Gotta Give Something!

Chantel Guertin from thekit.ca was on the Marilyn Dennis show to give her picks for Valentine Gifts for Girls.  She suggested giving gifts that are a personalized twist on traditional Valentine gifts, like flowers or chocolates.  So here are her picks for all different kinds of ladies:

The Scentual Woman

Slatkin & Co. scented candles.  The show featured the Spring Floral Bouquet fragrance from Bath & Body Works. Pick the scent that matches her favourite flower.

The Eco-Savvy Sweetheart

Instead of flowers, eco-friendly cards can be found that can be replanted to grow flowers.

The Fashionista

You can find artisanal chocolates in the shape or shoes, handbags or even a make up palette.

The Chocoholic

The Body Shop Chocomania Collection.  Chocolate scented body butter and shower gel.

 The Fruit Lover

Edible Arrangements offers fruit bouquets.  Like a dozen ‘long stem roses’ really chocolate covered strawberries.  You can even add balloons or teddybears.

The Bling Queen

For the girl that loves her jewellery, Dagmar Jewellery has indo-inspired pieces.  Every three weeks they update their line, so they can get a unique item.

The Java Junkie

For the Coffee Chick, customizable tumblers from Starbucks.  You can customize them with dry erase markers or pictures, and give this gift with some of their favourite coffee.

The Décor Diva

Chantel showed the book Design*Sponge at Home by Grace Bonney.  She suggested choosing a project (such as the vase shown on the show), picking up the supplies and doing the project together.  She says the gift says “I know you love to do crafts, and I’m going to do this with you”.  You can do any sort of activity together, if you love cooking, try cooking together!

The Thrifty Thrill Seeker

Consider getting an activity for a gift.  You can choose something like a dance class or even a trapeze class together.  A group coupon place like Groupon or Living Social often have activity deals.

Chantel Guertin from thekit.ca was on the Marilyn Dennis show to give her picks for Valentine Gifts for Guys.  She said you want to think about what the guy would like,  not generic.  So here are her picks for different types of guys:

The GQ Guy

A cologne sampler set.  You can get these at Shopper’s Drug Mart or at Sephora.  They come with several sample sizes, so he can test out which scent he likes, then there is a gift certificate so he can get a full-size version.  They have these for women too!

The GQ Guy in Training

The book “The Perfectly Dressed Gentleman” by Robert O’Byrne will teach him how to choose the right suit fabric or tie a tie.  It even has a bowtie bookmark.

The Sentimental Guy

A picture frame with a cute picture of the two of you.  Chantel’s choice was a masculine picture frame like the Oxide Frames from CB2.

The Sports and Barbeque Guy

Combine two of his interests by giving him a BBQ brush set designed after his favourite sport.  Like Golf or Football.

The Health Conscious Guy

Element Whole Foods has customizable food bars.  You can get a package of 12, and even have whatever message you want on them.

The Outdoorsy Guy

A Bodum Hot Chocolate Frother is for the outdoorsy guy, if you aren’t.  You can make him hot chocolate to snuggle on the couch with after his outdoor activities.

The Meat and Potatoes Guy

Chantel suggested picking up all the fixins for a steak dinner at M&M meat shops.

The Sensual Guy

A gift for him and you, most guys would like to ‘receive’ some lingerie.  The ones featured on the episode were from Blush Lingerie.

The Luxury Loving Homebody

For this guy, Chantel suggested getting matching Satin Kimono robes, some glow in the dark body paint, and a rose elixer massage candle. All from La Vie en Rose

The Amateur Bartender

A Cocktail Carousel holds a few bottles, so your guy can practice his mixology skills.

InStyle magazine had some Valentine’s gift ideas ideas for “sweet and stylish” gifts in their February 2012 issue.

Personalized New Balance sneakers – Customizable shoes, pick your recipients favourite colours.  You need 4 – 8 business days, so not for this year.

Stoneware Heart Bowl – by Sagaform, comes with a bamboo heart spoon

On ABC’s “The Chew” the episode was “Valentine’s Day Eve”, the hosts showed some last minute gift ideas you can make at home.

