Charming Cards -

New Phone Cases at Charming Cards

2012-01-22T12:47:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year from Charming Cards! We have been busy adding new products that tend be to popular at the start of a new year including these new personalized phone cases by Boatman Geller that were introduced just a few days ago. We find many customers who received new phones over the holidays have been scouting out the latest and greatest in phone covers. These cases have free shipping through the end of January 2012.

Another popular item each January are decorative file folders to start the year off organized in a fashionable way. Charming Cards has a big selection of designer file folder including 6 new designs just this week.

I am back to blogging this year and will regularly be offering specials to my subscribers like you.

Paradise Lost- Kona Village and Tsunami Damage

2011-03-29T06:34:00.000-07:00

I posted about Kona Village (KVR) back in August of 2008 and referred to it as my “favorite place on earth.” Our family has been going to Kona Village off an on over the years since I was 15. I would love to go every summer if the budget permitted, and the years when we are not there, I dream about it and wonder about when the next time might be that we will visit. It is a Polynesian village on the big island of Hawaii, unlike any of the typical luxury hotels you see on Hawaii. There are no multi story buildings, rather individual hales on or near the ocean. The paths are dirt paths lined with tiki torches and lush landscaping. There are no tvs or phones in the hales and the location is a beautiful combination of lava, beach, ponds, and lush Hawaiian landscaping. It was originally a true Hawaiian village that was transformed into a vacation resort 45 years ago. Like no other vacation, you melt into relaxation and the quiet serenity of the village. There is no hum of air conditioning but a simple ceiling fan , along with the ocean breeze that is perfectly comfortable. There are no locks on the hales, but if you put your coconut on your porch you let others know not to enter. The staff is warm and friendly, many have worked there for numerous years and remember the returning guests. It is hard to describe in words what this place means to me and my family. It might sound rustic, but it is also luxurious at the same time and has people like Steve Jobs and celebrity figures as repeat guests. When we were there once we went on a snorkeling excursion with 2 newscasters from our LA station together. Personally when I imagine big career successes or imaginary lottery winnings, my mind goes straight to Kona Village as the pot at the end of the rainbow.

The day after the recent tsunami that did so much destruction in Japan, I went to the KVR website to see if their webcam was up just to see that all was ok at Kona Village. I had no idea there might be any damage to Hawaii, but since we were awakened here in Newport Beach at 4am by a public service phone call warning us about a tsunami, I had concern about Hawaii and Kona Village. The webcam was not working but I was not overly concerned. I continued to check back and a few days later via the KVR Facebook page it was confirmed that there was significant damage to our beloved village, enough damage that it is now closed indefinitely and their staff of 250 has been laid off. Apparently the village was evacuated on March 10th around 11pm and at 5am the normally quiet bay receded and a wave approximately 8 feet high crashed onto the land and tore some of the hales right off their foundation. Fortunately no one was injured. I have to say in the days following the news of its closure I felt so melancholy and sad. At work I found myself repeatedly checking the Facebook page looking for any news and trying to imagine what this peaceful paradise was like with water rushing into the 2 restaurants, destroying the Shipwreck Bar where we would sit near the pool eating popcorn and the children drank their favorite Hawaiian drinks. When my sister told her children, her 11 year old was distraught and called a friend who also enjoys Kona Village. They rode their bikes to the grocery store and bought the ingredients for the cookie monster drinks to come home and make them. Following are some photos of the village before and after the tsunami (after photos are courtesy of Bill Jasper). It is really hard to imagine this destruction and the uncertainty of the future of Kona Village.

There is a Facebook page Save Kona Village set up to lobby for its rebuilding as the traditional low key paradise that it was, and an update recently looks promising, but it will be a few years away and the “modernization” of the village have some of us old timers concerned it will be converted into something that will take away its charm and originality. Here is a video announcement of the damage before they determined it would close indefinitely http://www.bigislandvideonews.com/2011/03/16/video-tsunami-batters-kona-village-resort-hale-bungalows/

Fun times at the pool

after the tsunami One of our favorite hales after the tsunami our 2 favorite hales off their foundations and pushed together at the beach shack getting ready to scuba dive

a mess afterwards an interesting photo of chairs from land captured in one of the boats

My memory of fun times with my children and all of their cousins- 14 grandkids in all. We anxiously await news of the rebuilding plans.

All New Takeout Menu Organizer

2011-03-12T08:55:00.000-08:00

One of our most popular items has been the clever Takout Menu organizer by Knock Knock. This handy 8 x10 binder has dividers to manage your takeout menus and information on your favorite restaurants. It includes a 40 sheet pad for taking orders, tipping guide, frequently called numbers list, and 5 tabbed dividers with adhesive labels to indicate preferences and facilitate easy organization.

This popular item disappeared for awhile as it was being revamped to make it better than ever. It is a clever gift that sells out often.

