Greetings all, are you feeling the frenzy yet?  I started to feel it today, with a million things on my plate. The kids are home from school this week (who’s idea was that?) which adds to the craziness, but I finally got a chance to sit down for a spell to answer some emails and create this list.

I was asked by several readers this month to recommend some gifts for a host or hostess that don’t cost a fortune.  Most of us will be invited to a soirée or two this holiday season, whether a big Christmas party or smaller get together with friends. It’s a gracious gesture to bring your host or hostess something special they’ll use or appreciate but I don’t think you need to spend a lot of money. 

Of course, there’s always the lovely gift of a bottle of wine or bubbly (forever welcome at my house!) or the thoughtful presentation of a homemade treat if time permits. Here are eight more ideas for less predictable stylish gifts for your entertainer: 

1.  Bowl Her (or Him) Over.  Little sets of bowls are perfect for smaller amounts of sauces or condiments.  Bright colors or rustic wood bowls will blend well with so many table settings, stack them up and tie them with a big bow, they’re sure to be a hit. 

Lacquerware bowls, $17 each, Branch Home; Acacia Bowls; $6-$11, One Sydney Road

2.  Shake Shake Shake.  Salt and pepper shakers or mills are such a great gift, they’re one of those necessary items required for any dinner or buffet but something one rarely buys for oneself. Find a rustic, nostalgic, quirky, or colorful version to give to your host or hostess and you’ll be thought of fondly every time he or she seasons the food!    King + Queen salt and pepper, $40 Perpetual Kid; Mason Jar salt and pepper; $16 Terrain; Turquoise Pepper Mill, $42 Target

3.  Spread the Love.   Cheese spreaders are universally appreciated and so useful for all those dips, spreads, and appetizers.  I know I could certainly use a new set, and these are two of my recently found favorites.  

Vintage Cheese Knives, $29 Williams Sonoma;  Wine Cork Spreaders, $15, Z Gallerie

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Hello all, today is the beginning of a few giveaways I’ll be posting over the next couple days which I like to do during Thanksgiving week every year because it gives me a little break plus it makes a lot of great goodies available to you!  

Let’s kick it off with a giveaway from a gorgeous modern stationery and accessory boutique I’ve recently discovered: Perideau Designs.  Perideau Designs is a wonderful small boutique business in Connecticut specializing in modern stationery including personalized party invitations, favor bags, moving cards, and stationery.    

Back by popular demand is their holiday accessory collection, with plates and platters you can personalize for the season, these make such great gifts or keepsakes!

For everyday, you’ll find so many charming items available for personalization, including gift tags, thank you cards, birthday invitations, and also plates, placemats and canvas art prints. 

You can place any custom design order too!  Perideau Designs is offering two winners a $75 gift card to their shop.

Want a chance to win?  Here’s all you need to do:

1) Visit Perideau Designs and pick a favorite item, then name it in a comment.

2) For a second chance to win, either link to this giveaway on Facebook or Twitter, then leave a second comment stating where you linked (FB or Twitter).

Giveaway ends Friday November 25, 2011 at 8 p.m. PST, two winners chosen at random, US and Canada only.  By entering this giveaway, you agree to this site’s giveaway policy and Official Rules of Entry. 

. Need a good gift for a host or hostess? 

I’ve got a few ideas for you, that’s next!

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I’m not sure it’s readily apparent around here but I have big thing for faux bois. Truth be told I didn’t really know the fancy term for wood lookalike decorative objects until a couple years ago when faux bois starting showing up here and there and all around the design-osphere. I had to recall my long ago lessons from high school French to decipher faux bois meant ‘false wood’.  

I’m pretty much obsessed with any decorative object that looks like bark, especially if it’s white, so I thought to myself why not make some faux bois vases for the holidays. For this project, I worked with two products I’ve combined in the past: glass and silicone.  Remember these dessert stands?  I still have them. I learned with that project that silicone and glass bond really tightly together.  For Like Ever.  In Hollywood terms, like Paul and Joanne and unlike Kim and Chris.      

I used the same combination of products to create these fun ceramic look vases, but this time I used the silicone to create the bark like look. They turned out pretty cool.

To recreate a similar version, you’ll need four things:  a glass cylinder vase, DAP household silicone sealant, frosted spray paint; and white spray paint or primer.  

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Greetings all, and happy fall!  It’s raining today and the leaves are falling from all of the trees. It’s pretty but kind of sad, I’ll miss all those gorgeous autumn colors. Today it finally feels like winter is on its way, brrrrr!  To take our minds off the approaching chill of winter, how about a look at some inspiring projects from around the blogosphere?   Abi and I teamed up again to bring you our recent favorites.     

Here’s a wonderful wood accent wall, this one made from pallets by Chris and her husband over at Just A Girl, perfect in her son’s room!   

This Drexel Heritage campaign desk was brought back to life by Mary at Because I Like to Decorate.  She’s got an all natural recipe for polishing up brass hardware too. 

Traci and her husband built a brand new pantry themselves!  Traci has a new paint sprayer that she raves about, read all about it at Beneath My Heart.   

An old suitcase is a great object to transform into a pet bed, get the how to on this project over at Camille Styles.  

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Greetings all, I’m back once more today with a fabulous giveaway brought to you by one of my sponsors, Cutting Edge Stencils. Want to introduce some pattern to your walls without the commitment or expense of wallpaper? Stencils are the answer!

If you’re new to stenciling, you may want to take a peek at this this helpful how-to video and also this article with tips from bloggers on successful stenciling. 

Here’s just a few of the many modern patterns available:

Cutting Edge Stencils has many botanical and floral patterns too. 

And introducing craft size stencils for fabric and furniture.  You’ll find Cutting Edge Stencils has all the stenciling supplies you’ll need.  This weekend they’re giving away three $50 store credits to their shop (that’s enough to purchase most of their stencils) plus free shipping. 

Eligibility to win one of three $50 shop credits:

1) Hop on over to Cutting Edge Stencils and pick a favorite from their shop, then name it in a comment.

2) For a second chance to win, link to this giveaway on either Facebook or Twitter, then leave a second comment telling where you mentioned it (FB or Twitter).

Giveaway ends Monday November 21, 2011 at 8 p.m. PST. Three winners chosen at random.  US and Canada only.  By entering this giveaway, you agree to this site’s giveaway policy and Official Rules of Entry.  

If you simply can’t wait to shop, you can get 10% at Cutting Edge Stencils with the code CGB10 through December 31st.

Psssst. . .  I announced the winners of the last two giveaways here and here.  Was it you? If so, you’ve received an email from me so check your inbox.   

Have a great weekend everyone!  

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