Tag Archives: Christmas

4 Comments

A Gift Guide Just For You

  By Maria Zannini • November 2, 2016

 

gift-guides

Who says you can’t give yourself a present once in a while? It doesn’t have to be for Christmas, but I’ve found the best deals can usually be found around this time of year.

While I’m the worst for buying myself anything, I’ve gotten better at pampering myself–especially if I can get it on sale.

I’ve found it’s easier just to let Greg choose for himself and the same goes for me. He wouldn’t have a clue which oil paint I need, or what kind of pressure cooker I wanted.

Gifts for yourself can be anything from a tool to a new sweater. They’re the things you want, but feel too guilty to buy for yourself. Give yourself permission to splurge once in a while. It’s a lesson I learned too late in life, but I’m making up for it now.

Here are some kick-starter ideas.

• Blood pressure machine  Weird? Not really. It could save your life.
• Elite Pressure Cooker  Faithful readers already know I love this machine. Good price for it now too!
• Keurig Coffeemaker  I’m not a coffee drinker, but I’ve bought this twice for the people I love. I am now their favorite person. 🙂
• Apple iPad Air 2  I probably shouldn’t be listing this since Greg has been hinting that his needs to be replaced soon. But if you’re an Apple fan, these are great. I steal Greg’s every chance I get.
• Downton Abbey, how do I love thee? Best damn series ever.

• Gaiam Ball Chair  It doesn’t look like much, but I swear by this if you have nerve or back pain. It’s the only chair I use.
• Simon  I’m not much of a toy person, but I love this game. Good for strengthening your memory too.
• Wireless Security Camera  Easy to set up and gives a lot of peace of mind. We use it to watch the dogs while we’re gone, but it’s also a baby monitor. Includes night vision, motion alert, and two-way audio.
• Weather Station  This is one of those things that gardeners and outdoorsy people can’t live without. I can get more precise information on how to protect my garden and animals than what I get from the weather service.

• Jawa Candy & Card Holder  I have to admit, I was thinking of Sandra Ulbrich Almazan when I saw this. I thought it was adorable.
• Roomba 880  I still love my Roomba. I have not gone back to my old vacuum since. It was the perfect gift to myself.
• Rtic Tumbler  I recommended this to a friend recently. It keeps liquids cold or hot for a very long time and best of all, no condensation.
• Z Zoned Memory Foam Pillow  One of the best things I ever bought for myself. I sleep so much better now.
• White Noise Machine  I am very tempted to get this. It’s had rave reviews. Even with the better bed (and pillow) falling asleep is still hard for me.

• Fitbit  These Fitbits seem to be all the rage. I was shocked at the great reviews and the sheer number of reviews. Maybe I should give this a second look.
• Doctor Who Sonic Screwdriver  If you don’t know what this is, you’re not embracing your inner geek. I happened to be married to a diehard fan. This is one of the things I bought him. Silly, but hey, you only live once.
• Godiva Chocolates  If you’re going to have chocolate, go for the good stuff.
• Business Card Holder  Très chic, y’all.
• Try Amazon Prime 30-Day Free Trial  If you haven’t tried the free trial, do it over the holidays. We actually use it a lot more than I thought we would.

 

 

So eat the last doughnut, get a massage, and buy yourself something nice. From experience, this is the best time to buy most items. Sometimes there are windows when something drops down even further, but you can at least feel assured that retailers will do most anything to get your business.

Attention Authors: On Thursday, December 1st I want to showcase authors (especially indie authors). If you have a book on Amazon, send me the link and genre, and I will include you in a post dedicated to books as gifts. One book per author please. All genres welcome, but no overtly sexy stuff.

If you know me, use my private email address, if you don’t, email me through my contact page. Be sure to put ‘Christmas’ in the subject line and tell me if you’d like to showcase a paperback or the ebook. Feel free to share this post with your author friends too.

 

 

See my other Gift Guides.

