Pampered Pets

I have been reading a lot lately about the boom in the pet industry with the trends shifting from leaving the dog in the backyard to taking it with you wherever you go. Having been a pet owner for years I must admit that my four-legged friends are much more to me than just a furry companion - they become part of my family. As such, I have a tendancy to spoil them in much the same way that others indulge their children resulting in a love of frivolous items that make my "fur-baby" more comfortable and perhaps a little stylish.

Yes, I realize that I promised to keep these blogs about gift ideas, but am justifying this entry with the assumption that pets qualify as gift recipients. (You can also get some great ideas for friends who may be adopting a pet soon - they may need a "fur-baby" shower to prepare for their new family member!) To keep this simple - and a little more fun to read - I am going to keep this short and sweet with a few photos for your viewing pleasure. These items range from  "how cute" to "tres chic" accommodating a variety of gifting budgets. Enjoy!

Canine Fashion Fun...

Argyle Dog Sweater

Dog Cable Knit Sweater

Doggie Denim Jumper

Dog Track Jacket

Dog Bow Tie Tuxedo Collar

Dog Parka

Canine Accessories...

Sailor Knot Collars

Old School Prep Collar

Argyle Collars

 Silver Quilted Pet Carrier

Stud Dog Bowl

Lucky Devil Plush Toy

For Our Feline Friends...

Bergen Turbo Track

Merry Pet Washroom

Do you have "fur-baby" favorites? If so, please post a comment below to share your thoughts and suggestions!

Just For Fun!

The sky is overcast and my work motivation is lacking its proper enthusiasm - today feels like a shopping day! Since I don't want to use an official sick day perhaps I will indulge my need for retail therapy from my desk. The justification? Once my retail therapy is complete, I will be a whole new person ready to focus on the tasks at hand and capable of being the productive employee that my paycheck expects.

Now I just have to decide where to begin my therapy session for today... Let's start with some of my favorite on line shops and see what fun and interesting items stumble across.

This is what I found to quiet my inner child...

For the little girl inside us all... A personalized fairy tale storybook! If you are struggling to justify this as an addition to your own library, it could also be a great gift option for a special little girl (the under 10 variety).

Polka Dots always make me smile! These fun peel and stick dots can be added to the walls of your (or your child's) room to create a "bubbly" scene.

These fun colors caught my eye and I always did love an opportunity to finger paint! Arriving as a kit, this collection of 10" canvases comes with non-toxic/ water based paints allowing the artists in the family a chance to create a personalized masterpiece.

  

For the man in my life...

You know what they say about boys and their toys... Since there are very few men in the world who don't like sports and/or playing the hero by fixing things around the house, this sport team inspired hammer might be the perfect addition to your honey's toolbox. (Available in a variety of sports teams to be sure you don't offend!)

 

On the off chance that you have captured the rare breed of man who enjoys sports, but not getting his hands dirty, these cufflinks may be a fun gift. He's not a hockey fan? Not to worry - I have seen cufflinks for all sports and teams available.

As I was watching my Mr. Mister get dressed for work the other day I finally noticed that he uses collar stays to ensure he is presentable at the office. When I ran across this little collection, it caught my attention as a perfect gift option - practical to appease the man receiving and fun to make the lady gifting him feel good about her choice! Each stay sends him a little message and you get to decide if that is PG or racy... whatever works best for you!

This one might be a bit of a stretch as a gift "for him", but let me explain my shopping logic. I always hear men complaining that the mood of their favorite female can, at times, be a tad unpredictable. With this in mind, what could be more helpful to him than mood baramoter mugs?! All we have to do is use the appropriate mug for our morning coffee to offer him a "forecast" of our mood before he says the wrong version of, "good morning!"

 

A little something for me...

I fell in love with this little clutch! It's stylish and can work with just about anything. I could use it to give a little sizzle to my casual clothes, as well as the perfect accessory for date night and special occassions.  

These earings also caught my eye. Nothing too extravagant, they are of the simple and sleek variety that works with just about everything in your closet. Artisan crafted they are hammered from a continuous length of silver. As they dangle from your ears, they add about 1 1/2 inches of custom accessory to your look.

A true fan of cuddling, I am usually drawn to anything that makes me feel warm and cozy which might explain why I found myself revisiting this item more than once. It's handwoven using naturally dyed yarns, so my warm fuzzy feelings can extend beyond the literal and into the eco-friendly domain!

Whew! I feel a bit more inspired to tackle that task list waiting for me on my desk now... Hope you had a little fun, too, and please share some of your favorite "therapy" finds by posting a comment!

