This is the post for all those smaller gifts you need to purchase and sometimes spend way too much time thinking over.  All these recipients are just happy to be thought of.  They know you love them so don’t stress.  Here are our stress free gifts:

Hostess Gifts:

There are so many times you need to reach and grab something to give during the month of Dec.  Stock up and be prepared.  Don’t worry about individualizing these gifts!

1) Buy a case of your favorite red or white in a comfortable price range.  You’ll get a case discount and have 12 bottles ready to give.  Tie on a bow and go.  I know it’s not particularly interesting, but it’s always appreciated and always used.  Just buy the case upfront so you’re not scrambling last minute.  Elizabeth’s favorite bottle of red wine is Plungerhead Zin at about $15 a bottle with a 98 Robert Parker rating!  Liza’s favorite $10.99 bottle of white wine is: Raimat Vina 24 from the coast of Spain, with a 90 Robert Parker Rating.  Liza thought she didn’t like white wine, but this one has convinced her otherwise.  See comments below for great deals at The Wine Chap.

Plungerhead Zinfandel 2007

Raimat Vina 24 2008

2)The long sturdy match sticks are my favorite.  They are cheapest at Manor and a la Maison at just $3.50 per box.  Take two and wrap some fake berry garland around it, slip your calling card on top and voila! Don’t be fooled by the picture, this box is just over 4 inches long x 2 inches wide.  Who knew luxury could come in the form of a match?

3)Handmade snowman ornament by StyleBlueprint favorite Jason Parker Counce; available at Digs $14 and $24.

4)Specialty salts: a la Maison, Ashblue, Whole Foods.  A friend gave me some Vignalta salt, from Italy, earlier this year as a Hostess gift and I think of her with fondess whenever I use it, which is about everyday!  For the Vignalta salt, click here.

5)Granola Barks. At just $4.99, the dog lover host will be so appreciative that you thought of their four legged family member(s).  Plus, this won’t add an ounce of fat to a friends thighs…and they are a healthy treat for dogs made by local company Two Good Dogs.  We love local.  Available at Fido, The Green Wagon and Caldwell Collection.  See comments below for how to order a sample FOR FREE.

Girlfriends Top 5:

1) DVD- The Philadelphia Story.  How long has it been since you have seen Philadelphia Story?  It’s just about the best movie ever made….and it’s great to watch with girlfriends.

2) Blackberry Farm Cookbook: I can’t figure out if the pictures are the best part or the recipes.  I guess that’s just like Blackberry Farm: is the food the best part or the warmth that envelopes you while there?  Available at Davis Kidd $60.

3)Lip gloss- if you hadn’t noticed, almost all of us LOVE lip gloss and are hugely happy anytime someone gives us some.  Trish Mcevoy, Bobbi Brown, Laura Mercier and Lip Fusion are my favorites, but there are tons of great ones out there.  You can hit Sephora at The Mall at Green Hills or at the new Kiosk at the Galleria.  Also, hit local stores Woo Skincare & Cosmetics, Private Edition, or The Cosmetic Market.

4) Be Green Not Mean Bag: With the theory that you can never have too many bags, this one is particularly great.  Available at Caldwell Collection $28

5)Your favorite book. What was your favorite book you read this past year?  Liza’s was Love Walked In by Maria De Los Santos.  Elizabeth’s was  The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shafer and Annie Barrows (don’t let the title scare you off; it’s an amazing book)  Who doesn’t love to read a good book with a nice inscription from a dear friend?

Teachers:

We completely endorse gift certificates for teachers.  We polled many; all came back practically the same.  Here are our top 5.

• Starbucks
• tickets for two to the movies
• Cheekwood pass for the year
• pedicure
• The Parent-Teacher Store

I’m not a gruesome Halloween girl.  All the graveyards and skeletons kind of freak me out…just a bit.  I’m partial to decorating my house for Fall and then throwing in some Halloween touches (like cute cats, black pumpkins and white ghosts) a couple weeks out.  Well, a couple weeks out is this Saturday and I’ve scouted out some fun stuff for your house, all available locally from locally owned stores.  So, stock up on pumpkins and mums, grab some bittersweet vine, orange mums and roses, and perhaps some white cabbages from Import Flowers (see pictures at end) and then add some Halloween Decor.  When Halloween is over,  you can take your ghosts and cats away and still be left with some seasonal decor.  Be sure to see the end of this post for a fun party on Thursday, Oct 15th!

First off, these fun crows and eggs from Fabu. The eggs are $7 each and the crows are $12.  I know the pictures are terrible; they are from my iphone…..but you’ll get a good idea!

Next, check out this cute Halloween Village at The Beveled Edge. That’s my 8 year old daughter staring in amazement.

The Beveled Edge also featured all this skeleton stuff which wasn’t overly creepy to me, just fun!

Caldwell Collection has these magnificent witches, and many more, for sale. There is even a HUGE one (maybe 3 feet big?) that you could buy and just bring out each October for the next few decades!  She is fabulous.  Witches start at $95 and the huge one is just over $300.  Drop by Caldwell Collection, on Bandywood, to see them!

a la maison has lots of Halloween decor as I pointed out last week. My favorite are these pillows, black on one side and white on the other, handmade in Nashville and just $25-$30 each!  These old style jars are filled with fun witches brew ingredients for $17.95.  I hear they have some more in a similar style, made by the same person, for $25 that have candle wax dripping and more fun ingredients!  I love these….

