Archive for the ‘Women’ Category

The best gifts are often times the ones that you get the most use out of and the ones that you are able to enjoy on a day-to-day basis. As much as I would like to think I have places to wear diamonds and fancy gowns, the reality is that chances are they will only make it out of my wardrobe once every few years. This isn’t to say that jewelry doesn’t make a great gift. It is important when you are picking out jewelry for someone that you match their style. A great site that I’ve found and just can’t seem to write enough about is Tikanchay’s handcrafted jewelry. They have something to match any look at any price range. For someone with a more laid back casual day to day style, the woven bracelets offered here are a great way to add a little flair to an outfit without overdoing it. For your other friends and family members they also have stunning handcrafted bracelets and earrings that can be worn at a business office or even for a night out with the girls. Especially when you’re in a working environment where you are limited to a uniform or strict dress code, jewelry is a great way to show off your personal style. The jewelry at Tikanchay is elegant and sleek but has character and originality that makes it one of a kind.

Whether you are relaxing by the pool, soaking up the summer sun, or keeping warm by the fire in the winter, a good book is the only thing you need. Especially with the growing age of technology books have become more important then ever and will never truly be replaced by any modern technology. Books help you escape from reality without being interrupted by bothersome commercials. They allow you either be swept away in another persons world or feed you new information that you would not have discovered otherwise. When it comes to reading everyone has their guilty pleasure whether it be the seductive romance tales of the past, the page turning suspense stories or the newest novel series. Books are great to give to both men and woman alike. You can give books by a person’s favorite author or I love to give books to my friends and family that I have already read and fallen in love with myself. Then, not only will you know they’ll love it but it becomes a great conversation piece for the next time you all go out. Even if the person you are buying for isn’t an avid reader there are few people who could resist the newest best selling series such as Harry Potter or Twilight. They will not only satisfy your curiosity as far as what all the fuss is about but they make for a fun easy read for adults too. Unique coffee table books make great gifts as well. Just pick up a photography book from their favorite vacation spot or a unique book such as Post Secret, which displays postcards sent in by people from around the world illustrating their deepest secrets. 

Regardless of whether or not they admit it each person has at least one television program that they are hooked on and that is a true guilty pleasure. A great gift to give to someone you are close to is their favorite series on DVD. My personal addiction is Greys Anatomy. While I became hooked on the show a few years ago I had never seen the first few seasons until my friend gave them to me for my birthday. I made my way through the first few DVD’s instantly and even to this day love to pull them out on a rainy day and watch them again. Even though some shows offer episodes online it is often times only the most recent ones that are available or you get stuck waiting for hours for it to download in low quality. This gift is great for both men and woman of all ages and is also perfect to give to an entire family. Don’t forget about some of the older shows too. People will love watching reruns of their favorite programs from when they were growing up or will be excited to share them with their kids. 

No matter how hard you try there are always going to be those few people who are impossible to shop for. Infamous for returning presents or those who never ask for anything for themselves- we all know at least one. Why they may seem somewhat overdone gift certificates are a great solution. If the person you are giving the present to really doesn’t have a need for any more materialistic things, a gift certificate to the movies or a day at the spa is a great way to force them to enjoy some time for themselves. If a spa day is a little out of your budget a card for a manicure and pedicure can always be used. For teenagers an iTunes gift card is perfect and is sure not to last long. If you’re shopping for children and just not sure what toys they already own a card to Build a Bear is a great way to get them involved in their present and allows them to create memories and a stuffed animal that they will love forever. Even if your friend or family member isn’t much of a shopper it is hard to find many who could resist a Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts certificate. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

Grace: Valentine’s Day is just around the corner!  I hope everyone is thinking long and hard about what gifts to get!  The problem I always have when looking for Valentine’s Day gifts is trying to find something unique and special.

If you’re looking for a classic yet unique gift this season, I would highly recomend some pearl earrings.  I love pearl earrings because they’re so classic and go with EVERYTHING (really, everything) but they can be a little boring sometimes and there’s really no need to own more than one pair if they’re just going to look the same.  Pearls always make a great valentine’s day gift, but what makes these earrings unique is that they were made by Peruvian artisans.  The triple drop and the handcrafted silver earring stud makes these earrings completely unlike any I have seen.  This site makes a whole bunch of sterling silver jewelry, so don’t feel confined to just pearl earrings!

Grace: Hello all!  Sorry for the lack of posts; I’m in Japan right now, studying abroad, and it’s a lot of fun!  Dan is also studying abroad but is without an internet connection, so I’ll be all by myself for a while.  It’s taken a while to get settled, but I’m finally comfortable and ready to start posting again!

Although the big holiday season is now over, there’s still Valentine’s Day to start thinking of!  I love chocolate, but receiving a big fluffy bear and roses and chocolate is a little overrated.  This time, why not try some handcrafted sterling silver jewelry?  The great thing about this site is that the jewelry is always unique.  I especially love their sterling silver bracelets.  I’ve never really been a fan of bracelets, but I love their silver cuffs.  Always elegant, they seem to go with everything.  One that really caught my eye was the Basket Weave Sterling Cuff.  This would be a great gift for a sophisticated woman.  Not to mention, it’s currently 25% off (until January 15th), so now would be a great time to get one!

Grace: I’ve probably mentioned my love of earrings about a million times already, but I’ve always found them to be a great default gift.  However, like most jewelry, I always find it very difficult to find unique earrings to give as gifts.  Handcrafted jewelry is always a great option, especially these handcrafted sterling silver earrings (not to mention, all the earrings are 15% off until December 25th).

One of my favorite pairs of earrings on this site are the Silver Elliptical Earrings.  They are so beautiful and expertly crafted that it’s difficult to believe that artisans from Peru made them by hand.  As with most of the jewelry from this site, these earrings are very versatile; I can picture myself wearing them during the day and wearing them for a special evening.  They also have a very fun and youthful quality to them due to their contemporary design.

Dan: What I enjoy most about these earrings is the design.  Like you said they seem to be very versatile in that they can be matched with many different outfit combinations and for different events.  They seem to be fun and modern at the same time.  I would buy these as a gift in a heart beat.