Archive for August, 2009

With the crashing state of the economy everyone has been forced to tighten their budgets when it comes to purchasing gifts for others and even themselves. This downward state has left everyone with little extra spending money. Despite this it is still important to look good and feel confident about what you are wearing. With the outrageously high price of diamonds, silver jewelry has truly become every girl’s new best friend. Silver jewelry achieves the same elegant and classic look as diamonds but for a fraction of the price. Handcrafted jewelry also accomplishes the same exclusivity and rarity as diamonds and is sure to catch everyone’s eye. An amazing site that I found for this is Tikanchay Peruvian Jewelry. Not only is each piece of jewelry that they offer handcrafted but it also all originates in Peru making it more unique and giving each piece a history. I can guarantee that the quality you find here will only exceed your expectations! The sterling silver used is even of a higher quality than you would find from that infamous little blue box. They offer such a variety of styles that you are sure to find something for anyone. One of my favorite pieces has got to be the silver ribbon bracelet. The texture and silver of the bracelet create a shine that is unlike any thing else and sure to dazzle. The sterling silver is the perfect compliment to any outfit and creates a rare and sleek look that often times cannot even be achieved by diamonds. 

For those who truly do have everything and more it is important to remember that there is never such a thing as too much food. Today there is an ever growing market for businesses that provide monthly food packages. These monthly groups now offer far more than simple fruit baskets. An easy way to personalize this gift is to find out what the persons favorite dish is. I have always had a sweet tooth with ice cream as my favorite addiction. Given this I could not contain my excitement when I discovered the ice cream of the month club. With this package, gourmet ice cream is delivered to you each month and I know from experience that you will not be disappointed. Just the thought of it is making my taste buds water! Twelve moths of ice cream however does come at a price so if this is a little out of your budget, a gift card to your local favorite ice cream shop is the next best thing. Even if you are not such an ice cream fan there are plenty of different packages that offer other baked goods that are sure to satisfy anyone’s sweet tooth. For those who love to bake but just lack the time, it is easy to take a jar and fill it with all of the ingredients and directions to make some of your infamous cookies that they have been begging you for the recipes for for years.

Continuing the theme of presents for men would not be complete without mentioning golf. Growing up in a family dominated by men I know from experience that a week is often not complete without a day of golfing. One of the best parts about this is that it opens up an endless list of golf related gifts that are sure to impress. Maybe the one article of clothing that actually excites men would have to be golf shirts. With an endless selection of colors and brands its almost impossible to go wrong with one. If this has been your go to gift for years there are tons of easy ways to spice it up. While I am not such a fan of them myself, all of my male friends are in love with reef’s new golf flip-flops. The bottom is lined with reef’s own version of grass complete with a rubber golf ball acting as a heel cushion. It even includes a small pencil and tee that slides into the straps, which I must admit is pretty awesome. Another great idea that I’m sure would bring to life most guys fantasies is a golf putting return mat that would fit right in their home or office. After all what man hasn’t longed to be able to play golf during his lunch break? 

It’s true what they say; the fastest way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. When you have exhausted all sports presents, you can never go wrong with grilling accessories. After all what guy doesn’t love grilling? It is easy to find a basic grill and barbeque tool set at any local store and will work perfectly when placed in a basket with various seasonings and a cookbook or even an apron. Another way to personalize the gift even more and combine the things guys love the most is to add a sports team grill cover. My favorite ones have got to be the NFL teams where the cover resembles an actual jersey. For the master grillers who already have everything personalized branding irons are perfect. The irons can be ordered in the guys favorite sports team or even their initials that can add a little extra flair to the meat. Even for the grillers who truly do have everything there is never such a thing as too much food. Right before the party or you give the gift just stop by and pick up some of his favorite meat and make sure to save up room for dinner- yum!

For me at least, guys have always been difficult to shop for, especially those who have everything. After years of disappointing or never used gifts I have finally found the solution. As long as you know the guy’s favorite team or sport you can never go wrong with tickets. If you’re unsure about what game would be right a concert is another perfect gift. Just arrange for fake plans for the night to make sure that he’s available. In the past I have also wrapped up a CD of the band or musician with a promise for tickets for whichever show works best with his schedule. This isn’t to say that tickets don’t make great gifts for girls as well. Tickets show the time and thought that was put into the gift and are guaranteed to create memories that will last a lifetime. 

