Swoozie’s is All About the Designer!

Here at Swoozie’s, we know a good designer when we see one. And we love nothing more than finding the best designers and introducing you to their fabulous work. We are so pleased to  give you your first look at a couple of our favorite designers’ new Spring 2012 collections:

Dylan’s Candy Bar

There’s no denying it – Dylan Lauren is the ultimate Candy Queen. Inspired by the colorful swirls and speckles of candy and candy wrappers, all of Dylan’s patterns have one thing in common: they’re simply delicious! One of the things we admire most about Dylan is her bold use of color. Many designers would shy away from using so many hues in one pattern. Not Dylan! Each of her patterns feature every color of the rainbow – and she pulls it off so well. That’s a testament of her true talent. We’re so excited to see these scrumptious new candy-inspired patterns on some of our favorite stationery and household items. They look SO delicious, we have to remind ourselves to save the tasting for the real candy!

One of our absolute favorite new items from Dylan’s Spring 2012 collection is the iPhone cover. Not only is the case colorful and fun – but get this – it’s scented! So it both looks AND smells yummy. How can you go wrong? Whether you want to get this as a gift for a tween or you want to carry it yourself, this case is so girly and fun.

Another one of our favorites from Dylan’s collection are the party supplies. It’s impossible not to have a fun, fabulous time when your plates and napkins are so festive! Plus, a candy-themed party is PERFECT for a girls night or your daughter’s birthday celebration. Simply set up a candy bar, decorate the room with streamers and confetti, and get ready for a sugar high! These candyspill cups are ideal for serving a fun drink like fruit punch. Paired with a wedge of fruit and a piece of red licorice for a straw, of course.

Jonathan Adler

If you know Jonathan Adler, you know he has an eye for design. Inspired by his original love for pottery making, his impeccable taste is evident in all of the products he creates. Whether Jonathan is designing furniture, home goods, or stationery, his talent always shows through in his sophisticated yet fun use of color and pattern.

We are so pleased to introduce you to Jonathan Adler’s new Spring 2012 patterns. Each of these new prints was meticulously designed, each featuring a magnificent pop of color just perfect for Spring. Jonathan just released four new patterns, perfect for each of your personalities and styles. The new patterns are Gothic Rose, Birds, Swirls, and Watergate. Which is your favorite?

One of our go-to Jonathan gifts from the new Spring 2012 collection is the Note Cube. These stylish notes give your grocery list or office gossip a little extra pizazz. Why use an ugly yellow pad when this is an option?! These also make a super simple, easy teacher’s gift. Who wouldn’t love to have one of these beautiful, sophisticated cubes on their desk?

We also LOVE Jonathan’s new line of electronic accessories. All of the magnificent new patterns are available in covers for your iPad and iPhone. And our favorite part? Jonathan has also designed matching ear buds! While many designers have gorgeous electronics cases, very few create beautiful headphones. Jonathan thinks of everything! And with the complete set, your electronics will never feel more stylish. With Valentine’s Day around the corner, it’s time to drop a hint to your man that you want some Jonathan Adler with your flowers and chocolate!

What are your favorite new gifts from the Dylan’s Candy Bar and Jonathan Spring 2012 collections?

Swoozie’s Goes Red for Women!

Swoozie’s may be all about pink and orange, but we will proudly Go Red for Women. Did you know that more women die of heart disease than all forms of cancer combined? It’s simply shocking! We love all of your hearts too much to sit back and do nothing.

February is Women’s Heart Month, so Swoozie’s is making it our mission to help fight heart disease.

Shop all day Friday, February 10, 2012, at any of our seven store locations, mention “Go Red” at checkout, and receive 20% off your entire purchase. In addition, we will donate 10% of your purchase total to the Go Red for Women campaign. This also coincides perfectly with the ultimate heart day – Valentine’s Day – that is just around the corner. For those of you shopping online, simply enter GORED at checkout.

It’s time to pull your most fabulous red dress out of your closet and wear it proudly! To learn more about Go Red for Women, please visit The American Heart Association.

Who are you donning your red in honor of this month?

