I previewed the game Q-Bitz.  First I previewed it using various grades of my 1-5 grade gifted students.  Although the younger ones were a bit slower than the older ones they still seemed to thoroughly enjoy the game.  During Thanksgiving I played with my own children who were home from college, ages 19 and 22.  They loved the game!  It quickly became a competitive family evening!  Thanks for the opportunity!

-Leslie Nuckols

For Christmas this year, Karen ordered a bunch of baby pink and dark cacao louloupops for her colleagues.

What a refreshing office gift idea!

It’s so much fun when things are anticipated and NEW.  With the NEW year approaching, its time for me to decide my own family history goals for 2010.

Here are some of the things I’d like to accomplish:

 1)  I’m excited to continue working on my personal history this coming year, and I will make sure some of my records are in my own handwriting.

 2)  I will continue to assemble, a bit at a time, some old photos and newspaper articles and make 8 ½ x 11” copies for each of our children.

 3)  I will continue our fairly new tradition of making a slideshow DVD of selected family pictures throughout the year for Christmas gifts for our children.  (Our DVD’s cover the period of time from October to October, otherwise I find myself under too much stress before Christmas.)

 4)  I’ve decided to do something really fun.  I’ve written a poem for each family member.  I’m determined to find those poems, gather them together, and put them with our family records.  In time, I will attempt to pen them all in Calligraphy.

 As a wife, mother, and business woman, I have learned to keep things simple.  I will do my best with these aspirations and accept my own best efforts as being enough.  I will continue to carry forth the goals of the www.familytreequest.com website, which are to glean wisdom from the past, live mindfully in the present, and prepare confidently for the future.  In addition, I hope to share some good times and make some great online memories with all of YOU.  Happy New Year!

Follow me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/familytreegal for great quotes and gift ideas.

Become a “fan” on my Facebook page at www.facebook.com/familytreegal

I recently visited the Old Fashioned Living website. This website is a compilation of crafts, gardening advice, family activities, genealogy tips, and ideas for teaching your kids and grandkids about the generations that came before them.

I was very inspired by one of their articles written by Dionna Sanchez entitled, Leaving Legacies. In the article, Dionna tells us about a wonderful legacy that her mom left her and that she will be leaving her children.

[Quote] “I am so thankful to have a precious gift that my mom gave me – one that I am now doing for my own children. She kept journals for me and my sister.”[Quote]

You can read the full article on the Old Fashioned Living website here:Leaving Legacies

I was so inspired by this article that I decided to write one for each of my four children. My oldest daughter has already moved out of the house. But, that doesn’t mean that I can’t write one for her just the same. I think that I’ll start hers and keep writing until she becomes a mother. Maybe I’ll give it to her when she has her first child. Then, she can start one for her child(ren).

What’s a better gift than leaving your children with wonderful and cherished memories through the eyes of their own loving parent? I encourage everyone to try this. Mothers, fathers, and grandparents can all do this and leave their loved ones with their own legacy.
You can find more about Dionna Sanchez on her website, Emphasis On Moms

This holiday season has been a whirlwind of activity. From cleaning, moving, purging, organizing within our home before the New Year to handling a few diy projects. 

We decided to make the majority of tree ornaments this year, so now it is decked with an abundance of origami creatures and paper snowflakes. Above is a sneak peak of my fave’s. The paper heart can beat! The crane was my Christmas card from J which was written on the inside and I had to complete the crane. I also made Chalkboard Glass Ornaments this year to gift. You can write and erase chalk on them.

Had a Martha Stewart kind of evening with a girlfriend and  made salt & sugar body scrubs to gift. This was a lot of fun to do. All made with love.

Handmade cards too. I cut out paper snowflakes and affixed to blank cards. Using printed origami paper allowed for lovely visuals.

I hope you had and are having a wonderful holiday season. Relax when you can. Be merry amongst those you let in your life. Spread kindness. May good tidings surround  you. Stay safe. Cheers~

If you find one of these in your bathroom this holiday season, you’ll know that Bunk paid y’all a visit.

[Found here, crossposted here and here.]

For some people it is sufficient to get a present in their favorite color. Look for a nice gift in the right color and it will be a success! Here are some ideas.

