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Year: 2011

The Gingerbread Benefit is Almost Here!

November 29, 2011January 31, 2023 Dana PhelpsBlog, In Our CommunityGingerbread Benefit, TFS, Triangle Family Services, Umstead2 Comments on The Gingerbread Benefit is Almost Here!

If you are in Raleigh or can get to Raleigh on Thursday, the Gingerbread Benefit is a must-do holiday event.  I promise you will be amazed at the intricately designed gingerbread houses from the most talented chefs in the Triangle. Plus, you can bid on awesome prizes, see/hear the Sanderson Sandpipers and eat food prepared by the world-renowned Umstead chefs — all while helping area families in need! See the full release below for additional details and buy your tickets tonight! We hope to see you there.

Triangle Family Services’ 9th Annual Gingerbread Benefit on Dec. 1 to Lift Holiday Spirits

— Auction of Gingerbread Houses Designed by Local Chefs to Help Local Families —

Raleigh, N.C. – November 29, 2011 – Local chefs are putting the finishing touches on gingerbread houses as volunteers arrange prize packages donated to Triangle Family Services’ 9th Annual Gingerbread Benefit to be held Thursday, Dec. 1 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at The Umstead Hotel and Spa.

“In addition to elaborate gingerbread houses donated by the Triangle’s favorite chefs, there are many attractive prize packages available,” said Sue Rea, co-chair of the benefit. “The event is Thursday, so get your tickets now!”

Items range from a five-day Topsail Island retreat and two first-class AmericanAirlines tickets to stunning amethyst and diamond earrings from Diamonds Direct. For sports fanatics, packages include Carolina Mudcats, North Carolina Tar Heels and Durham Bulls tickets, and an 18-person Carolina Hurricanes suite.

“From an Eye Care Associates gift certificate to a fabulous Holly Aiken handbag, there’s no shortage of desirable auction prizes,” said Dana Hughens, publicity chair for the benefit and CEO of Clairemont Communications.

All proceeds from the evening will support local families in need. The live auction will be conducted by Jason McCoon of Tory Hill Auction Company, who is part of the History Channel’s new series, The Real Deal. The evening’s festivities, emceed by ABC 11’s Angela Hampton, will also include holiday music, drinks, desserts and other savory delicacies prepared by The Umstead’s top chefs.

Tickets can be purchased at www.tfsnc.org and are $85 each.

Platinum sponsors are the Seby B. Jones Family Foundation and The Umstead Hotel and Spa. Gold sponsors are Fifth Third Bank, LORD Corporation, Pierce Brinkley Cease + Lee and AmericanAirlines. Silver sponsors are CAPTRUST Financial Advisors, Carolina Hurricanes, Financial Directions Group Inc., Regency Centers, Vaco and Wells Fargo.

About Triangle Family Services®

For 75 years, Triangle Family Services has been battling critical issues in our community for the most vulnerable families. Its mission, “Building a stronger community by strengthening the family,” is fulfilled by providing programs in three key areas – financial stability, family safety and mental health services. Last year alone, Triangle Family Services served more than 7,000 Triangle area residents with 93 percent living below the poverty level.

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Trends Tuesday: The Return of Lace

November 29, 2011January 31, 2023 Dana PhelpsBlog, TrendsAnne Taylor, Anthropologie, Banana Republic, Drexel Heritage, fashion, InStyle, lace, Talbots2 Comments on Trends Tuesday: The Return of Lace

Want to know the latest trends? Tune in on Trends Tuesday!

If the word lace conjures up images of your granny’s outdated tablecloth, think again! Lace is back! This is the third post in a series that is inspired by the InStyle article 5 Ways to Wake Up Your Work Wardrobe and explores how each trend is influencing fashion and furniture.

InStyle knows the trick to wearing and/or decorating with lace:  Try a touch of Lace. Because it’s a classic, lace plays quite well with conservative clothes. For best results, limit yourself to one piece per look, and choose lined items (or layer with a slip or cami) to avoid showing too much skin.

Earlier this year, I bought a lace-patterned suit at Talbots, but at the time, I didn’t even think of it as lace. Honestly, I’ve never been a big fan of traditional lace. That’s what’s so great about this trend this time around — there’s so much more variety. As much as I loved my new suit, it felt like too much for most business meetings and client events.

Mix & match.

