Top Decor Gifts to Give this Holiday Season

Unique Ornaments

Pier1.com

Ornaments make a fantastic gift to give over the holiday season. There are so many unique and customizable options to choose from, there is really something out there for everyone. Whether it be a nod to their favorite place to visit, their favorite animal, or a small framed photo of their family/friends in ornament form, you are bound to find something that fits them!

Pier1.com

Scent Collections

WestElm.com

While we don't always think of candles or diffusers as home decor, they really can add a lot to any space. Home decor items can be very difficult to pick out for someone else. This is why things like decorative candles can be a safe bet when it comes to decor gifts. Places like Pier 1, West Elm & Target all have stylish, decorative and great smelling options!

WestElm.com

Decorative Throw Blankets

WestElm.com

Stylish throw blankets are another great go-to decor gift this time of year! People can always use another nice throw, especially a decorative one that is meant to be displayed whether that be on a blanket rack or just the corner of their sofa. Decorative blankets add a layer of softness and style to any space!

Anthropologie.com

Old School

Classrooms are leaving chalkboards behind and opting for dry erase boards and even smart boards. I, on the other hand have found a new appreciation for chalkboards! There are a slew of ideas that involve using chalkboard paint and creating a writing area on the wall to hold your grocery list or to let your children get creative.  More recently, though, the idea of having a writing area on your drinking glass has popped up. You can buy glasses with a strip of chalkboard material on the side of the glass. For parties or large gatherings, this allows people to write their name on the glass to avoid mixing up drinks.  For stemware, instead of placing the chalkboard on the side, the paint can be applied to the base of the glass. This allows the beauty of the drink or the glass itself to be seen.

 As we move into the Christmas season, I am busy painting a variety of ornaments and glassware that people often buy as gifts. This year I am excited to add the chalkboard glasses to that offering. People are loving the concept and are ordering pairs to give to friends as hostess gifts. 

January Guest Blogger: Sarah Burton, Event Planning Queen

Sarah Burton, owner of ido Signature Events, Lake Cumberland area’s only wedding & event planning firm! Sarah is also the co-founder of Cumberland Weddings Magazine and an expert on all things etiquette.  So many elements of design and event planning overlap so I often use Sarah as inspiration.  Here is what she had to say about personalized favors:

"As a 26 year old, I often find myself asking the famous question of a toddler, “why?” When Liz presented me with the topic of personalized favors, I had tons of ideas running through my mind, but with that was why in the world do we give favors? At almost every wedding, shower or event we go to, there are always favors, so before I share a couple of awesome ideas with you, I want to take a step back into history about why we have favors. 

Centuries ago, European aristocrats would send their wedding guests home with some type of a miniature gift, called a bonbonniere. Just like now, they were given at other events besides weddings back.  A bonbonniere was a box made of porcelain, crystal, stones or metal, hence why there are little crafty favor boxes today.  Inside of the box you would find delicacies made of sugar.

There are tons of options when it comes to personalized favors for weddings or events; however the most popular are still edible ones. 

These are two fairly new favors that are showing up for different events.  Above are Rice Krispy Personalized Cupcake Flavors.  These would be super cute for a wedding shower, baby shower or bachelorette party or even an event at a salon and spa. On the right are brownie pops, these are perfect for every event.  They could have the initials of the bride and groom, the initial of the guest at each seat, company name, etc.  Brownie pops could also be dipped in pink chocolate or blue chocolate for baby showers too.

Wine bottles are always great favors for events, for 2 reasons: 1) your guest can drink the wine and 2) they’ll keep the bottle.  We have many great wineries now in KY and I always love to keep stuff local.  There are different ways that you can personalize the bottles labels, pictures or even just small stickers.

There are also tons of smaller items that you can use for favors.  I actually recommend hitting the grocery store the day of Halloween, Christmas, Valentine’s Day and Easter – great time to get good treats half price.  If you want to stick with tradition and do a smaller favor and cute packaging there are tons of options for it as well.  One of my favorite places is Nashville Wraps; they have cute boxes in all shapes and sizes.  The picture below is actually some that I purchased there for an event I did.  I wrapped the silver boxes in black ribbon and then included my company sticker on top to hold the ribbon together!

The sky is the limit when it comes to personalization, but I do think that personalization is the key to a good, fun and memorable favor, as many people keep those favors for years to come!"

Sarah can be contacted by phone at 606.307.0156 or through her website http://www.idosignatureevents.com.

Holiday Preview Party

November 3rd from 5 to 7 pm: Grab some friends to come enjoy yummy holiday fare and to get a jumpstart on your gift buying!!  A variety of sample ornaments, glassware, ceramic and canvas gifts will be on display. PLUS a special discount will be given to those who place orders at the event.  You can click here to start getting gift ideas.

The fabulous M.Ellen Designs will also be available that evening- great stationary, calendars and greeting cards with personalization available.  Visit www.mellendesigns.com for all the goods!

 Talk about convenient- all your greeting card and gift needs in one place!!

Here's a list to get you started:

Teachers

Neighbors

Co-workers

Boss

Employees

Sister

Brother

Mom

Dad

Spouse

Kids

Nieces

Nephews

Doctor

Dentist

Vet

Hairstylist

Gal Pals

Secret Santa

Christmas...in August???

As a decorator I have some special privileges, like seeing all the HOT Christmas colors and ideas 5 months in advance.  And let me tell you, I’m excited!  The main color schemes are pretty similar to last year- rich earth tones (bronze, copper, silver), deep jewel tones (turquoise, sapphire), classic colors (black, white, red) and bold colors that I refer to as the 80s revisited (bright pink, purple, electric blue).  If you are a glitz lover, then hold onto your hat because this year is all about glitter , sparkle and shine, giving you an all access pass to go overboard in your holiday decorating.

If these trends aren’t your cup of tea, no worries, take your personal Christmas style and own it.  You can never go wrong with a vintage themed Christmas decorations (think Victorian lace) or rustic and all natural decor complete with fresh pine, family heirloom ornaments and popcorn garland.

Don’t forget that Polka Dots & Rosebuds offers holiday decorating for homes and businesses alike.  Let us help you refresh or replace your tired decor.  Make your appointments early because December will be here before you know it!

Oh, and before I forget….Here’s your personal SAVE THE DATE:

Polka Dots & Rosebuds Holiday Preview Party (for those shoppers who want to get a jumpstart and save a little cash)

Tuesday, November 2^nd

BIG Savings on all custom painted gift orders (ornaments, glassware, canvases, etc)

Mark your calendar and tell all your friends, neighbors and coworkers because they won’t want to miss this!  More details and individual invites to follow.

Equine Art & Accessories

I am LOVING this equine stuff- corporate logos, plaques, apparel, glassware, the list goes on and on. My blog site refuses to allow me to post pics these days, so you will have to visit this link to see for yourself. What cool gift ideas for the horse lover you know! For Lexingtonians especially,with Rolex and the World Equestrian Games all just around the corner, there are endless possibilities of ideas and uses for these pieces. Plus, I love that all of it is customizable because I like to have different stuff than everyone else!

Happy Shopping!