One of the most requested toys from Santa this holiday season, it the every popular, Baby Alive Doll by Hasbro. Originally introduced in the 60′ to baby boomers all over America, Hasbro has redeveloped, repackaged, and “repriced” this popular doll. Retailing in most departement stores for $49.99, this doll …

The ‘Lamaze Octivity Time’ is one of the best gifts my baby has ever received. It is a cute little colorful octopus with every one of its eight legs providing an opportunity to explore and learn.
My baby used to spend hours engrossed in the octopus. This plush colorful green …

I love Creator’s Touch Greeting Cards! The photographer has a special gift for taking macro photos. She captures the most minute hairs on the end of a butterfly snout. Of course her Nikon is a good camera, but she has the eye that a nature photographer needs to capture …

I have a soft spot for all things mid-century, so when I spotted Kitschy Canapés: Finger Foods for the Swinger Set, I just had to have it! When you purchase the Kitschy Canapé’s gift set, you receive a 64 page recipe book, 6 retro inspired plastic fruit …

There are many different brands of candles that are located in my room. And perhaps one of the most conventional candles that I own is the Travel Tin Candle. I can pack it up and take it with me wherever I go, not that I am going to just …

This figurine is one of my favorite pieces from Crystal World. I have around ten of them. What sets them apart from Swarovski crystal figurines is that many of Swarovski’s pieces are made entirely of clear crystal. Crystal World creates their figurines by combining clear and colored crystal. That …

I have found that children ages ten through fourteen can be really difficult to shop for. They are no longer into baby toys or teeny tiny children toys, but they are not yet into full fledge teenager things either. I have found that getting them a gift …

I have always wanted to send a gift that doesn’t cost too much, but has a special meaning. I discovered InstaSong.com a while ago. For a price of $4.95, you can choose any of the occasion, whether it is for a birthday, anniversary or any other special occasion.
You can …

The Strawberry Patch Hallmark shop in Strawberry Square Harrisburg is a great place to stop in at lunch break to select a last minute gift or card for that special occasion that may have slipped your mind. I often find myself stopping in and checking out their 99 cent …

I bought this paperweight at a local gift shop called Ashley Avery Collectibles. I have had this piece for about ten years now, and I never knew what kind of flower this was or what the name of the paperweight was. Well, I am just now doing some interesting …

I bought a few glass pieces from Marilyn Kimble Holt at an expo several years ago. This piece was one of them, but she told me that her son Zeke made this particular piece. He even signed it underneath. I had never seen any of Marilyn’s work before that, …

My friend just gave me a Love the Earth 2011 CD Case Desk Calendar. I love nature and the environment so among all the gift calendars I have received throughout the years, this one is one of the few that stand out. Each Christmas and New Year, …

The gallery that carried this piece was having a sale, so I was very lucky to be able to get it at half-price. I bought it seven or eight years ago, but if I remember correctly, it was originally $150. So I got it for $75. That is still …

I often find that the quality of assorted boxed chocolates is all over the place, and doesn’t necessarily correlate to the price. In fact, if it’s up to me I prefer not to buy assortments at all. I’d rather pick out only what I like at a specialty shop. …

With ten weeks to go until my baby comes all of my friends are busy planning my baby shower. This is how they’re trying to keep my mind off of the labor up ahead. They accomplish this by telling me to put together my gift registry. …

It’s nice that Swarovski gives names to some of their little crystal animal figurines. I believe this was a limited-edition figurine, so I purchased it as soon as I had the chance. I am an animal lover, and I have enjoyed collecting Swarovski animal figurines for about ten years …

Recently my daughter received a party pack from her cousin. She did not go to the party though, since we were away on a holiday then. Anyway, when she saw the see-through plastic packaging, she wanted me to open it for her.
We took out the items in the Barney’s …

I bought a copy of Don Miguel Ruiz’s The Four Agreements shortly after he appeared as a guest on Oprah years ago. I remember this book as being one of the few new spiritual self help books to come out that didn’t strike me as absolute nonsense.
I first …

This crystal cactus figurine was only around for about a year before Swarovski retired (discontinued) it, if I remember correctly. It’s such a shame that they didn’t keep it around longer, because I think it is just as adorable as their other little creations that are in flower pots. …

I love V Tech products. I have been buying them for gifts for 20 years, ever since they have been on the market. As a matter of fact, the children have to fight me for them. One thing to look for in buying an electronic toy, …

I came across the full range of Swarovski Crystalline Ballpoint Pens while in a souvenir shop in Titisee, Germany. I have seen these pens in brochures and have been wanting to buy them but they are always out of stock in the Swarovski outlets I have inquired with. …

Thinking of a gift for a kid? I bet you would consider giving a stuffed toy or make it your choice. Whenever there’s an occasion, I also think of giving a stuffed toy because I’m not good in choosing the gift, the recipient would love to have. But for …

With the change of season vastly approaching, the leaves turning burnt reds and orange, and the Thanksgiving holiday just around the corner, a Pumpkin Pie from Yankee Candle’s would be an ideal gift. Any home would instantly become welcomed and uplifting as the scent of this candles carries through …

The Digital Photo Frame Keychain from Wal-Mart is not only a great gift for family or friends, but also a wonderful way to carry around precious memories throughout each and every day. I purchased one for my boyfriend because he wanted to be able to look at more pictures …

I just bought this Moxie girls jammaz guitar for my 7 year old granddaughter Makayla for Christmas and she loves it! I have to tell you to start with she is very hard on toys, so far the guitar is holding up very well. Matter of fact she likes …

