Unique Gift Ideas, Themed Puzzles Add Pizzazz

Today is National Puzzle Day, and I've rediscovered the fun in jigsaw puzzles while working on them with my mother-in-law who is staying with us while recovering from hip surgery.  We've worked on jigsaw puzzles with 500 pieces, 100 pieces, and 300 pieces.  Considering she is 83 years old, the 500 piece puzzle did not go too well!  The 100 piece puzzle was slightly too easy, and we are now working on the 300 piece, which is a lovely spring nature design, and I think it is just right!

There is another puzzle series that my husband and I discovered on our quest for unique gift basket items.  Scramble Squares are 9 piece puzzles that are both challenging and intriguing.  There are hundreds of themes to choose from, so you can find one for virtually any theme or subject!  We have selected a few different designs which we include in our housewarming gift basket, travel gift basket, and gardening gift basket.  And, most appropriately, we include a Scramble Squares puzzle in our get well gift baskets - naturally!  They're perfect for those on the mend.  They don't take up much space (9 pieces, remember?), and they are challenging enough to take time to solve.

Any of our custom gift baskets can be made with a puzzle of your choice! 

Enjoy and have a happy day!

 

 

 

WBDC Video: Thoughtful Presence Gift Basket Success Story

I was very pleased to be included in a recent success story feature for the Women's Business Development Center in Chicago.  As I was developing Thoughtful Presence, I took a great entrepreneurial class, FastTrac Planning, at WBDC and came out of it with a completed business plan and action plan for launching Thoughtful Presence gift baskets.  I still have the pleasure of speaking to the classes at WBDC every semester, time permitting, and am always intrigued and impressed by so many ambitious and creative women working on launching new businesses just as I did.  Enjoy the video and have a happy day!

5 Reasons to Love January

On one hand, January can be considered a long, cold month.  It's winter extended; the glorious Christmas season comes to a close; and people begin to anticipate spring, albeit still far away. 

In my monthly newsletters, I like to highlight not just the big holidays and events, but the little unknowns as well.  In preparing for my current newsletter, I found a whole host of wonderful little celebrations available for the month of January, particularly in the latter half of the month. 

Choose any or all of these as reasons to celebrate this month:

• January 18 - Winnie the Pooh Day - My personal favorite classic character of all time.
• January 19 - Popcorn Day - Go to the movies or watch at home, and add your favorite seasoning and good old butter if you choose! 
• January 20 - Penguin Awareness Day - Who doesn't love these classy little creatures of the cold.  There are some great videos on the lives of penguins, or check out Jim Carrey's Mr. Poppers Penguins for a fun movie for all!
• January 24 - Compliment Day - Everyone needs a nice compliment as often as possible, so keep this in mind today.
• January 27 - Chocolate Cake Day - I always seem to highlight my own personal favorites!  Yours too?

These are just a few of the many reasons to celebrate January.  I hope you'll enjoy one of these or find a few of your own. 

Have a happy day!

Going Green with Unique Gifts for Women - Emerald Green, that is

Since the start of Thoughtful Presence, we've been going green with practical gift baskets made with reusable, recyclable and functional containers of many types.  Creatively packaged inside our containers are lasting gift items, not a lot of throw away packaging to clutter our earth. 

This year, we'll be going green in a new way - emerald green, that is.  Emerald green is the Pantone color of the year for 2013!  Didn't know there was a color of the year?  Last year it was tangerine, and our Especially for Her gift basket incorporated tangerine in its convenient tote bag container and 8Petals jewelry design.
 

This year, we've added a jewelry set by Jennifer Jangles that incorporates emerald green, tangerine and a loving Happy inscription. You'll find it in our Hope Springs gift basket combined with our favorite Hope Springs gift products. 

Have a happy day!

Winding down a good year for gift baskets

2012 has been a year of transition, and a good one for Thoughtful Presence gift baskets.  I have always been one to spend time during the last week of December, considering accomplishments of the current year and goals for the coming year.

Thoughtful Presence was in the works for a year before going full time in May 2012, when we also launched our website.  It has been a wonderful adventure, and we hope our customers have been pleased with our service and our products.  We made many new business partnerships, and were pleased to work with some of our local churches and organizations to provide gift baskets for their annual benefits.  These included St. Baldricks, Immaculate Conception, and St. Mary Queen of Angels in Chicago.

During the coming year, we look forward to further strengthening our business partnerships and continuing to grow our business.

