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 …

Sally Ray Cairn’s Asian Style Note Card set is a very beautiful set of sixteen note cards and sixteen envelopes. The cards come in two designs, one mostly red, the other mostly black, both with their own beautiful Asian inspired design on the front. I really love …

My eight year old son received 15 Childcraft Encyclopedia Books for Christmas. I wasn’t familiar with ChildCraft but I did like the fact that they seemed sturdy and had really good illustrations that made him interested in reading the stories.
The books in the collection are:
Once …

I am definitely one of those people who see a candle rack in the stores and have to stop to take in the scent of each one. There is just something so peaceful about lighting up a candle to fill the room with wonderful fragrances to add to my …

This piece is fifteen years old, and yet Glass Eye Studio is still creating it. It is featured on their website. I think that is amazing, because I have a few other GES pieces that are no longer being created. I guess they were either limited-edition pieces, or they …

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 …

With Mother’s Day coming up I thought I’d tell you about a gift that I gave my mom last year. This gift was called “Breakfast in Bed” gift basket. It comes with pancake and waffle mix, apple maple syrup, white mocha hot coffee, strawberry preserves, tea and scone …

While I can’t exactly remember who gave this to me and when, since it was so long ago, I do know that the “Sad Sam Vintage Tight Stuffed Toy” made a cute and splendid gift. I did not even know that the “Sad Sam Vintage Tight Stuffed Toys” existed …

I received a box of photo coasters from my mom for Christmas one year. Knowing that my mom bought them, they must be resonably priced. When I opened the coasters I noticed that they are frosted glass with a place to put a picture in the middle …

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 …

The Carol Wright gift catalog features suede zip around credit card holder wallets. They are 4.98 each and are simply beautiful.Comes in blac,brown or being suede. Has about l6 2 sided plastics to hold all credit cards plus two extra pockets on each side and a see …

I was looking for a gift to give my 3-year-old goddaughter at the toy store. One toy that caught my eye was Disney’s Baby Princess Doll Collection. The collection consisted of baby versions of Disney princesses. There were five in the set—Ariel, Belle, Aurora, Snow White …

The other day we got a glossy magazine called the Lookbook in our mailbox. I knew it wasn’t a Christmas catalogue we had ordered, and was intrigued when I found out it had been put out by Canada Postal Service.
This 40-page catalogue had a glossy red and green front …

One big reason why I purchased this piece was because a local gallery had it in their section of “Half Off” merchandise. But I don’t remember what I paid for it. I would imagine that it was around $50 or so, because I know that particular gallery carries some …

This is a great winter/fall scent and has a very welcoming aura, when lighting this up. The scent is exaclty what it states it is, with a hint of something spicey. The scent covers up the whole room in the matter of minutes. Soon after a short period of …

This paperweight is signed “RMJ” underneath, but unfortunately, I don’t know who that is. I don’t know whether those letters are someone’s initials or whether it’s the name of the glass company. I wish I knew, because this has always been one of my favorite paperweights. I bought it …

The best wedding gift I received was when my parents informed me that they were taking my flowers after the ceremony. I will admit that I was a bit perplexed, but on your wedding day things are so crazy, I did not honestly stop to think about it …

This was a limited-edition piece that was what I like to call a “spin-off” of Missy Mo, which is the cow figurine in Swarovski’s Lovlot collection. The Lovlots are a series of sweet little animal caricatures that include mice, dogs, ducks, and the list of animals goes on and …

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 …

This glorious crystal cat figurine was a limited-edition piece, and I believe it was made exclusively for Tiffany. The words “Tiffany & Co” are printed underneath it. When I saw this piece, it had my name written all over it. I am a cat lover, and I love the …

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 was looking around for a gift for a friend who was going through a rough time, and I drew a blank on ideas. Flowers are boring and cliché, and I couldn’t think of anything that would cheer her up. I then remembered that some years ago, my sister …

I saw the ads. The Edible Arrangement are not just edible. They are beautiful and I was curious about it. But a friend who check it out as a possible holiday gift said that it is too pricey. So I was wondering if it is worth the price …

Christmas magazines are always fun to obtain. The projects are usually quick, and fun. Not always easy, but useful.
30 Knits to Give and Get, Fast and Easy Projects Knitspiration for the Holidays. Interweave Knits newest Christmas issue.
It was enjoyable reading up on cashmere and silk. I own both, …

