Must Have Registry Items February 23, 2010

If YOU are (or wish to be) domestic…add these things to your wedding registry, or Christmas list for 2010!

These are some of my very favorite wedding & shower gifts we received.  The things I use on a daily basis…or love to make an excuse to get out!

Crate & Barrel Pot Rack

We had just moved into our new place and there is an island in the kitchen that was begging to have a pot rack above it.  This one is perfect – the perfect size and very sturdy, I keep 6 good-sized pans on it along with 3-4 smaller items.  Functional and part of the decor!  Thanks to a gift card from Andy’s co-workers at his last job we were able to get this just hung up right before the Rehearsal Dinner!

William Sonoma Butcherboard Cutting Board

OK, this one isn’t exactly like ours.  Ours is featured in many of the photos I’ve already posted though.  I leave it out on the counter all the time.  Two tips, don’t cut meat on yours, then you’ll never know if it’s truly sanitized and second, start treating your wooden cutting boards with Mineral Oil immediately!  It’ll keep them looking pretty!  We had originally registered for the C&B version but my Grandma Marg & Aunts thought this one was a better fit.  I agree!

Roulette Dinnerware from Crate & Barrel

I have to be honest, I loved the Chirp pattern from Lenox, and would still really like to have a set…but Andy said no china with little birds on it!  We opted for this classic set for C&B for our registry.  It has nice detail around the edges but is very simple.  I like it because it looks great in a hutch and you can pair it with anything!  I’m planning to put it with some of my Fiestaware for some parties and will someday get some fun Holiday dishes to go along with it.  Andy’s grandparents got us our set, such a great gift as we’ll always think of them when we use it for special occasions!

Quality Knives Set

For some reason Andy was very interested in making sure we registered for a nice knife set.  I’m SO glad he did though!  These came before the wedding, a gift from Andy’s awesome Great Aunt & Uncle sent them to us.  I didn’t open them immediately…I was actually thinking I could trade them in for some bedding if we didn’t get everything we needed!  Andy wouldn’t have it though, and I’m so happy as I literally use these every day.  If you like to cook, you need a nice knife set.

And…a couple of awesome surprise gifts from the parents-

 Personalized Wooster Clock

These clocks are so cool – really neat heirloom type pieces.  Andy is originally from Wooster so this was the perfect, personal gift for us.  Our has “Thompson Family Est. 2008” on it under the clock arms.  They come in a variety of colors and ours hangs proudly over the fireplace in our Family Room.

Paddle Boat

Mom & Dad Summers got us a very cool 5 seater paddle boat.  The summer before we got married we moved to a house on a little lake.  That whole summer we “floated” around the lake in little rafts, so we were super excited by this surprise!  We were able to check out the entire lake and take Charley with us on boat rides.  It’s been great fun as visitors like to take it out on spins when they are over swimming.  Ok…so no, ours is NOT a huge swan but this cracked me up and I had to include it.

PS:  Yes I realize the format on this post is all screwed up.  I have messed with it for days and can’t figure it out – sorry!

The Little Black Book February 10, 2010

If I was domestic…I’d be too classy to open a post with this story.

In high school I was a cheerleader.  I also dated a lot of boys.  Some would call me “boy crazy,” some, like my cheerleading coach (Amy – I hope you read this one!), liked to tease me for it.  One year the coaches bought me a jumbo spiral bound notebook with a black cover.  They wrote on it “Steph’s Black Book.”  So since I’m now married and no longer have a use for my black book, I’ve replaced it with a RECIPE BOOK!  I know, I know, just as exciting!

Andy got me this cookbook for Christmas 2007.  I had just started cooking and thought it would be neat to have a book you can write in.  My dream is someday my daughter or granddaughter will have all our favorite recipes in my handwriting.  Fun right?  I’ve almost filled my first one, but luckily my cousin Michelle had the same idea and made me another one for our wedding! 

This particular journal is really cool.  It’s got all the lines to fill in and on the back of each page there is an area for notes.  I love jotting down memories about special occasions or funny things that happened surrounding the recipes.

You can get your own like this here.  Our friends the Broyles had the same brand of Guest Book at their River House.  Very nifty!

Things I would add to a Wedding Registry January 26, 2010

If I was domestic…these are the things that WOULD HAVE been on our wedding registry.

This post will be updated as I come across more items my complete lack of domesticity allowed me to leave off of our registry – in the hopes the brides that come after me will be more educated or rational than I was.

Pie Basket – You won’t realize how much you need it until your pie is on the ground.  These baskets have a little shelfs in the middle so you can fit two in it!   Then you can also use it for bread, collectibles, etc.

 

A variety of cake stands.  Ok, maybe not everyone has room on their registry for a variety but I love all the things you can do with these serving pieces.  Use them for cakes or cookies, small favors at a shower, or stack them for a tiered serving dish like they did in the picture.  You can even mix & match colors depending on the theme of your party.  Martha Stewart’s collection has a lot of pretty ones to choose from (Macy’s).

 

Cookie Cutters.  There will come a day when you feel like making sugar cookies…and now you’ll have cutters for all occasions!!  I love these Crate & Barrel ones.  You can also use them as templates for gift tags, cut out pieces of pie dough and bake them to garnish your deserts, or use the cutters themselves as accessories for gift wrapping.

 

Extra bar glasses – stores don’t carry the same ones forever and you don’t want your dinner party looking like a thrift shop.  I’m suggesting 2 more of every set you’re registering for.  Should get you through the first 18 mos of marriage at least.  If your husband is half as clumsy as mine is you’ll thank me later for this.

 

And finally…If you have hardwood floors in the home you’ll share with new hubby – get a freaking area rug to go under your bed.  In an effort to not embarrass my husband or my mom I will not go into details…just know if there are hardwoods in the master bedroom, you need a rug.

 

So I know I’m not the only gal that’s been through this – what would you include on your wedding registry if you had it to do over?