Do I need to take a gift to an Engagement Party?

Barbara Mercer wrote in from McKinney, Texas to tell me she was invited to her first engagement party and she wasn't sure if she needed to take a gift.  Its a great question!
Technically (according to Emily Post) you do not need to take a gift to an engagement party but more and more people are doing so these days.
It used to be that an engagement party was more of an announcement party.  The parents of the Bride or Groom would host what would look like a typical cocktail or dinner party and then announce, after all of the guests had arrived, that the couple was engaged.  Of course, now this type of announcement is typically done on FaceBook and word travels too fast to make a surprise announcement.
It is certainly not "bad etiquette" to take a gift to an engagement party but do keep in mind that you will have opportunities to shower the Bride and Groom with gifts throughout their engagement period and again at their wedding.
If you really want to take something, I suggest that you take something thoughtful such as personalized stationery (they will have a lot of notes to write in the coming months) or sentimental.  Many brides have not yet registered for the gifts they want so you will need to use your imagination and come up with something meaningful.  Of course, my book, The Wedding Workbook: A Time Saving Guide for the Busy Bride, would make a great engagement gift too! ;-)
If the Bride has read an etiquette book she will be sure to open the gifts that are brought to her engagement party AFTER her guests have left and write notes of gratitude within the following two weeks.
I hope this helps Barbara!  Have fun at the engagement party!

Fashionable Photographer

As accessories editor at Teen Vogue, Sarah Frances Kuhn was constantly toting her camera around from appointment to appointment chronicling her thoughts about the latest accessories.  After changing the generic strap on her own camera for a suede, nylon and metal handmade strap, she responded to all of amazing comments she was getting by starting her own line!  SFK contains various strap styles that resemble the handles on a traditional Chanel handbag.    There are traditional black and gold straps, a punky pink strap and a multicolored one with beads at the ends.  The best part is that these straps look like a million bucks but only cost $30!  And think of the dollars it will save you if it keeps you from loosing your camera!

Itty Bitty Bracelets

An old friend of mine, Dorie, wrote to me wondering how she can find bracelets for her teeny tiny wrists.  She is so petite and really has trouble finding bracelets that look right on her.
Here are a few of my little tips for Dorie and for all of the other petite ladies with the same problem!

• Shop Vintage!  It is amazing how small many of the vintage bracelets are!  Ladies must have been smaller in the past decades because the vintage clothing, jewelry and shoes are typically small sizes. I recently bought a vintage bracelet for a great price because it was so small.  My tiny friend, Janet, was about to have a birthday and I knew that it was meant for her when I saw it.  Check out The Revolving Closet on Main Street in Grapevine for a great selection of small sizes. 
• Shop Children's and Tween's Stores!  I adore all of the fantastic accessories at Crew Cuts (the children's line from J Crew.)  They have miniature versions of their grown up designs and I am sure they will have plenty for you to choose from.
• Shop China!  Many Chinese women are petite and the jewelry sold there is quite small!  YesStyle.com, a Chinese Fashion Site, has a very cool selection and Free International Shipping!
• Hit the Repair Shops!  Many repair shops will take links out of bracelets for you so that they fit properly.  Of course, that won't work for every style but it is great for link style bracelets.

I hope this helps!  Please let me know if you have any tips and tricks to help Dorie or if you have any other fashion questions of your own!  Write to me here.

Fabritations!

I love invitations and stationery! I am actually a little bit obsessed with it!  When I saw what my dear friend from my SMU days had created in her invitation and stationery line, I thought I had died and gone to heaven!  Heather Centurioni has truly come up with something unique and that is not an easy thing to do anymore!

Her amazing creations for HBDesigns are a fantastic combination of fashion and paper trends!  They are sure to get the attention of their recipients with their fabric covered backs and clever printing on the front.  

Here are a few of my favorites:

LET'S TEE OFF was created for a wedding weekend Golf Tournament.  It is covered in Astroturf and has a golf ball (well....half of a golf ball!) on it.  The white card attached is printed in green ink and a yellow tee is attached.  It was mailed out in a clear top box.

DOT DOT DOT is a fantastic and fun polka dot fabric covered card that could be used for so many things!  It is perfect for social stationery or thank you notes, birth announcements, holiday cards and invitations!  

All of the cards can be personalized too!  I love how Heather personalized her daughter, Sophia's, Thank You Note Cards with "S is for Sophia, T is for Thanks."  Adorable!

Check out HBDesigns website and sign up and she will send you a coupon!  