New Personalized Valentine Cards by Boatman Geller

2011-01-18T09:56:00.000-08:00

I remember when my children were little I loved helping them get their Valentine cards ready to trade on Valentines Day. I would often have them put a traditional box of candy hearts in an envelope with a card. One of our finest stationery lines, Boatman Geller, now offers personalized Valentine Day cards which are darling. Get a head start this year and take a look at the 10 different designs.

What To Do With Your Holiday Cards

2011-01-15T11:14:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! Here is a re-post of a blog from prior years that is appropriate once more as I am tidying up for the new year...
With the holidays ending, I used to wonder what I should do with all of the holiday cards I received. I hated tossing them, but was anxious to clean up for the new year. I found an appropriately sized container to hold my cards and I keep them set out all year. Guests in my home always enjoy sorting through my cards and admiring the wonderful pictures of family and friends I received. Even in the summer your holiday cards can be a source of conversation. Make a family activity out of it by pulling a card every week and vowing to call, write, or pray for the lucky winner!

12th Daily Deal- Three Desiging Women Stamp Certificates on Sale!

2010-12-12T08:09:00.000-08:00

One of our most popular items year after year are the custom stamps. The order deadline has passed to receive these by Christmas, but stamp certificates are still available and ship quickly. The recipient receives a gift box with a certificate inside to go to the Three Designing Women website and pick out their own design. Today only they are $10 off at only $28.99.

11th Daily Deal - Personalized Notecards 25% Off Today Only!

2010-12-11T08:06:00.000-08:00

Our 11th Daily Deal is a deep discount on Charming Cards personalized notecards. You can get prepared to write thank you notes after the holidays. These ship in just a few days so they are certain to arrive by Christmas. These are already a low price and today only will be 25% off.

10th Daily Deal- Dogeared Jewelry 30% Off Today Only!

2010-12-10T08:57:00.000-08:00

Today only all Dogeared Jewelry is 30% as part of our 12 Daily Deals of Christmas! The Karma necklaces and bracelets are always best sellers.

9th Daily Deal-Free Shipping Today!

2010-12-09T08:11:00.000-08:00

Today's Daily Deal is free shipping on any order. Use the promo code Freeshipdeal and you will not be charged for ground shipping! There is still time for ground shipping on most items to be received by Christmas.

(photo courtesy of Dogeared)

8th Daily Deal- Panda Mugs Half Off!

2010-12-08T06:55:00.000-08:00

These adorable Lilly Pulitzer panda thermal mugs are currently featured on Cosmopolitan.com's holiday gift guide (see gift 21). They were hand picked by Cosmo and are flying off the shelf. For one day only they are half price at $8!

7th Daily Deal- Lap desks on Sale!

2010-12-07T08:58:00.000-08:00

Our 7th Daily Deal is our ever popular lap desks! These are on sale today 40% off! These best sellers are perfect for writing or drawing in the car, on the couch, my daughter in college uses hers to do homework on her bed, you can set your laptop on it so your legs don't get hot. There are many different patters for both boys and girls. The top has a handy cup holder and bottom is filled with soft polystyrene beads for comfort. Limited supply!

6th Daily Deal- Decoupage Designer Clipboards 50% off!

2010-12-06T00:02:00.000-08:00

Today's daily deal are Macbeth decoupage clipboards. These fun clipboards have a decoupage design on the front and back of the clipboard and come in a cello bag with bow. This is a fun unique gift. They come in small and large, 7 different designs, and the prices will never be this low!

5th Daily Deal- Chunky Notepads discounted 40%

2010-12-05T00:01:00.000-08:00

Our chunky notepads are a continual best seller and will be a popular special on our daily deal. 6 different styles to choose from. 40% off for 1 day only- supply is limited!

4th Daily Deal- The Little Black Box of Notecards

2010-12-04T08:33:00.000-08:00

Today's special deal is 40% off our little black box of retro notecards. This popular item contains 32 notecard inside that have a fun retro design on the outside, and blank on the inside. They are perfect to use as an economical gift card. This item is a best seller, but the manufacturer stopped production for awhile and they are recently back in a new acrylic box, but the same cute retro style cards. Their production again is limited so I am not sure how long I will have these.

3rd Daily Deal- All Cell Phone Cases 40% off!

2010-12-03T07:29:00.000-08:00

Our 3rd Daily Deal of Christmas is all cell phone cases 40% discounted today only! We have phones for the iPhone 3G and 4G, and our darling personalized Clairebella phones also fit some Blackberry models and the iPod Touch.

These make great stocking stuffers!

2nd Daily Deal of Christmas!

2010-12-02T06:43:00.000-08:00

Today's daily deal is the Three Designing Women Desk Set- today only save 25%! This set is already a great deal and includes a certificate for the recipient to redeem the custom stamp of their choice, 2 ink cartridges in different colors, plus 20 notecards. The sale price of $37.49 is less than the normal price of the stamp alone. Their are many stamp designs to choose from and this makes a great gift that ships fast.

The stamp above is one of the many to choose from.

Charming Cards- 12 Daily Deals of Christmas- Day 1!

