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Queen Darlene

No Bake Cookie Dough Inside Cookie Jar

Queen Darlene - November 12, 2015 - Birthday, Christmas, Food & Drinks, Going Away, Host, Housewarming, Money

Both of my grandmothers used their cookie jars regularly to store homemade cookies. Here’s an idea! Use a cookie jar not only for cookies but to surprise someone with some “dough!”

The “No Bake Cookie Dough” Cookie Jar is a yummy gift!

Just Google “cookie jars” and oh my… the selection is endless that you may have difficulty in choosing which one to give.

There are cookies jars that look like cupcakes, flowers, animals, houses, cartoon characters, superheroes, TV and even movie characters.

Also available are decorative, colorful and abstract design cookie jars. It’s amazing! My favorite are collectible or vintage cookie jars. I still have my grandmother’s jars on display in my kitchen.
Continue Reading

Billfold With a Little Extra $$$

Queen Darlene - November 11, 2015 - Business, Christmas, Father's Day, Gifts for Him, Graduation, Money

My husband likes to receive a new billfold every couple of years either for his birthday or Christmas. It’s always on his list because he doesn’t like his billfold to look tattered and worn.

Randy specifically prefers trifold wallets.

Over the years, my mother took over the billfold gift giving. She liked giving him what he wanted, but she didn’t like him knowing what the gift was going to be.

She was all about the surprise. So she would place different amounts of cash in the billfold. Her favorite type of billfold contained hidden compartments or zippers where she could hide the money.

Sometimes she would find a billfold with an insignia related to his favorite hobby or his profession. Continue Reading

Just What the Dr. Ordered – Money!

Queen Darlene - November 5, 2015 - Anniversary, Birthday, Christmas, Graduation, Kids, Money

I love to give money in unexpected gift containers and a prescription bottle certainly makes for a surprise dose. This is one of the easiest gifts to make.

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HOW TO CREATE A MONEY PRESCRIPTION BOTTLE:

Prescription bottle
Large mailing label or paper and clear packing tape
Cash – bills or quarters

Just for the asking, my pharmacy provided me with a new prescription bottle free of charge.

To give you a couple of ideas, I created two different labels. One on a sticky mailing label and one on plain typing paper.

I found a large mailing label fits nicely on the large prescription bottle. For the smaller prescription bottle, I cut plain paper to fit and used clear packing tape to adhere it to the bottle. Continue Reading

Money Talks, Chocolates Sing! Perfect Women’s Gift

Queen Darlene - November 4, 2015 - Birthday, Christmas, Graduation, Kids, Money, Mother's Day, Valentine's Day

Want to give the perfect women’s gift? You can’t go wrong with chocolates and money!

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I love this saying – Money Talks, Chocolate Sings!

Give the special woman in your life what she loves – mouth-watering chocolates and a little extra money.

What you will need for this money gift idea:

Box of chocolates
Ziploc bag
Ribbon or bow
Money

“A Soldier’s Silent Prayer” | A Book for Veterans Day

Queen Darlene - October 29, 2015 - $20 or Less, Military/Veterans

I read my friend and author Sherry Kast’s first biography “A Soldier’s Silent Prayer” about Muscogee (Creek) Nation national treasure and honored WWII veteran Phillip W. Coon.

I found it to be a quick read and fascinating book. It’s an amazing story of Mr. Coon’s incredible journey – one that took him from a small Indian community in Oklahoma in the 1920s to the world stage as the United States declared war against Germany and Japan in December 1941. Can you imagine?

This veteran’s survival story is a tale of tragedy and triumph as he overcame insurmountable odds to survive the Bataan Death March in the Philippines and 3.5 years as a prisoner of war of the Japanese during WWII. Continue Reading

Play it Safe Money & Candy Gift

Queen Darlene - October 28, 2015 - Birthday, Christmas, Father's Day, Gifts for Him, Housewarming, Kids, Money

Princess Diana has written a post about the importance of a fire and waterproof safe. My gift idea includes giving a fire and waterproof safe with money and candy inside! Surprise!

Many people usually stash a little cash somewhere in their homes for emergencies. And no…under the mattress isn’t a good idea.

So why not play it safe and give someone a fire and waterproof safe as a gift? For a thoughtful twist include money and candy to give it that WOW factor!

I’ve used this gift idea many times for my sons and nephews. I even gave one to my father-in-law so he could keep his candy under lock and key. (Seriously! In his house, he needed it.) Continue Reading

Old Family Photos Made New on T-Shirts

Queen Darlene - October 22, 2015 - $20 or Less, Birthday, Christmas, Family

What to do with old family photos? Since my grandparents and parents have passed, I have become the keeper of old photos. I have thousands of photos in albums, boxes and drawers. Some are even dated back to the 1800s.

I wanted to create something new from old family photos for my two brothers and myself as a Christmas present. I found a wonderful photo of our parents in their early years of marriage and chose a cute picture of the three of us as young kids.

Picking the photo was no easy task since my mother took hundreds of pictures of her three children. She wanted to capture every moment of us growing up.

I used a local t-shirt screen printing business that transferred the pictures onto t-shirts. Since I gave at Christmas time, I chose long-sleeve t-shirts.

Want Cash Fries With That?

Queen Darlene - October 21, 2015 - Birthday, Christmas, Kids, Money

Drive through McDonald’s, order a hamburger and drink, and what do you immediately hear through the speaker? Want fries with that?

What if the voice on the speaker said, “Want Cash Fries With That?”

No one would refuse! Unlike French fries, Cash Fries contain zero-calories making them the perfect and clever way to give money!

HOW TO MAKE CASH FRIES

Picture Frame, Chocolate & Diamonds | Birthday Gift

Queen Darlene - October 15, 2015 - Birthday, Christmas, Food & Drinks

My girlfriends and I used to play tennis but no longer. Age and injuries got the best of us, but we still like to keep in touch by having brunch together on Saturdays.

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The perfect gift to celebrate a friend’s birthday!

Carol is the glue for this girls’ group. She contacts us to set up when and where we will meet. I love her for keeping us close and connected.

Years ago, Carol gave all of us a “team picture” that I still have on my desk at the office. I cherish that picture and the memories of fun times together. It always makes me smile!

When I saw a picture frame with the word Friends on it, I thought this would be perfect for Carol’s birthday the next time we got together. Continue Reading

“SlipHer” Some Cash Slippers

Queen Darlene - October 14, 2015 - Birthday, Christmas, Money, Mother's Day

Women love to have comfortable shoes, especially slippers to wear around the house after a long day.

Here’s a cute gift idea with a play on words for giving slippers. I call it “SlipHer Some Cash.”

Give the gift of comfort while hiding some money in the toes of the shoes.

Don’t give the surprise away! Let her discover the cash on her own when she tries on her new slippers. Instant cash will give way to an instant smile!