Outstanding Kids Gifts

I've found two etsy sites that have the cutest and most unique gifts for babies and kids.

MyBellaBows makes the most stylish "Beau Ties" a line of neckties and bow ties for little boys. If you've ever thought that there were no cute clothes for boys, here is the answer.

Aren't these just too much? I think they would make a great gift for a newborn. Something to grow into. (And he probably won't get many duplicates.) Or a great dress-up for a ring bearer or wedding guest. You buy a pack of 3 which can grace one little boy or be used as three different gifts. I just love them!!

And while your on her website, MyBellaBows, check out her beautiful hair bows and clips.

Next is Little Alouette. Based in Ohio they create organic wooden teethers, rattles and toys. So cute! And babies love to chew on wood. You can save the edge of your coffee table or table leg with these. Simple shapes with easy-hold-on-to holes or necks.

I love the animals, especially Ellie the Elephant and GiGi the Giraffe. What a great gift for a new baby. They will love it to chew and later to play. Check out their etsy page, littlealouette or website http://www.littlealouette.com/.

Special Gifts

Here are some pictures of our special gift items. I just love the reds and greens of the holidays. I just love looking for the perfect gift - large or small - that will make the recipient glow with joy. For me that is one of the parts of Christmas that I love. It's that time when I can show how much I care for someone by giving them something that gives them pleasure; something they might not have given themselves; something that made me think of that person and how much they mean to me.

Small things for the kitchen make great stocking stuffers or teacher's gifts. Or this is a great way to make your own kitchen look festive. I imagine the red prep bowls holding my lemon zest and vanilla for the special sugar cookies. The organza bag is a quick and inexpensive wrap for a bottle of wine or special dipping oil. And imagine a cup of tea from the cheery red teapot. How relaxing after a busy day of wrapping or cooking or shared with a guest.Don't you love this brightly painted stoneware? It is rustic Portuguese. The berry bowls have the colander holes so that they are functional for draining as well as looking so good. The poinsetta dip dish and plate, I can see with guacamole - enhanced with the New Canaan Farms salsa - and homemade taco chips. (Not holiday everywhere, but soooo Texas.) These make great hostess gifts or a bread and butter thank you.An easy way to decorate is with a pinecone mix or a seasonal botanical. Just put in a bowl or tray, maybe around a candle, and you've created the seasonal feeling. We also have small gold dusted pinecones that can be hung on a tree or put in a bowl. A touch of glitter! Now for something a little different. The Debra Shephard jewelry is sold each element singly. For instance the 16" sterling silver ball chain necklace is available for $20 or the large hoops on the left and the small hoops on the right can also be purchased at $18 and $14 respectively. Then you choose the dangle you want. The long "bling string" is Swaroski crystals or pearls $18. There are many different silver charms $10 or single Swaroski crystals $6 for a shorter look. They slip on and off the earrings and chains easily so you can switch out the elements or hang two together on a chain or three on each earring. Lots of versatility for an everchanging look.

And if you're getting tired of red and green. (It seems like I've been fixating on red a lot in the last month of postings.) For holiday dips or fruit breads or nuts these lovely gray porcelain bowls and trays are perfect. Their great organic shapes lend a touch of class to your table or buffet. The soft, subtle grays create a restful place for your eyes among the reds and greens and golds. (The two bowls also look good in a bathroom to hold soap or cotton balls or a candle or a few gold dusted pinecones. A little touch to make a guest bathroom lovely.)

Thanks to Emily for the pictures. Thanks to all of you for listening. Come see us.

Seeing Red...in a good way

Red states, blue states.... Forget politics and the presidential race for a moment and enjoy the red at Annarella.

We just received this smashing red hutch. The finish is rubbed for a rustic but elegant look. what a spot of color for a dining room or kitchen. Frankly I'd like to design a eating nook in my kitchen around it. Where would you like to put it?Here's a close up of the finish. Although it looks fire engine red on my monitor, it is really a tad more subtle...like a red velvet cake red.

And I know it's a little early for holidays and winter (especially here in central Texas) but Tea Forte has released their holiday collections.

This winter warmer has a red cafe cup with the hole in the top for their signature leaf and stem which will only be available for a limited time. It comes with two infusers in holiday blends: Sweet Orange Spice - an enticing blend of black tea, cinnamon and orange; and Crimson Nectar - a ruby red, herbal fruit tea. Yum! Here is a box of twenty infusers for the holiday season. This is great to have on hand for guests. Its so much fun to choose the flavor that fits your mood...Crimson Nectar, winter Chai (herbal blend of rooibos and spices), Sweet Orange Tea, White Ambrosia (white tea melded with vanilla and coconut) and English Breakfast (organic black tea).

If you're a tea drinker and haven't tried Tea Forte, we urge you to sample some. This is a product which is sophisticated and simply the best.

So come in and see some red.

Hunkering down before Ike

Well, the title says it all. Here in Georgetown as in almost all of Texas, we've gassed our cars, bought the batteries and stocked up in non-perishable food. Now we just wait for Ike. At this time it looks like central Texas will get off easy. We remain open and anticipate having regular hours for tomorrow. We hope for all our friends and family in Houston that the hurricane does little damage.

While the electricity is still on for everybody, I've got a wonderful website to look at. Shannon Lowery, from Austin, designs and makes greeting cards. Her business, Round Robin Press, has been making quite a splash with her plantable cards.

Embedded with wildflower seed or letterpressed basil and chives, these cheery bird images are perfect for saying hello to a friend or family. Imagine the recipient can plant the entire card (so easy) and then when it grows they will think of you. It's a gift of love in a small envelope.

She also designs a "back and forth" card. Send it to a friend with your message, and she can send it back to you with her own message or send it forth to another friend. Neat idea! Enjoy exploring her website. Check out her blog. Or come in to Annarella and see some.

Keep snug this weekend.

Sweet Smells of Luxe

Creme Brulee

French vanilla with a touch of caramel

Doesn't that sound delicious? Well, it smells as good as it sounds! Annarella Home just unpacked some Lux Candles which is always a sweet smelling treat. If you like candles for your home or business and aren't familiar with these, you are missing a real treat. This central Texas company produces the best candles at reasonable prices. (We're so proud when we can spotlight a local product that is made with such care and quality.) They are great for your home and make perfect hostess or "whatever" gifts.

Amber d"Luxe

warm sultry oriental vanilla with resonous woods

Made from a blend of highy refined paraffin and vegetable waxes and scented with essential oils, they burn for up to 100 hours in the beautifully embellished glass container. (Essential oils do not effect a lot of people who react to synthetic or chemical scents.)

Bourdeau Blanc

rich, robust mulled grapes

They choose not to use soy wax because it has such a distinctive natural odor which is difficult to disguise. Also soy wax tends not to hold fragrance well. But if you keep your wick trimmed to 1/4 inch, this candle does not throw off a lot of smoke.

Pictured here are 3 of our favorite scents. stop in with your nose and pick out your favorite.

We will let you know when we receive the special holiday scents.