 

23 Comments

Accidents, Laziness, Healthy Eating, and Garage Sales

  By Maria Zannini • October 31, 2016 ,

painting1Saturday night as I was frying something, grease splattered and hit me in the face. I have several burns on my face and arm now. It still smarts!

I did what I could, cooling the burns right away then dabbing the welts with burn ointment. The older I get the more I realize every scar is a testament to me surviving another accident. Ha! I’m a mess.

I’ve been thinking of my health (and Greg’s health) a lot lately. My chronic nerve pain is back due to my own laziness. I simply don’t stretch enough or as deeply as when I attended yoga faithfully. Why is it something has to smack me before I’m willing to fix the problem?

I spent years trying to find a treatment for this chronic pain. I finally found the answer in yoga and as soon as I stopped going, I went back to my old ways. There’s always a good reason. Too busy. Too tired. Too absorbed in something else. It takes serious pain to knock the sense back in.

Last week, Greg and I watched Hungry For Change. It’s free to watch if you have Amazon Prime. The beginning was a little tedious because they kept repeating sound bites but it got better as it went along. What I took away from it was that the way to healthier eating is to eat whole foods.

Processed foods are the killers and we’re surrounded by them in things we simply take for granted. Although we eat more whole foods now that I cook from scratch, we could do better. That’s one reason I decided to include more fish in my weekly menus.

We had talked about getting a juicer but I’m at a loss on which is the right one to buy. The good ones are kind of expensive, and I’m still not sure if I’ll be good about juicing.

Yes, I’ll admit, juicing is way healthier and a more concentrated form of nutrients, but will I like it? Other than V-8 juice and fruit juice, I’ve never really juiced. It sounds like it will be a lot of trial and error until I find the right combination of veggies and fruits that I’ll like. (I’m sure Greg will be easier to please than me.)

Can anyone shed their experience? Have you ever juiced? Can you recommend a dependable juicer? I kind of like the Breville JE98XL juicer. It seems to have some excellent reviews anyway.

I’ve heard  a lot about the Magic Bullet NutriBullet. It’s cheaper, but it has a much smaller motor so I worry about how long it would last.

From the research I’ve done, you want something with a powerful motor that will masticate the fruits and vegetables slower so it can juice more thoroughly.

I keep hoping I’d find one at a garage sale, but nothing yet. Despite being an avid garage saler, it seems remarkable I’ve yet to find one.

Speaking of garage sales, I hit upon a good one for artwork. They’re reproductions, but I found three oil paintings with great ornate frames. I’m still looking for more landscapes, but those are usually priced dear. Good paintings are few and far between.

painting-trio

I’ve had the good fortune to decorate nearly my whole house with garage sale finds. I’m willing to bet I haven’t even spent $100 on all the art in my house. Off the top of my head that’s for a dozen paintings that are hanging right now, four I’ve grown tired of, and another dozen pieces of sculpture and ceramics.

I’m patient when it comes to decorating. I only buy stuff I truly love–and then only if it’s cheap. I’ve only ever spent serious money on two dog figurines, but they were exceptional.

Thoughts on juicers or healthier eating? Do you ever go to garage sales? What kind of stuff do you look for?

14 Comments

Gift Guide for the Animal Lover

  By Maria Zannini • October 26, 2016 ,

 

gift-guides This week let’s talk about the pet lovers in your life. This gift guide is near and dear to me because I love animal-related gifts.

I try not to buy too many chochkies for my friends because like any decor, it’s very personal. My tastes might not coincide with how they decorate their home, so I go easy on decorative items, but I found lots of other ideas.

