Father's Day Gift Guide: 2011

Father's Day snuck up on us quickly this year!  If you're still searching for the perfect gift, but are worried you'll be short on time, here are some ideas that can help you find an appropriate gift for dad so that you're not empty handed come Sunday.  Now, every dad is a little bit different so you'll need to think about your dad's interests and hobbies when selecting the perfect gift. Is your dad a thrill seeker or tech geek? Is grandpa all about gadgets or the great outdoors?   Here are a few ideas that might appeal to men from a wide variety of ages and lifestyles.  

1. Bacon Freak | 2. Overstock | 3. Amazon | 4. Red Envelope | 5. Nordstrom | 6. Ultimate Green Store | 7. Cloud 9 Living | 8. Think Geek |

XOXO

Jen & Saira

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Christmas

Happy Pi Day

Happy Pi Day, dolls! We've decided to get a little irrational this week and show some some geek chic items for you featuring the symbol or numbers of Pi.  We're no mathletes or even math enthusiasts, but, we do appreciate stylish things and there's no denying that there is a bit of charm and style in geeky fashion and decor.

 Celebrate Pi Day with a few drinks, just don't forget to protect your table with stylish, uber nerdy coasters like these!

Say "I Do" while showing your love for math with thesefun cufflinks!

Pretty sure we've shown you this one before, but we can't help but love it.  This copper cuff bracelet helps assure us that Math can be cool.

Simple and yet fascinating, this decorative glass bowl features the numbers of Pi to 1,498 decimal points. And, from now until the end of April a part of the proceeds will go towards relief efforts in Japan.

Your engineer, scientist, or number loving significant other will enjoy cracking open a cold one with this Pi bottle opener.  These babies sold out fast so they are now taking pre-orders.

Take Math class by storm with these colorful Pi pencils.  They are to 96 decimals or as long as your pencil is.

And, if you have pencils, you'll certainly need a stylish case to store them in. This hand embroidered pouch would be great for your pens, pencils, makeup and more!

Perfect your measurements while you shower with this modern, partially see through, shower curtain featuring the symbol of Pi.

We love jewelry and accessories and find the geeky but stylish pieces are hard to come by. But, when we saw these fun little disc earrings that are stamped with the Pi symbol we knew the search was over! 

These vegan homemade soaps are cute, colorful, and come in fresh and fruity scents. Just remember, this is Pi, not pie, and even though they smell good enough to eat we wouldn't recommend it.



XOXO

Jen & Saira

Have a Heart

Happy Valentine's Day, dolls! Valentine's Day means hearts and cupids, and since we're not that into naked babies with wings, our focus is on heart shaped everything!  While hearts are representative of Valentine's Day, we think they're appropriate all year round, as they represent love and happiness. So this Valentine's Day, wear your heart on your sleeve... and ears, body, etc. Take a look!

Carry your heart with you, along with your lipstick, cell phone, car keys, and maybe a tiny mascara. We love this heart shaped bag from Modcloth, which is a perfect compliment to any Valentine's Day ensemble.  Wear it with a black dress, Mary Jane pumps, and a sweet smile for your sweetie.

Another option is this sweet heart patterned clutch from Etsy seller blota. It can be used as a quirky clutch for a spring wedding or even as a very stylish cosmetics bag. We particularly love the inside lining of the bag, which makes it fun and fresh -- perfect for spring time!

 We love this elegant pressed heart necklace by Kathryn Cole. Made from sterling silver, the necklace is carved, hammered flat, and polished to give it a nice little sparkle. The necklace has a distressed but delicate quality, making it perfect for the urban girl.

Decorate your home with this simple heart shaped screen print from  mengseldesign. The design is handmade with tiny leaf detail, ensuring that your print will be one-of-a-kind. It's also available in pink, but if you're going for decor you may want to stick with the blue... otherwise your guy may end up vetoing the pink heart.

If your girl likes to get organized, then these heart shaped nesting boxes from Urban Outfitters

are perfect for her. It'll add some glitz to her dressing table, plus it will be useful storage space for those delicate pieces of jewelry that always seem to get lost. 

 

If your girl has a sweet tooth, then set her up with these heart shaped measuring cups. We suggest making it part of a larger gift bundle. Throw in a cute apron, some gourmet cupcake mix, and you can even throw in the matching measuring spoon set as well!

 Give the key to your heart this Valentine's Day with this gorgeous brass skeleton key necklace from our friends Gypsy Warrior. This is a perfect gift for a girl with laid back style who doesn't want too much fuss.