My "therapists" for today...

Personalized Fairy Tale

Peel and Stick Polka Dots

Handprint Canvas Kit

Baseball Hammer

Hockey Cufflinks

Collar Stays

Mood Mugs

Clutch

Earings

Green Wrap

Wrap it up!

Let’s paint a picture together…. You are invited to a social gathering that requires you to bring a gift. After careful consideration you have located the perfect gift and you wrap it in the “that will work” selection of your wrapping stash. Arriving at the gathering you place your package on the gift table and think to yourself, “Wow – those other gifts look like Martha Stewart wrapped them!” You briefly consider swapping gift tags with another gift, but decide against it since the odds of getting caught are high. So you leave it alone and hope that the gift inside outshines the memory of the packaging.

What can you do if you were not born with the gene that produces fabulous packaging?

Well, there are two options to consider. One – you can accept your fate as a “packaging challenged” individual and resign yourself to reliving the scenario above. Two – you can overcome this challenge with a few simple adjustments to your gift giving process.

Quick Remedy Suggestions:

Find Your Style!

Consider your favorite stores and the gift wrapping options they offer. The paper and ribbons usually match the company colors and the packaging coordinates with their general style. However, if you look closely the packaging is not overly complicated. They keep it simple to ensure that they can quickly wrap items while still offering a great looking package. Take a cue from them and give just a few minutes of thought to your packaging selections.

When you shop to stock your gift wrapping stash, consider the occasions for which you will be gifting and make selections accordingly. Resist the impulse selections and opt instead for items that have a common color scheme. With just a little extra effort you can find wrapping paper and bags for all gift giving occasions that fall within a selected color palette. Once you have the papers and bags selected you can purchase tissue paper and ribbon that work with all of the papers/bags. In the long run this extra time investment in the selection process saves you both money and time. The next time you have to wrap on the run, you have everything you need to quickly grab, wrap and go with a coordinated and stylish package in hand.

Be Unique!

What I am about to suggest may seem ludicrous at first, but I ask you to let it sink in for a few minutes before writing me off as a crazy person. When it comes to purchasing packaging materials resist the multi-task urge to buy what is in stock at the local mega-store just because you can “get it done”. I know that they have some cute prints and good prices, but I am here to remind you that EVERYONE else you know is buying the same thing. If you succumb to the temptation, your packages will look like they are part of a family unit sitting on the gift table next to the five other items wrapped in the same paper or placed in the same cute bag.

Instead of falling prey to the easy purchase option at the mega-store consider this option… The next time you log on to check your email take an extra 5-10 minutes to do a quick search surf for gift wrapping items. If you have a mobile device with web access, use your time in the doctor’s waiting room (or other time killing locations) to conduct a shopping search. Odds are that within 5 minutes you can find some unique items in the same price range as the mega-store options that will help you with your gift branding – and you get credit for multi-tasking!

Need some examples? Take a look at these fun options.

Bags and Bows

Pomegranate

Cavallini

Get Organized!

If you are like most people, there is a closet in your house where you stash your gift wrapping supplies. The paper rolls are leaning together in the corner while the bags and tissue paper are stashed on a random shelf. Somewhere in the mix are a handful of ribbons that you go digging for each time you have to wrap a package. Although there is something to be said for the excitement of rediscovering an item you forgot was in the closet, your wrapping exercise may take less of your time if the items you need lived together in harmony.

Imagine going to your closet, opening the door and having everything at a glance. With the time you save not digging you could take a few extra minutes to re-evaluate your wrapping options - it may even feel like a whole new shopping experience as you select which paper and ribbon are best suited for this particular package. Not quite sure about this theory? Time yourself the next time you wrap a package – you might be surprised at how much time you spend on the hunt!

Have some additional helpful hints? Please post a comment and share!

Gift Emergency!

Does this sound familiar?

The work week has been totally hectic and you finally made it to Friday evening only to realize that you are supposed to attend a birthday party the next afternoon and have no gift purchased. The panic sets in as you frantically try to figure out what the birthday celebrator might like that won't bust your budget. You could just run to the store and grab a bottle of wine, but everyone else may be doing the same thing. There is always that cute boutique, but your budget may not stretch very far. The local superstore has some fun candles and decor accessories, but you can't quite remember their home decor style or colors. What can you do with limited time and funds?

Check out The Gift Box!

As we fill the blog with fun and creative gift ideas, you are sure to find an option that will inspire the perfect gift for any occasion. When you do have a "gifted" experience, please be sure to come back and share with others!

Happy gifting!