Gift Ideas for Women

• Scarf
• Candle Holders
• Candles
• napkins
• Decoration
• Vase, pottery
• Jewelry box
• Foldable bag

Gift Ideas for Men

• Scarf
• Tie
• Stockings
• Bottle opener
• Pen with initials
• Belt
• Shirt

Gift Ideas for both

• Mobile/mp3
• Magnets
• USB stick
• Gloves
• Towels set
• Set flannels
• Nice glasses, set (breakfast) bowls
• Cosmetic bag
• Brill box
• Bowl to put pens or pencils in it
• Flowers/plants + bowl
• Coasters
• (Address) book
• Cadre/picture frame (painting, framed poem, collage)
• Salt & pepper container
• Pad box (coffee pads)
• Bookmark
• Fleece blanket
• Kitchen apron
• Fruit bowl
• Egg cups
• Photo frame
• Handkerchiefs
• Mouse pad
• Umbrella

With the high level of technology today, almost all of the gadgets produced are the demands of every teenager as well as adult. At this modern day, we already have instant coffee, instant food, etc. It seems like everything we have today can be accessed easily. Having said that, communication becomes an easy access. You can now talk to your friends or relatives who are living outside your country. You can send money in a few minutes. All of these things are the benefits brought by technology.

These things come in different pieces of technological devices. One of them is a netbook. A netbook is no longer new to everyone. From the youngest child to the oldest parent, netbooks become important and helpful to use. With this idea in mind to many people, my 13-year old nephew is not a stranger among them.

My nephew saw one of his classmates who owns a mini notebook. Whenever he meets his classmate, he would borrow his netbook and use it. Sometimes, visiting his classmate becomes an excuse for him so he could use the netbook. Also, my nephew has many reports and projects to make. And not so long, he started insisting his parents to buy him a netbook. That’s how his parents started looking for one.

My nephew’s parents discovered the Samsung NP-NC10-KB02US netbook. Because of its revolutionary features and affordable price, his parents purchased it without delay.

The Samsung NP-NC10-KB02US features a 1.6 GHz Intel N270 processor, 1 GB DDR2 RAM which can be expanded up to 2 GB, an Intel GMA 950 Graphics, a 3 in 1 multi-memory card slot, a Wi-Fi Bluetooth capability and a 10.1-inch widescreen WSVGA 1024×600 display.

One more feature that they like about this netbook is that my nephew could be able to access the internet for up to 6 hours since it has a high capacity of 6-cell lithium ion 5200 mAH battery. Its 1.3 megapixel webcam is also a great way to enjoy live conferencing with their loved ones who live in the other state.

I was told also that there were various packs of software included when they bought the netbook. These software are Samsung Recovery Solution III, Samsung Magic Doctor, Samsung Update Plus Easy Display Manager, Samsung Easy Battery Manager, Samsung Easy Network Manager, Samsung Easy SpeedUp Manager, McAfee Virus Scan and Adobe Acrobat Reader Security.

Before his parents handed him the netbook, my nephew promised to improve his studies and continue to be a good boy to everybody. When they all agreed, my nephew couldn’t wait to hold the new blue Samsung NP-NC10-KB02US.

Since the presence of his netbook, my nephew became independent in his studies as well as in making his assignments and projects. He was able to research the information he needed for his lessons in school with the help of the internet connectivity of his netbook. His parents were proud of him when he was included among the top oral reporters in his class. I could tell his parents didn’t regret buying the Samsung NP-NC10-KB02US netbook. The netbook became an instant help and motivator at the same time for their son.

For a few months of bringing my children to play golf, I learned that moving from one place to another within the golf course area is not that easy for them. My children desperately move from time to time. They said it’s very exhausting. Playing golf in our family has started about three months ago. I grew up playing golf and I wanted to pass this skill to my children. With the presence of the Segway’s EV Rider Stand-N-Ride Electric Scooter, my children’s problem had been resolved.

I started to encourage my children to play golf while they’re still young. My sons, who are 13-year old and 11-year old, began to learn playing golf. Although they admitted that they enjoy playing golf, moving around made them feel exhausted. Instead of reserving energy for easy swing, they often get tired.

Without thinking so hard, I decided to check out scooters for them. Both of them claimed that having something moveable to ride on was a good idea. I nodded and agreed, so we searched for some scooters.

The Segway’s EV Rider Stand-N-Ride Electric Scooter was the best standing scooter we’ve ever seen. Looking at the scooter amazingly struck us. My older boy impatiently wanted to own it. He wanted me to buy a scooter as soon as possible.

