Bless Your Neighbor is such a cute idea for a site…And anyone who loves hankies is a friend of mine! Thanks for mentioning Happy Hanky on your blog! Check out Sharon’s ideas for how to gift hankies… http://blessyourneighbor.blogspot.com/2011/02/hanky-full-of-tears-joy-grief-and.html

I love getting hanky inspiration from all over and when I saw this napkin table-runner idea I immediately thought of handkerchiefs. I think it would be so lovely to use different handkerchiefs to create a table runner. Use one handkerchief under a cake plate when your serving an apple streussel to guests. And why stop at a table-runner? Why not swap out doilies for handkerchiefs? A hanky would look great under a vinatge lamp on a tiny nightstand.

I often receive inquiries from customers on how to care for their hanky collection. Here is what I recommend for washing your new and vintage handkerchiefs:

1. Hand-wash your handkerchiefs in warm water and a gentle detergent.

2. Hang the handkerchiefs and allow them to air-dry or tumble in dryer on warm setting.

3. If you are storing your hankies, line a plastic air-tight storage container with acid-free tissue paper and roll each hanky in the tissue paper. Store the container in a cool, dry closet and make sure they are out of direct sunlight which may deteriorate the fabric.

Give a friend two gifts instead of one! First select a Happy Hanky handkerchief  that your friend will love. Lay the handkerchief flat on a table and wrap the box (a small jewelry box works best) by gathering all four edges of the hanky into the center. Next secure all the hanky edges in the center of the box by using a pretty ribbon, string or twine. Add faux flowers, a gift tag or other accessory to give it that little something extra! Your friend is going to love receiving their Happy Hanky wrapped gift!

Collecting vintage handkerchiefs is a fun and inexpensive hobby that I just love. They can be found in antique stores, on Ebay, at flea markets and estate sales. For me, this is the best time of year to go “handkerchief-ing”  at the antique stores in Lambertville, NJ. The weather is perfect for a stroll and I feel so satisfied walking back to my car with little bags filled with hankies.  Though I have not met anyone that has gotten rich off collecting and selling hankies, some are actually worth more than others. My absolute favorite ones to collect are the Burmel hankies from the Handkerchief of the Month Club that was seen in Vogue magazine in the 1950’s. I will never forget when I found a handkerchief at a flea market with the Burmel tag still attached!            

(side note…if you decide to take a trip to Lambertville, make sure you have breakfast at the Full Moon Cafe!)

Next week starts “5 Hanky Projects in 5 Days”. Each day I will show you a new, creative way to use your handkerchiefs! Have a good weekend and Happy Halloween!

There are so many creative ways to incorporate handkerchiefs into your wedding day! One of my absolute favorites is wrapping a hanky around the bridesmaids’ bouquets. If you are a bride, choose a Happy Hanky style that matches your color palette and have the florist wrap the handkerchief around each of the bouquets. It’s fun to have them secure the handkerchiefs with a couple of pearl or vintage pins. After the wedding, each of the bridemaids has a handkerchief keepsake to take with them!

Most florists will know how to wrap the handkerchief around the bridal bouquets. If you are DIY, then check out the simple instructions on Martha Stewart Weddings http://www.marthastewartweddings.com/good-things/handkerchief-bouquet-wrap   

Jeff and I visited the “Making Scents” exhibit at Longwood Gardens in Kennet Square, PA. The perfume bottle collection alone is reason to visit but they also allow you to create your very own fragrance (I prefer notes of sandalwood, jasmine and bergamot). The exhibit reminded me of how my grandmother would lightly mist her handkerchiefs with her perfume and place them in her handbags and linen drawers. There’s something feminine and unique about keeping a scented handkerchief in your tote or tying a misted hanky to your handbag. It allows your scent to follow you everywhere! One of the floral Happy Hankies would look super cute tied on your favorite bag! I tied the Hedgehog Party handkerchief to my diaper bag and the Limited Edition Pink Party handkerchief to my briefcase!

I wanted to touch base with all of you….and try to get on some sort of schedule with my new baby! I know all mothers with newborns are probably laughing right now – schedule what?? Thank you for all the well wishes! Mommy, Daddy and baby are all doing super! It has been great getting to know this little guy.

I brought a Happy Hanky to the hospital with me and I can’t even count how many times I used it. I cried so many happy tears! I always suggested a Happy Hanky handkerchief  as a gift for expecting mothers because I knew it was a joyous occasion but I did not really understand until I experienced it for myself. A Happy Hanky handkerchief is a must for every new mother. My hanky is now going into our baby’s memory book!

More soon….

I’m so excited to be releasing my third collection of Happy Hanky handkerchiefs! This collection is all about whimsy. The handkerchief prints are perfect for a wedding or a day on the town. The nine new handkerchief styles were just uploaded in the Collections section. Don’t forget those Fall weddings that are right around the corner. Happy Hanky handkerchiefs are the perfect gift for brides and bridal parties!

FREE Happy Hanky GIVEAWAY – Winner chooses a hanky of their choice from www.HappyHanky.com

Three Ways To Enter:
1. Post a comment on the Happy Hanky facebook page about your fav Happy Hanky style. THIS IS WORTH 1 ENTRY
2. Write a blog post linking to www.HappyHanky.com. Leave a link to your post on the Happy Hanky facebook page. THIS IS WORTH 5 ENTRIES
3. Tweet about your fav Happy Hanky style with a link to www.HappyHanky.com and post your link on the Happy Hanky facebook page. THIS IS WORTH 2 ENTRIES

Rules:
Contest starts now and ends June 11th midnight EST.
Open to adults 18 and over from US.
Winner will be notified via Happy Hanky Fan Page post and direct messsage on June 12th. Winner has 2 days to claim prize.
Have fun and tell your friends!