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Wedding Gift Etiquette – The 2018 Guide

May 30 2018 Leave a Comment

Knowing what to give each year for all of the weddings that you’re invited to can be exhausting.

There are some very simple ways to make sure that you’re getting them the right gifts and at the right value.

Buy off of their registry – Nearly every couple has a gift registry. They’ve done the thinking for you. Simply buy off of their list. In the best cases, their list will show what has been purchased so that they don’t 18 punch bowls on their wedding day.
Entertaining, kitchen, and bed and bath – Household items, like great kitchen appliances are perfect gifts. It’s the type of thing that you can struggle to acquire, particularly when you’re young.
Not less than $50 – Fifty dollars is the minimum that you can spend. The price-per-plate idea is bad. Even the wealthiest people in the world have begun to opt for less expensive affairs. Part of the guide to what to spend is based on where you live. As you know, $50 can buy a lot more in a rural area than it can in New York City.
Coworker or distant relative – $50 to $75
Relative or friend – Up to $100
Close relative or close friend – Up to $150
City-dweller – Over $200 won’t be too much
Go big – Gather your money and buy a really big ticket item. For example, a television, a cruise, or a great mattress are all possibilities if you pool your money. If you have an office with 30 people and everyone kicks in $50, you have a decent pool of money to buy one really large gift. Again, look at their gift registry for those items that they list that they put there as a bit of wishful thinking.
Personalized/customized – Gifts that are engraved for the couple are great, as long as it’s something practical that they can use. A personalized bath mat is much more useful than an engraved cake server. Think about what’s useful and give them that. The days of spare fine china and “good silver” are kind of gone. It’s a nice idea as an investment for someone, but it’s not something that they will use a lot (unless they live in the Hamptons). Think about their lifestyle to make these types of decisions.
Deliver in two months – Although it seems like a customary idea to bring gifts to the reception, don’t. The happy couple, headed to a hotel for the night or on their honeymoon are now having to worry about getting a lot of gifts to the house. Deliver, or have delivered, your gift within two months. Never let it go more than a year. If it does, just forget it and know that you missed the mark there.

The rules of what to give have changed. Even in wealthier circles, there is a move toward more practical gifts, but the spending rules are the same. Simply pay attention to giving a great gift that cost enough money to feel like you care.

Most importantly: Actually care and pay attention to what they need. For example, if it’s a teacher that’s getting married right after graduation, money to pay students loans or even a gift card to an office supply store can be a great gift. Since you don’t have to (and shouldn’t) deliver it at the wedding, you can visit and explain the logic of what you’re doing.

Welcome to the new HaveFaithBoutique

May 11 2018 Leave a Comment

We’re so excited to welcome you to the new HaveFaithBoutique.

The new website has two major components and we want to take out time to walk you through both parts.

The first part is the Design Studio where you can design everything completely by yourself.

The second part of the website, Designed for You, will be discussed in our next blog.

The Design Studio is a unique way to make a great 100% customized gift for anyone, including yourself. Here’s how it works:

First, of course, start here on the website and look at the products.
Find the product that you want.
Click “Create your own design”
Now you’re in the design studio

Inside of the design studio, you can add your own images, change colors, add text, just about anything that you need. If there are two sides to the product, you can design them in the studio.

Before you checkout, you can get a quote and more.

The checkout process is simple and secure. All you have to do is give us your address and pay for it. Our team will start right away getting it made for you.

The coolest parts of the design studio are that you can upload your own images and have them printed on anything. Think about that!

You can have a baby blanket that has a picture of Mommy and Daddy right on it. A bath towel with a picture of someone’s favorite beach printed right on it. Consider a car mat with images from someone’s favorite stretch of highway.

Being able to create products that are 100% unique. Each item can be an heirloom.

At HaveFaithBoutique, we pride ourselves on the finest quality products and amazing customer service. Based right here in the USA, we’re an American company that offers you everything you should expect from a great company.

We’ve added some great new items:

Customizable iPhone Cases

Garden Flags made just for you
Customizable Clipboards
Customizable Pillowcases
Customizable Bath Mats

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask us. We’re always happy to help you get the most from the new HaveFaithBoutique.

