A Wonderful Smelling Home Says Welcome!

There is nothing more inviting to the soul than to walk through a door and be captured by the aroma within.  The crispness of a fresh apple, the sweet aroma of lavender or the gentle hint of pine at the holidays.  We are creatures of habit, and our homes tell our story before we can even say a word to our guests.

One step inside, and we can either be drawn in by the delightful scents that surround us, or turned off by the musty aroma that hits us.  ROOT candles are one sure-fire way to make your guests feel at ease when entering your home.

Their Seeking Balance line will stimulate your senses and bring balance to your world with the use of aromatherapy.  Creating a welcoming fragrance all around and promoting peace from within.  Choose from 4 blends-

• RELAX – Pure essential oils of lavender and the geranium bud combine with the tranquil color of lavender to provide an atmosphere of comfort, calm and relaxation.
• ENLIGHTEN – Stimulate your creativity and create an environment for learning using the essential oils of cedar and verbena along with the stimulating color of yellow to create intellectual strength.
• DETOXIFY – Cooling spearmint and tea tree oil cleanses and relaxes the olfactory system, creating an environment for detoxification. Complementing fragrances of bergamot, geranium and jasmine mingle with the richness of the spearmint and tea tree oil to create a pleasing atmosphere
• ENERGIZE– The bright orange color along with the energizing essential oils of rosemary and eucalyptus give an immediate lift, touch of rejuvenation, energy and invigoration.

Made in the USA.  ROOT is a family run, Ohio based company.  Now in its 5th generation, the ROOT family prides itself on its committment to craftsmanship. Made of the purest beeswax with wood wicks, and an all natural color palette. They are the perfect complement for your home, and a wonderful gift for others.  We are proud to carry their line.  Stop in to see our selection.

Diana Dee’s

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Vera Bradley Spring Collection Arrives!

Vera Bradley leaps into Spring 2012 with four new patterns.  Bold, beautiful and vibrant colors will work magic with every girls wardrobe.  Styles that keep our high-tech lives looking stylish as we carry our latest and greatest gadgets everywhere we go.

On the go styles that are certain to keep everything at your fingertips, and looking stunning.  Accessories that not only bring our look together, but add a sense of style to our day.  Dress up your everyday look with a splash of color from your favorite Vera Bradley pattern.

Debuting this Spring:

• Rosey Posies–  An eye-catching combination of petite paisleys and oversized florals for the modern-day gypsy. Layers of colors from burgundy to berry, coral to cream and lemon drop set a happy pace for the optimistic traveler in all of us!

Rosey Posies in Laura

• Ellie Blue– Like the colors of a faraway marketplace, shades of indigo blue set the stage for papyrus white, golden saffron and a touch of blue-gray. Inside and out, the Eastern-inspired paisley motif is charmingly highlighted by majestic and lucky white elephants.

Laptop Travel Tote in Ellie Blue

• Island Blooms– Reflected in a crystal-clear aqua lagoon, intoxicating white blossoms and tropical chartreuse foliage recall a lively floral painting by Gauguin. Inside, a surprisingly modernist design blends beautifully, proving there’s a tropic hideaway anywhere you look. Paradise Found!

Essentials Cosmetic in Island Blooms

• Camellia– Evoking all the romance of a 19th-century garden, these soulful camellia blossoms offer a harmonious anthem of soft white, dusty taupe and shades of graphite gray. A wreath of laurel leaves bands the trim and repeats in the circular lining design.

Bowler in Camellia

Just in time for to get you ready for Spring, starting January 19th with any $75 Vera Bradley purchase receive a FREE gift of your choice- a Ditty Bag, a Tech Case or a Life in Progress Journal while supplies last.

Stop in today to view our entire Vera Bradley collection, or call us to reserve your favorite piece.

Diana Dee’s

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Guest Towels- Germ Friendly, Designer Ready!

Have you ever been invited to a friends for dinner, or perhaps even an acquaintances home.  Picture this: your husbands boss invites the staff and their spouses for an informal evening at his home.  You use the restroom and after washing your hands the only alternative to drying them on your dressy pants is a grungy, soggy towel that has obviously been used by everyone else that used the restroom before you.

Although many may make the argument that ‘paper’ guest towels are just one more way to hurt the environment [think paper plates here], they can serve several purposes for your home and the guests who visit.

Keeping a stash on hand with your monogram, makes it appear that you are always ready for guests, making your home more inviting.  Your guests will feel at ease when they use your restroom, knowing that they won’t be leaving their germs behind on your beautiful bath towels, and that they haven’t been subjected to any germs from others who went before them.  

Each January, stock up on paper guest towels for the bathrooms in your home.  Keep them handy, so when guests arrive you are prepared.  We have several brands available in many themes, and “grab & go” monograms already in stock.   They will send a welcoming message to your guests, and keep germs at bay.

Diana Dee’s

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Proper Table Setting for Dinner

The proper way to set a table has stumped many hostesses over the years.  Where should the fork go, do I need to set with a spoon?  What’s a girl to do when setting a table for an impromptu dinner party?

