Gimme! Best Gifts Ever

Questions to ask yourself before buying a gift

2010-03-30T17:11:00.000-07:00

What questions should we ask ourselves before we buy a gift for someone?

1. How much money is appropriate?

2. What did you give them last birthday or Christmas or ... ?

3. How fast do you need it? Are you too close to the date to order something online?

4. What are their hobbies?

5. What kind of lifestyle do they lead? We're all busy but what kind of busy are they?

These are in no particular order and I'm not saying the amount of money is more important than thoughtfully purchasing the right gift. Just a start! Feel free to send me some more helpful questions!

Star Trek Inspired Fragrances - great for any geek or geekette!

2010-03-30T14:47:00.000-07:00

These fragrances are too funny:

Tiberius Cologne - Yup, named after James T-is-for-Tiberius Kirk

Red Shirt Cologne - If you don't get this reference this gift is not for you.

Pon Farr Perfume - Women are Trekkies too!

Check it out here: http://shop.genkiwear.com/Star_Trek_Fragrances_s/91.htm.

Live Long and Prosper fellow geeks :)

Custom Monopoly Games!

2009-09-15T13:38:00.000-07:00

I think this is a great way to celebrate a wedding, anniversary or just about anything! My Custom Monopoly (http://my-custom-monopoly.com/) will create a completely customized Monopoly game using all your information, photos, etc. Check it out!

Gloves for the iPhone or iPod Lover

2009-04-20T22:37:00.000-07:00

These are nice for anyone who wants to use their iPhone or iPod in colder weather!

I use my iPhone in the car all the time...not while I'm driving (at least not much) but when I'm looking for directions or info online. If you live somewhere cold you know that it's annoying to have to take your hands out of warm gloves to make the touchscreen work. Tavo Playpoint gloves make it possible to keep your fingers toasty AND get something done!

Tavo Products TG002BLS with Playpoint

Thermal fleece stretch fabric for superb warmth and comfort
Wear alone or as a liner for winter gloves
For any touchscreen device like the iPhone

My Review of iConvert™ Slide and Negative Scanner

2009-01-22T15:18:00.001-08:00

Originally submitted at Brookstone

Bring your old photos into the digital age with this slide and negative converter.
If you have a drawer full of old photo negatives and slides, you need iConvert™. This easy-to-use digital converter combines the functionality of both a 35mm film scanner and 35mm slide scanner into one...

Simple to use, great product

By Suzzysnet from Minneapolis, MN on 1/22/2009

Gift: No

Pros: Good Bit Depth, Consistent, Good Resolution, Accurate Thumbnails

Cons: Attracts Dust

Best Uses: Publishing, Photos and Graphics, Web Design, Digital Printing

Describe Yourself: Frequent User

Primary use: Personal

I'm really happy with the quality of the iConvert scanner. VERY easy to use! Load the software, put three slides in the holder and scan. It is easy to get dust in the compartment that is scanning so a little care should be taken when reviewing the image on your PC screen to look for dust spots or tiny fibers. I think the quality is superb for such an easy product to use.

1950's slide I scanned

Tags: Made with Product

(legalese)

Magnetic Jewelry Clasps

2008-05-11T15:29:00.000-07:00

These genius little attachments really made it easy for my Mom to wear her favorite necklaces. Mom had trouble with grasping small items and after my Dad died she couldn't put on or remove her necklaces or bracelets without help. You can find these a number of places, including eBay, but here is a nice site called Dynamic-living.com that offers them. dynamic-living.com.

These are also great if you are a jewelry maker who would like to add this item to your work! I found them at my favorite craft store in, Michaels in the Jewelry Findings section.

Finally, if you're a sucker for Amazon like I am, you can find them here: CLASPS AT AMAZON.

Favorite Deal Sites

2008-05-11T13:38:00.001-07:00

Ok, been a few months but Suzzy is back again with some of my favorite places for great deals!

There are at least two kinds of "deal" sites: the ones like overstock.com that have low prices on a bunch of stuff all the time and the ones on this list that usually just have one or two great deals each day.

The best overall is:

woot.com

woot.com is more than your average deal site. Once a day at midnight CST they throw out a good deal on one item. And it usually is a VERY good deal. It might be refurb but I can tell you that all of the refurb stuff I've bought from them has worked like new. Much of the time it is just new overstock that they are reselling. What makes woot.com better than all the others is the community and the FUN they give away for free. Contests, Woot-Offs (see description here: WOOT-OFF, hilarious daily (M-F) podcasts and so much more.

Here is a list of other nice daily deal sites:

sellout.woot.com - another Woot owned site with daily deals.

Yet another woot.com site: shirt.woot.com - a new, limited edition, artist created t-shirt each day! Even better, they are only $10 each and have free shipping. I have two or three of them already.

tanga.com - great prices on great games for all ages plus other fun stuff for kids and adults alike.

yugster.com - Yugster has 2 or 3 daily deals. If you sign up for their newsletter you can find out about the private and preview sales. WORTH IT! Their shipping has been very good and the items are just as they are described.

