Let's gift...travel goods

I've had travel on the brain, which you will see reflected in this post and likely another one or two in the future. We are also on the cusp of "Wedding Season" so I wanted to offer an alternative gift idea to the standard registry fare. This gift was inspired by one my husband and I received from some dear friends when we were married - a personalized large boat tote with two large, fluffy beach towels. As active boaters, this has been invaluable and used year after year and so I used the "boat tote" concept as a base for a fun, travel-related gift that can be customized based on the recipient and their lifestyle.

Just a few elements that would make a wonderful travel-related gift - courtesy of my Olioboard.

It seems that most everyone either heads to the beach, lake or mountains for a vacation at some point during the year, so start with these items as a basis for your gift:

1. A sturdy tote bag - my favorite is from LL Bean.
2. Add some good beach towels for those that enjoy the water.
3. Make sure they stay hydrated with a good water bottle or two. I like the fun colors and designs of the Swell bottle.
4. Sun safety is very important so throw in a bottle of sunscreen suitable for the outdoors.
5. Treat your recipient to a great pair of locally-made (in Nashville) flip flops by Southern Polished.
6. Wildsam Field Guides or any local interest guide would make a great addition to your gift.
7. Lastly, make sure they have travel snacks for their journey by providing some yummy, local goods like this gift basket by High Note Gifts.

Are your idea wheels turning yet? The beauty of this gift idea is that you can customize to fit your budget and/or your recipients lifestyle. In closing, I leave you with this little story...

Several years ago I had the honor of attending our former exchange student's wedding in France. I wanted to gift them with something unique from the U.S., so I had a large LL Bean boat tote personalized for the bride and groom and also gave them some Nashville treats. The gift was a hit with the French newlyweds as they frequently visited the French coast and I will never forget the bride's new obsession with the "Goo-Goos" (insert cute French accent here).

Happy Gifting!

Let's gift...something practical

What would your reaction be if I suggested gifting sheets, laundry detergent and soap this holiday season? I will admit - I am gifting some of those items this year. One of my goals when giving is that the item is useful to my recipient. Do I always achieve that goal or follow that rule? Of course not! Some gifts are meant to be fun, frivolous objects. But today I want to share with you some of my top practical gift ideas - with a twist!

There are a couple of people in my family that are very difficult to buy for - I mean, every year it's a struggle. One year, a particular couple was moving from one house to another right after the new year. Do you know what we gave them for Christmas? Bubble wrap, packing tape, sharpies and labels. Their reaction? Complete joy. What was our last-ditch attempt at figuring out a good gift probably turned out to be the most used and appreciated items we've ever given them. 

So I present to you some ideas for practical, yet gift-worthy items:

All photos courtesy of product websites (clockwise): Humphreys Street, Emi Jay, Red Land Cotton, Roux Maison, Music City Suds, Mason Pearson and Nash+Jones.

1. Soap: Humphreys Street or Local Economy hand soaps or all-natural bar soaps from Nash+Jones, Humphreys Street, Music City Suds or Little Seed Farm make great gifts. I'm currently digging the honey almond bar from Nash+Jones and the peppermint bar from Humphreys Street.
2. Hair ties: The "Hair Candy" line from Emi Jay is fun and makes a great stocking stuffer.
3. Brush and comb: The ones pictured above from Mason Pearson are a splurge but the Rake Comb is my absolute favorite!
4. Sheets: The husband and I treated ourselves to a set from Red Land Cotton recently and they are by far the best sheets I've ever had. Apparently I should have been buying quality 100% cotton sheets from the beginning. They also offer sets of dinner napkins and fun tea towels which would make great hostess gifts.
5. Room spray: Who doesn't need a room spray from time to time?! Conway Minty by Music City Suds is my go-to and has been gifted to others on more than one occasion.
6. Laundry detergent: Roux Maison's delicate detergent and stain remover are part of my laundry arsenal. They have scented and non-scented detergents and also specialty detergents for swimwear and sportswear.

There you go! Don't be afraid to treat someone to some specialty "practical" gifts this holiday season or better yet, to treat yourself to some of the products mentioned above!

Happy Gifting!

How I love thee, Porter Flea...

