Gift Guide for 5 Top Consumable Gifts

We all have folks in our life, who truly don’t need a thing. Yet you want to show them love and how much you enjoy having them in your world. Here are 5 consumable gifts they will enjoy using, thinking fondly of you every time. Consider what might be a bit of luxury for them, a treat, and indulge them this gift giving season.

This first one is a favorite of mine. The monthly arrival of a special magazine is a very thoughtful gift. You can tailor it to your recipient’s interests and they can enjoy the curated content, then pass it along to another friend. Double win!

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Magazines are one of my favorite indulgences.

Paper is another savvy consumable gift. I love stationery, notepads, wrapping paper, greeting cards, etc. As happiness expert, Gretchen Rubin points out, we can be a bit of an under-buyer in this category. Maybe someone on your list would enjoy a being stocked up with personalized stationery or a pack of special greeting cards and stamps. Added bonus…support a local independent maker! Here’s a quick list of some of our favorite creative makers ~Thimblepress, Kat McCall Papers, Sara Fitz,

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Notepads and jotters galore for 2021!

The gift of listening to music, a podcast, an audible book ranks high on the list of consumable gifts. Perhaps a gift of music & an Echo speaker, or Kindle Unlimited membership, or the gift of a podcast (also it’s free!) suits several folks on your gift list. One of my favorite podcasts is Gretchen Rubin’s Happiness Project! Take a listen here.

Count on Darlings Fine Things to have the best bath and beauty products. Luxurious treats for relaxing and taking care of oneself, like this Green Tea & Peony Bath Soak by Niven Morgan. Remember they will ship your gifts for you.

Darlings Fine Things
This therapeutic bath soak features lavender and mint.

No consumable gift list would be complete without food and beverage gifts. Is your gift recipient a tea or coffee lover? The talented team at Just Add Honey has many choices, including a gift certificate, for your tea aficionado. What about a handmade gift certificate for a tea-time together outing at their Beltline location?

parTEA in a box – sip at home kit from Just Add Honey

For gourmet treats, we’re stocking up on Schermer’s Pecans gift boxes. Perfect for teachers, tutors, and coaches alike. Salty or sweet? Why not both!?

Steve McKenzie
Neighbors, teachers, friends alike will appreciate this tasty gift.

While the 2020 holidays look a bit different, let’s celebrate with our loved ones the best way we can. Remember to order early for best selection (supply chain kinks) and best shipping prices. Let us know some of your favorite consumable gifts on our Instagram and Facebook pages. Happy gifting!

Gift Guide for Her (Mom, Sister, SIL, BFF)

Get ready for gift giving season now! To help out, we’ve rounded up 5 top gifts for her. You know, the ladies in your life, like your mom, your BFF, your sister, your sister-in-law, your aunts. You get the idea. According to consumer guru, Clark Howard, it’s more important than ever to shop early. Avoid higher shipping fees as the season merrily rolls along, and avoid possible out of stock issues due to the pandemic. This week also kicks off the shopping season with Amazon Prime Days and Target deals. If you’re not an Amazon prime member, take a look at the program details here.

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Gift giving season is almost here.

Let’s make mask wearing a bit prettier and handier with this mask necklace from Lucy Inspired. Lucy is a talented jewelry maker, dear friend, and you might recognize her from “Beach Flip” on HGTV.

Genuine brown leather necklace with a cute vintage-style key charm

Since I’m wearing less lipstick these days, I’ve focused on my hands and nails. What lady wouldn’t love this London Butter Little Luxuries set? Four beautiful shades to match your holiday moods, and not something I would buy for myself. A thoughtful gift indeed!

We will travel again, even if it’s a car trip, and to celebrate that give her a new, shiny, pretty travel mug from NYC’s Effie’s Papers? Choose from any number of designs of these thermal double-walled mugs.

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Tantalizing travel mugs by Effie’s Papers

Darlings Fine Things always has the best gifts! Natural stone necklaces, “Zara“, features a 30” antique gold plated chain. Available in (photo) Jasper, Snowflake Obsidian, Quartz, Green Aventurine, Rose Quartz, Dalmatian Jasper, Amethyst, Amazonite, Black Onyx.