This Stand-N-Ride Electric Scooter is a 3-wheel mobility scooter that has a tiller making a turn for almost 360 degrees. It also has a Forward & Reverse option and a High & Low speed option. This scooter is a 500 Watt, 24 volt electric scooter recommended to be used by children starting ages 12 until adults. With its rechargeable capability, the scooter doesn’t need a gas in order to run. Therefore, the scooter can be driven anytime and anywhere. In addition, this standing electric scooter has a basket attached in front of the pole, soft rubber handle grips and high-quality made tires. What else could you ask for when this scooter has it all to meet beyond your expectation?

Highly created for short trips of about 10 miles, this low-priced scooter is definitely worth it. It is perfectly the best company my young golfers need. After a careful check on the specification, I purchased two scooters, so both of them could enjoy riding and playing golf at the same time.

Lots of children on the golf course cannot keep their eyes off the scooter. I believed they wanted to have one also. Not so long, almost all of the children playing golf have scooters!

When my sons had their own scooters, they’re always excited and eager to play golf with me. They’re even the ones who reminded me to play golf on the weekends. I was satisfied that there were no more complaints. I got really worried that they might not continue learning and playing golf. I honestly never regretted purchasing two scooters at the same time. Truly, this stand and ride electric 3-wheel scooter is nothing but a fun movable piece of device. Thanks to this scooter!

Gift Giving Another Causality of Alzheimer’s Disease

By Lori La Bey, of Senior Lifestyle Trends

My hands were aching from shoveling the wet heavy snow and my body was chilled, but I wanted to stop at Mom’s.  If I didn’t do it now I knew I would curl up at home and not want to leave.   So off I went to visit Mom at the nursing home this X-Mas day.  I didn’t even get the card I had picked out for her.  I didn’t trust myself. 

I was afraid I wouldn’t leave the house once I went in.   I figured Mom wouldn’t mind if I brought the card tomorrow. This was my first year I wouldn’t even bring Mom a gift for Christmas. I almost bought flowers, than realized I was going to be buy them for me, not Mom.  The truth is I’m not sure how much she can really see any more. 

I knew for sure she wouldn’t remember the flowers were for her, or who they were from.

I knew beautiful flowers didn’t trigger anything special for her to hold onto, so what would the point be? 

Yes, the flowers would be for me.  I would ”look like” a caring daughter, but flowers have nothing to do with how much I care, how often I visit, or the quality of my visits.  So I decided to pass on performing for looks, purchasing flowers to play a part.  Performing for my ego.  It felt strange to put my gift buying in prospective like that.  Even as I write this knowing full well my thoughts are true, it was so strange to walk in empty handed.

Yet on the other hand, for many years now I’ve whined about the commercialism of Christmas and how disgruntled it makes me feel.  How we have lost the true meaning of the holidays and the simple appreciation for one another.  Since Mom’s been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, I am usually able to look at things in my life in a deeper fashion.  What is relevant and what is not?  What has meaning and what doesn’t and why. 

That part of Alzheimer’s disease has been a gift to me.

But like most Caregivers dealing with this disease, I ping, and I pong.  I can see the good, the bad, and the ugly; depending on the mood I’m in.  I also realize the sadness I feel about not buying a gift for my Mother because there is no joy in giving her a gift at this stage. Who would have thought Alzheimer’s disease could take gift giving from me?  Of all the things I could list which I’ve lost due to this disease, I have to admit, gift giving would not have been something I would have ever thought to write down, but the reality is, gift giving another causality of Alzheimer’s.  Another loss. 

Now in the later stages of Alzheimer’s it is work to try to get a response out of Mom for any gift she receives.  Gift giving is not meant to be work.  It is not meant to be work of recognition of receipt, but many times, it is what we do with an Alzheimer’s patient.   We try to connect and the gift is a tool to do that.  So we try hard to get approval, recognition – for what we have given someone.  When a person with Alzheimer’s is not able to respond to simple comments or directions, it can become counter-productive and frustrating for all. 

I also have to mention, prior to Mom being in her end stages of the disease, she gave me much joy when I gave her something, anything.  She was like a small innocent children thrilled to receive any present or kind gesture from another person.  I guess I need to balance the loss I’m feeling today, with the extra joy she gave me with that glint in her eyes in earlier stages.

I need to focus on that which I already know.  I need to accept and appreciate the gift of our self is simple, easy, and needs no direction or comment. There is no decision on what to buy or how to wrap it.  Our delivery is the important thing with this gift.  Our attitude.  Our love.  Our compassion.

Hoping you all enjoyed the holiday!

Recently, I found a new way of giving my two young twin girls to feel happier with the use of the Pegasus Retro. This Pegasus Retro is a pink trike. This means that the trike has three wheelers and is pedaled by the foot. This pink trike is mostly enjoyed by children from ages 2 to 5 years.

During weekends and after-school hours, my girls ride on the pink trike. My children like to bring the pink trike every time they visit their grandparents’ house. I allow them to bring the trike since it is not heavy. They love the color pink on this trike. This Pegasus Retro is absolutely a perfect trike for every young girl! With its great dimension, my two young girls are comfortably and enjoyably riding this pink trike.

It is also safe to use since the trike is designed with high qualitative durable steel and a non-toxic coating cover – a perfect gift to every young child. Aside from the durable and quality materials, this trike has an adjustable padded seat and rubber handlebars.

Although, it is merely recommended to be used by young children, constant supervision and guidance is still required by parents. Make sure that children do not bump things that can cause harm. Always keep an eye on them that they would not be hit by any moveable vehicles. Driving this Pegasus Retro trike is not that dangerous. Parents just need to carefully monitor and patiently guide their young children. Since then, I only allow my girls to ride the trike if I am present to watch them. If I am not available, I let someone to supervise them.

Honestly, at first, I thought this trike would divert the attention and concentration of my children in their studies since they started to enter school as a Kindergartener. Instead, it turned out that my girls have more energy and enthusiasm in learning and studying their lessons.

Another positive effect this pink trike provides is that the Pegasus Retro trike is a good form of exercise. This pink trike helps young children in enhancing their bones for development and growth. That is another reason why I allow my children to have a regular use of their pink trike.

My girls became closer with each other since they owned this amazing pink trike. They learned how to share and care for each other. I am actually planning to buy a new one so that each of them could enjoy more riding the pink trike.

Generally, this pink trike provides children a new way of experiencing fun. It is inexpensive that every parent can afford to get one for their young children. The Pegasus Retro pink trike is one of the best gifts to give to children. Let the children enjoy while they are still young. My two young girls are unceasingly enjoying riding the pink trike. As they ride the pink trike, my girls develop an unforgettable moment – that is the priceless experience a mother can feel.

Few months ago, my 12-year old daughter asked me to buy her an electric scooter. She claimed to feel exhausted every time she walks for school. The school is only a few blocks away so I don’t need to drive the car to fetch her to school. There were times she went to school late so she hurried up and ran often times.

Having learned this difficulty on the part of my daughter, I agreed to get her a scooter. She was excited when I finally approved her request. The first thing we did was to browse the internet and look for the best scooter. She wanted the Razor Pocket Mod Miniature Euro Electric Scooter. I reviewed the product details and features carefully. I was expecting a good scooter that enables to run perfectly and give a slight maintenance work.

The Pocket Mod Electric Scooter is manufactured by Razor which is one of the leading companies that produce electric and non-electric toys and scooters for children. This Euro-style scooter is a high-performance, quality and powerful electric motor. Any rider can travel at a good speed of up to 15 miles per hour. With its twelve-inch pneumatic tires and retractable center-mount kickstand, the rider can drive for a maximum speed and smooth ride. The rear hand helps the rider to control and balance the wheel while braking. The kickstand is also a help by preventing the user from falling.

Also, a twist-grip throttle acceleration control, a hand easy-operated rear brake, and a convenient storage compartment under the soft padded seat are the most appealing features of this electric scooter. This scooter’s electric power contains 250 Watts and requires a little maintenance. Proudly advertised as an environmentally friendly, you only need to charge the scooter so gas is not needed. Remarkably, only a single charge can run up to 10 miles!

This electric scooter is perfect for my daughter, I thought, since it is recommended for children ages twelve and older who weigh up to 220 pounds. She would definitely enjoy riding the scooter every time she goes to school. There are also cute colors available to choose from. Choosing the color of a scooter whether red, purple, vapor, mint, sweet pea or ladybug red colors can absolutely take you a lot of time before you finally select one. It took my daughter almost an hour when she chose her scooter. She decided to get the sweet pea colored electric scooter.

After a few days of waiting, the sweet pea scooter of my lovely young daughter arrived and she could not wait to go to school the next day. I never expected to see her with such a smile and excitement. Having her cute electric scooter just solved her problem. Since then, she goes to school without getting worried of the time.

The Pocket Mod Miniature Euro Electric Scooter unquestionably helps you get on time anywhere you go. With its amazing price deal, everyone would love to purchase this portable and convenient scooter in one click.

Your Pals deserve your special attention for Christmas gifts. After all, you do spend most of your time with them, don’t you? So why hold back when it comes to expressing your feelings?

Let Them Write In Style

Any office go-er will love to get stationary as a gift as it is something practical besides being innately beautiful. There are beautiful designs available that will steal the heart of just about anyone.

From branded pens to penstands and letter pads, there are plenty of options for stationary as a gift.

Stationeries with ethnic design layouts are another popular option. You can gift them an exclusive stationary line designed by renowned designers.

With the new year around the corner, and aesthetically designed year planner is an appropriate gift. You could go for a traditional gemstone painting cover that will attract attention all year round.

Gifts As Per Inclinations

To the sports freaks you can gift a baseball bat or even gloves. They will love the gift and can make the most of it on weekend sports gathering.

Gift the intellectual ones scrabble and chess. They will love the practical approach to gifts. After all men will be men.

Gift a Dinner Coupon

If you are looking for an option to let your pal enjoy without interfering in his or her personal life, give a surprise by setting up a date on the quiet with his or her beau.

Gift away a dinner coupon for two at the best restaurant around.

Add to the beauty of the moment by arranging for the on-spot delivery of a bunch of exotic fresh flowers, and you can be rest assured your pal will be yours for life.

Flowers To Make Them Feel Special

If your best pal happens to belong to the fairer sex, there is no better gift to express your gratitude for all she has done for you than a bunch of fresh flowers delivered at her doorstep.

All you need to do is hop online and look for fresh flower bouquets to choose from a mind boggling variety of flowers.

Worry not if you have more than just a couple of female friends, as you can avail bulk discounts. You would also get free delivery of flowers on ordering over a certain amount and save substantial cash.

Go ahead and make the day for your pals this Christmas!

Two weeks from now, my oldest son would leave the house and start staying in a dormitory for his college studies. It’s been his dream to enter into a medical school. After a few years of waiting, his dream would soon come true. He successfully passed his college application. He was excited and ready to go to school. As a father, I would do things to support my son for his college life.

When we received the good news that my son was able to pass the college application, we already started planning fir his career. We had a thanksgiving celebration wherein we invited some relatives and friends. We bought things that he needed for his studies. We did everything for him but we almost forgot something. My son requested us to give him a personal computer that he can use. The moment I heard it, a brilliant idea suddenly came in my mind. Instead of a desktop computer, I told him to buy him a netbook instead plus a printer. He asked me what’s the difference between a desktop computer and a netbook. I explained that he would need a device like a netbook which he cannot only use inside his room but also while in class. And since he’s taking up a medical course, a lot of classes involve a laboratory and off-campus sessions. My son agreed and was really convinced.

He let me pick the best netbook for him. Since childhood, my son always depends on me so he allowed me to select a netbook when he knew I could let him do that.

I had no time to go out to any electronics store so I looked on the internet. There was a wide variety of choices. I thought purchasing online would be easier. I didn’t have any idea how hard to choose the best one. As much as possible, I wouldn’t let my son feel disappointed. I really sat in front of the computer one long evening to be able to find the netbook for him.

After several hours of reviewing specifications from various brands, I was able to discover the Samsung NC10-13B. This handy, revolutionary netbook has astonishing features. Captivating and high-performance structures are carefully designed to make this Samusng NC10-13B effective and helpful to use. Made with a 10.1-inch widescreen display of a 104 x 600 pixel resolution, wide hard drive storage of 160 GB and an expandable 1 GB DDR2 RAM up to 2 GB, this netbook would be a perfect school mate for my son.

He would incredibly love to carry this 2.8 pounds netbook., equipped with a 6-cell lithium-ion battery, he would probably use it for up to six hours. There’s also a wireless connectivity available for internet access.

I thought this would be the ideal netbook for my son so I purchased it that evening. When the day the netbook arrived, I gave him the Samsung NC10-13B. He knew at that moment that he’s really ready to begin his college life.