Did you make it out to Porter Flea's Summer Market this past weekend in Nashville? I did and, as usual, left with a bag full of goodies and a list of new artisans/makers to follow. My first Porter Flea was at Marathon Village several years ago and I was hooked. My favorite Porter Flea was at Cornelia Fort Airport - not that you asked. Some of my favorite things have been purchased at Porter Flea (like my Modern Arks record cabinet from the Cornelia Fort year). What I love most about this event is that my shopping moods are different at each one; thus, what I buy totally depends on my mood that particular day and there are so many FABULOUS vendors to choose from!

Usually, I drag my husband along to these events. At first he was a reluctant participant but a few years ago, he was zeroing in on cool items and started buying his own stuff. Last year, I got my friend, Jenna, to attend for the first time...I ran into her Friday night at the preview market and the next day she was texting me pictures of all her cool finds. This year, I introduced two more friends to the Porter Flea experience - I gotta admit I was worried. One friend lives in Nashville and is a choosy shopper - I love that she shares my cutthroat shopping approach when it comes to mall shopping, but Porter Flea...I wasn't sure how she would take to it. The moment we stepped through the doors it was if we stepped into Willy Wonka's candy factory and my worries melted away.

My friend got these beautiful leather coasters from Pantote. Image Courtney Faighes.

My other friend was visiting from out-of-town and also has a very refined shopping palate. She couldn't make the Friday preview market so I was nervous about her attending the frenzy on Saturday and advised her to get there as soon as possible after opening. I received a text 30 minutes in "I am loving Porter Flea!" and relief swept over me. She returned home with her own fabulous finds from Saturday's market.

So, on to my true mission for this blog post - what I bought at the Summer Market! I elected this method as opposed to clogging up everyone's Instagram feed, so I hope you enjoy a peek inside my shopping bag, so to speak...and get thee to Porter Flea's next market - you won't be disappointed!

From the top:

1. Cheeky cards from West Park Creative
2. Horrible Adorables specimen (this is going in my day job office)
3. Pantote cross body bag with raw edge 
4. Owlette bib (needed a baby gift!)
5. TruBee's new beeswax candle and lip balm
6. Nashville coloring book by Hen House Design and Go Forth Goods notebook cover (husband's Flea picks)
7. Pantry items: Eli Mason Peach Pomme syrup, Delta Cheese Straws, Wise Butter and Baked in Nashville macarons (yum, yum!)

Let's shop...Southern Jerky Co.

As I've mentioned before, I love finding local shops that carry local products - I am continually amazed at how many great local food makers and artisans we have in Nashville. With my day job in the Cool Springs area of Franklin, it's hard to find stores in that area that specialize in all things local. But, thankfully one does exist! I'm excited to introduce you to Southern Jerky Co. located on Seaboard Lane in Brentwood - the Franklin part of Brentwood, as I call it. I first tried Southern Jerky at the Taste of Tennessee Wine Festival a couple months back. At the end of the festival I went back to purchase and the line was at least 15 people long (great for her, bad for me) so I decided to make a visit to their storefront one day - and that day was a couple of weeks ago.

Inside Southern Jerky Co. Image southern giftologist.

I wasn't sure what to expect (other than jerky, obviously) but what I found was also a wide array of local products. Jennifer, one of the owners, was on duty when I stopped in and graciously gave me the rundown of the Southern Jerky products and invited me to try as many samples as I wanted. They make jerky (beef and chicken) and these delicious protein bars. I loved the location and the product selection! Southern Jerky can also put together gift baskets of the products they carry - a great gift for any occasion. With this weekend being Father's Day, they will have representatives from some of the brands they carry in-store on Friday and Saturday offering samples of their goodies, so if you're still looking for a gift (or treats) for Dad, this is your place! Check out their Facebook page for the latest happenings.

So next time you find yourself in Cool Springs, be sure to stop in Southern Jerky, pick up some delicious products and say "Hi" to Jennifer. Happy gifting!

Yummy items that came home with me! Image southern giftologist.

Let's gift...birthstone jewelry

Have you seen the calendar? Mother's Day is May 8th! My dear grandmother used to wear a "mother's ring", as we called it, with a birthstone for each of her 7 - yes 7! - children. I remember, as a child of the 80s, birthstone jewelry took up pages and pages in the JC Penney and Service Merchandise catalogs (yes, I just dated myself). Maybe times have changed or maybe I'm way out of touch (or possibly a little of both), but birthstone gifts don't seem to be quite as common as they once were. However, as we look ahead to Mother's Day (or any special birthday) let's look at two local artisans who offer a modern twist on birthstone jewelry.