Be sure to come back to our blog to learn more, especially about the Designed for You side of the website.

Is it Vanity to have a Monogrammed House?

Nov 16 2017 Leave a Comment

Monogramming gets a bad rap. Lots of people see it as some form of self-centeredness, putting your family initials on things around your home, on your shirts, or on your purses.

In truth, putting a monogram in your home is a celebration of the people who have gone before you who have had that name.

Monograms are ancient. They had the advantage of being a signature, as well as being able to be recognized by a population that, by and large, couldn’t read. Even if the monogram is in another language, it’s easy to recognize after seeing it a few times.

A brief history of monogramming

The first monograms were used for royalty to mark their property and money.

As the world’s economy transitioned from a barter system to a monetary system, the official who ruled over an area would monogram the coins of the realm to show where those coins came from. Items belonging to a king or queen would be marked so that everyone would know and would leave the items alone. This included knights and armies, horses and swords, castles and clothes.

Today, one of the most famous brands on earth, uses a monogram of a single letter a logo:

Most people around the world wouldn’t need to be told that that’s the symbol for Coca-Cola.

Artists also used monograms to sign their names to their pieces. Using just three letters made it easier to ignore the signature. Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn is much more conspicuous than RHL.

Once textiles were being mass-manufactured and everyone had the same clothes, monograms became a way to stand out from the crowd. If your monogram for John Q Public are JPQ, you knew whose clothes you were to wear when changing coming out of the mines or simply grabbing clothes in a house were a dozen other people lived.

Monograms were also an acceptable way to sign legal documents. Many people never learned to write their full name, but could memorize three initials and use that to sign contracts.

In the United States, interest in genealogy exploded after Alex Haley’s Roots traced his family from Africa to his desk. That dramatic story was one of the greatest events in television history and it changed how the world saw their own family history.

The next great change was the internet. Now, documents that sat mouldering in a parish in Hungary or a government census document that was formerly only available by traveling to Washington, DC, could be accessed instantly. By indexing all of these documents, finding ancestors and acquiring new information is easy and fast.

Genealogy and Monogramming

Genealogy is the second most popular hobby after gardening in the US. It represents one of the internet’s biggest traffic sources. This popular has given rise to pride in the family name. If your family arrived from Italy through Ellis Island or onto Plymouth Rock or where Native Americans who have been here for thousands of years, you can show your pride by tracing your family’s history back for hundreds of years.

Using the power of the internet, people are able to discover their history dating all the way back to Europe, Asia, and Africa. Every day, new written records are added from government documents, church records, and more.

Monogramming shows your pride in your ancestors and all that they lived through. For most of us, our ancestors were “average” people in their time, but in ours, they were heroes. You might have a family member who explored the wilds of Canada in the 1700’s or who set up a home in the Great Plains when there was no one else around.

For African- Americans, knowing one’s history might not be as pleasant but it can be rewarding to trace a family member’s’ movement from Africa to the US or the Caribbean. While this part of your family’s history might be difficult, it is part of what makes you you and should be celebrated.

What items can be monogrammed?

At Have Faith Boutique, we have everything from shower curtains to coasters that can be monogrammed. Show your pride with a monogrammed baking pan or a baby blanket.

Monogrammed items also make wonderful gifts.You can help someone celebrate their family’s history by simply finding a great gift that has the family initials on it.

The Customized Child(ren) – Giving the Them Their Own Items

Nov 10 2017 Leave a Comment

One of the things that we will often think of when our mind drifts back to when our child was just a baby is the blankets that she had. Often, she will choose her favorite and that will become a part of her that way her favorite stuffed animal does or her favorite TV show does. Customized baby items, like blankets with baby’s name on them, will end up becoming cherished memories. With dozens of style and patterns, these are distinctive gifts for mom and dad (and baby).

But customized blankets are just the start.

Of course, the same blanket pattern can be had in a hat. Keeping baby’s head warm is a great thing and often help him to sleep more soundly. For those of us who are older, we can remember people covering a baby’s head to keep him from getting sick. Science says that that’s not necessary, but it doesn’t matter; it’s cute and little bald heads need a bit of coverage.

