Category "Get Well"

Buy Their Single Favorite Flavor of Candy

Princess Diana - October 27, 2015 - $20 or Less, Birthday, Business, Christmas, Congratulations, Family, Food & Drinks, Get Well, Gifts for Him, Kids, Party Favors, Teacher Gifts, Valentine's Day

What’s your favorite color of Starburst candy? Pink? Red? Yellow? Orange?

Pink for me! We all have our favorites.

The color or flavor we don’t like… yellow Starbursts for me… those usually stay uneaten in the bag or we give them away. Thankfully, my husband likes yellow Starbursts.

While my husband likes all of the flavors of Starburst candy, he doesn’t treat the different flavors of Airheads so equally.

The other day he mentioned how he wished the entire bag of Airheads candy he bought only contained the watermelon flavor. That’s his favorite!

My thoughtful gift idea light bulb immediately turned on in my head!

I searched the Internet, and there it was…. (cue heavenly angel sound effect)… a one pound bag of Airheads watermelon candy bars.

I’ve never seen single flavors of Airheads sold in any stores I’ve been inside. It’s always the assorted or variety pack. You gotta love the Internet and bulk candy options!

Did you know you can also buy single flavors of Starburst candy? Yep. I can buy a whole pound of pink strawberry Starbursts. Oh yeah, don’t mind if I do.

A Minion Laughs | Get Well Gift

Princess Diana - September 7, 2015 - Get Well

I hate that six-letter word. Cancer.

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Laughter is the best medicine.

It never comes alone. It always brings its ugly friends – Fear, Anxiety, and Pain.

We can’t help but ask God, “Why??”

When someone we care about finds out they have cancer or some other major health issue, we may struggle to find the right words to say or the right thing to do that might provide comfort and hope to their situation.

I’ve found that one of the best things you can do for someone who is sick or ill is to make them laugh. Laughter is the best medicine, and it’s completely natural with no nasty side effects!

When Queen Darlene finished her radiation treatments for breast cancer, I gave her a gift to celebrate. What thoughtful gift did I get her? I gave her a kids toy. But not just any toy – a Despicable Me Minion Stuart Laughing Action Figure.

Frame the Perfect Quote for the Occasion

Princess Diana - August 25, 2015 - $20 or Less, Anniversary, Baby Shower, Birthday, Business, Congratulations, Father's Day, Get Well, Going Away, Graduation, Host, Housewarming, Kids, Mother's Day, Retirement, Teacher Gifts, Thank You, Valentine's Day, Wedding

When someone else’s words say it all or say it better than you ever could, you’ve found the perfect quote to use for this gift idea.

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This powerful quote says so much about my mentor and her accomplishment.

When my mentor, Valerie, achieved a major milestone in her business by officially franchising it, I wanted to give her a thoughtful gift to say, “Congratulations!”

I was so impressed by her vision and her tenacity to see her vision through until it became reality. And she did it despite the naysayers. She inspires me with her actions.

I didn’t know quite what to give her as a gift until I came across this quote, “She believed she could, so she did.”

It summarized her accomplishment so well – the perfect quote!

Send an Easy Peasy Video Get Well Message

Queen Darlene - July 23, 2015 - $20 or Less, Get Well

You’ve heard that a friend or family member is ill. You’re going to stop and pick up a get well card on the way home from work. Oops, life gets in the way and you’ve forgotten – again!

A video get well message is so much better than a get well card!

Don’t sweat it. I have a thoughtful and entertaining solution that works even better than a get well card. I know because it happened to me.

I was home recuperating from surgery when I received a message on my cell phone. It wasn’t a text, and it wasn’t voice mail. It was a video get well message from several of my cousins! TOTALLY AWESOME!!!

I played the 10 second video over and over again because it made me laugh and grin from ear to ear. My cousins’ “thoughtful twist” of sending a video get well message instead of a get well card was both impressive and unexpected!

An easy peasy way to send a get well message is to pick up your smart phone, make a quick video and send. You’re done. No trying to remember to stop at the store to get a card.

What Gift Should You Get for Someone With Cancer?

Queen Darlene - July 16, 2015 - Get Well

I was diagnosed with breast cancer February 27, 2015. No, I did not smoke. No, breast cancer does not run in my family. As a matter-of-fact there has never been any cancer in my family, period!

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Love the inspirational quotes & beautiful calendar to keep track of dr. appts.

I slowly began to tell family, friends and co-workers as I learned about my cancer, surgery and treatment. After the initial shock, everyone moved in orchestrated concert to give me their support. It was amazing!

