Are Your Client Gifts Saying What You Think?

Updated: August 28, 2023

This is a two-part blog series. This first post is to help you define your intention and clarify the impression you want to make with your gifts. The second post shares ideas and examples to help you achieve that impression.

Part 1 of 2

Every gift leaves an impression; the question is, what statement is your gift making? Is it one that's lasting or last minute? Rushed or refined? Will the shrink-wrapped container from a big box store reflect the way you want your clients and guests to think about you? Before you make a mad dash down the retail aisle or a rush order on Amazon, we encourage you to take a moment to be intentional about the impression you want to make with your gifts and ask yourself these questions:

What is the intent of your gift? How do you want people to feel when they open it? Is it important to be memorable? One of a kind? Is it to impress a new client or to upgrade their experience with you? Do you want the gift to last beyond the occasion? Is the goal to show them you stand apart from the rest and are unique in what you do? No matter the size, your gift can demonstrate that this personal or professional relationship matters.

What unspoken message do you want the gift to send? The beauty of custom-made is what it says on your behalf. Giving a customized gift expresses thoughtfulness, time, and planning. It means you've considered the people receiving it, evaluated what would be meaningful, and that you’re willing to prepare in advance. It represents craftsmanship, exquisite attention to detail, and quality. It radiates value. The art of custom reflects a commitment to training, skill, and the tools to craft raw materials into something beautiful. Whether you send our gift boxes, cutting boards, coasters, or artisan stands, the details are evident. In our business, we handpick the wood, study the grain pattern, and plan where the design will appear. These details take time - and it's time well spent.  

Without saying a word, custom speaks volumes about the importance of the relationship and your commitment to sharing something meaningful and long-lasting. As you look ahead to your gift selection, consider the impact and message you'd like to deliver. And in our next post, we'll talk about different ways to help make that happen.  

It's Not the Move That's Scary, the Paring Down is Daunting

Home Sweet Home is finding a new mantel. An evening stroll for an iced coffee and Thirsty Thursdays at the neighborhood pub is the choice of young adults and empty-nesters drawn to the city. To walk to the corner ice cream shop, a scooter to work, and brunch with friends at the outdoor market. It’s not the move itself that scares us; it’s the paring down and pitching out that’s daunting. We read a steady stream of updates coming across social that tell us friends are moving. Young professionals head to big cities while parents downsize to their dream destinations. We wonder, how do I bring my favorite treasures of the past into the smaller space of my future?

While your exciting new home offers a welcome shift to flexibility and freedom, less maintenance, and lawn mowing, it also requires more curation and creativity. As you settle into your new space, gather your photographs and travel guides marked with the best trails or tropical island tiki bars. Collect your favorite quotes and stories - mix in blooming succulents and colorful treasures. The shift to urban living is a life of convenience and new conversations. As you move into your next chapter, highlight a collection of unique things that inspires conversation and brings you comfort.

Off-Road and Online

Updated: April 6, 2023

Adventure lovers, beach-goers, and trail seekers now enjoy the opportunity to build collaborations and take conference calls on the road. The workspace concept is redefined as the family dog makes regular on-screen appearances, and the back of a pickup truck transforms into a workstation. With the shift to fewer in-person meetings, you may wonder how to stay top-of-mind with customers. The hidden benefit of remote work is seeing your clients in a new light, in more personal and interesting surroundings. It's a great chance to get to know the human behind the email and better understand how to celebrate what matters to them.

As we weave personal travel into our business agendas, deal-making, and day-to-day business decisions move from the mainstream to the airstream. Designs are drawn from the comfort of deck chairs, and strategies are solidified from the shorelines. Successful entrepreneurs drop knowledge from behind the wheel of an RV (@Jesseitzler), while others work from converted Sprinter vans nicer than most apartments. Mini cabins and newly renovated motels are enjoying a resurgence as clients post from locations that tout open hallways, no elevators, and no closed corridors.