Baby Memories

Yesterday I told you about one of my most treasured possessions, my ten year journal.  it is the perfect way for me to record my memories but I wanted to get something with more space for my son's comical stories and actions that I did not want to forget.  I invested in a lovely leather bound book with blank lined pages.  It is beautiful but has basically remained on the shelf since we got it!  I realized one day that if I did not write down his funny action right as it happened, then I would forget to do it later.  It is just too hard to keep his journal up and take care of him at the same time!  I love keeping it but I must admit I am not always diligent enough about writing things down. It is too much of a juggling act and I can't throw another ball in the air!
My husband came up with a great idea one day.  He set up an email address for our 15 month old.  It sounds crazy, right!  It is genius and works well for us!  We simply email our son his funny story or sweet memory or sometimes just a cute photo.  Sometimes I sit at the computer and write out a long note but other times I just shoot him a quick email from my phone about a funny word he just said or a "first."On the first of every month, I go in and print out each of the emails and stick it into a binder for him to enjoy someday.  The other great part is that he gets emails from other family members and friends.  My dad, his grandfather, will send him cute email notes and my brother always sends him photographs.  It is a great way for everyone to feel they are chronicling his childhood along with us.  I hope you will do the same for your little ones!

The Ten Year Journal

I was given a 10+ year journal in 2004 and I must say, it has brought me so much joy!  I absolutely love writing a few notes about my day every evening before I hit the hay.  The most fun is that I can go back and reminisce about the things I did on the same date for the last few years!  It is great!
One of the best parts of the process is that I actually do it!  I am not the type who can write a long prose at the end of the day.  I spend a large part of most of my days writing so when I am ready to go to sleep, I just want to write a tiny bit down.  It is the perfect spot for me to write down simple things like a funny thing my son said, or special things, like the day we moved in to our home.  There are rollover pages for the days that require a bit more space and I have certainly used them a lot but most of the time, four lines is just perfect!
I can't tell you how many people have asked me where I got it or how they can get one.  I have given tons of them away as gifts and the recipients are thanking me for years.  They are perfect for any occasion from graduation or a birthday to the birth of a child!
You can purchase yours here for $44.95 and I promise you won't be disappointed.

Tips for Bridal Registries

My sister just got engaged!  We are so excited and there has been a lot of wedding talk!
Kari was asking me a million etiquette questions about her Bridal Registry so I was inspired to put together a few tips:

• Once you are engaged, it is never too soon to register!  Many people like to send a gift when they learn of the engagement and others like to purchase your shower gifts from your registry.
• Before you go to register, take a look at the items you already have and that your future spouse already has.  In many cases, you will already have certain items that you can continue to use.  If you both have good working toasters, there is no need to register for another one.  Instead, select something off the beaten path like a waffle maker!
• Take your future spouse with you to register but be sure to discuss your tastes and desires before you shop.  Ladies:  Be sure to schedule this on a day that does not a major sporting event on the television!  You will absolutely not have your future hubby's full attention. 
• Be sure to register for more than you really need in a large variety of price points.  Make a real effort to include many affordable items on the registry.
• My sisters was really stressed out about having a registry at more than one place.  I think it is important to have more than one registry as your guests may not have access to that store or they may not like shopping there.  Register at at least two places but no more than four.
• Do some homework on the stores that offer registries.  Most of them will let you return or exchange anything that did not turn out as you expected but be sure to ask about their policies. Many will also give you a discount when you purchase the remaining items that were not given to you as gifts.  For example, if you got ten of your plates but needed twelve, they will offer you a discount to purchase them!
• My Wedding Workbook: A Time Saving Guide for the Busy Bride has a section that is all about your bridal registry.  I hope it helps!

Movie time for Mommy!

I love going to the movies but I have to be honest, since we had our son, we rarely make it out to the theatre!  There are so many films in the theatre that I would love to see but by the time we pay a baby sitter, the movie ends up costing a lot of money!
This is why I was so excited to learn about the Crybaby Matinee!  The Angelica theatre offers moms and dads a chance to bring their tots to the theatre with them!  They leave the lights up and keep the sounds fairly low so that the children are comfortable and the parents can keep on eye on the little one!
Crybaby Matinees are Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 1.30.    Adult tickets are $8 and kids under 12 are $7.  Children under 5 are free!  Call (214) 826-3300 for details.

Green is one of my favorite colors!

I love love love children's toys that are "green."  These two items completely fit the bill!  

These Eco Stars crayons are adorable and easy for little hands to hold, they are also made from crayons collected from the National Crayon Recycle Program!  They are made in the USA, nontoxic and even the packaging is made from 100% recycled materials.  The boxes contain 20 crayons for $8.95 so they make a great gift too!

The same site also sells Miss Brittany's Organic Preschool Fun Dough.  Miss Brittany is a teacher living in New York who was alarmed by all of the toy recalls and dangers that she continued to hear about so she set out to create an organic toy that would encourage playtime and great learning experiences!  

