Z is for Zebra

Zebra print is so much fun whether you use it in fashion or in home decor it's just .......well fun!   A couple of months ago we brought my tween a pair of suspenders and they look like this -


Aren't they cool?   DD loves them and wears them a lot as she thinks they add a great bit of whimsy to her outfit and I think she's right.  

I don't think I would be able to pull them off, but they are pretty cool.

I also like the idea of buying a zebra scarf to use in my wardrobe - as a scarf or a belt or just tied around my handbag for an added accent.


Zebra Print Striped Satchel

Other ways to add a touch of zebra print to an outfit is by adding a bag or a pair of sunglasses.


SW Safari Style #78

There are lots more ways of adding a touch of zebra print to your outfit like zebra print jewelry, watches etc There are even hair bands in zebra print.

Wearing zebra print as a dress or top, however has to be done with care as most people cannot carry it off. I saw a poster of Lady Gaga wearing a zebra print top and it really did her no favors despite the fact that she has a great figure. This might be why so many zebra print fashion accessories are available because it's a way that anyone can add a little safari to their outfit.

This is the final post in the April A to Z Blogging Challenge and I must say it's been fun, but very tiring! I will be taking a couple of days off now, especially as it's a long weekend for me and I'll catch up with you all later in the week.

Y is for YSL

YSL bags that is!   YSL bags seem to be a favorite with many celebrities and when you look at the designs it's hardly surprising.

Yves Saint Laurent has such a wide variety of gorgeous bags to choose from that it would be hard not to find at least one that you want to own.   The Muse is a long time favorite of many celebs whereas I like the classic look of the Majorelle, you can find both of these designs plus others on YSL Bags are the Best Bags!

Even that site doesn't list all of the YSL bags that are available however, there's also designs called the Large Roady and the Multy which also look great......I can't find where to purchase these, but just search for them on ebay occasionally as it's amazing how many times you can grab a YSL bag at very affordable prices.

X is for X Files

My hubby used to be obsessed with this series and so I found myself being sucked in as well (isn't it amazing how often that happens?), I can't actually remember how the series ended now, but it was great fun while it lasted.

So what can you get someone who's 'a believer' as a gift?

Well there's always the Complete Collector's Edition featured here - this set contains 61 discs so it would be a little dangerous to give to hubby as I can see way too many all nighters being pulled in an attempt to watch it all at once!

You might think that statement was me being funny, but unfortunately we had about two weeks of watching another box set (that I won't name in case it appears in another post :D) from about 9.00 at night until 2 or 3 in the morning every night and as far as the weekend was concerned dd was staying with a friend for one of the days and we only stopped to refuel - it can be hard work getting through box sets!

If someone is a really big fan of The X-Files however then they may already have the cds, whether they brought the complete set or season by season, so what else it available?

There's always a poster such as the one pictured or the classic UFO - I want to believe one.

I'm quite surprised that my hubby hasn't brought one to hang up in the bar yet, probably because he hasn't seen them in the shops recently - note to self don't let hubby read this post unless you've decided you wouldn't mind an x-files poster in the bar!

Other ideas for fans of the X-Files are books about the X-Files or a dvd on the Lone Gunman series which was a spin off from the X-Files.   I must admit I never saw this series, but I did like the Lone Gunman so this could end up wrapped up for hubby this Christmas.

Other ideas are some of the great X-Files t-shirts that are around such as these -

        

W is for Wonder Woman iPhone Cases

Did you used to watch Lynda Carter as Wonder Woman when you were growing up?   I can still remember spinning around pretending to be Wonder Woman which is why I loved it when I came across Wonder Woman iPhone Cases.   They really are awesome!

The cases themselves are made by Speck so you know they're high quality.   They are actually a hard plastic case, but the design is printed on an easy to grip fabric that covers the case completely.   This gives the case a really unique touch of style.

Wonder Woman Swinging Lasso by wonderwoman
Browse other iphone 3 cases

This is probably my favorite Wonder Woman iPhone case as it shows Wonder Woman in all her glory wielding her golden lasso.   The designs available are able to be put on your iphone 3 or your iphone 4.   I think this is really bringing our favorite female superhero into the future with apple technology - what do you think?

Victorian Paper Dolls

Did you ever play with paper dolls when you were younger?   They were so much fun and you could dress them up in any number of costumes.   My favorites were always the Victorian fashions, I was quite obsessed with Victoriana when I was younger - I'm not quite sure why.

 I can remember at school watching a program that to my mind was like a soap opera, but it was based in Victorian days sort of like a Way We Were type of program and I loved the upper class outfits.   Unfortunately if I'd ever lived back then I would probably have been living in an overcrowded slum!

