Huge Sale for Baby at Gabe's This Week!

It' s time again of the Annual Baby Fair at Gabriel Brothers! I was there earlier today and they are busy setting up shop! Here are a few of the promoted sales for you to look forward to!
SAVINGS LIKE THESE, AND SO-O-O-O MUCH MORE:

• Snuggly blankets: $3.99 to $5.99
• Layettes, clothing sets & separates: $1.50 to $6.99
• Shoes & booties: from $1.99
• Teethers, bath & safety accessories: 2 for $3
• Pacifiers & feeding accessories: 2 for $4
  
  (Per their sales flier, these are examples only. Styles will vary by store)

To find a store near you, please visit www.gabrielbrothers.com

Happy Giving!

Win a Lovely Bracelet for Baby

Finding a great gift that will stand out among the onsies is often a very daunting task! This month, Rebecca Neiderer from Jewelry and Gifts by Rebecca has been kind enough to give one braby bracelet of your choice (boy or girl) valued at $24 to one lucky Gift Therapist loyalist this month! According to Rebecca, these delicate baby bracelets make the perfect keepsake gift for the new arrival or baby’s baptism. The girl bracelet is made using tiny fresh water pearls and rose quartz beads. The boy bracelet is made with quartz and hematite beads. The bracelets can be adorned with either a small silver cross or Star of David. The bracelet is crafted with an adjustable closure to grow with her, fitting most babies from about 3 months up to about 2 ½ years. Each gift comes on a presentation card in a gift pouch, with a blank gift card as well as a safety information card. The boy bracelet includes a poem for his future bride). Be sure to visit her website for a fabulous selection of handcrafted creations that will knock your socks off!

CLICK HERE to visit the Gift Therapist's monthly giveaway page. Visit often, enter daily, and tell your friends! Happy Giving!

Paula Deen Bakeware Liquidation

Attention bargain shoppers! I just returned from Ollie's Bargain Outlet in Belle Vernon and found a fabulous sale on Paula Deen cookware. From baking utensils to cookie sheets, all items are currently priced at at least 50% retail. I have a family birthday coming up and here's a great gift basket that incorporates some of the wares:

Gourmet Baking Basket

• One cranberry orange bread mix that I had in my pantry
• Silicone spatula set by Paula Deen: $6.99 (Retail $15)
• Non-stick loaf pan by Paula Deen: $6.99 (Retail $15)
• Ceramic square casserole dish by Paula Deen: $9.99 (Retail $20) I used this as the base for my gift basket!
• "Quick and Simple Recipies for the Busy Woman" cookbook: $4.99 (Retail $15)

Total Retail Cost: $65 plus tax

Total Gift Therapist Cost: $28.96 plus tax

Other items that were available include cookie sheets, cast iron skillets, knife sets, spring-form pans, dutch ovens and cake pans. I was in heaven! Follow the link above to find a store near you! Let me know if you are up for a road trip! Good luck and happy giving!

Are You in Love?

You know you are REALLY in love when…

• You gain 15 pounds and are only upset by the weight gain because you can no longer fit into your favorite jeans.
  You are no longer embarrassed when that special someone takes the initiative to wash and fold your underwear…I mean granny pants
• You begin to only put on half a face or none at all. Who needs all the makeup anyway?
• Going out after 8pm becomes an absurd proposition! Why go out when you have a box of wine and the wii fired up and ready to go?
• You become much more practical in your gift giving to each other because you have already received the full gamut of jewelry, romantic lingerie, and teddy bears that are required “love you gifts” for at least the first five years of being together.
• You begin spending less on wants, and more on things that you both need make your life easier or more fun. Suddenly those hair extensions just don’t seem that necessary!
  You wake up every day feeling loved, blessed and inspired to live the life of your dreams with a collaborating partner rather than a control freak trying to kill your buzz!

Happy Valentine's Day everyone! I wish you all much love and romance on this very special day! Happy Giving

Celebrate Love on a Budget: Tips for a Fabulous Valentine's Day on a Budget

Valentine's Day is not only for lovers! It is an opportunity to show your love in fun and creative ways to the most important people in your life. You don't have to have a significant other to celebrate this fun and fabulous holiday! And you don't have to spend a fortune, either! Here are some great gift ideas and creative alternatives to the traditional box of chocolates and roses that often exclude our single friends who refuse to celebrate this holiday. Let's make a concerted effort to cheer up the "singles" on our list this year! Ideas include:

• Host a girls only dinner and movie night. Instruct all the girls to bring their favorite "sinful" foods, favorite movies, and old pictures. Make a night out of celebrating the love of friendship and everything that makes your relationships so special and fun!
• Make or send a Valentine to a newly single friend. Follow up with a phone call to give them a positive boost!
• Host a carnation sale at the office and donate the proceeds to your favorite charity.
• Bake some goodies and deliver them to a neighbor or relative who has recently lost a loved one. Can't find your away around the kitchen? Buy a single rose or carnation and deliver it to them personally for an added touch!
• Gather the girls and go out for a dessert luncheon. It's easy on the wallet and you most likely won't be surrounded by gushy couples!
• Make a video and post it on youtube. Thank your friends, family and children personally for all of their love and support over the years. This is a great (and free!) alternative for friends and family across the miles :) Thanks to Angela Watson from Your Personal Poster for this idea!

What are your ideas? Please comment and post your suggestions below! Happy Giving!