Enter InStyle’s advice. One piece per look. The suit is lovely, but I’m getting more wear out of it by separating the pieces. I wore the skirt to furniture market in October with a dark navy background, floral blouse from Anthropologie, bare legs (since it was quite warm) and a pair of moss green leather shoes with wooden heels. Inspired by the outfit in the lower right of the InStyle page shown above, I also  bought a black turtleneck from J. Jill (a more affordable option to jmclaughlin.com) to wear with the skirt, and I plan to add black tights and black suede, strappy Mary Jane heels.

How does the lace trend work in furniture? The Drexel Heritage (client) product design team says there has been a return to things that are hand-crafted or have a hand-crafted look. I noticed visitors to the Drexel showroom touching the chair in the photograph because it looks like the over-sized doilies sewn onto the fabric, when it is actually part of the upholstery with a smooth texture. If you like this look, you can go with a little or a lot.

Lace accent pillows mixed with solid colors and leather for the "a little" look.
This Drexel Heritage chair shows the "like it a lot" look.

Tis the perfect season to add a little lace to your life. I suggest starting with a few basic pieces that can be both dressed up for a festive holiday outfit AND dressed down for office attire. This Banana Republic lace shell easily goes from day to evening, as does this black lace pencil skirt from Anne Taylor. Accessories can make a big difference. I ordered this Bohemian Lace Dress from Garnet Hill that I plan to wear with my great grandma’s crystal necklaces (because sometimes granny’s stuff is hip!) and hose and high heels to a holiday fundraiser. The following week, I’ll layer it on top of leggings, add a scarf and some pretty ankle boots and wear it to the office.

I'm planning to dress up this Garnet Hill dress for the holidays & then wear it to the office sans bling.

What do you think? Can lace live beyond old curtains and holiday outfits? Let us know how you are incorporating lace into your wardrobe and your home decor.

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Forget More Monday – It’s Cyber Monday!

November 28, 2011January 31, 2023 Josephine ButlerBlog, MarketingBlack Friday, Cyber Monday, online deals, shopping tips
Jcrew.com, I'm coming for you on Monday!

If you’re anything like me, then you shied away from shopping on Black Friday. It’s not that the deals weren’t great – it’s that the masses of people were greater (and that’s just too much for me)! Perhaps that’s why I’m so excited that today is Cyber Monday, the biggest online shopping day of the year. In lieu of our usual More Monday feature, I want to offer up some tips for smart online shopping on this very special (and money-saving) day!

  • Use an online aggregation site to view deals across a variety of different sites. Otherwise, all of the deals can become overwhelming, writes Erin Williams of the Washington Post. She recommends trying out sites like DealNews’ Cyber Monday page and CyberMonday.com, a subsidiary of Shop.org.
  • Sign up for your favorite stores’ e-newsletters, says Real Simple. You’ll get advance notice about any special deals
  • Download apps. From store apps to Cyber Monday apps, there’s pretty much an app for anything and everything you’ve got on your shopping list, writes Forbes contributor Lydia Dishman.
  • Research, research, research! You may find a good deal on one site, but you might just find a better deal on another!
  • Do it on your own time. Dana, I promise I won’t make online purchases at work – I’m thinking about staying up until Midnight or doing it on my lunch!
  • Beware of scams. Sad, but true – there’s always someone out there that will try to steal your information. Only share credit card numbers and other personal information with trusted sites.
  • Have fun! For all of you other claustrophobic folks out there, this is your day!

Have any other online shopping tips for us? We’d love to add to our list!

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Trends Tuesday: Bling in the Boardroom?

November 22, 2011January 31, 2023 Dana PhelpsBlog, Trendsdecorating, Drexel Heritage, fashion, InStyle, trends

Want to know the latest trends? Tune in on Trends Tuesday!

Last week we started a series of posts around the InStyle article 5 Ways to Wake Up Your Work Wardrobe! Today we are exploring the second tip and how it fits into the two worlds of fashion and furniture.

Tip #2: Experiment with Sparkle — Shine needn’t be sequestered to the evenings. Make sequined or metallic pieces boardroom-ready by pairing them with subdued shades or layering them under solid fabrics to tone down the bling factor.