Phone and tablet covers that have baby’s picture can give you something to talk about everywhere you go. Every time you pull out your phone, everyone will see how cute your baby (or grandbaby) is and it will give you lots to talk about.

Every baby needs a big, soft towel for after bath time. Many baby towels are thin and cold. A big, absorbent towel is a great gift because it will be able to be used as baby gets older and start to bathe on her own. Giving her a towel with her name on it can make her feel like a Princess.

Several children in the home

In a house with three or more children, it can be tough for the kids to feel special. Even in a house with just three kids, the middle child often feels forgotten. The little one is cute and helpless. The older one is large and in charge. Giving a middle child his own blanket, towel, area rug or bedding can make him feel less like he has been forgotten.

Choosing the right items

There are lots of customizable items to choose from. As we mentioned in an earlier blog, it really is the thought that counts, except with children.

Eventually, all kids learn to smile at the hideous sweaters and underwear that they get from grandma, but when they’re younger, it can be a lot harder.

Babies, of course, are easy.

Customized baby blanket – Made from soft fleece, baby can sleep on a cloud with their name all over it.
Customized baby caps – Keeping baby’s head warm in winter is important. A soft cap with the child’s name on it is a great way to do that.
Crib sheets – Crib sheets with baby’s name on them is a perfect finish to a lovely nursery.

For older children, there are lots of things that you can get for their rooms that can make it their own space.

Customized bed sheets – Even for a teenager, sheets with their name on them can be a call addition.
Area rug – Imagine an area rug with your child’s or grandchild’s name on it. Nothing is more distinctive or personal than that.
Beach towels – Giving a teenage girl a towel might seem lame, but if your teenager loves to swim or sunbathe, a towel is a perfect gift. Buy her a towel with her name on it.
Mousepad- If you have a boy who does a lot of internet surfing, a personalized mouse pad is perfect for him.
Mobile phone case – Every teen has a mobile phone. Getting them a personalized phone case is a great way to let them know that you love them and that you are thinking about them as individuals.

When each child has their own space and their own items, it can make it easier for them to feel like they have a space that they control.

Giving customized gifts to children and teens is a great way to show them that they are individual. As kids are growing up, they start to learn to differentiate between themselves and their parents and siblings. Often, as parents, we struggle to let that happen. We want them to stay the precious, helpless little kid that we met the day they were born.

Giving a child a gift that can only be for them is a way of quietly saying, “You’re you and I love you for it!”

Gift-Receiving Etiquette – Being a gracious getter

Oct 28 2017 Leave a Comment

Gift-receiving etiquette – Being a gracious getter

It seems like it should be so simple, but receiving a gift has a set of rules just as giving a gift does.

The perfect gift

If someone took the time to think of you, it’s the perfect gift. It really is the thought, not the gift that counts. But never say something like this. Every gift, unless it’s a life-changing gift like a car or a house, should be greeted with the same level of enthusiasm. At the same time, you really should avoid Victorian detachment where you politely say thank you. Even if someone gives you gift from the dollar store, it was them thinking of you.

The “Thank You” card

Every gift giver should get a thank-you card from you. A simple card is a great way to make sure that the person who gave you the gift knows that you appreciate it. In fact, according to the etiquette experts, this one of the unbreakable rules that everyone should follow.

Send a thank you card for every gift. This is the most important rule of gift-receiving.

Regifting

If a gift isn’t perfect for you but might be great for someone else, there is no problem regifting. Don’t do it right away.

For example, let’s say that your mother gave you a blender. If it’s still in the box three months later, it might not be the right gift for you. For someone close to you, like your mom, you can simply tell her, “Remember that blender you gave me? Well, it turns out that I don’t use it, even though it’s an awesome gift. My friend, Mike, is getting married and I was thinking that I would give it to him and his new wife. They are health nuts and it will be the perfect gift. I just don’t want you to feel hurt if you don’t see it on my counter.”

