Don't Get Your Tinsel (and Tulle) in a Tangle!

Adorning a door with a lovely wreath of freshly picked posies, gorgeous evergreen and berries, or trendy burlap has long been a tradition in homes where guests are warmly welcomed. New to the 2013 Holiday Boutique is a purveyor of all kinds of wreathy goodness, Tinsel and Tulle. 

Tinsel and Tulle specializes in all kinds of wreaths and door decor, using such trendy and unusual media as grapevine, ribbon, burlap, felt, fabric, and other adornments. What is created is something unique and one-of-a-kind, which will have visitors to your doorstep asking, "Where did you get that?"

Who wouldn't want to welcome spring with this gorgeous mix of multi-colored hydrangeas, burlap, and the trend-current letter in yellow chevron? These are the custom looks you will find only at Tinsel and Tulle.

Tinsel and Tulle also has a lovely assortment of other items, including felt flower adorned napkin rings, perfect for a baby shower buffet; bulletin boards like this one to hang notes (or jewelry!) on; and lovely picture frames.

You won't want to miss their booth at the Holiday Boutique. You're sure to find something for a friend (or yourself)!

Need a ticket? Call the United Way Office at (918) 343-1165. Tickets are just $5 for General Admission. Hurry and get yours now before they're all gone!

The Flower Shop in Pryor...Offering So Much More Than Flowers

When I think about Christmas, my mind immediately turns to florals - bright red poinsettias, glorious pink Christmas cactus, heavenly scented paperwhites, and the fresh smell of evergreen wreaths and boughs. And you can find all of this and more at virtually any florist in the area.

But stepping into The Flower Shop in Pryor is an altogether different experience. Do you have a sweet little girl in your life who needs a little diva Christmas outfit? Look what we found in the store...

Or perhaps you have a devoted Sooner fan in your life whose door needs a little football inspiration in the form of a hand-crafted burlap wreath:

Maybe you'd like some vintage-looking Mason jars to arrange holiday flowers in...or to contain forks, spoons, and knives for your holiday buffet...or to corral crayons, markers, and other art supplies for busy little hands trapped indoors this winter...

We just can't wait to see all the lovely goodies the talented staff of The Flower Shop plans to bring to their booth at the Holiday Boutique November 14-16, 2013 at the RSU Centennial Center.

Haven't gotten your tickets yet?? Call (918) 343-1165 or (918) 637-4129 to purchase now!

Feather Your Nest (And Your Closet!) At Nesting Necessities

An explosion of new retail businesses have roosted in downtown Claremore recently and at the top of the list is Nesting Necessities, owned by Susan Todd and Cari Bohannan.

There is much to love about the store. It's chock-full of unique and beautiful clothing, home accessories, boots, scarves, cute jewelry, pillows, and so many more things well-dressed ladies give a "hoot" about.

Take for example this darling gray geometric print tunic. Not only is the cut current and the print fashion-forward, but the price is right. Nesting Necessities offers their clothing at a price point that won't break your budget and that's something to "crow" about.

Nesting Necessities carries a line of beautiful cowboy boots perfect for sprucing up any outfit. And who wouldn't love to have a pair of cute kicks like these in her closet?

If you're looking for the perfect gift for your "bestie," why not give her one of these precious signs with sentiments we couldn't agree with more. Friends are, indeed, God's way of apologizing for your relatives. You can pick your friends...but your relatives? Not so much.

You won't want to miss the Nesting Necessities booth at the Holiday Boutique. So many cute gift ideas to be found here, shoppers!

Do you have your ticket for Thursday night's VIP event? Hurry! We're just about to sell out. Call Angela Henderson at (918) 637-4129 to get yours now.

Do You Need Rehab?

Have you been in a fashion rut? Do you look in your closet and see clothing only in the color black? Do you keep buying the same kind of jeans over and over? Do you have a favorite pair of shoes you wear every day? Do you have scarves, necklaces, and other accessories but just don't know what to do with them?

Then it's time for rehab.

Image Rehab is a cute little boutique tucked away in the corner of a salon in Catoosa. Proprietress Linda Lewis has a great eye for fashion and she knows what looks good on her clientele and what doesn't.

Freshening up your wardrobe at Image Rehab is easy...and not terribly expensive. Linda keeps lots of fashion-forward clothing and accessories in stock and she keeps her pricing reasonable, so it won't cost a fortune to rehab your closet.

Linda also carries these darling handmade purses, sewn by a local seamstress. They look like Vera Bradley bags, but without the sticker shock!

You don't have to wait for rehab either, because Image Rehab will be at the 2013 Rogers County United Way November 14-16 at the Rogers State University Centennial Center. Her boutique will be open from 5 to 9 p.m. Thursday, November 14 for the VIP Shopping Event (Tickets are $25) and will also be open Friday, November 15th from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday, November 16th from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. (General Admission tickets are $5).

For more information or for tickets, please call (918) 343-1165.

Santa: Caught Shopping At J&J

Word has it that the North Pole is slowly humming into action. Little elf hands, well-rested after a long break, are getting orders for toys for all of the world's good little boys and girls.

I recently caught up with Santa at J&J Pharmacy, which has had a booth at the Holiday Boutique since the show's inception five years ago. The jolly old elf was holding court in the middle of the store, surrounded by reindeer and snowmen who seemed appreciative of the recent cold front that had moved through our area. Here's how the conversation went:

HOLIDAY BOUTIQUE BLOGGER: Why, hello, Santa! It's so good to see you again!

SANTA: Ho, ho, ho! I'm glad to see you, too! Have you been good this year?

