Holiday Gift Guide Day 5 Newlywed by Jacin Fitzgerald

There are certain people that you may come across in life that are so passionate that you simply can't be positively affected by them.  They have a zest for life, compassion for others and most importantly make the greatest of friends. I recently had one such person pop right into my life. Now we haven't met face to face, but I feel as though I have known her forever. Back in late 2009, she started a blog based on her adventures of being a newly engaged lady....Writing from the heart and her infectious joy for life propelled her blog making it a must read in the wedding world! This fabulous blog, She Said Yes, has an equally fabulous creator, the passionate Miss Jacin Fitzgerald!!  Sometimes it's the littlest things in life that deeply affect you the most...She never hesitates to post a comment on another's blog ( I can't tell you how nice this is as sometimes you feel as though you are writing to the crickets), is your permanent cheering section and always likes to include others in new projects! Just 2 weeks ago she asked me to be a part of her Fall Wedding Inspiration Series and let me tell you...it's a MUST read!

There wasn't a question in my mind to ask her to come up with a Newlywed Gift Guide being a spankin new married lady herself!

She is certainly one to watch and thanks from a little Sparkle and Hay, I now have a new friend and creative collaborator enter into my life!!

So...Onward and upward my friends...the lovely and passionate 

Miss Jacin Fitzgerald

1.Sodastream

2.Love to Create Custom Stamps

3.Bed and Breakfasts

4.William & Sonoma Bride & Groom Boxed Cookbook Set

Brown Paper Packages Tied Up With String.....

Image found via Marie Claire

Just one sweet little year ago, Chocolate Creative Design had their very first Holiday Gift Guide. Disguised as the 12 days of Christmas, it was filled to the brim with some fabulous finds from

an AMAZING and talented crew of friends, colleagues and family.

Creatively energized, I was ready to take the guide one step further..I had a plan....A great plan...

But then....

Life happened.....

Days turned into weeks, weeks turned into months and low and behold it was the end of October!

Then I started receiving emails, emails that absolutely warmed my heart, from the amazing crew who participated in last years guide, passionately asking when...when oh when do we begin again??

Call me crazy, but didn't the holiday season start a tad bit early this year??

Sad to say...I had to begrudgingly hang up my mouse...

BUT

I have a plan....

A great plan...

So don't fret...there will be amazing things happening...
next year...

But for now....

I am honoring those AMAZING friends, family and colleagues who tirelessly and lovingly helped to create last year's gift guide

for a little ole blog who had just turned 5 days old.

So if you missed last years..

I have provided the links below

for your viewing and shopping pleasure!!

Day 1- Beauty & Sweets

Beauty by Yumiko Fletcher of Hana Floral

Beauty by Jennie Fresa of Jennie Fresa Makeup and Skincare

Sweets by Anna Sawin of Anna Sawin Photography

Day 2- Stocking Stuffers & Little Girls

Stocking Stuffers by Erica Cyr of Jonathan Edwards Winery

Little Girls by Sarah Crawford of Lil Hoot

Day 3- Men,Fishing & The Boss

Men by Margaret Farrell of Farrell Law

Fishing by Jonathan Wesson 

The Boss by Amy Graver of Elements Design

Day 4- Food & The Hostess

Food by Anna Lathrop of Gourmet Galley

Food by Linda Sample of A Thyme to Cook

The Hostess by Sarah Crawford of Lil Hoot

Day 5- Baby & Newlyweds

Baby by Sarah Crawford of Lil Hoot

Newlywed by Jacin Fitzgerald of Lovely Little Details

Day 6- Shoes & Jewelry

Shoes by Heidi Heublein

Jewelry by Adrienne O'Connor of Ruffles & Tweed

Day 7- Books,Music & Movies

Books, Music & Movies by Chad Freeman of Freeform Ventures

Day 8- Cats & Dogs

Cats by Erin Ethier of Sparkle & Hay

Dogs by Margaret Farrell of Farrell Law

Day 9- Boys,Teacher & College

Boys by Lucinda Wesson & The Monster

Teacher by Amy Graver of Elements Design

College by Paige Wesson

Day 10- Running

Running by Amy Graver of Elements Design

Running by Sarah True of True Event

Day 11- Macs & Photography

Macs by Anna Sawin of Anna Sawin Photography

Photography by Anna Sawin Photography

Day 12- Wine & Charity

Wine by Adrienne O'Connor of Ruffles & Tweed

Charity by Crista Taylor

Many Many Many Thanks!!

I truly believe that THE most important thing in life is the love and support of family and friends. To think you can make it on your own is absolutely and positively crazy. 

I think the quotes below explain it perfectly:

"Here is the basic rule for winning success. Let's mark it in the mind and remember it. The rule is: Success depends on the support of other people. The only hurdle between you and what you want to be is the support of other people."

David Joesph Schwartz

"The support of one’s personality is friends. A part of one’s self and a real foundation and existence."

