New Ways to Give Thanks this Thanksgiving

It’s that time of year when families draw closer, cherished recipes come out of hiding, and there’s that palpable buzz in the air that says the holidays have arrived! At Sterling Pear, we know we’re not alone when we say that we love this time of year, and we like to focus on the things that make Thanksgiving truly unique – it’s a purely American holiday devoted to being grateful for the bounty we enjoy in our lives.

Thanksgiving, for us, is the holiday dedicated to remembering the difficult beginnings of our country and, in turn, the wealth of opportunities and resources that we enjoy as its citizens. We are mindful of the people in places like the Philippines or Syria who are experiencing difficult times. And in a time when our country may seem deeply divided, it’s nice that we can all pause on Thursday to be thankful for the liberty and history that we share.

This Thanksgiving season we have found two great new traditions to start in our own families– Gratitude Trees and Giving Tuesday.

The gratitude tree, a simple and heartfelt way to give thanks.

Gratitude Trees:  A recent issue of a children’s magazine encourages children to make a Gratitude Tree. Children write down things that they are grateful for on colored paper in the shape of leaves boasting festive fall colors. The more they are grateful for, the fuller the tree becomes. In the sample we saw, the leaves said things as simple as, “I am grateful for mommy and daddy,” “I am grateful that dinner tastes so good,” and “I am grateful my eyes are pretty.” What a great activity to help your children remember all the little things we should be thankful for!

Giving Tuesday:  Our other new tradition this year is another way of showing thanks. It’s called Giving Tuesday and its goal is to become one of the big holiday shopping landmarks (hopefully to rank with Black Friday and Cyber Monday), but the focus is on giving to charitable causes instead of buying gifts. Giving Tuesday officially began last year and is the brainchild of the United Nations Foundation. Mark your calendars because Giving Tuesday is on Tuesday, December 3. If you’re Twitter friendly, check out #GivingTuesday or you can go to www.givingtuesday.org for additional information.

Last but certainly not least, we’re thankful for you! When we pause on Thursday to count our blessings, our Sterling Pear friends and customers will be on our list! Wishing you and yours a very Happy Thanksgiving!

Autumn Decor for Your Front Entrance

Nestled between the fun of Halloween and the joy of the holidays, the month of November gives us a brief but beautiful window of time when we can indulge in the bright oranges, reds and yellows of autumn. At Sterling Pear, we think that fall colors are some of the best and most inspirational for decorating! This year we’re especially excited about autumn door decorations that really showcase the warmth and brilliance of the season.

Perhaps what we love most about door decorating is that it’s a simple and easy way to keep your home looking current. For example, the look of a square autumn leaf wreath is perfect; the square shape is a fresh, modern take on the traditional door wreath, and the entire project can most likely be made with items you have on hand.

Our child friendly version of the square autumn leaf wreath

We decided to give this square leaf wreath a try in a kid’s version and drew inspiration from our friends over at thriftydecorchick.blogspot.com. 

We collected leaves from our neighbor’s yard and, rather than buying a square wreath frame, we simply cut a square out of cardboard and glued the leaves directly onto the cardboard. Our final result wasn’t as polished as the picture that inspired us, but even little hands covered in glue can’t mess up the simple beauty of red fall leaves. 

One side note: these leaves were collected in San Diego where fall weather is as sporadic as trees that drop their leaves. We easily collected enough for our wreath; imagine what you can do in areas where the fall harvest is more plentiful!

If you prefer more traditional autumn shapes, we love the combination of Indian corn and cornucopias. Indian corn is easy to find, and the corn’s blues, yellows and reds are so vibrant that you can easily make simple decorations that look beautiful.  Try tying a few ears together with a ribbon, or we’ve seen lovely door decorations with Indian corn and fall flowers tied together with bright ribbon. Even better, grab another handful of those red leaves from the neighbor’s yard and arrange them with the flowers and the corn in a cornucopia for your door!  The possibilities are endless!

Suggestion: After your wreath or fall arrangement is complete, you can use beautiful wreath hangers with colorful ribbon to hang and showcase your masterpiece on your front door. 

We would love to see how fall has inspired you!  Send us a picture of your fall masterpiece and we may showcase it on our blog to inspire others.  Email your photos to info@sterlingpear.com.