2010-12-01T07:55:00.000-08:00

I can hardly believe it is December 1st and time to start our annual daily deals of Christmas. For these first 12 days of December Charming Cards will have a deal every day of a product that is deeply discounted. While there is still time to order personalized items, I am going to feature today personalized labels from Picture Perfect. They have a wide variety of labels that can be used for return address or to label gifts.

Today only, December 1st, these labels are 40% off! This is all labels by Picture Perfect so it is a perfect opportunity to stock up on any of their labels you can use throughout the year.

Happy Shopping from Charming Cards!!

Cyber Monday Deal- 1 day only!

2010-11-29T08:10:00.001-08:00

To all my blog subscribers- Today only use the promo code CYBERDEAL for 15% off plus free shipping! It's not too late to order your holiday cards!

Black Friday Sale at Charming Cards

2010-11-26T11:35:00.001-08:00

We have a lot of items on sale today like most of our new cell phone cases

New Dogeared Jewelry like this Make A Wish necklace

And many items you can find on sale here - Charming Card Sale!

Plus, for 1 day, use the Promo Code FREESHIP10 to get free shipping on top of it all. Sale items are limited. Happy Thanksgiving!

Order your personalized items while there's time

2010-11-20T16:51:00.000-08:00

We have been adding many new products, but a few of my favorites are these unique personalized items- a custom mouse pad and phone case. Nowadays you can personalize just about anything and a gift like this shows you took some time. These take up to 3 weeks to receive so now is the perfect time to be set for Christmas gifts. This personalized mousepad would make a great teacher gift, or a gift exchange with your girlfriends. One of my friends just got one for her mother-in-law who has everything. There are many different designs to choose from and you can put initials or a full name.

This cool phone case comes in many different patterns and fits the iPhone 3G, iPhone 4, iPod Touch, Blackberry 9700 and Blackberry Curve 8520. If you are giving someone a phone for Christmas, how fun to add this cool personalized case to go with it. What a fun stocking stuffer!

Charming Cards will be doing our annual 12 daily deals of Christmas starting December 1st so stay tuned!

Lilly Pulitzer iPhone Cases on Sale This Weekend Only!

2010-10-08T08:20:00.000-07:00

In July when I received the Lilly Pulitzer catalog with these new iPhone 3G cases, I fell in love instantly. I sent them to my contact at Cosmo.com who was immediately interested in featuring them for their holiday gift guide which was very exciting! They decided not to because they don't fit the new iPhone 4, but for those of you with the 3G, these are the cutest cases I have ever seen! I placed my order, but due to their popularity, Lilly was sold out and I have waited for these for 2 months. Well they finally arrived, and after the long wait, they accidentally shipped my plentiful order twice! So rather than ship them back, I am offering them at a 40% discount for this weekend only to my blogger readers and Facebook fans. At 11.99 they will make a great holiday gift and come in 4 preppy designs. They make me want an iPhone!

Holiday Card Discounts in September

2010-09-12T09:55:00.000-07:00

September is typically a time for Charming Cards to be busily adding all the fun new holiday cards for the season. To encourage shoppers to get their orders in early, many vendors offer discounts for orders placed in September. Boatman Geller has some fun new digital cards this season, some that can be customized with mutiple photos and the background color has many options to make that perfect photo-card combination. At Charming Cards, the first proof is always free and options like colored ink never come with additional charges. Holiday cards are discounted 20% until October 15th, so it is a good time to knock this off your list!

Dorm Wall Sticker Frames As Seen on The Today Show

2010-08-17T00:01:00.000-07:00

I just got home from moving my daughter back to college and helped her unpack these sticker frames by Butch and Harold that are perfect for college housing walls. They went from decorating her dorm room last year to the sorority house this year. They are featured this morning on The Today Show's dorm room segment. They also make a great graduation or college send-off gift. For $20 you get 8 different frames as you see in this photo.

New Personalized Entertaining Gifts by Dabney Lee

2010-07-22T10:09:00.000-07:00

Every time I go to the National Stationery Show I have my eye on these products by Dabney Lee. I finally took the plunge and invested in this line and love them! I purchased this monogramed serving try and ice bucket myself for 2 different wedding gifts- I will add a bottle of their favorite wine to make the gift extra special. Surprise your bride and groom by giving them something fun that is not on their gift registry. All of the Dabney Lee products have many different color swatch patterns and monogram styles to choose from, so the combination of choices is endless!

Graduation Gifts

2010-05-16T12:05:00.001-07:00

My 3 favorite high school graduation gifts are these:

The Naked Roommate - only $12.99. My daughter received this book last year along with cash from family friends. It makes the giving of cash more personal and it is a great witty book to give all by itself.

The Dorm Survival Kit- $24.99. An inexpensive fun gift for the student who will be living in the dorms next year. Any gift that screams "I am going to college!" is sure to be a hit.

The College Survival Kit- $39.99. A more comprehensive kit- only 2 left of these. They sell for $50.00 on other websites.

It is hard to believe this school year is almost over!