Designer Keith Johnson & owner Beth Taflinger
Got a lot of Christmas gifts to buy? Looking for something unique and reasonably-priced? Well, Casual Elegance, located in the fabulous Blakeney Shopping Center, could be your one-stop source for most of your Christmas gifts! Whether you need a hostess gift for that Christmas drop-in party down the street or a lovelyscarf for Aunt Sally,Casual Elegance stocks everything from stylish jewelry and accessories for the ladies to sports memorabilia for the men in your life. Plus they offer tons of Christmas decorations and Christmas -themed gift-ware. (I’ll tell you a funny story about that later…)
Beth and Bob Taflinger are the owners of Casual Elegance which has been open about 19 months. She started in this business working at Black Lion off Park Rd in Pineville, discovering a love for the gift and decorating business. In addition to her shop in Blakeney, she now has 5 booth spaces at the Black Lion in Pineville and 2 in the Huntersville Black Lion too! Casual Elegance also offers in-home design consultation services, custom floral 
arrangements and complimentary gift wrap, according to their store designer, Keith Johnson, ASID. And the store is designed beautifully with lots of decorating ideas to make your home inviting during the holiday season!
So, back to the funny story…Last year I attended a Christmas gathering of friends every year and we do that “Christmas Exchange” thing where you bring a gift with no name. Everyone pulls a number from a hat and then whomever pulls# 1 gets to choose the first gift, #2 can either grab#1’s gift or choose another gift from the pile. Then #3 can grab either of the opened gifts or choose from the pile…you get the picture. Well, let’s just say we are all very good friends and we are not the polite and sweet folks we would be with people we don’t know (oh my!). One of my friends had opened this way cool gift that was a Christmas plate that said “Merry Christmas, Y’all!”. 
Yours truly fell in love with that plate and practically tore it out of her friend’s hands. Said friend then looked at me with big eyes and said “after all I have done for you?” Didn’t matter…I wanted that darn plate! Well, after the thrill of victory wore off, I tried to give her the plate. She would not take it and I found out it was purchsed at Casual Elegance. I rushed over to Casual Elegance and they were totally sold out…Needless to say, as soon as I saw that Casual Elegance had their Christmas stuff out last week, I rushed in 
and purchased that “Merry Christmas, Y’all” plate. Yes siree!
So, you better head on over to Casual Elegance in Blakeney to do your shopping early – here today : gone tomorrow…and tell Beth you heard about them from the BallantyneBuzz!
