busygirl

two2go: gifts for anyone!

Alright, you're down to the wire.  I admit it, I hit up Target last night in a desperate attempt to get that last gift for the hard-to-buy person in my life.  Talk about about a bad shopping experience.  Not in the store, actually Target was relatively efficient at handling their shoppers/lines.  But the parking lot, insane!  It was everyone for themselves, brutal, I swear there were some close to fistfights over parking spots.

Oy.

Anyway, here's some ideas in case you are about to head out for one last attempt.  These gifts can go to anyone!

1. Hat/scarf sets - Target has some ADORABLE sets right now, but you can find these virtually anywhere!  And everyone needs a new scarf or hat.

2. These luggage tags are hilarious...and kid/adult/gender friendly!

3. Candles - I'm in love with this Home for the Holidays candle from Yankee candle, even boys love them.  Adam's current favorite is Christmas Cookie though.

4. Fun coffee mugs  - my brother-in-law would get a kick out of this one, don't forget to fill it with M&M's or the recipient's favorite candy.

5. Personalized playing cards - a simple gift with a fun twist.

disclosure: some of the above links are affiliate links which means i will be receiving a penny or two if you click on them and purchase something.  i'd love ya for it.  seriously. (did I mention that it all gets donated to charity?) 

three2go: spoil her pretty.

Every girl loves a little glitz and glam.  Especially my sisters, they're so fun to buy little accessories for!  So here's some ideas of what to get that girly girl in your life!

1. Pearl bracelet set- I recently 'gifted' myself with this $4 set and loveeeee it!  There's two sizes of pearls and four bracelets to mix and match or wear alone.

2. Classy Cambridge cloche hat - I'd love a hat like this to wear to work in the morning, not only is it cute, but it wouldn't mess up my hair like a knit hat will.

3. You cannot go wrong with scarves - lately I've been drawn to ruffle scarves, they keep the versatility of a scarf but add a little flair.

4. Headbands, headbands, galore!  My new recent obsession.  I love anything with flowers, feathers and over-exaggerated bows.  Um Santa? YES PLEASE!!

5. If your girly girl isn't the headband wearing type, she can get the same affect with these adorable rose bud pins for your hair.

disclosure: some of the above links are affiliate links which means i will be receiving a penny or two if you click on them and purchase something.  i'd love ya for it.  seriously. (did I mention that it all gets donated to charity?) 

four2go: organizational freak.

Not that I can make fun because I totally fall into that category.  DVDs arrange alphabetically?  Check. Throwing a fit if the spoons are put in the wrong drawer?  Check.  Freaking out when I can't find something?  Double-check.

So what do you get someone who needs a place for everything?

1. Desk Calendar - if anything, her schedule needs to be organized!

2. Charger caddy - love love LOVE mine!  Not only does it charge anything, iPod, cell phone, extra batteries...but it hides all the cords!  Swoon.

3. Subscription to Real Simple - this magazine has great decorating, time-saving and organizational tips for everyone!

4. Help them master the skill of organization with The Life Organizer: A Woman's Guide to a Mindful Year.  Full of ways to access and improve your time management.

5. Um, these organizer bins are to DIE for, I love love love them!

6. Don't forget the stocking!  Sharpie pens, post-its and a handy little notebook to keep everything organized!

disclosure: some of the above links are affiliate links which means i will be receiving a penny or two if you click on them and purchase something.  i'd love ya for it.  seriously. (did I mention that it all gets donated to charity?) 

five2go: that's so college.

Okay, so I'm only three years removed but I still remember the good old days when you slept till noon, woke up to realize you had class in thirty minutes and went to Wendy's with your friends instead of class (hey, food is important).  Sighhh...I miss those days.  Especially when my 5am alarm goes off.

If you have a college kid that you're hunting down a gift for, here's some ideas:

1. iTunes Gift Card - you cannot go wrong with this.  iPods are a necessity when walking to class and your college kid will thank you for the opportunity to add to their playlist.

2. Laptop decals - they have to lug their computer to class, they might as well look good doing it.  These decals are cute and will set your college kid apart, expecially since everyone on campus has the same DELL computer...

3. The standard college movies that they'll watch over and over and over and over again.  Like Animal House, Accepted or Tommy Boy!

4. Dorm decor - these college posters are awesome...and if I recall Adam had a few hanging up in his room.  College Humor, Teamwork, or Animal House.