HB BLOGGER: I've been too busy to be bad!

SANTA: Ho, ho, ho! Yes, I see that you're on the "Nice" list this year.

HB BLOGGER: So, Santa, what brings you to J&J Pharmacy?

SANTA: Well, I'm looking for a few items for Mrs. Claus. You know, she's prone to peek, so I can't very well leave the shopping to the elves. They'd tell her for sure!

HB BLOGGER: There are lots of really wonderful things at J&J. I'll bet she'd love some of this beautiful jewelry, a snuggly warm scarf, a Tyler candle, or a lovely "Gathering of Friends" cookbook.

SANTA: I'm having a hard time deciding, but I thought I'd start out with these cute cocktail napkins. Mrs. Claus does know how to throw a party!

HB BLOGGER: (laughing out loud) Rudolph won't think that's funny at all!

SANTA: He can be a little sensitive sometimes. Perhaps these will make him run faster...I can use all the speed he can muster!

HB BLOGGER: Did you see these adorable Slap watches? I saw them on the Ellen Degeneres Show, and I think Mrs. Claus would look really spiffy with one of these slapped onto her wrist!

SANTA: She'd definitely like one of those, especially the one with the bling around the face! Ho, ho, ho!

HB BLOGGER: Santa, it's been so much fun chatting with you, but I've got to run. I'm so very busy putting the finishing touches on the Holiday Boutique.

SANTA: Have a wonderful time, my dear, and I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy Ho, Ho, Ho Holiday Boutique!

Don't miss a chance to shop for goodies at the J&J Pharmacy booth at the 2013 Holiday Boutique November 14, 15, and 16! Tickets are on sale now - $25 for Thursday's VIP Shopping Event and $5 for General Admission tickets. Please contact the Rogers County United Way at (918) 343-1165 or any United Way Agency for tickets. See you there!

Feast Your Eyes on This...

Ladies, I hope you've got your pocketbook, your cash, your checks, your credit cards, WHATEVER!, and you're ready to shop. In just two days, the door will open on the best Holiday Boutique yet. We're full to the brim with vendors, ready to bring you the very best they have to offer.

This blog posting will be a hodge-podge of delights, because frankly I am running out of time. The doors open in just 51 hours!

Tiny Cakes and Truffles, a lovely little bakery in Claremore and Owasso will be bringing their sweets and decadent goodies like these princess crown cookies. Don't those look mouthwateringly tasty? Nobody can resist a sweet treat for Thanksgiving or Christmas.

Our favorite Chrome Cowgirl, Melissa Kanten, will be back with her blinged-out gorgeous stuff. Melissa always has cute boots, jeans, jewelry, and t-shirts. Last year, she had these darling t-shirts that said, "Define Good," with an obviously spoiled woman depicted on the front of the shirt. I just had to have it! Wore it several times throughout the Holiday Season. It might even make a comeback at this year's Holiday Boutique...you just never know! Melissa, we can't wait to see what else you've got, girl!

New to the boutique this year is KynLeigh's Designs, an embroidery boutique out of Inola that has absolutely  darling baby layette items, such as embroidered onesies, burp cloths, and blankets. I just love this Sooner-inspired onesie with the matching hair bow. Some little OU cutie will be all dolled up in that one! Don't worry, Cowboy fans, KynLeigh's has OSU stuff, too!

The ever-popular Designer's Choice will also be back this year with cute purses, wallets, sunglasses, and other items for the trendy fashionista. You won't want to miss this booth...there's always something cute and must-have for sale.

Last, but certainly not least, is CS Jewelry Design, a new vendor that will be bringing vintage jewelry designs for the discriminating jewelry shopper. The Holiday Boutique has always had lots of jewelry (and this year will be no exception!), but I don't think we've ever had anything quite like this. You're going to love CS Jewelry Design, guaranteed!

There are just a few tickets left for Thursday night. Call now if you want one - (918) 637-4129! They're going fast...Otherwise, you can get a General Admission ticket at the door Friday morning at 10 a.m. That's when the Holiday Boutique officially opens for business at the RSU Centennial Center. We can't wait to see you!

Two Of My Favorite Things...

The mere sight of this purse had me scanning my closet wondering what I had that was purple, or a complementary shade. I love it. I've not seen anything this gorgeous in a while.

Join me in welcoming Grace Adele and Velata to the 2012 Holiday Boutique. Both of these companies, affiliated with the company that first brought us Scentsy, will be represented in two separate booths at the boutique. Grace Adele is the purveyor of this gorgeous purple purse.

And I know quite a few Claremore ladies who would love this zebra-stripe inspired tote.

Or this lovely red leather satchel...

And, oh my goodness. My inner leopard is leaping around thinking about this lovely animal-print confection.

Next, to Velata. I was wondering one day, while melting wax into my Scentsy pot how long it would take someone to figure out a way to put fondue in one of these amazing pots. Alas, it very clearly states that it is not suitable for food use.

Someone at the company was picking up on my vibes, though, because now we have Velata, Scentsy's answer to the chocolate fondue pot:

And into this lovely little pot, you put this delectable confection...this one is called caramel milk premium Belgian chocolate...

It is, of course, the Food of the Gods. Speaking of Food of the Gods, have I mentioned how much I love dark chocolate? Particularly premium Belgian dark chocolate? Where are the strawberries when I need them??

Velata knows how to speak my language...this is one of their starter kits. I just might have to have this for Christmas.

Purses and chocolate, just two of my favorite things! Oh, how I am looking forward to the Rogers County United Way Holiday Boutique!!!