Corky Kouture™ Blog

Dazzle the Bride with a Corky Kouture Bridal Shower Gift

2012-02-27T15:14:00.000-06:00

Everyone is looking for that special bridal shower gift that will really wow the bride and get the party started. Corky Kouture™ bottled gift upscale presentation bags lend just the right festive atmosphere to this happy gathering of friends.

With their gorgeous, eye-popping beauty, these upscale bottled gift bags will add flair to the occasion. When the bride sees the red, white, black or pink gorgeous frilly bag in the room, she will know something exciting is about to happen. In fact, the Corky Kouture™ bags electrify the ambiance of the party even before they are opened to see what is inside.

The CK gift bags can be filled with bottled beverages that can be shared at the bridal shower or saved for the wedding night. A bottle of a high-quality champagne, wine or sparkling juice can be shared among all the guests in a toast to the bride.

A Corky Kouture™ presentation gift bag can also hold an exquisite treat for the wedding preparations. When the bride opens the finest bottled bubble bath at the bridal shower, she knows that she can use it on the day of her wedding. Then, after her luxurious bath, she will feel soft and silky, slipping into her fine wedding clothing.

The gift bags can contain more than a bottle, though. They also have a bejeweled pouch attached for any kind of extra gift or keepsake of the day. The pouch is the ideal place for a personalized note, congratulating the bride on her upcoming wedding, and wishing her all the best. It is also a good place to offer support for the bride in the upcoming years as she enters the new world of married life. This is especially meaningful when it comes from a dear friend who has been in a long-term relationship.

The pretty pouch of the gift bag can also be used to give the bride those traditional ingredients that every bride needs for the wedding. Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue – by choosing jewelry or other small items for these categories, any one of them can be included in the pouch.

Bridal showers are all about showering the bride with attention and love, and the Corky Kouture™ gift bags can set the stage for doing just that. The bride not only gets a tangible item she can use and enjoy. She also gets the fun and excitement it brings to the party.

Corky Kouture™ bags are more than just presentation bags. They stay beautiful long after the party is over. They can provide a memento of one of the happiest days leading up to the bride’s wedding. Giving Corky Kouture™ bags for a bridal showers is a thoughtful and loving gesture. The bride will always remember the day, and so will everyone who attends.

If you would like to purchase the Corky Kouture™ Glamour Galore presentation bags visit Corky Kouture™ .

We would love you to join us on Facebook @Corky Kouture Glamour Galore Collection and Twitter @CorkyKouture too!

Valentine’s Day Dos and Don’ts

2012-02-01T13:54:00.001-06:00

Valentine’s Day has been known to cause anxiety in couples who are unsure of what type of gift to give their partner. Many women are not sure of what kind of gift the men in their lives will enjoy and men are often posed with the same problem. Some may feel that the holiday places too much pressure on those who are involved in a relationship, while others see it as a day where they can express their love freely and become swept up in the romance of the day. Below we are going to offer you some helpful tips that can help make your Valentine’s Day one to remember.

DO buy and wear sexy lingerie. Valentine’s Day is one of the best times of the year to purchase lingerie. Not only will your partner enjoy the beautiful pieces that you chose, it is also the time of year that some stores order the cutest and newest styles available. Purchasing lingerie will not only help your partner warm up to the holiday but it will also make you feel prettier and more confident.

DON’T expect your boyfriend to be as excited as you are about Valentine’s Day. Some guys feel pressured as Valentine’s Day approaches, and panic when the time comes to purchase a gift. If your boyfriend or husband doesn’t seem too excited about the day, they may only feel intimidated by the demand to express their feelings.

DO remember to celebrate the day with your best friends. If you happen to find yourself single on Valentine’s Day or have a partner who isn’t thrilled about going out to celebrate the day invite your best friends out for a night of fun. Take the time to go see a movie you’ve been wanting to see, that maybe your boyfriend or husband didn’t want to see. Celebrating Valentine’s Day with your friends is a great alternative to spending the day stuck at home or alone.

DON’T only express your love for those in your life on Valentine’s Day. Take the time throughout out the year to tell everyone special in your life how much you love and appreciate them. Love should not only be expressed once a year.

DON’T panic at the thought of being alone on Valentine’s Day and call your ex. It is never a good idea to contact an ex simply because you are alone on a special holiday. It will never turn into anything other than a fling. After all, they’re your ex for a reason.

DO be creative in how you express your love. There are many unconventional ways that a person can say I Love You. Doing so in a special way will help your partner remember the day and how special you are to them.

Valentine’s Day is a day of love, whether it is for your boyfriend, husband, wife, children or other family members. You should take the time to let everyone in your life know how much they mean to you and how much you appreciate them in your life.

If you would like to purchase the Corky Kouture™ Glamour Galore presentation bags visit Corky Kouture™ .

We would love you to join us on Facebook @Corky Kouture Glamour Galore Collection and Twitter @CorkyKouture too!

I will bring the Wine…

2012-01-30T13:54:00.001-06:00

Are you generally the one who, when invited to a dinner party says “I will bring the wine…” ? If so, this blog is for you and all the other bottled gift givers in the world. Bringing a bottled gift to a dinner party is very traditional and in some situations, it is almost expected to bring the hostess a bottled gift. However, gifting a bottled gift of wine or other liquor can be an opportunity to set you apart from the rest of the gifters. A great bottle of wine should be presented in a fashion that stands apart from the rest. If you spend good money on a bottle of wine, when it is almost expected to gift a bottle of wine, when received by the hostess amongst several other bottles of wine, the sensationalism is lost. Present it in the fashion of a true well thought out gift and be original. Make your gift of wine stand out with an upscale wine gift bag.

There is an art in gifting. It all starts with the presentation. If your presentation delivers a WOW factor, your gift will be received in that same fashion. A bottle of wine, regardless of price, if gifted in a brown paper sack versus a wine gift bag looks cheap. It wouldn’t matter if you spent hundreds on that bottle. Put that same bottle of wine in a Corky Kouture® and slip a note or a token of appreciation into the attached zippered gift pouch and you have created a presentation that will not be forgotten and your gift will certainly stand out amongst the crowd. It will deliver that WOW factor that will have all the guest talking and the hostess feeling truly appreciated. Your hostess will appreciate your originality and thoughtfulness that went into it.

If you would like to purchase the Corky Kouture™ Glamour Galore presentation bags visit Corky Kouture™ .

We would love you to join us on Facebook @Corky Kouture Glamour Galore Collection and Twitter @CorkyKouture too!

For the Love of Valentines Day

2012-01-26T16:10:00.001-06:00

Every year people are bombarded with gift suggestions for Valentines Day. They are the same played out suggestions year after year – candy, jewelry, flowers, and bottles of booze. Why not think outside of the box this year and gift even those redundant gifts with flare. You can make an ordinary typical Valentines gift stand out – to never be forgotten - and to be accepted this year with a new set of eyes.

Valentines Day is to be symbolic of love, appreciation, union, etc. So when you toss a heart shaped box at your Valentine, how much thought went into that gifting? Not much if any. If showing appreciation for a loved one is tossing a box of chocolates ones way year after year, would the recipient really feel appreciated? I am going to guess not and after a couple of years of that, possibly they would feel even annoyed that more thought wasn’t taken in their Valentine token of love. It would become expected. I can hear women around the year talking with their other women friends “Valentines Day is just another day of the year. He will come home with this lame box of chocolate and hand it to me like he is some king and I am to bow to his feet in gratitude” along with numerous other history predicted statements.