Darlings Fine Things
Who doesn’t love a new necklace?

This stylish, hard working leather tote bag is a smart addition to any ladies wardrobe.  It stands open upright so you can see what’s in there, holds a 13″ laptop and tons more, and it is easy to clean.  Lots of fashion colors to choose from too!  

Simple, classic style, this leather tote is a thoughtful gift.

Make your list, check it twice and happy shopping! Next up, gift guide for grandchildren and a gift guide of consumable (gifts that get used up) gifts. Cheers!

Holiday Gift Guide: Fabulous Book Roundup!

Instead of doing a general holiday gift guide for our readers as we’ve done in the past, this time around we’re focusing on fabulous books for everyone on your list! After all, who doesn’t love a good (or beautiful) book?!? Even if your loved ones aren’t avid readers, we promise there’s a wonderful read out there they’ll love to receive!

book gift guide

As you probably know, from our “Library Friday” posts, we’re book fans around here. Although those posts generally feature reads focused on art and design, we’re also fans of beautiful and informational cookbooks, so this list includes some fantastic finds for the foodies in your life too. Here’s a roundup of some of our favorite books we think will be top gifts for everyone on your list this year – and here’s the best part… They’re all in stock and ready to be gift wrapped at steve mckenzie’s:

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My Stylish French GirlfriendsMeet 20 beautiful, creative French women who live with passion; work every day; and love to take care ot their homes and families. Visit them in their grand chateaux or charming little country cottages or Parisian apartments. Learn where they shop, where they work, where they play, how they dress, and how they entertain. Absorb each girlfriend’s style and joie de vivre.” This will be a favorite gift your best girlfriends will absolutely adore!

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The Night Before Christmas in The South/Paris – Join Santa and Mrs. Clause on alternative “night before” adventures to two of our personal favorite locales… South of the Mason-Dixon line and Paris! Each of these is less than $10 and would make an ideal gift for a teacher, friend, hairdresser – even your postman or postwoman would delight in these fun reads!

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“All Aboard” books – “This board book series written by the husband and wife team of Haily and Kevin Meyers and illustrated by Haily, celebrates the unique qualities of each city while employing a fun primer element to tell the story. A wonderful and cherished item in any little’s library, these books are as fun to look at as they are to read. And they offer wonderful inspiration for learning more about our world and all the wonderful places there are to visit!

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Monograms for the Home – “While monograms have a rich history going all the way back to the sixth century BC, they’re anything but outdated. Luscious photography and Whitman’s expressive writing peppered with quotes from etiquette experts shows that monogramming is still very much in vogue.” Monogramming… a way of life for some of us here in the South, this book explores the history of this beautiful art, as well as how they can be used in homes today. Include a beautifully monogrammed tea towel with this book and you have a gift that won’t soon be forgotten!

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Fifth Avenue Style – “In this gorgeously illustrated volume, Slatkin, an interior designer and founder of the iconic home-fragrance and lifestyle brand Slatkin & Co., opens the doors of his legendary Fifth Avenue apartment and invites readers to accompany him on an intimate tour.” We love this inside look at a seriously luxurious space located in NYC’s most prized location, but what we love even more are the practical tips shared on making spaces functional as well as lovely.

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In With The Old Peak of Chic blog author, Jennifer Boles, “presents a charming encyclopedia of 100 of the most stylish decorating details (chintz, striped walls, and orangeries) that were favored by the great tastemakers of the twentieth century. Best of all, Jennifer gives helpful tips on decorating with these traditional flourishes today.” If you enjoy Boles’ blog, you’ll love this book, which will be a perfect addition to just about anyone’s coffee table collection.