One final note, if you’re wondering how to hang a square wreath or, perhaps even more challenging, a cornucopia, we suggest tying a pretty ribbon around the top of your wreath or just below the mouth of the cornucopia. Then, use a wreath hanger to hang your decoration. If you don’t already have a wreath hanger, have a look at some of ours.

Contributed by: Terrie Petree for Sterling Pear

Joyous Wedding Wishes to a Sterling Pear Co-Founder

The setting couldn’t have been any more beautiful: an always weather and picture perfect San Diego, California coupled with a bride and groom that were aglow with their love for each other and excitement of their big day!

It’s been a busy spring and summer for Sterling Pear’s co-founder Janet Hayden who married the love of her life Scott Bishop, in a beautiful April ceremony at the LDS San Diego Temple followed by a ring ceremony in beautiful Pacific Beach. 

Mr. and Mrs. Scott Bishop

As her friend of almost 20 years (has it been that long?) and business partner of almost 8 (crazy how time flies), it’s been an honor to see their love story from conception to present day! The love and respect they have for each is clearly evident and extremely well deserved. 

Isn't she stunning?

It is belated, but wishing you a wonderful life together full of happiness Mr. and Mrs. Bishop! Now make sure you use one of our Wedding Keepsake Chests to store all of your wedding mementos! 

Now all Keepsake Chests 20% Off through July 31, 2013

Contributed by: Heather Hadfield, Co-Founder, Sterling Pear

Real Eggs, Really Easy Easter Garland!

If you are like me, I'm sure you have that group of friends who are not only strikingly beautiful and fantastically smart, but are also stylistically crafty as well.  To me, this is a "Holy Trinity" of sorts.

These traits describe my dearly missed friends in Washington, D. C. area to a “T”.  I get green with envy each time I see them getting together to put their classy craftiness to work and really miss the fun chatter and banter (and sometimes even musical numbers) that come with each get-together.

My friends have honored me with being able to share their latest and greatest in crafting efforts:  beautiful Easter Egg Garlands made out of real eggs.

First, their list of supplies started with:

• Dozens of real eggs
• Fishing line
• a Dremel hand drill
• Cookie sheets
• Food coloring dye (mixed with a little white vinegar to get the best color)
• Toothpicks
• 1 ½” – 2” Ribbon

The Prepping

To prep the eggs they carefully drilled a small hole in the tops and the bottoms of each egg.  Using a toothpick inserted into one of the holes, they swirled around the egg yolk so that the insides could be blown out in to a sink.

After the insides were removed, they gently washed the eggs and set them on a cookie sheet to be placed in a 300 F oven (for 8-10 minutes) to harden up the shells.

As soon as the eggs cooled they were able to dye the eggs in an assortment of fun Easter colors.

The Pretty 

When the eggs had fully dried from the colored dye, fishing line was used to string the eggs together, making sure to use an assortment of the colors.  Festive ribbon was then used to finish-off the edges of the garland strands. And in the words of the immortal Amber, “Badda-Boom, Badda-Bing, we had ourselves some garland!”







The overall consensus was that it was pretty quick and an easy project  (the longest part was dyeing the eggs).  Thank you dear friends for letting me share your genius!

Contributed by: Heather Hadfield (Dietrich), Sterling Pear

Several years ago... two women started a business. Here's their story....

"Sterling Pear co-founders
Heather Hadfield Dietrich & Janet Hayden"

Sterling Pear was launched in 2006 by Heather Hadfield Dietrich and Janet Hayden.  Sterling Pear started with a different overall concept; designing and selling complete Christmas ornament "kits" (storage solutions, ornaments and linens). 

We designed two ornament storage solutions that were unlike any others on the current market.  Both were luxurious and sophisticated, something fitting to hold the treasures of one's collection of precious heirloom ornaments and collectibles - almost like big jewelry boxes! 

We knew we had something special and we decided to focus solely on these boxes since we didn't have the initial time and resources to roll out the whole ornament "kit" at the same time. 

We launched with our Keepsake Ornament Storage Chest and a few other Christmas decorating products.  Now, each year we've been adding more products with an emphasis on ingenious design and sophistication. 

