Montgomery Ward

The mere mention of a birthday (my sister-in-law’s birthday is in 1 week) is all it takes to kick off an intense craving for birthday cake and/or cupcakes.

In fact, I’ll admit it: sometimes I even look for excuses to buy a cake. (”Happy 1/2 birthday to me!” “Welcome home from your business trip, honey!” “It’s our anniversary!”)

Ice cream cake, chocolate cake, carrot cake: I am an equal opportunity cake addict – my only requirement is frosting and lots of it.

With another birthday just around the corner, I’m definitely thinking about cupcakes and can’t wait to try out this cupcake stand. The display of tiered cupcakes will be so much more impressive than just setting them on a plate! 

Unfortunately, my baking skills are sometimes more like the Swedish Chef (yes, the Muppet character) than Martha Stewart, so I always favor sprinkles (and lots of them) to disguise a less-than-Martha frosting technique.

I’m going to try a few different combinations of colors from this gourmet carousel of candy sprinkles (available in pink or white).

Do you have a recipe or photos of a cake/cupcake masterpiece? Send it to us!

Want to win a High School Musical bedding set?

It’s true: this High School Musical quilt, full size sheet set and sham can be yours!

All you have to do is send us an e-mail with a decorating question. Be sure to:

• put “High School Musical Contest” in the subject line
• include your decorating question (and any photos you have of the room/decorating dilemma you’re trying to solve)
• include your name, address and phone number

But hurry: this contest ends on June 5, 2008! (Winner will be notified by e-mail.) Good luck!

It’s not easy to find a great gift for the couple who already have everything. (It’s also not easy when I wait until the last minute and there isn’t anything left to buy on their gift registry…other than the Christofle silver and platinum place settings!)

I asked around and here are a few favorite gifts that some of us received that weren’t on our registries:

• Ice cream/frozen yogurt maker: Ice cream. Need I say more?
• Egg and muffin toaster: perfect for making a quick breakfast 
• The ultimate margarita maker: OK, so no one received this one…but we all agree that we wish we had
• Custom name plaques: great for the grilling couple or the newly-married host and hostess with the mostest

Special thanks to Jackie M. from Kansas City for sharing her Montgomery Ward memory with us. Jackie will receive a $50 gift card to wards.com for sharing her story with us. Don’t forget: you can also share your Montgomery Ward story or memory with us!

“When I was a kid, there were only three people in my family living in the Midwest: my mother, my sister and me. My Father had passed away many years before and so there were only us three girls.  We were really poor; however, my sister and I did not know that.  My mother was a wonderful provider and knew how to stretch a dollar and make life fun. 

“Each year before the school year began, my sister and I would get new school clothes and a new pair of shoes. We would all get in my mother’s 1963 Ford Falcon (without air conditioning) and we would drive to Montgomery Ward to make our treasured purchases.  I can still remember the smell of the store, all the wonderful sites and new things we saw and each new year we anticipated our trip.  I will always remember with great fondness that wonderful place.”

–Jackie M.
Kansas City, MO

Q: My boyfriend is really into hunting and camo and I’d like to surprise him with a camo-themed kitchen. Do you have any ideas on how I can add some camo to the kitchen?

A: The key to adding camo in the kitchen will be moderation. It’s easy to go overboard (camo accents, camo curtains, camo rugs, camo dishes, etc.), but if you aim to strike a balance between the camo print and similar hunting-themed items, you’ll be able to create a kitchen that you both love.

Let’s start with the camo: we like this camo rug because it’s durable and non-slip. It’s neutral with just enough camouflage to help carry your theme (without going overboard).

This camouflage valance may be another great option. Depending on the room and window size, you may also have some luck with the coordinating camo panels — if they’re too long, you can always hem them shorter (or even use adhesive no-sew glue if you’re not looking for a sewing project).

Now that we’ve tackled the camo, let’s move on to some hunting accents to compliment the camo. This antler chandelier would look great over a small table in the kitchen area. For more hunting and outdoor accessories, visit our lodge decorating style shop.

Short on space? This breakfast corner nook set is perfect if you’re looking for a table to fit in a snug space or corner.

