A Few Favorite Things That Also Make Great Gifts

Why do I immediately think of the word ‘treasure’ when I am shopping for a loved one, a friend, and even for myself?

I think there are two reasons: Everyone needs a little bit of love and what better than a gift given from the heart? And, every home needs our personal treasures, our favorite things, to make our houses, homes.

I consider ‘gift-giving’ an art from my heart. When I walk around a store to shop for a loved one or a friend, I search for a special gift that will bring long term joy. And I do my homework! So, it takes me a very long time. My ultimate goal is to buy my loved one or friend a treasure… a find! And that same philosophy holds true when I shop for myself.

My favorite things

A treasure is a find and a find becomes a keepsake. Here are some of my most cherished keepsakes…

I am excited to share some of my personal treasures that I continue, year after year, to love and enjoy. Every item is significant for design and, more often than not, I have an emotional attachment, as well. Each of my treasures, my finds, I enjoy as much today as the day of purchase.

Pictured: My Tiffany and Co. Crystal Apple

Tiffany and Co.: I have a collection and every piece was bought with painstaking thought.

My crystal apple, pictured above, was a symbol of healing when I purchased it. I had been sick and wanted to stay well. When I was in Tiffany and spied my delicious apple I thought… I must have her! After all, ‘an apple a day keeps the doctor away.’

I also cherish my Tiffany seashells, not pictured. I had been searching for quite a while for gorgeous seashells. One day, I was in Tiffany and there they were… waiting just for me. My crystal seashells remind me of my life in Honolulu.

The takeaway? Small, thoughtful pieces can leave a strong message and bring you or someone you love a daily dose of joy! 

You can purchase the Tiffany and Co. crystal apple here.

Pictured: My Fornasetti plate collection adorning my kitchen backsplash.

Fornasetti: Purchasing the artist’s Fornasetti plates was all about design and my creativity. I did not want to eat off of the plates. And, I wanted to be able to admire them every day. What did I do? I bought several plates with different women’s faces and had a contractor hang them across my granite splashboard in my kitchen. I also have a candle from the collection that my dear friend, Nancy, gave me. Birds of a feather, we are!

I continue to marvel at these gorgeous Fornasetti pieces daily. They have not been hidden away on a shelf in a cabinet. Great idea, right? Fornasetti creates other art pieces for the home.

The Fornasetti plate collection is sold online here.

Pictured: Jonathan Adler Bel Air Vases

Jonathan Adler: I bought these “Bel-Air” vases in several sizes and colors because of artistic design, they brightened my day when I looked at them and I could use them to store many things. Pencils go in one, makeup brushes go in another, and flowers in a third. Clever, right?

The inserts of the artistic vases can be purchased in several lovely colors. Lavender, blue, yellow, green and white, and smoke gray. And there are several different sizes and shapes.

Shop the Jonathan Adler collection at Neiman Marcus here.

Pictured: A few of my Baccarat hearts perched on a shelf with my treasured photographs.

Baccarat: I love hearts. I love color. And, I love Baccarat. Buy one for that someone you love or for yourself. They are a forever treasure… a real life long lasting find.

The Baccarat heart collection is available at Nieman Marcus here.

Pictured: My hippo and me, so happy together 😉

My hippopotamus art piece: I was shopping for a friend’s birthday when my eyes spied a large art piece of an orange hippopotamus. I knew instantly my husband would get a kick out of her and I would love the hippo for sentimental reasons. It would remind both of us of our trip to Africa and the memory of our experience with a hippo would make us happy. And, my philosophy is when you see something and know it is a find and it will bring joy, you buy it. She is the centerpiece on our dining room table. Everyone smiles when they dine with her.

Buy here HERE at Neiman Marcus.

What are your favorite things and most cherished treasures? Do tell! I would so love to hear from you either in the comments below or on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.