A Father's Day Tablescape

What are you doing to celebrate Father's Day?  

Here is a tablescape that I set and is included in my book, Tablescapes: Setting the Table with Style.

Our table was set up in the library next to a window with a fun view.  I used a folding table and rental chairs to make the extra dining area.  The room was perfect because it had a masculine feel anyway!  I purchased the  fabric for the table cloth from an inexpensive shop that sells fabric for men's clothing.  It is a hounds tooth that would have been great for a suit!

The napkins were made from men's shirt fabric and we folded them to resemble a shirt pocket.

The overlay was made from a garbage bag full of ties that I picked up at the local Salvation Army for a few dollars.  We sewed them together to make an overlay that would really honor dad!  We wrapped gifts in the stock pages of the Wall Street Journal and curled strips of the paper to make a "bow."

Holiday Gift Giving Etiquette

Nothing makes me happier than finding an email with a challenging question! I love love love when you send me question's about your situations and dilemas.  Here are some of the questions that I got last week.  I hope they help!

Sarah from Dallas wrote:  I am already finished with my gift shopping. When can I start giving out my holiday gifts?

Any day after the first of December you can go ahead and give out your gifts.  Take advantage of opportunities to give the gift to your friend in person!  That makes it even more special.  If you are shipping or delivering a gift, send it early!

Jessie wrote:  What are some common gift giving mistakes that I should avoid?

Always give from the heart.  I think that giving from the heart instead of trying to show off with a gift that is expensive will help you avoid any mistake.  Show thoughtfulness and give a gift that is appropriate.

Lots of people have asked me if it is OK to give a gift card?

Yes!  I love giving gift cards to the people on my list that I struggle with finding the perfect thing for.  Just be sure to wrap it in a nice package and present it as you would any special gift.  Presentation is everything with a gift card.

Last Year's Christmas Cards

I have a hard time getting rid of Christmas Cards. I absolutely love getting them in the mail and I really cherish them. I have boxes full of old cards and Justin started giving me a hard time for keeping them. They really are taking up quite a bit of space! I came up with a few things that I could do with them and I hope you will take a few of these ideas and apply them to your cards this year.

• Cut up your cards and make gift tags. Select sections of the card that either have a charming image or a kind message. Cut that part out in to the shape of a gift tag or purchase an extra large "punch" from a scrap booking or craft store and punch out a shape. Add the To and From portion in your own handwriting. Punch a small circle in the tag and tie it on to your Christmas packages.
• Turn photo cards into gifts for friends. A dear friend of mine game me a Christmas ornament that was made from the photo card that I sent to her the Christmas before! I truly cherish this precious ornament and will keep doing it every year! To make a simple ornament, trim the card and photo to a shape that you like. Laminate it and punch a whole in it. Add beautiful ribbon or vintage metallic thread ( a hot trend this year!) to complete the ornament.
• Recycle your cards by sending them in St. Jude's Ranch for Children. The children participate in make new cards by removing the front and attaching a new back to the old cards you send in. The benefits are two fold! Customers buy the "new" handmade cards and able to make a "green" purchase and the children receive payment for their work and raise money for St. Jude's Ranch for Children! They will be accepting cards from now thru February 28th, 2010. You could also make a contribution by purchasing cards for almost any occasion from Birthday's and Thank You's to Easter and Christmas. Cards are sold in packets of 10 for $10.

To donate your cards simply send them to:

St. Jude's Ranch for Children

Recyclced Card Program

100 St. Jude's Street

Boulder City, NV 89005

To purchase cards you can visit the online store here or calling:

1.877.977.7572

Personalized Presents

I just arrived home from our Thanksgiving trip to find something wonderful in my mailbox.  A friend had already delivered a Christmas gift to us!  I am so touched by their thoughtfulness and also the useful gift.  They left a package of precious personalized Holiday gift tags wrapped in cellophane and co-ordinating ribbon from 3 dot papers (j.donovan@sbcglobal.net).  What a great idea for so many reasons!  I love personalized gifts but I also love that this motivates me to get my wrapping done!!!

