Yearly Archives: 2015

40 Birthday Balloons

Princess Diana - July 14, 2015 - Anniversary, Birthday

When my boss, Holley, turned 40 years old, my co-workers and I chipped in to buy her 40 birthday balloons.

We hid them in her office so when she opened her door that morning, she walked right into them!

It was a HUGE bouquet of birthday balloons, and it made a big statement. She couldn’t believe how many balloons there were!

Every morning after that when Holley walked into her office, the balloons continued to brighten her whole day. It also ended up being the gift that kept on giving because the balloons lasted almost two weeks!

Create Imagination with a Kids Bed Tent

Queen Darlene - July 9, 2015 - Birthday, Christmas, Kids

Remember on rainy days when you were a kid making “forts” or “tents” out of blankets draped over furniture?

Fits twin or double size mattress.

My brothers and I had so much fun playing in the dark, using our flashlights, peeking out to see what our mother was doing, imagining we were lost at sea or lost in the wilderness, pretending we were cooking food on a campfire while eating snacks from the refrigerator, and sometimes coloring for hours in our very own hideout!

Children love having their own play space to let their imaginations run wild. But unlike a blanket fort, I have a gift idea that won’t mess up or rearrange your living room!

Encourage imaginative play by giving a child a Kids Bed Tent. They come in sizes that fit a twin or double mattress.

Kids Bed Tents can also be placed on the floor so you can take them anywhere in the house or even outside.

Waterproof & Fireproof Home Safe | Wedding or Housewarming Gift

Princess Diana - July 7, 2015 - Birthday, Christmas, Gifts for Him, Gifts for Me, Graduation, Housewarming, Wedding

Two weeks before some friends left for a family trip to Europe, their home flooded. A terrible experience.

But the real disaster occurred when they realized their fireproof home safe was NOT waterproof. Inside they found their passports completely ruined. Panic attack!

They scrambled to get a new set of passports issued to them. After paying hefty fees to get them expedited, they received them just in time. But still. Definitely not a situation they ever want to repeat. Ever.

Let this be a lesson that a fireproof safe is not enough. You need to purchase a Waterproof & Fireproof Home Safe if you really want to protect valuables inside your home. When you go to the store to purchase this item, make sure to read the boxes carefully because most of the home safes for sale only protect from fire.

Just like fire extinguishers, a safe is an item most people forget to purchase for their home. But it’s important because it provides security and peace of mind.

That’s why a Waterproof & Fireproof Home Safe makes a thoughtful wedding, housewarming, birthday or Christmas gift. It’s also a great gift for yourself if you don’t already have one!

To add a “thoughtful twist” to this gift idea, include a list of the types of documents and items they may want to include in their new safe.

Regifting | How I Gave a Repurposed Gift in a Meaningful Way

Queen Darlene - July 2, 2015 - $20 or Less, Birthday, Christmas, Family, Get Well

Have you ever repurposed a gift? Yep, I have! Ever told the recipient that it was a repurposed gift? I recently did!

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It was a book titled “Cationary Meaningful Portraits of Cats” by Sharon Montrose and purrrfect for my friend.

My husband and I have started talking about downsizing. Retirement is on the horizon, and we want to have more with less! More time to travel, less time working in the yard. More time for hobbies, less time cleaning the house.

More time for everything we want to do and less time doing the things we don’t want to do. You see a pattern? Continue Reading

More Free Time | Gift Certificate for Personal Assistant Service

Princess Diana - June 30, 2015 - Birthday, Business, Christmas, Father's Day, Gifts for Him, Gifts for Me, Mother's Day

Life is filled with many tasks that need to get done but bring us no joy in doing them. We look at our to-do list and groan.

Laundry. Dry cleaning. Yard work. Grocery shopping. House cleaning. Getting an oil change. Going to the post office. Organizing a room or closet. Running errands. The list goes on. There are a million other things we’d rather do.

We work hard all week and instead of using our free time to relax or to spend quality time with friends and family, we’re stressed out trying to complete these mundane but necessary tasks because if we didn’t… we would be stressed out they didn’t get done.