I first saw Dear Mushka's work at last year's Made South Market and love her simple, yet beautiful designs. These beautiful gemstones are candy for the eyes! Create a set for Mom or treat your best friend, sister or daughter to a special piece or one of the other fabulous pieces available on her website.

Birthstone bracelet, earrings and necklace from Dear Mushka. Image Dear Mushka.

Another Nashville artisan that I've had my eye on for a while is m.florita. While her Nashville-pride jewelry is what I typically see on my social media feeds and around town, I recently caught sight of her gemstone pieces and think they also deserve a place in the spotlight! The bracelet below reminds me of a current-day mother's ring...but in bracelet form. I think my Granny would have approved. This piece and several other gemstone items can be found on her website or at her shop in the Arcade in Nashville.

Hammered bangle & gemstone bracelet by m.florita. Image m.florita.

While we've focused mostly on these gifts for Mother's Day, we can't overlook the upcoming wedding season! The above pieces (and many others from Dear Mushka and m.florita) would make beautiful options for bridesmaid gifts as well. 

Happy gifting! 

My Granny's mother's ring

Let's shop...original {affordable} art

Once upon a time I found original art unapproachable and had the misconception that it would be out of my budget, so I stayed away from those "fancy art galleries". However, several years ago a dear friend introduced me to a local gallery where I purchased my first piece of original art for around $150...and I was hooked. Since that time, I've actually taken a few leaps of faith in buying art as gifts for others and have been pleased at how well-received it was - especially to those who have never purchased original art - so today I want to talk about gifting a truly unique gift...the gift of art.

Click through the slideshow below for pieces that caught my eye.

I sat down yesterday with my favorite local gallery owner, Ron York, whose gallery York and Friends Fine Art in Nashville has a wonderful selection of art at all price points (seriously, as low as $50!) and in all styles. Below is some advice he shared when considering gifting a piece of art:

1. Play it safe by choosing a piece with a particular theme or color you know the recipient likes. Big fan of birds? Then find a piece featuring a bird. Loves the color pink? Choose a piece that prominently features that color.
2. Start small. A smaller art piece can be displayed on a bookshelf or table - it doesn't require the recipient to clear off wall space or to find that perfect spot. Now, if you know the person pretty well and know they have a particular space they're wanting to fill, you can take more risk with your gift.
3. Think carefully before buying unframed art. Ideally, when gifting you don't want to create work for the recipient. Giving a piece of unframed art is fine, but consider also giving them a gift card for framing costs or having the piece framed yourself. 
4. Give a gallery gift certificate. Art is personal and each piece speaks differently to each person. If you're not a gift risk taker, then consider giving them a gift certificate to a gallery where the recipient can choose their own piece - and then go with them to see what they choose! A $100 gift certificate to a gallery likely will result in a more memorable gift than the same amount to a department store.
5. Think outside the canvas. Art can be in the form of glassware (vases, tumblers) or pottery (beautiful bowls for fruit or simply objects for display).

These glass tumblers could be used for pens, pencils or even makeup brushes! Image southern giftologist

Ron showed me many pieces currently in his gallery for $100 or less, so if you're still searching for a unique gift this holiday season, be sure to visit his gallery (or one in your area if you're outside of Nashville) or a local art show event and support your local artists!

A huge thank you to Ron for chatting with me yesterday...and if you're looking for a gift for me, stop by and he'll happily show you some of my favorite pieces! Happy gifting!

Let's gift...A Membership or Subscription

The holiday shopping season is in full swing! Are you done with your shopping yet? Still wrestling with what to gift to friends and family members or not sure what to ask for yourself? Then let's talk about membership and subscription gifts!

A great idea for a family gift - especially if the family has children - is a membership to your local zoo. We have been members of the Nashville Zoo for many years and membership offers access to members-only events or just being able to skip the ticket line when we do visit - which can be as many times as we want during the year. Even during the winter you'll get that one random warm day where the sun is shining and a walk around the zoo is perfect for getting some exercise and fresh air. This is also a great gift idea for older friends and family members!