For the love of Valentines Day, switch it up this year gifters! Put a wow factor into your love and appreciation gifting. You can stay in your comfort zone and purchase those chocolates, jewelry, flowers and a bottle of wine, just present it in the flair that will have the recipient melting at her knees and falling in love all over again.

It is as easy as thinking ahead just a little. Get that favorite bottle of wine she adores and slip it into the sleeve of a Corky Kouture® bottled gift bag. In the zippered pouch, place those stunning earrings she has been eyeing. Get that box of chocolates and those gorgeous roses and present her Valentines Day gift with the love and appreciation in a fashion that only Corky Kouture® can deliver! Take a moment that could otherwise be lost and make it one that will be remembered and treasured forever!

If you would like to purchase the Corky Kouture™ Glamour Galore presentation bags visit Corky Kouture™ .

We would love you to join us on Facebook @Corky Kouture Glamour Galore Collection and Twitter @CorkyKouture too!

Valentine’s Day Gifts for Friends

2012-01-24T14:41:00.000-06:00

When people hear Valentine’s Day their minds immediately jump to romantic relationships that they may be involved in. But Valentine’s Day doesn’t only have to be about those who are involved with; the day can also be used to express how you feel about your best friend and other special people in your life. During our lives we are lucky enough to have special people enter our lives, why shouldn’t we celebrate them and express how important and special they are to us. Don’t hesitate to let everyone in your life know how much you love them on this day, and we are going to help you with some gift ideas that may help you.

If you’re looking for a gift idea that would be suitable for you Mom or other relative consider giving them a digital picture frame or keychain that they can fill up with all of their favorite pictures. This is a great gift that will allow them to always carry their loved ones with them. To make it even more special you can load them with pictures that are special to you that show some of your favorite memories and moments that you have spent together. If you feel that this may be too technologically advanced, you can always choose flowers.

Who doesn’t like to receive a specially designed floral arrangement? To make flowers more personal, choose flowers that are their favorite color or if they one particular flower that they love choose an arrangement featuring that flower in a variety of colors. There are so many possibilities when gifting flowers that will allow you to incorporate the recipient’s tastes and likes. With any gift, the addition of a Corky Kouture will give your gift that extra touch of a well thought out gift that will make it a treasured memory.

If you need a gift for a special male in your life why not consider giving them something sports related. If they are huge football fans give them tickets to a game and maybe include a jersey of their favorite player. Or if they prefer to play a sport such as golf, you can always give them a gift certificate to play on a course they never imagined they would play on. You can always choose to have golf items personalized, you can purchase golf balls with their initials on them or golf towels or even ball markers can be personalized with their initials or favorite sports team. If you have a male friend who enjoys grilling you can always give them a great grilling recipe book or perhaps a new grill. There are so many ways that you can make that special male in your life feel loved on Valentine’s Day.

Your best friend is also someone who you should be thinking about on Valentine’s Day; after all they are always there for you and help you when most others can’t. Choosing a gift for your best friend may be the easiest one to purchase. You know everything your best friend enjoys and probably have some of the same joys in your life. You may want to consider giving them tickets to a show that you know they have been wanting to see, or a first edition of their favorite book. If they have a favorite movie, you may want to purchase a poster and have it framed. Perhaps even just a nice dinner with a great bottle of wine will be greatly appreciated and enjoyed.

No matter how many different people you have in your life, you should use Valentine’s Day as a way to celebrate how important they are to you and how they make your life better. Everyone loves to receive a gift on Valentine’s Day, take the time to choose a gift they will cherish.

If you would like to purchase the Corky Kouture™ Glamour Galore presentation bags visit Corky Kouture™ .

We would love you to join us on Facebook @Corky Kouture Glamour Galore Collection and Twitter @CorkyKouture too!

Embrace your Anti-Valentine’s Day in you!

2012-01-22T13:53:00.000-06:00

Have you read yet about the origin of Valentines Day? If you have, then you know it started back during the Roman Empire days, back in 270 AD. King Claudius ruled that men would not be able to marry during wartime as he felt it would make them weak, deflect their attention from what was at hand – WAR! Well of course where a law has been put in place there is always someone who is going to break it and that is exactly what Bishop Valentine did. (Now you are getting a good idea of where the name came from for Valentines Day.) Well Bishop Valentine went on and performed covert weddings. Of course, when you break a law, eventually you are going to get busted, as Bishop Valentine did and at a great cost! Bishop Valentine was executed for this crime on guess what day? If you guessed February 14^th, you are correct. So now you know where the name and date came from. However, while jailed, Bishop Valentine also coined the term “From your Valentine” after writing a love note to his jailer’s daughter.

With that being said, and now that you know a man lost his life in the honor of union and love, don’t you feel the need to honor his lost life on Valentines Day even if you are totally against it? Yes, I am totally aware that there in an anti-Valentines Day club with a huge following, but come on… a man lost his life for this day to have been created! Not convinced this is a good enough reason to send a loved one a Valentine? Okay, I can live with that – so how about a twist on Valentine’s Day then?

Here is my thought for those of you who are against gifting on Valentines Day. How about gifting anti Valentine’s gifts to show your disdain? Yes, you heard me right… an anti Valentine Day gift!

Okay, now let me give you of course a Corky Kouture® suggestion that I think of course it absolutely fun! The black Corky Kouture® bottled Gift Bag. Okay, here is my thought. You can easily customize the footer of the Presentation Box with an anti-Valentine’s Day message like “I hate Valentines Day”. Then, instead of putting a nice bottle of champagne in the Corky Kouture® sleeve, you can put an empty bottle in it! In the gift pouch you can put a child’s school Valentine into the zippered pouch, but before doing so take a black Sharpie and “X” it out! How funny would that be! See, so even for those Anti-Valentine Club members, there is a way you can have fun that day and share your Valentine disdain.

*Disclaimer* - Corky Kouture® Glamour Galore will not be held responsible for the laugh and the fun that a recipient has from the “Anti-Valentines Day” gift. All joy gained by the gift will be the full responsibility of the gifter. In addition, Corky Kouture® will not take responsibility by the love connections this gift could highly deliver. (But feel free to add Corky Kouture® to your future bridal showers, wedding, birthdays, and anniversaries due to the results of this gifting option.)

If you would like to purchase the Corky Kouture™ Glamour Galore presentation bags visit Corky Kouture™

We would love you to join us on Facebook @Corky Kouture Glamour Galore Collection and Twitter @CorkyKouture too!

Origin of Valentine’s Day

2012-01-19T14:46:00.001-06:00

Every year millions of people all over the world celebrate Valentine’s Day on February 14^th. This date has become known for expressing your love for your significant other, family members, those you wish were your lovers and those who you just want to send some love to. It is shown that Miss Esther Howland was the first person in the United States to send the first Valentine cards and since then millions of valentine greetings are sent through the mail each and every year. Valentine’s Day is the day that many people choose to express their true feelings, but are you aware of how it all started.

Valentine’s Day first started during the Roman Empire; in ancient Rome the date of February 14^th was a holiday that celebrated Juno. Juno was the Queen of the Roman Gods and goddesses. The Romans also referred to Juno as the Goddess of women and marriage.

On February 15^th the Romans held the Feast of Lupercalia. On the evening before the feast was held, the young boys and girls would participate in a custom that involved drawing names. Young men would draw the name of a girl from a jar and they would be partnered until the festival was over, sometimes the pairing would last for a year and often the pair would fall in love and get married.