If the person who has it to you isn’t a very close relative or friend, you don’t even need to say anything. The only way it will be important is if the person who gave it to you might see the other person receive it.

Returning

If something is a duplicate or isn’t really right for your needs, there is no shame in returning it or exchanging it. Simply take it back to where the person bought it from. They should have given you a gift receipt. If you didn’t get a gift receipt, you can try to return to a store like Walmart as long as it’s in really good condition and they sell it.

If you need to ask for a receipt, be gentle, but don’t be afraid. Gift-giving is never perfect, so hopefully, one’s feelings will be hurt by being told that what they got you wasn’t perfect.

The most important key to receiving gifts is to be thankful. Someone spent time thinking of you and wanted you to know that they like you. As long as you are truly thankful, you can’t go wrong.

The Perfect Gift: A Gift-Receiving Disaster

We have a friend who talked about a gift that she received from someone who was very important to her.

In September 2002, she met a man on an Amtrak train leaving Seattle for Milwaukee. He was from New Jersey taking the train past Milwaukee to New York. To make a long story short, they hit it off on the train and stayed in contact via email, phone, and letters, until she visited him in New Jersey in early December.

He took her to a place that she always wanted to go (that every girl wants to go to) Tiffany’s, the real Tiffany’s. She walked through this place a girl from Wisconsin only knew from movies.

As they wandered around, he secretly went and bought one of the only things that he could afford, a Tiffany’s silver chain with thick links.

As they left, he pulled her aside right in front of the store. She was leaning on a newspaper machine, he against a trash can.

He gave her the necklace. She opened the box and said thank you. Slowly, her smile faded and she began to get tears in her eyes. They both held their breath, until he said, “You hate it, don’t you?”

She began to cry. “Yes. I’m sorry. I want to like it, but…” She was crying, sad that she might have disappointed him, that she was rejecting a gift from the legendary Tiffany’s.

“Will you marry me?” he asked.

“Wait. What?”

“Will you marry me?”

“Um… yes.”

Another long story short, they traded the necklace in for a Tiffany’s exclusive platinum ring. They were ushered to a private room that was used for the rich and famous and given a phone to call their families.

The moral of the story: Sometimes, being honest about one gift can get you an even better one. They got married 5 years later and celebrated their 10th anniversary this year. Gift-receving has rules, but they aren’t set in stone.

Not loving a gift is not a bad thing; not appreciating the thought and love that goes behind it is.

Labor Day Sale on Monogram Gifts!

Sep 03 2015 Leave a Comment

Have Faith Boutique’s Annual Labor Day Sale is Here!

You have “labored” hard all year long…I think you need a break! Have Faith Boutique’s annual Labor Day sale is the perfect way to celebrate!

Write this code down (and enter it at checkout): LaborDay Then, click on one of the links above to start designing! The “Create” Tab will allow you to start designing from scratch. The “Browse” tab will allow you to get inspired by designs others have created!

This sale only comes along once a year! You don’t want to miss it. You won’t see savings like this again until Black Friday!

With our State-of-the-Art customizer, you can design your item from start to finish ~ Change patterns, colors, fonts, and even upload your own artwork or photos!

MOBILE USERS PLEASE NOTE:

Our customizer is not fully compatible with phones or tablets at this time. We are working hard behind the scenes to add this functionality. In order to ensure the best experience, please visit our website from your laptop or desktop computer.

QUESTIONS?

We are only an email away ~ info@havefaithboutique.com

Custom Monogram Car Mats

May 18 2015 Leave a Comment

Remember when Cribs was a thing and all of a sudden everyone in town needed to have the most decked out “rides” just like all the celebrities did? All of a sudden your cute little Jetta just wasn’t cutting it anymore, you needed to figure out a way to finance getting TV screens put in the back of your seats, an aftermarket soundsystem installed, and cheetah print upholstery put in to blow all your friends’ cars out of the the water. Then you realized that the majority of that was REALLY ridiculous and you would rather spend those hard-earned dollars on a new outfit or a cool spring break trip to Cabo. Well, the good news is, while extreme customization to your car has died down in popularity, there is still some really sweet flair you can add to your car that is classy, but still just as jealousy inducing: custom monogram car mats!

