1. Partylite Light Illusions LED Pillar Candles Trio w/Remote ($72.00) - This is just about one of the coolest candle products I have ever seen from
Partylite! It is a set of three 3" ivory battery-operated LED pillars that look and feel like real
unscented pillar candles. The pillars measure 5", 6", and 7" tall. Two AA batteries are required (not included) for each pillar candle. What makes this gift even more unique is that it comes with a remote control (battery included) that can be used to turn the realistic flickering candles on and off, to make the candles flash like a strobe light, and to set a 5 or 10 hour timer. No more worrying about pets or young children going near live flames, falling asleep with candles lit, or being forgetful and leaving the house without blowing out your candles.
Partylite ScentGlow Warmer Change-O-Style ($40.00) - This is an
electric tart warmer that plugs into your wall. It has a hidden LED light that glows through the frosted glass when you flip the switch to the "on" position on the back. I love that this warmer comes with 3 changeable decorative silhouette plates . . . snowflakes (as shown), birds, and scrolls, which attach to the warmer magnetically. To use this warmer, simply plug it in, place two pieces of scented 9-piece
wax melts (sold separately for $5 each) into the ceramic dish that sits on top, and turn the warmer on. Once the wax melts, it scents the entire room, and without having to light a single tealight. This warmer can also take scented oils.
To learn more about these flameless candle products and to find out how to order yours, visit
www.partylite.com.
2. Blurb Custom Photo Book ($19.95 and up) - Blurb photo books come in various sizes. The one I made for my mother-in-law is a 10" x 8" image wrap hardcover book with 20 pages and costs $31.95 (not including shipping charges). There are several ways to upgrade your book, from the type of paper to the type of cover. I used my favorite high resolution digital photos of the family from 2012 to make this book in order to show her what our children have been up to this year. The front cover, back cover, and spine of the book are all customizable. The Blurb software is so easy to use and I just love how the book turned out . . . so much that I considered keeping this book for myself for a moment or two. My favorite thing to do is to fill a page with a single photo so that the photo goes off the edges of the page. Doing that adds such impact to the book. To create your own photo book as a gift for a loved one (or for yourself), visit
www.blurb.com.
3. The Seven Year Pen ($7.50) - Some people go through pens like they grow on trees. They chew on them, lose them, or lend them out without a second thought. This pen is for the more responsible pen-user . . . the one who has a special spot for their pen in their bag or by the phone at home. Such a person would appreciate the 7-year life span of these pens made by
Seltzer Goods.
The Seven Year Pen holds enough ink to last up to 7 years! This Swiss-made pen writes very smoothly and currently is available in 19 different designs. If the person who receives this pen can manage to hold onto it for 7 years, replacement ink cartridges are available for only $1.99 each. If more people used The Seven Year Pen and the replacement cartridges, there would not be 100 million pens discarded daily worldwide. To see all the available designs, visit
www.seltzergoods.com.
4. Paperblanks Foiled Grande Dayplanner ($24.98) - The planners made by
Paperblanks have a wonderful Old World charm. Whether you are using these dayplanners to keep track of your personal or business schedule, they are a nice change from the boring generic planners usually found in the office supplies section. This Grande Dayplanner has a Week-at-a-Time format, which includes everything from a list of national and international holidays to a World time zone chart, from the following year's holiday calendar to a removable address book. This planner comes with not one, but two ribbon markers, and is the perfect thing for any adult to stay organized during the current week and the weeks ahead, to record doctor's appointments, and to make notes about important things to do that cannot be forgotten. The Grande measures 8-1/4" x 11-3/4" and is the perfect size to sit on a desk at home or at the office. To view all the styles, formats, and sizes of
Paperblanks dayplanners available, visit
www.paperblanks.com.
5. Family Recipes Cookbook ($19.95 and up) - I have actually not made one of these, but the idea is so cool that I wanted to put it out there. These are also
Blurb books, but they use photos and
recipes to make cookbooks! This would be the perfect gift for the cook of the family (as long as he or she does not mind sharing their personal recipes). In fact, it may be a fun project for you to work on together with the recipient who will be in charge of preparing each recipe that he or she would like to have included in the book so that a digital photo can be taken of it. Once the book has been completed and has been published, you can order additional copies to gift to other family members and loved ones. To see more examples of
custom printed cookbooks, visit
www.blurb.com.
Although complimentary product samples were sent to facilitate this gift guide, all opinions expressed are my own.