Although it is not exactly a modern toy, I find that a surprising number of younger children still hugely enjoy having a piggy bank in which to save their pocket money, so that it can be broken open (sometimes literally!) at a future point in order to give them …

I’m classifying this review in gifts because it occurs to me a lot of us girls shop for gifts at the Dollar Tree or similar stores looking for inexpensive gift ideas. I put a lot of thought into my gifts personally and the presentation of the gift is important …

I was at my local discount dollar store, browsing around for household items at really great prices, I am looking to cut back on my expenses and save money in any way I can. The price of gas is killing me. Well, I picked up toilet tissue, paper …

Happy Holidays I always say with a gift that is part homemade and partly bought materials. I have found that you can go creative and use Dollar Stores to really make your gift special. Last year I went to the Dollar General and picked up some cute …

Early in the Christmas ‘08 season, a friend surprised me with this item, the Lenox Shimmering Sleigh. First of all, you just can’t go wrong with Lenox. It’s quality, no matter where you purchase it. Secondly, I love reindeer, so this was a winner before I …

The ‘Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep’ coin is a decent coin for anyone’s collection. It comes in a standard maroon, Royal Canadian Mint box (similar to a jewelry box). The inside of the box is lined with black velvet and within the black velvet lies this coin. It’s a pure gold …

Visa Prepaid Gift Cards are among the best gifts to give people. They are much better than the ones you have to buy for a particular store. With the visa prepaid cards you can use them anywhere you want without having a limit to just one store. I love …

I came across the My Little Kitchen Fairy’s collection through a family member who purchased one for me one holiday. My figurine stands only a few inches tall, as a child like face of innocence and blonde hair in pig tails. She is standing on top of a chocolate …

Lee Roy the lion is one of Swarovski’s Lovlots. The Lovlots are a collection of loveable crystal animal figurines that Swarovski put out on the market several years ago, and they each have their own amusing “personality,” so to speak. Swarovski keeps adding more Lovlots to the collection, and …

I bought this little bottle in a women’s boutique called Sea Weeds by the Sea, which is located in both Cape May, NJ and Stone Harbor, NJ. They carry women’s clothing, handbags, jewelry, sunglasses, and other accessories. This perfume bottle was so tiny that I was instantly drawn to …

I recently purchased a Frondini Collection boxed gift set for a male friend of mine. Frondini has a great name in gemstone jewellery, watches and trinkets, and this boxed set is a great gift for most men.
This particular boxed gift set contains a mans watch and a liquor flask. …

This is a piece that I had my eye on a long time ago, and then I finally purchased it. There is something very cute about penguins, their shape, and the way they hobble around on the ice. And these mini figurines are extra cute, because they are baby …

I love eating all types of chocolates but my all time favorite have always been After Eight chocolates. These chocolates are generally thins mints enrobed in dark chocolates and were gifted to me by my parents on my birthday. Mint has always been my preferred flavor and these chocolates …

I have a little niece who likes Pokemon and plays all of the games, much as I did when I was her age. With the release of the games Heart Gold and Soul Silver, Nintendo licensed a series of small plush through Jakks Pacific based on popular Pokemon …

I bought the Little Princess Slim Candles from the party section of the SM Megamall supermarket to surprise my friend on her birthday. She was turning 24 at that time and having 24 pcs., the pack was perfect. We bought a simple chocolate cake and put the …

I like the fact that Swarovski gave this dolphin an unusual name that starts with a D, instead of giving it a common name like Don or Dan. Anyway, this was a darling little piece that I think is retired, which is a shame. It is one of my …

Mother Goose Nesting Blocks by Sylvia Long is a special gift item for babies and toddlers mainly. There are lots of things inside this package that your child would love to see and learn. For instance, I tried it out no my niece, and she was so loving …

I have been using Harney and Sons teas since 1996 when I had a small bakery. They have a very large collection from green to black and everything you can imagine in between. I have tasted many but my personal favorite are the greens. They have at …

Scott Bisson is a glass artist who is known for creating very realistic glass sculptures of insects, frogs, snakes, and reptiles. He has even created octopus sculptures! If you google his name, then you will come up with websites that feature his work. I think it is truly amazing …

Harry and David recently put out their 2006 Holiday gift pamphlet and it is quite awesome, if I may say so myself. There are georgous gift ideas within the catalog such as their Gourmet Tower of Treats Collection. This beautiful gift idea includes apples, cheeses, pears, cookies, …

Every year I do stocking stuffers in some sort of Christmas themed bag that I can attach to gifts. This year I am using Secret Santa Gift Bags. Each bag features Santa with a finger over his mouth and a gift tag that says “Secret Santa” on …

For the Halloween season, my aunt had sent me a large tin carton of three different kinds of popcorn. She had gotten this gift from Popcorn Expressions, and not only was the tin colorfully decorated with Halloween characters such as cats and witches, but the popcorn itself was colorful …

The way I ended up getting this piece is an interesting story. I was in the Norman Rockwell Museum in Philadelphia, PA, because I had done a charcoal drawing for the president of the museum. It was a drawing of Norman Rockwell himself, and I went there to see …

I bought this crystal peacock about fourteen years ago, but I still love it as much as I did then. I have not grown tired of looking at it. It has no logo printed underneath it, though, so I don’t know the name of the company that created it. …

One of the hot new items that stores are selling this holiday season are solar candles. Let me tell you, they’re not all they’re cracked up to be. I’ve purchased four sets now, manufactured by several different companies, and unless the light is or is not hitting …