Are you having sleepless nights thinking about impressing your beau’s family on Christmas? The best way to impress is to be yourself and reap compliments.
If you are looking to spend Christmas with your beau’s family, be careful for you are bound to be under the scanner. The essential part is to be yourself and not let any pretensions come in the way.

Do not panic and stay confident in your skin. Do not go over the board and follow these rules to play safe on the Christmas dinner.

Should You Get The Diva Look?

Be a diva in looks and not in attitude.

All you need is to get your regular clean up done and sport a fresh look. Get your regular beauty regime done like a diva and let the red flush bloom on your cheeks. A clean yet simple face reflects positivity and confidence.

<Less Make Up Works Better

Keep the makeup subtle yet exotic. Shades of red are applicable on dress and lip and nail color only.

Do not try out something new for once and stick to the tried and tested in your makeup. Try to keep it as simple as possible. A basic foundation teamed with eyeliner and a dab of lipstick is apt for the occasion.

Be Comfortable

Be warm and confident while greeting the prospective in-laws. Try to look at ease and wear something comfortable. Do not try to look over sizzling by putting extra efforts. Be comfortable in whatever you wear. Traditional works best with family, so keep the exotic stuff for your honeymoon.

Christmas Gifts

Ensure that you take along some nice gift to their place. A bouquet of fresh flowers is the safest and best bet for your prospective in-laws.

You can take a combination of allium with palm leaves if your prospective in-laws are religious. Palm is considered to be auspicious during Christmas.

For the sophisticated lot, nothing is more exotic than fresh cut yellow and pink orchids.

Whatever you do, be your natural self without being overly relaxed. Any put-ons that you may be able to achieve for a short time will only harm you later, as your natural self will definitely get seen through. Let your beau’s parents love you for what you are.

Go ahead and have a great Christmas party!

My husband is a minister and he always performs a wedding ceremony. One of the problems of many couples is what to select as their engagement ring. Some women want to have a ring that will perfectly represent an aspect of their relationship. So, what we did was we accompanied them to the jewelry store. We cannot find what they want until we stopped by the next jewelry store.

There they found the 14 White Gold 3 Three Stone Round Diamond Ring (1/2 ctw). It is a Diva Diamonds. This 14k Gold Diamond ring is prong set with 3 round diamonds. The total diamond rate is 0.50 cts . The diamonds have H1 color and I1 clarity. The ring looked very beautiful and stunning. Most of the engaged ladies would like to have one like this. The fiancée was so mesmerized by the diamond ring. She wanted her fiancé to buy the elegant diamond ring for her as their engagement ring. She claimed that it was her personal dream ring that’s about to come true. She wanted to have it as soon as she saw it.

The diamond ring highlights three individual stones that are ideally magical. It is very beautiful to look upon. Three stone diamond rings are sometimes called trilogy or trinity rings, but regardless of what they are called, they are spectacular and beautiful. I was so amazed by its beauty and I wished I could also buy one like this.

Each of the three diamonds in this beautiful 14K White Gold Round Diamond Ring represents a symbol of their relationship. The largest diamond in the center of the ring represents their combined love as a couple, while each of the diamonds to both sides represents their individual love for one another. The jewelry store owner also informed them that the three stones in this 14K White Gold Round Diamond Ring represent the past, present and future of their relationship. The owner also said that the 14K White Gold 3 Three Stone Round Diamond Ring is among the popular engagement ring. The white gold diamond ring can also be given as an anniversary gift and any occasion anyone would like to make the recipient feels extra special. How I wish that my husband would also buy me one like this.

The store owner also encouraged them to take care of this very special 14K White Gold 3 Three Stone Round Diamond Ring carefully. Obviously, it is a gorgeous ring available at a great value, but it is worth it. Furthermore, he said the ring is an ideal sway to symbolize a couple’s commitment and love for each other.

Without further ado, the couple bought this 14th gold diamond ring. I have seen how excited and contented the lady was when she knew she could have the beautiful white gold diamond ring.

The couple was so happy that they were able to buy this kind of ring because it’s what they have been looking for. They thanked us for helping them sort out their engagement rings. My husband and I thought they will be happy couples soon.

Welcome to the third of my It’s the Thought That Counts series of items that remind me of particular friends. People who have inspired me to put together these selections of temptations for your browsing pleasure.

This one is for Melanie, she of the always fascinating Madame Guillotine blog, and the talented author of The Journal of Marie Antoinette.

