Stuff Parents Need

Easing the chaos in the nest, one find at a time.

Last Minute Ideas for Technophiles!

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This post brought to you by Sharper Image. All opinions are 100% mine.

Ok, folks if you are still doing Christmas shopping, things are officially down to the wire. And if I had to guess, you are probably shopping for folks who are really tough to shop for (at least those are the folks I procrastinate shopping for!). 

Tim, my husband, is one of those people that everyone has a hard time finding something for. It's not that he is difficult to please, per se. He just doesn't want much! And if he does want something, it is almost certainly some type of electronic gadget. 

So, if you are still shopping for a technophile, may I make a few suggestions? Get yourself over to Sharper Image and take a look at these 3 great gifts:

1. Bluetooth Speaker. Photobucket

This wireless speaker ensures that you don't have to sacrifice excellent sound for portability. I can tell you that my husband listens to music at work every single day, so something like this would be a great holiday gift for the music fan on your list. 

2. Back Massager. Photobucket Do you ever have those days where you would promise your entire kingdom for a decent back massage? This massagers has four independent rollers travel up and down your back for instant relief. Here's what I love the most: you can customize the massage for your height! Since Tim is 6 feet tall and I'm just over 5 feet, this is really key. 

3. Sound Soother. Photobucket Ok, so I'm NOT hard to shop for, by any stretch (hello Pinterest wish list that never ends!) but I have to say, I REALLY want one of these! You see, my littlest love, Layah, sleeps with white noise. And lately Tim and I have been taking turns sleeping in the same room as her to get her to go to sleep. Well, I've become quite fond of those beach waves, myself. I'd love to have something like this in my room. And I'm really impressed that you can customize the length of time you want the white noise to play while you drift off to sleep (15, 30, 45 or 60 minutes). The Sound Soother also serves as an alarm clock. And can I just say, how awesome is Sharper Image to have created a device that will reset itself after a power outage or Daylight Saving Time??!! For me, this is a must have gift for anyone in your life who could use a little extra help getting some zzzz's. So basically, anyone with children. 🙂 

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Gourmet Gift Baskets Review and GIVEAWAY!!!

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I’m all about simple DIY projects that make fabulous gifts. One thing that is not too hard to do, for example, is to put together a cute gift basket for someone. Even if you don’t know the person very well, you can still put together something fabulous for not much money. All you have to do is the following:

1. Scour thrift stores and yard sales until you find the perfect basket

2. Buy lots of different cute products that look nice together but that are each different and unique. In the case of food, this may mean buying products that come with individual packets and only using one of two of them. If you want something gourmet and different, this will mean a special trip to the most posh market in your area (in my case, that’s a 20 minute drive by interstate each way).

3. Make the arrangement visually appealing. You need tiers in your gift basket, as well as an overall sense of symmetry. This is a bit complicated, since every item in your basket will be different. If I were doing this, I’d probably spend at least half an hour on it, as I would fail numerous times!

4. Get some of that clear gift wrap (where do you buy that?!)

5. Find a large bow that is cute! If you are like me, you don’t have one, so you’ll need to go buy one.

6. Deliver the goodies to the recipient (unless they don’t live in your town, in which case proceed to steps 7 and 8).

7. Find a box that is big enough for the gift basket.

8. Pay a stupid amount of money to mail it.

Ok, all done! Whew!

What’s that, you say? That doesn’t sound easy AT ALL???? Yeah, I’m with you. I actually think it can be easy, but it can also be REALLY hard! And sometimes you realize that you need a nice gift next week and you have ZERO time to get your craft on! That’s where Gourmetgiftbaskets.com comes in! They have a fantastic selection of gift baskets for most any person and any occasion. Here’s the one we received:


When it arrived, I thought, “This is too pretty to eat!” And then I looked at all the yummy, gourmet goodies inside. My next thought was, “Where are the scissors so I can break into this thing?!” At least I had enough discipline to snap a shot before I started munching away. Every single item in the basket was delicious, and there were many yummy treats that were totally new to me, which was fun.

