As I sit here pondering whether or not my kids will go to school again tomorrow because of another supposed snowstorm, I am comfortably warm thanks to my slipper socks. Actually, I have many pairs of these thick and toasty socks-- in solids and stripes. As I also think about my mother who is home with the flu, I realize that she (like me) is always cold and that some slipper socks might just be part of a larger cold-weather pick-me-up package that she'd enjoy.

Forget the dozen roses that die seemingly over-night! This Valentine's Day, I would much prefer any of these bath/beauty products in the best scent for the season-- Damask Rose. The soaps and lotions include shea butter and the candles are handmade and are 100% soy wax. So this gift is both "green" and gorgeous. Plus, with the beautiful packaging you'll win her heart instantly-- because we all know that gifts are all about the presentation.   

 

Happy 2011! The New Year is here and that means many newly engaged couples! The holidays are romantic and highly sentimental time for engagements and you would be hard pressed to

find a soul who doesn’t know a member of this blissful bunch! So since we will allsurely be in the hunt for something special here are some of my top selections for the perfect engagement, shower or wedding gift!

This fun and funny book also has its counterpart "How Well do you Know Your Groom" and is a great pick for a bridal shower game for a newly engaged couple. From quirky questions like, " What super power would she choose?" to basic bundles like, "What is the name of her pet?" or "What is her favorite drink?" these books are sure to make any shower an exceptional and educational event.

It's that time of year that my kids begin to whimper about not wanting to go back to school. And every year I assure them that although we'd ALL love to stay on permanent summer vacation and keep that Coppertone tan, they will eventually be glad to be back around their buddies full time, learning interesting (and some not so interesting) topics and growing to their full potential.

For me!

Okay, so when it's 105 degrees outside and everyone is shopping inside and NOT coming to our Reston location due to heat, what was I to do? I started trying on Vera Bradley sunglasses! I confess, until this weekend, I hadn't yet committed to the patterned eyewear. But-- OMG! They are so super cute. With fashionable frames and just a wee bit of pattern showing in all the right spots, I feel like a fool for not caving earlier in the summer. My favorite is this updated gals version of the aviator. The small wire frame fits my face and allows the totally turq matches my blue eyes. And when I learned that the name was "Heidi" I decided that someone was trying to tell me something.... go on, try some yourself! Maybe your name is written on them too!

 

Well hello Dahlia! If you haven't heard yet-- it's true, the Fall Collection for Vera Bradley has hit the shelves (as of July 8th). With much fanfare, the marketing genius of the Vera folks had us waiting (some of us not so patiently!) to see what the "Be Colorful" campaign was all about. And now that we've had these beautiful new patterns for a weekend, and the votes have been tallied--we can tell you that Hello Dahlia is our customers' best vote-getter. Specifically, this super cute purse called "Gabby" drew all the attention... what do you think? Based on the strong sales thus far, I think this happy handbag is a perfect gift for any mom, grandmother, or special friend.

Ok, so if you're like me you' ve been thinking of (or shopping for) that perfect patriotic outfit to wear at this year's 4th of July celebration. What to wear? I am a big fan of solid colors with only one thing to "stand out" and this year for me, it's this darling straw bag from Bosom Buddies.  I love the big red bow and the fact that it's still big enough to hold my many beauty secrets (oh so many!), but the gold shell really makes this bag special. I can wear with pride on the 4th and then carry again throughout the summer with my red flip flops and straw hat. Just in case you don't want to be my twin, we have a few other styles that might work for you. But for this season of red, white and blue these bags are destined for BBQs and pool parties all over this land.

For the hostess:
This weekend as I came home from spring break, I was scared that I might have missed my favorite time of the year in DC-- the time of the cherry blossom. As if to thank me for returning, the delicate white flowers celebrated my arrival along the roads home. Because of my fondness of the icon, my all-time favorite hostess gift is a Mariposa napkin box with the cherry blossom napkin with the small bird weight. These napkin boxes are a simple, yet beautiful way to display Caspari cocktail napkins for every party and every season.

For some reason, the warm weather always makes me want to redecorate and entertain. And since the markets aren't yet back to their wonderfully golden level, my husband suggests that this is not the year for me to purchase an entire new family room of furniture. However, these  gorgeous AB frames are just the ticket to keep me smiling for another few months. With a variety of colors and sizes, the combination of the bling and the bow are the perfect pick-me-up when a photo of your loved one is inserted. To be sure that I am not ALWAYS thinking about me (!) I have purchased these fab frames as gifts for a bride, a new mom and a golden anniversary. But you know how the story goes... one for you, one for me (or two for me?)....

Since Father's Day is right around the corner, I thought I would focus this week's entry on gifts for the men in your life-- especially those that seemingly have everything.

If your Dad is FAN-atical about college sports (or maybe just crazy about his alma matter), I have the perfect gift for you! These ceramic veggie patters are FAN-tastic! With slogans and mascots, logos and stadiums, these university serving pieces are a walk down memory lane as well as a work of art. Luckily, most of the big schools are covered. So, if you are looking for schools in the SEC, ACC or the Big 10-- buy this gift and be prepared to hear dad start singing his fight song. And if you happen to be from the Big 12 like me (don't mess with Texas!), you may need to include a big hat and buckle to match!