I relied on my new found love of Zappos to quickly find some pieces that I think could work in a professional setting. Here’s what I found:

  • This sparkle top comes in gold or ivory. I like the gold the best because it looks more neutral than metallic. I’d pair it with a black skirt and a plain black scarf or black chunky beads.
  • I love this Betsey Johnson sparkle hinge cuff bracelet. A great accessory to add some bling to  the basic black suit or a pretty print dress.
  • Kate Spade’s Lots O’ Sparkle Tights come in black and red, for another accessory option to add just a little shimmer.

Under the don’t category, I advise against the UGG Classic Sparklers. If you have to have them, save them for non-work related events! (I’ll admit I once had a hat that matched the gold ones perfectly… but I never wore it to the office.)

Drexel Heritage shows a little shimmer in its showroom.

I also noticed more shiny objects in the Drexel Heritage (Clairemont client) showroom at High Point Market last month. I especially liked this vignette (see photo) with an upholstered cocktail table that has just the right amount of shimmer in the fabric, topped off with over-sized diamond-like accessories. Just the right amount of bling.

What do you think about bling in the boardroom? How much is too much? How about the bedroom (or other rooms in your home for that matter)? Is a sequined pillow or sequined wallpaper more your style?

 

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More Monday: Kutcher Calls It Quits

November 21, 2011January 31, 2023 Josephine ButlerBlog, Social Media + Influencer EngagementAshton Kutcher, Joe Paterno, Katalyst, Peter Shankman, Twitter1 Comment on More Monday: Kutcher Calls It Quits

If you’re a fan of celebrity gossip (or even if you’re not), you’ve probably heard the news: Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore are getting divorced. To say it has overshadowed other controversies surrounding the young new star of Two and a Half Men would be an understatement. We’re here to fill you in on what you missed.

Last week, Kutcher, unaware of the emerging case of child sex-abuse against Penn State football coach Joe Paterno, tweeted the following:

Obviously, the only thing in poor taste was the tweet, but Kutcher later realized his mistake and quickly attempted to make amends with his many (and some very angry) fans — 8,403,607 to be exact. It was during this process that I think he really went wrong (the tweet I can easily forgive – everyone makes mistakes!).

In a short tweet on Nov. 10, Ashton wrote “Twitter Management” and shared a hyperlink to his blog. There he wrote, “Up until today, I have posted virtually every one of my tweets on my own, but clearly the platform has become too big to be managed by a single individual….I’m going to turn the management of the feed over to my team at Katalyst as a secondary editorial measure, to ensure the quality of its content.”

I think social media expert Peter Shankman put it best, “NO, NO, NO, NO, NO.”

“The second you hand over your Twitter account to your people,” Shankman wrote, “your account stops being real, your voice starts being ‘crafted’ and you start being out of touch.”

I couldn’t agree more.

Right now, more than ever before, Ashton needs to be able to speak for himself. Eight million fans didn’t sign up to follow some production company (albeit Ashton’s production company). They want to hear from Ashton.

So what can we take away from this? One: own your mistakes. Two: move on. Three: don’t give up.

What are your thoughts on the matter? What do you think Kutcher could do to wrong this right (and no, we’re not talking about the tweet itself, we’re talking about his decision to hand over his Twitter account). We’d love to hear more from you!

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Have you heard about Meta’s newest social media Have you heard about Meta’s newest social media platform? It’s called Threads, and it’s being referred to as “the new Twitter.” Read everything you need to know about Threads in our latest blog post - link in bio!
SNEAK PEEK! @dellthepig landed at @wendellfallsnc SNEAK PEEK! @dellthepig landed at @wendellfallsnc (client) today, and rumor has it that @blah2voila has already been hamming it up with Dell! We know you want a selfie with Dell to post on Pigstagram, too!
We are proud to represent Raleigh as a member of P We are proud to represent Raleigh as a member of Public Relations Consultants Group, allowing us to offer clients expertise and support across the country! Clairemont founder, Dana Phelps aka @blah2voila, recently attended the PRCG conference in Oklahoma City.
2022 has been a fantastic year for Clairemont Comm 2022 has been a fantastic year for Clairemont Communications! Visit our blog for the full 2022 year in review!
As communications professionals, we wear a variety As communications professionals, we wear a variety of hats to meet our clients’ needs.
 
We’re writers, social media managers, photographers, marketers, editors, content creators- the list goes on and on.
 