Speaking of a la Maison, Jason Parker Counce’s handmade witches and other creations continue to be available for purchase there as well as at his booth at Gas Lamp Antiques next to the 100 Oaks Staples. His booth is at the far back of the showroom. Check out these pictures from his booth:

Custom Embroidery has some cute Halloween things as well.  They always have fun seasonal items.  They were closed when I went by, so here are some pictures from the outside looking in:

Import Flowers has some beautiful Bittersweet that they just got in on Wednesday (it’s yellow in the picture b/c it takes about 24 hours for the yellow “shell” to fall away after taking it out of the box).  I was there as they opened the box! Check out the box of bittersweet ($18 a HUGE bunch).  I love the cabbages as they last FOREVER (I got them one Thanksgiving and I still had them out at Christmas!  They will start smelling like cabbage after a few weeks though….)

*As a final little decorating touch, Lou Ferrel’s (owner Import Flowers) wife is having a “garage sale” from the trailer behind Import this Saturday.  Worth checking out if you are over there!

AND- Remember that EdgeHill Village is hosting a Halloween Block Party Thursday night, Oct 15th from 5-8!  Nest Interiors, located there, will also be hosting a Ransom+Scout handbag trunk show from 2-8.  20% off all Ransom + Scout purchases!  Feel free to go in costume:-0!  Yes, I know I put the “0″ not the “)” as in “ooohhhh, if you dare!”  Featured Band: The Young Republic.

I walked into a la maison this past Thursday to scout out two things: a birthday present for a friend’s birthday and to see if there were any Halloween decorations I could feature for an upcoming blog.  I scored big on both fronts.  Not only were the Halloween decorations splendid, decorator Jason Parker Counce was in the shop creating beautiful displays with his Nashville-handmade “Folk-Art” creations for two events happening THIS WEEK at a la Maison: Theatre Mystique Open House on Thursday, Oct 8th from 6-8 and again on Saturday Oct 10th from 10-6.

I was so impressed with Jason’s creations. The work and pride that goes into each piece is evident.  And, I know you won’t believe this, his prices start at just $35. Using antique and vintage elements to give that well loved look, Jason signs and dates every piece. Most items are One-of-a-Kind, where others are made in Very-Limited-Numbers. This protects the collectors of Jason’s work, and also ensures that each season offers new treasures!

Look at the picture of the cat coming out of the white pumpkin. It’s about 12 inches high. The pumpkin was made from an heirloom wool blanket and the cat was made from a 1920’s black Mohair coat, with vintage crepe paper trim, ribbons and an old bell necklace… and it is only $55! That prices rivals mass produced decor from China and it is one that, with care, can be saved for a future generation.

Check out this sweet white cat made from vintage fabric. Even Jason's handwritten tag underscores how special each piece is. I also like how the cat is white and thus will pop against some traditional black Halloween objects.

Check out this cat-doll below. Isn’t she stunning?  More stunning is the work and detail: “Themed The “Good Witch”, She has a Vintage Halloween Fabric Dress Trimmed In Old Ribbons and Trim, Holds a Black Cauldron on One Side…and a Vintage Nut Cup Purse on the other, With a German Die-Cut Witch Face on it circa 1900’s. She Also Has a Black Felt Witch Hat Adorned with Old Millinary Flowers and a Cotton Witch Head Pick from 1940’s, German Spiderweb Die-Cut and an Old Spider Ring!” -$175.

Jason is one of those guys that you can just tell would make your house look it’s absolute best for any holiday or party you are having.  He’s been featured in Country Living, Southern Living, Traditional Homes, Country Home and Nashville Lifestyles.  And, he’s super nice, always a plus! www.jasonparkercouncedesigns.com.  Here are some pictures from his French Dolls Collection, made exclusively for a la Maison.

The Large French Witch (in the window) Has a 1940's Toile' Dress with a Black Felt Hat Adorned with Old Flowers and Net. Holding Her Key in one Hand and an Antique Copper Lusterware Cream Pitcher in the Other. Her hat is removable.

Jason's explanation on this French Doll Collection: (the ones pictured here are the smaller ones) "Each One Starts Off With a Vintage China Head. Then, I Create the Body on a wooden Base, Then Start Constructing the Elaborate Dresses...Using 1800's to 1940's Fabrics. I Make the Final Touches By Hand Sewing on Trims, Bows, Ribbons, Even Old Millinery Flowers. Ending Up With Some Antique Piece to Finish...My Signature This Season is an Old "Key"...Catch Phrase, The Key To Their Heart!

a la Maison has lots of other Halloween decor and I’ve picked out a few pieces to show you in the following photographs. Most everything you see is under $30 and much of it is individually made by Southern artists.

Be sure to stop by Thursday night, Oct 8th from 6-8 to experience eerie decor and ghoulish delights!  If Saturdays are just easier, another Open House is planned from 10-6 on Oct 10th.

a la Maison is located next to the Cane-ary and across from Douglas Corner and Karmel Skillington, on 8th Ave South. It’s still easy to miss- look at the windows for signage, not up on the bricks.  Parking: either in front of the store, or just past that grouping of stores, heading towards town, on your right. Absolutely worth the trip.  We have some future posts planned for more of the fun things we found!