I didn’t know what I needed but each phone call, text, video get well message, get well card, candy, hug, calendar, quote on canvas, journal and flowers were gifts that made me smile.

My co-workers immediately took over my duties and assured me they would handle it. They said, “Get well and don’t worry.”

My high school best friend took off from work and drove 2.5 hours to spend the day and take me to lunch. It had been years since we spent that much time together. It was like going back in time when we would talk non-stop about everything!

Regifting | How I Gave a Repurposed Gift in a Meaningful Way

Queen Darlene - July 2, 2015 - $20 or Less, Birthday, Christmas, Family, Get Well

Have you ever repurposed a gift? Yep, I have! Ever told the recipient that it was a repurposed gift? I recently did!

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click to enlarge

It was a book titled “Cationary Meaningful Portraits of Cats” by Sharon Montrose and purrrfect for my friend.

My husband and I have started talking about downsizing. Retirement is on the horizon, and we want to have more with less! More time to travel, less time working in the yard. More time for hobbies, less time cleaning the house.

More time for everything we want to do and less time doing the things we don’t want to do. You see a pattern? Continue Reading

Shopping for a Friend in Crisis

Queen Darlene - June 18, 2015 - Catch All, Get Well

What do you do when a friend or relative is experiencing a life changing event? How do you help when you are hundreds of miles away?

Phone calls are helpful to let them know you are thinking of them, praying for them, or to ask the question “What can I do for you?” The answer is usually “Thank you, but there’s nothing you can do.”

Many of us can’t accept that answer. But what can we do?

My friend’s husband has been in the hospital for several months since having surgery that left him paralyzed. His focus is to walk again.

Sharon visits Dale at the hospital every day after work, and things have taken a toll on her physically. She lost weight to the point that her clothes don’t fit anymore, but she has zero time to shop. All of her free time is spent helping Dale get better.

That’s when it occurred to me how I could help Sharon. I could shop for her!

Relax & De-stress With Coloring Books for Adults

Queen Darlene - June 3, 2015 - $20 or Less, Birthday, Get Well, Gifts for Me, Teacher Gifts

This is one of those ideas you say to yourself, “Why didn’t I think of this?” Coloring Books for Adults! The idea is to help adults de-stress and slow down our crazy-busy-every-minute-of the-day-life.

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Adult Coloring Books

I first heard of the Coloring Books for Adults on NPR. The guest explained how life has become more stressful in this fast-paced world because we are always connected by smart phones and computers. Her advice – disconnect from your electronic devices and color.

Disconnect? How many times have I wanted and needed to do that?

Have you ever seen a child that is coloring stressed out? Nope, me neither!

Coloring books for adults are perfect for friends, family members or co-workers who are extremely busy and who could use a little help to unwind and relax. Coloring will bring back their carefree days of childhood with no grown-up worries. Heck, you should try it for yourself!

Weekly Deliveries of a Rose With a Blessing

Queen Darlene - April 30, 2015 - Anniversary, Birthday, Get Well, Mother's Day, Teacher Gifts, Valentine's Day

Want a new thoughtful twist in sending flowers? On Mother’s Day, birthdays, anniversaries or really any occasion, send a rose on the day of celebration along with a blessing.

Then send a single rose with another blessing to replenish the vase every week for a month. WOW! You’re sending happiness and inspiration for four weeks in a row!

I learned of a local business in Oklahoma City, A Rose For The Lady, that delivers roses with blessings by the Fairy Rose Princess. When making deliveries, she drives a Red Lady Bug named “Rosie” with a huge red rose on top of the roof. It’s definitely an eye catcher and certainly will bring smile to the recipient. Continue Reading

April Showers Bring May Flowers | Rain Boots

Queen Darlene - April 2, 2015 - Birthday, Get Well, Kids, Mother's Day

If you need a gift for a female friend or loved one whose birthday is in the spring, keep in mind the classic rhyme “April showers bring May flowers.”

As a matter of fact, it’s two gifts in one!

Give her rain boots for those spring rains and, for that “thoughtful twist,” the rain boots double as flower vases. Place her favorite flowers in a hidden vase inside each boot! Voilà!

Paired together, the rain boots and flowers make an eye-catching combination!

It’s also easy peasy to put together, and there are many choices of rain boots with various colors and designs in stores or on-line.

Your friend or loved one will be glad to have cute rain boots to wear during downpours, and the beautiful spring flowers will bring a smile to her face!

I remember as a kid wearing rubber rain boots and splashing through puddles after a big rain. It was just pure fun!