Join Me: Creative Holiday Gift Wrap Workshop

October 30, 2018

Hi friends! I wanted to let you know about a fun Creative Gift Wrap Workshop I’m conducting, hosted by Steve McKenzie’s and Verde Home. During the workshop you’ll learn all my tips and tricks for wrapping gifts with style & flair. From adding embellishments to using uncommon wrapping supplies, I’ll teach you everything you need to know to make your holiday gift wrap extra special. And we’ll also be making beautiful ribbon bows that you can take home and use on a special package.

It’s going to be a fun morning of holiday cheer so I hope you’ll join me. And did I mention there will be swag bags for all workshop attendees!

Tickets available on Eventbrite. Space is limited so reserve your spot today!

Free Printable Merry & Bright Gift Tags

November 27, 2017

Happy Holidays friends! Did you have a great Thanksgiving and first official weekend of the Christmas season? We sure did.

I know many of you were out and about this weekend, taking advantage of the Black Friday deals. I was right there with you and I’m happy to say I now have most of my gift list checked off. Now it is time to start thinking about gift wrapping. . . one of my favorite things!

If you have wrapping gifts on your to-do list, I’ve got a special gift just for you. I created a fun gift tag collection that I’m calling Merry & Bright for you to download and print for FREE. The set of tags includes classic and bright colors in a variety of designs to work with just about any holiday decor theme. These can be printed onto a white card stock and trimmed. Add narrow ribbon or twine to the holes and use that to tie them onto my gifts. Click here to download FREE Printable Merry & Bright Christmas Gift Tags. Enjoy!

Click here to download FREE Printable Merry & Bright Christmas Gift Tags

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For those of you living in the Atlanta area and needing some gift wrap inspiration, be sure to join me this Saturday, Dec. 2nd from 10:00-11:00 am at Steve McKenzie’s for my holiday gift wrap workshop. It’s going to be a fun morning and there will be giveaways too! All workshop attendees are invited to bring 1 small boxed gift to wrap in a creative way. Paper and wrapping supplies will be provided.

Click the Eventbrite link to register and reserve your spot today. I hope to see you there.

Be sure to stop by tomorrow for another holiday gift guide. This weeks gift guide includes some really awesome items for the men in your life. Shopping for men’s gifts can be challenging but my gift guide will make it a little easier this year. You can view my previous gift guides here:

Gift Guide: For The Fashionista

Gift Guide: Hostess Gifts

Holiday Gift Wrapping Workshop with Steve McKenzie’s

November 10, 2017

It’s no secret that one of my passions is gift wrapping. What you may not know is that I also love to share my passion by teaching others how to wrap gifts with style and flair!

Creative Holiday Gift Wrapping–Beyond The Basics!

I’m excited to be partnering with Steve McKenzie’s for another holiday workshop on Saturday, Dec. 2nd. Creative Gift Wrapping–Beyond The Basics is back by popular demand and is going to be bigger and better than ever. Join me where you’ll learn new ways to give your holiday gifts a little extra pizzazz. In addition to sharing essential gift wrapping tips, I’ll demonstrate some fun ideas you can incorporate into all your holiday gift giving. Workshop attendees are invited to bring 1 small boxed gift to wrap in a fun and creative way.

I hope to see you at Steve McKenzie’s for a morning of holiday cheer and inspiration. Click the Eventbrite link to register and reserve your spot today!

Bookshelf Styling Workshop with Steve McKenize’s

April 22, 2017

My passion for decorating goes beyond helping my clients with their design needs. It also includes sharing my knowledge about design and decorating with others.

When my home decor and gift store was open I taught design workshops throughout the year. Topics ranged from space planning and accessorizing to styling tabletop vignettes and creative ideas for entertaining. I’m excited whenever I get the opportunity to lead a workshop and when I get to do it in partnership with one of my favorite stores, it’s even better.

BOOKSHELF STYLING WORKSHOP

I hope you will join me at Steve McKenzie’s on Saturday, May 6th from 10:00-11:00 am.