You're allowed to have a sense of humor, even on the most "Romantic Day of the Year," which is why we recommend this heart design pillow from tadaboutique. Sure, it may be taking the heart theme a little too literally, but that's the charm of it! This way, your lady can cuddle up with your heart any day of the week.

 Show your sweetie where your heart resides with this customizable print from Lily Gene. It's a very touching way of putting your love "on the map" (so to speak), and you can customize it by choosing your country, state, etc. and by selecting your own color scheme to match her home decor. 

XOXO,

Jen & Saira

Money Can Buy You Love

Okay... maybe money can't buy you love, but it can help you show someone how much you care! Valentine's Day can be pretty cliche with the roses and chocolates (which isn't always bad) but usually you won't buy roses for you man. Here are some fun and romantic gift ideas for the men in your life.

Gifting tickets to a Broadway show is a lovely and very popular gift for Valentine's Day. Frankly, this may be preferable to trying to attend a show on Valentine's Day, which can be more hectic. Plus it leads to one more special evening! There are over 40 Broadway shows to choose from and, while us ladies surely love Wicked, there are choices that your guy is bound to love too, like Rock of Ages.

 Making your girl a mixed tape is a classic Valentine's Day gift (in our opinion). Of course, technology has advanced, and now even mixed CDs seem a bit archaic. Now you can make an MP3 mix and save it on a USB, and present it inside a "cassette tape" to give an authentic feel to your tech savvy gift. You can also write your own little message on the tape, such as "Love Songs" or "U + Me = Us". The best part about this is that you can store 900 minutes of songs, so now you won't have as much trouble sifting through all your favorites.

This is a little bit pricier, but what good would an MP3 mix be if you didn't have a good way to charge your phone?  These wooden iPod docks are so unique and interesting, adding a little old fashioned vibe to your most modern technology.

A cozy pair of moccasin slippers would be a great gift for the guy who enjoys lounging around and unwinding after a long day of work.  Minnetonka makes durable, high quality products and these, with their fleece lining, look extra comfy.

Guys enjoy a little pampering too sometimes.  Does your guy love the feel or a really close shave?  Or, do you just love how soft his skin feels after?  Well, treat your man to a luxurious shave with this all natural, vegan, kit. Complete with old fashioned brush and beer soap!

Clothing is always a safe choice! Thanks to websites like Woot and Threadless, there are so many awesome t-shirts out there to choose from at such incredibly reasonable prices.  Bonus: some are even printed on American Apparel t-shirts - good deal!

And, finally, if you're really cutting it close and can't find the perfect gift, what about a magazine subscription he can enjoy throughout the year?  Jen's husband loves to build things, so Make Magazine is one of his all time favorites.  There are basically magazine for ever type of topic or activity so you're bound to find something to suit your guy.



XOXO,

Jen & Saira

February is For Lovers

Alright fellas, this post is for you. Valentine's Day is approaching and you may or may not be hard pressed for ideas. We have to hand it to you -- it must be hard thinking of something fun and interesting to do every single year, when expectations run so high. While what constitutes romance varies based on your relationship style, here are some solid ideas for you this Valentine's Day, most of which are experiences you can enjoy together:

We're not going to lie, we have Black Swan fever... so chances are your gal does too. An amazingly romantic Valentine's Day present would to check out a beautiful ballet performance. The New York City Ballet is currently performing Swan Lake, but our guess is that tickets will be limited at this point.  If you can find tickets though, and are willing to sit through the whole performance (which is beautiful), you will be man of the year!

Ice skating can be incredibly romantic, especially if you can find an outdoor venue. There's nothing sweeter than circling the rink, holding hands, while gazing adoringly at one another. It's also a pretty budget friendly activity. All you need is some hot chocolate to make it a perfectly romantic evening.

A weekend getaway to a bed and breakfast is a perfect way to spend your Valentine's Day, especially as it still falls on the end of a long weekend. Pick out a cute, picturesque town where you can engage in some fun, outdoor activities and cuddle up to a blazing fire every night.

On a similar note, take advantage of the long weekend and go away snowboarding. This is how we plan on spending our Valentine's weekend - hitting the slopes and spend

ing our nights cuddling in the lodge. We get that this is a much more expensive way to spent Valentine's Day, but we're guessing a splurge like this means no gifts involved? Maybe...

A timeless and incredibly sweet Valentine's Day tradition is to make a romantic meal at home. Whether you make it together, or surprise your date with a beautiful spread, this is a very intimate way to spend your evening. You avoid the frantic rush to get a reservation on the big night, and you can plan around your budget. And please don't forget a dessert... chocolate covered strawberries are delicious and easy!

