Layla Grayce

From top: Clairebella Personalized Cutting Boards and Monogram Planners

Clairebella Personalized iPad covers, sleeves and skins, Personalized Sleeves for tablets, e-readers and laptops

From top: Clairebella Personalized Cell Phone cases, Water Bottles and Personalized Name/Address Tags

from top: Clairebella Monogram Desk Planner and Note Cube, Personalized Mousepad

Clairebella Personalized Platters and >plates

From top: Clairebella Personalized Travel Mugs, Personalized Notepads and Note Cubes, Personalized Mugs, Personalized Clipboards

From top: Clairebella Personalized Acrylic Ice Bucket and Tray, Coasters and Trays

The time for gift exchanges is right around the corner – are you ready yet? Find clever items for everyone on your list that can be perfectly personalized, compliments of Clairebella. Cutting boards are always a holiday fave, and this year we’re excited to offer new sleeves, skins and covers for laptops, iPads and e-readers (all customized with your choice of pattern, color and monogram design). Whether it’s for kids, coworkers or cookie exchanges, we’ve got you covered. Place Clairebella orders by November 28th to make sure you have everything in time for Christmas. Get a jump on your holiday gift giving and shop the full collection.

We’ve long been fans of Clairebella – what’s not to love with their wide selection of products that you personalize with the pattern, colors and monogram of your choice? But we have to admit, we’re falling hard for the two new patterns they just introduced and can’t decide which we’re more smitten with: The joyful color and snappy, fresh feel of “Preppy” or the more sophisticated look of “Ikat”, inspired by textile design and taking the home decor world by storm this season. Weigh in with your choice and you might just win YOUR favorite! Vote below and to enter the giveaway, leave a comment linking to the Clairebella product that you’d most like for yourself (view the entire collection here). One lucky winner receives a choice of either a large cutting board OR a mouse pad with note cube set personalized just for you in the color and pattern you love. Giveaway ends Friday, 8/26/11 at midnight EDT and we’ll announce the winner on Monday.

Congrats to our winner Jessica C!

Three Designing Women personalized stamps, stationery and ink

Clairebella personalized note cubes

Dabney Lee personalized lucite tray and accessories

Clairebella personalized clipboards and notepads

Bring personality to the office with colorful accessories that showcase your style and cool, decorating sense. Put your stamp on outgoing correspondence, books, memos and more with self-inking stamps and stationery from Three Designing Women. Desk clutter gets corralled for good with Dabney Lee’s chic Lucite trays. Even functional note cubes and clipboards from Clairebella become decorative objects when decked out in the snappy colors and designs. And maybe, just maybe fewer office supplies will go missing since they all have your personalized stamp (and name) proudly displayed!

T-R-O-U-B-L-E is sometimes how we spell the mischievous antics of our little angels, though usually we find them S-W-E-E-T. No matter how you spell your child’s personality, we’ve got a new way to put the writing on the wall. Mix and match these gallery-wrapped canvas monograms in patterns ranging from playful polka dots to stylish stripes to preppy plaid. Personalize their bedroom with initials or a name, or have some fun with words like “giggles” in a playroom, “bubbles” in the bath or “dream” over the bed. What word spells your child’s personality? Shop the collection for boy, girl and home.

We’re always on the lookout for special wall decor – something with that little “extra” that carries it from “Oh, that’s nice” to “What a knock out – where did you GET that?” And our new line of vintage wooden signs for children’s rooms and the home does just that. What’s wowing us so much? One, we love the wood planking with its stained back and distressed finish available in various sizes, and secondly almost every piece in the collection can be personalized. Shop the entire new collection here, and enter to win one of these personalized signs (up to a $130 value, your choice of sign and size). Vote for your favorite of the vintage signs for children shown above and leave a comment below or on our Facebook page to be entered to win. Contest ends this Wednesday and a winner will be announced January 27th.

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Shelly Kennedy turns whimsy and enchantment into an art form. Creative mastermind behind drooz studio, blogger and one of the featured artists for Oopsy Daisy, we’ve long loved the stunning colors and artistic creativity of her personalized designs. We’re delighted to introduce you to her holiday collection of unique ornaments and wall pieces, and to the artist herself!

Tell us how drooz studio came to be
I have a formal background in Art & Illustration and a bachelor’s degree in Marketing that translated to working in various creative jobs. I had often worked weekends during and after college painting residential murals, but when my first child was born in 1998, we lived in an apartment where I wasn’t able to paint or “mural” the walls of our nursery. To solve my design dilemma, I hung some giant loose canvas on the walls and began mural painting those instead of the walls. Four months later I was pregnant with baby number two, and quickly realized I wouldn’t be re-entering the job scene any time soon! I created a studio in our dining room and started to design a line of original art. Soon I began selling to local designers and baby boutiques in Chicago… and drooz studio was born.