Massage Oil

Daphne Oz’s suggestion was to make some “romance in a bottle” massage oil.  She used a sweet almond oil base and infused one with a vanilla pod, one with pumpkin spice and cinnamon (aphrodisiacs) and another with jasmine oil.  Use whichever scents you want, but when using essential oils, just remember to add only a few drops.  You can make this a few days before or the day of.

Cookie Necklace

Chef Carla Hall baked iced sugar cookies and threaded them into a nibble-able necklace.  Great thing to do with and for kids!

Pickles

Yup, pickles!  Michael Symon suggested pickling preserved vegetables for your own romantic cocktail hour. Green beans for a Bloody Mary, pearled onions to use in a Martini and preserved cherries with cinnamon and vanilla to use in bourbon or whiskey.  YUM!

Flavoured Vinegar

Chef Mario Batali’s suggestion was for your favourite Foodie.  Flavoured vinegars can be made with red wine, malt, champagne or white wine vinegars.  His suggestions for flavours were raspberries; hot chilis; herbs; and black peppercorn flavours.  You can cook with them, drizzle over salas or use as a bread dip.

Decoupage Cocktail Tray

Clinton Kelly made a rebus cocktail tray using decoupage.  He took a metal tray and spelled out “I Love You More than Gin & Tonic”  using pictures (a rebus puzzle) and sprayed with an acrylic sealer.

On February 13, 2012, the Rachael Ray show episode “Valentine’s Day 101 with Jerry O’Connell” showcased some Valentine’s gifts picked out by frequent guest, Lifestyle expert Jenn Falik.  Her suggestions:

iPhone Photo Printer

The Photo Cube iPhone printer, VuPoint Wireless Colour Photo Printer, has you download an app that will print pictures fright from your iPhone.  and no ink jet cartridges.

David Stark Sweetheart Carving Kit

This kit comes with a block of wood and a vintage knife.  You can cut a traditional trunk carving style heart with initials in it (or any design really).  I thought it looked a bit complicated and time consuming,  but it would look really cute in a cabin.  Good for a nature loving guy or gal.  Get it from hausinterior.com

Audiovox Homebase

The Homebase Digital Message/Video Center/ Digital Picture Frame would make a good ‘family’ gift.  You can put this in your kitchen and record video messages for loved ones.  Better than post-its!

Dirty Darts

And finally there were Dirty Darts, basically a take on other romantic games, like the Dice game.  Throw a dart, and your partner has to do what it lands on.

On “The View”, celebrity inspired Valentine’s gift ideas were showcased by Michael Fazio, author of the book “Concierge Confidential“. He was a personal assistant in Hollywood before serving as a top concierge in New York hotels. Here are his picks for Valentine’s presents if you don’t have the big budget that some of his celebrity clients might have!

Jewellery

Michael said that according to the National Retail Association, the average consumer is going to spend about $126 on Valentine’s gifts. VERY different from the 12.7 million dollar Bulgari necklace David Beckham bought wife Victoria. He suggests visiting the website Emitations.  It has jewellery inspired by celebs like Jessica Alba, Sofia Vergara, Madonna, Angelina Jolie and even Michelle Obama.

Food

Michael says the “Couple of the Year” is Stacy Keibler and George Clooney.  I dunno about that, but apparently Stacy Keibler’s idea of a perfect Valentine’s Evening is a nice night at home with a home cooked meal.  So try DreamDinners.com.  They provide everything you need to assemble a great meal with all the prep work done.

Wine

Johnny Depp gave Vanessa Paradis a vineyard. (Imagine that!, a Vineyard!).  So why not try lot18.com.  An invitation only website that sells limited quantities of wine.  Another option is FLASQ wines.   Really.  Wine in a flask!  Apparently now very popular at film fests and inn celebrity swag bags.  I guess it is better than drinking it out of a paper bag.  Check out      flasqwines.com.

Art

What about an art lover?  Apparently Brad Pitt is a fan of graffiti style art, especially that of artist Banksy (from last year’s documentary Exit Through the Gift Shop).  Angelina apparently spent about $200,000 on art for Brad.  Another suggestion is artist Jeremy Brown’s “Love is Art” project.  You can get this art kit to get intimate through art.  Visit loveisartkit.com.

