Cheers Candy Cane Lovers!

Ever thought of sipping a cool and delicious Candy Cane Martini right out of a sweet peppermint candy swirl shot glass? Well apparently the good folks at LushLife think it's fabulous idea and I tend to agree! I actually got a set of these for Christmas two years ago and let me tell you they are the life of the party! I ended up buying a few more sets this year for hostess gifts and one more set just for myself. These work really well with Creme de Menthe and oh-my does this put the most delightful holiday twist on the dreamy creamy flavor of Bailey's Irish Cream, yum! These are "confectionately yours" for $7.50 at Amazon.com.

Savvy Stocking Stuffers: $10 & under

A. Fabulously adorable Candy Cane Matchbook Notes by MyGatsby ($1.75)

B. Deliciously festive Gingerbread Cupcake Balm by Cupcake Plump Balm ($8.00)

C. Dangerously Cute Rain Rain Come & Stay Layered Brooch by AlwaysAmy ($5.00)

D. Sweet & cozy Coffee Cup Sleeve by JacquelineKinits ($10.00)

Merry Modern Paper

Oh luv! These chic & personalized designs are utterly sumptuous! Beautifully original artwork and gorgeous images with hints of retro-modern flare await you at Three Wheels Designs. Perfect for the note fetishist in all of us, I chose the Modern Love notecards for myself and picked up a set of gorgeous pink & chocolate brown Personalized "Anna" Cards for a gal pal of mine. These luxurious linen lovelies range in price from $16 to $20.

Pretty Quick Pick: Happy Holiday Reads

For classic Christmas recipes and beautiful vintage artwork this book is a must-have! I must confess that the All American Christmas Cookbook had me at Gingerbread Pancakes, yum yum! Grab it for the retro-art lover or sweet holiday hostess at Amazon.com or your local book shop.

Hot Chocolate Round Up!

When the winter breezes start to blow I keep warm with at least one cup of hot chocolate a day. Indulgent, yes but instead of dreading the long Canadian winter I now look forward to it every year! Here's my list of 5 faves:

MarieBelle Hot Chocolate Mix is a mystic blend of bittersweet chocolate deliciousness and the packaging is lovely! Grab it at your favorite chocolaterie for around $12.00.

Ghirardelli Double Chocolate Mix is extra rich and not too sweet. Just perfect for after diner and at around $8.00 it's the perfect little treat!

It's Godiva Milk Chocolate what more needs to be said? The taste is pure luxury and gift recipients will love the gorgeously upscale packaging!

Mannheim Steamroller Cinnamon Hot Chocolate is sugar, spice and everything nice (okay I just couldn't resist)! Yummy & inexpensive at $8.00. Find it at your local natural foods shop.

I know it's not technically "hot" chocolate but how could I resist posting about this adorable Serendipity Gift Pack! This is the delicious dessert shop that has served sweet treats to cool cats & kittens like Marilyn Monroe, Frank Sinatra & Andy Warhol. Yes, anyone and everyone would absolutely love this! It's Choco-love at it's finest!

Of course everyone knows that this cold-weather comfort elixir makes a fabulous gift so keep a few extra (unopened of course...but you knew that) on hand for a last minute goodie. Wrapped up with a Chocolate Dipped Candy Cane & a pretty holiday card this gift is thoughtful and indulgent! A cup of hot chocolate is the ultimate winter pick-me-up so treat yourself & a pal today!

Warm Holiday Wishes!

E-cards are fine for some occasions but when it comes to Christmas nothing beats sending out an old fashioned paper greeting. I just love opening my mailbox on a frosty winter day and finding a colorful envelope enclosing a beautifully handwritten note, expressing happy holiday wishes! It's such a lovely way to let someone know that you're thinking of them, and they will be overjoyed when you send them one of these insanely fabulous cards from Marzipan Inc. These cards are super luxurious, from the extravagant translucent vellum envelope right down to the shimmery cream cardstock. I can not tell you how truly lovely these sweet greetings are in real life...the photos don't nearly do them justice. Single embellished cards come priced at $5.00 while the boxed variety comes in at $10.00 for 8. Everyone that I gave these to last year commented on how lovely they are. So grab some Marzipan deliciousness at Shades of Violet or check out Marzipan Inc. for a list of local shops.

P.S. Don't forget to take a peek at our articles section for tips on Greeting Card Etiquette!

Paper for the holidays!

Despite my ongoing love affair with my new iPhone I've recently become enamoured with old-school paper organization. After all is there anything more satisfying than putting pen to paper and creating a note or to do list? The good folks at Myndology clearly share this sentiment and make just about the coolest paper goods to boot! My most favorite Myndology goodie is their color-infused Index Card Holder! Long have I enjoyed using regular index cards to jot down notes, phone numbers and even recipes. Myndology takes this concept further with their innovative plastic disc binding system that allows sheets to be pulled out and then put back in, anytime, anyplace. To me this is total coolness and I think that the lucky gift recipent will be in absolute agreement! Pick up some Myndology notes for the swanky student or anyone who has "getting organized" on their to do list for the new year. Myndology products and refills are sold at Myndology.com but before you surf on over there check out our Swingin' Deals for a sweet 20% discount. Now that's "good thinking" ;)