celebrating independence??

Happy 4th of July! While you're celebrating your independence, the husband and I will be celebrating our lack of. Tomorrow is our 13th wedding anniversary. Hope your weekend is filled with love, fireworks, and picnics.

image found here

Special Delivery

Since summer is drawing to a close, I think it's appropriate to post about a gift that is the essence of summer. Have fresh lobster delivered right to someone's door. There are a lot of great companies to choose from....many of them green and carbon neutral. You can even become a partner and have your own trap that catches lobster all year just for you through catch a piece of Maine. Now you know that I'm all about leaving a lasting impression. Therefore, send along some lobster bibs, or napkins, or the tablecloth so that when the lobsters are gone, the memory isn't. If you are still lucky enough to be a house guest before summer ends, show up with lobster and you'll have a standing invitation.

photo credit

If you want be a little shellfish, send it to your own door. (Alright, I know.....eyes are rolling everywhere, but I couldn't resist)

you've got a little something on the side of your mouth

Today's inspiration comes from tine k home. Who wouldn't love to have a collection of paper napkins like these on hand?

Find some that coordinate well together and you have a little gift. Sometimes you want to mark the day, but the gift doesn't call for a big budget. I would take them out of their plastic and tie a ribbon around each kind and then stack them all into a gift box. Don't forget presentation...presentation...presentation. Everyone likes to have some napkins on hand for when friends come over and with this they'll be reminded of you every time. Hmm....maybe they'll even invite you.

Think birthdays, think housewarmings....paper is also the traditional gift for a 1st anniversary. Making it paper napkins gives a traditional gift a modern edge.

Stop the presses...thanks for the mention!

This morning we stopped the presses. We received the nicest mention about our sparklers over at Inside the Loop yesterday and I just had to talk about it. "Thank you so much, Courtney. We are honored and touched to have been mentioned on your blog!" The sparklers obviously make birthdays extra festive. Don't think they are just for kids, either. This is the exact sort of thing birthdays lose for adults somewhere along the line. Shouldn't everyone feel a little extra special on their day? Put the correct number in a cupcake and deliver it to a friend on their birthday. I think birthday magic kind of stops for adults when it gets to be too many candles.....this takes care of that! If you really don't want to show the number, we also have stars. A star sparkler in a cupcake would even be a great little token to celebrate an accomplishment. (The star is new for us and not yet on our site, but I'll try to get it listed today.) We also have hearts....perfect for weddings and anniversaries. Okay, if I haven't given you enough uses for these magical little sparklers, how about an anniversary? In the picture, we show a house number for a housewarming gift or party. Okay, I'll stop...it's just that these little handmade wands will bring a little magic to everyone.

Independence Day??

Tomorrow is my anniversary. Yes, for those of you that are thinking it...we lost our independence on July 4th...ironic or clever...you decide. So I thought I would show you an item that makes a great anniversary gift and must be one of my favorites. (To anyone who knows me....they are all my favorites...I know....I can't help it)

Serious thought went into these hand-crafted bowls. These pieces that can pass themselves off as sculpture are assembled from brass wire that is burnished to a mottled bronze finish. The wires are shaped into individual circles and then assembled. Use them empty or fill them with something worth showcasing. They are available in two sizes.

For an anniversary, put on the tag, "All these circles represent the years I want to spend going around the sun with you."