This Victorian Family Paper Dolls contains four dolls as well as 38 different costumes which means that you can play out your very own Victorian soap opera in your own home.   Forget computer games and re-introduce your children to the simple pleasures that playing with paper dolls can give.

Now this Victorian family is a nice place to start, but I did like the Victorian fashions so this next Victorian paper dolls is my pick of the selections available -

 In this Great Fashion Designs of the Victorian Era you get 2 dolls and 28 different outfits which includes Queen Victoria's wedding gown, dresses with the bustle evolving into a more hourglass figure that came in towards the end of the Victorian Era and evolved into Edwardian fashion.    

If you really love the idea of Victorian fashion then there are also Victorian paper dolls from Harpers Bazar which are fantastic high fashion costumes.   In fact there are so many different Victorian paper dolls available that I couldn't possibly list them all, but if you click on either of the ones I've featured Amazon also offers a range of different collections for you to try.

Even if your children are a little 'old' for paper dolls, it doesn't mean you can't revisit your childhood and indulge in a little fantasy as a great way of destressing and the advantage with paper dolls is that they are easier to hide in a drawer than a Barbie or Bratz doll would be!!

U is for Umbrellas

Umbrella's have come a long way since the standard black umbrella that men used to take 'to the city' when they worked as stockbrokers, bankers and the like.   You can now get umbrellas of all different descriptions.

There are so many different types of umbrellas available that I've even produced a webpage called - Unique Umbrellas!   I'm sure you've seen all the licensed umbrellas that are available for children - the Disney umbrellas and ladybug and bee umbrellas, well adults can have a little fun with their umbrellas as well.

You can purchase animal inspired umbrellas, Elvis umbrellas, New York umbrellas and more.   You can let your umbrella bloom like a flower with nature inspired umbrellas such as Daisies, you can own your own art gallery with art inspired umbrellas like Monet.   There are even Twilight umbrellas available if you're a Twilight fan.

An umbrella would certainly make a unique gift idea as well as a very practical one.   Some of these umbrellas make you even wish for a rainy day just so that you can show them off :D

Twilight Gifts

Twilight has garnered many fans among young and old which is why I thought you'd need to get some ideas for what to buy the Twihard in your life.   I have a webpage full of Twilight Gift Ideas which you are welcome to check out, but here's five unique Twilight gifts for you to consider - 

Twilight Candy is a really cool idea for a Twilight fan, especially one who has a sweet tooth!   Based on the Sweetheart Candies these have phrases tailored for Twilight fans such as 'Lamb', 'Bite Me' and 'Live 4 Ever.'

The candy comes in four different flavors - Orange Obsession, Tempting Apple, Secret Strawberry and Passion Fruit.   The boxes that the candy arrives in has Twilight Trivia on the back which is great.

As you can see with this set of 3 the boxes are all different with one showing the cast, another Edward and yet another Bella.

If sweetheart candy isn't your thing then click on the link to see what else is available as there are Twilight chocolate bars, even a heart shaped box of Twilight chocolates all available on Amazon - delicious.

Twilight Mousepads are a cool gift idea especially for an office colleague as the boss can't object to them using a mousepad while they work even if posters in the office aren't allowed!!   There are lots of different types of Twilight mousepads available from Team Edward to Team Jacob or even Edward & Bella ones.

Twilight Contact Lenses - this is a really unique gift idea for a Twilight fan, they can get Edward's amber eyes or eyes that look just like the Volturi, all of these and more are available with a pair of theatrical contact lenses.

A Twilight bag is another cool gift idea and there are a number of different types to choose from including the reversible one featured here.   On my Twilight Gift Shop I also feature a hobo style of Twilight bags, but there are so many more to choose from.

There are Twilight Messenger bags, Twilight Backpacks, Twilight Clutches and Twilight Totes.....no doubt there are others as well that I haven't come across yet!   Bags are useful for everybody so a Twilight bag is not only a cool gift idea, but a practical one as well.

Twilight Jewelry is another great gift idea of which that are a variety of different types to choose from.   There's so many to choose from including Team Edward or Team Jacob jewelry, the Volturi jewelry, Bella Inspired Jewelry and replica jewelry from the movies.   Types of this jewelry and/or links to it are all available at my Twilight Gift Shop.

I hope you've found some great gift ideas with this list of five ideas to get you started.   There are lots more gifts for Twilhards at my gift shop for you to browse through including dolls, tattoos, Christmas ornaments and much more so go dazzle someone with a great Twilight gift today!

S is for Sophie

If you're looking for a baby gift you can't go past Sophie the Giraffe.   This giraffe is really cute and is ideal for a babies small hands to hold and did I mention it's invaluable when they're teething?