Creating a dynamic bookshelf display involves picking the right accessories and knowing how to arrange them with flair and style. During the workshop I’ll share my tips and tricks for styling bookshelves and my list of ‘must-have’ items that every bookcase arrangement needs.

And to make the event even more special, one lucky attendee will receive a custom piece of artwork designed and painted by Steve.

Click here to register for the workshop. Space is limited so sign up today!

To shop Steve McKenzie’s online, head here and be sure to check out their blog.

Shop Local–Touring Steve McKenzie’s

November 25, 2016

Are you familiar with Small Business Saturday? If not, let me fill you in. Small Business Saturday is an event that American Express started several years ago to help promote and boost business for independent retail businesses around the country.

The goal of Small Business Saturday is to encourage people to support and shop at the small businesses within their community. As the previous owner of an independent retail store I can’t tell you how important it is to support the independent businesses in your area.

In honor of Small Business Saturday which is tomorrow, I thought I’d take you on a tour of one of my favorite independent speciality retail stores here in Atlanta–Steve McKenzie’s.

I had the pleasure of conducting a holiday gift wrap workshop at the store a couple of weeks ago and while I was there I took note of all the wonderful products that were for sale.

One of the things the store is known for is its tabletop and entertaining items. Melamine is hot trend in tabletop right now and there were some beautiful pieces in the store. I had to get up close and personal with stemware before I realized they were melamine and not crystal.

You’ll find everything you need if you love to host parties and entertain.

Steve McKenzie’s sells two of my favorite brands, R.Wood Studio ceramics (above) and Blenko Glass (below)♥

The store also sells unique furniture and decor pieces. These teal decorative boxes and tray caught my eye.

I wish you could transport yourself to the store and sit in this chair. It was so luxurious and comfortable.

The design on the front of this chest is a major style statement.

Many of Steve’s custom art pieces hang in the store and are available for sale.

When it comes to gifts, there is something for everyone including a great selection of men’s gifts, women’s accessories and the Steve McKenzie line of custom candles.

And naturally with it being the holiday season, there are lots of fun and unique holiday decor and gift items.

I love the collection of holiday ornaments, many of which were vintage or chinoiserie inspired. The Pagoda and the Budda ornaments were two of my favorites.

I hope you enjoyed this virtual tour of Steve McKenzie’s!

If you live in the Atlanta area, stop by Steve McKenzie’s this holiday and shop local. And if you can’t make it to the store you can shop online here.

999 Brady Ave NW #1
Atlanta, GA 30318

Holiday hours: Monday thru Saturday 10:00 am -4:00 pm and Sunday 12:00-4:00 pm

And don’t forget that wherever you live, get out and support the small businesses in your community on Small Business Saturday.

Behind The Blog: Steve McKenzie’s

October 28, 2016

Like many friendships today, my friendship with Steve and Jill McKenzie started through social media. We connected with each other on Instagram and eventually had the pleasure of meeting in person a couple of years ago. I first met Steve on a visit to their beautiful home decor and gift store and then Jill at a design conference here in Atlanta. Since then our paths have crossed on many occasions including the Black Southern Belle Atlanta Tastemaker Summit where we both had the pleasure of conducting workshops.

Before I jump into the Behind The Blog Q & A with Steve and Jill, let me tell you a bit about them and their business.

Steve McKenzie’s is a high-end home decor, furniture and gift store located on the edge of the trendy Westside Design District. Their retail business opened in 2012 and continues to thrive with an ever-expanding product assortment. Their product offering ranges from statement furniture to home accessories to a wide-range of tabletop items and paper goods. You’ll also find textile designs that are derived from the canvases of Steve’s artwork and handmade items from southern artisans. Steve McKenzie’s also serves as the Southeast showroom for the french furniture maker Grange Furniture. Along with their retail business, they have a full service interior design business, McKenzie Design, where they create personalized spaces for their clients.