• Christmas ornament
• Dog shaped cookie cutter
• Socks! I love getting designer socks. The quirkier, the better.
• Cat Socks
• Cat Butt Magnets. Yes, cat butts.
• Coloring Book.
• Don’t forget to include the gel crayons.
• Leash rack with dog butts.
• Leash rack with dog silhouette.
• Lassie movie collection. Love the one with Roddy McDowell and Elizabeth Taylor!
• Dog Pillow Sham
• Cat Pillow Sham
• UV Flashlight. Great for finding pet stains, scorpions, and dribbles left behind by little boys.
• Pit Bull Cup.  Other breeds available. I love Dean Russo’s art.
• Cat Cup. Design also by Dean Russo
• Door Mat: Dog
• Door Mat: Cat
• Sleeping Pants
• Sleeping Shirt. Yup. That’s my shirt.
• Dog Tarot Cards. I can’t make this up!
• Pet Tote Bags. Over 200 Different Breeds.
• Kitchen Towel. These are a hoot!
• Kitten Door Stop. I think it would make a good paperweight too.
• Cats Welcome
• Chicken Soup for the Dog and Cat Lover’s Soul
• It’s Raining Cats and Dogs: Paper-Pieced Quilts
• The Crazy Cat Lover’s Handbook
• Mark Twain for Cat Lovers (I never knew Twain was such a cat lover.)
• How to Tell if Your Cat is Plotting to Kill You
• The Silence of the Library (I love this cover too)

I’d like a couple of these things myself.


 

 

Finally…

A dear friend gave me this frame when my Tanky passed away two years ago. Although it’s not a Christmas gift per se, if you know someone who’s lost someone precious to them around the holidays, you can’t go wrong giving them this.

Not a day goes by that this frame doesn’t make me smile. It’s one of my most favorite gifts.tank-frame

 

If you’re an animal lover, what kind of gifts would you like?


10 Comments

Gift Guide: Gardeners

  By Maria Zannini • October 19, 2016 ,

 

gift-guides

 

Every week, I’ll target a different interest. Today, let’s do gardeners. Whether they live in the city or country, if you know someone who loves to putter in the dirt, you can’t go wrong with any of these gifts.

 

Anyone who’s been gardening for a while will have a lot of the basic tools, so your choice will be either to get them a better quality tool, or something they wouldn’t buy for themselves. And if you still can’t decide, you can’t go wrong with buying them bulbs, or seeds. Trust me. Gardeners always find room for one more plant.

Click on the picture or the link to take you to the actual page.

Ohuhu Garden Kneeler and Seat with Bonus Tool Pouch
Perfect for older gardeners and those who have trouble getting up and down.

 

 

Heirloom Vegetable Garden Seeds. It’s a cheap gift and will be warmly welcomed by any vegetable gardener.

 

 

Mixed Dutch Iris Bulbs.
Irises are deer resistant too!

 

                                                              Garden Gnome Statue

Hummingbird Feeder

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bronze Resin Birdbath

 

If you want to buy the gardener in your life an extra special gift this year, I’ll bet he doesn’t have an indoor herb garden. Pricey, but nice.

 

 

Finally, I’m adding this for the most avid gardener in your life. I’ve always wanted one of these worm factories, but I’m making my own this year. (If it doesn’t work, it’ll be back on my wish list next year.) This one is actually a pretty good price. They were more expensive last year.

 

There you have it. Regardless whether your recipient loves practical or fanciful things, there’s something on this list for everyone.

Think beyond the trowel and poinsettias. Look for the beautiful and unique. You’re bound to find the perfect gift.

Are there any other gardening gifts you can suggest?

 


15 Comments

Do You Like Your Gifts Practical or Fanciful?

  By Maria Zannini • October 3, 2016

 

compost-metal-bin-sm

With Christmas coming up I’ve been in full radar mode trying to find the perfect gifts for the friends and family on my list. I generally divide people by whether they prefer practical or fanciful gifts. It helps to narrow down my choices for each person.

One of my all time favorite gifts was a kitchen compost bin. Yes. A compost bin. I was bowled over because I had never told anyone I wanted one. I used to eye them wistfully on my Amazon wish list.

I know. It doesn’t take much to excite me. 😀

No one believes me, but I really do prefer practical gifts, and for really practical reasons. If I can use it, it’ll never be a wasted gift.