I've written a full review of Sophie the Giraffe which explains all about why Sophie will become indispensable for any new parent right here - Buy Sophie the Giraffe Online.

Let's look at some Sophie's good points - her giraffe body is shaped really well for babies to be able to hold onto her from as young as three months.

Made of rubber Sophie the Giraffe is 100% Phthalates and BPA free so as a parent you can rest easy that Sophie won't make your child sick.

Personally I just love her quirky look and babies soon learn to recognize Sophie when you pick her up as they get extremely excited and will reach out for her from a very, very early age.   They also want to keep Sophie the Giraffe for much longer than the manufacturers tell you which (in my opinion) is always a good thing - it means that you get your moneys worth, doesn't it?

I wish I'd found a set of two when I got Sophie (see above) as it would've made things very helpful - some babies get so attached to little Sophie that it pays to have a spare just in case she goes missing - trust me it happens!

R is for Royal

Are you eagerly awaiting the Royal Wedding on April 29th or are you feeling totally 'over it' by now?   If you enjoy knowing a bit about the Royals then you might be interested in the Royal Palaces that are in Britain.

The Royal Palaces of Britain is a book that is sure to enchant any royalist as it covers not a couple palaces, but 31 of them including Buckingham Place, Windsor Castle and Hampton Court Palace.   I'm sure you've heard of all three of those palaces, but have you heard of Lever Castle or Scone Palace?

This book was written by Jane Struthers and features photographs by Chris Coe and Paul Riddle, now to be honest as far as the information on the palace's go the book doesn't go in depth enough for me, but the photos - well they make the book.   This is a great book to give an overview of Britain's Royal Palaces (and the link above will give you a full list of the palaces included) and is ideal if you're thinking of planning a trip to the UK.

I have found that The Royal Palaces of Britain gives you enough information to decide what palaces you want to find out more on, like a starting point really.

A regal gift that I believe will stand the test of time.

Q is for Quarry

If you're familiar with best selling author Sue Grafton then this heading will be a ringing a bell for you as it's part of her alphabet crime series of books.   I used to enjoy reading this pre-motherhood, but I'm afraid I haven't got back into her books now that dd is a little older and I've finally found time to start reading again!

Private Investigator Kinsley Millhone is brought back in yet another crime novel by Sue Grafton and I do wonder if she was given a book challenge very much like our blogging challenge - start a book with a new letter and work your way through the entire alphabet.

A teenage girls body is found in a Quarry which leads Sue Grafton into her Q book, eighteen years later the cops who found the teenager's body hire Kinsley to find out who she is as she's become a cold case. 

If you want more information on the book (I'm afraid it's one of Grafton's that I haven't read yet) then click on the book to the left and read the reviews on Amazon.

P is for Pendants

As I work my way through the alphabet as part of the April A-Z Blogging Challenge I come inevitably to the letter P and with my penchant for jewelry I just have to choose pendants.   As long time readers will know I love jewelry, but pendants have to be one of my favorite forms of jewelry and are especially great gift ideas.

Pendants are a great gift idea and you can find all different styles of pendant to choose from.   At the moment though I'm going to talk about pendants from Zazzle.   Zazzle is a print on demand company that you may or may not be aware of and since late last year they also produce pendants.

Lady on the Rock by lou165
Create custom silver pendants online

This pendant is of the Lady on the Rock, a statue that stands at the entrance of the Whakatane harbour and people who live in Whakatane usually go down to 'the heads' (as they call the entrance to the harbour) every day which makes it a special site.   We haven't lived in Whakatane for over 10 years and yet we have a picture of the Lady on the Rock gracing our lounge as do many of our friends who also hail from there.   This pendant was made with one of them in mind and was a very cherished gift for them - it's rarely taken off in fact!

If you have a special place that lives in your heart even when you're miles away then you can make your own pendant (the pendants can be round or square) to wear.

I have also seen people put photos of their pets and loved ones onto pendants and I think they make a great gift idea for someone.

Other ideas include using artwork that depicts many things from flowers to gothic designs and from animals to  seasonal designs, I have a selection of different pendants available at Unique Silver Necklaces.   I'll leave you with a design that a lot of people seem to like, my pink and white swirl pendant -

Pink & White Swirl Necklace by lou165
See other pendants

O is for Owls

My mother collects owls and has done since I was young which has meant that my brother and I have brought numerous owl gifts over the years.   I recently came across some great owl posters on Zazzle that would make a great gift idea for any owl lover.   There are posters derived from photographs of actual owls, retro feel owl posters and also fantasy owl posters like the one below -

2 FANTASY OWLS Poster by BY_CYRA
Browse other Owls Posters

I have never given mum a poster before, but I think I might get one framed for her for this year's birthday.   The closest to a poster that I've given her was a cross stitch of a snowy owl that I made for her and framed - it still has pride of place in the family room.

One thing that mum has received a lot of over the years from various family members has been owl figurines and they are scattered around her house on different shelves.   This set of  miniature owl figurines would make a great gift idea.

The four different styles of owls would look great on a shelf or desk and are each 2.25" tall and 1.75" wide.   They look so cute I'd even love them myself!

Another gift idea that has been popular is an owl pendant - I have given my mother a beautiful owl pendant and she has also brought herself a couple of other owl pendants as there are some great selections of owl pendants available.   Also on the subject of owl jewelry - owl brooches are another great gift idea and one which one of my nieces gave mum last year.

One piece of owl jewelry that I had never come across until I was looking on Amazon for some gift ideas recently was a ring.   An owl ring had never crossed my mind before and yet there are quite a few in lots of different styles.   

The one I've selected here is a turquoise and coral silver ring which I think looks fantastic.   The turquoise really makes the owl seem to 'pop' and the reviews sound fantastic.   I think this could easily be added to the must buy 'owl' list - what do you think?

Another great gift idea for any owl lover is an owl Christmas ornament for the tree.  This could be given as a birthday or as a Christmas gift and is bound to be a hit.   I have compiled a webpage with a lovely selection of designs available online at - Owl Christmas Ornaments.

I hope you've enjoyed looking at some owl gift ideas, let me know if you have any other great gift ideas for an owl lover as I'm all ears :D

N is for Nature Inspired Umbrellas

With rain forecast for today it seemed only natural to think about umbrellas and there are some really awesome nature inspired umbrellas available to purchase online.   The most popular are probably the floral ones and I must admit the purple daisy style or sunflower umbrellas are very striking and really make you stand out from the crowd.

Personally I love the palm tree umbrella - it looks like leafs off of a palm tree which makes me feel very tropical!

My daughter loves butterfly umbrellas and often points them out to me when she sees them (luckily that's not very often in real life as most of these unique nature inspired umbrellas seem to need to be brought online).   I was tempted to purchase a dragonfly umbrella for dd's teacher a couple of years ago as she liked dragonflies, but before I ordered it my daughter informed me that she'd told her teacher I was going to make her a dragonfly necklace - gotta love kids!

Here's some of those beautiful nature inspired umbrella's here (and don't forget to check out the link above for a great selection, including the ones I've mentioned).

    

M is for Marilyn Monroe

Screen icon Marilyn Monroe still has millions of fans and if you know one of these fans then here are some gift ideas for the.   Bearing in mind that most Marilyn fans will already own her movies I've tried to think of other Marilyn Monroe collectibles that would be appreciated.

I have compiled a popular selection of Marilyn Monroe Collectibles that people find really convenient when they're gift shopping (for themselves or others, I'm not sure!)

One of the most popular Marilyn Monroe gift ideas that I find sells is Marilyn Monroe Christmas Ornaments and these seem popular all year around.

There are a number of different types of Marilyn Monroe Christmas ornaments such as the one featured and many others that you can check out from the above link.   I think one of the reasons that this is such a popular gift idea is that people are reminded of your gift each year as they dress their Christmas tree.

Personally I love receiving special Christmas ornaments to personalize my tree with each year and I'm sure I'm not the only person who feels this way.

Another idea for a Marilyn Monroe fan is a Marilyn Monroe t-shirt and there are so many to choose from.   Now that makes it sound hard, but it's not really it's a case of there being lots of different colors to choose from which is great because the same color does not suit everyone.   It also means that there are different fits to suit people as some prefer loose fitting t-shirts while others like slim fitting shirts.   

I've actually compiled an ever changing selection of Marilyn Monroe T-Shirts which will help to make your decisions even easier.

Of course a classic Marilyn gift is a Marilyn Monroe Poster.   Again there are lots of Marilyn Monroe posters to choose from.

Buy This Marilyn Monroe poster at Allposters.com

You can either buy a plain poster or get one framed, personally I love this ballerina pose in a frame, it looks great - doesn't it?

Marilyn Monroe Dolls are another popular gift idea.   Dolls are a great collectors item and you can get a number of different Marilyn dolls such as the Barbie 50th Anniversary doll that is pictured.

You can also find dolls that are dressed in her infamous white dress from The Seven Year Itch to her Diamonds Are A Girls Best Friend pink dress from Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.

There are Marilyn Monroe Barbie dolls as well as a number of OOAK (one of a kind) Marilyn Monroe dolls to choose from.

My sister in law collects salt and pepper shakers so when I was looking at what Marilyn Monroe collectibles were available I naturally looked at those.   There are actually quite a number of Marilyn Monroe Salt & Pepper Shakers available and some of them are really awesome - what a great gift idea for a Marilyn fan.