When it comes to giving presents you can never go wrong with jewelry. While giving jewelry is often an easy quick gift to give, it often lacks uniqueness and thought. After reading about Tikanchay silver jewelry, I decided to experience it for myself and was not disappointed. It’s often hard to buy jewelry offline, especially when you are not familiar with the company. The handcrafted jewelry that they offer is breath taking in person and only exceeded my expectations. While the photos of the jewelry on the website all look amazing the true natural beauty of each piece cannot be captured in a picture and must be experienced first hand. I fell in love with the butterfly jewelry collection and now so have my friends. The elegance of sterling silver is complemented with the delicate feel of the blue butterfly wing, giving it a unique look that will appeal to almost anyone. The light flirty feel of the wing is perfect for those late summer birthdays. I gave my sister a pair of the butterfly earrings and she now wears them everywhere. Even if the butterfly wing jewelry isn’t for you the wide variety of pieces and styles of Tikanchay will keep you coming back for more. 

This past year I have found myself constantly buying housewarming gifts as my friends move into new homes, ready to start a family of their own. Buying a new housewarming gift each week, I have now become a self-proclaimed expert. Perhaps one of the best gifts that I gave was a wine cork bulletin board.  Moving to a new home, you are always in desperate need of organization. The wine corks add a new twist on the classic bulletin boards making it both useful and aesthetically pleasing.  Each wine cork represents a different type of wine and adds a unique flair to this otherwise somewhat mundane gift. To personalize the gift even more you can always tack on a handwritten note or picture to make the present even more meaningful. I also paired it with a bottle of her favorite wine that I knew would not disappoint, or last very long in her house for that matter. 

I could not contain my excitement when I got the invitation for my friends baby shower.  This did not last long however when I realized that this meant I would once again be out shopping or the perfect present. Knowing that my friend would be opening 50 new outfits for her expecting baby I wanted to get her something different but that I knew she would still need. I purchased a large fabric lined basket that could later be used to hold the baby’s toys or diapers. I then filled the basket with a scrapbook for the baby. Knowing once the baby was born she would have little time to be creative, each page is always planned out with slots for pictures and first words or actions. I also included three large carved wooden blocks with the baby’s soon to be initials. On the other sides of the blocks I included short phrases. While I tried to stay away from clothes I could not resist the Trumpette baby socks by the dozen. It includes a mixture of different colored and patterned socks wrapped up in a egg shaped carton. I also added a copy of my favorite book growing up, “The Very Hungry Caterpillar,” and a gift card for a manicure and pedicure with me to be used after the baby is born when I know she’ll be desperate for a day of relaxing. 

With the crashing state of the economy budgeting out gifts is now more important than ever. When buying for someone close to you pictures are an easy and thoughtful solution to this. Selecting the perfect picture frame for someone’s style is only half the battle. Choosing the perfect picture is what really counts.  Pick something that you did together and then match the frame to the picture. If the gift is for someone younger or even someone who just graduated a scrape book is another great alternative that won’t break your bank but will show tremendous time and effort. For my 18^th birthday my mother made me a scrape book that included pages from my friends and sections from her journal as I was growing up and to this day it means the world to me and I hope to one day do the same for my daughter. 

As the weather heats up and it finally starts to feel like summer everyone, including myself, is doing everything they can to soak up the sun. So when its time to give a present, why not take advantage of all this outdoor activity. A chiminea is the perfect gift for one person or an entire family. These outdoor fireplaces come in a variety of different styles, shapes and even colors that make it easy to personalize the gift towards the receiver. It’s perfect for toasting marshmallows to make s’mores or to simply gather outside around the fire with friends and family. My family bought one a few months ago and could not be happier. Giving the chiminea you can be confident that your friends and family will love it and then just sit back and relax and wait for the invitations for late night gatherings to start pouring in.