Music

And finally, a song.  No really, a song.  Ge ta  celebrity quality personalized song from Insta Song.  Just input all the details and get your song.  Visit instasong.com.

Here is an example:

Its a song for Barbara Walters.  Sung by 80′s singer Joe Pizzulo

Recently on Good Morning America, Kate Dimmock, style director for People Magazine’s StyleWatch, appeared to share her Ultimate Last Minute Shopping List, for ‘all the loves in your life.

for the Lady in Your Life:

Love and Hug Milk Chocolate Message Hearts from Godiva (checking right now, it looks like they are out of stock,  maybe because of the show).

Brownie Bites from Blissful Brownies.  http://www.blissfulbrownies.com/Brownie-Bites-P23C4.aspx

Monogram Terry Robes from Red Envelope.

for the Man in Your Life:

Scuff Slippers from Ugg Australia.

Kenneth Cole brushed nickel Cuff Links,  from Macy’s stores.  While I agree with Kate that these are an elegant gift,  she said that “Guys always like something like that”.  I don’t know if that is true, I know plenty of guys that would NOT like cuff links as a gift!

For your BFF:

Diane Von Furstenburg earbuds – they have cute hearts on them! at DVF.com.

A custom made phone case – maybe one with a pic of the two of you on it?  Power Support air jacket custom phone case from Power Support USA.

For your Kids:

Faux Fur Booties from Restoration Hardware.  They showed them in the show in brown (aka Mink), but I really like them in white! (aka Arctic Fox).

A Nutcase helmet in Love, with lots of pink hearts.  I want one of these myself!  Available at Nutcasestore.com.  There are tonnes of other designs, so if you have a little boy (or a little girl) that wouldn’t want a pink helmet,  there are lots of other designs to choose from as well.

Just in case you haven’t seen this video yet.   This is actress Kristen Bell’s unexpected reaction to her birthday present.

For her 31st birthday,  boyfriend Dax Shepard arranged for her to meet her  favourite animal, a sloth.  Kristen confesses to being pretty obsessed with them  What a sweet gesture!  So Kristen when onto the Ellen DeGeneres show (January 31st), she brought a video to show how emotional she got. Its very funny and totally adorable.

I guess it is true what they say,  Veronica Mars,  She’s a Marshmallow!  Could we be an even bigger fan?

Definitely a “Gotta Give Something” approved Birthday present.

Have you gotten your Valentine a gift yet? Valentine’s Day is 2 weeks away!

Really? A gift for Groundhog Day?

On February 2nd, we celebrate Groundhog Day! According to legend, if a groundhog comes out of its hole and sees its shadow, we are in for 6 more weeks of winter. If not, then spring is on its way! While not a holiday usually associated with exchanging gifts, here are a few cute ideas to give for children. A great way to help with the dreary mid-winter blues; as well as prepare for spring!

Punxsutawney Phyllis – When her uncle Phil, realizes he missed the signs of an early spring, he knows it’s time to pass on the title of Punxsutawney Phil. But maybe they’ll change it to Punxsutawney Phyllis.

The Groundhog Day Book of Facts and Fun – Perfect for any trivia buff

Groundhog Day – Or just get the classic movie (which doesn’t really have anything to do with Groundhog Day) and have a movie night.

Punxsutawney Phil flashes a smile

Need to wrap up a gift for your favourite burger freak?  How about this wrapping paper set (I saw it on BuzzFeed.)  Its from Gift Couture, a new company that wants to provide more unique gift wrapping sets made from high quality photographs that can be put together into a cohesive theme or set.

The complete set is $20, but individual rolls are just $5.

Apparently you can buy individual rolls (maybe the lettuce for your vegetarian friend?!) or as a set, which comes with:

2 sheets of SESAME SEED BUN and 1 sheet each of BURGER, CHEESE, LETTUCE,  and TOMATO (rolls are 27″ by 40″).

An Online Gift Guide for ALL Occasions!