Sure, finding the perfect gift is a challenge. But getting it to the person on time can be an even bigger battle. Between birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, holidays and every other special occasion, there are a lot of occasions to remember. Here are a few simple tools to ensure that you will never miss an important date again.

1. Check out this free PDF worksheet from Real Simple Magazine. Just print it out, write down any birthdays you don’t want to forget and keep it close so you can refer to it regularly.

2. Sign up for an online reminder service. There are several of them. One to check out is Birthday Alarm, a free service boasting 50 million members who use the site to remember important days. When you sign up, you’ll get an option to send e-mails to your e-mail contact list asking them for their birth date. Birthday Alarm sends you a reminder e-mail a couple of weeks in advance and one week ahead of the big day. You can also go to the site for free e-cards. Another option is BigDates. This service is free for the first three months, after that there is a yearly charge. You can choose between two levels of service. For $5.95 you get e-mail and text reminders of important dates. Or for $15 each year, the service includes five paper greeting cards. BigDates will also send you gift and card suggestions based on the budget for your gift and the person’s interests.

3. Try a greeting card organizer like this one from Uncommon Goods. This binder has room for 240 cards, a place to record important dates and even an address section so you know exactly where to mail the card. You will never have to search for a belated birthday card again.

4. Buy a birthday book like this one from Amazon.com. It’s not a calendar or planner that becomes out of date after a year. This is a book you’ll keep. Write in birthdays and anniversaries. Plus it contains useful information like birthstones and anniversary gifts.

photo credit: www.AlisonStorm.com

 A popular gift around our house during summer and usually for Fourth of July is the Watermelon Fruit Basket. I give it everytime I am invited to a summer Barbecue. It is a great inventive gift. I like to make a different style depending on the size of the watermelon but for this one I will advise how to make the smaller one.

It looks a lot more complicated than it actually is, you’ll keep that bit of info to yourself . First thing you do is find yourself a small round watermelon with a thick skin. Once you get it home, clean it with plain water and dry it completely. You are going to need a stencil, unless you are an artist and can freehand, to draw onto the melon. The stencil will act as a guide in carving the design into the melon.

For the design you can be as creative as you like, stencils are available at any arts and crafts store. Back to the prep:

• Peel the skin off of the watermelon, this gives you a better hold of the melon. The skin is very slick and it looks better without the skin.
• Cut the watermelon in half and scoop out the inside of it. Cut a 1″ lip around the top half of the melon and one around the bottom half of the melon. This makes the decorative edge for the two adjoining pieces of the melons.
• Now you can draw your stencil on the top half of the melon. Use a carving knife to cut the stencil completely out of the watermelon. Do a rough cutting first then you can come back and neaten it all up.
• The topper is optional, I never use it but it is made out of a turnip. You just cut it into the shape you wish, using stencils or freehand.

Anyone who sees this will be so surprised and thankful. This is the perfect gift for any outdoor event. Creative and easy to make!!

Image belongs to Temple Of Thai.

Have you ever been shopping in a nice store, bought something and walked out with a pretty package that you were happy to hold? For many of us, wrapping a gift is an afterthought. We quickly grab a drug store gift bag, shove in the present and top it off with some coordinating tissue paper. Why not try taking a cue from high end boutiques and develop your own gift wrapping style? Specialty shops use their gift wrapping to send a message and to communicate their brand. By developing your signature gift wrapping style you can send a message that you take pleasure in the little details of life. Here are some simple steps that will make your gifts stand out and take the stress out of wrapping.

1. Pick a color scheme. Keep it simple. Try to select colors that will work throughout the year like brown and lime, pink and black or white and blue. Select colors that are fresh and bold. Make sure you love them because after all, this wrapping is your signature.

2. Buy in bulk. Stock up on your chosen colors. Buy a few rolls of the chocolate colored wrapping paper or the black ribbon. That way when you need it it’s ready to go. You won’t have to waste time running to the drug store for tissue paper or wrapping paper.

3. Add a special touch. Use saddle-stitched grosgrain ribbon. Attach a monogram label like these from Karen Smallbone. Or create cool custom stickers at Moo.com. This unique addition is what gives your gift style and flair.

4. Forget the card. Greeting cards can be expensive. Try adding a simple shipping tag like these from Impress. Write a thoughtful note on it. Decorate them using a rubber stamp. Another option are these pastel vellum tags from Impress.

4. Start wrapping! Your gifts will be noticed for their originality and style. Friends will start to recognize your signature wrapping style and know that a package that pretty must be holding something great. Plus they’ll know that you cared enough to make their gift truly special.

