* Click on each image to take you the the URL for purchase. All gifts and DIY projects have been curated by the Gift Scout. Cover photo vases are Miniature Glass Milk Bottles provided by Bake it Pretty.
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Welcome to the Gift Scout, a brand new seasonal gift guide brought to you by Dayle Bennett and Jeanee Duval. They are besties working together to share their love for gifting and great products. They scout everywhere to curate trendy, unique and heartfelt gifts for you to give (and receive). In this issue: Spring celebrations of Easter and Mother’s Day are right around the corner! So we have you covered with fresh ideas for creative and trendy gifts and unique DIY projects and gift wrap. Sit back and enjoy the second issue of the Gift Scout!
MEET YOUR GIFT SCOUTS!
Dayle Bennett: the maker Dayle is a retail display designer living in Atlanta. She has created retail design and displays for West Elm, Hallmark Cards, Gucci and Neiman Marcus. She is passionate about modern design, textiles, paper, color and technology. Dayle has been a blogger since 2007. She teaches design and hosts her own Craft and Cocktails creative workshops. She is the Gift Scout DIY and gift wrap guru. Her gift presentation is simply magical.
Jeanee Duval: the finder Jeanee Duval is a full-time blogger and freelance graphic designer living in Miami Beach. She has been a professional graphic designer for more than 15 years for companies such as Borders Books and Hallmark Cards. She is passionate about trend researching and discovering new brands. Jeanee has been a blogger since 2007 inspiring others with her trendy findings. She is the Gift Scout gift curator finding the best!
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Spring is the time of renewal with fresh, light and fun vibrant colors. Spring 2014 has sprung with an Easter egg palette of poppy gelato hues.
Fresh bouquets of bold and bright blooms develop dense patterns for a spring & summer look. These flirty florals are fit for a garden party. Colors range from light to dark florals in this floral fusion trend.
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Tea time with girlfriends, Easter and Mother’s Day brunch, or romantic snack time with your loved one was inspiration for the Spring Spread. Take these eats outdoors for a springtime picnic! * Click on each image to take you the the URL for purchase.
WWW. BAKEITPRETTY.COM
SPRING SPREAD products
SPRING SPREAD RECIPES A taste of Easter with a spin on deviled eggs along with a fun take on French fries with healthy green asparagus accompanied with a country tea bellini. Hard Boiled Eggs Baked in the Oven! Loving this way to “boil� eggs. Perfectly cookd eggs and no cracked egg shells (perfect for Easter egg dying). Instructions: Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place desired number of eggs in a muffin tin and bake for 30 minutes. Remove eggs from oven. Then immediately transfer the eggs to an ice water bath. Allow to cool down for at least 10 minutes. Guacamole Stuffed Eggs, recipe from NatashasKitchen. com Sriracha Deviled Eggs, recipe from chow.com * Click on each image to take you the the URL for purchase.
Baked Asparagus Fries, recipe from justataste.com
Half &Half Bellini Bigelow Half & Half teas are delicious! For and adult cocktail: prepare the Bigelow tea-lemonade per instructions. Mix one part tea with one part Moet champagne. Serve with ice and lemon slice.
Aquatic oceanic blues and greens featuring sea foam, turquoise and mint has a fresh vintage vibe.
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Pantone Color of the Year is making a splash in the beauty department with fresh feminine bursts of purple.
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Vintage lace becomes festive when it meets up polka dots. Neutrals with cardboard boxes and white bags keeps it classy. Painting lace and dots with pops of spring colors makes things fresh and fun. Here are two DIY gift wrap projects perfect for any gift occasion.
LACE & DOTS BOXES SUPPLIES paper boxes craft paints sponge brushes hot glue lace scissors
LACE & DOTS BAGS SUPPLIES flat paper bags lace hot glue scissors craft paint stencil *We used Handmade Charlotte paper stencils.
GIFT IDEAS: Easter candy, spring necklace, fresh scent candle
STEPS 1. Pick your box. We used these cute polka dot takeout craft boxes. 2. While box is folded, paint the top portion of your box using a sponge brush. 3. Allow boxes to dry. 4. While your boxes are drying you can now paint your lace. 5. Measure enough lace to go completely around your box. 6. Lay your lace out flat on scrap paper. 7. Paint your lace with a dabbing motion. Allow it to dry. 8.Trim lace. 9. Assemble your boxes and add your lace. 10. Use a small dot of hot glue to secure lace.
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GIFT IDEAS: new spring magazines, a T-shirt, craft supplies, blank notebooks
STEPS 1. Lay paper bags on a flat surface. 2. Use a sponge brush to dab paint onto the stencil and bag. Be careful not to use too much paint to avoid bleeding. 3. Allow bags to dry. 4. Lay your lace out flat on scrap paper. 5. Paint your lace with a dabbing motion. Allow it to dry. 6. Trim lace. 7. Fold bag flap towards the back and add your lace.
SPRING
WARDROBE PICKS
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House of Lucky is a charming online shop curated by fashionista Patty Sabey. Patty was forced to close her brick and mortar boutique due to the damage from Hurricane Sandy. Her e-boutique is on the cutting edge of fashion. Here are the perfect nude and floral House of Lucky spring pieces to add to your wardrobe. House of Lucky also carries house & home and children items. Look for the House of Lucky logo throughout the gift guide for more picks!
HOUSEOFLUCKY.COM
Nude barely-there nails are all the rage this spring. Silky nude hues and tinted rose tones look great on any skin tone. But don’t you hate when your mani chips just after a couple of days? Well, you can fix it with some glitter nail polish! A hint of metallic gold glitter turns a natural mani into tiny disco balls.
STEPS When your mani chips lightly fill in the chipped areas at the top of your nail. Then polish the remaining areas to make it look like you dipped the tip of your nail in glitter! Finish with a clear top coat. If you don’t have any glitter nail polish you can use some glitter and clear nail polish. First, pour a small amount of glitter into a small container. Dip the tip of the clear nail polish brush into the glitter several times in order to get a good * Click on each image to take you the the URL for purchase.
SUPPLIES glitter nail polish, glitter, clear nail polish, clear top coat nail polish amount of glitter on the brush. Then place the glitter onto the nail to create the same festive effect. Finish with a clear top coat. You can also cover the entire nail with a thin layer of glitter so that your base color peeks through. Viola. You’ve saved your mani and added some sparkle at the same time!
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Buff neutrals are a key trend this season with fleshy tints of almond to tender white. Faceted surfaces and gold trim gives pops of texture.
Lace from fashion to home decor, intricate lazier cutouts, and off-whites to soft nudes with metallic touches creates pattern and texture all in one. Makeup shades of creams create a barely there look.
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The organic natural look of real or imitation wood brings the look of the great outdoors in.
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SUPPLIES found twigs or branches embroidery thread (assorted colors) hot glue scissors
This DIY is quick, easy and inexpensive. It’s the perfect way to spruce up your space with spring!
STEPS 1. Take your twigs and prearrange them to make you have the perfect ones for crafting. 2. Take your first twig and add a dab of hot glue 1/4 from the bottom. 3. Start wrapping the thread around twig as even as you can. 4. Add glue as you go up the length of the twig. Stop where you like. 5. Repeat with the other colors and remaining twigs. 6. Arrange twigs in your favorite clear vase. HOME DECOR IDEAS: add to your dinning table or shelf in home office, create a jewelry tree
Stay tuned for the Gift Scout Summer issue! We’re currently accepting advertisers and DIY sponsors! Email us, at giftscoutmail@gmail.com if you’d like to collaborate.