There you go five different ideas for some great Marilyn Monroe gifts, I hope that something on here tickled your fancy :D

L is for Larsson

Stieg Larsson was a Swedish journalist who wrote what has become known as the Millennium Trilogy before he died.   The three books that make up this bestselling trilogy are The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, The Girl Who Played With Fire and The Girl Who Kicked The Hornets Nest and all three of these books are ideal for any bookworm you know.

The first book in the series is The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo and in this book we meet the main characters who are going to take us on quite an adventure.

This book is quite hard to get into and my dad actually gave up trying to read it.  I had actually been told that it took a little getting into, but was worth it so I persevered for a few chapters and the result - definitely worth while!

I think the problem is getting used to the Swedish names, once you've got used to them though the book is really good and I recommend it.   I should also mention that since I've finished the whole trilogy, my mum has finished the trilogy and my brother has just started the third book my dad has decided to 'give it another go' and he now appears to be quite hooked on it.   In fact it's hard to get him to put the book up except to ask questions which we refuse to answer (why ruin the ending for him?)

In essence it's like two books in one - a decades old dead case of a missing girl and also the mystery of super hacker - Lisbeth Salander.

The book finishes and then leads straight into the next book (or at least my copy did) which means that - of course - you then have to reach for the second book.   My advice is to buy them all before you start reading so that you have them on hand.

The second book in Stieg Larsson's trilogy is The Girl Who Played With Fire.   A couple of my friends have stated that this was the best of the three books, I'm not so sure as I'm torn between this book and the last one.   One thing is for certain this book is a lot better than the first one (which was good after it got going).

In this book Salander is accused of murder and journalist Mikael Blomkvist is determined to prove her innocence, along the way we hear about Salander's life.

I don't want to ruin things by saying too much so I'll leave you with this - I literally could not put this second book down it gripped me from the beginning to the end.

Where the book ends the third in the trilogy quickly picks up.   As I have said some of my friends said that the second book was the best and they were a little disappointed in the third book, but I have to disagree with them.

In The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest all of the loose ends are tidied up and it really does conclude the whole series.

At the end of The Girl Who Played With Fire Salander was severely injured and in The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest she has to fight to recover as well as prove her innocence and who better to help her with that than friends from previous books such as Mikael Blomkvist, Dragan Armansky and the team from Millennium magazine.

K is for Kindle

Amazon's Kindle is a great gift idea for a number of people - commuters, people who like to travel regularly for holidays, moms, the list keeps going on.   I remember driving my daughter to school and telling her that by the time she has children all they'll take to school would be their lunch and their kindles.......of course now there are ipads so they'll probably more likely to take something like those, but I digress.

 When I was commuting into the city every day I would sit on the train for an hour in the morning and an hour at night, now I read quite quickly and I also used to read during my lunch hour a lot of the time as I was temping so often lunched alone.   What does this have to do with the kindle?   Well I used to have to take two books in my bag with me in case I finished one on the trip into the city or on my lunch hour and it would get quite heavy in my bag - the kindle is a great solution.

Lightweight the kindle's screen was the only thing I was worried about, but it's really great to read and the great thing is another book is only a touch away.   Here's some technical bits -

Lighter & Thinner - Only 8.7 Ounces
When reading for long periods of time, we know that weight matters. That’s why we worked hard to make our newest Kindle lighter than ever – only 8.7 ounces – so you can read comfortably for hours with just one hand. Kindle is lighter than a typical paperback, and thinner than a magazine. Just a third of an inch in profile, Kindle fits perfectly in your hands. 

Ergonomic Design
Kindle is easy to hold and read. We designed it with long-form reading in mind. When reading for long periods of time, people naturally shift positions and often like to read with one hand. Kindle's page-turning buttons are located on both sides, allowing you to read and turn pages from any position. The new soft-touch, textured back is comfortable to hold and never gets hot in your hands. 

Never Gets Hot
Unlike a laptop or tablet, Kindle never gets hot so you can read comfortably as long as you like. 

Simple to Use, No Computer Required
Unlike most electronic devices, we wanted to keep Kindle simple. Kindle is wireless and ready to use right out of the box – no setup, no software to install, no computer required. 

Back to me -

The Kindle sounds great doesn't it?   

My parents travelled around Europe a couple of years ago on a motorbike - it was a long time dream of theirs so we were happy that they did it, but unfortunately they couldn't fit many books in their luggage as it had to fit on the bike.   I wanted to buy mum a kindle as I thought it would suit their purposes really well, unfortunately we couldn't afford it at the time, but if you're thinking of biking or backpacking anywhere a Kindle is a great idea.

