Author Archives: admin

  1. The Lily&Strum Story

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    sfimissyou2 Every company has a story behind it. Here’s ours.

    I’ll be the first to admit, I am one lucky lady. Women were envious and men were resentful of all the thoughtful things my husband Joe (fiancé at the time) did to make our long distance relationship work. Okay men don’t throw up. Ladies, you’ll love this.

    (All of these postcards arrived from San Francisco over a few days and I had to piece the message together.)

     

    sfimissyou1

    So you can see. He’s good. But I’ve got hundreds of stories. It got to the point where if one of our friends’ or colleagues’ significant others would do something nice for them, it was branded “a Joe thing.” (Cue opportunity light bulb.)

    While we couldn’t clone Joe, we went to work brainstorming ways we could help men be more thoughtful. The deeper we went, the more we realized that it wasn’t just men who needed us. The fact is that most people mean well and have good intentions, but when it comes down to it, they’re just too busy to take action, they forget, or they just lack inspiration.

    ilovetraci

    (Good use of household bathroom products and what a nice surprise to wake up to!)

    We envisioned a gifting platform that could track all the people and occasions in life that needed to be celebrated; one that could offer timely reminders and tailored recommendations, so you’d never miss a moment and always get it right.

    And that’s how Lily&Strum was born.

    With development well underway and a passionate team behind us, we are on a mission to help everyone become the great gifter they always wanted to be. No more occasions sneaking up on you. No more endless searching. No more mediocre gifts.

    Request and invite for a beta. Go ahead, they’ll love you for it.

    Sincerely,

    Traci (& Joe)

     

  2. Meet Your Curator: Lauren

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    Shopping. It’s for not everyone. For some, (maybe you?) it can be tedious, even torturous, especially when it involves selecting a gift for someone else. Even if you love it, who has the time to sift through the nearly infinite possibilities the Internet now offers us?

    Wouldn’t it be nice if someone were out there shopping day in and day out on your behalf? Staying on top of seasonal trends, reading product reviews and style blogs, discovering those little regional boutiques with really unique inventory, sifting through Amazon for its hidden gems. Wouldn’t it be nice if someone pooled together only the best of the best for you to choose from? Wouldn’t it be nice if they organized these items by the style and interests of your loved ones as well as your relationship with the giftee and your intention for the occasion?

    Well guess what? Now someone is.

    As the Director of Curation here at Lily&Strum, I have one of those jobs I never could have imagined for myself, a surprisingly perfect marriage of passions I didn’t even know were marketable job skills.  I really can’t complain.

    Shopping

    I’ve been an avid thrifter since I was a teenager. Heading to a thrift shop is like setting out on a hunting expedition. As it is with big game, the majority of time is spent searching, not finding. But trust me, the thrill of a good find is priceless.  If you’ve ever found black and white slouch snakeskin cowboy boots for $8, you know what I mean.  Now that I’m older, my hunt is more likely to take place within social shopping sites like Keep or Fancy.  The same discipline is required, but the gems no longer smell like mildew.

    Gifting

    I start thinking about next Christmas on New Year’s Day. I have a running list of gift ideas in my phone because giftspiration can strike anywhere. I think the most thoughtful gifts are the ones you didn’t even know you wanted. I try to outdo myself each year and I live for the surprise and delight on my mom or sister’s face when they open a gift I’m especially proud of.

    Moment Making

    I spent the first half of my career working in the performing arts and a good part of the second working in catering and events.  It’s all about the details when it comes to moment making.  Presentation, presentation, presentation.

    I’m also an avid camper and hiker. I love to run, bike and swim in the ocean. I garden. I love craft beer, kale and the feel of worn in leather. My personal style is totally eclectic. I find beauty and inspiration everywhere. To get a taste of my taste, follow Lily&Strum on Pinterest.

    Request a Lily&Strum beta invite. I look forward to shopping for you!

  3. Curator’s Corner: Coasters

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    One word. Coasters. You’d never buy them for yourself, but they’re totally useful and they can be a real conversation piece. Whether it’s a thank you or housewarming gift, a birthday or professional holiday, a unique set of coasters can be the perfect little gift that shows off your personal style or reflects theirs.

    I’ve discovered a host of truly beautiful ones that have made it into our inventory, but this set I found at Koromiko continues to be one my favorites.  They’re totally tested too. I sent them to my mom for her birthday a few weeks ago and they were a huge hit.  She’s already received a ton of compliments on their design and texture.

    Here’s what San Francisco designer Molly McGrath has to say. “My work is inspired by pattern and form—a skyline, a bird in flight, a composition of branches, a snowflake, textile design and optical illusions.”   See, they’re really just tiny works of art disguised as a set of coasters.

    For gift recommendations tailored especially for you and yours, request a Lily&Strum beta invite. Happy gifting!

  4. All T-h-i-n-g-s Gifting

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    Welcome to our blog! We’ve been bursting at the seams with gift ideas, advice, philosophy, trends…and now, drum roll please…we have a place to share it all with you! Here’s a taste of what you’ll get from us weekly.

    Gift Guides

    We study what’s trending, read reviews, and stalk follow well-known style bloggers. We mine big retailer sites like Amazon and Nordstrom for hidden gems and seek out regional boutiques like TheShop in East Liberty(Pittsburgh, PA) or Firefly in Venice Beach, CA that offer unique inventory you can’t find anywhere else. We figure out who would love which gifts the most, and report our findings back to you. We do the work, and you get all the credit.

    The Science of Gifting

    Let’s be honest. Giving a good gift is hard. Giving a really awesome gift every time is nearly impossible. But we can help! We’ve got tons of experience and lots of advice to share. You may not always like what we say (it may hit a little too close to home), but our goal is to steer you a little closer to the impossible every time.

    Curators’ Corner

    This is just that. We feature our picks of the best gifts and the best boutiques each week. Call it “the Curator’s Corner,” but really it will be your weekly dose of “awesomeness” (and we don’t care if you claim them as your own!). 

    And so much more.

    For gift recommendations tailored especially for you and yours, request a Lily&Strum beta invite.