No clean clothes or no food in the fridge? No thank you. But how can we break the cycle of stress and feeling overwhelmed for ourselves or for someone we care about? The answer is a personal assistant.

Give someone more free time and peace of mind by giving them a gift certificate for a personal assistant service. They can delegate the tasks they don’t have time for or don’t enjoy.

1928 Ford Model A Car Ride | Wedding Anniversary

Queen Darlene - June 25, 2015 - Anniversary, Birthday, Experiences, Father's Day, Gifts for Him

Here’s a gift idea for a wedding anniversary. Rent a car made in the same year the couple got married for a fun trip down memory lane!

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Click to enlarge

My deaf grandparents celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary August 12, 1985. Our family wanted to do something visual, unexpected and certainly memorable. But what?

We celebrated their 50th anniversary at church with wedding cake and punch. On their 55th anniversary, we invited family and friends to their home for the celebration. Nice, but very typical and expected.

One day, I just happened to drive by 20 antique cars that were parked at a local A&W Root Beer drive-in. Light bulb moment!

I pulled in, got out of my car, and asked the owners the year of their cars and would they consider taking my grandparents on a car ride on their anniversary.

A Heartfelt Thank You Letter to My 5th Grade Mentor

Princess Diana - June 23, 2015 - $20 or Less, Catch All, Teacher Gifts

Completely by chance, I found out a friend from high school worked with my 5th grade mentor, Mr. Brownlee.

I haven’t seen or talked to Mr. Brownlee in more than 20 years, but I’ve thought about him many times since then. Through him, I learned an important life lesson that always stuck with me.

Let me first explain how I got to know Mr. Brownlee. A few students from each of the 5th grade classes at my elementary were selected to be a part of a leadership group that everyone simply called “Mr. Brownlee’s Group.”

Each month, we met Mr. Brownlee in our school library to talk about a wide variety of different topics. He always brought a special guest so we could learn from people from all walks of life.

Shopping for a Friend in Crisis

Queen Darlene - June 18, 2015 - Catch All, Get Well

What do you do when a friend or relative is experiencing a life changing event? How do you help when you are hundreds of miles away?

Phone calls are helpful to let them know you are thinking of them, praying for them, or to ask the question “What can I do for you?” The answer is usually “Thank you, but there’s nothing you can do.”

Many of us can’t accept that answer. But what can we do?

My friend’s husband has been in the hospital for several months since having surgery that left him paralyzed. His focus is to walk again.

Sharon visits Dale at the hospital every day after work, and things have taken a toll on her physically. She lost weight to the point that her clothes don’t fit anymore, but she has zero time to shop. All of her free time is spent helping Dale get better.

That’s when it occurred to me how I could help Sharon. I could shop for her!

15 Thoughtful Father’s Day Gifts to Fit Every Budget

Princess Diana - June 16, 2015 - Father's Day, Gifts for Him

How many ties or tools does one man really need? Enough already! Let us help you think outside the tool box this Father’s Day for gifts Dad will really appreciate and enjoy. Here are 15 thoughtful Father’s Day gifts to fit every budget.

Baby Bump Maternity Photo Shoot

Queen Darlene - June 12, 2015 - Baby Shower, Birthday, Christmas, Mother's Day

Did you know there’s a whole industry in baby bump/pregnancy/maternity photography? Google it and you will see hundreds of amazing pregnancy photos.

It’s a wonderful way to celebrate the upcoming birth of a baby by showing off the “bump!”

My maternity outfits were much like my mother’s and grandmother – big flowing tops that hid our pregnant bellies.

In my grandmother’s day you couldn’t even say “pregnant.” The correct term was “in the family way.” Thank goodness that taboo is no longer the norm.

My mother told me when she was pregnant, you said the word “pregnant” in a hushed tone. Oh, how glad I am times have changed! It’s exciting to be pregnant and maternity photos are a great way to share the joy with loved ones.

My friend’s daughter, Kelsey, is a professional dancer and her pregnancy photos feature her as a ballerina.