So there are a few sites for you to try! I'll put up more in a future blog.

Magazine Butler

2007-12-09T13:13:00.000-08:00

Organizational gifts are often overlooked as being too boring. But as one of the most DISorganized people I know, I would love to get these acrylic Magazine Butlers. The only place I've found them is at Solutions.org - clearinghouse for some of the most innovative and useful items on the market today! Check these out at:
http://www.solutions.com/jump.jsp?itemType=PRODUCT&itemID=829

You won't regret it and the disorganized person in YOUR life will love them.

Bionicles - Give kids ultimate imaginative control

2007-12-09T11:57:00.000-08:00

My Nephew loves Lego Bionicles. He has them all and he swaps parts in and out to make his own creatures! Unlimited fun for the kid who likes to fiddle with stuff.

Amazon.com Widgets

TV Shows on DVD

2007-11-06T21:47:00.000-08:00

I am from the TV generation. I grew up with Mary Tyler Moore, Bewitched, Family Ties and Cosby. Friday nights were the best...The Hulk, Dukes of Hazzard and Dallas. Ahh the couch potato memories! Actually that was some of the best fun I ever had with my Dad, watching TV. We liked all the same things but especially: Rockford Files, Star Trek (all of them but especially STTNG) and Dallas. Every week the Dallas theme would come on and Dad would tap his big boots to the beat and whistle along. A really fond memory for me.

Amazon has some great prices right now on DVD sets. Check it out!

Amazon.com Widgets

Did you say Eneloop??

2007-11-04T19:05:00.001-08:00

Can you think of anyone who doesn't need lots of AA or AAA batteries? Cameras, remotes, toys, etc. We all need 'em and this couldn't be a greener gift. Check this out - they retain 85% of a charge after a YEAR. What parent wouldn't want that to go along with the kids' toys and electronics?

Here is the Amazon.com Description:

Amazon.com Product Description
In years past, you had to recharge your rechargeable batteries before leaving on a trip or sliding them into your electronic device. Otherwise, you ran the risk of depending on nearly dead batteries once you reached your destination, as stored power tends to degrade over time. Now GE/Sanyo steps into the void with its eneloop line of batteries, which come pre-charged and ready to use right out of the pack. Even better, the batteries have an extremely low self-discharge rate, with the ability to maintain 85 percent of residual capacity after one year of storage and 70 percent residual capacity after two years of storage. As a result, leaving home without recharging the batteries won't ruin your Bryce Canyon vacation or cross-country plane trip.

Eneloop batteries offer a number of advantages over traditional alkaline batteries, including up to four times more power when used in a digital camera, high performance even at low temperatures (down to 23 degrees F) during your winter vacation, and a vast cost savings in the long run. The eneloop advantages are even more glaring when compared to typical NiMH batteries: not only are they ready for use right out of the box, but they generally last longer than most NiMH batteries (continuous and frequent recharging can destroy other NiMH models) and save both time and money (traditional NiMH charging is slow when you're in a hurry, while rapid chargers are expensive). All told, you can recharge eneloop batteries up to 1,000 times without experiencing a memory effect; just charge the amount you need and you're set.

This four-pack of 800 mAh AAA batteries is ideal for everything from electric shavers to TV remotes to portable flashlights.

Product Description
precharged And Can Be Used Immediately Out Of The Package retain 85% Of Charge After 12 Months Of Storage take 4x More Shots With A Digital Camera Than With Any Other Disposable Batterycan Be Charged Up To 1000 Times And Compatible With Other Nimh Battery Chargers no Memory Effect- recycleable - And Environmentally Friendly - special Recyclable Packaging Can Also Be Used As A Convenient Storage Case For Your Batteries.

Amazon.com Widgets

Oh the Dremel!

2007-11-04T18:39:00.000-08:00

This was a gift to myself! If there is an artist or do-it-yourself-er that you will be exchanging gifts with, a dremel is a must have tool.

You'll find that a dremel and/or a bunch of attachments for it will make any polymer clay or jewelry artist cry with joy!

Here are some links and ideas:

How to make a better Dremel polishing tool

How to make a decorative polymer clay egg

Amazon.com Widgets

Calling All Gift Givers - Take 2!

2007-10-27T12:09:00.001-07:00

Please, please send me your favorite gifts, either given or received! I would love to write about them so feel free to tell me your stories. I don't care if it's smoked fish or a Mercedes, if you loved it, I'll love it. You can simply comment to this post or email me at gimmethebest(at)gmail(dot)com - note: just replace the @ and . before you send it! I write it out like that to avoid spam.

Thank you very much!