All this blending of work and home offers a glimpse into people's passions, a chance to note their travels and tendencies. Tap into these passions as you think about your client gifts. Upgrade their morning java with a beautifully glazed ceramic mug, or add a spark of style to their campfire with a unique whiskey tumbler. Send colorful, handwoven coasters or bar towels that spice up the park table yet require little space to carry. Whatever the favored activity, a nod to your client's lifestyle with a handcrafted artisan gift box reflects genuine thoughtfulness that will last through years of road trips and rendezvous.

For all of our explorers out there, honk if you love artisan gifts, refill your mug for the ride, keep the mints and chapstick close, and set your course for the next destination.

The Elegance of Engraving

Updated April 30, 2024

How many gifts have you received over the years where someone has taken the time to engrave them? I bet you can recall each one, whether it's jewelry or an artisan piece because it reminds you of a significant occasion. The engraving isn't a quick stop en route to an event or a last-minute online order, so you know they planned. The choice to personalize sends a message of care and consideration.

The decision of what to say and where you want to engrave it has become much more creative as personalized gifts have surged. We've added script and block lettering on serving boards as host gifts and names, initials, and dates on wedding gift boxes. New homes are an exciting reason to celebrate. Farm and estate names make a lovely addition to our specialty gift boxes. Our hand-crafted doorstops are a favorite for move-in day. Meaningful words or mantras have increased in popularity as people have become more expressive and gifts more individualized.

For your next special event, avoid the last-minute scramble and take the opportunity to give something that can be treasured for generations. Craftsmanship and personalization enhance each gift, from beverage coasters to handcrafted cutting boards or specialty gift boxes. Anniversaries, weddings, deal closings, partner collaborations, and client gifts are noteworthy occasions to raise the bar. Engraving offers a beautiful enhancement as guests admire the custom details.

The next time a milestone event appears on your calendar, consider engraving and the chance to send a thoughtful message to friends, family, clients, and colleagues.

Mingle with Margaritas and Mocktails

There’s nothing like a festive mix of margaritas and mocktails to liven up an afternoon. When the family salsa recipe is matched with nachos, beer, and a generous serving of guac, it’s a fiesta in the making. We celebrated a milestone family event recently, and here we share a peek at the vivid colors and casual style of the occasion. The gathering highlighted a personal touch to make it more meaningful for the guests-of-honor and to demonstrate the care and love of those who created it.

Here are a few details and photos from behind the scenes. We hope this serves as inspiration when you’re looking to spice things up with a little fiesta fun of your own:

• Hand-stenciled party favors in drawstring bags, complete with the couple’s event logo, are filled with Mexican candies and topped with colorful, mini tissue flowers.

• Taco string lights laced across the front of the table are a fun surprise and add the perfect touch.

• A custom cherry and black walnut gift card box with white maple accent corners adds texture and beautiful craftsmanship to the display (We made the box.). Cards and well wishes from each guest are placed in the box, which can be used for programs or cards on the wedding day and later to showcase treasures and heirlooms in the couple’s home.

• A glass vase filled with white stones, lush green cactus, and succulents creates a vivid contrast to the tissue flowers that dot the tables.

• A variety of recycled glass whiskey bottles make the perfect vase for long-stemmed tissue flowers.

• Finally, a venue with bright murals creates a striking backdrop for yellow and white tablecloths that serve as the centerpiece foundation.

Crab Their Attention

Where did we stash those beach towels, and has anyone seen the sun hats? We’ve never been so excited to purchase a tube of sunscreen. While vacation may be weeks away, it’s a welcome change to think of traveling, gathering, and staying someplace other than home. We are ready to set sail, and gifts that encourage a free spirit are riding a wave of popularity.

How do you inspire guests, colleagues, and clients to feel the wind at their back, share the excitement of exploring new destinations, or celebrate the thrill of charting a different course? To create the right gift, there’s more than one way to crab their attention. For those who find joy on the shorelines and calm with every lap of the waves, we can relate. There’s no need to go overboard in design; a simple reminder of the leisurely pace of the shorelines will do.

