gift ideas

Feb 14

Last Minute Valentine’s Day Ideas

Posted on: February 14, 2010 @ 9:00 am No Comments »

1) Tunes – Slacker Personal Radio has a collection of DJ-programmed Valentine’s Day stations that you can listen to on the web or your mobile phone. As always with Slacker, if you like a song “heart” it and it will play more often, and if you don’t like it, “ban” it and it will never play again. Slacker allows anyone to capture a moment by playing romantic music wherever you are. Also, with Slacker, in a matter of minutes, you can create a custom station based on any artist or number of artists you like and then share that station with the one you love.

Here are a few of the highlighted stations:
Rock Ballads
Country Love
Broken Heart

2) Words – FastPencil offers an amazing DIY gem for those looking for affordable, thoughtful and one of a kind Valentines Day gift ideas. FastPencil is an online publishing tool that allows you to print your own books — you can use it to make a really fabulous thoughtful gift or you could publish a handful of poems, complete with glossy photos and personal anecdotes to give the one you love. The sky is the limit. FastPencil is currently offering users an incentive to get their book project going!
- What – A free printed book, a free eBook and free shipping & handling
- When – This offer is valid through Feb. 27th
- Who – The first 1,000 FastPencil users to sign up
- How – Visit this link

3) Food - Have an iPhone? The California Strawberry Commission has recently launched its free STRAWBERRIES iPhone app. All you need is to download this app and you will have tons of dinner and dessert recipes in your pocket that are instantly accessible during your trip to the grocery store. Let’s face it, nobody appreciates anything more then a home-cooked meal.

Strawberry Recipe App is available now for free download in the App Store:
- More than 50 recipes, categorized by dish type.
- Access your favorite recipes – and shopping lists – in the kitchen, at the store, or anywhere!
- Share recipes on Twitter, Facebook and email.
- Discover and link to the food bloggers and chefs behind the recipes.

You can download the app here.

I did not write the article above – it was emailed to me by a PR agency and I thought it was useful!

Valentine’s Day Gift Guide: For Him

Posted on: February 08, 2010 @ 12:00 pm 4 Comments »

Alfani Sweater, Wandering Argyle V Neck – on sale for $14.99

Protocol Mug, Heated Auto Mug – on sale for $6.99

Scene It? The Simpsons Deluxe DVD Game

Hanes Plaid Woven Boxers with ComfortSoft Waistband, Pack of 3

Lab Series For Men Daily Essentials Set

The Art of Shaving The 4 Elements of the Perfect Shave™ Starter Kit – Sandalwood

Men’s Health Magazine Subscription

Valentine’s Day Gift Guide: For Her

Posted on: February 08, 2010 @ 9:00 am 2 Comments »

Guerlain Engraved Rouge G de Guerlain Jewel Lipstick Compact Grenade 65 – “Kiss Me”

Demeter Fragrance Library Hershey’s Special Dark 1 oz Cologne Spray

NARS Temptation Gift Set

Hanky Panky Low Rise Signature Lace Thongs in a Heart Box

Jezebel Low Rise Thongs with Scented Satin Sachet

14k White Gold Earrings, Ruby (1-1/10 ct. t.w.) and Diamond Accent Heart – on sale for $699

14k White Gold Diamond Accent Flower Stud Earrings – on sale for $84.15

HauteLook $20 Bonus Credit & Special Deals

Posted on: January 30, 2010 @ 11:40 pm 4 Comments »

HauteLook is currently featuring some amazing boutiques and great deals. If you order by the end of this weekend and spend $99 or more, you’ll receive a $20 account credit.

I’m drooling over everything in the Omaha Steak section – there are some amazing deals going on! Any purchase from the boutique will be accompanied by a $20 Omaha Steaks gift card, which is a great way to reorder favorites later on at a cheaper price.

My suggestion? Order one of these amazing meal deals for Valentine’s Day. I know, it probably won’t arrive in time. Instead, putting together an amazing meal with these gourmet items after the big day can be your special gift for your guy. Next year, I bet you’ll get diamonds.

“HauteLook brings the thrill back to shopping through exclusive, limited-time, online sale events. Each day, HauteLook partners with premium fashion and lifestyle brands to create private, upscale sale events at savings of up to 75% off retail prices.”

Join HauteLook today!

Valentine’s Day Boyfriend Gift: Tony Hawk RIDE

Posted on: January 19, 2010 @ 7:00 am 1 Comment »

We ladies tend to expect a lot for Valentine’s Day. Candy, flowers, dinner out, diamonds… Or in some cases, just for him to remember what day it is in the first place!

So why not get a fabulous gift for your guy this year, too? Skip the stand-by of ties, watches, or other un-fun gifts and score him a gift he’ll really love (and remember next year!). My suggestion? The Tony Hawk RIDE game!

“Tony Hawk RIDE’s motion sensing skateboard lets you control the action with your feet just like you’re really skateboarding.

Lift, tilt, and turn the board to pull off amazing tricks. The Casual difficulty setting makes the game instantly fun to pick up and play. Then move on to Confident and Hardcore modes for tougher challenges. RIDE six locations across the globe and master over 100 tricks, and explore the deepest create-a-skater ever in a Tony Hawk game.”

Get on the board and RIDE.”

I received a copy for review, with the intent of recommending it for Christmas. However, since it arrived pretty much minutes before the holiday began, I didn’t get a chance. My boyfriend enjoyed it so much that I wanted to make sure to share the suggestion with you ladies, and I thought Valentine’s Day would be a great time to do so!

His Thoughts: “I thought it was really innovative and just a lot of fun. I almost fell of the board a couple times trying to get the movements down. The easy mode has a guide where you go down a pre-determined, which makes it really easy to get into the game. It’s definitely great for people who are fans of the Tony Hawk games, as it gives you more immersion into the world of skateboarding than his previous games. I’d definitely recommend it.”

This game is also a great way to get your geek off the couch or give sporty guys a way to relax without feeling too sedentary. Who knows; you might even want to join in!

Tony Hawk: RIDE is available for the Wii, XBox 360, and Playstation 3. All sell for $119.99 at Gamestop, but you can pick them up on Amazon.com for only $99.99.

Gifts From The Fashionable Gal

Posted on: December 24, 2009 @ 12:33 pm 1 Comment »

With the gift-giving season well underway, it can get pretty crazy trying to remember who to shop for and what to buy them. Before you start writing down your long list and hunting for coupons and sales to match, simplify your life by making sure you take care of those closest to you; The Best Friend, The Boy/Guy friend, and The Parents.

Your Best Friend has been there for you, shopped with you, laughed with you, cried with you. How could you not stress over find the perfect gift for her? You want something that will reflect how much you appreciate having her in your life, and also show how well you know and understand her. Look for charm bracelets with pieces that you know she’ll love; if she’s an animal activist, find one with horses or dogs, if she’s into antiques, find one that has classic-looking charms like lockets.

Whether the man in your life is you boyfriend, or your Best Friend is also your Best Guy Friend, you don’t want to leave him off your list. But young guys are so hard to shop for! If you’re not confident with selecting the right first-person shooter game (the one that he’s been prowling the forums and talking about since the announcement of its release), there’s one sure-fire fashion item that every guy will love. Driving gloves will make any guy feel like a professional racer, while keeping his hands warm and protected from the winter cold. Just be aware, he may never want to take them off!

We never show enough gratitude to our parents. Show how much you love them this winter with paired cashmere scarves. You can cut down on your shopping time by finding two scarves from the same store, and buying different colors or patterns; look for natural, deep, rustic browns and grays for dad and rich, feminine colors like wine red or ocean blue for mom. When they wear it, they’ll be reminded of how much you care!

Your list of people may still be very long after this, but sometimes you don’t always know what to get everyone, or don’t have time to find personalized gifts for each person. Reusable shopping bags are now available in all sorts of sizes, colors, and can be very compact. Many come in multi-packs; even if the recipient isn’t an extreme environmentalist, you can’t deny the usefulness of these bags, and they are always appreciated.

Best of luck on your holiday shopping!

Post sponsored by Like.com

Great Gift Ideas: Swanson Vineyards, Frontgage, Tea Forte

Posted on: December 09, 2009 @ 5:12 pm No Comments »

forte

Still looking for a gift for that tricky person on your shopping list? Grandparents, aunts & uncles, in-laws… Everybody’s got that one person to buy for that seems to have everything already!

I’m really loving the Tea Forte boutique on Rue La La, as it’s such an interesting gift that basically anyone can enjoy!

The Tea Forte Ice Tea Pitcher comes with 12 “tea infusers,” which are available in four flavors (Ceylon Gold, White Ginger, Raspberry, and Portico). The pitcher is dishwasher safe, so you want be giving a gift that results in a hassle. The price? $25 – which is a great price for a gift which you can give to a couple or family.

Boxes of tea only are available in 8 flavors for only $15 (20 bags each). My favorite is the Winter Collection, which includes Winter Chai, Crimson Nector, Sweet Orange Spice, White Ambrosia, and English Breakfast.

card

I’m all about useful gifts, so I’m a big fan of the Movado Boutique as well. I love the Black Crystal Business Card Holder (pictured above). The boutique also features a selection of other desk accessories and gorgeous watches. Practical gifts for the professional men in your life!

player

Another favorite is the Frontgate Boutique, which features great gifts for tech fiends. The AM/FM Industrial iPod Player is a full $100 cheaper on Rue La La! There are also some really cool digital clocks and picture frames. Perfect for dads with lots of family photos to show off!

wine

Another always appreciated gift: Wine! Three bottles of 2005 Oakville Merlot from Swanson Vineyards is $69, which makes it a perfectly priced gift. Split the set among three friends (all you’ll need are those fantastically convenient wine gift bags) or stock up for your holiday soiree.