Heather and I became friends back in the mid-1990's when we were both living and working in Washington, DC as young adults.  I was a few years out of college and had my first "real" job working in corporate fundraising for a national environmental federation.  Heather had just returned from four years of working in Seoul, South Korea where she hosted a national radio show and also taught English as a second language. She was working part-time in a retail shop while she was deciding where to live and finish her degree.

One day I happened to be a customer in the shop where Heather worked.  While ringing me up at the register we made small talk about the store and we realized that we had a connection - my ex-boyfriend was friends with one of her colleagues.  Heather was so genuine and friendly that I knew instantly that we'd be friends.  We exchanged phone numbers and ended up getting together the very next day. 

"Heather & Janet at the
Presidential Inaugural Ball,
January 20, 1997"

As far as friends go, we were instant best friends- nearly inseparable for the next couple of years.  We went night clubbing together, went on double dates, and even went on our first trip to Europe together (thanks to Heather's fabulous travel planning and good travel sense.)  I ended up helping her get a job with my non-profit and we worked together for a few months until she landed a business development and marketing job for a small start-up.  This new job, in turn, provided her many lessons about starting a business and being an entrepreneur. 

Ten years later Heather relocated to the Philadelphia area and I had moved to New York City.  I had been working in various jobs in PR, marketing, banking and was currently a personal assistant to the Chairman of a NYC commercial real estate firm.  I had the specific goal of starting a business of my own but struggled with what type of business it would be.  I attended many start-up business classes on the side, and was soaking up everything entrepreneurial I could.  Heather was a new Mom and was trying to find a balance of being a stay-at-home mom after an industrious career in marketing and corporate event planning. 

One weekend I visited Heather in Philadelphia to see her new home and spend time with her baby. She told me about a business idea she had involving Christmas ornament kits.  I loved her idea and I loved the idea of working with her!  I knew her work ethic and I knew she was someone I could trust!  At that moment, we made the decision to go into business together and it was a natural fit.  I returned to New York with a decision to make it happen.  There was no stopping us!

Since then we've made a few mistakes and even had our share of setbacks.  We were on the brink of quitting numerous times.  But each time, one of us would always stay positive and pull the other out of the dumps, providing encouragement that we could succeed.

 "Keepsake Storage Chests"

By 2010 we finally broke even and made a small profit.  It is very satisfying to know that the business has grown every year - (even after the incredibly rough second year of the crash).  We no longer doubt our ability to succeed and it is only onward and upward for us!

And I guess you can say.... The rest is history! 

by Janet Hayden 

Easy & Memorable Valentine's Table

Still trying to come up with a plan for Valentine’s Day?  Are you past the need to head out for that romantic restaurant with all the other couples?  Well, why not set a pretty table for dinner in! Kids/no kids, paired up with friends/just the two of you, take-out/homemade -- it’ll make for a nice change from the typical Sunday night routine.

Start by repurposing holiday items.  Break out a red table runner or tablecloth from the recent holidays.  For a focal point, take a clear glass or crystal vase and fill it with conversation hearts.  Finish by adding your favorite white, pink or red flowers.  Remember, don’t fill the vase with water or your hearts will become mush! 

Next scatter candles across the center of the table.  You can also fill small ramekins or glass bowls with chocolate covered almonds, cashews, raisins, or blueberries.  Arrange these amid the candles. 

Finally, a quick and easy way to dress up place settings is to replace napkin holders with red or pink satin ribbon tied in a big, beautiful bow.  With just a few minutes’ work, you’re set for a memorable dinnertime in the comfort of your own home!

Oh, some quick dessert ideas:  make a pan of brownies and cut them out with a heart-shaped cookie cutter.  Serve with your favorite ice cream and garnish a side of strawberries or raspberries.  If your selection of cookie cutters is non-existent, make a quick heart-shaped stencil out of paper.  Place it over cupcakes (square-cut brownies, slices of Bundt cake, larger round cakes will all do the trick too) and shake confectioner’s sugar or cocoa onto the stencil.  Gently remove the stencil, and voila! A beautiful presentation for easy, everyday desserts!

Contributed by Heather Martinez

Sterling Pear Interviews Clara Scroggins: World-famous Ornament Collector!

