Make Your Little Cottage Cozier at the Cozy Cottage

Tucked neatly in the first block of downtown Claremore is the cutest little home décor shop in the state. The Cozy Cottage, owned by Kathy Glover, has everything you'll ever need to make your home sparkle this holiday season.

Kathy stocks an eclectic mix of new and antique items (like these awesome vintage valises - that's a fancy word for "suitcase," ya'll), perfect for decorating or a fun DIY.

These really cute signs that light up with little bulbs hang on the wall or can be made part of a funky mantel display this fall.

A gold embossed coffee mug with a snarky saying is the perfect gift for the girlfriend in your life who always has a snappy comeback!

Kathy recently began carrying jewelry from Tulsa's own The Vintage Pearl. These statement necklaces make a wonderful stocking stuffer or thoughtful gift for the girl who has everything!

We're less than a week out from the 2016 Holiday Boutique. Get your tickets now!

Hours:

Friday, November 11, 2016, 12 noon to 7 p.m.

Saturday, November 12, 2016, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

VIP Brunch - Saturday, 9 to 11 a.m.

Claremore Convention Center (behind the Holiday Inn)

1400 W. Country Club Road

Claremore, OK

Tickets are $25 for VIP Brunch and $5 for General Admission.

Santa will be there, as well as food trucks and lots of vendors. This is a great place to get all of your Christmas shopping done. See you there!

Smell Like A Million Bucks - Get Jewelry, Too!

Returning vendor JewelScent offers one of those rare opportunities to give a gift within a gift. I was intrigued by Esther Watkins selection of items. Before I knew it, I was opening lids, sniffing candles, and buying soaps!

Tucked inside each candle, soap, and body scrub is a gorgeous ring - valued anywhere from $15 to $7,500. Yes, you read that right!

The body scrubs are delightfully scented and keep your skin soft and smooth.

Plus, digging down to the bottom and finding a gorgeous ring isn't a bad thing at all.

I took a candle to my annual Bunco Christmas Party and it was one of the most-stolen items of the night!

These items make wonderful gifts for a friend, a sister-in-law who is hard to buy for, or for a teacher. Whoever receives a JewelScent gift will love the candle or body scrub and will be pleasantly surprised to find a lovely piece of jewelry at the bottom!

To see all of the lovely items for sale at the 2016 Holiday Boutique, you'll need a ticket.

The boutique is a pop-up shop that is only open Friday, November 11, 2016 from 12 noon to 7 p.m. and Saturday, November 12, 2016 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Tickets are $5 for general admission and get you in the Holiday Boutique both days. There is a VIP Brunch on Saturday morning from 9 to 11 a.m. and tickets to that event are $25 each. Proceeds of the Holiday Boutique support the member agencies of the United Way of Rogers and Mayes Counties.

The Holiday Boutique will be held at the Holiday Inn Claremore Conference Center at 1400 W. Country Club Road in Claremore.

Please see any member agency for tickets, or call the UWRMC Office at (918) 343-1165.

Rhapsody Boutique and Spa Wants To Make You Beautiful!

You're already gorgeous, but why not be more so?

Rhapsody Boutique and Spa invites you to drag your tired, world-weary self in for a tune-up. Bad hair day? Get a Brazilian blow-out in their new full-service salon. No time for that? How about a fun newsboy cap?

Maybe a new fall outfit and scarf would perk you up. If so, Rhapsody's got a lovely selection of beautiful clothing at price points that won't break the bank.

Perhaps you just need a reminder of whom you belong to and how much you are loved. Rhapsody carries a line of cute t-shirts with Scripture and uplifting sayings screen-printed on the front. This one says, "Not Perfect. Just Forgiven."

Or, bless someone else with a cute insulated tumbler. Make the gift even more special by tucking in a gift certificate for a massage or manicure. Rhapsody is your one-stop-shop for thoughtful gift-giving.

You might just need a little sparkle on your finger to feel all better. This gorgeous Druzy ring is affordable and pretty. You will get lots of compliments with this stunner on your hand.

See the full line of clothing, jewelry, and services available at Rhapsody at the 2016 United Way of Rogers and Mayes County Holiday Boutique November 11-12, 2016 at the Claremore Conference Center, 1400 W. Country Club Road in Claremore.

Proprietress Carol Thibodeau hints that Rhapsody may be setting up a pampering station at the Holiday Boutique. Don't forget to stop by and do something nice for yourself during the holiday hustle and bustle.

Tickets for the Holiday Boutique are on sale now. $25 for the Saturday mimosa brunch and $5 for General Admission, which get you in both days of the show. For more information, call (918) 343-1165 or get tickets from any UWRMC agency.

Calling All Men! Something Just For You at the Holiday Boutique

Finally, gentlemen...something for you to peruse at the 2016 Holiday Boutique.

