Happy Holidays!

Please note that Kalico Design will be closed from Wednesday, December 23 through the New Year. We will return to the office—fresh, well-rested and full of great, new, creative ideas for you—on Monday, January 4.

I wish you all a very safe and happy holiday season!

Last Minute Gifts: Shop Local!

It's coming down to the wire, the holidays are almost here! If you are looking for some fun, last-minute gift ideas, you may not have to look very far. Shop Local!

If you are in the Frederick, MD region (which is where Kalico has been doing most of our shopping!), try a gift card from the Downtown Frederick Partnership. Gift cards can be purchased for any amount between $10-$500 and are usable at more than 150 shops and restaurants in downtown Frederick! You can purchase your Downtown Frederick Gift Card at the Visitor Center located at 19 E Church Street, during office hours of Monday - Sunday from 9am - 5pm, or call the visitor's center at 301-600-4047. The Downtown Frederick Gift Card is an easy way to give a great gift to friends and family! For a complete list of participating stores, click here.

Another great Frederick gift idea is a jar (or several jars, because they are just THAT good!) of locally produced McCutcheons jellies, preserves or jams. Plus, they have a great selection of sauces, honey, salad dressings and more—I mean, who doesn't like food as a gift! Orders can be purchased online, but I recommend visiting either their factory store at 13 South Wisner Street in downtown Frederick, or visiting their special holiday store, located in the middle of the FSK Mall! I've been buying McCutcheon's products as holiday gifts for years—my out-of-state family members always look forward to it!

Not in the Frederick region? Try to shop at some of your own local stores. Maybe there is a great town bakery nearby, a small, eclectic bookstore, local coffee shop, or an independently owned restaurant—get creative! For a great resource, with a shop-local focus, visit The 3/50 Project, you can then click on Supporters to find a few independently-owned, local shops in your hometown. Happy gift-giving!

Gifts for the Stylish Women in Your Lives!

Sorry for the delay in gift-idea posting. And only 2.5 weeks to go...ACK!

Well, if you are in the Frederick, MD region, and have some fabulous ladies on your to-buy list, you really must stop by Neccessories in the Westview Shopping Center (by the movie theaters)!

Neccessories offers an array of creative gifts and accessories for all the stylish women in your life! From fashionable home decor, to unusual office accessories; unique beauty products to lovely (and affordable!) fashion jewelry, Neccessories has it all! Plus, owner Jackie Lamothe always will greet you warmly at the door, making your shopping experience fun and relaxing — you'll be sure to look forward to your next visit!

Here's just a small sample of what you can find at Neccessories:
• Caspari line of napkins and guest towels
• Monogrammed soaps from Mudpie
• Potpourri from Aromatique
• Serving trays, coasters, and placemats by RockFlowerPaper
• Macbeth line of decoupage trays and buckets
• Candles by Voluspa and Nouvelle
• Murano Glass jewelry from Hilary London (these are simply beautiful!)
• Leather desk sets & journals from Florence
• Mistral Soaps & Soap Rocks (these would make a really fun, small gift!)
• Greeting cards from Leanin Tree, Positively Green, and Cardthartic
• Baggallini bags, totes, luggage (plus eco-friendly totes & shopping bags!)
• And More!

Be sure to stop by Necessories in the Westview Promenade Shopping Center (just two doors down from Chico's).
Neccessories: The Store For Stylish Women and Those Who Love Them!

*Photo from The Neccessories Facebook page

Another Great Gift Idea: Teach 'Em How to Cook!

Here's another unique gift idea, especially for those in the Western Maryland region: Cooking Classes! The Kitchen Studio of Frederick offers a variety of cooking classes—both for adults and kids! From demonstrations to hands-on lessons on topics including Sushi, Baking, Ethnic cooking and more, this is a gift that everyone will love!

The Kitchen Studio Cooking School in Frederick, Maryland is where everything is about the food and a relaxed, playful goodtime. You’ll want to join us over and over for our unique classes where you are sure to meet some friends, pick up some new kitchen skills and enjoy fabulous food! Our classes are small, our instructors really know their stuff and a great time is had by all!

Visit The Kitchen Studio's website to view their upcoming class calendar and to purchase a gift card for your special someones!

On a side note, be sure to check out Kitchen Studio owner, Chef Christine Van Bloem's latest endeavor — Break Some Eggs, a web portal with cooking tips, recipes and videos geared especially to tweens (ages 9-12ish)!

Holidays Already?! (Don't Panic—Great Gift Ideas From Kalico)

I realized today how quickly the holiday season is approaching us (thanksgiving is next week and only 35 days until christmas, oh my!). I know that most of my family and friends already have everything they could possibly need, so I tend to look for unique and creative gift ideas during the holiday season. I thought I would start posting unique gift ideas or resources in the upcoming few weeks, which will hopefully inspire you. (Plus, if you have any creative ideas, please send them on—share the love!) Here we go...



Savor Something Special
Well, to start things off, here's a whole catalog full of unique finds and gift ideas. Savor the Success, a premium online business network for women entrepreneurs, has recently published it's 2nd annual Holiday Catalog, featuring over 50 of the top women entrepreneurs in America! From soy candles to dog biscuits, jewelry to baby clothes, or even graphic design services (ahem, check out page 52). Also, check out page 30, coloring books for women—what a fun idea for some of your best girlfriends!

To download a pdf of the catalog, click here. This is a fantastic opportunity to support some small, women-owned businesses, while getting things checked off your holiday shopping list! Let me know what you think!

Client Spotlight: DFP Celebrates 20th Anniversary

Downtown Frederick Partnership recently launched their 20th Anniversary program, which will take place starting this holiday season through all of 2010. And Kalico went along for the ride, donating design services to create the 20th anniversary logo, as well as postcards and product posters.

Celebrate Downtown Frederick Partnership’s 20th Anniversary by purchasing unique, limited-edition merchandise from downtown shops — share the wonderful tastes and treats of Downtown Frederick with family and friends! Products will range from a limited-edition snow globe featuring Frederick's famous spires, to specialty hot chocolate, wines, beer, BBQ sauce and much much more! A portion of purchases will
benefit the Partnership as it continues to enhance, promote and preserve Downtown Frederick as a great place to live, work, shop and play.

You won't want to miss these great products from some of your favorite downtown shops! Download a calendar of products and participating shops here!

Glamour Shots!

I recently was luckily enough to have headshots shot by Mary Kate McKenna Photography. Mary Kate is a lifestyle photographer who now resides in the Frederick, MD region. She was gracious enough to donate some of her talents to members of the Greater Frederick Advertising Federation, and offered members free business headshots. Now, as you can see, Mary Kate stays far away from your typical, boring, stuffy headshots, opting to shoot outdoors, and encouraging her clients to wear comfortable clothing. Basically she takes shots that really show you, as yourself.

If you're a small business owner who uses personal headshots to help promote your business (I strongly recommend using one on the about section of your website, at least), I encourage you to get some professional photography done. Try to use fun, creative shots that will give your clients a sense of who you are. This will help set you apart from your competition and will make everything a bit more personal.

Now, I am in a bit of a dilemma, as I can't seem to choose which image I like best (although I think I am leaning towards one). I'd appreciate your input—let me know which one you are drawn to the most, and I will start using it on the Kalico website. After all, I want the image to stand out, be fun, and set me apart from my competition, which will hopefully help the viewer to remember me the next time they need some graphic design work!