 |
 |
Globe Style: Style Counsel
The Buy: Oyster Gift Set
My advice to you? Find a man with strong hands and a way with a knife, because September marks the beginning of prime oyster season and nothing is more delicious than making your man slave — er, boyfriend — stand in the kitchen and shuck, shuck, shuck during your next dinner party.
Creating your own raw bar is made easy with this all-in-one oyster set for two from online present purveyors Plum Gift & Co. It features a white-on-white oyster plate, seafood forks, a shucking knife, tea towels, stitched cocktail napkins, a recipe for shallot mignonette sauce and, of course, a bottle of Tabasco.
Aw, shucks. You shouldn't have.
Leah Rumack, The Globe and Mail | Published: August 28, 2007 |
|
|
|
Cool Treats
When it comes time to register, think beyond pots and pans and add these summer items to your wish list. You'll be set for summer with these five must-have registry items...
Read full article at Wedding Bells |
|
|
|
Thanking You
If you're like us there are times you are surprised that ANYONE would take your child for the day — never mind every day — and teach her how to share, sit still (and listen if you're lucky).
That someone clearly deserves a thank you, and a thoughtful one at that.
No pressure—we've got some ideas to help you present your teachers with the perfect gift that says both "Thank you" and "I put a lot of thought into this gift for you"...
Read full article at Savvy Mom |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
How to cope with Christmas: Load up on booze and hostess gifts. Go to the gym. Start shopping last January. Wake up at a quarter to 4. Make your list and check it twice. feel the magic
If you envision these next four weeks elapsing with noble simplicity and calm grandeur, then you're clearly living a very different life than the majority of people who consider the holidays to be among the most stressful times of the year. And yet, even among those who are professionally entrenched in preparations, spirits remain high. Whether it's the hot chocolate or the Cold-fx, here's how they not only survive, but actually thrive:
Jennifer McLean, owner Plum Gift Co., plumgiftco.com
The holiday season is particularly busy since I own a corporate and occasional gift company. Not only is my personal and family schedule hectic, November and December are a bit of a blur at work. Since I tend to put in overtime, this leaves less time for social engagements. I do try, however, to be a good mommy, which means being home for dinner even if I must do work again once they go to bed. It's crucial that I simplify things and make a priority list of the holiday activities I don't want to miss. This includes skating and tobogganing -- any of the outdoor stuff. I may forgo an invitation and instead, I'll put on some holiday music and make lemon squares with my kids who are five and 10 years old. This, for me, is the season's highlight.
Nathalie Atkinson, National Post | Published: Saturday, November 25, 2006 |
|
|
|
Plum, in the conservatory, with the gift pack: Studio's presents are welcome change from boring crud
Being on the receiving end of a corporate gift that's not wine, liquor or chocolate, one's first thought is generally something like: "Great: Another lead crystal paperweight/ashtray/fancy pen indelibly etched with the [insert company name here] logo and font." Next, since these white elephants are branded forever with a corporate logo no amount of scrubbing or sandblasting will remove (and are therefore utterly un-regiftable), they are unceremoniously added to the graveyard where well-intentioned corporate gifts go to die.
Happily, the classic Hickory Farms sausage basket may soon be a thing of the past, because Jennifer McLean's Plum Gift Company takes the dread out of checking off names from the master list, whether it's a corporate or personal one.
McLean was drawn to the idea of creating a bespoke gift service during her years at Redwood Communications, where she was VP of marketing and business development and also oversaw the corporate gift program. (She's also the former publisher of Gardening Life and Canadian House & Home, so she knows a little something about fab finds.) After launching Plum last fall and working from her home, McLean recently opened a bricks-and-mortar location. The east-end studio is a serene, airy space (even when the back room is filled with a Santa's workshop of elves-cum-gift-wrappers, which is most days this season) and minimally decorated in a shade of warm vanilla cream. It's where McLean, with the help of stylist Arren Williams, conceives and prepares her cache of classic and classy corporate and occasional gifts. A regular newsletter features the ever-expanding assortment of gifts and just as importantly, topical trend and style tips featuring Williams, a seasoned trend forecaster who helps McLean find just the right items for each themed gift package.
For everyday clients, Plum offers a terrific selection of core occasional and seasonal collections, from Valentine's to Mother's Day, new home, birthdays and even the latest baby boom. And the prices are much more affordable than you'd expect, starting at $25.