I have previously put together a collection inspired by her, but simply couldn’t leave her out of this current round-up of Lovely Stuff I Would Give My Friends. Particularly as our tastes are quite similar in many ways – we both adore slightly seedy Victoriana, Marie Antoinette (naturellement), Gin, and have a fascination with Jack the Ripper.

Goodness, that makes us sound really charming!

Anyway, I present for your delectation, a themed selection of wonderful things: Thinking of Melanie…

Direct links to items shown, left to right:

1st Row: 1) Petit Coterie, 2) Middleburg, 3) T Capone Photo

2nd Row: 1) A Double Grace, 2) Hoolala, 3) Dangerous Liason

3rd Row: 1) Plumes and Pearls, 2) Jeanie Bean Shop, 3) Elizabeth Ocean

4th Row: 1) Gimm Cat, 2) Victorian Lowbrow, 3) 5 Dollar French Market

I’m having a lovely day full of delightful surprises, very well chosen gifts, wonderful food and even better company – slightly marred by now having to work tomorrow due to staff sickness, but ah well, onwards and upwards I suppose!

I also smell quite divine, as I am currently wearing one of the be-ringleted one’s gifts, a bottle of Diptyque’s L’Ombre dans L’Eau [Shadow on the Water].

Am surrounded by piles of Excellent Stuff and feeling very pleased, but so, so desperately wishing that I could have the long wished-for lie in followed by bacon-sandwich-in-bed, followed by a sedate walk through the woods, followed by cold turkey, home-baked gammon and general slouching around in a state of deshabille, like drunken bumble-bees.

Work (being the first day of Sale) somehow just doesn’t holds the same appeal!

Ah well, work is the curse of the drinking classes and all that.

Lots of love to you all, and I hope you had a truly magical Christmas day!

Until next time, darlings

Miss Nightingale

x

It must be difficult to think of  Chrsitmas gifts for the hard to buy for. If you are running out of any gift ideas then read further as we explore possible gifts for Christmas that you may want to buy and present to that special someone.

Gift Certificates

It is quite an obvious gift, but if that special person is quite hard to buy a gift for then gift certificates will be the safest option. By purchasing a gift certificate you can never go wrong as the recipient will decide what products to buy instead. To make that person feel you have exerted some efforts, avoid common high street shops. There are various online gift shops that offer extensive Christmas gift products but it would be great if you pick one that offers something unique.

Sports or Theatre Tickets

Another Christmas gift idea for the hard to buy for is to purchase voucher for them to use for buying tickets for their favourite upcoming sports event or theatrical shows.
Spa Services

Is that person workaholic? Stress maybe? Then this is probably something that is worth considering as a Christmas gift. Buy a prepaid card that they can use for a variety of spa services. From head massage,  facial, body massage to foot massage.

Perfume or After Shave.

Perfumes and after shaves tends to be on the Christmas Gift ideas Lists. So why not get one for that hard to buy for person. You can always try a new scent or brand but the safest bet would be to give what that person normally wears.

Fitness Program

Another Christmas gift idea for the hard to buy for is purchasing a fitness membership of some sort. Pre-pay for a month, three months, six months or even a year of access. It doesn’t have to be the ususal gym membership. Try and explore that person’s interests. Swimming, Karate, Dance and Ballet Class.

If you have any more Christmas gift suggestions for that people that are hard to buy for, feel free to add via the comments section below.

Oh, let’s be honest. If we were all really done with our Christmas-gift wrapping, we really would have skipped the cheap rolls in the almost-empty bin at CVS and snagged really chic wrapping paper ahead of time to make the space under the tree really merry and really bright. Realllllly.

Jacqueline Gift Wrap Sheet by ErinRuth at etsy

LoopWrap – Drawing Series by Loop

Felicity Gift Wrap Sheet by ErinRuth at etsy

Paper from Erin Furey (spotted at the Martha Stewart staffers’ craft show. She doesn’t seem to be selling it online, but I’m keeping an eye out for her for next year.) (Really.)

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May the warmth of the season touch everyone’s heart.  We wish to thank all our friends and clients for your incredible support throughout the year.  Without you, we would never have come this far since  1994 and certainly we would not have survived the unique challenges of 2009l

With all of our hearts we wish you lots of X’s,  O’s, Ooooh’s and Ahhhhh’s for the holiday season and every day ahead…

The Official Florist and the Starbright Team