December 2009

Every year my girlfriends and I get together for a holiday cookie swap a few weeks before Christmas.  We all love how the swap gives us an excuse to get together – plus we’re guaranteed to leave with several tins filled to the brim of different treats to munch throughout the holidays. But this year everyone is just too busy to bake in time for our usual party date. So for this go-round, I had a great idea – swapping festive jars of holiday cookie mixes and recipes instead of the baked-up goodies!  While we won’t get the variety of years past, we will still get to try out few new recipes, and I can bake them when my schedule quiets down.

I put together the cute mix jars in the photo a few days ago. The cookie cutters and holiday ribbon are from my local craft store. I designed the recipe cards using a common word processing software, and printed them out on card stock at FedEx Office. ...read more

I hear the term “personal branding” a lot these days – it seems that it’s become one of those dreaded corporate buzzwords.  But it’s actually very important to establishing a business and forging relationships.

Presentation is one of the most important elements of personal branding. Start by determining what you want to represent to others and then live that brand in everything you do and say. The good news is that online resources are making it easier than ever to market yourself or your small business in the same way corporations have been marketing themselves for years.

Here are some tips to creating and maintaining your personal brand: ...read more

Throwing a holiday party this year? Well I wish I had the time, as I love hosting parties with a personal touch. One idea I’ve loved since I first saw it comes from my friend Robyn. I was at her wedding in Seattle earlier this year, where she had the place cards in the photo above. I loved how elegant the dark metallic frames were, coupled with the detailed scrollwork around the names. I wanted to share with you all in case Robyn’s creativity sparks some ideas for your upcoming events!

If you want to make them or something similar, here are some pointers. You can pick up the frames (2”x3”) at a local party store. The name cards can be easily designed using word processing software and free clip art, and printed out on standard card stock. And if you wanted to carry this design across other event stationery – like invitations, menu cards, buffet cards, hostess gifts, and more – it’s as simple as using the matching graphic, font and color scheme in all the materials. ...read more