One last thing to consider: paint. If you’re planning on painting the kitchen, we recommend keeping things neutral - a light tan or beige color would work best to compliment your new decor. If you’re feeling bold, try a light mocha color but avoid something too dark if you’re working with a small area.

Good luck with your project — be sure to send us photos of your finished project. We’d love to see how it turns out!

Best wishes for a very happy Mother’s Day!

Just in case you didn’t get what you wanted this year, here’s a special discount (online only) for wards.com: save 20% on your next order* when you enter coupon code MWMOM58 during checkout! But hurry, this offer ends 5/15/08!

Happy Shopping!

*Coupon may be used only once. Minimum purchase of $50 required online at wards.com and cannot be combined with other offers. Offer ends 5/15/08 and may be used only once. Discount applies to merchandise only, not shipping & handling or taxes. Telephone and mail orders are not included. Cannot be used on previously placed orders. Promo code not valid on gift card purchases or redemptions.

Our buyers just let us know about some new markdowns on bedding (all sale items can be found on our bedding sale at wards.com) and we wanted to pass along the bargains to you:

• stylish quilts are on sale: our favorites include the Cabbage Rose Quilt and Accessories as well as this modern quilt (shown at right), the Sienna Quilt Collection. (Accessories, pillows, shams, etc. are also all on sale!)
• comforter sets with bonus pillows: these top-sellers have just been marked down, including the Grandeau Comforter Sets (with bonus euro shams and three pillows), 10-piece Sacramento Comforter Set (with bonus euro shams and three pillows) and the Francesca Comforter Set (also with bonus shams and pillows)
• everyone loves chocolate brown: one of the hottest new trends is pairing dark chocolate with a bold, bright pink, teal blue or even green. We love the look of this Daria Bedding Collection — either with a bright accent color or by itself.

Find your next comforter set on sale at wards.com - view all sale bedding!

Note: Quantities on these sale items are limited.

“As a young girl, I passed the summers on my Grandmother Harriet’s farm in Vermont. Grandmother’s house was the most beautifully decorated I’d ever seen - and, when I told her so, she’d laugh and say, ‘Thank my interior designer, Montgomery Ward.’ Grandmother seemed quite fancy to me with her red nail polish and stylish Sunday shoes, so I was not surprised she had an ‘interior designer’ from the big city - a Mr. Montgomery Ward - decorate her house. It was not for a few years before I realized she had purchased all her lovely household items from a catalogue called Montgomery Ward.”
–Anne H.
Philadelphia, PA

Do you have a favorite Montgomery Ward memory you’d like to share with us? Send us an e-mail at memories@wards.com! If we pick your memory and share it online, you will receive a $50 Montgomery Ward Gift Card!

Be sure to check back and read more Montgomery Ward memories here online, as we’ll be adding new stories, too!

Whether your princess is 4 or 44, you want to give her something exceptional. Here are a few suggestions on the ultimate gift for your princess…

For the grown-up princess, our new favorite is this diamond silver princess pendant. (Qualifies for deferred billing, too!) Because jewelry is always a safe choice for a princess (the more bling, the better), we also like these personalized necklaces and pendants.  

The littlest princess will fall in love with her very own princess toddler bed! Another best-selling favorite is the princess rocking chair, complete with a personalized photo of your favorite princess.

The most difficult princess to shop for is the teen-age princess. Stick to the basics and think about what she loves: jewelry, clothing and talking on the phone. Also available in pink (shown at right in blue), this retro princess phone will be her newest favorite.

Whether you’re creating a retro room or just want to add a few retro accents to your home, it’s easy to do while keeping within your budget.

In the kitchen, we love the clean, sleek style of retro-styled dining sets. For the complete look, we also love the 1950s style retro phone and we can’t help but love this nostalgia doughnut maker.

Here are a few more favorites for under $100:

• starburst wall clock
• personalized retro bowling alley-themed wall art
• retro style patio furniture
• mini jukebox radio
• retro princess phone

Do you have the ultimate retro room? Send us a photo and you’ll receive a Montgomery Ward gift card if we feature your room on the blog!