4th of July Decorative Dessert!

Independence Day celebrations are on the horizon.  Don’t panic if you’re invited to a last-minute BBQ and don’t have the time for a fancy schmancy dessert baking session.  This quick and easy dessert will not only add a festive flair to any hostesses table, but it will provide for all day sweetness for her guests.

If you’re the hostess, rest easy knowing that you have created a little bit of heaven in every bite, while creating a patriotic focal-point for your table.

Twenty-four cupcakes will do, but twenty-eight will be perfect!  Bake them yourself, or pop in to your favorite bakery and ask for a couple dozen iced with fresh whip cream only.  A dozen fresh strawberries sliced in half or quartered for all but six of your cupcakes will create your stripes, while fresh blueberries arranged on 6 cupcakes will add your stars.  Arrange them on a platter and you are ready to go.

Want to get creative?  Make your cupcakes of assorted flavors, maybe red-velvet, chocolate, carrot cake, lemon or fudge and consider using mini-muffin pans instead.  It will double your fresh berries, and make for a little more work, but will also allow your guests to sample from several flavors, making your dessert the hit of the celebration!

Have a happy & safe 4th of July!

A New Way to Haul Your Groceries

The world is a flutter over the discontinued use of plastic shopping bags in many city’s.  Shoppers are encouraged to bring their own bags, and while maybe being environmentally friendly, at times these $2.99 wonders are less than attractive, and often a breeding ground for bacteria.

Recent reports have shown various agencies testing the safety of “BYOB”- bringing-your-own-bags.  While they now advise to keep separate bags for meats and veggies versus dry food.  Not to mention have you seen the shape of some of these bags after a few carries.  Ripped handles and flimsy bottoms that fall over with all your veggies spilling into the back of your car, not to mention the lovely wear and tear that these bags were obviously not made for.  What’s a girl to do while out shopping!

Enter Haul Couture totes!  It’s no wonder that The Next Iron Chef grabbed these practically as they were coming off the design board for their chefs to haul all their groceries in.  They are spectacularly stylish, yet functional.  They hold a whopping 75 pounds of groceries.  Holy gamoly, that’s a lot of guacamole!

And are you ready…wait for it….they’re INSULATED!  You got it, no more racing home worried that the milk is going to spoil while you dash into the cleaners to pick up the laundry.  Fully insulated to keep your food fresh.

So stylish, you can use them to carry your food to a picnic, or to Grandma’s house at the holidays.  Having a potluck at work, and worried about how you’ll get your favorite dish there….worry no more. Designed to include a stacker system so you can layer foods for on the go travel.

So functional that they were created to fit in an overhead bin on an airplane, or under the seat in front of you.  They fold flat for travel, so you can take them along on your favorite trip, then use them to carry all your purchases home on the plane.

Mom, are your kids too old for a diaper bag, yet you still need to carry a lot of “stuff” for them?  Why not carry it all in one place- in style.  Big enough to carry your purse, and their “stuff” while still looking sleek and stylish.

So sleek and stylish, carry them along on your next trip while out shopping for treasures to bring home.  No need to worry about the safety of your purchases or if you’ve left a bag behind.  All your treasures will tuck neatly into your tote, which has a folded down flap with velcro closure for safety.  You’ll be shopping in style. There’s a pattern for practically every personality.  And best of all, no need to freak out about bacteria…..the insulated liner can be wiped down with an anti-bacterial wipe to avoid germ build up.

So there you go…shopping with style!  What are you waiting for?  Head in today and find a style that suits your personality, and start hauling your stuff the couture way!

Wedding Invitations Unveiled

The love of your life popped the “big” question, you said yes, and now you find yourself in the middle of Bridalmania.  Venues, dresses, flowers, catering, and photographers oh my.  So much to do, so many decisions to be made.  

Our specialty lies with your invitations, which will be the first impression you give to your guests.  They won’t only announce your wedding, but will give subtle hints about the style of your wedding- formal, informal, casual etc.   So keep a few things in mind when choosing your invitations:

• Keep them appropriate to your theme.  Your invitation should complement your day.  A backyard BBQ celebration would not call for a formal invitation with script writing, but rather a more relaxed invitation.  A formal ceremony and evening cocktail party should not be announced with a whimsical cartoon drawn invitation.  So your first step is to make sure that your invitation coordinates with your setting.
• Many brides like to choose invitations that coordinate with their wedding colors, but keep in mind depending on your colors, this can get tricky.  If you have chosen wild colors or a rainbow of colors to use for your decorating, go with a simple, classic White or Ivory invitation with black or gray printing, which will lend an elegance to your announcement.      
• Make sure to allow plenty of time to choose your invitations, have them printed, addressed and mailed so they arrive 6 weeks before your Wedding Day, 8 weeks if your Wedding Day falls near a holiday as many travel at those times.
• Avoid sending your invitations out too early just to announce the date.  If you have been engaged and are planning your wedding for a future date, consider sending a ‘Save the Date’ card 12 months before your Wedding day so your expected guests can mark their calendars.  However, don’t get so excited that you send ‘Save the Date’ cards to everyone in your address book prior to making your guest list.  A major faux pas would be to send a ‘Save the Date’ card to someone who doesn’t get an invitation to the big event.
• Lend an elegant personal touch to your invitations by hand-addressing them. If you don’t have the nicest hand-writing, consider hiring someone to address them for you.  Either in a fancy script or calligraphy style. or someone whose penmanship you admire.  A hand addressed envelope adds a very personal touch for that first impression of your big day. 

