GOOD FORTUNE - Competition

jump to it!


Okay, so usually I hate competitions as it always is a mission to enter them. But really this one takes 20 seconds and I am not just saying that! All you have to do is Vote for In Good Company in the SA E-Commerce Awards 2011. Just click here and then enter your email address and you are done! That is all I promise and you stand the chance to win an iPad2 - and we will love you forever :)

SOMETHING GOOD - A Good Idea

take a pic


Having an engagement photo shoot is a great idea to celebrate your status as "fiance and fiancé". Just spotted this pretty photo shoot over at Snippet and Ink but the idea I really loved was that they used their wedding day stationery as part of their "props".

GOOD LIFE - Real Life Parties

preppy party


When I was in SA last month, I had the honour of helping out my friend Natalie with two functions. The first was her little boy Daniel's baptism.


THE GOOD PLAN
We went for a "Ralph Lauren" and "Tommy Hilfiger" theme with the bold preppy stripes and colour palette of royal nay blue, red and white.
Our graphic designer created a "royal" crest bearing Daniel's initials and naturally flanking it with two lions aka Daniel and the Lion's Den. This was carried through from the save the date, to the invitation to the table accessories and the thank you card.

Picking up on the "old school" theme, the Food Emporium in Broadacres with it's Cape Dutch architecture and wooden furniture was the perfect venue. Long tables were set up "canteen style" and dressed in bold royal blue table runners, vintage glass hurricanes filled with King and Red proteas and trimmed with red, blue and white petersham ribbon bows.
And of course, the whole room was drapped in metres and metres of bunting.

The food was divine - a full English breakfast, and special little mini tea trays of food for the kiddies and cupcakes and lollipops (customised of course!).

As part of the invitation, little book plates were sent saying FROM THE LIBRARY OF, encouraging guests to build up Daniel's Library.

IN GOOD COMPANY SHOP/HIRE
Graphic Design Customised Preppy Theme Invitation R100
Other Customised Preppy Theme Goodies R50 to R100 each
Vintage Bunting R30 for 3m for hire
Striped Runners R25 each for hire
Vintage Glass Hurricanes from R20 each for hire
Retro Striped Straws R2 each
Lollipops (uncustomised) R10 each
Red and White Striped Cupcake Liners R60 for 50
Petersham Ribbon from R3 per metre

GOOD BOOKS - Be In Good Books

pretty pantry indeed


Yesterday, I was saying how baking is now "cool" or should that be hot? And that we are have and are getting in so many lovely things for you to real cook up a storm. Like isn't this book perfect for you to make and give homemade Christmas gifts?

IN GOOD COMPANY SHOP

Pretty Pantry Gifts

The only thing better than tasting homemade treats is presenting them as gracious gifts! The enclosed booklet offers techniques on preparing and preserving 15 simple recipes, while the rest of the kit provides accessories for transforming glass jars into tempting treats for family and friends.

Includes:
48-page booklet
10 decorative cellophane bags
10 fancy printed jar-toppers (fabric)
20 gift tags
24 sheets of stickers
 and rnamental elastic string.

Tara Duggan is a James Beard Award-winning food journalist and editor at the San Francisco Chronicle.

R190 each

GOOD BOOKS - Be In Good Books

bookworm


My sister is obsessed with books, so much so that her single greatest investment is her library. But trust me there is nothing in there that you want to read unless you are interested in Pyschoanalysis blah blah... But she does love most books, and I am willing to bet she will want a copy of our new One Line A Day Memory Book. It also makes the perfect gift for newlyweds or first time parents!

IN GOOD COMPANY SHOP

One Line A Day Memory Book

This classic memorykeeper is the perfect way to track the ups and downs of life, day by day. The 365 daily entries appear five times on each page, allowing users to revisit previous thoughts and memories over five years as they return to each page to record the current day's events.

R160 each

Back in stock!

Paper and Craft

R190 each

GOOD LOOKS - Themed Parties

bhldn


If you are planning a wedding, then it is well worth a visit to the BHLDN website - even if it is just for "window shopping". I love their style and their new tablscapes serve up some lovely inspiration. I am finding it hard to decide which one is my favourite - I think I am going to have to say the Mad Hatter one - and am definitely using the "birdy" one as inspiration for a bridal shower I am planning.

GOODIES - Our Products

bake off


I don't know what started it, possibly the Food Channel, but baking is definitely the new "scrapbooking". And the benefit is that you actually get to eat the finished product! I definitely need to brush up on my skills, but I am slowly perfecting the cupcake. And if anything at least they will look good in these new cupcake liners and paper baking boxes from Greengate.