It was during the rule of Emperor Claudius II that Rome become in many bloody and savage wars. Claudius II was finding it more difficult to recruit young men in his army; he believed the reason behind the lack of willing participation was due to the fact that the men did not want to leave their families. He believed that if he cancelled all marriages and engagements in Rome he would be able to find willing recruits. A priest known as Saint Valentine and Saint Marius chose to help the young people who were in love.

They took it upon themselves to secretly marry couples who could not stay apart. When Claudius II was informed of these secret marriages he ordered Saint Valentine to be apprehended and dragged him before the Prefect of Rome, who condemned him to be beaten to death. This act of violence took place on February 14^th. It was then that the pastors of the early Christian Church in Rome worked to substitute names of saints for the feasts that commonly took place throughout the year. This is how the Lupercalia feast became known as Saint Valentine’s Day.

The way that Valentine’s Day is celebrated has gone through many changes through the years until it became what we are all familiar with today. Some people may cringe at the thought of Valentine’s Day while many others see it as an excuse to express their love for someone special in their lives. Now, the holiday is marked with cards, flowers, romance, and candy and specialty gifts of admiration. However you may feel about Valentine’s Day, there are many special ways that you can make the day special for that special someone in your life.

If you would like to purchase the Corky Kouture™ Glamour Galore presentation bags visit Corky Kouture™ .

We would love you to join us on Facebook @Corky Kouture Glamour Galore Collection and Twitter @CorkyKouture too!

Customizing your Corky Kouture

2011-12-08T14:03:00.003-06:00

There have been several mentions in past blogs about how you can customize your own Corky Kouture bottled gift bag and the Presentation Box that it comes in. This blog will give you an up close view of how we
customized the Corky Kouture we gifted Marie Osmond.

In order to get a general idea of the components we will be discussing, I am giving you pictures of every item of the bag and presentation box that can be easily customized.

Presentation Box

Footer and Ribbon

Top Flap of Presentation Box
(Picture is dark.. but you get the general idea.. :-)

Corky Kouture Bottled Gift Bag

Zippered pouch

Draw Ribbon on top of bag to secure bottled gift.
(Above the gift pouch and below the feathers)

As you can see, there are many aspects of the Corky Kouture that you can customize to make your gift specific to your recipient to give it the ultimate WOW factor and create an unforgettable sentimental moment.

When customizing the Corky Korture to present to Marie Osmond, several things were taken into consideration for the inspiration behind each customization. Marie Osmond recently re-wedded her ex husband. The date they picked for their union held its own significant meaning - it was the birthday of Marie’s son and mother, both whom are no longer with us. With that being known, we wanted her gift to be extra sentimental and incorporate her and her husband’s new beginning as well as embrace those who they had lost.

Starting with the top of the Presentation Box throughout every aspect of this gift, deepest respect was taken with every detail.

Top flap of Presentation Box customized for Marie Osmond

Footer customized for Marie Osmond

With the Corky Kouture bag, although we did not add any further embellishments to the pouch, however, we did custom create a card that was slipped into the pouch.

Customized Card for Marie Osmond

Inside of the Corky Kouture, we worked with CustomBeverages.com to create the perfect customized Ariel Bottle for Marie.

Customized bottle done by CustomBeverages.com for Marie Osmond

Presenting Marie Osmond with the total package ~ Priceless!!

Those were customization that anyone can do! There are so many more ways you can customize a Corky Kouture to make the moment of gifting it priceless.
Here are some other ways you can customize the CK:

You can embroider the ribbons. If you are crafty and have a embroidery machine, you can embroider the ribbon with the recipients Initials, heart, or whatnot.
If you are not so crafty in embroidery, take advantage of sites like PrintMyRibbon.com and get ribbons done to match the occasion.

For example.. this holiday ribbon would look awesome on the Presentation Box of a Corky Kouture gift for Christmas!

Remember, the Corky Kouture is more than just another bottled gift bag. It is an event in its own ~ a opportunity to create a timeless memory so take full advantage of all the ways you can customize your Corky Kouture to be the creator of that treasured memory.

If you enjoyed this blog, please feel free to share it with your friends and family!
Thank you!

If you would like to purchase the Corky Kouture™ Glamour Galore presentation bags visit Corky Kouture™

We would love you to join us on Facebook @Corky Kouture Glamour Galore Collection and Twitter @CorkyKouture too!

WINNERS Announcement of the "Win a FREE Corky Kouture for the Holidays"

2011-12-06T19:09:00.002-06:00

We are thrilled to announce to everyone the WINNERS of the Corky Kouture Bottled Gift Bags!

There are 3 winners!!!

Before announcing the winners we would like to thank EVERYONE who participated!!
We appreciate everyone's enthusiasm!

Now for our WINNERS!!!

Congratulations go to:
Charlotte from Charlotte's Avenue!
Linda Kelley Lee from "I Can Only Try" and "Honey's Place 1 in Vegas"
Finding Charm (Need name here..) from Featured Artists, Marketing Tips, Blog Tips, and Random Musings by Finding Charm.

To claim your Corky Kouture Bottled gift bag please send a private message to Corky Kouture's Facebook here: http://www.facebook.com/Corky.Kouture with your name and mailing address. :-)
We must here from winners with 48 hours of this announcement. If a winner does not respond, a new winner will be pick in replace.

Thank you again Everyone!!! xoxo

Win a Free Corky Kouture!!!

2011-11-28T17:56:00.001-06:00

You still have a great chance of winning a Corky Kouture Wine Gift bag for

the

holidays!

Enter now.

Drawing is Dec 5th for 3 lucky winners.

Absolutely no money involved!

Visit this link to ENTER: Win A Free Corky Kouture For The Holidays

Contest closes on December 5th so enter today! :-)

If you would like to purchase the Corky Kouture™ Glamour Galore presentation bags visit Corky Kouture™

We would love you to join us on Facebook @Corky Kouture Glamour Galore Collection and Twitter @CorkyKouture too!

MamaNYC Review of Corky Kouture

2011-11-18T09:01:00.002-06:00

Hi everyone.. I wanted to share with you all another great review that MamaNYC did on the Corky Kouture!

MamaNYC is a blog that reviews products for families and people in general. She reviews infant to adult related products from toys to books to clothing to beauty and almost anything in between. :-) Make sure to check her out! :-)

Corky Kouture – Wine Presentation Gift Bags [Review]

This product is 2011 Holiday Gift Guide APPROVED!

Although we may not realize, a bottle of wine is one of the most popular holiday time gifts. We love bringing a bottle of wine to a gathering, party, or holiday meal at a relatives home. Wine has also been one of those items that I decide to purchase for those people I have a hard time shopping for.

I have always struggled when it came to wrapping up a bottle of wine or figuring out the best way to present the item in a way that shows, "I didn’t just stop off at the liquor store on the way to your house. I put some thought into this gift!" Corky Kouture has put an end to that problem and I am thrilled to share their wine presentation gift bag with all of you.

Corky Kouture gift bags are luxurious, eye popping, show stopping presentation bags that are designed to dazzle and delight even the most demanding Diva! Each of these gift bags comes inside of presentation box and a small crystal-studded zippered gift card holder. This is the perfect spot to include a card, gift card, jewelry, or other small gift you want to include for your loved one! The craftsmanship and detail on my Corky Kouture gift bag is out of this world! Each of these gift bags are satin with tulle, boa feathers, crystal and a flowing ribbon.