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Modern Mix – “In this richly illustrated style guide from an unabashed hoarder of all things beautiful, design editor and entertaining expert Eddie Ross reveals his insider secrets to creating exciting interiors, table settings and parties with chic and accessible finds that celebrate who you are and what you love.” We’ve shared this book on the blog before, and even held a book signing soiree with authors Eddie Ross and Jaithan Kochar, but this vibrantly styled book should be at the top of your list for anyone who enjoys searching for treasures for the home.

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Poolside with Slim Aarons – The timeless photographer, Slim Aarons is back, offering “images of jet-setters and the wealthy, of beautiful, glittering people living the glamorous life … The main character is pools and everything that goes with them—magnificent, suntanned bodies; well-oiled skin; bikini-clad women; yachts; summer cocktails; sumptuous buffets; spectacular locations; and most of all: fun.” Here at steve mckenzie’s we’re big fans of Slim Aarons photography and this stunning book does not disappoint. It would make an unbelievable gift for any of your loved ones whose favorite season is summer… Now they can enjoy it all year long!

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Fortuny Interiors – “Manufactured in Venice, Italy, textiles by Fortuny have borne the standard of quality and excellence for a hundred years. For walls, sofas, pillows, draperies, bed coverings, tablecloths, and even napkins, the sumptuous art of Fortuny textiles has been decorating old world and new world homes for generations.” Fortuny makes some of the most beautiful textiles available today, and in this gorgeous read you can see them in some of the interiors they grace. An ideal book for the artisan or interiors appreciator in your life.

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French Comfort Food – “Collected here are recipes from friends and acquaintances Hillary Davis has made while living in France, recipes handed down through the years as well as modern family remakes of the originals.” French. Comfort. Food. Need we say more? Literally anyone on your list will love this book, whether they’re gourmets or just enjoy looking and salivating over amazing food creations.

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Mastering the Art of Southern Vegetables – “Building on their reputation as James Beard Award winners, Dupree and Graubart have excerpted their best vegetable recipes (plus added some new ones) in this timely collection.” A wonderful addition to any southerner’s cookbook library, we love that this book is organized alphabetically by vegetable and offers the basics of cooking each one, along with both new and classic preparations.

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Shrimp & Grits Cookbook – “Nathalie Dupree was ahead of the curve eight years ago with her classic book Shrimp and Grits. Now this Lowcountry comfort combo is found on restaurant menus all around the country―from top to bottom, coast to coast. All-new photography, new recipes from southern chefs, and a fresh design revamp a southern food cookbook for gift giving or one’s own kitchen library.” A revised edition of a staple in any southern kitchen library, this book would be a wonderful gift to newlyweds, or someone wanting to get to the heart of this classic southern coastal dish.

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Sweet & Vicious: Baking with Attitude – “An irreverent cookbook filled with inventive recipes for baking that deliver a punch.” A gift for any eccentric in your life who enjoys a unique sweet now and then. This is a fun cookbook, which could even inspire someone to start baking!

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The French Cook: Soups and Stews – “Holly Herrick loves France and French cooking. And in this cookbook (her third in The French Cook series), she jumps into bowl after bowl of glorious French soups with inspired abandon and a generous dose of classical technique.” A great book for any mother – or mother at heart – who enjoys bringing her family together around food. Is there any other food that brings folks to the kitchen like soups and stews?! We think not.

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The French Cook: Cream Puffs and Eclairs – “Classically French trained author Holly Herrick dips into the marvelously versatile world of choux pastry, or pâte à choux. The buttery, nutty, even-flavor of this dough invites myriad flavors, in both sweet and savory categories and in many shapes – cream puffs, éclairs, rings, and more.” For the decidedly more advanced foodie in your life, this is one glamorous and appetite inspiring cookbook will encourage them to try something new. And, who knows, perhaps they’ll share their trials from this book with you!

After that book gift guide roundup can you tell we enjoy just about anything and everything French and Paris?!? But truly, there are some seriously wonderful books on this list, which have the potential to inspire travel, decor, art and so much more! Tell us, what’s your favorite book you’ve ever been gifted?

And don’t forget, we do complimentary gift wrapping in store, so stop in and put a BIG dent in your gift list with some fabulous books!