Personalized Monogram Car Mats

Have Faith Boutique specializes in allowing you to create your very own custom monogram car mats. Our personal favorite touch is the use of monograms. Nothing says “bad-to-the-bone” like your eloquently printed initials sprawled across your floor mats when your friends open your car doors to climb in. You can choose from any array of colors and patterns, and keep it mellow or make it wild! It’s up to you! Don’t you think you owe it to your high school self to the decked out car you always wanted? We do.

Stand out with your PERSONALIZED SHOWER CURTAIN!

May 06 2015 Leave a Comment

Between Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and whatever other social media platform we are able to get our hands on, it’s easy to be able to see what everyone else is doing. We know what they’re wearing, what they’re eating, where they’re going, and we have updates of every little change they make to their life. If you like someone’s outfit, it’s likely you can click on the relevant #hashtag underneath the photo of them in it, and be taken to whichever designer or store makes it. Why not find inspiration for your personalized shower curtain?

Personalized Shower Curtain!

Do Something Different than the Personalized Towel – Personalized Shower Curtain

With all this accessibility to what other people are doing, there are now more trends than ever. That also means that there is a lot of the same thing floating around. When it comes to décor, we are currently living in a world of DIY. But even the DIY world is slowly becoming one big string of copy cats and identical themes (ie., chalkboards at weddings, mason jars used as EVERYTHING, etc). When you think ‘personalized bathroom’, it’s likely that the first thing that pops into your head is an image of embroidered towels. Whether it’s your children’s names or His and Her towels, it’s surely a personalized touch for the bathroom that’s been around for a while. But if you’re trying to stand out, we’ve got three words for you: PERSONALIZED SHOWER CURTAIN.

Get Elegant

Have Faith Boutique now gives you the ability to elegantly splash your name across your shower curtain. Our sincerest apologies, towels, but your thunder has officially been stolen. You can still have those His and Her towels, but their presence will simply be to supplement how glorious your bathroom looks when you go in for a quick rinse, and slide back an elegant curtain with your name on it. If having your first name on your shower curtain makes you feel a bit too similar to a 6-year-old with personalized hair clips, elegantly splash your last name on it instead! Did that suggestion just make you go from feeling like a kindergartener to feeling like a member of the Royal Court in a matter of seconds? Yeah, we thought so. Now go get started on your personalized shower curtain, it’s time to make those towels jealous!

Custom Monogram Bedding – Create Your Own and Feel Like a Queen

Apr 23 2015 Leave a Comment

Custom Monogram Bedding!

These days, you can customize just about anything. Cell phone cases, T-shirts, bumper stickers—you name it. However, despite it being easier than ever to have a personalized ANYTHING, most people never even consider the idea of having custom home décor. In the age of DIY, people are turning their homes into a live exhibition of anything and everything found on Pinterest boards—hot glue and a little modge podge and you’ve got yourself a glorious new bookshelf made out of leftover something-or-other you’ve had in your garage for years and you feel like one heck of a crafty designing superstar. If you’re like some of our customers, despite your best efforts, sometimes your crafting still looks a little bit like your seven year-old niece made it. You win some you lose some. One guaranteed winner that will have you making all your friends jealous and begging to know your secret is customized monogram bedding.

Feel Fancy – Monogram Bedding

There’s just something fancy about having monogram products. You feel at least a little bit like royalty when you pull a handkerchief out of your pocket to blow your nose and get to blow straight into your beautifully embroidered initials, right? Now you can step your game up when you walk into your beautifully designed bedroom and see your monogram initials on your bedding. Move over Kate Middleton, there’s a new princess in town. The best part is, its minimal DIY thanks to Have Faith Boutique. Now you can create your own custom monogram bedding online in just a matter of minutes using our customizer, and have it sent to your door. No glue or modge podge necessary. It sorta makes your personalized cell phone case seem so five minutes ago, doesn’t it?

Click here to browse our bedding designs and get started.

Wedding Gift Etiquette – The 2018 Guide

Welcome to the new HaveFaithBoutique