It’s Bridal Season at Swoozie’s!

We were so pleased to have all of you lovely brides-to-be at Swoozie’s on Sunday, January 22 for our Bridal Event. We had such a fun time talking to each of you about upcoming trends, ways we’re able to assist in your planning, as well as introducing you to some of our favorite bridal partners from our communities.

 

While the Bridal Event has come and gone, our bridal planning season is still in full swing! Even if you didn’t reserve a seat at our Bridal Event, there is still a seat waiting for you at Swoozie’s for a one-on-one appointment with a member of our team. Simply call one of our General Managers and she will gladly set up a time for you to speak with our in-house designer.

Birmingham, AL – Allison – 205.968.3458
Buckhead, GA – Stephanie – 404.252.7979
Dallas, TX – Brett – 214.890.0433
Greenville, SC – Ashley – 864.286.3491
Greensboro, NC – Andrea – 336.856.2406
Norcross, GA – Catherine – 770.263.6441
Palm Beach Gardens, FL – Denise – 561.627.3744

Mark your Calendars

Now that you’ve selected the date, it’s time to make sure each of your friends and family will be there to celebrate with you. We love helping couples design their save-the-dates. While your invitation is often more formal, the save-the-date really gives you a chance to have fun. Whether you want to feature a shot of you and your soon-to-be husband or a custom-designed illustration, your options are wide open. Our designer is just waiting to “talk ideas” with you!

Make it Your Own

It is so important that your bridal parties and wedding day be unique and personalized. Our team at Swoozie’s is dedicating to make it your own. From invitations to programs to party favors, we invite each of you to bring in your unique ideas and our team will talk you through how to make them come to life. From personalized wine bottle labels for your reception to a custom city scape for your bachelorette party invitations, we are pleased to assist you in adding your personal touch.

Custom Vinyl

One of the hot new trends in the bridal industry is custom vinyl. We love the idea of placing your new initials on the windows of the venue for your bridal shower or wedding reception. Check out an example of custom window vinyl in the picture below. Another fun idea (that all of the ladies in attendance at the Bridal Event were so excited about) is custom vinyl for your wedding-day shoes. Blue being the most popular color – you can create custom messages to be placed on the soles of your heels! Whether you want “I” and “Do,” “Mr.” and “Mrs.” or perhaps your new married name, this is a fun detail that you will love showing off to your friends and family.

The Invitation

Everyone knows we bring the the pizazz when it comes to save-the-dates and shower invitations. However, we are also pleased to offer our brides all of the tools you need to create your perfect wedding invitations. Whether you’re looking for a fun, modern style or an elegant, classic design, our team is dedicated to perfecting your vision. From designing to printing to calligraphy – we handle it all.

Mail Invitations: 6-8 weeks prior to wedding day
Order Invitations: 1 month prior to mailing
Calligraphy: 2-4 weeks prior to mailing

Congratulations!

At each Swoozie’s Bridal Event location, one lucky bride was selected at random to win $500 worth of William Arthur Invitations. Congratulations to all 7 of our winners!

Congratulations to our winner from Swoozie’s of Palm Beach!

We certainly had an amazing time at the Bridal Event – and hope all of you did too. We LOVE talking to brides-to-be; your excitement for planning your big day is simply contagious. Here are a few photos from the event:

Did you attend the Bridal Event? What was your favorite moment?

Love is in the Air at Swoozie’s!

Swoozie’s loves the season of love! Valentine’s Day is only a few weeks away and we’re pleased to share some tips to help make your Valentine’s Day special for all the loves in your life.

Treasure Hunt for the Swooz-a-roos

We love all of our little ones – and our little ones LOVE Valentine’s Day! Make the day extra special for your children by planning a treasure hunt. Hide clues around your home, leading from one location to the next. But instead of simply finding a clue at each location, leave a piece of Valentine’s Day candy for your children to collect with each clue. At the end of the treasure hunt, leave a lovable Cordy stuffed animal waiting for each kid as the final prize!