If the water’s edge is a favorite place to relax, anchor your gifts with a nautical flair. Choose colorful cups, handwoven towels in blue, or a vivid blend of red and white. Include the scent of an ocean breeze or the calm of a Sunday sunrise over the surf. Add a seashell or colorful trinket (we found these anchors at a little shop on the Eastern Shore) as a fun accent. For those who enjoy the Chesapeake, the taste of Old Bay seasoning in Mouth Party’s Chesapeake caramels is always a big hit. The unique flavor brings sweetness with a hint of spice in each bite. For a personal touch, tuck in your favorite crab dip recipe, or put crab cakes on the menu with a recipe printed on a kitchen towel. To finish, bright ribbons of yellow and white or regal blue complete the wrapping.

As you look ahead to welcoming summer guests, hosting team outings, and sending client thank you gifts, a nod to beloved destinations can make a big splash.

Bar Carts and Serving Trays Get the Party Rolling

While the pollen may have us sweeping our decks and walkways, it’s the seasonal nudge that signals warm weather ahead. We’ve been greeting family, and hosting outdoors for some time, now that the weather is on our side. It’s time to dust off the summer barware, unpack the colorful chair pillows, and get set for summer. Bring the merriment and music, treat yourself, and serve your guests in this new season of patio parties.

Set the scene with serving trays - An easy way to upgrade the party presentation and enhance your theme is with serving trays that create the look of a collection and pull your elements together. Trays can be used for glassware, beverages, or dessert toppings, as an example. With a myriad of tin, wood, ceramic, and pewter options, they’re functional and part of the decor. A festive design on a metal tray is a fun pairing with cold beer, chips, and salsa. A silver tray may be fitting for formal evenings and a pour of bourbon. Perhaps a white ceramic tray is a choice for sparkling water, lemonade, or a glass of champagne served with chocolates and fresh fruit.

Keep the party rolling – We’ve seen some unique ideas for bar carts, including two wooden boxes stacked on top of each other with a cutting board on top. To spice up your version of a bar cart, look for colorful barware and textured bowls that complement the occasion—blend glassware with ceramic tumblers and unique bowls in a variety of shapes and sizes. Include a beverage selection from the local distillery and quality tonics for mixing. Finish with whimsical napkins, paper or reusable straws, handwoven towels, and colorful coasters. Be sure to leave room for a bloom of color.

Accents for the appetizers – Minimize the need for silverware and use cocktail picks in bamboo or forged metal to keep it simple and stylish. A small wooden vessel or mini artisan cup holder offers easy access to the mozzarella, shrimp, or meatballs (and is a welcome upgrade from a plastic cup holder). Remember picks for your olives and the beverage garnish. A decorative dish is a stylish spot for the garnish too.

Move to the music – Background music makes a big difference in setting the mood. One handy option is a small, portable Bluetooth speaker like the Bose Soundlink micro-speaker. It’s waterproof and has a flexible strap that stretches across the back to accommodate the variety of places to attach your tunes – a railing, your bar cart, or the inside beam of a beach umbrella, to name just a few.

It’s been a long wait, and we’re optimistic that the time has arrived for us to step out, relax and enjoy entertaining. We intend to keep our gatherings easy, colorful, and merry, with plenty of music to boot, and we encourage you to consider the same.

Entertain in Your Outdoor Oasis

We’ve learned to appreciate ‘quietude,’ it’s a silver lining that many of us have come to cherish. While spring's arrival offers more sunshine and warm weather, it also stirs anticipation for the chance to mix and mingle. How we create a living area to accommodate both is on our minds. The quest for flexible space to entertain and serve as a relaxing escape is on the rise. The answer may lie just beyond our patio doors as we expand our living space into the gardens. It’s the best of both worlds.

The Sounds of Solitude
The crunch of a gravel path under our feet conveys the message that we’re headed to a more peaceful place. A comfy chair and a colorful blanket placed along a path, near the flower gardens, a fountain, or by the water’s edge creates a full sensory experience that celebrates nature's sights and sounds.