Sterling Pear Interviews Clara Scroggins: World-Famous Ornament Collector!

Clara Scroggins of Tampa Palms owns and curates the world's largest privately owned ornament collection which tops 1-million pieces.

She has been collecting ornaments for more than 15 years! 

Her own collection includes ornaments by many famous names including Waterford, Lalique, Versace, Hallmark, Lenox, Reed & Barton, Christopher Radko, Baccarat, Swarovski, artist Thomas Blackwell, jewelry designer Jay Strongwater and Tiffany & Co & more!

Clara is an expert on storing & caring for sterling silver, crystal, gold, cut crystal, porcelain, breakable, blown glass balls, hand painted ornaments & more! We are so excited to have spoken with her. We hope you enjoy these tips on preserving your ornaments and heirlooms so you can pass them down to your children and grandchildren for generations to come. 

SP: What is the first rule in storing fragile & collectible ornaments? 

Clara: You don’t want your ornaments to rattle around. Use white shredded paper in each department of your ornament storage box to keep ornaments comfy and nestled in each slot. You also want to be careful that ornaments are not crushed against each other. Give each one a little room to breathe, while still being protected. “The ornament storage boxes by Sterling Pear are good for this because they are strong enough to stack without crushing the ornaments. There are many ornament storage companies and options now, and many ornament storage boxes that are made, are not”.

SP: Is it important to use acid-free paper when storing ornaments and heirlooms?

Clara: While it is not necessary to use acid free paper for storing ornaments, it is very important to use acid-free paper when storing heirlooms such as a wedding dress, antiques, and baby christening dresses to prevent yellowing. Wrap the items in the paper to keep them preserved.

SP: Should ornaments be stored in an airtight container to prevent moisture? What about Sterling Silver? Porcelain? Christmas Cards?

Clara: If you live in an environment with extreme temperatures, do not store ornaments in an air tight container. Ornaments need room to breath. The exception to this is China, Crystal and ornaments with Swarovski crystals. These can be stored air-tight. 

          The Keepsake Ornament Storage Chest 

The Swarovski crystals, when exposed to heat, can cause the glue to melt so your crystals come off. The good news is that companies now recognize that ornaments are exposed to Christmas tree lights and windows, and have made adjustments to prevent those things from happening. You can also just glue the crystals back on if this happens, and sometimes small repairs may be needed.

Clara on storing Sterling Silver: Never store sterling silver where it can’t breathe. Use the packaging that the silver comes in which is pre-treated. You can also buy the protective bags separately to preserve your silver if the bags are misplaced or damaged.

Clara on storing Porcelain: The design in porcelain is fired in so it won’t come off on regular sheet paper. Store in an the ornament storage box also wrapped in paper.

Clara on storing Hallmark cards: Leave them in the original box or wrap them in

bubble wrap or tissue to preserve them.

SP: Why do ornaments get little black spots on them? Is it from moisture?

Clara: Black spots can come from age, being antiques, or humidity inside the ornament. Never store your ornaments in an attic or basement to avoid humidity or extreme temperatures. The Sterling Pear Ornament storage boxes are so elegant you can use them as an end table or display piece in your living area to

showcase your ornaments and heirlooms. So there is no need to hide them because their look is elegant enough to have out in a room. Ornament such as Disney & Hallmark will be fine and do not need climate controlled temperatures.

SP: Are there any ornament companies that we should keep on our watch list? 

Clara: Fabriche designs beautiful ornaments that will continue to be timeless for years to come. Store them in crushed paper to keep them safe. Other companies to watch are Lalique, Lenox, Versace, and Blvgari and are beautiful to be shown off in an elegant, exquisite container from Sterling Pear. 

SP: What do you like about Sterling Pear’s Ornament Storage Chests? 

Clara: I love the ornament boxes from Sterling Pear because they show off your ornaments so well! There is no need to hide them in a closet or attic because they showcase beautifully. They are like a piece of furniture in your home and can be used as an end table or neatly stacked as they are strong and will not crush your ornaments. There are many ornament storage companies & options available now and this is not always the case. The green ornament storage box can be used to store Easter ornaments since its lighter, and the black Keepsake Chest year-round or winter for storing Christmas ornaments and other collectibles. 

