chocolate into a cup of hot milk and enjoy. I love it! What a great gift these would make for the chocolate lover on your list this holiday season.
A great hostess thinks of everything — including ways to ensure that her brand new coffee table doesn’t end up with rings on it at the end of the night. Setting coasters out in stacks or groups near occasional tables at a party not only protects your furniture, but it also makes it more comfortable for guests who may be searching for a good place to set their drink.
In her tome, Etiquette, Emily Post declares that, “plenty of coasters are a necessity if you wish to preserve the finish on your tables. Disposable paper ones are fine — just be sure they are in view at every conceivable resting place for a glass.”
I couldn’t agree more, Mrs Post, except I would also encourage using reusable coasters — just another small way to be eco-chic when entertaining.
Here’s a roundup of some of my favorite coasters this season:
"Red Flourish" coasters from Williams-Sonoma Home
Recycled Cardboard Coasters from Bambeco
Glass coasters from Geary's
Silver Lake Map Coaster from A+R Store
Reclaimed Slate Coasters from Uncommon Goods
Beaded Zebra Coasters from Z Gallerie
While these aren’t reusable, they are 100% recyclable — and they were too cute to leave off of the list!
"Hello My Name Is..." Recyclable Placecard Coasters from Perpetual Kid
One of the most popular Halloween treats out there is candied apples. Granted, they are not the easiest to eat, but the messiness is worth it. All that gooey caramel and rich chocolate covering the crunch of a tart apple = pure deliciousness!
These whimsical fall treats are great not only for Halloween but would be perfect for wedding favors, at a children’s party, or served at a fall engagement party… you name it!
A bride I worked with a couple of years ago gave a candied apple to each of her guests as a favor. It made for a beautiful presentation on the place setting.
Candied apples accent a beautiful place setting, photo courtesy of Kate Triano
Making candied apples is fairly easy and there are many recipes out there to help guide you through the process. To make apples with a little more interest than the standard caramel apples, consider these two recipes.
The first, from Gourmet magazine (don’t get me started… I WILL start crying.) is a true grown-up version of candied apples. Don’t these red wine caramel apples look amazing?
red wine caramel apple recipe, Gourmet, October 2009
I also love these mini candied apples from Martha Stewart — even easier to eat than the larger versions.
Mini candied apples, Martha Stewart Living
Or, if you don’t feel like making candied apples from scratch, check out this fabulous option from Dean & Deluca:
chocolate covered caramel apples, available from Dean & Deluca
I opened the latest issue of House Beautiful only to find the most wonderful tool for a wedding send off.
Restrictions at venues against rose petals or other tossing items lead many brides to invite their guests to blow bubbles for the send off at the end of the wedding. These fabulous wands from Clay Company would make not only a great tool for a bubble-filled send off, but would also be a nice gift for guests. The wands come in four different styles, but here at Rex & Regina we are biased toward the “crown” style!
While perfect for a wedding, the wands would also be great at a birthday celebration or a New Year’s Party.
Bubble wands from Clay Company
Crown Bubble wand
Should the wands not do it for you, check out these adorable champagne bubble bottles from Beau-coup. They’d be great for a vineyard wedding.
Call me a hater, but Halloween is not one of my favorite holidays. Even when I was a child, I was never excited when Halloween came around. It always seemed so dark and meaningless and I just didn’t enjoy it. The candy, however, was the day’s only redeemable quality and I still enjoy the sweet treats that come along on October 31.
I’d like to think my taste in candy has matured over the years, though. And while I do still enjoy the Halloween standards like M&Ms and Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, these days I fall more easily to the temptation of artisan and handmade chocolates. Here are some great options for “grownup” Halloween treats for your trick or treat collection this year:
