Posts Tagged: "gift"

Money Robe | A Silver Lining

Queen Darlene - September 9, 2015 - Birthday, Christmas, Father's Day, Gifts for Him, Money

In our family, we always give money of the age of the birthday gal or guy.

money-robe-dollar-bills-silver-lining-thoughtful-gift-idea

No one will ever guess that their new house robe comes lined with cash!

When my brother turned 59, I was stumped to come up with a creative way to surprise him with his birthday money of $59.

I recently visited him and noticed his house robe needed to be replaced. So I purchased a green (and blue) robe to go with the money theme.

At first, I thought I would place the money in a pocket. Boring! Then it came to me, why not line the inside of the robe with 59 one dollar bills? Now that’s fun!

I laid out the open robe, spread out the dollar bills in even rows, and taped them in place. (Even though the tape worked, I would suggest using safety pins to make sure the bills stay put.)

I folded up the robe and tied the belt. A money robe! You could not see any of the bills since I had placed them below the waistline. Continue Reading

A Minion Laughs | Get Well Gift

Princess Diana - September 7, 2015 - Get Well

I hate that six-letter word. Cancer.

minion-laughing-action-figure-get-well-gift

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.

Rubber Band Ball Creative Money Gift

Princess Diana - August 31, 2015 - Kids, Money

Rubber band balls make a fun bouncy toy for kids and a great stress reliever toy for adults. But what if the best part is hidden inside?!

Imagine the surprise on someone’s face when they’re told that the rubber band ball they received contains money!

Will they undo all off the rubber bands right away or wait until they’ve had a chance to play with it?

They only way to find out is to give the Rubber Ball Band Money Gift to someone you know!

HOW TO MAKE A RUBBER BAND BALL MONEY GIFT

Items you will need:

cash
colorful rubber bands
golf ball or aluminum foil

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.

frame-perfect-quote-occasion-thoughtful-gift

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!

“I’ve Walked in Your Shoes” Condolence Gift

Queen Darlene - August 20, 2015 - Condolence

I’m at the age now where my friends’ parents are passing away.

I can’t believe it’s been three years already that my mother passed away. We spoke every day and spent a lot of time together, especially during celebrations like family birthdays and holidays.

There is not a single day that goes by that I don’t think of her. I miss her.

It’s one of the hardest things to do in life, to go about your normal routine after you lose a parent. You want to share a thought or an upcoming event only to realize you cannot pick up the phone to call your mother or father.

I’m thankful to my friends and family who helped me through my grief after my mother died.

When a dear friend’s mother passed away, I wanted her to know it IS true that time is a great healer. I’ve realized that all I have to do is think of a precious memory to know my mother is never far away.

When you have walked in someone’s shoes, it’s sometimes easier to find the right comforting words to share.

Address Stamps Make Great Housewarming & Wedding Gifts

Princess Diana - August 18, 2015 - Housewarming, Mother's Day, Wedding

Buying or moving into a new home is always a big deal in a person’s life, whether it’s their first home right after getting married or their 10th home after moving around a bit.

If you know they’ll be in their new home for a while, address stamps make a great housewarming gift or wedding gift. It’s a fun way to celebrate someone’s new permanent address.

SO MANY DESIGNS!

You can personalize the design to fit the gift recipient’s style and interests. Deciding what design to choose is the hard part! Address stamps can be ordered in many different colors and in the shape of rectangles, squares and circles. And of course there are a million fonts available, from block letters to cursive.

You can also add monograms or symbols to address stamps. For animal lovers, you might add a cat, dog or paw print. For newlyweds, you might add a heart.

RUBBER VS SELF-INKING VS PRE-INKED STAMPS

Easy Peasy Money Tree Topiary

Princess Diana - August 10, 2015 - Birthday, Christmas, Congratulations, Graduation, Kids, Money

I like DIY crafts only if the’re easy peasy. So if you’re like me, you’ll love this easy and creative way to give cash as a gift – the money tree topiary!

It’s beautiful, decorative and memorable. Also, unlike a lot of other money gifts, the money tree topiary doesn’t require you to fold or roll any bills. If you can pinch and pin, you can create this DIY money gift in no time!

ITEMS YOU WILL NEED:

dowel rod (I cut the one I bought down to 14 inches)
small pot
foam ball (I used a 5 inch ball)
foam that fits snugly inside pot (I used floral foam)
greening pins also called floral pins (They are U-shaped)
burlap ribbon for the base (You can also use moss, decorative stones or decorative rocks)
colored ribbon for the dowel rod

M&Ms Money Jar

Queen Darlene - August 5, 2015 - Birthday, Christmas, Congratulations, Graduation, Kids, Money

Did you know M&Ms go with anyone’s diet? It’s true when money is hidden within the M&Ms!

Giving money in a creative way and as a surprise will always make the gift memorable. If it’s impressive and simple, many times the recipient will use the gift idea for someone else!

You’ve heard that “imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.” I love hearing that someone copied one of our gift ideas. That’s Sunburst Gifts at its finest!

I’m hoping the M&Ms Money Jar becomes a gift people will use over and over again.

Items you will need for this money gift:

M&Ms
A canning jar with lid
Toilet paper roll
Cash
Wrapping paper

Personalized Notepads & Sticky Notes | Teacher Appreciation Gift

Princess Diana - August 4, 2015 - Teacher Gifts

I have good news. This teacher appreciation gift can be used for both male and female teachers!

Teachers regularly write notes to send home with their students. You have the opportunity to make that task more fun and stylish with personalized notepads and sticky notes. You’ll even save them time by not having to sign their name!

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Male and female teachers will enjoy receiving personalized notepads can they can use all year long.

For a unique teacher appreciation gift, give notepads or sticky notes with the phrases “A Note From” or “From the Desk of” and the name they’re called by their students. It could be Mrs. Brown, Ms. Laura or Mr. Brownlee.

A personalized notepad or sticky note (Post-its) with just their name looks great too. It’s up to you!

Best Way to Come Up With a Going Away Gift

Princess Diana - July 28, 2015 - Going Away

There are few thing harder than saying goodbye to a friend. An exception might be picking out a going away gift.

They can be tricky. That’s probably why Hallmark doesn’t have a “Going Away Gifts” aisle in its stores.

Here’s my #1 rule for going away presents – give something that means something.

If your gift item doesn’t hold special meaning, then there’s no point in giving it. Your friend doesn’t need more stuff to haul in the moving truck. It’s full as it is!

The best way to come up with a meaningful going away gift is to reflect on your friendship and HOW you spent time together.

What was your “thing?’ Did you bond by going to the movies, eating at new restaurants or attending your favorite team’s sporting events?

Now, think of a gift that ties in with what you enjoyed doing together.

If you liked going to the movies or out to eat, you could get a gift card to a movie theater or a popular restaurant where he or she will be living. If you liked attending sporting events, you could get him or her new fan gear, maybe even buy yourselves matching shirts or hats! You could also frame a photo of the two of you at a game.

My friend Beth and I loved dressing up to go out to eat, drink and dance. We also bonded by volunteering with Girl Scouts.