I love to garden. There is something so soothing about dewy grass and the smell of soil to me. During Spring and Summer, I like to be outdoors in the garden as much as possible. If you like to garden as well, I am sure you will enjoy these fabulous Etsy garden goodies I discovered. Bring a bit of your love for the garden indoors. Take a look!

I love to browse through Etsy finds and discover new items. My garden goodie search was very successful! Above: Handmade Garden Pillow ($39.00), Garden bound Journal ($10.00), and Stoneware Herb Pot Gift Set ($36.00).

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Posted by Myriam under All About the Home | No Comments »

Everyone has someone in their life that is either a great chef, wanna be chef, or a foodie fanatic. Me? Well, I consider myself all three depending on the day. However, I also have a few of these “food type” as friends and as part of my family. One thing thing always seems to cause me confusion…what type of gifts do “food types” enjoy? I thought it might be helpful to put together a few gift ideas for that chef or food lover in all of our lives. So the next time you find yourself wandering the aisles of Pier One and World Market, stop and consider some of these great gift options.

- Personalized Recipe book and/or recipe cards. I know when I eat a fabulous dish prepared by a friend, I almost always ask for the recipe. I bet  having personalized recipe cards ready to give out would be a joy for a chef (or even wanna be chef)!

- A novelty kitchen necessity. Think of fun items that you typically would not buy; like colorful baking spatulas or a fun kitchen timer. What about a set of quirky dish towels? Or really exotic spices?

- A themed cookbook with accompanying gift. For example, an Asian themed cookbook and a set of fancy chopsticks. Or an dessert cookbook and personalized ice cream bowls.

- Gift Certificate! For a food lover, even the “boring” gift certificate can be reinvented. Choose a new restaurant or one they have never been to before. With a “free” meal, they may be more inclined and eager to try a new place out.

What are your gift suggestions for those who love to cook (and enjoy) great food?

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Preparing for you party is not always the most glamorous event. If you are like me, your hair is usually up in a bun (a mess), your face smeared with a combination of grime and food, and your attire far from fashionable. A little chaos before you “pull it all together” is rightfully expected, hosting a party (big or small) always keeps you busy right up until the last minute. Scrambling and tousled,  somehow it all works out and you are ready to go 5 minutes before your guests begin arriving, looking great. Even though you and I both know you will look great for the main event, why not have some glitz and glam while you are preparing as well? Sure, no one will be there to see your darling apron just yet- but you will feel so much cuter while running around finishing all of your pre-party tasks! Here are a few galmours aprons I love:

You can always show off your darling apron while serving dinner if your event is more formal as well! These are some of my favorite aprons.

You can see the ones above (and many more designs) at Carolyn’s Kitchen, Anthropology, Everyday Chic, and Florence Adams which make my favorite of the bunch, the black and white toile print.

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Posted by Myriam under Hostessing | No Comments »