5. If you can afford to spend a little more moolah, how about a Flip to record all of college's funny moments?  Honestly, I wish I had had one the time that Adam's roommate decided it'd be a good idea to jump into the fan.  (The fan won by the way)

disclosure: some of the above links are affiliate links which means i will be receiving a penny or two if you click on them and purchase something.  i'd love ya for it.  seriously. (did I mention that it all gets donated to charity?) 

six2go: unexpected gifts for the expecting.

Have I mentioned that Adam's sister is expecting?  And that by the beginning of January I will have a new niece or nephew?  EEP!  I can't wait!  I'm so excited for the little bugger to get here so I can spoil him/her rotten.

But until then, I'll have to spoil the mommy-to-be.  So to get some ideas, I polled some of my favorite expecting mothers at work!

1. Gift certificate for a pedicure - if anything, expectant mothers love anything that makes them feel 'pretty' so why not doll up your toes a bit?

2. The Snoozer Pillow - apparently this does wonders for sleeping mothers-to-be.  My friend at work has this and swears that without it she'd be a walking zombie at work!

3. The Pregnancy Journal  - a place for her to jot down thoughts, feelings, impatientness in one place where there are also insights about each pregnancy stage and postive quotes.

4. Create a calming environment with a warm blanket, her favorite candles or bath oils.  I love this scent from Bath & Body Works!

5. A susbscription to Parents magazine - help them start preparing for life ahead.

6. Give in to the cravings, if it's chocolate-covered pickles she wants then you better invest in some cucumbers, vinegar and chocolate chips.  Create a food craving basket of her favorite treats!

disclosure: some of the above links are affiliate links which means i will be receiving a penny or two if you click on them and purchase something.  i'd love ya for it.  seriously. (did I mention that it all gets donated to charity?) 

seven2go: creative gifts for the crafty one.

Between my mom, my older sister, my girlfriend-in-law and myself, we've got a household full of creative fanatics.  Which makes holiday shopping kind of easy because there's SO much stuff you can get for the creative person in your life.

1. My mom would love a subscription to Quilter's World so she can learn new techniques and quilt patterns.  She's always up for a new challenge.

2. If your creative person is really into scrapbooking, there's tons of supplies that you could get and put together a scrapbooking kit, like paper, stickers, fun-cut sissors, etc...or you can just buy a kit that's already put together for you.

3. My whole family loves their rotary cutting board and rotary cutter!  This makes cutting out quilt patterns a breeze!

4. For a painter, put together a little art set with some canvases and brushes!

5. If your creative person is into a more moden art like graphic design, getting a help book for adobe illustrator or photoshop can teach them some new techniques!

disclosure: some of the above links are affiliate links which means i will be receiving a penny or two if you click on them and purchase something.  i'd love ya for it.  seriously. (did I mention that it all gets donated to charity?) 

nine2go: sports fanatic

Cleveland Indians?  YES!  LeBron James?  Heck yeah!  Cleveland Browns?  HERE WE GO!  Steelers? Eh...yuck (sorry Wren)

Everyone's got their favorite sports teams.  And then there are those guys who ARE their favorite sports teams.  You know, the ones who are glued to the television for every game, refuse to buy a car that is one of their rival team's colors, paints their faces, acts like a hooligan...

What do you buy that sports fanatic in your life?

Easy peasy:

1. You can't go wrong with sports apparel.  Just make sure you get it from their favorite team.  If you really want to go the extra mile, get a personalized jersey for them.

2. A year-subscription to Sports Illustrated (extra $10 off today at Amazon!) or ESPN magazine will keep them up-to-date with everything going on in the sports world!

3. If they're really into playing a certain sport, then get them some equipment to help them out!  Adam had these Burton Approach gloves on his list for snowboarding!  Okay, okay, I had 'em on my list too, they're awesome!

4. No sports fanatic is going to say no to tickets to see their favorite team play!  If you go to their homepage you can usually find package deals so that four of you can go and make a day out of it!

5. If you're making a day out of it, why not give your sports fan some tailgating supplies?  This Go Plate is a GREAT idea, you can hold your beer and your plate of food in one hand! Or Fan Fare which is full of great recipes for tailgating food!

6. Books and movies about sports are always a great gift as well.  Try Fever Pitch by Nick Hornby or get the movie version!

7. Don't forget the stockings!  Tees for golfers, goggles for swimmers and batting gloves for those baseball fans!

Play ball!

disclosure: some of the above links are affiliate links which means i will be receiving a penny or two if you click on them and purchase something.  i'd love ya for it.  seriously. (did I mention that it all gets donated to charity?)

um, can you say MAJOR sale??