Happy New Year to all!

Gifts for the Caregiver

Last month I wrote a post about caregivers as November was National Caregivers Month. I used a quote by Rosalynn Carter, who believed pretty much everyone at some point in their lives is touched by a caregiver:

"There are four kinds of people in this world: those who have been caregivers, those who currently are caregivers, those who will be caregivers, and those who will need caregivers."

 

Although that was just a few weeks ago, at the time I had no idea I would soon be faced with becoming a caregiver.  Just days later, my mother-in-law took a bad fall, requiring hip surgery, and at 83 years old, it has taken quite a toll.  She will be coming to live with us at the end of this week. 

We had wonderful caregivers for my parents in past years, so it should also be said that caregivers can touch our lives at various times throughout.

With caregivers heavily on my mind, I wanted to encourage everyone to remember any caregivers currently in your life.  Christmas is a wonderful time to honor them, and give them the most treasured gift of time and care for themselves.

If you are thinking of a gift for a caregiver, consider something that encourages them to refresh, renew and take care of themselves, even if just for an hour of a day.

These are some of my special gifts available for caregivers:



Our Christmas Spa Gift Basket features Do Not Disturb bath and body products, packaged in elegant holiday silver and purple.

For the male caregiver, this all natural spa collection also gives back, and comes packaged in a stylish toiletry bag.

This Pamper Me gift collection is also made with all natural bath and body products from France.  Both of the candles in the men's and women's spa gift are handmade soy from Green Daffodil in Michigan.  This women's version also comes packaged in a stylish cosmetic bag.

 

This deluxe spa gift basket, which we call Indulge and Inspire, is a lovely collection of spa and home products, including bath and body from Homespun Naturals, a relaxing instrumental CD, and an inspiring framed quote from Kindred Hearts.  There are other spa delights in this basket as well.  Read the complete description.

Have a happy day!

 

6 Top Gift Ideas for Men

I've been having a virtual disagreement with some folks about what men appreciate receiving as a gift.  They say a basket full of beer, pretzels and mini chocolate footballs are all the rage.  Really?

I asked my husband, Ken, to weigh in on the discussion, and although beer, pretzels, and chocolates are considered a staple in our kitchen; as gifts go, he felt these items are much too ordinary to be given as a gift.  The idea of receiving something innovative, or something he wouldn't think to buy for himself is much more appealing.

I've actually known this about him for quite awhile, with all of our planning around what to include in our gift collections for men.  So with 21 days remaining until Christmas, if you're stumped for what to get the man in your life, here are our top picks.  Some versions you can find in our store; others are just great ideas to help you finalize your shopping list!

1.    Man Bag – I bought a great Tumi bag for Ken last Christmas and he loves it. Men hate bulky pockets, and with today’s use of mobile devices, sunglasses, flash drives, in addition to money, IDs and credit cards, pockets are no longer sufficient for holding all of his stuff! There are many great stylish bags for men out there, and although he may never ask for one, if he gets one, he will love it, brag to his friends about it, and never leave home without it.

2.     Bath and body products for men – It’s the new age of soap on a rope! He may not seek out specialty shave cream, or pay a premium for skin lotion, but once he tries it, he’ll be hooked (and so will you).

3.     Candles – Candles come in so many fragrances, and masculine style fragrances are becoming more and more prominent.  Fresh cut grass, the scent of a campfire, and worn leather are just some examples of new fragrances for men. 

 

4.      Something inspirational – Whether for home or office, a framed inspirational quote or picture will keep him reminded of what's important in life.  Find something that moves him – inspiring words, values or a wonder of nature will lift his spirit. 

5.     Hobby gifts – Whether he loves travel, music, or the great outdoors, look for gifts related to his passion.  A coffee table book, a DVD series, an unusual styled map or globe would be unique and something he is not likely to buy for himself. 

6.     Food – Rather than those staple foods mentioned above, if you like the idea of a food gift, choose a few of his favorite foods and make a special meal.  If you’re not a cook, get take-out and set it up like a home cooked meal! Prepare the table for a special occasion with a table cloth or elegant place mats.  Use cloth napkins with napkin rings to dress it up. Your attention to detail will not go unnoticed.

For unique gift ideas for men, you might consider one of our collections, such as those pictured here.

Whatever you choose for the man in your life, whether husband, boyfriend, brother, or buddy, don't be ordinary.  Make it something that will pleasantly surprise him.

Have a happy day!