If you are looking for a personalized gift to give this season, order yours this week and get them delivered early.  Here are a few of my suggestions:

Personalized Tote Bags from LL Bean

Personalized Cups or Napkins - Call Carolyn to order 972-404-7146 c.a.angiolillo@gmail.com

Personalized Gift Tags or Labels from Iomoi

Gift Wrap at Santa's Workshop!

If you are looking for a clever new take on gift wrapping this holiday season, I have a few ideas for you! When we are spending, on average, 60% less on gifts this year, it is important that they are wrapped beautifully!

• Make it personal by adding your logo, monogram, or even photo on to wrapping paper at www.picturepaper.com. It is $16.95 per roll and it is so unique! You don't even need a gift tag!
• Wrap up a few gifts for the same person with brown craft paper and tie them together with string. Attach a note saying "Brown paper packages tied up with string...These are a few of your favorite things!"
• For a small token or trinket, place your gift in a cool box that can always be displayed. I like these from West Elm. Tie them closed with a red or green ribbon and attach a simple tag. At $12.00 you can add a unique and everlasting wrapping to the gift.
• Help your friends go green by wrapping their gift in a re-usable grocery tote. I like these Chico Bags because they are avaliable in a lot of colors and can be wrapped up and carried with you later. The are $4.95 and, stuffed with tissue and tied with a ribbon, make a great wrap!

Another tip for family celebrations: Assign each member of the family a color and wrap each family member's gifts in that color. It makes sorting the gifts a lot more fun!

Bag ideas from the Bag Snob!

Check out the Bag Snob's suggestions for Holiday Gifts! There is something in every price point. She has great ideas and even shows you how you could wrap a gift in a bag!

Stress Free Holiday Tips

December is my favorite month of the year but it is also my busiest! I have few tips to help you manage your way thru the Holidays without a lot of stress!

1. Wrap a few gifts every day. Go ahead and label them but don't put the bows and ribbons on yet. This way you can stack them up and keep them organized. In addition, they will be easier to transport. Embellish them the week of Christmas.
2. Make it festive and tackle your to-do list with friends. Host a few friends for a baking party, Christmas card addressing party, or gift wrapping party. Make it fun! Provide them with a lot of the supplies they will need and a few snacks and you can chat away about your favorite holiday traditions over a cup of peppermint hot chocolate!
3. Always keep a few extra gifts in your closet for those people who accidently got looked over or for those who show up at your door with a gift in hand!
4. When shopping for Christmas, keep a list and budget. Be sure to find a way to designate which gifts have been purchased in a color or fashion that will keep you on track.

Greener Gifts...Part 2!

Big Thanks to Lindsay Higgins who wrote to me with a great green gift suggestion.  She told me that she recently received an invitation to a baby shower with a little note suggesting that the guests bring a children's book in lieu of a card.  I love the idea of building a little library for a new little baby but it also eliminates throwing away greeting cards once the gifts are opened.  Clever!  Thanks Lindsay!  

Greener Gifts...

I just came home from a baby shower that gave a little bit of "green" to the gifts.  The invitation stated:  -for a greener event, please bring your gift unwrapped-!  How great!  Even though I love wrapping gifts this did save me a few minutes of rushing around before the event and I love the concept.  What ideas do you have to make your events more earth friendly?  Write to me at askkim@kimberlyschlegel.com.

Oh Christmas Tree!

Thanksgiving is over and it is time to set up the Christmas Tree. If you are looking for something new this year I have a fun and feminine new suggestion for you! If my husband would let me, I would have a pink tree like this Cotton Candy Pink Flocked Tree.  It is currently on a close-out sale so act now and order your perfectly pretty new tree!  Fill it with bright and bold red ornaments for a festive punch of color.  Wrap the gifts beneath in red paper with pink ribbons and serve all of the guests at your holiday party peppermintinis!  Add two parts vodka and one part peppermint schnapps in a shaker with ice and mix them together. Pour the mixture into martini glasses rimmed in red or pink sugar and add a candy cane or peppermint stir stick. Enjoy!