CasaSugar

The Card Shop: Maple Leaf/Thanksgiving Boxed Notes

CasaSugar — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 12:00:04 -0800

No, it's not tradition to send cards at Thanksgiving. But, take one look at the Dingbat Press Maple Leaf/Thanksgiving Boxed Notes ($24), and you'll be convinced. This gorgeous boxed set of six notes features soft-red maple leaves in varying sizes falling from a vivid-orange maple tree. The notes arrive tied with a ruby-red ribbon, and enclosed in a sturdy chocolate box. So, whether you'll be sending these autumnal notes or just gifting them, you'll be sure to impress.

Casa Beta: Lumnique Vanilla Candle

CasaSugar — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 06:00:00 -0800

Lumnique, a new company that specializes in personalized candles, recently sent over a vanilla candle for me to review. Unfortunately, I can't stand the scent of vanilla, so CelebStyle offered to review it for me! Lumnique allows shoppers to choose the color, fragrance, and "customized intention" of their candles when ordering online, with 14 different color choices and a variety of fragrances - in fruity, floral, or foodie categories - to choose from. Of course, since Lumnique mailed me the candle, we missed out on the whole personalization part of the package, so she'll just review the candle we received, vanilla:

Scent: "In my experience, candles don't usually live up to their scent being burned but this Vanilla Lumnique candle went above and beyond my expectations. The vanilla notes were strong enough to give off a lasting, comforting scent without being overpowering, too obvious, or too feminine."

To hear her thoughts on the packaging and burning, read more.

Packaging: "The candle came in a black cardboard box, slightly smaller than a shoe box. The Lumnique logo was printed in white across the top flap and inside was an insert holding the glass candle in place alongside an expensive-looking book of matches. While the packaging was fancy and substantial, I found it to be a waste of resources and space. It wasn't very eco-friendly, in terms of both the packaging and the shipping."

Burning: "This double wick candle is the candle that keeps on giving! It burns evenly and slowly, and is as fragrant as the first burn weeks later. It burns clean (no black smoke) and doesn't take long for the wicks to stop burning after blowing them out."

Thanks, CelebStyle!

Want to read more candle reviews? Check out these posts on C.Z. Guest, West Third, Linnea's Lights, Chesapeake Bay, and Diptyque candles.

Casa Beta: C.Z. Guest Candles

OnSugar Blog — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 13:00:00 -0800

Here's a post from OnSugar blog Maison Classique:

First off, if you are unfamiliar with the iconic late C.Z. Guest, do a quick Google search or brush up on the cliffs-notes here. I purchased this candle at Annie's last summer in Vail, CO. Annie's is one of my favorite shops in the village, and regrettably, they do not have a website. If you are ever there for holiday, or just driving through, stop at Annie's! They have a selection of china, dishes, candles, bath and body products, and all sorts of wonderful things. I pop in every Summer and I am never disappointed. Imagine my delight when I saw the C.Z. Guest candles . . . on sale! You better bet I snatched one up! Truth be told, I would have purchased it had it not been on sale, but I guess it was my lucky day.

The genius thing about this candle is that it literally lives on. The jar is actually a handmade flower pot, and the candle box is packaged with a seed packet. Once the candle is spent, you plant the flowers and grow them in a delightful little pot! Perfect for a guest bath or the kitchen window ledge.

Continue reading the rest of this review.

The Card Shop: Linda & Harriett Thank-You Note Box Sets

CasaSugar — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 15:00:00 -0700

The expression, "A simple thank you would have been nice," has always baffled me. To me, there is nothing straightforward about saying thank you. When I'm genuine, I want my expression of gratitude to be as tastefully embellished as possible - like a letterpress card.Luckily, stationer Linda & Harriett has made the gesture simple for me, by unveiling some new box sets of thank-you notes in elegant scallop, lace, and swirl prints. Each card is letterpressed with soy-based ink and features the calligraphy of Brooklyn-based Jenna Hein. I'm thinking the swirl pattern is my favorite; I can just see the personality oozing off the 30 percent postconsumer waste paper. A set of six retails for $14.

How-To: House Backyard Chickens in Style

CasaSugar — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 08:00:24 -0700

My friend Beth, who I've known since high school, recently started a blog to update her friends and family on her latest domestic adventure - raising backyard chickens. Since Beth never does anything halfway, she and her husband Craig built a chicken coop that is super cute and matches their 1922 Craftsman home.

She writes, "I paid my way through college 10 years ago raising and killing chickens and also had laying hens. I wanted to get another batch of layers, but was resigned because a) we have a teeny tiny backyard; and b) my husband isn't much of a farmer."

However, all was not lost. Beth notes, "This spring, I convinced the man who drank a case of Diet Mountain Dew each week when we met (he has thankfully kicked the habit since) to build raised beds and start an organic garden. I gave up on the idea of having chickens, but he took up the cause and was convinced we could fit a small coop next to the garden."

To find out more about Beth and Craig's chicken-raising adventure, and to see how well their chicken coop matches their home, read more.