The Classmates 

Children LOVE celebrating Valentine’s Day at school. From making their Valentine’s mailbox for their desk, to handing out goodies and cards to their classmates, to making Valentine’s cards for their family members, it is a special day of hearts and fun! This year, send your children to school with fabulous, personalized cards. Designed by our Swoozie’s team, and only $1 each, there are perfect options for your little boys or girls.

The Teachers

Don’t forget about your teachers! They spend all day teaching, loving, and caring for our children, so they deserve to be shown some love as well! One of our favorite gifts for the teachers is this delicious Jar of Cookies or a loving sign to hang on the classroom wall.

Teachers do so much for us, and they always appreciate when a parent and child go out of their way to show their recognition for their hard work.

Your Best Friend

Your best friend is there for you for everything. You laugh, you shop, you gossip, you care for each other. So when Valentine’s Day comes around, there is no better day to show her how much you love her than with a sweet, funny gift. These Valentine’s Day signs are our favorite gift for the best friend. Whether she’s the bacon to your eggs, the sprinkles on your ice cream, or the shake to your bake, these signs are sure to bring a giggle or two.

Your Husband

Of course you want to plan a special day for the man you love the most! Adorn your table with candles, get dressed up, and start the night with a wine and cheese platter. This Slate Serving Tray is perfect for serving cheese. Write the name of each type you’re sampling as well as a sweet message for your man. After your appetizer at home, continue out for your dinner reservations or instead, plan a special dinner to cook at home. Choose a special menu of something you wouldn’t normally cook yourself – such as steak or lobster. He’ll certainly be impressed!

Do you have any special ideas for Valentine’s Day? We’d love to hear them!

Click here to browse Swoozie’s Valentine’s Day Book.

Swoozie’s LOVES the New Lilly Pulitzer Patterns!

I have enormous respect for Lilly Pulitzer. Her patterns are always perfect and the colors are just SO Swoozie’s.

We have very exciting news to share with all of you. It’s that time of year and we are so pleased to bring you a sneak preview and presale of the Spring collection and new Lilly patterns!

Here are the fabulous new patterns for Spring 2012:

Scarlet Begonia – This pattern is so pretty and feminine! It’s PERFECT for anyone who is a girly-girl or simply a fan of pink. With a name like Scarlet Begonia, can you expect anything else?!

Fallin in Love – This pattern reminds us so much of the beach. If there’s ever a day you’re not feeling like wearing pink, Fallin in Love is the pattern to go with.

Fan Dance – This pattern is SO much fun! It’s girly and tropical and is SURE to grab the attention of all the passers-by. Who knows, you may have to prepare a little Fan Dance of your own!

Chum Bucket – How adorable is this name?! A Where’s Waldo of little green fish with a pop of pink. You can’t go wrong with Chum Bucket!

How much fun are these patterns? We know one thing for sure - these new Lilly prints make us want to be poolside with a margarita! While it may be a little chilly for that right now, there’s no reason you can’t bring a little pizazz into your grey winter months. We certainly will be! These Lilly patterns are a sign to everyone who crosses your path that Spring is just around the corner. Check out some of our favorite new Lilly items in the fabulous new patterns:

The Insulated Cooler – Perfect for a day at the beach, a picnic, or just to keep in your car for cool drinks and snacks!

The Acrylic Wine Glasses and Pitcher – These acrylic glasses are PERFECT for poolside. There is no risk of breaking glass, and the colors are so much fun for spring and summer.

The Cell Phone Pouch – Keep your phone safe (and pretty!) with one of these vibrant cases. The bright colors make it SO easy to find in your purse.

The Letterpress Notecards – Never underestimate the power of a handwritten note! These Lilly notecards will be perfect to send out through the Spring and even into the Summer.

What do you think of the new Lilly Pulitzer collection? It may be impossible to choose, but which is your favorite new Lilly pattern?

Get Creative with Chalkboard China!

At Swoozie’s, we LOVE finding innovative, unique, and fun products that will start conversations whenever you have guests visit your home. As soon as we met Candace Neff Randolph, we knew she had a fabulous collection that any Swoozie’s girl would love - Chalkboard China.

