Tag: thank you notes

Weekend getaway gift: Felted soap

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Throughout the summer, many of us find ourselves spending weekends with friends or family in another city, because of weddings, vacations or yearly visits. We’ve discussed before that you should do everything possible to be a great guest when someone is kind enough to open up his or her home to you. By bringing or sending a hostess gift (or both), you are on your way to being invited back for another fun-filled getaway.  We often gift little luxury items, because while we like to indulge in the small, but decadent things in life, we try not to go overboard and therefore love to get them as gifts ourselves.

One of the best places to find fabulous toiletries, especially fancy soaps, in a pinch or otherwise is Anthropologie. Yes, it’s a chain, but by golly, it’s a chain that gets it right every single time! From the store’s music and decor; to the clothes and accessories; down to the scents and quirky books and household items we just love it in spite of ourselves. Oh, and they gift wrap. For free.

So, for your next hostess gift purchase, we’d like to recommend the natural, handmade, Fiat Luxe Felted Soap, $14, at Anthropologie:

Image courtesy of Anthropologie

These pretty little soaps are wrapped in felted wool to create a sort of washcloth. The wool is naturally antibacterial and it serves as an exfoliator (remember, exfoliation is your key to the fountain of youth). If that wasn’t enough, the felt shrinks as the soap is used, so when the original “melts” away, pop in a new bar.

Find them at your nearest Anthropologie store or order online by clicking here.

We like to buy several at a time and keep them handy for gifting. Also, it’s always fun to have a “signature” gift, especially when it’s something as divine as delicious smelling soap.

Happy travels this weekend and beyond and remember to send a thank you note (Anthropologie has those too).

Cheers!

M

When you say I do, don’t do this …

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In the world of wedding etiquette, there are a lot of do’s and don’ts. We could literally write volumes, and likely will over time, but since you are probably reading this at work, we’ll narrow this particular entry down to the top do’s and don’ts every bride should memorize.

For this task, we consulted with the lovely and talented Denise Silverman CEO of CLINK, a full-service event production agency that designs and coordinates special events, such as weddings. We’ve turned to Denise on myriad event issues over the years and she always has the answers.

So brides, take Denise’s advice and your wedding is sure to go off with the only hitch being the new one between you and your groom.

Denise Silverman’s top three do’s and don’ts of wedding etiquette:

Do’s:
1-Do: make it about your guests. It’s your wedding and it should reflect your tastes and style. But make sure your guests are comfortable and happy. Fabulous and plentiful food. Comfortable accommodations. Great music. etc.
2-Do: write your thank you notes in a timely manner.
3-Do: double-check all spellings for your invitations. How embarrassing it would be to spell the name of your venue wrong?
4-Do: Check Crane’s Blue Book for all modern invitation etiquette. Don’t make up your own wording without checking on modern rules of etiquette.

Don’ts:
1. Don’t: put “children not welcome” on your invitations. The names on the envelope indicate who is invited (and not invited) to the wedding. You can also spread the word by word of mouth. Finally, if someone responds and puts their children’s names in the response, you may offer up some names/numbers for reputable babysitters.
2. Don’t: include your gift registries on your wedding invitations. This is TACKY.
3. Don’t tell your caterer you have fewer guests attending in order to pay less money. Running out of food is tacky and makes you and the caterer look bad.

Thank you for sharing your expertise Denise!

Cheers!

M

Thank you for the interview

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During recent conversations with various professional women in our Re-find circle, we were disappointed to learn that sending a thank you note post-job interview seems to have fallen out of favor. Not only that, but many interviewees are also forgoing even a simple follow-up e-mail to thank the interviewer for her time.

Simply put, it’s good business to send a thank you note to the interviewer.

Regardless whether or not you ultimately get the job, it shows that you value the time of the person with whom you interviewed, which is always a good thing. This quick and easy gesture could also give you the edge by keeping you in the interviewer’s mind or, if you are competing against candidates with the same qualifications, it could be the one thing that makes you stand out.

An e-mail will suffice, but even better is an e-mail plus a handwritten thank you note on simple, professional stationery. We like to take notecards with us to the interview, then write the note out in the car immediately following the meeting and pop it in the mailbox on the way home or to our next destination. That way, your enthusiasm and memory of the meeting are fresh.

Keep the note short, sweet and simple. For example:

Mrs. Scott,

Thank your for taking time out of your busy schedule to meet with me. I enjoyed learning more about Company Inc., and look forward to the opportunity to share my talent and experience with your team.

Sincerely,

Jill Williams

Feel free to be slightly more specific, but remember to keep the note brief, sincere and to the point. Good luck in your job search, but as with every situation, just be yourself and say please and thank you, the rest will take care of itself.

Cheers!

M

Do you have a business etiquette question? Leave a comment or e-mail it to charmfinder@gmail.com.