The gift basket I reviewed retails for $59.99. I totally hear you…that’s not very cheap! But that’s exactly why I broke down what it would take for you to make this yourself. Sometimes it is really and truly worth the money to let a professional handle it all for you. I’d estimate that for me to re-create this basket with similar items would take me several hours and at least 2/3 of the cost of the gift basket I could buy here. That means that the price is totally worth it in my book!

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader is going to win the same gourmet gift basket I received! Yum! The contest will run until July 6th at 11:59pm EST when a winner will be selected via Random.org. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to winning notification before the prize is forfeited and a new winner is selected. Open to residents of the United States. Limit one entrant per household, please.

Mandatory entry: Gourmetgiftbaskets.com wants to be friends on Facebook! All you have to do is like them, then come back here and tell me you did so!

Additional entries:
1. Sponsor love: Post a note on Gourmetgiftbasket.com’s Facebook wall about your favorite gift basket.
2. Blogger love: Subscribe to Stuff Parents Need by email or RSS.

Be sure to enter my other current giveaways, found on the sidebar of my homepage.

Disclosure: I received a complimentary product for review purposes. The opinions expressed here are strictly my own.

Inexpensive (but Posh!) Hostess Gift Idea

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Were you raised to believe that bringing a gift over to a host or hostess of a dinner party or other gathering was good manners? I was, and I love to be able to do that. I also have a super tight budget, and have no interest in giving someone something that isn’t fabulous. You can see where the dilemma presents itself, right?

Pennywise Hostess Gift Ideas

Today I have a line of products to show you that are so perfect for these occasions, even when your funds are limited. J. R. Watkins, America’s original natural apothecary manufacturer (since 1868!) has a line of products called Gourmet Grinders
, and I love them!

They offer 4 different products in this line, all made with the finest ingredients.

  • inexpensive hostess gift ideas Garlic Peppercorn Blend: a complex blend of whole black peppercorns with savory chunks of dehydrated garlic and spaces. Use in all savory foods that could benefit from a touch of garlic.
  • Four Peppercorn Blend: black for depth, white for heat, green for subtlety and pink for mild sharpness.
  • Whole Black Peppercorns: toasted and mild fruity flavor that will flavor all your favorite foods.
  • Coarse Sea Salt: harvested from ancient sea deposits, not iodized like most table salt.
Each of these products come in beautiful glass bottles, giving them a very sophisticated (and expensive!) look. I have simply left my spices on the counter because they are too beautiful to put in the cupboard. Also, by having them within striking distance of the stove, I am regularly reminded to use them during those frequent moments when the meal being prepared needs, “a little something,” and I can’t put my finger on what it is. The Gourmet Grinders have come to the rescue on multiple occasions!

J.R. Watkins really impressed me with their natural gourmet products. Based on my experience with them, I’m now eager to try some items from their other divisions such as natural remedies and natural personal care, which has products that have been approved by the Natural Products Association (quite hard to accomplish, as I understand!). I know the quality will be outstanding, and did you notice their packaging? It’s very vintage and gorgeous!

Buy it!: J. R. Watkins Gourmet Grinders are available online for just $5.99 each, making them a very affordable and very posh gift to give! Don’t forget to request a catalog…you will love the variety of products they offer!
Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader is going to snag a set of the 4 Gourmet Grinders I reviewed! Yippee! The contest will run until February 27th at 11:59pm EST when a winner is selected using Random.org. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to the winning notification before the prize is forfeited and a new winner is selected. Open to residents of the United States. Limit one entrant per household, please.

Mandatory entry: Tell me about a natural product that you use in your home and absolutely love. Is anything that J. R. Watkins offers catching your attention?

My answer: I’m really digging my organic coconut oil. It is very useful and better for me than butter! The item at the top of my “to try” list for J. R. Watkins is the Deep Muscle Warming Balm.

Additional entries:
1. Sponsor love: “Like” J.R. Watkins on Facebook
2. Blogger love: Subscribe to Stuff Parents Need by RSS or email
Be sure to enter my other current giveaways, found on the sidebar of my home page.
Disclosure: I received a complimentary product for review purposes. The opinions expressed here are strictly my own.