Katharine Butler Hathaway

I am a very very lucky lady because I have a wonderful group of supporters that come in the form of friends or family and it was positively evident in the recently posted Holiday Gift Guide. I cannot begin to describe how touched, honored and amazed by the generosity and creativity that came from this fabulous group of people.

So from the bottom of my heart to the tippity top..

Thank you

Thank you 

Jennie Fresa, Yumiko Fletcher, Anna Sawin, Erica Cyr, Sarah Loomis Crawford, Margaret Farrell, Amy Graver, My Hubbie, Linda Sample, Anna Lathrop,

Jacin Fitzgerald, Heidi Heublein, Adrienne O'Connor, Chad Freeman, 

Erin Ethier, The Monster, Paige Wesson, Sarah True and Crista Taylor.

A huge special thanks to Erica & Mike Cyr of Buzz Media and Amy Graver of Elements Design who wrote the most fantastically thoughtful and wonderful posts on their blogs about the Holiday Gift Guide. 

You must read them as they seriously brought tears to my eyes!

Buzz Media, Elements Design

And lastly but not at all least, to the many many readers out there!! Thank you for your fabulous support. For some who may not know, Blogspot has added a little doohickey called Stats that I simply adore. It allows me to see which parts of the world is tuning in...I have become quite obsessed with it as it allows me in some crazy way to travel to these places in my mind..

In honor of all of you....

Dziekuje, Spasiba, Hvala, Merci, Xie_Xie, Multumesc and Muito Obrigado!

But this is not the end my friends....I have already started brainstorming for next years Holiday Gift Guide and honestly need my readers help on this one..

Sooo...Please please don't be shy...let me know what you loved about it, what you disliked about it and what we could add on to it for next year...

Ahhh so many ideas yet so little time but an exciting New Year is approaching to realize all these fantastical and magical dreams...

Hopefully with many more friends and family by my side.

March.....

Image found via Flickr

with a little love added by chocolate creative design

HAPPY MARCH!!!

Has your luck run out?

If you ask nicely...Miss Jacin of Lovely Little Details might just find you a four leaf clover...

It seems she can find them anywhere...

Happy Weekend!!

Happy Weekend Everyone!!

I am super duper deliciously excited because tonight, some very special ladies and I will be making the pilgrimage up to the newly opened Anthropologie in Cranston, Rhode Island!!

I can hardly contain myself!

I have been waiting 11 years for this day since I moved to Stonington...

A huge thanks to Wendy & Wade for making this happen!!

Speaking of Anthropologie...

I am very excited for the lovely Miss Shauna Alterio who was recently showcased on the Etsy Blog

Read through the interview very very carefully my friends & brides...

Trust me...very very soon you will be hearing a little more about this fabulously creative lady right here on this very blog..

Speaking of even more excitement...


Thanks to all of you, Glitter, Glue and Fireflies has made it to round 2 of the voting of the Lovelies Awards...Not bad for the underdog...I get to share the top 10 with Miss Abby of The Superburbs under Design, the fabulous Erin of Sparkle & Hay and Jacin Of Lovely Little Details under weddings and the beautiful Suzanna of Suzanna March under photography.


Last day to vote is 
Monday February 28th...


Every vote counts so please please please with sugar on top, head on over with your mother, brother, sister, father, cousins, Aunts and Uncles 
to "like" these very inspiring ladies!!
(all you need to do is click on the pink link of the blogs above and it will take you to the right place to vote!)

Holiday Gift Guide Day 8 Cats by Erin Ethier

For the past 10 years, the Wesson's have been exclusively a dog family. That quickly changed a few weeks ago with the addition of a rather impish kitten named Calvin. I have to say, we are absolutely living in a dog world and have found it next to impossible finding anything cat worthy....Fortunately, I have a little sparkle up my sleeve...Miss Sparkle and Hay, Erin Ethier to our rescue. 

By now you have heard me profess my deepest admiration for this lovely lady starting when we designed her Save the Date, moving quickly to her invitation (awaiting rather impatiently to reveal) and watching her fabulous blog Sparkle and Hay grow to ginormous heights. What can I say..she really is that sparkly. Her radiance is astounding, her warmth, heart melting and her positive energy, infectious. Because of this, she is now in a position where amazing things are beginning to happen for her..It's true what they say...projecting positive energy DOES bring positive things into your life..

Right now, Miss Sparkle and Hay has teamed up with Miss Jacin Fitzgerald of the She Said Yes blog to offer an excitingly scrumptious new wedding site. 

Real Weddings Revealed

I know you won't be dissapointed as I'm sure it will be chock a block full of gorgeous inspiration from two very fabulous ladies...So skip on over!!!

So take it from this lady...she has 2 of the cutest kitties around and certainly knows her stuff..

My favorite sparkly lady..the fabulous Miss Erin Ethier...

1. SlimCat Interactive Feeder

2. Kitty Sill

3. Kollercraft Cat Food Cover

4. Darn Sock Catnip Toy

5. Natty Michelle Pet Portraits

6. Kitt-In Box