Gift Ideas from EyeCandyGift.com

It’s now the middle of summer and while many families are taking vacations, others are feeling the pinch and choosing to stay at home.  In fact so many families are canceling the traditional summer family trip that a new term has emerged - the staycation.

If your family is going to stay put this year, you can still have a ton of fun by taking some short, inexpensive outings.  One really fun outing is a picnic.  These days having a picnic is easier than ever.  A quick trip to the grocery store’s deli and you can pick up just the right amount of coleslaw and potato salad for the meal.  In fact you can even pick up some fried chicken there also.  To keep the cool foods cool, there are a ton of cooler choices.  Gone are the days where you have to lug around a big, stiff cooler.  Today coolers come in all sizes and colors.  We at EyeCandyGift.com carry a large number of soft sided coolers and lunch totes and you can even get them personalized for free.

Last weekend my niece Kate got married.  It was a big affair.  Kate had 6 bridesmaids (3 of them were her sisters) and of course her fiance had just as many groomsmen.  I could not tell what they got them for bridesmaid gifts or groomsmen gifts but the reception was luxurious.  If you are planning a wedding this summer, check out our article on wedding attendant gifts for ideas.

And if you are planning on attending a wedding this summer, remember to dress in accordance with the mood the bride is setting for the wedding (take a cue from the wedding invitation).  At my niece’s rather formal wedding I was surprised to see a person related to her dressed in a pair of tan cargo shorts.

Here in the Great Plains, it’s been raining a lot. Iowa is struggling with a lot of areas flooded and some farmers are saying that by the time the fields clear, it will be too late to replant. I guess that makes sense as last weekend we had Father’s Day which tends to herald the beginning of true summer.

The western and central parts of Iowa have now begun to see the waters slowly recede. But eastern Iowa is seeing waters from the Mississippi rise. Cities all along it’s banks are bracing for the worst. Let’s pray that it won’t be as bad as some forecasters are now predicting.

I mentioned already that I’ve had to start mowing again. Well it goes a lot deeper - I have to clean my garden and remove all the debris. I’ve got rose bushes and butterfly bushes that all have dead wood that needs removal and my perennials have dead stalks remaining.

When I get done with that, it’s time to give my home a generous house cleaning. It always seems like something is going on in the late Spring and early Summer that involves entertaining. So my home needs a Spring makeover and thorough cleaning.

Finally it’s gotten warm where I live. Goodness that took a long time this year. But now the grass is growing and it needs mowing. I’m not fond of mowing I’d rather be doing something else. But hey, the sun is shining, it is warm (84 degrees today - yeah) and the birds wake me up each morning with a delightful song.  And it’s that song that is my gift each day.

I guess I can live with the mowing. 

After a long winter and a colder than average spring, my daffodils are finally starting to bloom. I love daffodils because I know then that winter is finally done and it’s time to plan warm weather activities. I love picnics and trips to the park. I find a generous sized tote bag can carry all that I need and more.

I actually own a couple of tote bags. Some more formal than others and, of course different colors for my different moods. What’s your spring fling?

Got a baby christening or other event that you’d like to commemorate with a religious gift? Consider a prayer cross. We offer many prayer crosses for all sorts of occasions. Like baptisms, birth gifts, wedding anniversaries and weddings. We even have a Quinceanera cross for young ladies turning 15.

As a way to introduce you, our visitors, to our products we are now offering product reviews showing you our personal favorites. First up we have reviewed money clips, bags & totes, personalized koozies and little boy picture frames. We are sure that some of our favorites will soon become some of your favorites.

With Valentine’s Day behind us we can now set our sights to Easter for our next gifting holiday. Traditionally in my family a basket appears for children of all ages. But I have some relatives who actually gift bigger.

Gifting beyond the basket isn’t necessary but I’ll admit it’s nice. You don’t need to be extravagant small gifts for girls and boys is enough to make them feel special.

For some of us the coming spring isn’t just about a delightful change of season, it marks a turning point in our lives. We have a son or daughter who will be graduating form high school or college. Either way, our children are taking and important final step away from being children and towards adulthood.

Planning a graduation party takes a little time and plenty of thought. Getting a great graduation gift is among the many things you’ll have to consider. Also plan the venue. Outdoors can be either a wonderful spring day or a torrent of rain so beware of outdoor parties unless you have backup. As for food, simpler can be better. Make it picnic fare and then get a fantastic cake.

If your local community has not already had a bridal shower, it soon will. Late winter and early spring are the prime times for these events. The question is … should you go if you are planning a wedding?

While most of the better events charge for admission the amounts are reasonable usually around $10 - $15 per person. What you get for that money is a mini convention of everything that has to do with a wedding. Fashion, beauty, flowers, food, favors & wedding gifts and so much more. While you could get a lot of this from buying several bridal magazines, you get more of a hands on touch while at a bridal fair. For example, you may participate in or at least watch a make-over which could give you great ideas for your hair and make-up on your wedding day you would not have considered or known about previously.

Secondly, you get a good feel for price. Setting a budget for your wedding is important and no matter how big or small your budget is, you will have to make trade-offs. Seeing in person the quality of different gowns or cakes will help you make those tough decisions.

And there is the sheer excitement of the affair. You’ll be mingling with other gals who are planning their big day as well. It’s fun and educational - I recommend it.

Late winter is a fantastic time to plan out the details of your wedding. The more you can get planned out now, the less stress you’ll have the last weeks before your big day. Of course you need to reserve a church (or other place to get married) and a reception site as tip priorities. Other things to take care of quickly include getting a photographer and caterer.

One thing that isn’t urgent but is nice to get taken care of is to get your gifts for your attendants early. Having them in hand a month ahead of time keeps you just that much more relaxed as your wedding day approaches. So once you finish asking your best friends to be in your wedding, start thinking about getting them a gift.

Today is Fat Tuesday. The day before the kick off of the Lenten season. On Mardi Gras it’s expected to eat a little to much and celebrate with beads and booze and maybe a King’s cake. The acknowledged center for Mardi Gras activity is New Orleans.

With the damage of hurricane Katrina still a part of many good people’s everyday lives both in New Orleans and surrounding areas, one has to wonder if the little of the life of the event has left. Let’s hope not. But let’s also not forget about the work that still needs to be done to restore this historic part of our country.

It’s almost upon us but if we act fast we can still find great gifts for him online that we can order and have at the ready for Valentine’s Day. I’ve always struggled with Valentine’s Day gifting because I want it to be personal but you know - it’s for a guy and they are more apt to like gadgets and gizmos. Now getting a new ipod or if you are not an ‘i’-aholic, maybe a Blackberry will be sure to please him but it will put a big dent in your wallet. And my guy has an ipod nano so that kind of left me in a lurch until I found the totally cool personalized ipod nano holder. This one is made of fine black leather and even has a clip to attach to his pocket or waistband.

Perfect! Problem solved. A very personal gift for Valentine’s and something he’ll love without costing me a fortune.

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