Steve McKenzie’s has been published in Atlanta Homes and Lifestyle, and has been recognized by other national publications, including House Beautiful and Traditional Home for curation of the businesses’ showroom. The inception of the interior design and home décor businesses have since parlayed into product line design, an upholstery collection, a line of rugs through Verde Home and women’s fashion with a stunning line of scarves.

“To us, a memorable space features layers of new items mixed with timeless treasures–objects that tell a story. Spaces like these encourage comfortable living and great conversation.” –Steve McKenzie

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Now its time to go Behind The Blog for my chat with Steve and Jill…

Both of you have backgrounds in retail and home furnishings so it only seems natural that you’d own a retail store. Tell us a little about Steve Mckenzie’s and what types of items and services shoppers can expect to find in the store.

Shoppers can expect to find unexpected treasures, big and small. Folks need to make several loops around the store to take in all the layers, everything from home décor to jewelry to unique pottery, also furniture, pillows, and tabletop. Shoppers can expect a warm greeting, an offer to gift-wrap their perfect gift, and perhaps a pick-me-up espresso.

Many people may not know that much of the artwork and textiles you carry in the store is created by Steve. Tell us about Steve’s art and what inspires his work.

SM— I painted for nearly 30 years. I am an intuitive abstractionist who enjoys exploring making marks which lead to other marks until the painting is complete. I do not start with a preconceived idea of what a painting should look like. Colors in nature and interesting lines inspire me to make these marks.

In addition to your retail and design business, you also write a blog. Tell us about the blog and what readers can expect from your posts.

Our blog covers design, art, life, leaving us pretty open to what catches our attention. We enjoy book reviews on favorite art books; Tastemaker Tuesday posts on talented designers, artists, creatives; entertaining tips and recipes. Hopefully we inspire! We enjoy sharing our passion for entertaining, books, travel and design. We also love to share our Tastemaker stories from friends, new and old, who inspire us and we plan on featuring ConfettiStyle soon!

How would you describe your personal design style?

Personally, we hope we convey our international style. We love the antiques combined with modern and a very storied interior with objects collected from travels and which have personal meaning. I hope our style is comfortable, approachable and infused with stories.

Where do you find your design inspiration?

Design inspiration comes from so many sources! Definitely magazines, especially international design magazines. My current favorite is Cabana from England. Instagram and Pinterest inform me quickly. My biggest inspiration comes from museums, a painting that has a particular color palette or combination of textures. Right now, it is the Arte Povera movement of Italy which is informing my color palettes.

If you could live anywhere other than Atlanta, where would it be and why?

SM -Paris, hands down! When I was the CEO of a multinational Berkshire Hathaway company, I traveled the globe and my heart always returned to Paris. The number of museums, the respect for the historical yet the love of the modern, the beauty of the architecture. The French government has a policy with artists to manage the estates which has encouraged many magnificent mini-museums to happen. (Rodin museum). You can explore for a lifetime and find inspiration at every corner.

JM- Indianapolis. Besides being my hometown, Indy is a delightful blend of culture, practicality (the city is divided east to west by Meridian Street and by north and south by Washington Street…its a grid system marked in miles instead of blocks), art (IMA, Eiteljorg Museum , Herron School of Art and Design) and fun (Indy 500 and the largest Children’s Museum in the world).

In addition to being married, the two of you have a great working relationship—How do you balance your personal and professional life?

We respect each other’s ideas and opinions, and it’s a team effort. Always.

You hosted an entertaining workshop at the Southern C Summit earlier this year—what three tips can you give us for setting a beautiful party table?

Keep a well-stocked tabletop closet so you have these items at the ready.
Relax. Your guests will be understanding and enjoy the event if you are relaxed.
Be unorthodox. Use the unexpected. It makes the table and conversation more interesting. For example, a rug runner or quilt makes a great table topper. {I couldn’t agree more}

If you could lunch with any famous couple, who would it be and what burning question would you want to ask them?

