Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Got a Sec?

If you have a few minutes, would you please consider casting a vote for Swagger Gifts in the Cary Magazine Maggy Awards?

Those wonderful gals have been nominated in the categories of Area's Best Gift Shop, Best Boutique, and Best Bath Shop and I know they'd appreciate your support!

Here's the email from Cary Magazine with links to vote:


Cary Magazine - 2009 Maggy Awards

Have you voted for your favorite restaurant?

Have you supported your doctor or dentist?

Have you chosen your favorite Western Wake shopping destination?

If not, now's your chance as time is running out!

Only four days remain in the voting period for the Fourth Annual Best of Western Wake Maggy Awards.

Visit CaryMagazine.com to cast your vote today.

Voting will conclude at midnight on Friday, October 31, so be sure to vote now for your favorites in the following categories:

Lifestyle | Media | Restaurants | Services |Shopping |Sports

The 2009 Maggy Award winners will be revealed in the January/February issue of Cary Magazine.

Monday, October 27, 2008

Chill Out!



Oh wow. I am just about so over all of this and will be VERY glad when the awful ads are off TV and my mailbox is full of snail-mail from friends and family with holiday blessings and cocktail party invites (instead of wasteful campaign materials). (I just KNOW some of you are going to be with me on this one!)

So what's a girl to do?

Tonight, turn off the TV and enjoy an hour of home spa heaven with Me!bath! (Sounds good, no?!)

Today's Manic Monday blog special is 15% off all Me!bath products when you stop in the store and mention this blog between 10am and 6pm today!

PS: Tell your politically-overwhelmed pals to "chill-out" and enjoy a a little "me" time with Me!bath, too - they'll thank you for it!

Monday, October 20, 2008

There's Finally a Bit of a Chill in the Air...

Now don't get me wrong, I'm all kinds of a summer girl who enjoys a good heat wave more than a cold spell, but it's just not Halloween to me if it's 85 degrees outside... ya know? And as all good Raleigh, NC traditions would have it, as soon as the NC State Fair rolls into town, here comes those brisk days (with spots of warm sunshine) and chill nights that require a jacket!

Now we're talking fall and one of my favorite holidays... Halloween!

Swagger's Halloween Decor

If you've put off all Halloween decorating until it was a bit cooler out (like me), then you totally lucked out! Today's Manic Monday blog special is for 15% off all Halloween décor at Swagger! Just stop in the store between 10am and 6pm today, mention this blog post, and check out the snazzy selection of Halloween "merch" (as my good friends Lady Antebellum called it last night at their AWESOME NC State Fair show)... it'll definitely get you on the right road for October 31st!

Swagger Halloween Merchandise #2

Happy Hauntings! *insert devilish grin here* ("Boo"... they don't make a smiley for "devilish grin".)

Friday, October 17, 2008

Did You Hear the Great News?

In case you missed your daily dose of the local business news (and who on Earth would do that?), here's the scoop - straight from the source!Cary's Swagger Gifts Announces Holiday Open House Preview Night Benefitting The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
(Check out the story on CarolinaBusinessConnection.com!)

Mandy Becker, owner of Swagger Gifts, has announced that the popular gift and accessories retail store will kick off their “Holiday Open House” with a Preview Party benefitting The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society®.

The Swagger Holiday Open House is an event that began 5 years ago and has become a local favorite, with over 200 attendees visiting the boutique retailer during its “Open House” event every November. Because of the success and popularity of the event – and the unanimous support that Becker receives when she hosts philanthropy events at her store – she decided to offer an alternative “Preview Party” last year for guests who preferred a more intimate event, with a chance to support a great cause as well.

“We have a lot of fun during both events”, says Becker. “And our customers really enjoy coming with their neighbors and girlfriends and doing some of their holiday shopping while enjoying surprise discounts and giveaways. It creates an air of excitement for the holidays and the upcoming weeks of entertaining and traveling that you just don’t always get when you’re shopping in a large venue.”

Swagger Gifts’ second annual Holiday Open House Preview Party is quickly becoming a favorite amongst their customers. The event, which will take place on Thursday, November 6th, will last from 6:30pm until 9:30pm (after regular store hours) and is limited at the first 75 attendees to purchase their tickets (either in advance or at the door). The shopping party includes gift bags filled with goodies for the first 20 customers to arrive, over $500 in door prizes, and the same in-store specials as the traditional Holiday Open House event.

The best part about the Preview Party is that not only does the store donate 10% of the sales from that event to a different local organization each year, but 100% of the ticket sales are donated to the charity as well. This year, Swagger will be donating those funds to The Leukemia & Lymphoma society, which many Swagger shoppers and their families already participate with at their local schools through the School & YouthTM Programs. (If your school participates in the School & Youth program, you can receive credit for the donations from this evening!)

Tickets for the Preview Party are $10 in advance and $15 at the door and can be purchased in advance simply by dropping by the store or calling Swagger at 919-858-5884 (or 1-877-792-4437). More information on both the Holiday Open House Preview Party and the Holiday Open House events can be found online at http://www.swaggergifts.com/events.

For more information about Swagger Gifts, please contact Mandy Kratus Becker at Swagger Gifts, 919-858-5884 or toll free at 877-792-4437 or visit the store online at www.SwaggerGifts.com. Becker can also be reached via email at Mandy@SwaggerGifts.com for additional comments or information.