Image Frist Center for the Visual Arts

Another membership idea that you can tailor to the interest of your recipient is to a museum or outdoor garden. Here in Nashville, we have many museums but probably the most recognizable ones are the Frist Center, the Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum and Cheekwood Gardens. An annual membership allows the recipient to visit as many times during the year as they wish and again, offers access to members-only events. It truly is a gift that keeps on giving throughout the year.

Image Cheekwood Art and Gardens

Other fun membership gifts could be to a gym, yoga or other fitness class, the local YMCA or even AAA or some other roadside assistance membership for those who make frequent road trips. Have a craft beer fan in your life? How about a local Mug Club membership to their favorite local brewery? This is an especially great guy gift!

Lastly, there are subscription gifts - and I'm talking about more than just a magazine subscription (which I feel is still relevant for some recipients). What about hopping on the trend wagon and gifting one of the many "box subscriptions" out there such as Nature Box or Birchbox? A quick Google search of "subscriptions gifts" indicated there's something out there for pretty much every interest. These monthly or quarterly subscriptions can offer a fun surprise of new products to try throughout the year.

Image Nature Box

Have other great subscription or membership ideas? Let us know in the comments below...

Happy Gifting!

Get your {local} holiday shopping on!

Now that Halloween is over, the countdown to the biggest gift-giving season of the year has begun - but there is no need for anyone to panic! There is still plenty of time to figure out what to gift everyone on your list and I'm going to do my very best to help point you in the right direction. There are several local, holiday markets on the horizon that would provide a wonderful opportunity to think - and buy - outside the gift box this season.

Happening Friday, November 20th (noon - 7pm) and Saturday, November 21st (9am - 6pm) is the MADE South Holiday Market at The Factory in Franklin. This is a ticketed event for both days - $15.00 in advance; $19.00 at the door. I attended their first event a couple of months ago and it was chock-full of wonderful goods by regional vendors. Get more info here or check out my previous blog post about their last market here.

Image MADE South

You're going to want to clear your calendar the weekend of December 4th - 6th for these next two markets. As I mentioned a couple of blog posts ago, Porter Flea is back for their holiday market Friday, December 4th (ticketed event 6pm - 9pm) and Saturday, December 5th (free event 10am - 5pm) featuring an amazing roster of artisans and their handmade goods. This event takes place at Silver Point Studios in East Nashville. Click here for more info or check out my previous blog post.

Image Porter Flea

Also that weekend, there's a NEW holiday market taking place Saturday, December 5th (10am - 6pm) and Sunday, December 6th (noon - 5pm) - the WEHO Holiday Market & Art Crawl at the Track One building in the Wedgewood-Houston area of Nashville. This free market promises to bring together the "best of art, fashion, design and vintage" and will include artisans and vendors from Nashville and the surrounding region. This event is in conjunction with both the First Saturday Art Crawl in the area and the 2nd Annual Designers in Music City event presented by The WJA Nashville Chapter. Get more information about the WEHO market here.

Image WEHO Market

In case you're wondering, yes, I plan to attend all three markets! If you go, please tag your photos with #southernggifts so I can see all the awesome goods you find. Happy gifting!

Let's shop...High Note Gifts

I understand - life gets busy and shopping for gifts can become a burden or chore. Next thing you know, you're stressing out about that gift for "insert occasion here" that you need to find but time to do so is what you really need. Wouldn't it be great if there was an online shop where you could find unique, local gifts to send for any occasion? Well there is! Today, I'd like to introduce you to Nashville-based High Note Gifts.

The Bourbon Bundle. Image High Note Gifts.

This online shop offers the best in locally-made goods from the Nashville area. They create their own gift combinations but will also work with you to customize gifts to meet your gifting needs. Want your gift to include certain local products? They can do that! Best of all, they work within any budget to make sure your gift is perfect for your recipient and for your wallet. Additionally, they offer corporate and special event gift services - just contact them with details of your occasion and budget and they'll work on creating a gift to fit your needs.

Just For Her gift. Image High Note Gifts.

For the holiday season - Halloween through New Years - they're offering special holiday-themed gifts. I follow them on social media and love seeing their creative ideas!