With a love for entertaining, Candace was searching for a way to customize and personalize her dishes for individual events. Inspired by her mother, grandmother, and the desire to make other feel welcomed in her home, Candace came up with the idea of Chalkboard China. This collection features wine glasses, a charger, carafe, vase, and a variety of dishes that each feature a section covered in a washable, chalkboard coating.

These dishes are PERFECT for a dinner party, bridal tea, or even a rehersal dinner. To plan your seating arrangement, simply pull out your piece of chalk and write your guest’s name along the brim of the charger. Or for fun, you can doodle a festive design on the plate to go along with the current season. The wine glasses also make it easy for your guests to keep up with their drinks. There is no need to remember which wine charm is her’s when her name is written right on the glass!

Have you used any Chalkboard China pieces at any of your bridal functions or dinner parties?

Party Inspiration – Mindy Weiss

It’s no secret that Swoozie’s LOVES to throw parties. Whenever we’re looking for inspiration – have it be for a dinner party, a bridal shower, or a wedding – one of our favorite people to turn to is the fabulous Mindy Weiss!

When it comes to planning a party, Mindy knows what she’s doing. From table settings to floral arrangements to lighting – her parties are impeccable. Mindy began her career by creating custom invitations and has since created an empire that includes event planning, wedding products, and the hugely successful publication, The Wedding Book: The Big Book for Your Big Day. Just take a look at one of the parties Mindy planned; it is SO Swoozie’s!

Not only do we LOVE Mindy Weiss, but Mindy loves Swoozie’s! We’re pleased to carry some of the magnificent items from her collection, designed with Swoozie’s brides in mind. Inspired by Mindy, one of our favorite ideas for a bachelorette party is a city-themed weekend with your girls. Invite your friends in from out-of-town and show them the city you love. Visit some of your favorite local restaurants and attractions by day and by night, rent a limousine to drive you around from venue to venue. Deck out the inside of your limo with city-themed swag that each of the ladies from your group can take home as a souvenier from the amazing weekend. We carry merchandise designed by Mindy for Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, Dallas, and Houston.

What’s your favorite idea for a fun bachelorette party with your girls?

The Bridal Parties!

Now that you’ve selected your bridal party, it’s time to plan your bridal parties!

Here at Swoozie’s, party planning is our thing. And while planning your big day is undeniably memorable and special, the real fun happens planning your pre-wedding parties! Bridal showers, couples showers, bachelorette parties… we LOVE helping you come up with ideas for these events. Before you say “I Do” let us Swoozie you!

Couples Showers

Couples showers are all the rage right now. Couples have groups of mutual friends, so why split up for separate parties? While a traditional girls-only bridal shower is always fabulous, it is so much fun to have all of your friends and family together for one big party.

Stock the Bar Shower

One of our favorite couples shower themes is the Stock the Bar Party. This party is so much fun for both the hosts and the guests! Not only will you get to plan yummy drinks to go along with your finger food, but you can have a lot of fun with the party favors. A fun idea: pick the couple’s favorite drink recipe and print it on cardstock. Punch a hole and tie the recipe card around whichever mini bottle of liquor is needed to mix the drink. Attending a Stock the Bar Party soon? Our go-to gifts are the Corkcicle, The Redneck Wine Glass, Cork Cage, and the Glacier Rocks Set.

The Cookout Shower

Who doesn’t love grilling out?! The Cookout is another fabulous theme for a couples shower. As a host, set up a cookout of your own. Grill your favorite foods, serve a refreshing summer cocktail, and set up some fun outdoor games for your guests to enjoy. This is also the PERFECT time to use personalized cups, plates, and napkins, adorned with the bride and groom’s names. A fun touch: create custom koozees for all of your guests to use at the party and take home with them at the end of the day. Whether you chose to personalize the koozee with a fun phrase or with the couple’s names, this is a party favor they’re sure to use over and over again. Our favorite Cookout Shower gift for the bride is the Casserole Carrier and our favorite for the groom is the Personalized Glass Cutting Board.

