Yearly Archives: 2015

Top 5 Gift Ideas Blowing Up on Pinterest

Princess Diana - May 17, 2015 - Catch All

The Pinterest votes are in! Drum roll please…

We’re so excited to share our Top 5 most repinned thoughtful gift ideas on Pinterest! Any of these popular gifts will make someone in your life feel very special. Happy gifting!

1) Easy Peasy Birthday Money Box

2) 18 Things I Wish I Had Known at 18

5) Random Acts of Kindness for Your Own or Someone Else’s Birthday

pay it forward popcorn taped to Redbox machine

Pay It Forward Idea – Tape a package of microwaveable popcorn to a Redbox machine along with a note!

[ninja-inline id=6430]

Thoughtful Teacher Gifts

Queen Darlene - May 14, 2015 - $20 or Less, Teacher Gifts

When my kids were in grade school, we baked cookies or made fudge for their teachers as Christmas or end-of-the-year gifts. My boys enjoyed showing off their cooking skills by presenting their goodies as teacher’s gifts.

As they got older, they wanted to buy their teachers specific gifts. One year my youngest son wanted to buy his teacher a motorcycle. He was not happy when I had to convinced him to purchase a “lame” gift like a book from the best seller’s list.

Over the years, we would buy decorative picture frames, pretty writing pens, stationery note cards with their teacher’s initials and fresh flowers.

I will admit it was a little more challenging to buy for the male teachers. Coffee mugs, gift cards to Starbucks or key chains with initials seemed to work well.

Over the years, I’ve been asked by friends and family to help with thoughtful teacher gifts. Here’s what I’ve suggested:

Give A Book That Has Changed Your Life

Princess Diana - May 12, 2015 - Birthday, Christmas, Graduation

As an adult, one my biggest accomplishments is changing how I view money (realizing that acquiring more money just to buy more things does not lead to happiness) and how I manage my money (actively saving for retirement and future goals while remaining debt free).

Now I feel in control of my finances instead of ignoring my finances or feeling my finances are controlling me.

Two people have helped me get to this point in my life. My husband, Kevin Jaeger, and Trent Hamm, the brains behind the blog TheSimpleDollar.com.

If I’m ever in a conversation related to money or finances, I always bring up TheSimpleDollar.com so more people can benefit from the website’s advice. A lot of his stuff is not just great financial advice, it’s great advice for living life in general.

Queen for the Day | Photo Shoot

Queen Darlene - May 7, 2015 - Birthday, Experiences, Mother's Day

My mother loved taking pictures of her three kids, her family and friends. She also loved being in the pictures too. She would have loved Selfies!

When Mom’s health began to show signs of dementia, I wanted to get her out of the house to do something fun. I decided to make her Queen for the Day!

I brought over one of my sequin gowns, long black gloves, jewelry and a tiara. I explained we were going to make her Queen for the Day and her grandson was going to take pictures – in essence a photo shoot while we visited Bricktown in Downtown Oklahoma City.

Mom loved seeing all of the new changes in Downtown OKC – the canal, the larger than life bronze statues, beautiful waterfalls and botanical gardens. She enjoyed using these as backdrops for her photos. Continue Reading

Infuser Water Bottle Gift Basket | Healthy Teacher Appreciation Gift

Princess Diana - May 6, 2015 - $20 or Less, Food & Drinks, Gift Baskets, Teacher Gifts

It’s Teacher Appreciation Week! Are you looking for a teacher appreciation gift idea that doesn’t include chocolate, candy, soda and dessert items? Do you want to say “thank you” without loading them up with unwanted calories?

infuser water bottle gift basket for teacher

Thanks for quenching my thirst for knowledge!
Teacher Appreciation Gift

If you’re looking for a healthy version of a teacher appreciation gift, I have just the one!

Infuser Water Bottles will make it easy for your favorite teacher to create their own naturally flavored water from fruits and herbs. The result – a healthy, refreshing beverage they can sip from throughout the school day.

Here are some foods that work well with infuser water bottles. Just cut or slice them so they fit inside the infuser capsule.

Cucumbers
Lemons
Limes
Oranges
Strawberries

“Here’s Some Dough!” Pizza Box Money Gift

Princess Diana - May 5, 2015 - Gifts for Him, Going Away, Graduation, Kids, Money

College students and pizza go together like movies and popcorn. Sing with me now. “This I tell you brother. You can’t have one without the other.”

pizza-box-money-thoughtful-graduation-gift

Click to enlarge

What factors have caused this magnetic match?

#1 – It tastes amazing. Even plain cheese pizza is heavenly, and it just gets better from there. Pepperoni. Supreme. Meat Lovers. Oh, sweet Jesus!

#2 – It’s dirt cheap and sometimes free. I remember getting so much free pizza in college because most student organizations used it to lure people to their meetings.

#3 – It’s the ultimate convenience food. No plates or utensils necessary. Napkins optional.