Charles and Ray Eames–They so influenced American design through their art and products, their logos, branding work, interior design. We would just like to know how they did it.

I always like to throw a quirky question into the mix so tell us about your favorite things…

Steve’s Favorite Color: Paprika
Steve’s Favorite Decorative Accessory: A classic bust
Steve’s Favorite Design Book: It changes constantly but right now it’s Ken Fulk’s new book, “Ken Fulk’s Magical World”. It inspires me to create magic for my design clients.
Steve’s Favorite Southern Food: cornbread-my grandfather’s recipe that I make in our “cornbread only” iron skillet, handed down from my grandfather.

and now it’s Jill’s turn…

Jill’s Favorite Color: Periwinkle
Jill’s Favorite Decorative Accessory: unusual baskets
Jill’s Favorite Design Book: currently enjoying My Stylish French Girlfriends book
Jill’s Favorite Southern Food: my father-in-laws biscuits

Personally and professionally, share a few items on your bucket list?

Thanksgiving Day parade in NYC {me too!}
Round Top in Texas {Steve & Jill, you’re going to love it}
Paris runway show
Falling Rock Visit

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Wow, what a truly inspiring and talented couple they are. Thank you so much Steve and Jill for giving all of us a glimpse into your life and business.

If you live in Atlanta, I encourage you to visit their beautiful store. To learn more about Steve McKenzie’s stop by their website and connect with them on social media ( Instagram // Facebook // Pinterest // Twitter). To follow their blog, head here.

Steve McKenzie’s, 999 Brady Ave NW #1, Atlanta, GA 30318

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This is the last installment of the year for the Behind The Blog Series. I’m lining up a fantastic group of designers, bloggers and creative talents to share in 2017. Until then, enjoy all of the 2016 features all over again…

Behind The Blog: J. Schoenberger Designs

Behind The Blog: Erika Ward Interiors

Behind The Blog: Thistlewood Farms

Behind The Blog: Bliss At Home

Behind The Blog: Dwell By Cheryl

The Art Of Gifting–A Holiday Workshop

October 19, 2016

Join me for…

I’m excited to be partnering with Steve McKenzie’s this holiday, hosting a holiday gift wrap workshop, The Art of Gifting! During the workshop I’ll share fun and creative wrapping ideas to get you ready for holiday gift giving. From unique ways to use paper and ribbon, creative packaging ideas and fun embellishment tips that will give your gifts that special touch, you’ll learn all my gift wrapping secrets! I hope you’ll join me for a morning of creative inspiration and shopping.

Tickets are $15 and can be purchased through Eventbrite here.

I hope to see you there.

Product Launch At Steve McKenzie’s

September 5, 2016

Steve McKenzie’s, one of the premier home decor and gift stores in Atlanta is having an exciting product launch on September 7th with the introduction of the Florence Broadhurst Collection by Selamat.

Selamat is a manufacturer of stylish home decor and accessory pieces with a flair of casual elegance. When the company first began making products back in 1988, they were committed to using sustainable timbers and today they continue to manufacture products with that same commitment to green principles.

I popped into Steve McKenzie’s the other day and got a sneak peek at some of the amazing products being introduced in the Florence Broadhurst Collection. The collection includes both large and small-scale furniture pieces, tabletop decor and linens. One of my favorite pieces is the Circle Square Serving Credenza shown below in white. What a beauty this is! #barcartdreams

The collection if manufactured in a variety of materials including rattan, leather, metal, bamboo and stone. And not matter what your design style, you’ll find items to work with your decor.

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Here’s a look at many of the pieces you’ll find at Steve McKenzie’s…

Unfortunately I’m going to be out of town for the Florence Broadhurst launch party but you can attend this exciting event and see the collection in person by contacting Jill at jill@stevemckenzies.com.

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In addition to carrying a great selection of furniture and decor pieces, Steve Mackenzie’s has a wonderful selection of gift items perfect for every gift occasion.

Follow the Steve Mckenzie’s blog here and connect with them on Instagram here.