Hostess gifts!

Last weekend we had the pleasure of visiting friends on the East End of Long Island. It reminded me that I need to stock up on hostess gifts. Here's what I usually have in my stash:

First, I stock up on thank you notes. I need to make sure that I can at least be ready to say thank you!

I love to give monogrammed notecards - just the kind with a single letter on them. They are good for any occasion.

If I have time, I make granola or muffins, especially if we're visiting someone for an over night. Dessert is also a good idea. Long Island has loads of road-side stands & the summer pies cannot be beat.

This is what I brought (below) to our hosts last weekend - Granola! The recipe is from How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman. The jar is an old pickle jar that I saved. I cut a square of leftover fabric an 1 inch bigger on each side than the jar top. Sprayed the top with spray adhesive (do that outside with the wind blowing away from you!) and pressed the fabric onto the wet lit. The ribbon was the final touch!

Oh, and wine is always good...something light & summery. Last weekend we took a sparkling rose from Wolffer Estates, a great Long Island vineyard, to our friends house. Delish!

gift bag from my shop!

Most of the time I'm shopping for all of these things for myself, so I just pick up an extra to have on hand. Makes putting together something super easy! When I can't find what I want or need, I end up making it & as you can probably tell from the pictures I've used in this post, a K. Batty Design & Stationery product is usually born from that.

Thoughts? What do you like to bring to your hosts?

Better yet, as a host, what do you like for people to bring??

New Product Alert :: Custom Notepads

Custom notepads are now available on my Etsy shop! The Cavalcade was a great spring board for these. Lots of interest!

Here are the current options:

Listing 1: Monogram at the top.

Much like my traditional monogram notecards, this notepad features your choice of traditional monogram designs. Choose from 1 of 3 designs (see below!), pick your ink color & your notepad will be in your hands in 2-3 weeks (depending on the day you place your order). The top picture of this post is a great example of the final product. I love using it!

Listing 2: Personalization at the bottom.

This is the design I use at my house! The Personalized Notepad with your name! Choose from 6 designs, all of which will be centered on the bottom of the notepad. You could use your name, your address...your choice! Pick your ink color & wait with baited breath for your notepad to arrive.

Choose your color

I could do this in any color of the rainbow...and then some. But, to make things easier, I've made a chart of colors to choose from. Doing this for a wedding? If you have a PMS color you're trying to match, just send me the swatch number!

Either design makes a great gift & faster turnaround is always possible. Check out these & a few other notepad options in the Notepad section of my Etsy shop. Oh! And! Look for listings on the smaller sizes coming soon.

PS! Subscribers to my newsletter already knew about these! Sign up for product news, market locations & special subscriber discounts. I promise to make it worth subscribing.

Memorial Day! Put down the beer & write a letter

Did you know that Memorial Day is not just a day about drinking beer & grilling out? Shocking but true.

The day is to observe the contributions of our men AND women who died while in service to our country. Kind of a heavy occasion but important all the same. It's also a good time to remember the living service men & women of our country.

One way you can do that is by thanking them for their service. A Million Thanks.org is a non-profit that helps you show your appreciation by sending thank you notes to service men & women all over the world.

Check out their website for more info on getting involved!! I definitely am & will let you know how it goes.

A HUGE Thank You to our service men & women. Especially those who couldn't have hamburgers & hot dogs with their loved ones yesterday. We appreciate you!

Blame it on the dog

Nine times out of 10, this is the scene at my house when I'm blogging. Baby girl wants to snuggle in Mama's lap. I'll admit that it's difficult to type...or use the mouse...with one hand, but when she is so warm & snuggly, it's also hard to tell her no.

I'm not a total cream puff though. Five minutes of this & I force myself to put her on her bed. Which is right next to me on the floor...

Get Down, Get Down :: A Full on Trunk Show Wrap-up

What makes a good party? Friends? Check. Beverages? Check, check. Food? Got that too...

I had heard about trunk shows. Thought, that's a great idea! but never done anything more. With Mother's Day approaching I called a few of my seller friends - Roots in Rust, Be In The Moment & Ilara Design - & we hatched a plan. This would be a perfect time for a trunk show. I had the space, so a party was planned...

Melissa, enjoying her Blanc de Blanc & socializing. 

Great party! Lauren of Lola Falk who was with us at the Dekalb Market came to show her support.

Angel of Astrodub also came by for a glass of wine.

Be In the Moment jewelry on the left. Some of my cards + notepads on the right.

I have some very talented friends! Ilka's felt-applique onesies on the left. Zsuzsuanna's ABC block planters on the right. She has TONS of letters if you'd like to spell something specific!

Ilka has so many great pillow covers! They are linen with hand-cut & hand-sewn felt appliqués.

Sophia was a huge hit & also very well behaved. Good girl...

I love this photo of me & one of my BFs, Sara. So grateful for my friends who came! 

Here we are, the merry party-makers from left to right: Me, Ilka Werner of Ilara Design, Melissa Kelly of Be In the Moment & Zsuzsanna Barbu from Roots in Rust.

HUGE THANK YOU to:

Everyone that came. Yay!! Your support is greatly appreciated.

Eric Vitale of Eric Vitale Photography for taking a bazillion photos.

It was a nice small gathering with some sales, but we were all very happy with the way it turned out. We will definitely put together another trunk show later in the year. Thinking holidays...

Stay tuned here...and on Facebook & Twitter...for news on our next soiree!

Paper Porn :: Kentucky Derby Style

{Hand Engraved Stirrup Correspondance Card}

Hand engraved & worth every penny in class & sophistication. I {heart} Crane & Co.

I found this on their tumblr. Or purchase the cards on their website.

**  Paper Porn is a column about paper products & accessories that elevate your everyday life. Love stationery & paper products? Submit something for Paper Porn via email: Kbatty {at} ymail.com or twitter @kmbatty **

Paaaaaaart-ay!!

Last night's trunk show was loads of fun. My friend Eric of Eric Vitale Photography took tons of pics...not the one above. That was my quickie iPhone shot. He'll be sending me some quick takes in a week or so & I am anxious to share them. I'm sure they'll be as awesome as usual. I love this shot he took at the Columbus Citizen's Foundation's Scholarship Fundraiser last year. It was a casino night! 

Looks like fun! He also has a budding retail business on Etsy. He has a great eye for composure & color. 

After a quick final clean up this morning, I am finishing up last minute things for the Spring Handmade Cavalcade tomorrow. You're coming right?? Williamsburg, Brooklyn. 10am to 5pm @ The Space. Check out the map here for directions.

Onward & upward! Happy Friday!

Paper Porn :: Rifle Paper Co.

Rifle Paper Co seems to be everywhere these days. Looking at this awesome thank you postcard, it's easy to tell why.

**  Paper Porn is a column about paper products & accessories that elevate your everyday life. Love stationery & paper products? Submit something for Paper Porn via email: Kbatty {at} ymail.com or twitter @kmbatty **