Orders can be placed by phone or directly through Plum's new secure online e-store, launched last week, so the perfect gift is a near-instant click away. No shopping required. One perennial favourite gift is the License to Chill kit ($77.95), which comes with glasses, a little black book of martinis and a gleaming chrome cocktail shaker shaped like a rocket in homage to the 1960s space race. For oenophiles, Pleasure Uncorked ($79.95) is a set of four of Riedel's stemless "O" glasses and decanter. For frequent fliers, there are croc-embossed calfskin ticket wallet ($84.95) or ladies' croc leather travel clutch ($139.95).
In lieu of flowers, some clients send such dinner-party thank-you gifts as luxurious triple-milled French soaps by Gianna Rose ($26.95-$35.95), shaped like limes, robin's eggs or pears and nested in decorative boxes, or a set of 20 pretty note cards in a hinged keepsake box ($18.95).
Plum also has mother and baby gifts. Babylicious ($199.95) is the ultimate funky diaper bag; Natural Mom ($43.95) includes a certified-organic cotton kimono for baby, in one of three photo prints: peanut, cupcake or monkey, with matching cotton cap; and Party Girl ($74.95) features a vintage-style pink gingham dress with floral petticoat and matching ruffled panty by Canadian children's designer Whitney Kids (in six-, nine- or 12-month size).
For new homes there are gelato, tea or sushi sets, gourmet food boxes, monogrammed linen napkins (especially popular with real-estate agents as gifts for homebuyers). To outdoorsy types, the horsey set or those who spend time at the rink, Plum will send Baby It's Cold Outside ($104.95), a woolly fringed throw blanket rolled up with a leather harness, with chocolate treats, a pair of latte bowls and a tub of J.S. Bonbons gourmet spiced cocoa -- also a great thank-you gift after a winter cottage weekend.
Personally, I revel in gifting's various accoutrements -- the expeditions to The Japanese Paper Place, Ikea, Mokuba and Valhalla for cards, wrap, ribbon and all the trimmings that are sacrosanct, and while my house isn't nearly big enough for a dedicated wrapping room like Candy Spelling's, come the holidays I do manage to create a wrapping alcove. But those who don't, take note: All prices include Plum's elegant wrapping in aubergine, vanilla or smoky blue paper tied with a luxe grosgrain ribbon. Inside the box, gifts are expertly packaged under layers of delicate tissue, saving you the hassle of finding the right box size to hold everything safely in place and then wrapping and shipping. Plum does it all. In Toronto, gifts arrives by courier (delivery within the Toronto area is about $8), but there's more: Plum also ships across Canada. Which means that those friends, acquaintances and yes, numerous in-laws across the country can also receive gorgeous, thoughtful gifts to ooh and ahh over this season. And they need never know you really didn't go to any trouble at all.
Nathalie Atkinson, National Post | Published: Saturday, November 18, 2006 |
|
|
|
Retail happenings
Teacher's pets (and their parents), take note: instead of a tacky curio this year, try gifting a favourite prof with a more posh offering from Toronto custom gift service Plum Gift Co. You can customize everything from buttercream cupcakes delivered on an elegant cakestand (from $80, in the GTA), send mementos like upscale bound brag books, or create a unique gift idea from scratch.
Nathalie Atkinson, National Post | Published: Saturday, June 17, 2006 |
|
|
|
Truly gifted
At Plum Gift Co., you can choose from the creative menu of gift packages or customize your own. Either way, they make a terrific impression. From $50.
The Bay Street Bull | April 2006 Hot Sheet |
|
|
|
Pull Out a Plum for a Special Mom
THE ITEM: Small World gift set
THE COST: $255 (Cuddle coat, $75; matching slippers, $25; blanket, $75; bunny, $23; beanie, $15; Baby-Gami book, $19.99, night light, $28.)
WHERE TO BUY: Only at www.plumgiftco.com
Here's a Canadian source for gorgeous gifty items, just in time for Mother's Day ordering: Plum Gift Co.
The site's founder, Jennifer McLean, has specialized in creating customized gifts to suit corporate clients who wanted to extend their brand identities through gift-giving. Minimum orders applied, however, so the average person looking to a treat a loved one couldn't take advantage of McLean's skill at selecting gifts that said upscale, sumptuous and thoughtful. But since launching Plum late last year, she has expanded her service to include one-off gifts for personal giving.