As a mom when your child is a baby you're carrying around a bag everytime you go out - spare nappies, change of clothes (just in case), wipes.........it's a constant list and it get's heavy.   Sometimes when you take them out they sleep really well and I would pop a book in my bag so that if we were waiting for an appointment - doctors, health nurse etc and she fell asleep I could snatch a few minutes to read a book.   Unfortunately it was another thing to weight the bag down with - a Kindle on the other hand....

As you can tell I'm a big fan, but there are far more good points about the Kindle so click on the picture above for further technical details and other people's reviews.   Before you know it you'll be hooked on the kindle too!

Justin Bieber Gift Ideas

My daughter didn't get Bieber Fever at first, when she saw all the girls swooning on television and kept hearing 'Baby, Baby Oh' she would make a sign as though she was going to be sick.   Fast forward a few months (and some new friends) and I now have a daughter who thinks Justin Bieber is the bees knees!

What do you get someone who loves Justin Bieber?   Well luckily there's lots of Justin merchandise available for you including - 

  Justin Bieber jewelry like these rubber band/bracelets which are always popular and pendants.   There are dog tag style pendants and the guitar pic necklaces (like the one pictured).

You can even get square glass tile pendants with Justin Bieber's images on which are pretty cool.  

From a 9 and a half year old's perspective (the half is very important) the rubber bracelets are the best piece of jewelry, however a 12 year old's perspective is that a pendant is best - the guitar pic one pictured being her favorite.   Isn't it great to have both a daughter and a niece to help you select the best of Justin Bieber gift ideas for my readers?

Another great idea for a Justin Bieber gift is a t-shirt, the selection of cool Justin Bieber shirts is always changing so I would check out Justin Bieber Tees to see what's available at the moment.

If the person you're buying for has their own bedroom then what about a Justin Bieber poster?   I must admit I always had my room covered in posters when I was younger and as much as things have changed some things still stay the same!


Buy This Justin Bieber Poster at Allposters.com

If your Justin Bieber fan has their own laptop then they are sure to love a Justin Bieber laptop skin and there are quite a selection available.   With far too many to add to this blog post I've actually compiled some and added them to this site for you - Justin Bieber Laptop Skins.

 My final idea is to buy Justin's official book.......I hesitate to call it an autobiography, who can write an autobiography at age 16?   Your Justin fan will love it though because it is packed full of lots and lots of photos of Justin Bieber.

One drawback is that the book includes some of Justin's tweets and tells young fans how they can connect with him on Twitter so if you don't want your child on Twitter (my daughter certainly isn't allowed) then you should think up reasons to use or ways to avoid having this issue arise before giving this gift.......unless you're just the favorite aunt/uncle etc and then you don't have to worry about these sorts of things!

I is for Ice Invaders

Now I never thought I'd give anyone an ice cube tray as a gift, but that was before I'd come across these ice invaders ice cube trays - they are a really great gift idea for someone who was a child or teen in the 80s.

 I have recently brought one of these trays as a 40th birthday gift and it was one of the most talked about gifts apparently.   I'm only sad that I didn't get an extra one for myself as I would love to have some space invaders ice cubes in my drinks.

These would be great as ice cubes for an 80s party and they can even be used in Space Invader's Baking to great effect - I definitely need some.

It really is amazing how many different types of ice cube trays are available these days - forget the boring square cubes you can get ice cubes shaped like the titanic or hand guns or even themed ones like Halloween style ice cubes.

I think giving someone an ice cube tray may just be getting fashionable again - but only if you give a funky and/or unique ice cube tray!

H is for Hot Pink

Hot pink is a great color, but to wear it can be a little over-powering, unless you add it in accessories such as Hot Pink Scarves.   Depending on the material that your hot pink scarf is made of it can be worn in winter, summer, autumn or spring - hot pink really is a color for all seasons.   I love wearing a hot pink scarf over a black coat and jeans in the middle of winter as it can really brighten your spirits on a miserable, cold day.

It's also a lovely summer color however and reminds me of tropical flowers when it's draped around a summer dress or light pants and top.

Scarves aren't the only accessory that you can use to incorporate hot pink into your wardrobe, however.   You can also add hot pink hats such as the cuban style fedora hat pictured.   There are a number of different styles of hats that come in hot pink from summer straw hats to wooly hats and newsboy style hats.   All of these can be found on Amazon, so click on the fedora and then go on a hot pink hat search - it's fun, but can cost you money :D

Another way of adding hot pink into your wardrobe is with a belt or (even better) a bag.   The one featured shows how the whole bag doesn't have to be hot pink - just the trim - to add a cheeriness to an outfit.