"We bought our chicks on July 9th and went on Seattle Tilth's coop tour the following weekend," reports Beth. "Craig took lots of photos and took all the best ideas from the coops we saw for his own design. Some materials were recycled: he salvaged the window and built the window box out of scraps we had from this and other projects. The coop is painted to match our house, white trim and all. Craig thinks the finished product took about 100 hours to build. It's a little over the top, but that's my husband. (By the way, not only has he stopped drinking Mountain Dew, but he's off all high fructose corn syrup and is quite the label reader. Weird. Now he's all about organic veggies and can't wait for the hens to start laying.)"

I have total chicken coop envy now, and I'm also envious of Beth's hubby's building skills. What a great coop! You can keep up with Beth and Craig's chicken adventures on Beth's blog. In the meantime, check out the gallery to see images of the decoupaged interior of the coop, as well as the coop's perfect match to their Craftsman.

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Link Time!

CasaSugar — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 13:00:14 -0700

I'm completely drawn into these gorgeous spaces shot by Kathryn Russell.- Desire to Inspire
I heart this sweet, hip poster that's oh-so appropriate for the upcoming holiday.- 2Modern
This NYC pad is no stark white box.- AT:NY
This FedEx wine box is so modern, fresh, and eco-friendly!- Craftzine
Rest in peace Kodachrome.- UnBeige
Fruit-shaped sticky notes! Yummy.- MoCoLoco
Learn to build a pergola.- Shelterrific
I've never seen a toolbox so downright gorgeous.- Swiss Miss

Casa Beta: Chesapeake Bay Candle Signature Collection

CasaSugar — Wed, 27 May 2009 05:30:21 -0700

I recently received the Chesapeake Bay Candle Signature Collection ($65) in the mail. The set contains six cream-colored, soy wax candles in six different fragrances. Each candle comes in a clear glass vessel, which is individually wrapped in cellophane and tied with a satin ribbon. I was excited to try all of the scents, but since I knew that it would take me a long time to get through all of them, I enlisted some help from my Sugar friends.

To see what we thought of the set, read more.

I loved the gift box that the candles arrived in, which features a beautiful tree motif. It's sturdy enough to re-use for another craft project or gift-giving opportunity in the future. However, one problem with it was that some of the oil from each candle was pooled in the cellophane of every packaged candle. This may have been due to the fact that the box was sitting on its side, and the problem could've been remedied by storing the box upright.

Green Bamboo Jasmine: PetSugar reported some pros and cons with her candle. She says, "The candle seemed to burn very slowly - I only had it lit for about an hour and there was barely any noticeable difference in melt rate, so it’d last for a while. When I woke up, I could still smell the effects from the night before. However, when removing from the packaging, this candle was wet/sticky and my hands smelled of strong fragrance even after I washed them. While burning, it still smelled very strong and distracting . . . but part of that could have been the residual scent from the liquid/ packaging on my hands. I think if I loved the scent, or loved smelly candles, I would have loved this. Its potency was but a bit too much for me to handle every day. "

Tonka Bean Fig: This candle was tested by FabSugar, who reports, "I lit the Tonka Bean Fig candle this past weekend and I loved it. It permeated through the house, smelled sweet, and reminded me of men’s cologne. It also burned great and didn’t leave a smoky residue in my house."

Amber Vanilla Hazelnut: Unfortunately, geeksugar's candle didn't live up to her expectations. "The candle was oily inside its packaging, which made it a pain to hold, and to light (it took me several tries and a burnt thumb). When I did finally get it lit, the smell - which was lovely to sniff cold - was very subtle. Too subtle, in fact. Not only did it not waft around the room with its smell, it didn't waft at all. The only way I could smell a scent at all is if I put my nose directly over the candle (far enough away that I didn't burn my nose hairs off, of course). I extinguished it after an hour since it wasn't smelling up my home like I'd wanted it to."

Sheer White Musk: I'm not normally drawn to musky scents, so I was surprised to enjoy this one. It was light, clean, and very earthy with some subtle notes of jasmine and violet. I used it in a room that was smelling a bit musty, and it definitely freshened up the room. But, it didn't really seem to waft well - my go-to candles can normally be smelled throughout the house.

Lily Orange Blossom: I love the smell of citrus blossoms, so I was excited to light this candle. While I loved the scent when it was unlit, once I struck a match to its wick, I had a hard time discerning the blossomy scent. I let it burn for about an hour, and while the scent was definitely there, it was very subtle, unless I was very close to the candle. I'm not a fan of overwhelming scents, but I would've enjoyed a more robust scent here.

Honey Lemon Crème: This candle has a lovely, rich scent that reminds me of sugar (or should I say honey?) cookies. Its scent, too, was quite subtle, but added a lovely, cozy smell to my home. Who needs to bake when you can simply light one of these candles?

How-To: Register For Your Wedding

CasaSugar — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 07:00:15 -0700

Planning your wedding can be stressful, but the fun part is registering for gifts! Unfortunately, some people get carried away at the thought of all the presents coming their way and register spontaneously, not methodically. You have to remember that you're going to live with these gifts, and your friends and family are spending real money on them, so you better like them! Beyond that, you should think about what you need, not what you want, so you can really "set up house" - that's kind of the point. I have a few tips that will make it all easy for you. To hear them, read more.

