Gift #16 - Something to Hold

Give a custom designed purse to a woman in your life who loves rich, luscious-feeling fabrics, great designs and unique gifts.  A new business, B's Purses, allows you to design your own purse, diaper bag, daughters purse, tote bags, etc.,  online.  The best way to see and feel the fabrics is to host a party and invite your friends. But take it from a person who adores texture, great quality and design made easy, (me) the purses are worth every penny. Gift cards are available as well.

Pictured left is the design module the website uses to design your purse. B's purses make it so easy and functional, the only difficulty will be making up your mind.

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Gift #15 - Coffee

The experience of sharing coffee, hot tea, or a warm cup of cocoa with a friend or loved one on a cold day is one of the perks we Americans have.  Mostly becuase there is a Starbucks on every corner.  Starbucks sells the tumbler you can personalize with pictures or free art-available here.  Put a gift card in the center of a cup and serve with a bag of coffee beans and you have a great gift for someone who loves coffee.

But if you really want to splurge on the person and have them remember you every morning they sip from their cup, check out the new Krups/Nescafe (pictured left) coffee maker at Sur la Table.  You can make single servings with a different flavor for the whole family.  They are so delicious and easy to use, especially the hot cocoa for the kids.  

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Gift #14 - Exercise

Everybody needs this gift, but it is up to the person to use it.  If you have a person in your life who is an avid runner, tennis player or yoga doer, a cute new outfit is always welcome. Otherwise, you can give the latest trend in exercise for the year which is a foam roller, a Tracy Anderson workout video, or a jumprope.  

Foam rollers are a great way to stretch your leg muscles before a run or after a workout.  It is a pilates tool that is strenuous and "painful" to use at first, but over time, the foam roller will become a necessary part of your daily routine (even if you don't work out.) See the workout at YouTube.com - the IT band stretch is the best!

TracyAnderson is the trainer whom Gwenyth and Madonna hired to get their bodies in top shape.  Her method is both fun and intense. This is a great gift for the person who has the motivation to work out from home. She also has a post pregnancy video that is supposed to be phenomenal for getting abs rock hard.

Lastly, iTunes/Nike has some great workout imix's that are inspiring. Simply download it to your ipod or burn it on a CD. So far, my favorite is Serena Williams Spontaneous Speed. It is a 27 minute run that I have worked up to finish in 3 miles. 

(this is partly due to the foam roller as well.)

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Gift #13 - Personalized Stationary

The internet and email has changed the way we communicate, however most people still utilize the USPS and the old-fashioned hand written notecards to communicate.  For those in your life who don't "trust" bill pay, or who have the grace and time to write a personalized note, make them return address labels and a set of cute note cards.   Check out the many designs of note cards at Barnes N Noble by Crane & Co.  Monogramming the notecards makes this gift even more personal. 

Speaking of communicating, our kids now "NEED" their own cell phone and calling cards are a great gift to give to this latest group of gabbers.  You can design your own by buying AVERY label calling cards or utilize a stationary website.

The card to the left was designed at Designhergals.com for a 12 year old girl who just received her new cell phone and email address. Order now to take advantage of the sale (25% off everything) they are offering for the holidays.

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Gift #12 - A Mothers Bracelet

Every woman loves receiving jewelry and she especially loves her kids. What better gift to give than a personalized bracelet with her child's name or initials placed in the bracelet.  Local jewelry artists in your area can put together a design for you, or you can try making one yourself if you are crafty. 

However, at SavannahsTreasures.com, you can simply choose from the many designs and place your order. 

Pictured above is a grandmothers bracelet with the initials of 5 kids and their birthstones placed throughout.  This is a gift any mom will treasure.

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Thanksgiving Craft

I just adore this idea and wanted to share it with you. As your guests arrive, they write down what they are thankful for on a feather. This becomes a centerpiece for your table. Hopefully it is not to late to put together for your family to enjoy. Until then, you can find the directions for this at parents.com.

What you'll need

9 in and 4 in Polystyrene Ball

Dark Brown Yarn

Light Brown Yarn

Felt squares in colors - Orange and Red

Real Feathers

Google Eyes

Wood Skewers

Good Glue

Construction Paper

How to make it: Cut a 1-inch sliver off the bottom of a 9-inch polystyrene ball. Wrap sphere neatly in thick dark-brown yarn, covering surface completely; knot on side. Make a 4-inch ball from light-brown yarn and attach to body with a wooden craft stick. Create simple facial features using felt: white circles (approximately the size of a quarter, with 1/8-inch pom-poms for pupils) for eyes, yellow triangles for the beak, and long red felt teardrops as the wattle. Cut feather shapes from colored craft paper and bend in half lengthwise to create seam. Glue wooden craft stick to the bottom third of the feather and insert in a fan shape on turkey body.

Post pictures of your thankful turkey on our fan page.

Or Download this picture and tag your friends on each feather telling them what you are thankful for about them.

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Gift #11 - Cocktails Anyone?

A great gift to give for the holidays is the fail safe bottle of wine or bottle of booze.  However, why not make it personal with a custom designed Lolita glass and recipe card to go along with it.  These martini glasses come in a beautifully designed box and on the bottom of every glass is a recipe for a martini.  There are over a hundred designs to choose from for every occasion or personal interest.  Put a recipe card in the glass, get a bottle of their favorite gin, some great olives, make sure they are over 21, then shake, stir, pour, drink.   

Enjoy!

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Gift #10 - The Movies

Put together a movie basket complete with tickets, popcorn, candy and drinks.  Or purchase a Netflix account for a family member.  The cost is as little as $4.99 a month and the person just needs internet service.  I set up the account for my parents and put their favorite movies in their "queue."  Netflix has no late fees and you can't beat the convenience of the return and delivery. Netflix also introduced digital downloads straight to your television.  You do not pay per download, just your monthly fee. We have been members for over 3 years and there is no better way to catch up on the television series you hear about, or get the latest releases for you and your kids. This is a great gift for teenagers, grandparents, or an entire household who loves movies.

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Gift #9 - Hats

Buy a HAT for someone.  Hats are an item that people don't necessarily go out and buy until they need it.  But there are so many hats that accessorize outfits, shade us from the sun, or show off our favorite team, one can never have to many.  

For kids under 5, these reversible hats work great for days to the beach, the baseball game or the park.  The traditional baseball cap is always a great option, especially if you know the team the person roots for.  For the winter, kids need a snow hat to cover their ears.  All of these hats are available at hats.com.

For women, hats are getting fun and so cute.  I just got back from New York in which I bought a few very stylish ones from the street vendors.  Buy one for a friend.  It is an inexpensive personal gift she will be sure to love.  

Lastly, for the man who has too many hats to ever wear in one lifetime, a hat organizer or hat washer makes a great gift.  And every year there is a championship in some sport - its a perfect way to get something you know he will love showing off and talking about with the boys! (not the hat, the championship)

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Gift #8- The gift of Survival

What about giving a gift you hope the person NEVER actually has to use?  An emergency kit filled with supplies for that "major disaster" moment we all fear.  Many families have one, but many of these items become ineffective or spoiled with time.  In addition, every car should have an emergency kit and your home should have at least one kit per family "member." 

The Red Cross has many resources for you to review on the necessities that would benefit us in the case of major disaster.  Put together a basket filled with these items.  People who could use it:

a college kid moving out, a teenager getting a new car, a teacher, a grandparent, every family member, a new mom, a new dad, EVERYONE.  Bring one to a holiday party you are invited to as the elephant gift - it is way better than the poker chip set I happen to get stuck with every year. In the meantime, Be safe!

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