Bachelorette Party

There’s no denying it – one of the most fun things about getting married is your last night out with the girls. They’ve been there for you through it all – wedding planning included! – and they’re eager to send you off into married life with a last hurrah! Swoozie’s is THE place to go to select fabulous invitations and stock up on your bachelorette party gear. We especially love the “Because I’m the Bride That’s Why” collection. It’s just so much fun! As a great idea to hold on to the memories of the night, have each of your girls to sign this Bachelorette Autograph Frame. Select your favorite photo from the night and proudly display it on your desk. No matter how you chose to spend your bachelorette night, as long as your girls are with you you’ll have a blast. Just make sure you include a splash of confetti!

The Bridal Event

Don’t forget about Swoozie’s Bridal Event on January 22, 2012. This complementary event offers all kinds of fabulous tips and goodies for your shower and wedding planning. Click here to RSVP on Facebook or email your reply to RSVP@swoozies.com. Include your full name, address, the location of the Swoozie’s store in which you will be attending the event, and the total number of people who will be attending in your party. Also, now through January 22, use the code WEDDING10 at checkout to receive 10% off any purchase from the Swoozie’s Wedding Book.

What is your favorite themed shower you have ever attended?

You’re Invited to Swoozie’s Bridal Event!

As you know, nobody plans a party like Swoozie’s! With those Spring and Summer wedding dates just months away, you lucky ladies are in full swing planning your bridal showers, bachelorette parties, and of course – the big day! To make your planning go that much easier, we have organized a fabulous event for all of you brides, your family, and closest friends.

We are pleased to invite you to Swoozie’s Bridal Event!

This year’s event takes place on Sunday, January 22, 2012, from 1-3 pm at all seven of our Swoozie’s locations. Try some cake and sip champagne while our team talks to you about this year’s latest shower and wedding trends and offers tips to help make your day the best it can possibly be.

The first 20 brides who RSVP for Swoozie’s Bridal event will receive a magnificent SWAG bag full of goodies, valued at $100! And even better, one lucky bride from each Swoozie’s location will be selected to win $500 worth of William Arthur invitations. We love seeing the excitement on a bride’s face when she wins this special gift!

Click here to RSVP for the complementary Bridal Event via Facebook or email your reply to RSVP@swoozies.com. Be sure to include your full name, address, the location of the Swoozie’s store in which you will be attending the event, and the total number of people who will be attending in your party.

If you aren’t able to attend the Bridal Event, you can still check out this season’s fabulous Swoozie’s Wedding Book online. Now through January 22, receive 10% off anything from the Wedding Book when you use the code WEDDING10 at checkout.

We look forward to meeting all of you fabulous brides-to-be and your wedding planning crew. Before you say “I Do” let us Swoozie you!

Swooz Your Gifts!

Gift-giving is SO much fun. We love to pick out the perfect gift for each person on our list. But now that we’re wrapping up our shopping, it’s time to wrap those gifts!! And nobody Swoozes up gifts like Swoozie’s!

A gift is so much more special when it’s wrapped with pizazz. Whether you want to go the traditional paper-and-bow route or turn your packaging into part of the gift, we have all kinds of fabulous ideas to help make your gift magnificent!

The Picnic Basket

Forego the usual paper gift bag and give a festive bag they’ll use each holiday season! This sturdy, candy cane striped collapsable picnic basket is perfect to present gifts, wrapped or unwrapped.

The Santa Bag

You’ll be as adored as Santa himself when you walk in the house with this Santa Bag in tow. In sizes ranging from Small to Extra Large, there is a bag to fit any size gift! Use this bag to tote wrapped gifts or in leu of a gift bag.

Swoozie’s Gift Wrapping

Did you know that Swoozie’s offers gift wrapping? Of course we do! We’re all about presentation, so we LOVE to wrap gifts and tie them up with a bow! We offer gift wrapping on ANY gift, even ones you didn’t pick up at Swoozie’s. So come in and let us Swooz them up! Whether you’re looking for the complimentary white box with pink and orange ribbon, our signature pink and orange wrap, or if you would like to pick out your own paper from our wrap selection, we have something you’ll love.

How are you going to be wrapping your gifts this holiday season?