A Gracious Plenty

Happy Halloween!!!

 

Wishing you all

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 Happy Halloween!

Hope it's SPOOKTACULAR!!!

 

Feature Friday: Monogrammed Heritage Biscuit Barrel/ Cookie Jar

This week at A Gracious Plenty we've talked about getting ready for the holidays, with host/hostess gifts for holiday gatherings and custom holiday stamps for holiday gifts and correspondence. For our Feature Friday item I'd like to shine the spotlight on our monogrammed biscuit barrel/cookie jar.  It can be filled with biscuits for people or pets and makes a wonderful gift for anyone looking for stylish storage. 

In fact, it makes a great host/hostess gift - just fill with it homemade cookies (or if you're here in the South, cheese straws or biscuits!) and tie on a ribbon for a great gift presentation.  Now your host/hostess has a delectable treat to enjoy soon after the gathering, and an elegant, displayable storage container for long after!

This 7" crystal cookie jar awaits your innovation.  We personalize it with hand-cut monogramming in your choice of fonts, and we package it in an attractive blue and white gift box. Gift wrapping (dark blue paper with silver ribbon) and a gift card are also available for an additional charge of $5.95.  

This item usually is ready to ship within 5-7 business days from our receipt of your order.  (Please allow a few extra days between Thanksgiving and Christmas.)  Shipping time is additional.  Standard shipping is via UPS Ground, although shipping upgrades to 2nd Day Air or Next Day Delivery are available.

Hostess Gifts for Holiday Parties

I know it's hard to believe, but Halloween is at the end of the week, and it's time to start thinking about the winter holiday season - if you haven't already!  You may have received an invitation to a holiday party or two, and perhaps you have started to think about some options for gifts you can give your hosts and hostesses this year.

When you receive an invitation to a holiday dinner or party, you might find yourself wondering what gift to give the host or hostess. Often, party-goers just don't know what to bring.  Wine is nice and it is the most common gift to bring, but frankly, some generous hosts and lavish events merit a more distinctive gift.  (One giant no-no is fruitcake, unless you know for sure that your host or hostess is a big fan!)  So in today's post I'd like to suggest some terrific, sure-to-be-welcomed gift ideas for that special host/hostess.

A common theme at holiday parties is great food, beautifully served.  Everyone has their own favorite holiday recipes and treats, and my favorites are decadent desserts!  So give your host/hostess an attractive desert platter – we suggest one of our monogrammed crystal platters, which we offer in several shapes and sizes.   You could even bring it with a sampling of chocolate-covered strawberries or some other bite-sized treat for your host/hostess to enjoy later...because you certainly don't want to compete with your host's/hostess' holiday cakes or pies at the event!

Another gift that is sure to please and make a lasting impression is a beautiful monogrammed crystal bowl.  For a festive gift presentation, you could fill the bowl with a creative compilation of colorful holiday ornaments or miniature decorations.

A "Breakfast for Two" gift bag is another personalized idea to give your host/hostess with an assortment of treats they can enjoy in the morning, after a late night of entertaining.  Place all the goodies in a monogrammed tote bag that the host/hostess can use again and again!

Gifts with a personal touch are always appreciated, so you pretty much can't go wrong with anything monogrammed or personalized.  At A Gracious Plenty, we offer over a thousand classic, practical items that can be personalized in a variety of fonts, thread colors, ink colors...so the possibilities truly are endless!  We'd love to help you find a gift that is meaningful and memorable...after all, you do want to be invited back next year, don't you?

 

Personalized Holiday Stamps

 
 

 Now is the time to order your personalized holiday stamps!  A Gracious Plentyhas dozens of holiday stamp designsto choose from, and each of these designs can be customized by you with your own address or phrasing.  You can make a fabulous 'impression' this holiday season by giving gifts bearing your custom stamped message. We carry stamp designs by several  of today's most popular manufacturers, including Three Designing Women, Noteworthy Collections, and PSA Essentials.  We also offer colored ink for our stamps in holiday colors like red and green and many other colors as well.

There are so many ways to use these high-quality, self-inking stamps.  Of course, may folks order them as return address stamps for their Christmas and Hanukkah cards.  But they also are great for creating your own personalized holiday a gift tags and labels!  One of my favorite activities is to decorate plain wrapping paper to create our family's personalized gift paper.  If you have kids, this is a wonderful activity to do with them in preparation for the holidays.  This simple craft will entertain your children and add your family's own special flair to upcoming gift exchanges - and you can do it all with a single personalized stamp.

