Crate and Barrel...crate it up and send it to me!

Crate and Barrel has wonderful outlet locations, and there is one that is near me.
A friend of mine telephoned me to tell me of some of the wonderful deals that she was able to snatch up. Of course, there are loads of after-holiday goods to be snagged, such as golden holiday candles priced at half of their original tags. Even greater savings for ones that have little scratches and such.

One  of my friends has a cuticle trimmer...you all know the one, the metal one with the "v' shaped notched blade at the base. She uses it to make those scratches into intentional shapes and swirls. Assuredly, that adds a uniqueness to the candle. I am a big lover of burning candles. They add nostalgia and elegance to any setting. Be safe, though, and never set lone candles directly on a surface. Candle plates are wonderful, and they eliminate wax drips from marring surfaces.

See if there is a Crate and Barrel in your area and swing by right now while they have some really nice things on clearance.

In addition to the holiday sales, C&B also has some sales on summer goods, such as grilling tools. Great time to stock up before the prices go up. C&B additionally has an online outlet, but the selection there is different from what I have found in my brick and mortar store. So, there are two options for those of you who live near an outlet, but online is still there for those who do not.

I have always been pleased with the quality of the things that I have selected from C&B, they seem to be well made, their glasses that I had from over 10 years ago were in excellent shape, the only reason that I was parting with them is because of the fact that they were wedding gifts from my failed marriage. Silly though it may seem, seeing the glasses that my former spouse used to drink from always made me heartsick in a way.  Parting with them at the time was a smart move. I may replace them with a similar set when I move this month to my so small efficiency in Park Cities.

I got a wonderful piece of advice a long time ago from a friend. If you want to maintain your dishes without having to replace the whole set, buy classic pieces in patterns that have been around. Trendy is fun, but when a beloved piece breaks and the design is closed, the heartbreak in trying to find new can be agonizing.
  With that in mind, when I get things for the kitchen, I make the decision of "Love it forever" or "Love it for a while". If it is "Love it for a while", then when it is done, it is done. If it is "Love it forever, then a much more careful selection is made.

I will be sharing info about China patterns later this month, so I hope that everyone loves the books as much as I do!

Until then,
Ciao!