Suzzy (sounds like buzzy)

For The Baker in Your Life

2007-10-27T12:00:00.000-07:00

I clicked on an ad link from eBay to find this original gift idea!

The Cake Pan Lady sells real, high quality Nordic Ware pans (they have those handy covers!) that she engraves with adorable images and the name of the recipient. You have to see the sweet designs, I cannot adequately describe them here.

Check out her web site: http://www.thecakepanlady.com/

The Hussy Gets Me Where I Need to Be

2007-10-04T15:55:00.000-07:00

My Brother-in-Law and his wife were recently traveling in Colorado. Their borrowed car had one of those cool GPS doo-hickies that would tell them where to go. Unfortunately it kept telling them to go the wrong way. They ended up going out of the way over and over again, causing them to name the GPS and it's female voice, "The Hussy". They were not amused.

Nonetheless, I wanted a Hussy of my own. Some kind voice to tell me when I've overshot my exit "Recalculating..." and when I've arrived at the right place "Arriving at destination".

I tend to be an early adopter when it comes to gadgets. Makes my husband a little crazy. I had purchased a GPS system a few years ago that I thought would help me not get lost so often. Basically it's a $400 paperweight. I bought too early. So prior to last Christmas I sent him an email. The gist of it was "I know what you're thinking, don't say it. Please get this for me for Christmas, it would make me very happy." I figured that my chances of actually getting another $300+ possible paperweight were probably pretty slim, but didn't think it hurt to ask.

Imagine my delight (I'm such a geek for electronic and computer stuff) when I found my own little hussy under the tree! I thanked him profusely for the gift and for NOT saying anything smart while giving it to me, as much as I might have deserved it.

To show him that I had done my research on this one, I ran out to get velcro to stick it on my dashboard and started it right up. He was impressed. Unlike my Brother-in-law's hussy, my Hussy has NEVER steered me in the wrong direction. My husband probably still thinks it's a bit of an extravagance, but he admits that it does what it's supposed to do - keep his wandering wife from ending up off course all the time. Thanks honey!

Amazon.com Widgets

CALLING ALL GIFT RECEIVERS!

2007-10-04T15:30:00.000-07:00

The Swiss Army Knife - not weird at all!

2007-10-03T22:38:00.000-07:00

Kathy tells me that the first "best gift" or "favorite gift" that comes to mind is her handy dandy Swiss Army knife. I have to agree with her that having one in your purse or pocket makes small tasks easy to do. Cutting the tag off that new shirt? Swiss Army knife. Opening a stubborn package of Corn Nuts? Swiss Army Knife.

My Dad carried a knife in his pocket at all times. He carried a gun too, but we won't go into that here. We were constantly running to him to open stuff, especially gift packaging at parties or holidays or stubborn foodstuffs in the kitchen. It was actually very endearing and somehow reassuring knowing that he had it covered.

"I don't think most people would think a Swiss Army knife as being a special gift" Kathy told me. But I totally disagree...what makes it special is in the eye of the receiver.

Now, when I was in High School I always carried a Swiss Army knife in my purse or backpack. It was simply a handy thing to have. Now that our society has gone to heck in a handbasket, kids cannot even have a plastic knife without getting frisked and thrown out of school. Yes, I am bitter. Thanks for asking. But anyway, must put this gift in the "Over 18" category. I don't want any angry parents showing up at the door.

Amazon.com Widgets

The Gifts We Remember

2007-10-01T15:22:00.000-07:00

We all have memories of favorite gifts. The ones that stand out from the rest, right? The two I remember most from my childhood are:

** Giant Barbiehead on a tray - ok, it sounds gruesome. But it rocked! I loved anything Barbie in the 1970's. I got this for Christmas one year and I played with her until the special Barbie make-up had hardened on and I had combed her hair into a frizz that wouldn't quit. Oh, and that weird "old Barbie" smell kind of turned me off too. What was UP with toys from that error and the icky plastic smell? Someone actually has one for sale on eBay.

** KodakInstamatic 125 Camera - Here is a GROOVY 1960's commercial featuring the fab camera. Mine was actually from the 1970's but I couldn't find a commercial for that.

What are your favorites, old or new? I'll post more of mine soon.

Happy Gifting! Suzzy

Gimme! Best Gifts Ever

2007-10-01T15:00:00.001-07:00

Hey gift-givers! How do I know you're a gift-giver? Because if you weren't you'd probably be pretty selfish and those kind of peeps would never visit my blog. Right?

I think picking out gifts is a tough job. If it's not tough, you're not trying hard enough. I mean it. Gifting your friends and family is an ART. I know, I know. We've all had to pick out the last minute "well, at least this shouldn't offend them" gifts. These things happen. We're all busy people and sometimes we forget stuff or get behind. In general though, we have lots of time to pick out thoughtful stuff.

I really want this blog to be a give and take - leave some ideas, pick some up. The holiday season is coming FAST!!! Start your engines...
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