All of these boutiques will be ending soon, so don’t put off your shopping any longer!

Rue La La is an exclusive members-online site. If you’re not already a member, I’m officially inviting you! Simply visit Rue La La using this link and you’re all set! If you sign up before December 24th, you’ll receive a $10 credit to your account to start you off!

Crazy Dog Tees – Novelty, Funny, Fashionable!

Posted on: December 04, 2009 @ 8:00 am 5 Comments »

crazy

“Hey girls we wanted you to know our funny girls t-shirts are some of the softest tees around! Both fitting and ultra comfortable you will quickly fall in love with our cool girls t shirts. Looking for a cool gift? Then stop and check out our top funny t-shirt designs funny t-shirts. The top 3 girls tee shirts are the classic girls saved by the bell t-shirt! Our line includes classic Junk Food t-shirts which are limited release tee shirts! David and goliath tees are also a large part of our line consisting of some of the softest tees and finally crooked monkey t-shirts are the newest addition with one of the sexiest fits around! You are going to want all these great girls tees at Crazy Dog T-shirt!”

Crazy Dog T-Shirts is amazing! No matter what type of tee you’re looking for, for men, women, or children, they’ve got it. The prices are as fab as the selection, with a range of $9 tees, a daily special, and reasonable pricing on the rest of the inventory. Plus, they give away a ton of merch every week – more on that later!

I love high end, stylish threads, but I have just as much fun with retro and cartoon tees. With a great pair of jeans and some cute accessories, you’re equally adorable either way! I was sent two tees for review, and I love the high quality cotton and printing. The tees are soft and comfortable, and they’re great right now under cute cardigans.

I highly recommend checking out the Men’s section for easy holiday gifts that will be appreciated and actually used! Keep your eyes peeled, as I’ll be sharing my favorite Men’s tees on our Gift Guide soon!

You can follow Crazy Dog Tee’s on Facebook and Twitter. They hold TONS of giveaways and share fun trivia, as well as updates on new tees!

Pink Mascara: Hot Holiday Finds Under $100

Posted on: November 30, 2009 @ 11:11 pm No Comments »

Pink Mascara, where fashion trends are established; not followed is helping the Recessionista with fashionable Holiday finds for under $100! Pink Mascara has all your cheap n’ chic items this season from famed brands line Melinda Maria Jewelry, J.J. Winters, Free People, Wildfox, Lauren Moshi, Kain, House of Harlow, Linea Pelle, Top Secret, and Pleasure Doing Business. Whether you are looking for a great stocking stuffer, Gift exchange item, or Hanukah present, Pink Mascara has all your holiday needs!

Shop www.pinkmascara.com

C.O. Bigelow Mentha Lip Cordials, Holiday Style

Posted on: November 30, 2009 @ 6:00 am 1 Comment »

cordials

I am a long time fan of C.O. Bigelow’s Lip Shines; before I had 20 or so before my lip products disappeared. Everything about them – the shine, scent, color, and feel on my lips are all pleasing. These are definitely A+ glosses!

Which means that when I saw the holiday “Winter Cordials,” I nearly needed a change of pants. Vanilla Cream Eggnog, Hot Buttered Rum, Warm Spiced Cider, Triple Hot Chocolate… Ladies, this is the stuff my dreams are made of!

And lucky, lucky me… I was sent the line to review earlier this month. Pure bliss! Even the tube colors are beautiful!

Honestly, I can’t decide on a favorite. Warm Spiced Cider is at the bottom of the list, but only because it has the lightest scent – not because I dislike it! Hot Buttered Rum might be taking home the gold on this one…

stock

Each of the Winter Cordials has a slight minty undertone, which is an instant breath freshener. I find the scents curb my cravings for sweets, which also makes them a zero calorie treat! And the price is nice, too; the Winter Cordials retail for $7.50 apiece, but they’re currently on a Buy 2 Get 1 Free Special! I suggest buying all four for yourself, and using the two freebies as stocking stuffers or gifts for very lucky girl friends!

Triple Hot Chocolate is available in an adorable stocking ornament for $5. You can purchase tiny stockings at the dollar store if you’d like to replicate the idea with the other three scents! Tie it onto a present or give is an individual gift – a great little treat for people you don’t know well but want to show appreciation for (teacher, receptionist, etc.).

Available online or at your local Bath & Body Works.