Although Corky Kouture was created with the wine lover in mind, there is no reason you can’t use these beautiful gift bags for non-alcoholic gifts! Bubble bath or sparkling juice would also be a perfect gift to find inside of a Corky Kouture gift bag! Birthday parties, anniversaries, bachelorette, or holiday parties – just to name a few ideas!

I decided on a black Corky Kouture gift bag, but I really wanted to get my hands on the pink bag! I thought about how easy it would be to display a PINK wine gift bag in our kitchen and realized my husband would likely freak out. He is very patient with me, but that may be considered pushing it. The black bag is gorgeous and I am SO in love with it! I look at it every single day when I am in my kitchen and receive SO many compliments and requests from friends and family. My husband actually likes it (a lot!) and NOW he says pink would have been fine… sheesh! Either way, I am in love and will have my Corky Kouture gift bag in my kitchen for many years to come! (It’s placed in a small ‘minibar’ area that I have with my wine collection)

Lisa Riedel’s Inspiration & Invention Story: "I was inspired to design and develop this brand while searching for a unique, impressive and glamorous way to gift a friend with a bottle of her favorite champagne along with a full presentation of all of the things I knew she would love such as a gift card to her favorite store all packaged in a beautiful box to ensure it would be a treasured keepsake.The Glamour Galore line is just one of many collections that I aspire to create in the future.

Though created for the wine/bubbly lover we have found that many people add in liquor as well as non alcoholic beverages (essentially any round shaped bottle) making the opportunities for their use truly timeless and ageless. The customization options are limitless. One can embroider the ribbons, the gift holder, or even have labels made for the footer of the box to commemorate any occasion or event!"

Corky Kouture is featured on Womentorz.com, the Women Inventors Network! Learn more about these fashionable and fun gift bags and owner Lisa Riedel onWomentorz (or, check out an entire gallery of pictures displaying different functions/methods to use your Corky Kouture gift bag!

Buy It! Corky Kouture gift bags are currently available in four different colors: black, white, pink, and red. Purchase your own Corky Kouture gift bag at CorkyKouture.net. Each bag is only $34.99! You can also learn a lot more about Corky Kouture on the official blog @corkykoutureblog.blogspot.com. Be sure to "Like" Corky Kouture’s Facebook page and follow on Twitter also!

Corky Kouture is offering coupon code CK25 for a purchase price of just $25.00 for their fabuous "Glamour Galore Collection" and donating 10% of each purchase you make to Feed Americans. The goal is to sell 2,000 pieces for a donation of $5000 which will feed40,000 Americans!

Coming Soon… (shhh!): I am pleased to announce that Corky Kouturewill be sponsoring MamaNYC in an upcoming event, 12 Days of Gifts Galore! Stay tuned for a sponsor spotlight featuring Corky Kouture (November 23, 2011) which will be followed by a giveaway here at MamaNYC!

That’s right – one of my lucky readers is going to receive a special prize from Corky Kouture! Be sure to check back on November 25th – December 6th for a chance to get your hands on one of these beautiful and glamorous presentation bags!

If you would like to purchase the Corky Kouture™ Glamour Galore presentation bags visit Corky Kouture™

We would love you to join us on Facebook @Corky Kouture Glamour Galore Collection and Twitter @CorkyKouture too!

The Perfect Holiday Feast!

2011-11-17T08:24:00.003-06:00

The holidays are fast approaching, and other then spending quality time with my family and loved ones, I am thinking about all the great food I will get to indulge in without guilt. (Well not as much much guilt that is ~ after all.. isn't that part of the holiday tradition? ~ EATING!!)

Everyone has their favorites that spread across their holiday tables ~ sweet potatoes ~ the turkey/ham or other huge festive meat ~ the side dishes galore ~ and of course the desserts!

What one dish is a must have on your holiday table or it just wouldn't seem like a holiday?

Do you have a special recipe you would like to share?

What other holiday traditions do you practice in your household?

Make sure to enter in the Corky Kouture Holiday Giveaway! Win a Corky Kouture just in time for gifting this holiday season!

Seasons blessings to all!

Corporate Gifting Idea and more – CustomBeverages.com

2011-11-11T11:40:00.002-06:00

Tis’ the season for many corporations to start gifting employees and clients for their dedication throughout the year. I have a cabinet full of company coffee cups, a drawer full of ink pens (although some are rather nice) and various other miscellaneous office trinkets that I have received through the years as corporate gifts. Although the thought is always nice (as well as those bonus checks) I often wondered if all corporations shopped at the same location. In a search for great personalized compliments to go with the Corky Kouture gift bags (also a great corporate gift by the way) I came across Custom Beverages. Custom Beverages is a supplier of custom beverages specializing in incorporating your business logo onto beverage bottles enabling you to broaden your logo influence.

CustomBeverages is your one stop shopping for custom labeled wine and various other beverages. Their services include etching, screen printing, labeling and painting beverages, glass bottles and beverage accessories. Their personalized services allows individuals, corporations, wineries, restaurants, etc the ability to create unique bottled gifts for any use or occasion. They make the perfect gift for corporate functions, trade shows, special events, fund raisers, food service, weddings, grand openings and much more!

Ordering from Custom Beverages is as easy as 1, 2, 3!

1. Select your wine or beverage.

2. Select your label. You can choose oen from their hundreds of pre designed templates or let their design team help you create your very own!

3. Personalize your label by adding your own message, image or LOGO!!

That’s it! Like I said, as easy as 1, 2, 3!

CustomeBeverages.com representative told us “Usually on the front end of that we send a product sample to taste and see our work, as well as a price quote for their specific quantity. Every client is drastically different. Some of our clients are listed at the bottom of pages on our website with links to their sites. Yet as straight forward as it sounds, people have a tendency to go back and forth over the artwork part. We work with those clients to make sure the end product is exactly what they imaged.”

I asked the Custom Beverages representative why she felt person should choose their venue over any other… she replied "I believe our competitive advantage is 'service'. We take our time with clients and try to put ourselves in their shoes. Although sales are important to us, we do not believe every client encounter must result in a sale, although that would be nice too! Our sales approach is consultative, rather than transactional. By that I mean because we are former Wall Street leadership development consultants, we believe in educating the client where we can about ways to, not just personalize a bottle, but to see beverage customization as a tool to leverage the power of their brand, whether it is a personal or corporate brand. Example: one of our clients’ that is over 150 years seasoned business and a major national brand, wanted root beer soda that would reflect their history and what their brand means. They had the internal corporate ability to produce all their artwork, yet all they sent us to put on the label was their logo. Our view was oh no. We said to them: ‘everyone in the world knows your company for one thing, why not put that on the label'. They saw our suggestion and said “Yes, let’s go with this.” Although that sounds simple sometimes it just takes outside eyes to see brand power.”

Another question I had for CB representative was… ‘I see where people can order mass product for businesses, fund raisers, etc… but what about if someone just wanted a singular customized bottle as a gift or whatnot.. ? Do you offer that?’ The CB representative told us “No not really. We do mainly volume orders. The other thing is that in the beverage and glass business all manufacturer pricing is based on quantity. So we're kind of forced to work with volume orders. Sometimes we'll make exception though. Like Levi's Jeans orders thousands of root beer soda, but this little old lady wanted only 3 cases of cider for her daughter's wedding. The problem is when doing only three cases, by the time we pull the cider from the warehouse, make the film to print, print it a temperatures of 1200+degrees on glass, then ship it becomes a really expensive bottle of cider if just ordering 3 cases.”