There are some great hot pink bags that are just hot pink all other though so, again, have fun searching on Amazon for some great offers.

Another way of adding hot pink to your wardrobe is with shoes - I haven't looked to see what kind of selection of hot pink shoes are available at the moment as I tend to wear neutral tones on my shoes these days..................mind you there was a time when I even owned a pair of orange stilettos - I don't know what I was thinking, all I can say was that it was the 80s!

G is for Goth

If you're buying for a goth, what do you buy?   Well what about accessories?   After all if she's a woman she's going to need a bag isn't she?

A bag like the one pictured may be suitable or else you could look at purchasing a coffin shaped bag which look really awesome and are gothic inspired. You can check out a range of them at Coffin Shaped Bags including my favorite one.

If you don't fancy giving a bag then you could look at giving he or she some gothic jewelry - there are some great pieces available from pewter gothic jewelry such as the selection available at Pewter Gothic Vampire Pendants to the more unique take on gothic   jewelry that's offered at Unique Gothic Necklaces - the necklaces in this selection are all silver and are only available online.

If the goth that you're buying for has an iphone or an ipad then they might be interested in a case for it.   There are a great selection of Gothic iPhone Cases for both the iphone 3 and 4 available as well as some great gothic designs for the ipad available at Gothic iPad Cases.

Finally, I have to say go with a tee - it doesn't matter who you are there are always t-shirts that are suitable and these include some great gothic designs as well such as this one -

The Gang Little Gothics by Ricaso_Graphics
Browse more Ricaso graphics T-Shirts

There are lots more gothic tees available at Zazzle including long and short t-shirts, you're bound to find one that suits the person you're buying for.

F is for Fairy

I had a lot of problems trying to think what to write about today and then I as I was looking out of the window, telling myself to stop wasting time I saw my neighbor come out of her house with her young daughter.......dressed as a fairy.   How could I not have thought about fairies?   There are fairy gift ideas for the home and for the garden so let's have a look at a few of them.


This solar powered fairy would make a great accent for a garden and would look great in my friend's beautiful garden.   I however have fallen in love with another outside fairy as this one reminds me of a garden statue that is in the garden around my pool at the moment that I call Serenity.

The idea of a fairy sleeping appeals to me, whereas I'm sure my friend will love the kneeling fairy much more.

There are also some great ways of bringing fairies into your house
that also make great gift ideas, especially if you have friends who
love fairies.

There are fairy lamps and fairy ornaments.   I think these fairy ornaments are pretty funky....they're not really the fairies that used to adorn my childhood books and my daughters - for some reason my mother was always trying to get us all hooked on fairies!!

    These fairy ornaments are from Nene Thomas Fairies Couture who prides herself on fairy gifts that are unusual and unique.

Nene Thomas is a fantasy artist and each of these Fairy Divas are made from several castings of poly stone which is then hand painted.

According to the product description they will fly as an ornament from the gold cord loop with is attached.

They range in height and width from 4.5 - 5 inches and they all come in a windowed box ready to be given away as a gift.

 Artwork is another great idea for a 'fairy' gift and I have found some fantastic pieces available on Zazzle including this poster -

Fairy with mushrooms poster from 14.95 by funny_tshirt
See other Fairy Posters

There are all different types of fairy art to choose from and you can buy posters to frame or even get your designs put onto canvas, I think this particular fairy would look absolutely gorgeous as a canvas print.

E is for Emeralds

Carrying on with the A-Z Blogging Challenge we are up to E already.   E is for Emeralds, but I'm not talking about the gorgeous emeralds that are my birthstone, I'm talking about Emerald Resin Rings.   Emerald Resin Rings really are a funky and unique piece of jewelry.

Resin can be molded and so doesn't face the restrictions that gemstones do.   This means that you can end up with funky looking pieces such as the emerald resin ring pictured.   

These rings take all of the great things about working with resin to make great unique pieces of jewelry and combine it with the beautiful green that an emerald can bring to fine pieces of jewelry.   It really is the best of both worlds.

The cost of an emerald resin ring is a fraction of the price of an actual emerald which is always great especially when they look so great (no one will ever guess you didn't spend a veritable fortune on it).   These rings make an awesome gift idea for anyone who loves jewelry, especially jewelry that's a little big different with a personality all of it's own.

D is for Dexter

Well the A-Z Blogging Challenge is really heating up and now we’re on the letter D, there were so many things I wanted to blog about starting with D, but Dexter Morgan was the winner.

If you don’t know who Dexter Morgan is then you obviously haven’t been hooked into the Showtime television series, Dexter. I absolutely love this program and it’s one of the few that I refuse to miss about a serial killer who works for the Miami Police Department and actually has a conscience about who he kills – they have to be guilty of killing someone themselves and yet haven’t been put in jail for the crime.