This is without a doubt my FAVORITE store to shop at so how excited am I that New York & Company has some AWESOME deals going on right now.

They have all their merchadise B1G1 75% off (outerwear, clearance, Spring 2010 preview and City Deals). AND to top it off you can get $20 off $60 with promo code 2583 or $50 off $125 promo code 2851 through December 17th. AND if you shop using Ebates you get 8% cash back!

If you're a short-legged person like me, hurry over there because they have great dress pants for work in PETITE sizes, that's right, no hemming required.  Along with my short-legs issue, I also happen to have an extremely long torso, but New York & Company button downs are long enough that I can wear them without feeling self-concious.  Their clothes are great to wear from work to play, wash and wear well. 

I'm pretty sure you can guess where my Holiday bonus is going...

ten2go: spoil your puppy rotten.

I loveeeee my dog Ricki.  He sheds, wakes me up at all hours of night, is always stealing my pillow or licking the bed (does it actually taste good?) and hitting me with his paws, but he is the best part of my day.  Walking through the door after a long day of work and he's beyond excited that I'm home and doesn't leave my side for the next three hours...that is love.  He's cuddled up on my feet as I type this...sighhh...no wonder we spoil him so much.

So what do you get for the pup that has everything?  MORE of course!  Here's what's on Ricki's Christmas list:

1.) Retractable dog leash with flashlight - we already have a retractable dog leash which is awesome since Ricki tends to start his walks off with a full-on sprint.  But the lack of streetlights where we live really makes it tough to walk him at night.  And so we give you a leash/flashlight combo!  So your other hand is free to hold the uh, doggie bag...

2. Petmate Fresh Flow Water Fountain - Adam has been BEGGING me to get one for the dog FOREVER!  Probably because he thinks it looks cool, but to me it seems like a reasonable investment.  The fountain not only ensures that Ricki always has water available, but also purifies it.

3. K9 Granola Factory Soft Paw Hand & Paw Treatment - this stuff works wonders on cat/dog's paws!  It helps repair dry, cracked paws while protecting them from harsh surfaces outdoors.

4. PediPaws Nail Trimmer - Ricki won't let me trim his nails which is VERY annoying.  Especially since we have hardwood floors so we hear 'click click click' as he runs around the house all day.  But I am hopeful that this trimmer might be something he'll let us use!  Lots of our fellow petowners have had success with it, fingers crossed!

5. Don't forget to fill your pet's stocking with fun things as well!  Treats and toys and extra hugs and love!

Happy holidays from one spoiled pet to another :)

disclosure: some of the above links are affiliate links which means i will be receiving a penny or two if you click on them and purchase something.  i'd love ya for it.  seriously. (did I mention that it all gets donated to charity?) 

eleven2go: for the littler tykes.

My 1 1/2 year old nephew might be one of the hardest people to shop for considering he doesn't particulary notice what's in the package he's unwrapping...he's more concerned that he gets to eat the wrapping paper.  But I did manage to sang a few good gifts that might make him pause before sticking the striped paper in his mouth...here are some other great ones for little tykes as well:

1. LEGO Duplo building set with 71 pieces!  They may not be able to use the 'big kids' legos yet, but they can still have the fun with this bigger, easier-to-manage set.  It even comes with little wagons to build their own cars on!

2. If your little tyke is currently obsessed with trains, planes and automobiles like my nephew, this Fisher-Price GeoTrax Rail and Road System would be great!

3. Aquadoodle drawing mat - my nieces had these and LOVED them!  There's no mess and the 'markers' never run out because they're simply drawing with just water.  Best of all, as soon as the water dries, the picture fades and they can draw on the mat again!

4. The Fisher-Price Little People farm teaches kids about the farm with fun sounds!  The pieces are easy for kids to handle and the farm comes with a free DVD featuring three stories about the Little People.

5. If your little tyke REALLY loves animals, how about some jumbo jungle animals to play with?  They are quite large (between 8"-12" tall) and easy for little hands to hold.

6. For your little princess, get a Cinderella plush doll that she can cuddle up with while she sleeps!  There's one for every Disney Princess!

disclosure: some of the above links are affiliate links which means i will be receiving a penny or two if you click on them and purchase something.  i'd love ya for it.  seriously. (did I mention that it all gets donated to charity?)