Here are three of her creative Fun Dough activities from her website that you can do with your kid-os:

*For the child with the sweet tooth: Throw on a Miss Brittany’s “Organically Awesome” eco-friendly apron and make your own Fun Dough bakery. Take small cups, fill them up with Fun Dough and invite Mom, Dad, and play dates to “sample” your yummy Fun Dough treats.
*For the child who loves sports: Fun Dough easily rolls into balls. Set up a little basketball hoop and practice making three pointers. The sky is the limit and just about any sport can be creatively interpreted with Fun Dough.
*For your Restaurant Savvy Tot: Roll up your child’s sleeves and let them get to work. Put out a cash register, kid friendly plates, and some crayons with notepads. Let your child open up their very own Fun Dough Café now serving interpretations of pizza, pasta, and sandwiches.

Before you were hot....

I recently read about a fun, good spirited outlet for embarrassing photos.  We all have them and they always provide a good laugh!  www.BeforeYouWereHot.com is a website dedicated to publishing your old ugly duckling photographs.  The only purpose is to give you a giggle and build a brotherhood/sisterhood of life's awkward moments.  Their motto is "Don't be mean, Keep it clean."

You simply upload your photo and write a little caption, laughing along the way. Of course you are also encouraged to upload an "after" photo  as well.

If you are not so sure about downloading your own photos but are interested in checking out others you can browse other images by categories such as bangin' bangs, braces, retainers and headgear, hair issues, school portraits and fashion victims.  There is also a category dedicated to celebrities!

Unstable Nail Polish!

Remember those mood rings that we used to love?  I was always quite fascinated by them!  Well now, you can wear your mood right on your manicure!  In The Mood is color changing nail polish that works just like a mood ring!  Choose from six different shades, paint your nails and have some fun!  I like the shades in "Blissful" because they range from "Blush to Bashfull" as Shelby from Steel Magnolias would say.  But if you like Bold, them the orange and corals shades in "Hyper" or the greens and aquas in "Curious" might be more your style.

Taking Great Vacation Photos

I treasure photos taking on our vacations.  They are the lasting memories of wonderful adventures!
Here are a few tips to help us all take better photos while on our summer travels.

There are a few steps that you need to tackle before you go:

• If you have a new camera, make sure you know how to operate it and practice with it by taking a lot of test shots.  
• Make sure you have a proper travel bag or protection for it.
• Purchase extra batteries and memory cards and pack them in your camera bag.  You will not want to spend your vacation time looking for camera equipment!

Here are few tips for great vacation photos:

• Pay attention to the entire frame.  Zoom in as close as you can to your subject and make sure there are not any unsightly distractions around the edges of the frame.
• Be sure to take both horizontal and vertical images.  Variety will make your photo albums more interesting.
• A professional photographer once told me that if you breath in while pressing the shutter button your photos will be less blurry!
• The sun should be at your back when taking a photo.  We took a lot of photos last week with the sun behind our subjects and when we looked at them, the people looked like black silhouettes!  
• Outdoor shots are best when it is cloudy or a bit overcast!  
• Take lots and lots and lots of photos!  I have a two year old so we need to take 20 shots to get one good one!  

I love these tips for choosing a babysitter from The Children's Advocacy Center of Collin County and The Container Store!

Choosing a Sitter: Get to know the sitter. Find out how much experience the sitter has. Ask questions that relate to your childs needs. Check the sitters references, talk to other parents who have hired the sitter. If the sitter is a teen, talk to their parents. People often care for children the way they were cared for. Establish a clear understanding for what form of discipline is acceptable. Ask yourself if you are comfortable with this person watching your children, AND if your children are comfortable. Post contact information, emergency phone numbers, medicine rules, bedtimes and other important information next to your telephone. Remind the sitter that they can always call you if they have questions or concerns. Your child's safety and well being is always the first priority! Invite a sitter over for a "get-to-know" session before you leave them alone, pay them the hourly rate, but use this opportunity to establish a relationship.

Fourth of July Tablescape!

I had so much fun creating this Fourth of July tablescape for my book Tablescapes: Setting the Table With Style. What a blast! I hope you enjoy it too! Send me a photo of your Fourth of July Celebration and the winner will receive a copy of my first book!

Summer Beauty Tips

I always feel like I am melting in the summer and that doesn't really say much for my beauty routine!  I decided to turn to the pros and ask for some tips.  Here is what I learned:
1. Less is more!  Instead of a heavy foundation, opt for a tinted moisterizer.  I like Natura Bisse's The Cure.  It is amazing for your skin and even's out your skin tone.  Supermodel turned Actress and jewelry designer, Molly Sims told me that she loves the tinted moisterizer from Tarte and that she always buys it two shades darker than her skin.
2. Use blotting papers instead of caking heavy powders on to reduce shine.
3. Switch to a water proof mascara but use a gentle eye makeup remover to take it off every evening.
4. If you insist on wearing eyeshadow in the summer, use a primer or eye shadow base to keep it from creasing.
5. Embrace your natural waves or curls.  Pin straight hair does not scream summer to me!
6.  Keep your hair pulled back in a pony tail or loose bun for a chic summer look.  Not only will you look pulled together but it keeps your hair off of your hot sticky summer skin!