IN GOOD COMPANY SHOP
Greengate Cupcake Liners
R80 for 100


Greengate Baking Trays
R60 for 36

GOODIES - Our Products

terrific tins


My sister sometimes helps out on Saturdays in our shop, and she was there this weekend and is totally in love with our new Greengate stock. The problem she says she has is that even though she works all day it seems she is actually poorer by the end of it! I especially think this will be the case when she sees this idea featuring lots and lots of lovely Greengate tins. And we have over 5 different styles in stock starting at a set of 3 for R195.

IN GOOD COMPANY SHOP
Greengate Tins
From R195 for 3

GOOD LIFE - Real Weddings

all in white


My favourite collection to date is the Something in the Air range. It is all white, and has pretty lace detail and silver butterflies. Look how amazing these wedding cupcakes look on the 6 tier (also comes i a 4 tier) cupcake stand and co ordinating cupcake wrappers.

IN GOOD COMPANY SHOP
White Butterflies Collection
6 tier Cupcake Stand R360 each
Cupcake Wrappers R75 for 10

GOOD WORDS - Thought for the Day

lovely


This quote should be compulsory in every lady's bathroom, or isn't great that we have it on a tote bag too! Snatch it up in our shop for R100!

GOOD AS NEW - To Hire

sneak peek at new linens


We helped out with a charity vintage tea party a few weeks ago, and look at the lovely linens that we used. Lots more to follow soon!

IN GOOD COMPANY SHOP
Vintage Floral Runners
1.5 x 0.5m
R15 each

GOODIES - Our Products

press perfect


I used to be quite organised, so much so that even at Varsity I had time to press my pjs! Not so much now with two little toddlers and my laundry pile is huge, really huge. But I think I may have solved my problem, and I have invested (nowadays such a purchase feels like an investment!) in a new iron and ironing board cover. Maybe if it all looks good it will feel that way!

IN GOOD COMANY SHOP
Greengate Ironing Board Cover
R375

GOODIES - Our Products

QWERTY


Shopping for the men is by far the trickiest - what do you get them doesn't have the "soap on a rope" stigma? Well, I am searching all the time, and knew I struck gold when my husband (the most fussiest person I know) was in our shop last week and commented "hey, I think I know what I would like? One of those cool wash bags you have in the front window".

The Qwerty toiletry bags he was referring to are pretty awesome, they have a soft, black exterior with impressed pattern of a retro typewriter / keyboard keys. Qwerty being the first 6 keys on the keyboard. The red accents are a tribute back to the ink ribbons used on the old typewriter. It has 2 side pockets inside and a zipped main compartment, with plenty of room for lots of man things!


We also have a QWERTY laptop case, pencils and a notebook.


IN GOOD COMPANY SHOP
QWERTY Wash Bag
Size: Length 27 and Width 13cm
R300 each

GOOD HOUSE - Our New Shop

out and about


So photos of our shop are LONG overdue! But I thought it would be fun to show you the before and after pics! First up, the outside. To be honest you will notice one little thing is missing - our sign! Yes, I know probably the most important thing but I ordered the wooden letters from overseas from Woodland Manufacturing (the same guys that did the lovely LONNY sign in their office) so I knew it would be delayed.


The letters have arrived now and they are gorgeous! So, it is for my handyman (aka my dad) to figure out how to put it all together. Shame I think he regrets the day he said he will help me out! You should see how many things he had to do inside the shop for me too!

BEFORE

Back to the outside, here are some of the "quick fixes" we did - I am sure many of these ideas would be great for your home too!
- There were a lot of colours going on outside, so we painted everything we could in black like the poles and the wood at the top of the windows. (In you home, this would for example be where you paint all your trimmings (ceiling cornices, windowsills etc.) one colour).

AFTER

- We needed something big that would say "hey! In Good Company is here!" without having a garish arrow sign. So, we dual purposed our canopies: we had a cover over our windows and our signature black and white stripes were now big and bold for all to see (In one's home, a bold pattern on curtains would do the same trick - likewise wall paper!).


- We had huge glass windows that we wanted to keep clear of any signage but at the same time we needed to have our name somewhere. Vinyl stickers were the answer, our name, and a little pink bird are discreet but delightful. (In your home, you might also have huge windows or maybe you live in a rental and the walls need to remain white - then wall stickers are your new best friend!)

- With everything looking a bit stark, we knew the quickest and easiest way to break it was foilage. So two little topiaries were placed either side of our door to mimic our IGC illustrations done by the very talented Keiko Morimoto. (In your home, whatever room it is and especially an entrance create an entrance with some living potted plants - the transformation is remarkable).

- We had a UGLY trellidoor but knew we had to have the security, so we thought we might as well make a feature of it, so now I like to think our entrance has a bit of 5th Avenue flair - what do you think? (Same goes for your house, if you have to put in security, do it in style!)

So much more to do, but I think we are getting there. I keep reminding myself it is a marathon not a sprint!