As regular readers of this blog know, some of my favorite things in the world are customizable and personalized products.

I read this week that Lillian Vernon was going into bankruptcy. I remember getting her catalogs as a kid and loving that so many items could be painted or stitched with a name or greeting. It seemed really innovative at the time. My sister had an unusual name (with an unusual spelling) and she never could find her name among the personalized pencils, necklaces, or mini license plates at the retail stores. I could never find mine either, because as an insanely popular name, "Jennifer" was always sold out. Perhaps this is why I love customized products so much!