What is a Fumi? It's the New Must Have!

I have been hearing about purse hooks for years but never gone the extra mile to purchase one. To a degree, they just seemed impractical and for a girl with ADD like me, remembering to put one into my purse would be just another "thing to do" on my very long "don't forget" list. The concept seems wonderful, but how could I remember to slip the gadget into my purse and use it consistently...especially since I swith purses just about every day! But the creators over at Ji Marie Pursehook sent me a sample of a new product that solves this problem.

The Fumi is a fabulous multipurpose purse hook that can be worn as a bracelet or purse decoration. With several styles to choose from, you can also purchase additional interchangeable charms that can be attached to the bracelet for an added touch of glam. Each Fumi (Fashionable, Unique, Multipurpose, Innovation) is made from recycled metal and backed with 100% recycled rubber that helps secure the hook to any surface.

Why do you need a pursehook? How many times have you gone out for dinner or drinks and had no safe place to put your purse? You don't want to put in under the table or chair, right? Who knows what's crawling on the floor...yuck! And how many times have you left that cute little evening bag behind because you forgot that you stashed it under the table? I've done it many times! Not any more!!! My Fumi is going to be a constant companion and fashion accessory for times just like these!

And the most important part...the Fumi works! I tried my "Charming" Fumi on several edge surfaces with handbags of various weight. It worked perfectly on each trial. I doubt that it will hold a bowling bag, but then again something so heavy would topple your entire table so use common sense!

The Fumi would make a perfect gift for the lady on your gift list this year. At $24.95 it's just the right price, too. If you join their mailing list, you will receive 15% off your first order! Be sure to check out their weekly specials for great deals as well. All orders ship within 24 hours so you have time to stock up for Valentine's Day and surprise your favorite girl with a fun, practical, and conversation starter that will last for years to come!

Dear President Obama...Give it to the people!

How much money would it take to solve the current economic crisis? How much money would it take RIGHT NOW to help thousands of people keep their homes, pay for health insurance, and have enough money to feed their children while they search for a new job? So far, the government has not even broached that subject and I am a bit disheartened that "Joe Plumber" who once was a priority now seems to be an afterthought...just sayin'!

The current economic stimulus package is up to 900 billion dollars. Although not passed yet, both sides agree that any job creation would not materialize for at least 1-2 years. Having worked in the nonprofit sector that often relies on government grants (can you say beauracracy?) I can almost guarantee that any efforts to revitalize the economy contained within the economic stimulus package are not going to trickle down in enough time to save homes, save current jobs, or fund any new programs to immediately assist families in need. I am not being pessimistic...I am being realistic. I am scared. And I don't think I am alone.

Not only do Americans need jobs, we need jobs that pay a living wage. Generating an abundance of minimum wage jobs is not going to solve the problem, even in the long run. What are the American working class people going to do NOW to survive and maintain a reasonable quality of life for themselves and their children?

If our government can come up with 900 billion dollars to fund ideas that may or may not work, I think it's fair for us as American citizens to request an insurance policy. Since the stimulus policy will ultimately come out of our pockets (and our children's), I think it's fair to request a very large stimulus package now so that we may "get by" while all of the grand ideas are being decided and implemented. Something in the five digit range should suffice, don't you think? Some will save, some will spend, and some will give...now that's what I call a stimulus package. We just need a little wiggle room while the big corporations and big government finally realize that investing DIRECTLY into the pockets of American citizens is the wisest and most necessary choice of all.

So please, President Obama...Give it to the people! FAST!

Anyone out there with me? If so, please write your state and local political leaders and demand that the stimulus package must include provisions that will help American families IMMEDIATELY. Who knows, we just may make a difference :)

For more information on what the stimulus package looks like at this moment, click here: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ynews/ynews_pl238
Enjoy!

Yes we can!

BUT...we can't do it without out YOU! Major changes are in the air for 2009 and we now have the unique opportunity to become part of the monumental movement for change. I think it's fair to say that most of know this change will not happen overnight, or next year. It will be a slow, steady, and comprehensive process that is in desperate need of our support and engagement. Unemployment numbers are going up and basic family needs will be under great stress. As individuals we may not be able to jump in and solve the financial crisis, but we can step up and help a family in need. Here are a few things that you can do today and support our new president in the quest for positive change:

• Donate non-perishable items to your local foodbank or church food pantry. If you have the means, please share the wealth. It is unconscionable for any child to go hungry in the United States of America.
• Cook a warm meal and deliver it to a friend or family in need. Ask them to pay the favor forward when they get back on track.
• Be a good friend to someone in crisis. Odds are that we all know someone who has been hit hard by a lay-off, family illness, or critical loss. Make the effort to connect, support, and become an ongoing source of inspiration. Listen and pray together...and most importantly, just be accessible and genuine.
• Clean out your closet and donate your gently worn items to your local Salvation Army, domestic violence or local homeless shelter. They will make sure your donations get to the needy. A warm coat, clean blanket, or flannel pajamas can make a big difference to a family in crisis.
• Offer support to a single-mom in need. Offer transportation to job interviews, doctor's appointments, or grocery store trips. Can you babysit while mom is pursuing higher education or away on a critical job interview?

How are you going to be part of the change? President Obama can not do it alone...our local government can not do it alone...none of us can do it alone. We all need each other to from time to time so why not start right now in our own community? Good luck and Happy GIVING!!!