Image belongs to www.karensmallbone.com

The perfect baby shower gift that you can make is the “On My Way Bag”. I like to do this because it’s a more personal gift and it’s so creative. This bag is a baby sling filled with goodies made especially for mommy and new baby. Made to be used at the hospital and the 1st few days home. The mom-to-be will absolutely love this gift. Here is what you need:

• a baby sling – this will act as the container for everything
• paper filler – tissue papers used for gifts
• clear tape

For Mommy

• foot and hand cream
• stress ball
• lip balm
• socks with grippers
• preggie pops
• disposable camera
• massage oil – for feet and back
• breast and sanitary pads
• mini baby book -1st week baby book

For Baby

• small pack of newborn diapers
• baby blanket
• alcohol pads – for the cord
• baby mittens and socks
• pack of onesie’s
• diaper rash cream
• pacifier

The bag is really simple and fun to put together. If you don’t know the gender of the baby use unisex colors and items. For the baby book, I like to create my own in a scrapbooking form, but you can buy one that will be just as perfect. Just a simple 1st week baby book can be made out of any small photo album book.

Start with placing the largest things in first. I usually do the diapers, massage oil, cream, and baby book. Once you get the bigger things in start filling in the bottom with papers as needed and placing in the smaller items and taping them in place. Make sure you have things “popping” out the top for visual effect. The baby sling has a wide enough opening so that you can fix it up and make it look as pretty as you like. Once the bag is completed, place a ribbon around one strap and make sure everything is neat and secured down with tape. You should now have a beautiful “On My Way Bag”, great for mommy and baby!

Images belong to www.babyzoop.co.uk, www.ramonapregnancy.org

Maybe it’s your dad. Or your best friend from college. You might even be married to one. Everybody knows those people who already have everything. And every year when their birthday rolls around or Christmas arrives you go through the same stressful routine of pondering, searching and ultimately settling for a gift that doesn’t really measure up. How about giving a gift that matters? It’s a perfect idea for people who have everything. There are plenty of resources to check out and products to consider if you’re looking to give a gift that matters. Here are a four ideas to get you started.

1. Changing the Present. At ChangingthePresent.org you can browse gifts that support a wide variety of causes impacting places all over the world. The price points vary, too so whether you have $5 or $50 you can find a way to give a gift that matters. A $50 gift provides a month of porridge to a malnourished child through Action Against Hunger. For a $10 donation you can give a disadvantaged woman an interview suit through Dress for Success. And for just $5 you can provide 14 meals to school children through Operation USA. Once you’ve picked out the perfect gift you can create a card that announces your gift.

2. HydroMissions. For a very affordable, and very meaningful gift, check out Hydromissions International. Each week volunteers make the soap by hand and then sell it to raise money for projects that help bring access to clean drinking water to people in developing countries. The soap comes in yummy scents like Bora Bora Bubblegum and Galapagos Green Tea. Plus each bar is just $3.99.

3.GiftBack.com. At GiftBack.com, ten percent of your purchase goes to a charity of your choice. Just shop for items like fruit, chocolate or an engraved business card case. Ten percent of whatever you purchase goes to a charity of choice.

4. Toms Shoes. Give a gift that gives twice. Pick up a pair of TOMS Shoes for just $42. Plus, with every pair of TOMS you buy, they’ll give a pair of shoes to a child in need.

photo credit:  Hydro Missions

Today I’d like to talk about one of the most delicate artists I have ever met. Her name is Joanne Mannell and she is a California artist. Her work has been exhibited in galleries and at Art Shows across California. You can visit her website at www.MannellGallery.com

Her love of nature influenced her work  and is reflected in a huge selection of brilliant landscapes, soft florals and colorful seascapes. Ms. Mannell also makes custom work. All you have to do is contact her.

Some of her most famous floral paintings are beautifully handcrafted into Greeting Cards and come with their own envelope. The actual size is 5×7. The price is $3 each or $2.75 if you buy 10 or more. They also come in a Gift-Boxed Variety Pack of 6 for $25.

The beautiful selection is available online at www.MannellGallery.com

Ms. Mannell will be present at the Apple Hill Arts and Crafts Show, High Hill Ranch in California, starting August 30, 2008 till November 15, 2008.

Images belong to: www.MannellGallery.com

 What little child does not love Curious George? The next time you are invited to birthday party or you want to make something special for your little one, why not give a cake. Cakes are always known for “get well soon” occasions or welcome gifts.

Here is one specially made for kids. The Curious George cake is a fun and creative gift that is sure to get screams and smiles of joy out of the little ones.

What you’ll need:

• knife
• rubber spatula
• muffin pan and cupcake papers
• chocolate cake mix
• well greased oven safe glass bowl, preferably 2 quarts
• wire baking rack
• caramel frosting
• 2 doublestuffed oreo cookies (minis if you can find them)
• small amount of red icing and black icing

Now you have all your ingredients, let’s get cooking.