In closing, Customeverages.com has a new program for both wine shops and small business/individuals. (See Wine Shop recruitment flier above) They are still ironing out some of the kinks due to the legalities with wine in the United States but looks very promising for those looking to increase their revenue.

Website for Fellow Women Entrepreneurs - Womentorz.com

2011-10-23T13:22:00.001-05:00

Hello everyone! I wanted to share with you all today a great site for all my fellow women entrepreneurs – Womentorz.com! Womentorz.com is a great way for you to get more attention to your product as well as network with other likeminded female entrepreneurs. Starting a business can be costly on in its own rights, but add marketing and web expenses, let’s face it, the first few years can be draining on your pocketbook. When you have an opportunity to lower your start up cost, you are silly not to take advantage of it, and when that same opportunity offers the ability to network with other women dealing with the same issues being an entrepreneur, that simply sweetens the pot!

Womentorz® provides you with a free storefront website allowing you to sell your products directly to consumers and networking opportunities. Nothing gets better then free when you already are dealing with tons of overhead. On top of all of that, Womentorz® partners with various other women developed businesses that add their own specialties to the mix. All of Womentorz® partners add additional opportunities to help broaden your marketing circle as well as aid in cementing your brand. If you are looking for a way to broaden your networking circle or for a storefront you can afford, please checkout Womentorz.com. After all, you have nothing to lose, yet everything to gain!

You can find our Corky Kouture storefront on Womentorz.com. Check us out and see what you are missing! You will love the layout!

Find Corky kouture on Womentorz <--- here!

Wometorz Website

Womentorz Facebook

Womentorz Blog

If you would like to purchase the Corky Kouture™ Glamour Galore presentation bags visit Corky Kouture™

We would love you to join us on Facebook @Corky Kouture Glamour Galore Collection and Twitter @CorkyKouture too!

Corky Kouture Review By The Finishing Touch Event

2011-10-20T11:57:00.001-05:00

Hello everyone! I am pleased to introduce you to The Finishing Touch! TheFinishingTouchEvents.com is an award winning wedding, events, design and paperie firm serving clients in the NY tri state area as well as London, England! Based both in Metro New York and London England, The Finishing Touch is a full service wedding and event planning firm. Their desire is to create the perfect one of a kind event for each of their clients.

They work with you and your vision to create the most memorable events possible down to the very last detail! From the Bride to the birthday party and everything in between, The Finishing Touch is definitely worth the look if you are located in the Metro New York or London England areas!

The Finishing Touch used the Corky Kouture gift bags in one of their events and was kind enough to write this awesome review below.

Take a moment to visit TheFinishingTouchEvents.com even if you are not in their geographical location. They still have a lot of offer anyone who has a special event to host in the future. :-)

Fab Find ~ Corky Kouture!

Monday the 10th of October

Today’s Fab Find is the ultimate glam gift! Are you looking for something unique to give your bridesmaids? Or fun favors for your bridal shower guests? Then you mustcheck out Corky Kouture™!

Corky Kouture’s™ ‘Glamour Galore Collection’ is an innovative packaging concept for upscale gift giving for the wine or bubbly lover. These luxurious, eye popping, show stopping gift bags are designed to dazzle and delight even the most demanding diva!

Their ‘Glamour Galore Collection’ is perfect for presenting a bottle of liquor, wine, champagne, or other favorite “bubbly” – even sparkling grape juice for your favorite little princess! These flirty bottle-shaped bags come in a presentation box and are available in four colors: black, red, white and pink and are comprised of satin, tulle, boa feather, crystal and ribbon.

The bags also have a small, crystallized zippered gift card holder which can be personalized and embroidered to commemorate a special occasion. Enclose a gift card, money, love note or piece of jewelry in the adorning jeweled pouch and you’ve just created a treasured keepsake.

Recently, we used a few of their pieces from the collection at the ABC NJ State Conference that we helped coordinate and design. One of the dinner events held at The Chelsea in Atlantic City was 1920′s themed with black, red and white decor used throughout. The white Corky Kouture™design matched perfectly and they were spread around the room to add some flirty flare to the event. At the end of the evening, some of our lucky guests got to take them home as gifts. Our very own Jennifer, one of the lucky winners, is seen here dodging the rain carrying her Corky Kouture with care!

Their creative packaging system makes the greatest gift for any occasion. Corky Kouture’s™ ‘Glamour Galore Collection’ makes gift giving a piece of cake! Check them out and order yours today!

If you would like to purchase the Corky Kouture™ Glamour Galore presentation bags visit Corky Kouture™

We would love you to join us on Facebook @Corky Kouture Glamour Galore Collection and Twitter @CorkyKouture too!

Corky Kouture Review by Mad Moose Mama Blog

2011-10-19T13:41:00.001-05:00

Hello everyone! First off I am excited to introduce you all to Mad Moose Mama's Blog. <--- Click there to visit her blog! Mad Moose Mama did a review on our Corky Kouture bottled gift bags and I am sharing it below. :-) Visit Mad Moose Mama's blog to see other great product reviews and more! :-)

Corky Kouture Glamour Galore Gift Bags Review & Giveaway

Corky Kouture Glamour Galoure Gift Bags

Not only are they a present but a present holder!! These gorgeous Gift Bags are embellished with tulle, satin, boa feathers, crystal and a ribbon. Each gift bag comes in its own presentation box and a small crystal-studded zippered gift card holder. All you have to do is decide WHAT to put in the bag!!

ARV $34.99 plus S/H

The Gift Bags could be used to gift:

wine
non-alcoholic beverages
cider
bubble bath
baby accessories
lingerie
cosmetics
jewellery
and much, MUCH more~!!

The Gift Bags come in Pink, White, Black and Red and will fit many gift bearing occasions!!

Christmas
Hallowe'en
Birthdays
Wedding/Baby Showers
Housewarming
Anniversaries
Weddings
Valentines
Graduations

...just to name a few ideas that you could use to really dress a present up and to make it extra-special~!!

These eye-popping, show-stopping Glamour Galore Gift Bags are elegant, beautiful and are made to dazzle and delight your loved one.

My Thoughts~!!

I absolutely love my bag, it's absolutely gorgeous, delicate and ohhh sooo girly~!! They are absolutely charming bags and would make any gift-giving event memorable.

I choose a Black one as it could suit many occasions and I was thinking it would look great as an evening bag or an accessory to a really groovy Hallowe'en costume or I could get my grandmother a really nice set of pajamas and slippers and put them inside and she'd have a lovely overnight bag to take with her as she travels around with her lady friends!! Honestly, the ideas are limitless on what one could use the bag for...but I'm now leaning towards my nanny and the groovy getaway Christmas present...shhhh...DON'T tell her~!!

I love the feel of satin and it really makes the bag look amazing and the feathers give it an almost intoxicating appeal, making one want to squeal and giggle when they open it up. The box it comes in is very sturdy and after you fill the bag up, I'd suggest putting it back in the box and wrapping it again to give it an even more mysterious appeal~!! The gift card attached to the gift bag is cute and adorned with clear, crystal, rhinestones. I figure you could put a card, some money, a key to your heart, or just about anything in here to add to the mixture of love that the recipient of such a groovy gift couldn't HELP but feel~!!