New moms will especially love the pre-packaged gift set called Small World ($255), which includes a snuggly baby blanket, stuffed bunny, cuddle coat and bunny slippers, a night light and the book Baby—Gami, an illustrated guide to swaddling the new sweetie.
Indulge in the whole set if you're flush with cash, or pick and choose items to fit your budget. For example, the hooded cuddle coat, which is embellished with pink silk rabbit ears, is $75 and has a star story attached to it: Oprah presented the adorable coat by the U.S. brand Bunnies By The Bay to Gwyneth Paltrow after the arrival of her firstborn, Apple.
For moms who are a little more established, there's gift set called The Sweetest Thing ($80) that includes a tin of four fresh chocolate and buttercream cupcakes, a contemporary cake stand, and a cookbook called Cupcakes!
The set called How Sweet It Is ($75) features a luxurious selection of chocolate, nuts and other delectable treats, packaged in a sumptuous box.
If you're really on a budget, a cheerful brag book ($22) will allow mom to carry kid pics in her purse for showing off at every opportunity.
Again, you have the option of picking and choosing items from within each set to adapt the gift to the recipient's personality and your budget. McLean is happy to provide advice, by phone or email.
And expect Plum Gift packaging to be, well, plum. Gifts over $50 are presented in pink or blue wrap with plum grosgrain ribbon and gift tag. Gifts under $50 are nestled in a vanilla box with ribbon and tag.
McLean travels to New York, Montreal and California to spot new trends for her seasonally changing selection of pre-packaged gifts, as well as to shop for clients who request customized presents. To inspire her clients, she issues a newsletter four times a year, noting tips and trends of gift-giving. Sign up at http://www.plumgiftco.com.
Expect two-day delivery by courier in the Toronto area, but allow a little longer for out-of-town moms.
Daphne Gordon, Toronto Star | The Constant Shopper | Published: Saturday, April 29, 2006 |
|
|
|
Globe Style: Style Counsel
Now that it's November, you groan each morning as you pick up the paper and out drops another gift-basket catalogue. How many ways can you assemble nuts, chocolate and paté?
Plum Gift Co. offers a refreshing new alternative that operates year-round but is perfect for the holidays. Formerly of House and Home magazine, Toronto-based founder Jennifer McLean's ideas are as practical as they are pleasing: bowls of hot cocoa with a warm throw blanket, a martini kit with rocket-shaped shaker, a sophisticated travel wallet and luggage tags. Her goal is to customize the corporate gift-giving experience (so some minimum orders apply); think bespoke stocking stuffers that daintily arrive at your door. And with nary a cellophane sheet or tinsel bow in site, the tidy and chic packaging promises to be "almost too beautiful to open."
Visit www.plumgiftco.com or call 416-916-8645.
Amy Verner, The Globe and Mail | Published: November 22, 2005 |
|
|
 |
| If you're looking for information on Plum, we'd be happy to talk to you. Please contact Jennifer McLean at 416.916.8645 or by email at press@plumgiftco.com. |
|
|
|
 |
RE-SOURCEFUL IDEAS
"Your gift suggestions were right on the mark. Much more inventive than anything we have been able to source ourselves."
Catherine Jevons — Andiamo Communications
BUZZ-INESS WORTHY
"The gifts created exactly the desired buzz with clients. Thank you for your professional, attentive service."
Lionel Gadoury — Creative Director, Context Creative
HOLIDAY GIFTS WRAPPED UP
"I just wanted to send you a quick note to say that your company makes great gifts! We were thrilled to receive some amazing gifts (from our friends at FEM), and they were so beautifully presented, we hardly wanted to open them. Have a wonderful holiday season!"
Carolyn Solby — Director of Marketing, Schick Canada
SIMPLY IRRESISTIBLE
"We just got a wonderful box full of chocolate treats! The brownies smell so good — I am waiting until lunch to break into it, but others have already tried some of the other chocolate and say it's delicious! And since wrapping paper is something I love — I have to comment on the presentation. It's really good — and from a business perspective much better to send [the client's brand] than Harry and David!"
Bridget Smith — Education Marketing Manager, LendingTree, LLC
RAVE REVIEWS
"I just wanted to say thank you for the great job on the holiday presents this year. We have already received several glowing reviews from clients!"
Tom Hrubes — Account Director, Redwood Custom Communications |
|