1. Follow directions for mixing cake
2. Pour 2/3 of batter into the greased glass bowl
3. Use remaining to fill up the 3 muffins (3/4 full, each)
4. Put cake and cupcakes in oven and bake until done (cupcakes will cook faster than cake)
5. Once finished, allow to cool completely on the wire racks

Eveything must be completely cooled so that the frosting won’t get crumbs in it. Ok, everything is cooked and cooled. Let’s make us a Curious George!

Face

• Use the caramel frosting to make the face shape as shown in the picture. Like a large 8 for the upper and the bottom is simple. Make sure to come all the way to the bottom of the cake.
• Get the frosting as smooth as possible using the spatula.

Ears

• Put frosting on one cupcake using the caramel frosting
• Cut the cupcake vertically in half
• Put each half onto the side of the head using frosting to secure it

Eyes

• Take the Oreos apart
• Flatten out the creme into circular shapes and place accordingly on the face
• Use the oreo cookie part for the pupil
• Draw eyebrows using the black frosting

Nose

• Use the black icing to draw the nose and the nostrils as pictured

Mouth

• Using the black frosting, draw a shallow “U” about 1 1/2 inches below the nose
• Draw the bottom of the mouth, make sure to connect it to the top and leave room for the tongue
• For the tongue, use the red icing and make the tongue

Now you have yourself a pretty nice adorable Curious George. Plate it and it’s ready for any child!! You can box it up or leave it as is.

Image belongs to www.pbs.org

When you’re cruising the net, you never know what kind of site you are going to stumble onto. The great thing about being a gift blogger is I get paid to blunder around the net looking for cool things. So when PerpetualKid.Com popped up, I was obliged to spend loads of time checking out some of the hilarious items available. It’s all in the name of research folks – no goofing around here. *fingers crossed behind my back*

PepertualKid.Com offers a great collection of items for people who have a great sense of humor or for the person who has everything.

One of the site’s most popular items is “The Ex Vodoo Knife Set.” It’s billed as a “cathartic knife holder” that come with 5 stainless steel knives. Art and functionality combine with this holder as it uses magnetic sleeves to keep the 8-inch chef, bread, carver knives, 5-inch utility knife and 3.5-inch paring knife in place.

Available in several colors including red, black, chrome and pink, this holder is a great gift for a friend going through relationship drama or for a daughter going away to college or getting her first apartment – which makes me think Dads are going to be lined up for this one! This fun gift has been featured in Time Magazine and USA Today.

photo credit: www.perpetualkid.com

How many times are parents and grandparents asked to see pictures of the kids? Too many times to name. Well now, you can give that special parent or grandparent a gift they will truly cherish. I thought this was the coolest idea for a gift I have seen in a very long time. This is a Portable Digital Photo Album, currently sold by QVC. It holds up to 1000 photos, isn’t that impressive . It has the ability to set categories for each collection of photos you may have. Let’s say you want to separate all the kids or grandkids into their own section, you can do that with this album. Here’s where the neat creative idea comes in, for the next Mother’s Day, Valentine’s Day, Birthday or special occasion; give that special person this gift only you fill it up with some images for them. Grandma will love to recieve it with pictures of the grandkids already in it.

     A great idea for a grandparent! Fill this little device up with tons of pictures of your kids, special trips, anything they would want pictures of and then send it to you mom or dad. They will love it. No more, waiting for pictures through the mail or trying to get them developed and cropped down to fit into a wallet. Keep all the pictures neatly together and organized, ready to be shown off. The digital photo album comes in five adorable colors and comes with the software to crop and edit photos on your device. They can show pictures in a slide show or one at a time. Just imagine, you can just email your pictures and your mother or father will be able to simply download them straight into their handy little portable digital photo album. On Sale for $72.84, you just add the images. Once all your pictures are on it…Voila’…instant personalized one-of-a-kind present for that special person.

For more ideas on digital photo albums and frames, please visit our Gift Store!

-Image belongs to QVC

Are you on that endless search for that distinctive and charming gift? We have the perfect suggestion for any gift giving time, which will light up any woman’s eyes and hair for that matter!

Since every woman has a hairbrush, we suggest these Great Diva Hairbrushes! For only $10 each, these high quality hairbrushes are adorned with a 3D and fantastic Diva of your choice. You can tailor the hairbrush to the eccentricities of your Diva! The Vixen Diva Hairbrush with her Ãœber Cool black hair with silver streaks in it make that dull and average hairbrush fun to use again! Resembling the characteristics of the women you are buying the brush for is made easy with specific activities to choose from like Shopping, Cooking or Bathing Diva.

If you want more than just a hairbrush, you can select one of the Diva Gift Baskets with bath products to accompany the hairbrush. Coming Soon there will be more Diva Hairbrushes with more activities like Golf, Sunbathing and Harley Diva!

These unique hairbrushes can only be found online at www.giftsandfineart.com. They do make the perfect gift for the Diva in your life! Don’t forget to pick one up for yourself!

photo credit: www.giftsandfineart.com