By gifting with the Corky Kouture Glamour Galore Gift Bags, I feel it shows your loved one that they were thought of in an extra-special manner. Thought and care would go into a gift such as this and the message your loved one would get from that is definitely worth the added attention to detail!!

PLUS...they are going to donate 10% of their sales from now until January 1st to help FEED AMERICANS~!!! WOW~!! That's pretty awesome gift giving folks~!!

Just use coupon code CK25 when ordering~!!

NOW...my DIVAlly Delicious Mad Moosers...I, along with the wonderful folks at Corky Kouture, would LOVE to give you the opportunity to win one of these elegant Gift Bags for your VERY own~!!

How SWEET is THAT??

If you would like to purchase the Corky Kouture™ Glamour Galore presentation bags visit Corky Kouture™

We would love you to join us on Facebook @Corky Kouture Glamour Galore Collection and Twitter @CorkyKouture too!

Anne Strand – The One, The Only, The Original Wino Woman

2011-10-13T09:10:00.001-05:00

Picture Credit: WinoWoman.com

When you are looking for the prefect pairing of wine for any event, food, or situation in life for that matter, you MUST check out Anne Strand - the one, the only, the original Wino Woman first! This classy, feisty, and unique Certified Sommelier, and although Strand has always had an ongoing love affair with wine due to the vast varieties available, she wasn’t always a sommelier. Previously Strand sported a corporate hat in the high tech world when she worked for Google and Facebook. On a personal note… as addicting and beneficial for networking that Facebook is, I can see why one would turn to wine as a much need relaxer after hours! ;-) And I would love a few tips from Strand on making Google work for me because I am lost! Lol! However, I digress... back to topic! :-)

Wino Woman writes an awesome blog for all wine lovers from the connoisseur to even the wine novice out there. It is a great spot to learn, laugh, and even have instant access to wines that Strand recommends. By all means she gives you the inside scoop on the various characteristics of different wines she encounters but she takes wine to an entire different level by pairing wines up to anything and everything in life and yes, I mean everything; from the perfect wine for the ex-boyfriend to wine that compliments the American dream. She makes learning about wines fun and entertaining. You will have a strong desire to test out her pairings purely for fun!

A bottle and glass of non-fortified Beaumes de Venise wine made in the French wine region of the southern Rhone Valley. Made predominately from Grenache.

Picture Credit: Jen HofmanHansen (Wikipedia)

For example, we asked Strand if she had to pair a wine with Halloween Candy Corn, which wine would she pair it with. If you think about it, candy corn is to Halloween, the month of October as Cotton Candy is to fairs! So of course it was a logically choice for this time of the year. Thinking we could have stumped her with our off the wall pairing assignment, Wino Woman proved us wrong and popped the wine cork out of the park.. or winery that is! Strand educated us in her ever so knowledgeable sommelier class:

“Candy corn is a difficult match for wine because it's basically all sugar. In general, you want to be drinking a wine that has as much sugar as the food you're eating. If you don't, the wine is going to taste really bitter in comparison. So I would go with a sweet dessert wine that has some orange notes, like a Muscat de Beaumes de Venise. It's a fortified Muscat wine from the Southern Rhone Valley and tastes delicious slightly chilled.”

So what we thought would be an impossible pairing, the Wino Woman pulled it off without even breaking the slightest sweat! But doesn’t that make you want to go buy some candy corn and Muscat de Beaumes de Venise just for fun this Halloween? I know I want to!

Knowing that WinoWoman, in the name of research of course, has traveled worldwide consuming wine after wine diligently for the better of mankind, we knew she had to have some luxuries that were must haves in her life that she could turn to after all that tiring hard work. So we asked her, other then wine of course, what two other luxuries does she indulge in when the world of wine tasting and educating fellow winos wears her down. <Insert snicker here ;-) LOL!> Wino Woman told us:

“I love to stay in luxury hotels when I'm traveling. Doing so makes every trip, even a work trip, feel like a wonderful vacation. One of my favorite hotels to stay in is the Shangri-La in Beijing. I also like to pamper myself with a spa facial every now and then.”

Now that is what I am talking about! What a wonderful life – sipping wines, travel, and spas! Could life get any better? :-)

Picture Credit: Visit.South.France.com (Visit South France)

We thought, could it be possible for a wino woman of such stature to ever pick a favorite out of all the wines she has encountered throughout her life? We figured, probably not but just to test that theory we decided to limit her with the question – if you could only drink ONE wine for the rest of your life, which specific wine would it be. Lo and behold, although not thrilled with the question, she did have an answer! Strand told us:

“I hope I never find myself in this predicament because one thing I love about wine is the variety. There are so many different wines that suit different occasions and foods. Part of the fun of being a sommelier is discovering new wines and pairings. Either way, if I absolutely had to choose just one wine for the rest of my life, I would probably choose Côte-Rôtie. Côte-Rôtie is a small appellation in the Northern Rhone in France. Wine made there is mostly Syrah but sometimes has a bit of Viognier blended in. The wine has fantastic black pepper, bacon and violet aromas - it's exquisite.”

