Silhouette Prints

Need a fabulous personalized gift at a great price? I have the place for you - Pumpkin Petunia

I purchased my first Silhouette Print from Pumpkin Petunia last fall. It was the football print pictured above for my then 14 year old nephew. He is the quiet nephew that really doesn't say much - you know the type. I try really hard every year to get the perfect gift for his birthday and Christmas but rarely do I see his eyes light up when he opens our gift. But last Christmas I got it with Pumpkin Petunia's framed silhouette! I guess football will touch just about any guy's heart.

Pumpkin Petunia offers a wide range of Silhouette Prints in modern and classic styles. Lots of sports for boys and girls, and plenty of cute everyday silhouettes like reading, swinging, and a little girl pushing a baby carriage - so sweet.

Can I say it again? I love these Silhouette Prints! I have one for each of my daughters. And one more wrapped really nice and pretty for my niece's birthday next month.

Just $16 for the print and another $10 for the frame. To make this gift idea even better Pumpkin Petunia has passed on a discount code of 20%! Yay! So you can get the print and frame for just over $20 plus shipping. Code: BBFriends

Check them out here.

Baby's Box of Fun by Karen Katz

Reading to my children is such a special time, even when reading is squeezed into our crazy schedule. I started reading to my first born when she was just weeks old. Both of my daughters love books. I hope that love continues when they can read independantly.

One of the first board books I purchased while pregnant was by Karen Katz. I fell in love with her simple phrases and bright, fun illustrations. Quickly my daughter fell in love with the book also. I've taped that book back together many times ;) .

The Baby's Box of Fun by Katz is the perfect way to start a new little with age appropriate books. I've given this box set to friends after they have announced a pregnancy, as a Christmas gift, and a Welcome to the World gift. It would also be a great gift for a first birthday.

You can find the box set at Amazon.

Letter Factory

I love this DVD! I purchased it for my older daughter for her second birthday. Yeah, it is a little early for learning letter sounds but I like to buy 'toys' a little ahead of when she'll actually use them. Now my younger daughter is enjoying this DVD - bonus!

Letter Factory is the perfect length for a preschooler, IMHO, because its just over 35 minutes. And the story/songs don't grate on my nerves like other baby and preschool education movies. My husband and I often refer to the short songs for each letter to remind our older daughter how to sound out a word.

I've given this lovely DVD to many children in the past few years. Amazon offers free super savings shipping on Letter Factory, and I have even bought it at Target on a few occasions!

Now Leap Frog has a new DVD titled Let's Go to School - its on our Christmas wish list.

Rent Mother Nature

My husband's sister and her family are so difficult to buy for .... they need nothing, they buy anything and everything they want. To make the gift giving even more interesting all six of their birthdays fall in the three months before Christmas (except one, his is four days after Christmas). Can you say CHALLENGE ?!?

About two years ago a friend suggested RentMotherNature.com. For Christmas we gave the family the cheese and maple syrup leases with optional photo and everything. Huge hit! The kids loved seeing a picture of 'Betsy the cow' and reading the updates on the maple harvest. They served the cheese, with a picture of Betsy proudly framed, at a fun party the following spring.

This is my favorite family gift! Not only is it unique, but this gift is also helping small farmers in other areas of the country. And, its food! What better gift than yum, yum, yummy food!

And here I go ...

I love giving gifts. I love finding just the right gift for that special someone. That special someone could be my dear mother, new neighbor, friend, or little person in my daughter's class.

I've thought about starting this blog numerous times. The thought was quickly followed by all of the valid things I should be doing instead. Chores that fall by the side as I put computer time over such things as cleaning ;). I told myself a gift blog will just become another 'computer thing to do'. But one day I received this quote in my inbox:

Giving presents is a talent; to know what a person wants…to give it lovingly and well. — Pamela Glenconner

It was a sign. I need to start this gift blog. I want to start this gift blog. Giving the perfect gift, and sharing my gift ideas and finds, is what I love doing.

So join me as I begin this new adventure!

And share with me any suggestions and ideas you have for Penguin's Gift.