Unless you are throwing a completely casual party where your guests will dine on BBQ in the backyard, keep proper etiquette in mind when hosting a dinner.  Your theme should guide you.  Casual BBQ, then casual settings with lots of room for creativity.  Formal sit down in the dining room calls for formal guidelines.

If your guests all know each other, there is no need for place setting cards UNLESS you want to control who sits where.  If you have a mix of guests, it’s fun to seat couples apart, this will create more conversations and give your guests time to visit with those they rarely see.    

Selecting a theme for your gathering or for your table will create a fun and festive setting.   Don’t make centerpieces too tall as you want your guests to be able to see each other across the table.  Candles offer a nice touch, but never use a scented candle on a food table.  You don’t want it to interfere with the delicious aroma of your meal.  Small tealights add ambiance, but beware, they are also the #1 cause of fires.  Guests tossing their napkins on tables with a small candle can become a cause for concern, so take these factors into account when choosing your table decor.        

As for your actual place settings- opt for formal china if the occasion calls for it.  Set each place with a dinner plate, salad bowl or plate on top of it, Dinner fork, salad fork, teaspoon, soup spoon [if your meal includes soup], butter knife and dessert fork, water-glass and wine glass.

A dinner plate is generally placed an inch from the edge of the table.  If there is a print or pattern on a portion of your plate, it should be placed on the persons right side.  The dinner fork should be placed to the left of the plate and the knife to the right of the plate with blades facing inwards.  The soup spoon is to the right of the knife.  The salad fork should be to the left of the dinner fork.   A general rule of thumb to remember is that  silverware is used from the outside in – so the first ones that will be used should be at the farthest side of the dinner plate, while the last ones are the ones nearer the plate.  The dessert fork is optional here, and may be placed at the top of the plate as seen above.  Never set silverware that won’t be used, this will only confuse your guests.  If there is no soup, then don’t include a soup spoon.  If there is no salad, don’t include a salad fork. Your napkins may be folded in a variety of ways, and should be placed on top of the dinner plate or to the left of it. 

A formal dinner is a great way to bring a family together.  With the hustle and bustle of today’s family schedules, dinner time rarely calls for special settings.  So look for an occasion to bring your family together.  Or perhaps make Sunday nights a family night and start a family dinner tradition.  

No matter what the occasion, a perfectly set table will set the mood for a fabulous dinner.  

Bon Appetit!  

Diana Dee’s

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Get Organized in 2012!

Our fast paced busy world seems to be flying faster and faster these days.  Before you know it January becomes June, then the Summer slips away and Halloween is before us.  We blink and the holidays have come and gone.  Don’t let 2012 slip by without getting your life organized.

I listen to so many people say they wish they had the time to be on top of things.  Birthdays, anniversaries and special occasions that sometimes quickly come and go before we give them a second thought.  So set your sights on getting organized in 2012.  Start now, and set the pace for the entire year, and  you’ll be sure to be on top of every special occasion.

Get a calendar NOW if you don’t have one.  Don’t keep putting it off.  I like a full-page Calendar for the kitchen, or office space with lots of area for writing.  After-all if you’re going to stay on top of it all, you’ll need plenty of space for writing.  Take time to label ALL birthdays and anniversaries and any special occasions that your family celebrates; perhaps Fido’s birthday or a religious holiday.

At the beginning of each month, make a list of the birthday, anniversary and any special occasion cards you might need and head on down to Diana Dee’s.  Purchasing your cards at the beginning of each month will keep you organized and ready for action long before they need to hit the mailbox.  Stamp them, and keep them in a card file, organizer or specialty envelope.  At the beginning of each week gather those that will need to be mailed for the next week and send them off.

Do the same with gifts.  If you purchase birthday gifts for certain friends, start a month before the date needed.  This will give you time to start thinking of a creative personalized gift for your recipient.  Last minute generic gifts often look like last-minute generic gifts, so let them know that they weren’t an ‘after-thought’ by choosing a gift that is specifically chosen for them.

Stop in today to gather your cards for January.  We have a huge selection, and the perfect card for that special someone on your list.

Stay organized in 2012!

Diana Dee’s 

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Are New Years Cards- Necessary?

Sending a New Year’s card certainly isn’t required, but a nice gesture.  Keep in mind if you are a “Last Minute Lucy” and have arrived at January 1st and still haven’t mailed your Christmas cards, ditch them and send a New Years card instead.

Skip the explanation of how busy you are.  Believe it or not everyone is busy at the holidays, yet many still find time to prioritize and organize their holiday tasks allowing their cards to arrive in plenty of time.    

However, if you aren’t one of them, take this opportunity to wish your recipients good health and fortune in the coming year.  They will appreciate the gesture.  A Christmas card that arrives after Christmas, and even worse, into the New Year carries the message that the recipient was a mere afterthought, so re-group and opt for a nice New Years card instead.  But, don’t delay, they are best received BEFORE the end of the first week of January.  So stop reading this, and head down to pick up a card and get it in the mail! 

Diana Dee’s 

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