The series is now going into it’s sixth season and I’m not the only person who loves the show which means that there’s lots of merchandise available for fans of the show including these mugs –



















Nothing like a Dexter mug to start your day off with! If you want something to show off your love of Dexter in the office with though what about a Dexter bobblehead – I love these -



















Of course it’s not just Dexter that’s available in bobblehead form, you could collect the whole case (just click on the link above).

That’s all I’ve got time for today, but why don’t you let me know your favourite Dexter ‘villain’ in the comments.

C is for Chocolate – Gifts for the Chocoholic in Your Life

Carrying on into the third post of the A-Z challenge and we are up to the letter C, which as the title suggests is for chocolate.   There can be no doubt that chocolate is the nectar of the gods.   It tastes good, makes us feel good and apparently is full of antioxidants which are things that make us look younger!

Do you think that knowing all of these things means that chocolate is the elixir of life?   I don’t really know about that, but if you know of a chocoholic or two then here are some 5 great gift ideas for them –

Chocolate iphone cases – there are some great designs available such as this one from Zazzle -

Chocolate Collage iPhone 3G/3GS Case by dgpaulart

If you don’t think the chocolate iphone pictured quite ‘hits the spot’ but you like the idea of a chocolate iphone case then click on the earlier link to find a great selection I compiled.

Chocolate t-shirts – now I love my tees, in fact I even write a blog – Tees That Rock – and there are some fantastic chocolate t-shirts around including this one that I designed myself –

WARNING, Chocolate makes clothes shrink... by lou165

Chocolate Mug

As well as enjoying my chocolate a little too much at times I also love a nice cuppa – sometimes I enjoy tea and sometimes a coffee.   My preferred coffee for years was a latte, but these days I’ve been quite taken with a morning mocha.   Whatever you like to drink a chocolate mug is another great gift idea.

Chocolate by TLArnold2

Chocolate tile or sign– now I was given one of these for my 40^th birthday and it’s sitting on my desk as I type this out.   It really is true and I love having it look at me every day :D

The only one I could find online is this wooden sign, but I was given the same quote on a ceramic tile that sits on it's own little stand and it really is a great gift idea.

Actually I wouldn't mind any of the gift ideas for chocoholics that have been mentioned, but so far I've only given you four and I promised five.

If you really don’t like any of these ideas then what’s wrong with just giving chocolate?   Let's face it you can't go wrong with giving a chocoholic chocolate - not ever!

You can choose from a box of their favourite chocolates to a chocolate gift basket –

B is for Birthstone Jewelry

For the second day of the A-Z Blogging Challenge we need to find something beginning with B and I’ve decided to choose birthstones.   It’s no secret that I love jewelry and so we have yet another post about pieces of jewelry – this time we’re talking about birthstones.   Did you know that wearing your birthstone is supposed to be lucky?

There are 12 different birthstones one for each month of the year.   Most people know their own birthstone, but how are you on other months?   If you fancy yourself as a bit of a gem know it all or you just love taking quizzes then check out this one –

What is Your Birthstone?

Some of the more popular birthstone jewelry designs are hearts, so much so that there is even a Heart Shaped Birthstone Jewelry Store that sells just this type of jewelry.

If you don’t really like heart jewelry then what do you think of these funky designs?

      












      












      

A is for Apple

Well this is my first blog post in the A-Z Challenge which means it has to be something beginning with A.    One of the first things we learn as children is that A is for Apple.    On that note today I’m going to show you the Apple ipad 2.   This was only released in Australia last Friday which has meant that it’s been all over the morning television (along with the usual places).   One thing that really impressed me was the load time between the ipad 1 and ipad 2, the apple ipad 2 was so much faster when it compared to two side by side.   They tried three different things and the difference in response time was very noticeable.

The camera also looked pretty cool, forget about the little screens on the back of your digital camera, this shows your photo on a 9.7 inch screen which looked awesome (note I only saw this on TV, but I’ll go out on a limb and say this is a feature that I love).

Here are the technical bits (straight from Amazon, in case I stuff them up :D)

 Technical Details

Capacity: 16GB | Connectivity: Wi-Fi | Color: Black

   ·       Apple's newest generation of iPads.

   ·       9.7-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit glossy widescreen Multi-Touch display with IPS technology.

   ·       1 GHz dual-core Apple A5 custom-designed processor.

   ·       Forward facing and rear facing cameras.

   ·       Apple's iOS 4 and access to Apple's app store.

Personally I haven’t seen the ipad 2 in real life, but then I still don’t have an ipad so………..

What are your thoughts on the ipad 2, do you have one, want one or are you just meh about the whole thing?