Greg is my polar opposite. Give him toys any day of the week, especially expensive big boy toys. (Please note huge groan of aggravation.) At least it’s easy to buy for him–if I can afford it.

In true form, he in turn always bought me expensive gifts that he felt any woman of taste might like. It took a few years before he realized that jewelry and clothes were not my personal delights. Although he can never go wrong with a new dog! It’s my Achilles heel, though we both know that whatever pets we get now may be our last ones, so we’re more careful about choosing a candidate.

My mother used to load us down with decorative items that she loved, thinking I would love them too. We do not have the same tastes in decor. Far from it. Eventually I was able to convince her not to buy us gifts.

Taste is very subjective. I can only think of two good friends whose tastes are impeccable. I love going to their homes. Their decor is elegant without being ostentatious. My tastes run on the traditional side with a slight bend to the eclectic. If either of these two friends bought me something decorative I know it would be something I would love.

But on the flip side I would be hesitant to buy anything decorative for someone else. I would hate to buy something that would go unloved, or worse, regifted. I don’t mind spending money on gifts my friends and family would love, but I’d hate to think it was wasted on something that will end up in their closets.

Although Greg and I don’t exchange Christmas gifts anymore, we still give each other gifts for no reason at all. It’s kind of fun to give something when nothing is expected.

What about you? Do you prefer practical or fun gifts? What do you like to give to your significant other? Is there anything on your wish list this year?

12 Comments

The Countdown Has Already Started

  By Maria Zannini • August 15, 2016

I don’t want you to panic, but as of today, you have roughly four months and ten days until Christmas.

I’m not a big Christmas shopper, but I am a big PRE Christmas shopper when it comes to gifts. I honestly do pay attention when friends and family mention what they love or what they’re missing. Obviously I can’t lavish big gifts on them, but I try to show them how much they’re loved in smaller ways.

My mother loves Elvis and cameo pendants. Elvis is easy to find, but a high quality cameo…not so easy. Still, I keep my radar up in case something good comes along. When I go to antique stores or estate sales, I’m always on the lookout for that elusive cameo.

The other big issue for people is where to find the money.

We just had a big garage sale. Not only did we make enough to buy two new goats, but a lot of other big ticket items we would’ve put off buying otherwise.

It’s probably safe to assume most of us have too much stuff–stuff we don’t need and probably aren’t aware we have unless we trip over them. Start now and sell off your unwanted goods.

Electronics like cell phones and iPads
Gazelle
Swappa

College Textbooks
Valore

CDs, DVDs, and Electronics
Decluttr
SecondSpin.com

There’s always, Craigslist, Amazon, Etsy, and Ebay too. You still have time to host a yard sale too. Split the work by doing it with a friend.

Saving for a Christmas Fund
If you want to save money with a goal in mind, divide the total amount you need for gifts by 17. That’s the number of full weeks we have until Christmas–as of today.

If you set aside $30 a week, you’ll have $510 by Christmas; a pretty good chunk of change.

How do you save $30 a week?

Well, you can brown bag it to work for a while, or do without the lattes and morning muffins, or after work drinks. You can cancel subscriptions like cable, fancy cell phone packages, or gym memberships.

Do odd jobs and side jobs. Take a babysitting job or clean someone’s house. Mow some yards, or rake leaves. There are lots of jobs many of us can’t do or don’t want to do. Sometimes it’s as simple as putting a little ad on Craigslist or letting your friends know you’re available.

I find it easier to plan my Christmas shopping many months earlier. My Amazon Wish List is stocked with items I’m watching to see if the price fluctuates. If I start seeing some dramatic drops, I grab them there and then.

All our big bills tend to fall in January/February like real estate taxes, and house and car insurance, so I’m very careful not to add fuel to the fire. That’s the biggest reason I prefer to Christmas shop early.

When do you start thinking about Christmas shopping? Do you save up for it, or wait for the bills to roll in come January?