This is one wine I definitely want to try now! I mean, seriously, if the Wino Woman chose it as her one and only for life if push came to shove, it has got to be magnificent! We hope you enjoyed learning about this amazing woman with an amazingly fun job as much as we did! If you want in on Wino Woman’s secrets make sure you visit her blog at Wino Woman; connect with her on Twitter @Wino_Woman and connect on Facebook @WinoWoman. And remember the Wino Woman’s philosophy when in doubt for gift giving or drinking enjoyment – “There’s a wine for that!” :-)

~~~~

If you would like to purchase the Corky Kouture™ Glamour Galore presentation bags visit Corky Kouture™

We would love you to join us on Facebook @Corky Kouture Glamour Galore Collection and Twitter @CorkyKouture too!

Corky Kouture™ meets Glam Partyz

2011-10-08T10:10:00.002-05:00

One thing everyone knows about the Corky Kouture™ bottle gift presentation bags is that they make a statement and well, they are absolutely glamorous. So of course it makes perfect sense that they would make a perfect accent to any glamorous party! And that is exactly what they are doing!

GlamPartyz is a home-based business where party planners arrange spa-style parties for women to enjoy. Every party is different. They range from the very formal to the completely casual. Each of the GlamPartyz events has a distinct party theme. Now Corky Kouture™ gift bags will be incorporated into that theme.

GlamPartyz are also all about giving back to the community as a large. This is yet another common denominator with Corky Kouture™. A portion of all GlamPartyz proceeds go to Souls4Soles.com – an organization who efforts are to ensure no child goes without shoes.

The brilliant thing about GlamPartyz is that participants can attend a party and enjoy themselves. They do not have to worry about getting a sales pitch or buying any products and GlamPatyz comes bearing gifts for all of champagne, strawberries and more.

Typically, if one was to attempt to host a party of the GlamPartyz magnitude with the various service providers, one would look at spending at average of $300.00 to $500.00 per guest invited. With GlamPartyz, the average cost per guest is $25.00 to $50.00!

The hostess can choose to foot the entire bill for their guest or do a girl’s retreat where each contribute to part of the cost. Where else could a girl go to get a day of pampering, nails, facials, pedicure, etc for less then $50.00 and be with a group of their favorite people!

The GlamPartyz motto is “Live to be Glamorous!” The creator of GlamPartyz, Jessica Crate, a star triathlete and marathoner and an amazing entrepreneur said when asked what sets her parties apart from others was “We take your average event or party and make it a “A” list Hollywood style event!” Everything about GlamPartyz fits right in with the products, beliefs, and ideas of Corky Kouture™, from taking something ordinary and making it extraordinary, to giving back to the community and that everyone deserves some glamour in their lives.

To learn how you can host a GlamPartyz visit GlamPartyz.com or you can contact Jessica directly on the GlamPartyz Fanpage or email her at jessica@glampartyz.com

Make sure you tell Jessica that Corky Kouture™ sent you!

If you would like to purchase the Corky Kouture™ Glamour Galore presentation bags visit Corky Kouture™

We would love you to join us on Facebook @Corky Kouture Glamour Galore Collection and Twitter @CorkyKouture too!

The Holiday Dinner Party ~ Ho! Ho! Ho!!

2011-10-06T10:09:00.018-05:00

(KV Design Team)

No matter how much we want to pretend that the holidays are NOT just around the corner, they are. Are you one of those shoppers that have your gifts wrapped up months before Christmas? I’m not. Unfortunately I am still shopping; often times even on the night before Santa makes his grand appearance. I wish I could be one of those that have everything done weeks in advance but there always seems to be unexpected events or people that show up on my list that keeps me going till the very last moments.

How many of you get invited to numerous holiday parties during the season? It seems without a doubt that if we have one event to go to, we have 50 and every year it seems to increase. So one thing I am always prepared for is the holiday parties. I try to always keep on hand various wines and liquors that I know for a fact fit nicely into the Glamour Galore Collection presentation bags. I am finding more and more every year that fit and will continue to add to this list as new ones come to my attention.

Here is the current list I know for a fact fit perfectly into the Glamour Galore bags:

Peter Brum Gold Sparkler Sparkling Wine

Marilyn Merlot

Veuve Clicqout

Perrier Jouet

Barcardi Rum

Fleischmann’s Vodka (Flavored too)

Ramona Singer Pinot Grigio

Welch's Sparkling Juices

(In an upcoming blog I will be demonstrating how to use the bag with various other wines and liquors to give you suggestions on how to make almost any kind fit securely for the utmost perfect presentation possible.)

Depending on the holiday party I am attending will determine just what wine/liquor/sparkling water/juice/bubble bath/etc. I will drop into the sleeve and what I will slip into the gift pouch as an extra surprise bonus gift. Sometimes it will be a gift card, other times it will be a certain trinket that reminds me of the host. It varies tremendously from each event, but I always seem to find something that fits each person’s personality. It is a fun challenge but one I always seem to be up to! J

If you have gifted or received a Corky Kouture™ Glamour Galore presentation bag, we would love to hear from you what you put in yours so we can add it to our list!

If you would like to purchase the Corky Kouture™ Glamour Galore presentation bags visit Corky Kouture™

We would love you to join us on Facebook @Corky Kouture Glamour Galore Collection and Twitter @CorkyKouture too!

Celebrate Womanhood

2011-10-03T10:19:00.002-05:00

I’m a diva, she’s a diva, wouldn’t you like to be a diva too..? If you have been following this blog you already know our definition of what a real diva is, if you haven’t check out this blog : "Divas are Ageless"

One of the special things about a diva is, she celebrates womanhood. She embraces it, and embraces it in other women and life in general. I’m not sure how many of you readers are Real Housewives fans, but on one episode of the Real Housewives of New Jersey Kathy Wakile host a party in her home for the fellow housewives to embrace and feed their inner goddess with some of her Mediterranean specialties. You can read more about how the occasion went off on her blog here: "Chasing Away The Winter Blues"

Here is a short clip from a fun portion of the goddess gathering:

Now, I don’t know about you, but I could totally see the Corky Kouture™ Glamour Galore Collection being a perfect accent to that party! All in all though, I think the whole idea of the party was absolutely fantastic! What better thing to do then to celebrate who we are, and the goddess like qualities we all have!

Have you ever thrown a party with your female friends just to celebrate womanhood? Tell us about it! I would love to know what you did to make your party extra special.

If you would like to purchase the Corky Kouture™ Glamour Galore presentation bags visit Corky Kouture™

We would love you to join us on Facebook @Corky Kouture Glamour Galore Collection and Twitter @CorkyKouture too!

Divas are Ageless

2011-09-30T10:19:00.006-05:00

What do you think of when you think of a Diva? If you are thinking of high maintenance and full of drama, I am thinking you have the wrong view of just what a Diva is. That actual original word Diva is a “term used to describe a woman of outstanding talent in the world of opera.” However, it is the sense of the word – “goddess” and through time came to be known as a woman who is in touch with their inner goddess, is talented and knows what she wants and goes after it.

Humble Diva posted this definition of “Diva” on Urban Dictionary “A woman who is usually perceived as bitch or self-absorbed, which in some cases they are. A diva is a woman who has self-confidence, self-respect, and hella swagger. She knows who she is and exactly where she is going. Her style and attitude are on point even when she is not trying. People typically gravitate to her because they respect her swagger.” I like that definition and it is very fitting.

I am sure everyone can list women they know that fits the above description of a diva. Just a few mature divas that roll off my mind with ease are:

Audrey Hepburn,

Studio publicity portrait for film Love in the Afternoon, 1957, (Wikipedia)

(ThisIsArtFashion.blogspot.com)

Oprah Winfrey,

Oprah Winfrey as a Child

Winfrey at the White House for the 2010 Kennedy Center Honors (Wikipedia)

Maya Angelou,

(Maya Angelou Bio - Academy of Achievement)

President Barack Obama presenting Angelou with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, 2011 (Wikipedia)

and Betty White.

Betty White InStyle.com 1958, White sported a wavy pageboy when she played newlywed Vicki Angel on "Date with the Angels." (Everett Collection)

Betty White, 2010 Time 100 Gala

That is one thing about a diva, it knows no age; it is timeless.

Some may feel that the Glamour Galore collection is just for the youthful diva’s, however, it is for the diva in all women, regardless of age, from the congratulatory gift to an upcoming diva when she graduates from Kindergarten to the mature diva for their 99^th birthday. We as women all have an inner goddess, a little diva running through our blood. Help other women celebrate and embrace their inner diva goddess with a little Glamour Galore. After all, are we not all worth it?

If you would like to purchase the Corky Kouture™ Glamour Galore presentation bags visit Corky Kouture™

We would love you to join us on Facebook @Corky Kouture Glamour Galore Collection and Twitter @CorkyKouture too!

Woot Woot!!! She is 21!

2011-09-27T10:18:00.002-05:00