Consider your timeline. If you're having any sort of engagement party, try to register by the time the invitations for that party go out, making sure you've covered all the price points. Many of your friends and family will want to buy your engagement and wedding gifts as soon as they hear about the engagement and get it out of the way. Don't feel rushed; you can always go back and add more items later on. If you're not having an engagement party, about nine months before your wedding day is a good time to register; it doesn't make you seem as if you're either rushing or procrastinating.
Do your Spring cleaning, and take note of what you already have and what you need for your home.
Then, get together and make a list of things you both want for your home.
Before you start checking boxes, cruise around to a bunch of stores and decide which one or which few suit your tastes the most. Stick to three stores or fewer to keep things uncomplicated, and make sure one of them is a national department store like Bloomingdale's or Macy's.
Most major stores have some sort of registry system, if not an online one. However, if you love a certain boutique or specialty store, they may not. But most will be more than willing to work something out with you, so just ask!
Go through all the questions. Figure out what kind of return policy each store has, how shipping works, whether they take phone orders, whether they have an online database to track orders, etc. Your older generation of friends and family may only want to shop by phone or in store, so there should be something available for them. And it's ideal to be able to track the orders as they come in, so you can add more items at different price points, or remove items if need be.
Use our downloadable registry guide to make sure you've covered all the bases for your housewares, and go ahead and register with each store, giving as much detail as possible to make it easy on guests. Choose size, color, brand, etc.
You can also use MyRegistry to register online from a variety of sources, giving your friends and family a central place to shop for you.
OK, so let's say you already have all the table runners and Le Creuset pans you could ever want. What then? Nowadays it's not uncommon to have an alternative registry. If you'd like, you can register with a charity or even to pay for your honeymoon. Although it's not the most proper of moves, if you really need help with your finances, you can even register for stocks or cash for big ticket items you may need.
Once you're registered, there's some etiquette you should follow for getting the word out. It's a bit taboo to send your registry information out with your invitation. If you have a website for your wedding, you can post it discreetly there. It's also common to have your maid of honor send out the details with the invitations for your bridal shower, and the same for the bachelor party. You can ask your family members to pass the word along to the guests as well. And, if your guests ask you up front where you are registered, go ahead! If you are sending out a package to your guests with other details about the wedding (maps, hotel information, etc.) apart from the invitation, you can slip in a printed card with the registry information.
Most registries remain active for at least a year after the big day so guests can make purchases after the fact. And many stores will give you a discount on the items that weren't purchased, so that you can buy them for yourself.

Source

Casa Shops: Beehive Kitchenware Company

CasaSugar — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 04:30:47 -0700

While Beehive Kitchenware Company does make measuring cups and lemon juicers, their range of fanciful metal accents ensures that you can use them in any room of your home. I have my eyes on Beehive's Paisley Hooks ($27) myself, though there are plenty of other pieces that have enchanted me. The company, which is located in Massachusetts, is owned and operated by Jim Dowd and Sandra Bonazoli. The metalworkers' collaborative work has been exhibited at the Museum of Arts & Design.

Jim and Sandra's work has been featured everywhere from Gourmet to Architectural Digest. They were first influenced to create their metal home accents after seeing how beautiful antique kitchen items were. With the goal of melding form with function, they started their line of products. Birds and bees are a repeating motif in the company's metalwork, as are delicate petaled flowers. You can order these products online, or find them at a local retailer.

To see images of the products, and to hear about the company's environmental commitment, read more.

Beehive notes that, as part of their environmental policy,

We use only recycled paper in our office and recycle all our paper, junk mail, and cardboard (no small feat!). Our packing peanuts are made from bio-degradable material. Our products come in boxes that are made from recycled, unbleached paper, and are most often nestled in a natural, compostable material. There is very little in the manufacture of our products that creates waste: any reject castings get re-melted, and we recycle every bit of our scrap metals. And of course all of our pewter is lead-free, without any electroplating, to protect the health of our water.

The company also only works with local and national suppliers to cut down on their carbon footprint. While these items are definitely not "needs" for a home, they will complete a home's look and add a whimsical, beautiful touch to any room. I like to think of Beehive's products as things that you might not necessarily buy for yourself, but would be on the top of your list for thank-you gifts for your favorite friends and family.

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Source

The Card Shop: First Press Note Cards

CasaSugar — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 13:00:19 -0700

Candy-colored butterflies and girl-y medallions are the sort of thing that I love in small doses like the First Press Note Cards ($15-$18). I wouldn't wallpaper my walls with the fluttering creatures, tattoo my butt cleavage with them, or name an album after them, but I'd certainly send a note to a girlfriend with these debossed, lushly designed notecards in their matching envelopes, and I'd be delighted to receive one. And, when all 10 of them have been signed, sealed, and delivered, I can use the decorated box to "wrap" my next eco-chic gift.