Soften the Edges
Soften the edges of the steps, fence, or railing with the appeal of blooms and greenery. Arrange wildlife-friendly plants like lavender around your space to attract the bees and butterflies.

The Front Yard is for More Than the Welcome Mat
What was once the purview of the backyard has now extended out the front door. A wild garden with a mix of perennials and organic grasses draws visitors in and invites them to savor the experience.

Texture and Touch
Rustic flower pots, metal containers, wood stands, and ceramic tableware blend together to add depth and texture to your surroundings.

Garden Bar
Think outside the bar with how and where you make room for your refreshments. Everything from old sheds, rolling carts, and potting benches are being repurposed for a unique happy hour adventure.

Mood Lighting
The addition of tiki torches, lanterns, and twinkle lights heighten the mood of a festive gathering and brighten any occasion.

The Scoop on Gifts for Mixing and Making

Our cozy kitchen with its enticing smells and frosted mugs is the setting for passionate topics at the dinner table and big news over breakfast. No wonder it’s the central hub for households. (It’s where my husband proposed, so I’m no stranger to tears of joy by the refrigerator!) Gifts for mixing, making, and munching are the backdrop for sharing stories. Whether it’s for the head chef or the snack specialist, keep it simple and pick a pairing they’ll be nuts about.

As you weigh the options of what to give to friends, family, or clients, look for clues on the pace and pattern of their lives. Are they early risers who enjoy slow and steady? Or do they have kids and commitments so quick and easy rule the day? Do they prefer bright and cheerful or natural and calm? Simple and clean or elegant and elaborate? (A quick look at their kitchen or desk accessories may offer some tips.) Keep these hints in mind to create thoughtful combinations:

• The kitchen scoop is a welcome companion for breaks and the morning brew. Pair it with a specialty bag of the daily grind to perk up someone’s day. If you’re passing a gift to a sports nut, add a wooden scoop to a bag of roasted cashews to get your best fan cheering. Is natural the way to nurture the relationship? Invite zen as their day begins, give a ceramic scoop tied with ribbon, or twine to a batch of baked granola.

• Reusable bags hold their own in the kitchen and on the go. Natural materials are styled in neutral tones and vivid shades, made of cotton or linen to match any occasion. Bags make the picnic, party, or trip to the market merrier!

Imagine your gifts as part of the jokes and gestures shared between families and friends. The best choices blend fresh and fun while folding into traditions.

Enhance the Everyday

Look at all the talent blinking back at us in the mirror. We’re a one-stop-shop, a full-service operation for domestic fulfillment, business inspiration, designer trends, and family entertainment. It’s no wonder we’re embracing this concept of upgrading the everyday. We’re resetting expectations and spicing up the ordinary. Yes, we’ve decided to use the good stuff on ourselves - without calling it a splurge.

This idea of elevating essentials is what professionals are talking about across industries, from accessories to automobiles. It’s what we see on Zoom and social media as we forge a path into 2021. Words like personalized, authentic, handcrafted, and long-lasting are used to describe what we look for in our gifts and for ourselves. Experts like Jessica Richards of JMR Design suggest the “fantasy of everyday” has arrived. Luxury automakers claim to “make every drive thrilling.” I say bring it on. We’re dealing with difficult situations in unprecedented times (“FFT’s” as Brene Brown calls them on her recent podcast.). Whether the day is a shining success or a spectacular failure, we should acknowledge our effort.

So light that wonderful candle, take notes in your leather journal, sip drinks from a handcrafted tumbler. We’re tackling days that are a crazy mix of laundry, coffee, pets in our laps, podcasts, music playlists, checking in on Mom, online customer meetings, and digital events. Not to mention, kids all day. Holy smokes! Yes, we deserve to kick things up a notch and treat ourselves.

It’s up to us to spark some magic in our everyday moments. Pull out the colorful towels, rock the socks, and wear the beaded jewelry. Slide that leather jacket on for the Zoom call, and grab your most amazing hat. Allow your personal style to shine, even if it’s through the lens of a laptop camera. Now, where did I put my sparkly green pen…?