Monthly Archives: March 2016

“Press Here” Book | New York Times Bestseller for Kids

Looking for a children’s book that is interactive as well as entertaining? We all know reading to kids is a good thing and will boost children’s learning potential, especially between the ages of two and five.

press-here-NYTimes-bestseller-thoughtful-gift-idea“Press Here” by Hervé Tullet is a picture book like no other. Talk about a fun experience!

With a touch of a finger, you press the yellow dot on the cover of the book and the make believe begins!

The reader follows the simple instructions to press various dots and perform varied tasks (blow on the dot, shake the pages, clap 1-2-3 times) on each shiny white page.

The tasks set in motion the “action” of the dot by changing colors, multiplying, scattering across a two-page spread and so much more!

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Announce Big News With Yard Greeting Signs

Why buy a card when you can say it in the yard?

birthday-yard-greeting-signs-giftWhen you have big news, you want to share it with the world! You could post about it on Facebook or Twitter, but that’s so predictable.

If you really want to create buzz, announce your big news with yard greeting signs.

Yard greeting sign and lawn ornament companies like OklahomaYardGreetings.com will spell out a personalized message using large letters and graphics. You can rent the signs for a day or a week, it’s up to you!

Imagine your loved one’s reaction when they pull up in front of their house or walk outside their front door. They’ll be completely surprised!

Yard greeting signs also make a great photo op. Take photos that are perfect for sharing on social media!

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Customized Word Art Canvas | Retirement Gift

- - Business, Retirement

Congratulations! Enjoy Retirement! Happy Retiree! Words of celebration but it’s the same old words and cliche. It’s so much more meaningful to say words that personalize the retiree’s working life!

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Custom Word Art Canvas

My co-worker and friend, John, retired this year. He’s a wonderful leader, well respected, and possesses an incredibly funny deadpan and dry sense of humor that we all love!

For his retirement gift, I searched Pinterest for ideas and put together some words and phrases that describe his years and accomplishments with our agency. I also included a few of his personal sayings that he is known for around the office.

The words were placed on a wrapped canvas and presented to John at an all-agency meeting.

This style of canvas art is sometimes referred to as personalized or customized word art, subway sign, or typography art.

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Easter Egg Money Surprise

- - Kids, Money

Kids love Easter eggs because each one contains a surprise. They can’t wait to see what’s inside!

easter-egg-money-surprise-cashDid they get chocolate, jelly beans, hard candy, gummy candy or bubble gum?

As children get older, Easter egg hunts may not excite them as much since it’s something they’ve done for years already.

That’s when it’s time to replace some of the candy with coins or cash to create an Easter Egg Money Surprise!

Small children will get excited over nickels, dimes and quarters. Teenagers will hunt for Easter eggs if they have the chance to find eggs containing $1, $5, $10, or $20 bills!

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Pregnancy Survival Kit for the Expecting Momma

- - Baby Shower

I’m three weeks away from my due date with my second baby. Looking down at my basketball-sized belly and swollen feet, I feel like each and every woman deserves a medal for surviving pregnancy.

pregnancy-survival-kit-thoughtful-giftA pregnant woman’s body goes through a million changes leading up to baby’s arrival so provide her with lots of support and TLC. If you know a momma-to-be, you can give her a Pregnancy Survival Kit containing some or all of these essential items at the beginning of her pregnancy.

Belly Cream.

The dreaded stretch marks. Prevention is key so she’ll want to start using anti-stretch mark creams starting in the first trimester on her belly, breasts, and butt. This specific cream did wonders for me during both of my pregnancies. I put it on after every shower.

Pregnancy Books.

There are several good ones out there but my go-to pregnancy book is What to Expect When You’re Expecting. It doles out tons of practical advice in bite-sized chunks of information using a Q&A format. There’s a reason why it’s a New York Times bestseller and one of USA Today‘s 25 most influential books of the past 25 years.

Prenatal Vitamins. 

They’re vital for fetal and maternal health, and it’s something she’ll have to take every day.

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No Pinch Paint for St. Patrick’s Day

- - $20 or Less, Birthday

I have several girlfriends with birthdays in March, and we’ve been exchanging gifts for many years. Some for 45 years!

no-pincb-paint-st-patricks-day-thoughtful-gift-ideaI’ve never sent my March birthday friends the same gift until now. Since St. Patrick’s Day falls in March, I wanted to give a gift with a thoughtful twist.

While browsing to get my creative juices going, I came across a cute idea on CreateCraftLove.com for No Pinch Paint for St. Patrick’s Day. The site even provides a free printable gift tag.

No Pinch Paint is green nail polish, and perfect for those of us who forget to wear green on St. Patrick’s Day!

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Amazing Gift of Coconut Oil

I received an amazing gift of coconut oil that really is many gifts in one! I was so surprised by the usefulness of this product.

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Friends – A spoon of Sharing

For my birthday, my friend, Janet, gave me a jar of Dr. Bronner’s Magic “All-One!” Fair Trade & Organic Coconut Oil and paired it with a cute decorative teaspoon.

Over the years, I’ve spent hundreds of dollars on beauty products. With this gift, I discovered all I really needed was coconut oil. 


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Aden & Anais Swaddle Blankets

- - Baby Shower

Besides our cloth diapers, the baby items we used the most for our son were our Aden & Anais Swaddle Blankets.

swaddle-blankets-baby-shower-giftWe received other types of swaddle blankets, but these worked so much better that we used them all of the time. I really liked that they were soft, stretchy, lightweight and breathable.

They’re made of 100% cotton muslin so they get even softer each time you wash them.

Besides using them for swaddling, I used them cover his car seat or to cover me up when I was nursing. In a pinch we used them as burping cloths. My son continued to use them as a sleeping blanket until the age of three!

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Night Light Get Well Gift

When someone is under the weather, the first thought of how to help them feel better is preparing chicken noodle soup and taking a box of Kleenex. But what about someone with a long term serious illness?

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May God’s Light chase the darkness away.

Cards and prayers are always welcomed. Books to read and adult coloring books are great ideas too.

I wanted to give my friend something a little different – a gift that would lift her spirits and light up her day every time she looked at it.

I found the perfect gift in a beautiful night light.

Brighton carries several designs, and I chose a heart night light.

I wrote in the card May God’s light chase the darkness away.” I wanted her to know she was thought of daily and that prayers were being sent her way. Continue Reading

Easy Meals With Programmable Slow Cooker

When my nephew moved into an apartment after high school, he felt the pinch of not always having enough money to make ends meet. He complained about sometimes having to eat Ramen noodles just to make rent.

easy-meals-programmable-slow-cooker-giftHe’s not alone in his experience. Many young adults with limited income face a similar situation after moving out of their parents’ house, and they realize how quickly their bills eat up their paycheck.

My nephew also shared his goal to a eat better and live a healthier lifestyle.

Listening to him tell me all of this information helped me come up with the perfect gift for him!

I decided to purchase him a Programmable Slow Cooker. After double-checking that he didn’t already have one, I told him why I wanted to get him one, and I explained all of the wonderful benefits. Let me summarize them.

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