series continued hostess with the mostess

Okay, time for another hostess gift category as part of my Hostess with the Mostest mini-series. This week it's all about beeswax! Candles, that is.

I like to give pretty jarred candles or a bundle of tapers. They can be pretty pricey so every time I find a sale, I like to get one for me to use and one to give.  One of my favorite brands of candles is Archipelago and One Kings Lane often has them for a discounted price. In fact, they are featured TODAY! If you are a member, check them out. If you aren't, please feel free to accept my invitation to join.

 Archipelago candles are really pretty and come in great packaging. Their classic soy candles are the best and they come in SO many yummy scents.

Some other favorites of mine include Votivo:

And Illume:

And most recently, I've discovered Illume's line at Target called bella. For everyday use, I like Capri Olive & Lemonwood and Mandarin Woods. But they also have a wonderful holiday scent called Winter Berry.

Cut the Cheese!

One week closer to the end of 2010 and the beginning of 2011! This time of the year is filled with parties and get-togethers - plenty of occasions that call for a little "thank you for having us" hostess gift. Last week I started a little mini-series on great hostess gift ideas. Each week I'm featuring a different category of hostess gifts that I keep on hand for any last-minute needs. Last week was all about VINO. This week, perhaps you'd like some cheese to go with that whine..I mean wine :)

Let's face it, as many times as wine is given as a *go-to* hostess gift, cheese is offered by said hostess as a *go-to* party hors d'oeuvre. Whether it's a cheese tray straight from the grocery store or a gourmet selection of aged fancy cheeses accompanied by fruits and nuts, there is usually cheese to be found. No, I don't actually keep CHEESE on-hand (well I do but it's for eating, not for gifting). But I do keep cheese accessories! If you are giving one of these items as a gift and you have time, go to your local cheese counter and pick something up to go with it!

My favorite cheese markers are these from Pottery Barn. My little cousins gave them to me at my bridal shower - they are dishwasher safe and even come with a pen!

I also like these cheese markers from Crate & Barrel. They are inexpensive, they go with everything, and you can write on them to label whatever cheese you like. These are dishwasher safe too like the PB ones- you can't beat that!

Is that made with cow, goat or sheep's milk? These animal markers need no explination. Available on Etsy from Pepper Sprouts.

Also available on Etsy are cheese markers made from vintage silver flatware.

There are several sellers who carry these in all sorts of cheese varieties. I'm sure you could even request a special kind if you don't see what you like! Try Wooden Hive.

And get a load of these BEAUTIFUL (and Eco-Friendly) handcrafted cutting boards! Made by David Wolfgram of EcoHardwoods.

These Slate Cheese Boards are another great option instead of a wooden cutting board. The Cheese Knives pictured here are my favorite. I have these exact ones from Crate & Barrel.

[SIDE NOTE: I am superstitious like woah so I don't give knives (or scissors) as gifts if I can help it. I was raised to believe that giving knives (or scissors) as gifts symbolically *cuts* the relationship with the person you give them to (or receive them from). The good news is you can counteract the bad ju-ju! Just PAY the person who gives them to you (or get paid if you are giving the gift). A single penny will suffice, it need not be full price or a large sum, but the act of paying for the gift means it wasn't a gift and the relationship is safe.]

I'm planning to do a little Christmas shopping after work and before I get back to my ottomans. You can bet I'll have my eye out for hostess gifts too. Hopefully I can behave myself and not do any personal shopping while I'm out!! Okay, maybe a few new holiday decorations won't hurt!

Ciao!