Check out our recent blog post to learn what @olivia.noles , account coordinator here at Clairemont, does on a weekly and monthly basis.
#communicationsagency #communicationsmajor #pragencylife #pragency #raleighpr
This Friday, Clairemont’s Dana Phelps, @blah2voi This Friday, Clairemont’s Dana Phelps, @blah2voila , will be speaking at the 2022 @nc_prsa Strategic Communication & MarCom Conference! Phelps is a repeat presenter at this annual conference, and this year she is leading a session called Growing from Communication Technician to Strategic Counselor during which she will share three of her coined concepts: knowcasting, morecasting and collabolighthing. Visit our blog for the link to register for the conference!
@clairemontcommunications and @yellowdogcreative g @clairemontcommunications and @yellowdogcreative go together like the bacon and eggs! And speaking of bacon and eggs, have you been to @therainbowluncheonette yet? YUM!
Later this year, Clairemont client @wendellfallsnc Later this year, Clairemont client @wendellfallsnc, a master-planned community just 15 miles from downtown Raleigh, will welcome @parksideraleigh, a Raleigh-favorite restaurant known for its fresh, made-from-scratch dishes, to the community!
 
Visit our blog to see the @trianglebizjrnl coverage and read the full feature in the TBJ to learn more about Parkside.
“What exactly does a PR Agency do?” Because we “What exactly does a PR Agency do?” Because we get this question often, we have a series on our blog where we dive into our recent projects to give you a look at what a PR Agency really does.
 
For example, a statewide resource for small businesses recently hired Clairemont to devise an executive visibility campaign to help position the organization and its director as the leading small business resource in North Carolina.
 
Head to our blog to read what exactly an executive visibility campaign entails and to learn more about our services!
So you say it’s National Coffee Day? We say let So you say it’s National Coffee Day? We say let us tell you about our new favorite @drink321coffee ! If you are in Raleigh, go see Paul, the other Paul, Emma  or whichever smiling faces are working today. We LOVE this place and the coffee! ❤️❤️❤️
Our client @wendellfallsnc, one of the largest mas Our client @wendellfallsnc, one of the largest master-planned communities in the Triangle, closed on its first age-eligible rental community plan, Arden at Wendell Falls, that will offer 140 open-concept units and exclusive onsite amenities!
 
Visit our blog to see the @trianglebizjrnl coverage and read the full feature in the TBJ to learn more about Arden at Wendell Falls.
Staying in Raleigh this Labor Day weekend? Stop by Staying in Raleigh this Labor Day weekend? Stop by client @vitaviteraleigh for good snacks and great wine!🍷 Both locations are open normal hours Friday-Sunday and closed on Monday.
You never know who might be hanging out at The Cla You never know who might be hanging out at The Clairemont House. Thanks to @yellowdogcreative for helping save this buddy. Notice that we speak lizard. Or skink. Or gecko or whatever he is. Or maybe it’s the extra caffeine before our client presentation.
Yep, our town is pretty cool. #raleigh Yep, our town is pretty cool. #raleigh
Who wants to have a Friday afternoon porch meeting Who wants to have a Friday afternoon porch meeting?
Congrats to our new neighbor on Bloodworth Street Congrats to our new neighbor on Bloodworth Street South @raleighwineshop ! @blah2voila was there today representing Clairemont at the grand opening festivities and enjoying the @grandchamphospitality sandwich pop up. Yum! 🍷🥪
It’s National Volunteer Month, and volunteers ar It’s National Volunteer Month, and volunteers are needed more than ever! Many organizations with scarce resources rely on volunteers and would not exist without them. Visit our recent blog post to read about the organizations Clairemont has supported and how you can make a difference in your community!
Authenticity is trending, and research shows that Authenticity is trending, and research shows that consumers are 2.4 times more likely to view user-generated content as authentic. Read our recent blog post to learn about UGC, how it can benefit your brand and how to use it in your marketing strategy.
From social values to behavior patterns, COVID-19 From social values to behavior patterns, COVID-19 has left an impact on every sector of life, including marketing. Read our blog on marketing in a post-COVID world to learn how things have changed and how that should impact your business strategy.
We are so excited to share that Clairemont earned We are so excited to share that Clairemont earned eight awards, five gold🥇and three silver🥈, at this year's Sir Walter Raleigh Awards hosted by the Raleigh Public Relations Society!🎉 We are beyond grateful to work with so many amazing partners, clients and industry friends!
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