Don't delay on ordering your personalized holiday stamps, especially if you want to use yours on your holiday cards!   In order to receive them (with Standard Shipping) by the first week of December,  we recommend you place your order no later than November 15^th.  

 

Feature Friday Item: Thank You Gifts

This week I have posted about Thank You gifts, so for our Friday feature item I wanted to share one of my favorite gifts to give - as a thank you, or for just about any other reason!  I love to give a combination gift, where each item complements the other!  Often I pair personalized stationery and a monogrammed pen.  I particularly like this gift combination because it is personal and practical...and always appreciated by the recipient! 

 

 

A Gracious Plenty offers many styles of casual custom-printed stationery, in the form of folded notecards and personalized notepads.  The folded notecard by Noteworthy Collections shown above may be personalized with a single initial or a traditional three-initial monogram.  Other notecard designs in our collection may be custom-printed with a complete name or phrase.  And since we offer more than 40 fonts and 12 ink colors, we are sure to have the perfect combination for you!  

 
  
  

The stylish ballpoint pen shown above, one of several you'll find at A Gracious Plenty, is embellished with a woven metal pattern, and is one I often pair with my personalized stationery selection.  It also makes an ideal gift on its own for the graduate or executive in your life, or for members of your groom's party.  It includes a clip for safekeeping in a pocket or briefcase as well as a protective cap, and can be personalized with one line of up to 15 characters.

A Few Thank You Gift Ideas

When you would like to give someone a gift as a 'thank you' for something they've done to benefit you, here are a few examples you may wish to consider when you are trying to select a fitting thank you gift.

If you are thanking someone for a service, like checking in on your pet or watering your plants while you're away on a trip, use the approximate cost of the kennel or a gardener as a guideline on what to spend.  A good thank you gift guideline would be to consider what you would have spent to hire someone to provide the same service. You certainly don't have to spend as much, but it's a good point to keep in mind!

If you will be going away for a few nights or even longer, you could arrange to send gift from wherever you've been or schedule to send a gift while you are still away. In fact, you don't have to do that in person; it's often more convenient to shop online - of course, we suggest our website, A Gracious Plenty! - and pick out a gift that shows your appreciation and perhaps even reflects your travels. The bonus of on-line shopping is you won't have to worry about sending or delivering it after you return home - we'll ship it directly to your recipient!  (Don't forget that A Gracious Plenty will enclose a complimentary handwritten gift note with your gift, and gift wrap is also available for most items for a small additional charge.)

For those occasions when you've received a formal dinner party invitation and want to show your appreciation to your host/hostess for including you, we also have a few suggestions.  Instead of bringing flowers with you that you picked up along the way, plan ahead and bring a small, personalized gift related to entertaining, like monogrammed soap for their powder room or a monogrammed wine stopper for their bar.  Nothing says "I got this gift especially for you" more than a thoughtful item that has been personalized with your host's monogram or name!

In situations where a friend or relative has 'gone above and beyond' to help you with a significant event in your life, consider selecting a personal gift to thank them, something that reflects their style or just shows how you value their friendship and support.  One of the more popular requests we get at A Gracious Plenty from our customers is to personalize our engraved or hand stamped jewelry - especially a necklace or a bracelet - as a gift from one friend to another.  Since jewelry is worn by the recipient, it is an intimate, frequent reminder of the special love and appreciation it represents.

No matter your choice of gift - and the list is endless - the most important thing is to remember to show your gratitude to those individuals who have helped you, included you, or served you in some way.  And at A Gracious Plenty, with over a thousand personalized gift items in our collection, we'd love to help you in that endeavor!  

Source:

http://www.catalogs.com/info/gifts/thank-you-gift-ideas.html

  

The Lost Art of Thank You

In today's world we are all going full speed - I often feel like the Eighty-Miles-Per-Hour-Mom!  Sometimes this means we get so busy that we might forget to say or send a thank you for a favor or kindness we've received.  (At least, I know I have overlooked this before!)  As you know, though, A Gracious Plenty is all about recognizing the goodness and blessings that we've received, and giving graciously in return.  So I wanted to share a few words today about thank you gifts.

There are many occasions for which a thank you gift is appropriate. Here are but a few examples:  when someone has helped you by house or pet sitting; provided job recommendations or letters of reference; covered your work while you were away; provided great service consistently over time (perhaps a hair stylist, doorman, car repairperson, or caregiver); provided a voluntary day of labor for a big move or home repair... Generally, though, anytime you want to show your appreciation to someone, a thank you gift is in order.