For more information about the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s School & Youth Programs, visit www.schoolandyouth.org/nce. To learn more about programs and services provided by Eastern North Carolina Chapter of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, call 919-677-3993.


About Swagger Gifts and The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

Swagger Gifts, an upscale boutique with an eclectic flair, specializes in personalized gifts for everyone on your list - including yourself - has been in business for five years and has been voted the 'Best Gift Shop- by Cary Magazine and The Cary News readers. Having recently re-launched their web site, everything offered in their store, as well as great gift giving advice can be found online at www.swaggergifts.com – with new merchandise and features being added daily, including a blog authored by Mandy, her fabulous staff, and her customers in the blogging community!

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society®, headquartered in White Plains, NY, is the world’s largest voluntary health organization dedicated to funding blood cancer research and providing education and patient services. The Society’s mission is to cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma, and to improve the quality of life of patients and their families. Since its founding in 1949, the Society has provided more than $550 million for research specifically targeting blood cancers.

For more information, visit www.LLS.org or call The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Information Resource Center (IRC), a call center staffed by masters’ level social workers, nurses and health educators who provide information, support and resources to patients and their families and caregivers. IRC specialists are available at 800-955-4572, Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. EST.
Be sure to mark the calendar and get the ticket for you and your gal pals today! I personally CANNOT wait for that exciting weekend to get here so I can get a jump on holiday decorating and shopping... I'm a sucker for holidays and great causes.

Thursday, October 16, 2008

It's About That Time!

I'm finalizing my plans for a weekend with the girls celebrating our favorite holiday from our college days -Halloween!

Which city we'll be terrorizing for the weekend still remains a surprise (along with my oh-so-awesome DIY costume) but there's one secret I'm sharing: today's Thirsty 3rd Thursday special at Swagger!

Halloween Bottle Toppers

That's right - 15% off Halloween bottle toppers just by stopping in the store today before 6pm today and mentioning this blog special! (No coupons to print, duh... Swagger's SO gone green!)

So you've got the costume (check), the spooky décor (check), and the delish treats (double check), but who's got the wine that you're obviously going to adorn with these great bottle toppers?

Monday, October 13, 2008

Manic Monday: Save 15% on Mud Pie!

True monogram addicts KNOW the Mud Pie products by heart - and the TidBit Set of 4 is no exception!


Since monogrammed entertaining is a must in the coming months, be sure to take advantage of 15% off this set today only (your choice of initial) - in the store - from 10am until 6pm, just by mentioning this blog!

Not up to date on your Mud Pie home accessories? Tisk, tisk... you should definitely swing by and check out the very cute, and very cosmopolitan, home products ASAP!

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

Three Cheers for Swagger Gifts!

Three cheers for the three different Maggy Awards categories that Swagger has been nominated in this year! (And many thanks to everyone who nominated Swagger for Best Bath Store, Best Boutique, and Area's Best Gift Shop!)

Please cast your votes online - voting has just opened!

https://www.swaggergifts.com/files/images/MaggieStarLogoBlue.gif

Monday, October 6, 2008

Monogram Monday: Swagger Finally has a Sweet Tea Pitcher Set...

Swagger Finally has a Sweet Tea Pitcher Set... perfect for those super-popular Firefly Sweet Tea Vodka cocktails that everyone is obsessed with (including me!).

Mario Pitcher Set

The Swagger girls got their first tastes of the sweet concoction at Buckhead Saloon (one of the only local watering holes that has been able to keep the spirit in stock since it's arrived in NC by way of Charleston, SC) at the Lady Luxury party where shoppers and party-people alike spent a Friday night raising money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation and The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Talk about a great event - shopping and philanthropy in one!

Mandy and Melissa at Lady Luxury at Buckhead Saloon

(Check out Swagger girls Mandy and Melissa at the party!)

To celebrate all the excitement that is Sweet Tea Vodka, today's Monogram Monday special is 15% off the Mario Pitcher Set ... just use "Mario15" at checkout to snag this awesome discount!

As fas as cocktails go, here's my fail-proof recipe:

Sweet Tea Vodka Cocktail

-2 parts Simply Lemonade

-1 part Firefly Sweet Tea Vodka

-Ice

Mix together, pour, sip and savor!

Manic Monday: Shop the Trollbeads Trunk Show Early!

Did you get the email about Swagger's fall Trollbeads Trunk Show taking place this week?

If you did, and you've already RSVP'ed, that's fabulous! If you aren't on the list (and who wouldn't want to be on the list?!), consider this your official invitation.

Trollbeads Fall 2008 Trunk Show

If you'd like to RSVP (or even just add your name and email address to the Trollbeads email list), email Mandy - Mandy@SwaggerGifts.com - and she'll totally take care of you. Isn't it nice when things in life just work out like that?

Oh right, back to the Manic Monday part of things: is today the only day this week you could possibly squeeze in a day for yourself where shopping is on the to-do list? That's totally a-ok! In fact, if you come in today and purchase anything from the Trollbeads collection, Swagger will apply that purchase to the fall trunk show special: Purchase $100 worth of Trollbeads and receive a $25 glass bead for free!

Simply stop in from 10am until 6pm today only (or just give the girls a call at 919-858-5884) and mention this blog to apply your purchase to the special promotion!

Happy trunk showing!