June brides, it’s almost time to start the invitation process, so stop in soon so we can lend our expertise to your wedding planning.  We have been specializing in Wedding invitations for over 25 years, and our team of experts will make sure that your invitations reflect the spirit of your day.  From the very first announcement of ‘save the date’ to the final thank-you note, we will make sure you have set the tone of elegance with all of your wedding communications.

Diana Dee’s 

Secret Santa Gifts- Guidelines to Follow

December brings with it many parties and Secret Santa exchanges at work and within organizations or groups of friends.  Some dread the annual Secret Santa ritual, while others embrace the challenge of finding the perfect gift for their recipient.  Here are a few guidelines that will help you navigate your way through without feeling overwhelmed while giving someone a special feeling when they unwrap their treasure.

• STICK TO THE $$$ LIMIT: While overspending might be tempting if you pull the name of a favorite fellow employee, or someone who you know deserves something out of the price range, don’t do it!  This is the first rule broken, and can leave others feeling left out.  Stick to the agreed upon amount for your exchange.
• DON’T GET TOO PERSONAL: Especially for a work exchange.  Avoid buying clothes items.  These are gifts that are a little too personal for gift exchanges.  Wrong sizes, styles and personal preferences may make for an awkward reaction.
• BE OBSERVANT:  If you don’t know the person that well, take a look around their workspace.  Do they display pictures of children and family, perhaps something showing their favorite sporting team, or a hobby?  Engage in conversation that might lend clues to their likes and dislikes.
• GIFT CARDS & CERTIFICATES ALWAYS PLEASE: These are always a good option.  Almost everyone loves to go out to eat on someone else, or perhaps to a favorite Coffee spot or Bakery.  If you know the person has a favorite little store in town a gift card to pick out his/her own selection will always be enjoyed.
• SHOP LOCAL:  Support your local business community when possible. If the person loves coffee, find a great local Bakery/Coffee shop to create a fabulous gift.  Perhaps a delicious pastry wrapped up with a Gift Card for their own enjoyment at a later time.  Or a little ornament from their favorite Gift Shop with a Gift Card tied to it so they can make their own selection.

Whatever your Secret Santa needs are, at Diana Dee’s we have many options for your Gift-Giving needs.  Whether it’s ornaments or kitchen towels, Santas or snowmen, or the beautiful papers, bows and ribbons to wrap it all up with, we are stocked for all of your Holiday needs.  Call us today so we can help you find that perfect Secret Santa Gift.

Happy Shopping!

Diana Dee’s

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Christmas Card Etiquette

In this fast paced, technology driven world that we live in, one tradition still rings true at the Holidays- the annual Christmas card.  Make sure that your ‘one correspondence a year’ with those you rarely see, will make a statement.  Follow our Do’s and Don’ts for sending the perfect Christmas card that will leave them smiling right through the New Year.

• Choose an appropriate card for your recipient.   Don’t send a Christmas card to a Jewish friend, but rather choose a Hanukkah card for them instead, or a generic ‘Happy Holidays’ sentiment.
• Mail cards early.  The ideal time for mailing Christmas cards is the first week of December.  A card that arrives on Christmas Eve sends the message that the person may have been forgotten or the card was an afterthought.
• ALWAYS hand-address your Christmas cards. Nothing screams GENERIC card louder than a printed font on a pre-pasted label.  If you want to practice proper Christmas card etiquette, the recipient’s address must be hand-written.
• Don’t send E-cards as substitute for real cards.  It is perfectly acceptable to send an E-card but ONLY when you are responding to one sent to you.  Never send an E-card instead of a paper card.
• Hand-write a note. If you have a few extra minutes, handwrite a short note on the inside.  This gives your cards a personal touch and speaks volumes to the recipient that you took the time to give each card attention.
• Always include your return address.  This is Christmas card etiquette 101.  This will ensure that the recipient has your current address, and it makes it handy when they may want to send a card back to you.
• When signing your cards, use the rules of etiquette.  If it’s a family card, always start with the Father’s name first, followed by the Mother’s then the children in descending order of age.

Christmas cards should bring joy and cheer.  Set aside a couple hours the first week of December and add a little personal touch to your cards.  The result will be a warm feeling on the other end when they reach your family and friends.

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