Where does the name drooz studio come from?
Drooz is a word that my daughter used as a toddler to describe her finger paints, play-dough, crayons, a plain piece of paper or newly finished masterpiece! “Drooz” was her word for creation & color, expression & enchantment … the perfect word for what we love at drooz studio!

What art inspires you, what art do you have in your own home?
I’m inspired by color. I tend to gravitate towards realism. Our house is full of family photography, and bright, bold original artwork. I have collected some amazing pieces of original art from ebay and etsy. Some of my favorite artists are Toni Grote, Bonnie Taylor Talbot, J Shears and Lindsey Tull.

What future projects can we look forward to from drooz studio?
Lots of new stuff in the works! A new “teen” themed art line (vintage/modern imagery mixed with encouraging & positive messaging) and a new children’s “party” line out this Fall – embellished party hats, pendant pins, flags and frames. I’m creating more “home” based design collections – and would love to venture into fabrics and papers.

Let’s get to know Shelly a little better with a “quick-fire” round of questions:

• Blogs I check daily: The Cottage Nest, Just Something I Made, Flourish Design and Style, and Lala Lovely Things.
• My first job was: working at a florist at 15 yrs old. The first day I was taught how to make a fluffy bow. My boss was incredibly supportive and a great inspiration. We are still great friends today!
• My favorite color is: black. Sorry, but it is (and yes, it IS a color!)
• I cannot live without: Sharpie pens
• My favorite guilty pleasure is: napping
• The best advice I ever received is: “a smile goes a long way”
• A cause I care deeply about is: The maintenance and growth of arts education in public schools

It’s giveaway time: Holiday Gift Giving Begins! Shelly has generously offered one lucky winner a 24 x 24 Merry and Bright Wall Hanging in either pink and green or red and green. To enter for a chance to win, leave a comment here or on our Facebook page telling us about your most merry holiday tradition. Contest ends Friday, November 5th at 6pm EDT.

Photo Credit for painting: Oopsy Daisy Fine Art for Kids

Pam Petrich is the winner for Drooz Studio Merry and Bright Wall Hanging!

Tori Swaim, founder of New Arrivals, applies her artful designs to bring whimsy and personality to traditional accessories for nurseries and children’s rooms. Her eye for texture and pattern give a cottage style, flea market charm to table and chairs sets, framed hanging letters and more (we’re loving her distressed wooden blocks that feature a different painted pattern for each letter). Tori tells us how a simple project for her daughter’s nursery has blossomed into a vast product line that is a celebrity go-to for outfitting the perfect nursery.

Tell us how New Arrivals came to be
New Arrivals has been a long time in the making. Since childhood I have always loved art and design and been attracted to things that had a soft and simple look from generations past. After my children were born I felt the need to find a creative outlet; a way to channel my inspiration. It started off with a simple decorative baby wipe box for my daughter’s nursery and has evolved over the past 11 years into a broad spectrum nursery decor business. Starting my own company has allowed me to spend more time with my children and to be immersed in all of the things that I love the most. My family, art, design and the creative evolution has made the journey very sweet.

How would you describe your personal style and how does it influence your designs?
I love a white color palette, and tend to prefer neutral color shades. My style is more Modern Vintage with a splash of Shabby Chic. I try to incorporate my love for floral, stripes and old distressed wood pieces into my products.

What trends are catching your eye and how will we see them incorporated in future New Arrivals products?
Although the modern look has become a popular theme for nurseries, we still have many customers who love vintage style. It is amazing how many different looks we create everyday for our customers with our custom bedding line.

Let’s get to know Tori a little better with a “quick-fire” round of questions:

• Blogs I check daily: Project Nursery and Shabby Chic
• My first job was: Movie Theatre Candy Girl
• My favorite color is: Pink!
• I cannot live without: Sweets
• My favorite guilty pleasure is: Oreos
• The best advice I ever received is: Family first (advice from my husband!)
• A cause I care deeply about is: Fighting child abuse. We support the Childhelp Organization which focuses on the prevention and treatment of child abuse.

It’s giveaway time: Like it? Win it! Tori is generously offering two lucky winners the letter blocks shown above personalized with the name of their choice. Choose from pink, blue, green or chocolate – or a mix of your favorite colors! To enter, leave a comment here or on our Facebook page telling us your favorite name and why it is so special to you. Contest ends at 6pm EDT on Friday, October 22.

Congrats to Wendy L and Charlotte S as the winners this week.

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