Over the past few years, I've found myself collecting stationery. Silly, quirky or just plain pretty stationery.

So much of our world is communicated through words viewed on a small screen via email or text. Receiving a card (a real card) always leaves an impression, especially if it's clever. Just like these fun postcards, notecards and prints I found on Etsy at the A Fanciful Twist shop by Vanessa Valencia.

It's time to go old school. Consider sending at least one card, on the stationery of your choice, every month to a loved one. You'll be surprised how touched your recipient will be. Effort well made.

Photos by A Fanciful Twist on Etsy

You are dreaming of spring. Looking forward to wearing the colors of the rainbow. But guess what? Now is the perfect time to stock up on key fall wardrobe staples.

Like my favorite black long-sleeve sheer jersey tee. I bought two of these last September and practically lived in them (and still do) throughout the fall and winter months. I even shed a few tears the day I discovered BCBG was out of stock. So, I promised myself the next time I came across this tee (which I assumed would be late August), I would buy one for every day of the week.

Well, I hit the jackpot today! BCBG restocked this popular item so I, literally, bought out my local store! I bought seven for myself and the remaining tees for my clients. I added charcoal and silver into the mix, as well. This is one of those indispensable layering pieces that I honestly cannot live without.

Another item I am restocking now is tights. The typical players ... such as black opaque, black textured and ivory textured tights. But also sheer polka dot tights! Marc Jacobs is all about the polka dot for fall '11, so you can bet you'll see dots in many shapes and sizes. 

I highly recommend buying these layering pieces now. You will be happy you did come fall, when everyone else will be fighting for the same great staples.

I never seem to be prepared enough to come up with really cool hostess gifts. Not only does that take time (in which we don't have), it takes forethought. One of my goals for 2011 is having awesome hostess gifts on hand — at all times. Cleverness goes a long way, after all.

Thank goodness I stumbled upon this ingenious recipe box from kate spade. It contains chic note cards with clever little sayings, such as "a round of applause," "i heard you were under the weather," "for no particular reason," and "the icing on the cake." How cute is that!

I gave one as a gift over the holidays and I snagged a few more online today. Now, I just need to stumble upon a dozen more fabulous gifts to add to my 2011 hostess collection.

Charlotteans, you are going to be so excited when I tell you what I happened upon today. Something every stylista must have this holiday season.

For those of you not already familiar with Scoop Charlotte, you must become acquainted. Just as the name implies, this invaluable site gives you the low down on weekly sales and promotions from fashion boutiques in Charlotte NC.

Just in time for the holidays, here's the ideal gift for both you and the ones you love — the Shop-Girls’ Winter Survival Book, an exclusive booklet of coupons from 23 of Charlotte’s best boutiques. Get them while they're hot ... they are on sale for only $15 now through December 18th. Packed with savings from Sloan, chezElle, Poole Shop, Scout & Molly’s, Monkees of Morrocroft, Fresh, Our Place, Cottage Chic, and 15 more boutiques, you don't want to miss out on these savings (up to 30% off in the months of January and February!).

For only $15, the Shop-Girls’ Winter Survival Book makes the perfect stocking stuffer, teacher gift and the present that your friends, daughters, daughters-in-law, sisters and sisters-in-law will actually use. It’s your 'go to' gift for the holiday. And, when you tie this coupon book around a bottle of wine as a gift, you become a shopaholic's fashion hero.

What are you waiting for?