#4 – It can be delivered. Just think of all the times pizza deliveries have saved college students from starvation when they’re either too drunk, too lazy, or don’t have a car to get food.

#5 – It even tastes good cold. Pizza for breakfast, anyone?

But no matter how much college students love their warm, gooey pizza, they can’t survive without cold, hard cash.

Money is by far the #1 request for gifts by graduates so give it to them. College is expensive! Ditch the envelope though, and get creative.

Give them a “Here’s some dough!” Pizza Box Money Gift for a present they’ll never forget! It’s easy peasy to put together with a few simple items, and it creates that “WOW!” factor!

HOW TO CREATE A “HERE’S SOME DOUGH!” PIZZA BOX MONEY GIFT

Unique Checkbook Money Gift | Graduation

Queen Darlene - May 4, 2015 - Birthday, Christmas, Congratulations, Family, Gifts for Him, Graduation, Kids, Money

I’ve mentioned before that the number one gift request for graduation is money. I’ve also talked about how impersonal it feels to write a check or place money in a greeting card.

The Checkbook Money Gift is so easy peasy you’ll wonder why you didn’t think of it!

You’ll need new one dollar bills from your bank. The amount is up to you.

You’ll also need a checkbook cover. You can use the free checkbook covers from your bank, or purchase one with a style, color or design that fits the graduate’s interest or personality. Instead of a checkbook cover, you can use a wallet with an insert for a checkbook. Continue Reading

Weekly Deliveries of a Rose With a Blessing

Queen Darlene - April 30, 2015 - Anniversary, Birthday, Get Well, Mother's Day, Teacher Gifts, Valentine's Day

Want a new thoughtful twist in sending flowers? On Mother’s Day, birthdays, anniversaries or really any occasion, send a rose on the day of celebration along with a blessing.

Then send a single rose with another blessing to replenish the vase every week for a month. WOW! You’re sending happiness and inspiration for four weeks in a row!

I learned of a local business in Oklahoma City, A Rose For The Lady, that delivers roses with blessings by the Fairy Rose Princess. When making deliveries, she drives a Red Lady Bug named “Rosie” with a huge red rose on top of the roof. It’s definitely an eye catcher and certainly will bring smile to the recipient. Continue Reading

Hands-On Furniture Painting Class for the DIYer

Princess Diana - April 28, 2015 - Birthday, Christmas, Experiences, Father's Day, Mother's Day

Some things are harder than they look. Case in point – those BEFORE & AFTER photos on Pinterest where people take hideous, dull brown furniture they find at a garage sale and with a few coats of paint transform them into colorful, vintage chic furniture.

It’s amazing how distressed furniture can look so beautiful and modern! See the photo on the right for a perfect example.

You can spend hours reading or watching the tutorials online to learn how to do it yourself. But that approach can sometimes leave your more confused because you realize just how many options you have when it comes to paint, materials, and techniques. Arrgh!

What type of paint should I use? What’s chalk paint? What’s milk paint? Which is better for my project?
Do I need to sand my furniture first? How much sanding is even necessary?
What should I use for my topcoat? How do I apply antiquing wax?
What’s the best method for re-creating the gorgeous, distressed looks I see in online photos?

furniture-painting-class-diy-thoughtful-gift

A furniture painting class allows you to learn by doing with help from an expert.

After reading about milk paint, I really wanted to try it because it’s completely free of any harmful chemicals. In fact, it’s made with only five all-natural ingredients. Milk paint also has the reputation of being easy peasy to use to get a chippy, antiqued or distressed look.

BUT… because milk paint comes in powder form, I was intimidated to try it myself. Plus, what a strange name!

So I decided to take a local Milk Paint 101 workshop. In the furniture painting class, we painted our own step stool using milk paint. I learned how to mix it and the different methods for applying it to get various distressed “looks.”

Glamour Shots Makeover for 90-Year Old Grandmother

Queen Darlene - April 23, 2015 - Birthday, Experiences, Mother's Day

How do you celebrate a 90 year old grandmother’s birthday that she can see over and over again? Take her to Glamour Shots!

To say the least, my family is very visual. Growing up in a deaf family, the “eyes” have it! The deaf members in my family may not be able to hear but they SEE everything!

Visual – Visual – Visual was a huge motivation for gifts to my mother, step-father, and grandparents.

I made an appointment at Glamour Shots to have my grandmother’s picture made for her 90th birthday.

The most make-up my grandmother wore was rouge. That’s what they called it in her day. We call it blush.

So when they styled her hair, applied eye make-up, foundation, and lipstick, and put her in fancy clothes and a cowboy hat, she thought “what a big fuss.” She had no idea how to “strike a pose” but they showed her and made it a big deal of how beautiful she looked, especially at 90 years of age.

She loved it and began to have fun being made up like a movie star! The final product? She looked like the famous actress Mae West!