 

SP: What do you currently store in your Sterling Pear boxes? 

Clara: I store blown glass ornaments in the green ornament storage box and both colors are beautiful. My father’s heirlooms which are very precious to me, will be stored in the black elegant keepsake chest which I plan on passing down to my son and grandchildren. That’s what’s nice about your boxes. They are elegant enough to store & display family heirlooms, baby christening dresses, wedding dresses and fine ornaments.

Although she is best known for her amazing collection of ornaments, we've learned that Clara’s goal in life is really about giving back to others. She frequently opens her doors for holiday tours to interested groups and hopes that her beautiful and extensive ornament collection continues to bring joy to the world long after she's gone. For more on Clara and her exquisite collection, click on this link: http://ow.ly/gCmqo

If you are interested in purchasing the Keepsake Chest or Signature Ornament Storage Boxes click here: http://ow.ly/gCmv8 

Follow us on Facebook for special offers & discounts: www.facebook/SterlingPear 

To be a guest blogger please email us at: info@sterlingpear.com

Our Best-Selling Ornament Storage Solutions Are Now Back in Stock!

After selling out last holiday season, the long-awaited return of our Keepsake Ornament Storage Chest and Signature Ornament Storage Box is over! 

Keepsake Ornament Storage Chest

Once you experience the luxury of our Keepsake Ornament Storage Chest you'll see why this is the only storage option deserving of your finest heirlooms and treasured collectibles. The chest's contemporary styling blends seamlessly with even the most upscale home decor.



Signature Ornament Storage Box

Our Signature Ornament Storage Box is truly remarkable and is luxuriously lined with silver satin fabric, the three interior trays feature padded tray bottoms providing your most delicate ornaments and collectibles a soft and gentle year-round storage place.

Both of our flagship products are designed exclusively by Sterling Pear and are available now at www.sterlingpear.com.

In the past I have posted pictures of my own personal Halloween tradition of creating the "Bat Cave" in our foyer.  It has become a yearly event that my son and I enjoy doing each and every year.

I just came across this take on our "Bat Cave" over at http://www.styleathome.com and absolutely LOVE how they've added the Halloween tree, crow in the cage and the festive banner and pumpkins!  What a great way to dress up any foyer!

We'd love to hear about how you decorate for Halloween and some of the traditions you may have. Add a comment or post to us at  our Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/SterlingPear).  Hope you have a Spooktacular Halloween!

Contributed by Heather Hadfield Dietrich, Sterling Pear

Patriotic and Stylish 4th of July Front Entry

4th of July Wreath

At Sterling Pear, you all know that we are fans of the holidays. But, truth be told, we are fans of ANY and ALL holidays! Because of our love to decorate, we've decided to highlight  favorite and new decorating ideas we come across as each holiday rolls around.

We are starting with this cute do-it-yourself 4th of July wreath from our friends over at Nap Time Crafts.  Couple this adorable wreath with one of our Magnetic Wreath Hangers, or our Adjustable Wreath Hangers, and you are bound to make Betsy Ross proud this year! 

Now through the 4th of July, take advantage of 20% OFF any of our wreath hangers (Magnetic and Adjustable Wreath Hanger styles).  Simple use coupon code JULYFOUR at check-out only at www.sterlingpear.com.

Have a happy and safe 4th of July!

Festive and Cheery Front Entry

A festive and cheery front entry is the perfect way to welcome holiday guests to your home each year. One of the most popular ways to do this is with a classic holiday wreath.  Wreaths are quick, simple and a classy way to decorate for any holiday AND in a short amount of time. 

Adjustable Wreath Hanger

This year, Sterling Pear is carrying some new and innovative wreath hangers to help you perk up your home’s entrance or interior with style and ease.  

Our new Adjustable Wreath Hangers fit on most standard doors and can extend from 16.5” to 25”.  

Magnetic Wreath Hanger

And our Magnetic Wreath Hangers are perfect for using on metal doors or doors with single-pane windows.  


Now until Wednesday, November 23^rd enjoy 10% OFF on all Adjustable and Magnetic Wreath Hangers.  For more information on our new wreath hanger line, or to see other creative holiday decoration solutions, visit us at www.sterlingpear.com.

** No coupon code necessary **