I know there are plenty of Diva’s out there. I would almost bet you know one too! They won’t leave the house without their makeup, not a hair out of place, and strutting an outfit to die for. I know one young lady (Takesia) who recently turned 21 who happens to be the Webster Dictionary definition of “Diva”. She even does mundane things such as dishes, cooking, and even laundry in heels. Yes heels and no less then 4 inch ones at that! Her reasoning behind the housework in heels is that housework is the one thing she doesn’t enjoy doing so if she is doing it in her heels it makes her feel better about doing it. Whatever works for her! ;-)

Needless to say, her girlfriends are just like her! College girls with high ambitions in life that always like to be looking their best at almost any given moment. Now mind you, they all work and go to college so their budget is limited. However, there is one thing they refuse to compromise on, and that is their gifting of each other for their 21^st birthday bashes. In their college state (Illinois) the legal drinking age is 21. So as each of their girlfriend crowd turns 21, they combine their funds and make a point to order a Glamour Galore Presentation Bag early for the birthday girl. They choose color by that particular friends’ attitude. They then purchase that particular 21^st birthday girls favorite liquor or wine. (Of course they are just guessing because of course they were not drinking before their 21^st birthday. *wink wink*) Then with the combined funds left they get the birthday girl a gift card to her favorite clothing store to put in the Glamour Galore extra gift pouch. (On a couple occasion it was jewelry as they knew their friend already had far too many clothes.) Then, on the birthday girls’ special day, they present the gift to her as a group. A big deal is made of it every time and the common statement heard from the girls who have yet reached their prime age of 21 is “I can’t wait till I get my Corky Kouture™.”

If you would like to purchase the Corky Kouture™ Glamour Galore presentation bags visit Corky Kouture™

We would love you to join us on Facebook @Corky Kouture Glamour Galore Collection and Twitter @CorkyKouture too!

The Glamour of Engagements

2011-09-24T10:30:00.002-05:00

(Picture credit: Engagement Proposal Ideas)

I just love to hear about wedding engagements, don’t you? Those are thrilling times. Love is in the air, and the anticipation of the coming wedding is intense. Just take a look at Brides Magazine and you will begin to have an appreciation for the endless possibilities available to modern engaged couples.

Men: Attention to detail is essential when you are proposing to your loved one. Engagements come easier when you have prepared the way with special treats and gifts for the day you become engaged. A trip to an upscale restaurant might be just the thing you are looking for. If you are not sure where to take your love, look at the Zagat website for your city for ideas.

Be sure to take along a gift of Peter Braum Gold Sparkler Sparkling Wine to make the evening seem like a fairy tale dream. Wrapped up in one of our Glamour bags it will be sure to turn her head. Slip a love note into the attached pouch, and she will cherish it forever.

(Wedding Rings by Petr Kratochvil)

Friends of the couple: Parties for engagements are usually thrown by the bride- and groom-to-be themselves, or if not then by their parents. Yet, as friends of the couple, you can play a part. Ask what you can do to make their day more special. Bring wine and contribute to the festivity of the celebration. Give a special gift to the bride and to the groom to commemorate the event.

Our Corky Kouture™ Glamour Galore presentation bags make great presentation packaging for gifts of wine, jewelry and gift cards. What is more, you can slip a note of congratulations into the pouch for them to remember long after the wedding is over.

Parents: I think engagements are the perfect time to show your child’s loved one how happy you are to welcome them into the family. Spend time getting to know them and invite them along on family outings and trips, but go beyond the routine. Surprise them with special gifts from the engagement to the wedding. A bottle of foaming bubble bath would be sure to make a bride-to-be feel pampered, and if you present it in one of our gift bags, she will be dazzled by the thoughtfulness of the presentation.

What I am saying is: you do not have to miss out on the adventure even if you are not the bride- or groom-to-be. Engagements are really fun and exciting for everyone!

If you would like to purchase the Corky Kouture™ Glamour Galore presentation bags visit Corky Kouture™

We would love you to join us on Facebook @Corky Kouture Glamour Galore Collection and Twitter @CorkyKouture too!

Wrapping Up the Holidays

2011-09-21T11:09:00.014-05:00

It seems to me that some countries celebrate more holidays than we do. We might spend a fortune and abundant time on the biggies, but there are dozens of other holidays throughout the year when we could be making merry. Holiday Smart has a pretty complete listing of all this year’s special days. Why not make it a challenge to observe as many happy days as possible?

When you choose one of the unusual holidays to celebrate, you can think about who or what the day honors. For instance, on Administrative Professionals Day, I know just the person I want to please. That person has worked as a secretary in good times and bad ones, and has always done a bang-up job. She is professional as well as friendly. She deserves a special treat.

Next Administrative Professionals Day (once called Secretary’s Day) is in April 2012. Next year, I plan to get my secretary friend the kind of bubble bath that is bottled up in a champagne-type bottle. Since it will fit right inside our Glamour Galore gift bags, I will dress it up in the Red version for her – her favorite color. Then, I can put in a gift card for her to her favorite bookstore.

Of course, there are the big holidays to contend with too.

(Various Christmas Baubles by Petr Kratochvil)

People do not always share presents with each other on all of the big holidays, but it might be more enjoyable if they did. Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years can be a triple dip of excitement and gift giving fun. These holidays all offer us the chance to share meals with our friends and family. When you are going somewhere for a meal, the nice thing to do is to bring wine, isn’t it? If you can bring fantastic champagne like Perrier Jouet, you can show your appreciation ten times over.

The Perrier Jouet is one of the bottles that we know fits well inside our Glamour Galore gift bags. That is great, because such superb champagne deserves the fabulous packaging it gets when presented in one of our gift bags. No matter what holidays go by, wrappings are a wonderful part of the charm of the occasion. Make sure you get a wrapping that covers your gift in style.

If you would like to purchase the Corky Kouture™ Glamour Galore presentation bags visit Corky Kouture™

We would love you to join us on Facebook @Corky Kouture Glamour Galore Collection and Twitter @CorkyKouture too!

How to Really Please on Mother in Law’s Day

2011-09-15T09:58:00.002-05:00

(Picture credit "The Mother in Law Manual by Susan A Liberman, PH.D )

Did you know there is a special day set aside for Mother in Laws? I did not know that until just recently. Similar to Mother's Day, this observance was started in 2002 to celebrate those special In-Laws! It takes place on the fourth Sunday of every October – this time on the 23rd of October, 2011. I am sure there are a lot of daughter in laws, son in laws, and even mother in laws who would like to celebrate this day if only they knew about it. Well, this is my announcement to the world that the day for honoring the woman who brought your loved one into the world is right around the corner!

Mother in laws get a bad rap, but that is usually a mistaken notion. People who appreciate their mother in laws often get a wonderful gift of understanding, support and companionship that they could not get anywhere else. What better time than Mother in Law’s Day to thank her for her contributions to your life?

Many people think that mother in laws are hard to please. Just remember that a mother in law is a woman like any other. She will like what other women like too. The best thing you can do to please your mother in law on her special day is to pamper her. Take your mother in law to a spa for a day of relaxation!

If your mother in law has never been to a spa before, explain what will happen. Find a brief overview of massage for her to read. If she is interested in aromatherapy, direct her to the National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy for information on the different choices.

Your mother in law may be surprised that you thought of her outside of her role as your spouse’s parent. While she is unwinding to the gentle music and the wonderful aromatherapy of the spa, remind her that you are happy she came into your life. When she comes out of the treatment room from her massage, greet her with a smile and a gift.

(Photo by Stuart Miles)

One of the best gifts for the Mother in Law’s Day occasion is a bottle of wine wrapped up in one of our Corky Kouture Glamour bags. If your mother in law does not like to drink wine or liquor, there is no need to offend her. Just slip in a bottle of luxurious foaming bubble bath. You can add a piece of jewelry and a gift card into the attached pouch to make it even more special.

Mother in laws usually wants what is best for their children. Most of the time, they realize that the happiness of a child’s spouse contributes to that. Mother in laws deserves a little happiness of their own as well. This fourth Sunday in October, put in the effort and imagination to show her your appreciation.

If you would like to get one of the Corky Kouture™ Glamour Galore presentation bags visit Corky Kouture™.

We would love you to join us on Facebook @Corky Kouture Glamour Galore Collection and Twitter @CorkyKouture too!