After having the commercial crammed down our throats through the television and listening to my seven year old beg for these for years, I invested in picking up a small, $5 kit from WalMart. After having them out of the package for just a few hours, I was …

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 …

I know that friends back home would be expecting some nice gifts when I return from Bangkok, Thailand.
So, the last evening of my stay in Bangkok, the City of Angels, I went around looking for some Thai gifts. There were so many nice and beautiful items, Thai traditional …

This is a piece that I bought about ten years ago, which was around the time that I first started collecting Swarovski crystal figurines. I like the faceting on Swarovski’s pieces and the way the light reflects off of them so that you can see virtually every color in …

Known for innovative products, Sharper Image brings us a great gift idea! Christmas is just around the corner (Yes, it’s on its way!)so you may want to start thinking of the gifts that you would like to give your friends and family members.
Instead of buying somthing right off the …

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, …

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 will freely admit that I am not the most knowledgeable person when it comes to K & M International of Ohio, but I thought it was worth writing a review of their standing wolf plush figure as it is really rather impressive, and could make an excellent gift …

I don’t have any other crystal bird figurines from Crystal World, so I am glad that I had the opportunity to purchase this one. And what’s more, it is a bluebird, so that really makes it something special. Every once in a while, I do see crystal and glass …

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 perfume bottle in a gift shop called People’s Pottery, which is where I used to work. They sold all kinds of handmade metal sculptures, art glass, and ceramics as well as handmade sterling and semi-precious gemstone jewelry. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to work there very long, …

This is a wonderful gift idea, I should know I was gifted this along with another of Plant Theatres kits.
The kit contains 6 packets of different herb seeds (basil, parsley, thyme, chives, coriander, rocket), 6 starter growing pots from peat, 6 peat expandable peat blocks, 6 plant markers and …

My scent-sensitive self lately is taking the direction toward easy, uncomplicated, and cheerful scents. I cannot explain why, but I seem to have caught a happy bug or something. Maybe the scents and sensations of the things I’m using of late have something to do with it. …

Nanoblocks are what you get when the Japanese fascination with miniaturization meets the Danish toy phenomenon LEGO. First released exclusively in Japan in 2008 the expanding range of Nanoblock sets has now found footing in over 31 countries including the USA, UK and France. The tagline for the product is, …

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. …

Swarovski simply called this piece “A Flower,” but I think it is retired. I don’t know why they didn’t give it a distinct flower name, like they did with their other flower figurines that they created around the same time that they created this one. Swarovski released a series …

I am a cat lover, and I’ve owned a couple of cats over the years. So naturally I love to collect cat figurines, whether they are made of crystal or clay or what have you. I have some interesting cat knick-knicks in my bedroom, and they come in varying …

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 …

The TMX Elmo doll is a very cute doll that was all the rage in the winter of 2006 and when I got the doll I could see why. The doll is covered beautifully in red fur and the face of elmo is detailed very nicely into looking exactly …

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 purchased this glass paperweight in Bloomingdale’s at a time when they carried Caithness art glass. I don’t think they carry it anymore. Caithness is a company from Scotland that produces gorgeous handmade glass paperweights. I have a few of them, and I think they are all fascinating in …

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 …

The opotimum reward card can be signed up for right online at the optimum website and is given if you subscribe to cable television , telephone and computer. If you have all 3 you are then eleigible to apply for the optimum reward card to which you have …

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, …

I bought this crystal turtle at a jewelry store that was having a huge sale, and they carried some giftware as well as jewels. I always get Baccarat and Lalique confused, because their animal figurines are very similar in size and design. I think one big difference between them …

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 this slot machine figurine in a gift shop at The Hilton Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City. At the time I bought it, it may not have been called The Hilton. It may have been Bally’s Grand back then. But anyway, I just happened to come across …

I believe this Swarovski cake figurine was a gift that my brother gave me, because I asked for it. But that was quite a few years ago, so I’m sure that it was less expensive than it is now. On the Swarovski website, it says that this piece costs …

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 wish I knew what crystal company designed this figurine. I bought it on QVC several years ago, back when they were dealing with a company called Crystal Dream. But when I google Crystal Dream, I can’t find anything. So maybe they went out of business or changed the …

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 …

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 …

I think I bought this crystal figurine in a Hallmark shop in Cape May, NJ, several years ago. Unfortunately, I don’t know the name of the company. I know that it is not a Swarovski piece, because I have many of their pieces, and this doesn’t look like their …

To be honest, I was not even sure what this crystal figurine was until I did some research on it a few minutes ago. And here I have had it all this time (about eight years), not knowing what it was! I bought it in a jewelry and gift …

Shadow puppets are something that I have always been fascinated with as a child for some reason, but could never really figure out how to do myself. Especially during the Halloween season, where I would see shadows of all sorts of creepy and spooky figures like ghosts and pumpkin …

I was struggling to get something for my friend’s son’s birthday this year. He is a big fan of Thomas the Tank Engine and I eventually found a Thomas and Friends —˜Wheelie’ Bag. I thought it would be appropriate since they were due to go on holiday; I thought …

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 …

I bought this candle as a gift for a good friend of mine who loves candles as much as I do. I have to be honest and admit that I also bought one for myself. The smell is long lasting and just amazing. I actually wear this scent of …

This is a piece that got my attention several years ago when it first came out. Unfortunately, it sold out at most of the stores in my area. But I did locate one store that still had it in stock, so I purchased it. Now Swarovski is having an …

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 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. …

If you have a difficult man in your life to shop for, Omaha Steak Company can be found online at omahasteaks.com. They offer a wide variety of meats, side dishes, fish, and cookingware. One thing that most men have in common is that they enjoy good food, …

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 …

As sure as fate, we are all repeatedly asking ourselves how to make somebody a present, how to choose the right gift and how to balance our budget with expectations of recipient. For me, desperate attempts to resolve this kind of problems fast and furiously are finally just a …

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 …

Recently, I was given a coin as a gift. Generally when I buy or receive coins, they’re generally Canadian. This coin that was gifted to me was made for Tokelau, New Zealand. Tokelau is an island and a territory of New Zealand. The coin is called ‘Pegasus’, and it is …

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 …

It is always sad to see Swarovski retire a gorgeous crystal figurine, especially when it is a piece that hasn’t even been on the market very long. That was the case with this little violet figurine. When I heard it was being retired, I made sure I got to …

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 …

I was browsing ebay as early as 5 in the morning when I stumbled upon auction listings about to end soon. One particular ad caught my attention; it was too impulsive a deal to miss so I placed my bid to the very last minute. Consequently, I …