A fun way to cook together is to take a cooking class together! Make it a one-night thing, or sign up for a few classes together, and taste the fruits of your labor! Also, when choosing a class, think of what would be fun for you to do together. A sushi making class would be perfect for sushi lovers, or you can stick to desserts only if you girl has a sweet tooth. Or, maybe you'd like a dance class or wine tasting..whatever you end up doing, this will surely be a Valentine's Day to remember.

Or, if you prefer to give a tangible gift then this one would be for your.  Of course, there's nothing wrong with the traditional Valentine's Day that involves dinner at a fancy restaurant, a bouquet of red roses, and a box of chocolates. But you can show your softer side by writing her an old fashioned love letter. For inspiration, check out the book featured in Sex and the City, which features letters written by Lord Byron, Napoleon, Shakespeare, and Tolstoy, to name a few. Nothing is more romantic than hearing your guy list all the ways he loves you on paper!



 Time to sweep her off her feet!



XOXO,



Jen & Saira

The Twelfth Day of Christmas Winner!

On the Twelfth (and final!) Day of Christmas PDR gave to Sheryl...a totally awesome set of letter tile coasters from Yard Sale Press.

Sheryl will receive this fantastic L-O-V-E  set of letter tile coasters. Sure, you could also choose to say that it is a "V-O-L-E" or "L-E-V-O" set, but we think L-O-V-E is just a little bit more our style. You could even make it say "O-L-E" by leaving out the "V" or, if you'd like, you can use this as a base set and order other letters to create even more words and eventually your dining room table can be like a game board!  

Bryan, at Yardsale Press, has his Bachelor's degree from Rowan University and currently works as a printer.  He loves his work and will gladly take on any challenges that come his way from t-shirts, to logos, to wedding invitations, and more.  Although we are not sure where this idea to make these coasters stemmed from, we're so excited that he is making them as they are so clever and fun.  Even though it's hard work (Bryan individually cuts, sands, and carefully prints letter (and points!) before putting the finishing touches on them)  we think it will certainly pay off because they are a seriously cool item to have around your house.  In fact, Jen has a few of these coasters and can personally attest to the quality and level of fun it brings to your space.  But, there can only be one winner.  So, if you are not Sheryl, never fear, you can still order your own set of coasters by contacting Bryan at yardsalepress@gmail.com.  Also, be sure to check out his website for additional information!

Thanks, Bryan, for helping to make our giveaway successful.  

We appreciate your support and wish you continued success. 

Keep up the great work!

That completes our 12 Days of Christmas and our 2010!  We hope you all enjoyed this gift giveaway as much as we have and we hope to be able to do it again next year.  Congratulations to Sheryl and to all you winners! And, for all of you who haven't won, there's always next time!

Have a Merry Christmas, a safe and happy New Years, and we'll see you again in 2011.  

XOXO

Jen & Saira

The Eighth Day of Christmas

On the 8th Day of Christmas PDR gave to Hillary (Yes, again!  That's what happens when you comment a lot!)... some adorable cards from Kathryn Kelly and some homemade soy candles by Jane Szumowski!

Hillary will receive these two great greeting cards from Kathryn Kelly.  Kathryn Kelly, based out of Philadelphia, PA, makes a variety of adorable paper goods.  From pretty greeting cards to handmade notebooks, her designs are youthful and fresh. We particularly had been eyeing up the "We've got great chemistry" card and were thrilled when she included this in her giveaway.  Kathryn hand makes and screen prints her cards, journals, gift tags, and more in bold and bright colors and fun patterns.  We think her creativity and simple, but beautiful, designs make her cards really something to desire and we really appreciate her contributing to our giveaway. Be sure to check out her shop and see her lovely nature inspired pieces in her Flora and Fauna sections -- definitely some lovely pieces to add to your stationary collection.

In addition to those great cards, Hillary will also receive some clean burning, soy candles made by Jen's sister-in-law, Jane.  Jane's candles are made with essential oils and smell good enough to eat so you can enjoy things like Cotton Candy and Blue Berry Cobbler without having to worry about the calories.  And, not only do these candles smell amazing, but these are a great example of making the most out of your centerpieces and repurposing glassware as the larger candle is made using a jar from Jen's wedding. These particular jar candles will burn for hours and leave your home smelling like a bakery or candy shop.  Jane currently does not have a shop of her own, but if you would like more information about her candles or would like to special order some please send us an email and we'll be sure to let her know.

Thanks again, to Jane and Kathryn Kelly for their contributions to our gift giveaway.  We wish you success and happiness and a safe and healthy holiday season.

Congratulations, once again, to our lucky lady Hillary.  We hope you enjoy your prizes and we thank you for being such an ardent supporter of Paper Doll Romance.

XOXO

Jen & Saira