Trick or Treat basket. Image High Note Gifts.

So what are some occasions where you might find High Note Gifts to be your go-to source? Pretty much any gifting occasion! Get well, housewarming, birthday, welcome-to-Nashville, farewell-Nashville or simply a thinking-of-you gift. 

Welcome Home gift - I think this would make a fantastic housewarming gift! Image High Note Gifts.

So next time you find yourself struggling to find a gift for that upcoming occasion, consider letting High Note Gifts take the stress from you and put together a custom, local gift that's perfect for your recipient.

Happy gifting!

MADE South Market Follow-Up

I went to the MADE South Market last weekend and WOW...what an amazing event! Purveyors from all over the South were in attendance and I enjoyed discovering some new artisans that I wasn't familiar with. Today I'll share with you my purchases and some of those vendors I'm now following and keeping in mind for the upcoming gift-giving season!

Here's a peek inside my shopping bag. Image southern giftologist

I blame it on the fact we visited right before lunch that I bought so many food-related items, but it was all in the name of research! Here's what I went home with - some for gifts, some for me:

1. Guitar notecards from Oak + Ink
2. Candies from the new Seersucker Candy Co. 
3. Old Fashioned mix from Eli Mason
4. Nokes Granola
5. Molly & Me pecans
6. Gents ginger ale & cocktail mixer
7. Great Bear Wax Co. Autumn candle - can't wait to start burning this just as soon as the weather cools off a bit more!

Here are some other vendors that caught my eye that I'm keeping in mind for future gift-giving occasions:

McQueen Pottery: I fell in love with several of their pieces and can see their pottery making a wonderful house-warming or wedding gift.

Image McQueen Pottery Instagram account

Cotton & Pine Creative: It's no secret I'm a sucker for cool stationery, prints or other paper products and these guys have a fun selection of all of those.

I foresee gifting several of these coaster sets this year. Image Cotton & Pine

Mitchell Bat Co.: I will admit at first glance I thought "oh, baseball stuff" and yes, they have some really cool baseball bats and related products. However, what caught my eye were the neat Tennessee products - hats, t-shirts and pennants. I see their products making great guy gifts!

How great is this pennant for a kid's room, man cave or college dorm room? Image Mitchell Bat Co.

There were so many other great artisans representing at MADE South Market that will likely appear in future blog posts as we get closer to the holidays. I hope the folks at MADE South will host this event again next year and if they do, be sure to check it out!

Happy gifting!

Let's gift...cocktail mixers

It's no secret that gifting a bottle of wine or six-pack of beer is an easy, timeless hostess or housewarming gift. Stock-the-bar parties are a no brainer - gifting alcohol is typically one of the easiest, go-to gift ideas. But how can you set your gift apart from all the other bottles of "insert liquor here" gifts? By pairing that bottle of alcohol with an awesome, local cocktail mixer. 

Let's start with Bang Candy simple syrup. I have tried at least four of their flavors by now and love how versatile these mixers are - you can find a flavor to pair with most any liquor. What I love about these, too, are that they mix well with iced tea or soda water to make a delicious non-alcoholic beverage. One of my favorites this summer was mixing the Lavender Mint syrup with iced tea. For the alcoholic variety, my go-to is the Spiced Smoked Orange with bourbon. With Fall knocking (hopefully) at the door, try the Pumpkin Spice in your coffee or latte - delicious! More recipes can be found on here on Bang Candy's website.

Gift it: 1 Spiced Smoked Orange Bang Candy syrup + 1 bottle good bourbon + Bang Candy boozy caramels OR

1 Pumpkin Spice Bang Candy syrup + 1 bag of local coffee + Bang Candy marshmallows

I typically buy my Bang Candy syrups at Hester & Cook. Image southern giftologist

I consider the next two true cocktail mixers - sorry, I don't think these mix well with anything other than alcohol, but if you know of any non-alcoholic recipes, please post them in the comments below! I recently picked up a bottle of Walker Feed Co.'s Blackberry Margarita Mix from the Batch store - yum! Just mix it with tequila and you have yourself a delicious drink! I believe their Southern Bloody Mary mix is their most popular but they also have Honeysuckle Sour and Strawberry Rhubarb flavors which I have not yet tried. 