Ever been in one of those situations where you can get free shipping, but you’re a few dollars off? I was recently, so I decided to buy Ghiradelli Ornament Balls to make up the difference. That way, I got something instead of just paying out shipping.
Ghiradelli Ornament …

“Hi Mum, sent you an online Christmas pressie, hope you all enjoy it!” ..that was the parting shot from our son calling us from Canada.
When the delivery van drew up outside of the house and an enormous box was unloaded our eyes nearly popped out of our heads!
We …

Another holiday or occasion is coming up; most of us must have been pretty busy searching for the right gift or cards to send to our loved ones. Well, I’d say there is only one place to go for online or e-cards this valentine’s season and that would be …

When you’re looking for a party favor or a quick gift to give someone when visiting them, why nt try cholocate dipped spoons?
Next time you’re in the dollar shop, grab a pack of plastic sppons, and a pack of chocolate chips.
Melt the chocolate chps slowly over a bowl of boiling …

Hey, it’s getting into Christmas time/ holiday season again, and you know what that means—¦(Other than the annoying companies who like to shlock their crappy products WAY too early in the season using the timeless tunes of carols.) No, I mean, this time of year is the season for …

Prestige Art Glass Studio creates handmade glass pieces (paperweights, figurines, etc.). I actually have two of these glass teapot ring holders — one in blue and one in pink. Yes, that’s right. You can use this little teapot to hold some of your rings. But it will only hold …

This is a very exquisite piece of jewelry and one that’s priced very accordingly, making it a very nice gift to give your friends and relatives. I honestly thought it was expensive at first but this necklace is priced at a mere $95 and it comes with a rose-gold …

I was, during my last visit to Bangkok, Thailand, walking around in the Central World Plaza building, floor to floor, looking for some nice gifts and souveniers for my sister and her family back home. Ofcourse, the Central World Plaza building was a huge building, and with the recent …

I purchased this Swarovski crystal tulip several years ago. It all began when Swarovski started to create lovely little, single flowers in faceted pots. First they made one that didn’t have a specific flower name. It simply had five rounded petals, and the flower was available in clear crystal …

I just got this mug for Christmas, because I am a cat lover. I had never been familiar with this company Lang before. But now I have gone on their website, and I have noticed that they sell calendars, stationery, puzzles, and many other products. The site features a …

I would have called this piece something like “Mini Butterfly” or “Baby Butterfly” instead of “Spring Butterfly.” This is a small figurine (one and a quarter inches tall), and there is something very sweet and innocent looking about this piece. This looks like a butterfly that is not fully …

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 …

I’ve been shopping a lot, lately, for children’s toys and those items that are not exactly toy level, but, more teaching level.
At Target, in Eureka, CA, I came upon a wonderful item that many of my friends have, actually, gone out to buy for their Christmas gifts, as well. …

The Norelco Sound Selector ST200 is one really neat item that family members have enjoyed for a long time. It’s a reliable and easy way to enjoy something other than the chatter of the radio or the yammering of the television. Your senses and imagination can take …

There is no real secret behind snow globes. They come in various sizes, themes, and some even come with a wind up lever to play music. But even though there is no real secret behind them, the joy that they bring is inevitably apparent. What I feel makes snow …

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. …

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 …

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 cast paper wall sculpture at People’s Pottery in Willow Grove, PA, which closed down years ago. They carried all kinds of handmade metal sculptures as well as art glass, ceramics, and jewelry. I love all different kinds of tropical fish because of their bright colors and …

This is a piece that reminds me of the African violet plants that I used to own many years ago. It is fun to own flowered plants, as long as they are easy to care for. Fortunately, this figurine does not require any maintenance, except an occasional polishing. I …

Lately one of the newest Valentine’s Day crazes is not necessarily to get roses, but to name a star after your loved one! That’s right, a star. My fiance did an incredibly sweet thing for me and contacted the International Star Registry to have a star named after me. …

From my experience, children absolutely love animals. While interning at a local elementary school, I was teaching a lesson that revolved around a book about animals in the rainforest, which were of course animals that none of the students had seen up close. They loved it! Every page was …

I remember buying a few Crystal World flower figurines within a course of maybe three to six months. That was several years ago. Now I am trying to practice some self-control and avoid buying as many, since it gets costly after a while and I find myself searching for …

While shopping at the mall one day for a gift for an out of state friend coming to town, I happened on these resin characters known as Quarry Critters. They are figurines made by Second Nature Design and they are absolutely adorable. I was so excited when I saw …

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 …

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 …