Hand-made duck calls, pens, desk sets, shave kits, garden tools, fire strikers and other useful items, hand-made by Gary Michael, proprietor of Slow Hand Manufacturing.

Ladies, for you, Gary makes these absolutely gorgeous purse hangers to keep your bag off the floor and out of dirt, grime, and germs.

These fun chalkboard wall signs would be great gifts for a special teacher in your child's life...or a terrific place to keep a chore chart for the little ones.

Gary also has a selection of fun winter décor, such as these wooden snowmen.

Much of Slow Hand Manufacturing's inventory is made of repurposed items, responsibly sourced wood and other natural materials. Each one-of-a-kind item is perfect for gift-giving and makes great stocking stuffers.

The Holiday Boutique is just a few weeks away! Start making your lists and checking them twice. It's almost time to shop for the naughty and nice on your Christmas list. Tickets to the Holiday Boutique are just $5 each for General Admission, $25 for the Mimosa Brunch Saturday morning. Santa will be stopping by for photographs and there will be food trucks everywhere on Saturday. Get your tickets now from any United Way of Rogers and Mayes County agency or from the UWRMC Office - (918) 343-1165.

The Burlap Closet Is A Little Bit Country, A Little Bit Rock-N-Roll...

If you grew up like I did, you watched your fair share of late-1970s variety shows, and Donny and Marie was always in the line-up. I spied those fringed, peep-toe high heel boots next to all of that distressed denim and whipped my microphone (hairbrush) out. That old classic got me thinking about another downtown Claremore classic, The Burlap Closet.

The Burlap Closet is a mainstay of downtown Claremore's most fashionable boutiques. They've also got a mobile boutique that they pull to shows. Check out this slick interior:

It's tres jolie.

You'd never guess it's a spiffed-up utility trailer!

Inside the mobile boutique, you'll find some of the latest styles, like this super-cute thermal sweater with shoulder cut-outs. A little sexy shoulder never hurt anybody.

And, I love this nod to the Friday Night Lights Crowd.

Football moms - whose cars smell like a gym, queens of the empty refrigerator, sore lungs, and full hearts - UNITE!

You can find the proprietress of The Burlap Closet, Katrina Pope, and her stylish friends at the 2016 Holiday Boutique Friday, November 11th and Saturday, November 12th at the Claremore Convention Center behind the Holiday Inn, 1400 W. Country Club.

This wonderful event is a fundraiser for United Way and a great way to kick off the holiday shopping season. You won't want to miss it! For more information about tickets, please call (918) 343-1165.

Fun Statement Art Graces The Halls of the 2016 Holiday Boutique

What happens when an artist combines acrylic paint and magazine scraps to create a truly beautiful and creative piece of one-of-a-kind artwork?

The answer is something amazing like this beautiful American bald eagle created by Claremore's own Kate Northcutt.

Kate is new to the 2016 United Way Holiday Boutique. Her entry into the show affords those shoppers who are on the lookout for something special and unique a wonderful place to browse and shop. This collage of Quanah Parker is modern and classic at the same time and would be a perfect addition to an American Indian art collection. Kate also has collages of Geronimo and Sequoyah.

Kate is a gifted artist who makes her living as a graphic artist for Rogers State University. The collection featured here represents her hobby. The dedicated Claremore Zebra fan would love this one-of-a-kind beauty.

Come see Kate at the 2016 Holiday Boutique Friday, November 11 from noon to 7 p.m. and Saturday, November 12, 2016 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Claremore Convention Center, 1400 W. Country Club Road, in Claremore.

Tickets to the event are just $5 for general admission and may be purchased from any United Way agency. On Saturday, attendees can enjoy various food trucks and also a visit from St. Nick.

For more information, call the United Way of Rogers and Mayes County at (918) 343-1165.

I'm Feeling Knotty - Christmas Is Just 91 Days Away!

I'm back...and feeling a little...KNOTTY! Get it? Knotty?

Because I'm talking about cute knitted items.

C'mon. I KNOW you've missed me.

It's time - once again - for the United Way of Rogers and Mayes County Holiday Boutique.

One of the first vendors to sign up is Knits N' Purls by Stephanie, a very popular booth returning from the 2015 boutique.

Proprietress Stephanie Kirkland personally knits all of the items she sells, like these super-cute fingerless gloves, perfect for the tech savvy fashionista in your life! 

And this lovely infinity scarf with its super-chunky cable and deep merlot color. This beauty will get you through the crisp days of fall and the holiday season. 

Or this pretty and practical poncho, which goes with everything and is particularly perfect for fall days that start out cool and end up warm. In fact, I have this exact poncho and I love it.

Mark your calendars now: the UWRMC 2016 Holiday Boutique is November 11-12, 2016 at a NEW LOCATION...the Claremore Conference Center behind the Holiday Inn Express at 1400 W. Country Club Road.

Come out and see Knits N' Purls by Stephanie and stock up on all of your holiday gifts and stocking stuffers.