Gift it: 1 bottle Walker's mix + 1 bottle appropriate liquor + some fun cocktail glasses or napkins

Image Walker Feed Co.

Lastly, I'd like to introduce you to Eli Mason cocktail mixers. I love being able to mix up a delicious cocktail at home without a bunch of fuss or a lot of ingredients and with Eli Mason's Old Fashioned cocktail mixer I can do just that. Find their other mixer flavors here, where to buy here and drink recipes here. 

Gift it: 1 bottle Eli Mason Old Fashioned mix + 1 bottle good bourbon + 1 box of Willas shortbread cheese biscuits

A warm summer evening calls for a cool cocktail. Image southern giftologist

Cheers...and happy gifting!

Let's shop...Little Gourmand

Bonjour, mes amis! After a brief break, I'm back and happy to share with you this wonderful French market located on Bandywood Drive in Nashville. I've followed Little Gourmand on Instagram since it opened late last year and first visited Easter weekend to purchase a box of beautiful macarons from Sweet Darling Patisserie. Last weekend, I had an opportunity to visit (during a torrential downpour) and was greeted by the lovely owner, Guenievre Milliner, who so graciously answered my questions about many of the products she carries in her store.

As you know, dear readers, my mission is to find gift ideas outside of the ordinary and yet stay within a reasonable price point. Little Gourmand is a French market with wonderful, unique products to fit any budget. So, I'd like to share just a few of the things that caught my eye during my recent visit.

Jars of honey...French honey! Imagine one of these paired with a loaf of artisan bread, a box of tea or alone as a "hey, you're sweet!" gift to brighten someone's day.

Image southern giftologist

Chocolate helps alleviate many woes in life and Little Gourmand has your chocolate needs covered. How about these chocolate spreads? They look good enough to eat straight from the jar with a spoon but since we're not savages, how about picking up a box of butter cookies that are 2 shelves over at Little Gourmand to pair with? Or ask Guenievre for her recommendations on how to serve this chocolate goodness.

Image southern giftologist

Little Gourmand has many gift options that will satisfy any foodie or someone who likes to cook: gourmet salts, oils, mustards, tapenades, a cold case with many specialty foods - the list goes on - but you can also find non-food items such as cookbooks and these gorgeous dish towels which Guenievre tells me many of her customers frame and hang in their kitchen.

Image southern giftologist

Back to my original visit Easter weekend - the macarons! Every Thursday, Little Gourmand receives a delivery of macarons from Little Darling Patisserie. When I visited last Saturday they were already sold out, but I made a return trip this weekend when I saw the picture below posted by Little Gourmand on Instagram. A box of these would make a wonderful gift for most any occasion: new baby, birthday, welcome home, just because...

Looks too pretty to eat...but I'm going to! Image Little Gourmand Instagram

Whether you live in Nashville or are planning to visit, I encourage you to stop by Little Gourmand the next time you're in need of a unique gift or just want to pick up some special products for a dinner party or to keep at home. Also, starting next week, Little Gourmand will begin serving pastries and sandwiches on-site! I can't wait to plan my next visit to enjoy a croissant and espresso and to visit with Guenievre.

Au revoir - and happy gifting!

Add a little something special to that next celebration! Image southern giftologist

This is a blog about gifts

Welcome to the southern giftologist blog, where we’ll traverse the gift-giving (and receiving) waters! Exciting, right? It is to me! I can’t explain it, but I enjoy shopping for gifts for other people more than I enjoy shopping for myself. Over the years, I’ve had friends and co-workers routinely ask me for gift-giving advice or ideas and, generally, people seem to really enjoy the gifts I come up with. I have no special training in this area – by trade, my job is in corporate America and I do LOVE my day job! But, crunching numbers all day leaves me craving a creative outlet, which I have found in shopping for and giving gifts or coming up with cool gift ideas…and so this blog was born.

So, what can you expect from this blog? I’ll share gift ideas for any occasion, we’ll talk about stressful gift-giving scenarios, we’ll explore local stores in my wonderful hometown of Nashville, TN, and we’ll feature local products and goods – which will hopefully inspire your own creative gift-giving ideas and challenge you to think outside the {department store} box and steer you away from that gift card tree when you’re just too tired to think about giving the perfect gift.

Let’s begin, shall we?

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