Yes, it's true, a thank you can gift can be given to anyone who you feel deserves your appreciation!  Of course, there are some considerations to keep in mind when deciding the size or cost of the thank you gift.  If it was a small favor or kindness, then a small token of thanks will do, and is sure to be appreciated.  If you are thanking another person for something significant, then you may want to make a grander gesture by giving a more meaningful gift, which may or may not equate a more expensive gift.

And that's where A Gracious Plenty can help!  We have an entire collection of  personalized thank you gifts, all low to moderately priced, but all with a personal touch that says 'I picked this just for YOU'!  Stay tuned for my next post, where I'll feature a few of the great personalized thank you items we have to offer you!

Feature Friday Item: Pink Ribbon Stamp

 

Yesterday I noted how October is breast Cancer Awareness month, and today I wanted to continue the theme by featuring the Pink Ribbon Stamp, made by PSA Essentials.  This stamp is a great way to raise awareness and show your support for those fighting against breast cancer.  The wording around this special pink ribbon stamp design can be anything you wish, as long as it fits within the character limits (indicated below).  Just putting an address (for a return address stamp) or a repeating name (for stamping casual notes, etc.) around the pink ribbon design looks fantastic!  This self-inking stamp impression measures 1.63".  

PSA Essentials' custom stamps can accommodate up to 60 characters around the center design, including punctuation, spaces and dots used to separate the circular text.

This stamp comes with a special two-color pink and black ink cartridge already installed and ready to use.  Each cartridge contains enough ink to make approximately 10,000 to 14,000 impressions.

This item typically is ready to ship to you within 10-14 business days.  PSA Essentials offers a Rush Service in which they will complete and ship your stamp within 3 business days - this optional service costs $25.00 and does not include shipping costs.  Shipping time is additional.  Standard shipping is via UPS Ground, although shipping upgrades (Second Day Air, Next Day Delivery) are available.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month.  Why?  Because unfortunately, estimates are that 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with this disease in her lifetime.  Since the Pink Ribbon campaign came into existence, much awareness has been raised about the prevalence of breast cancer; however, there is still a great need to spread the word about the importance of early detection of this disease.  In light of this, I wanted to share with you some facts I found on the National Breast Cancer Foundation website.

The National Breast Cancer Foundation estimates that each year, over 200,000 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer.  Over 40,000 women die annually from it.  You may also be surprised to learn that men are susceptible:  each year approximately 1,700 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer and 450 will die.

If detected early, the five-year survival rate for breast cancer exceeds 96%. Mammograms are among the best early detection methods, yet 13 million U.S. women 40 years of age or older have never had a mammogram.

The National Cancer Institute and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommend that women in their forties and older have mammograms every one to two years.  A complete early detection plan also includes regular clinical breast examinations by a trained medical professional.  Monthly breast self-exams are suggested in addition.

Earlier this year, a Gracious Plenty began offering a way for you to elegantly support Breast Cancer Awareness and other awareness campaigns.  Our Personalized Sterling Silver Awareness Bracelet is a classic double-link charm bracelet that comes with a single embellishment:  a heart-shaped charm that has a ribbon engraved on one side, and the initials or monogram of your choice engraved on the other side.  Wear one engraved with the monogram of someone whose fight you wish to honor, whether your own or that of someone close to you.  Wear it, or give it, also to express love, courage, and hope for the hundreds of thousands of others among us whose fight we honor as well.

Setting the table with personality and style!

You've planned the food, invited the guests, selected the music, and bought the spirits for your dinner party or soiree...but did you remember one of the most important parts of your special evening?  Dressing the table, of course! The way you dress your table can actually influence your guest's appetites and set the tone for the evening.  And best of all, dressing the table can be simple and doesn't need to cost you a lot of money!  Here are a few quick, easy and cost-effective suggestions:

No need to load your dining or serving table with different vases. It's called a centerpiece or a focal point for a reason, so add a vase or even a crystal pitcher filled with fresh flowers in the center of the table.

Instead of using candle holders, considering using votives that you can set in crystal bowls of water. Floating scented candles are another way to add grace and elegance to your table.

Find unusual cloth napkins with great colors and textures. Think about using tea towels for extra messy menus.

Use crystal platters to place seasonal items that go with your theme (for the holidays, perhaps pine cones and Christmas balls).

Search your house for items that can be reused and re-purposed to fit your table theme. The key is to find items items that are unique to you - and monogrammed pieces are just that!  These will add an easy yet sophisticated style to your party in a snap!