An Original and Affordable End-of-the-Year Teacher's Gift Idea from the Whole Class!

I have several friends who are teachers and have heard it from the source about what teachers love (and what they don't love) to receive for Holiday and end-of-the-year gifts.  How many mugs, magnets, and bottles of scented body products can one person use, right?  Gift cards are always a great way to go, but if you feel they are just too impersonal, here is an idea for a teacher's gift from the whole class that will truly be a cherished keepsake.  In fact, the same teacher could receive this gift every year and would still love it because no two will ever be alike!

I'm talking about a School Photo Book from Blurb.com.  Each student in this year's class could have one or two pages devoted to him or her.  All you need is for each parent to contribute one or more photos of their child and a few dollars to go towards the cost of the book.  Blurb books start at just $12.99 plus the cost of shipping, so one classroom of 20+ students could make a beautiful book for just $2 or $3 from each student's family.  To make it even more special, you can have each child contribute a quote about their favorite school memory from this year.

Through 5/31/13, you can receive 15% off a School Photo Book when you checkout using Promo Code: MYSCHOOLBOOK on Blurb.com.

Weekend Flash Sale Blurb Promo Code for 25% Off!

If you recall, I had featured multiple gift ideas in my last Holiday Gift Guide from Blurb books, including custom cookbooks, custom photo books, and the Facebook book pictured above.  With graduation, wedding season, Mother's Day, and Father's Day coming up in the next few months, I wanted to share this opportunity to save 25% off your entire order at Blurb.com.

Through February 25th, 2013, you can save 25% off your Blurb book order when you checkout using Promo Code: FLASH25OFF.

Additional ideas for Blurb book gifts . . .

• Baby book
• Wedding book
• Vacation book
• Family recipes cookbook
• Childhood years book for a graduation gift
• Golden anniversary book
• Pet books
• Photography book
• Art book
• School year keepsake book
• Facebook book
• Instagram book
• Custom planners for a bride-to-be or parent-to-be

Please share any custom book ideas you may have in a comment below to help inspire others 3G2S readers.

25% Off Promo Code for Blurb Photo Books (Ends 12/17)

This year, I shared gift ideas in my Holiday Gift Guides for grandparents and for teens from Blurb.  One was a custom photo book, another was a Facebook photo book, and the third was a recipe collection cookbook.  I obviously love creating and gifting custom books from Blurb, so I wanted to share this discount code with 3G2S readers to make gift-giving easier on their wallets this year.

Through 12/17, you can save 25% off your Blurb order when you checkout with Promo Code: FINALHOLIDAY.  Remember, if you would like to receive your Blurb Book by Christmas, you must place your order by 12/17!  Visit Blurb.com to get started.

"Find Me If You Can" Personalized Seek and Find Books

If your child is a fan of hidden picture puzzles, then he or she will have a blast searching for themselves in these custom made personalized  Find Me If You Can! photo books.  This book is the brainchild of a small family business called Bammco that had a simple fun inventive idea!  Bammco was nice enough to send each of my children their own personal Find Me If You Can! book so that I could see first hand how delighted children are when faced with the challenge of finding their own faces in a real, colorful, hardcover book.  I knew that my children would find this book to be fun, but I had no idea what a huge hit it would be with both our twin kindergartners and our 3rd grader.

(Click any photo to enlarge)

On the first page of the book, your child will find his or her adorable face, which is what they will need to find throughout the 30 full-color pages.  On a 2-page layout like the one shown below, your child's face is hidden on the left page and on the right page.  Each page also has rhyming text to add to the fun.

Although my children each received a book with their own face in it, which costs $29.99, you can add additional faces to the same book for just $5 each, up to a total  of 5 faces.

At the end of the book, there is a message that reads "Hope You Had A Wonderful Time".  I cannot help but think what a great gift this would make for the graduating 5th grade class at our children's school.  Each book can hold up to 120 faces, so this would make such a fun keepsake for them before they head off to middle school.

To order, all you need to do is upload a good face shot of your child or children at www.bammco.net.  Shipping and handling for each book is only $4.95.  This is a media rate, so it usually takes between 5 to 12 days to arrive, depending on where you are located.

I must say, if you are looking for a fun new sit-down activity, this is it!  If you think your book will not arrive in time for Christmas, then you could just print out the book cover, present that as the gift, and let the child know that their book is on its way.

Thank you to Bammco for providing complimentary product samples for us to base this review upon and for providing an additional product as our contest prize.

PLEASE NOTE:  Delivery of this prize in time for Christmas cannot be guaranteed.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck in the drawing!

3G2S "Top Picks" 2012 Holiday Gift Guide for Grandparents

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.

3G2S "Top Picks" 2012 Holiday Gift Guide for Teens

1.  Custom Personalized Paper Coterie Memory Box ($36.00) - This is a 10x10 Memory Keeper Box that resembles a book.  It can be completely customized with your own photos and text on the front, side, and back.  I love how it looks like a book and can keep precious keepsakes easily hidden because it would fit right into any book collection on a shelf.  I chose to create a Memory Box for our oldest son as a tribute to his being an extraordinary big brother.  On the back of the box, I added a photo of our son when he was just 2 days old, plus a special message from my husband and myself.  This 10" square box is approximately 2" deep and would make a wonderful gift box to hold something like a stock certificate, a savings bond, a gift certificate, or a gift card.  I think this would make an especially perfect gift for a teen who will be studying abroad or heading off to college soon, who will want to take along special keepsakes to remind him or her of home.  These 10x10 Memory Keepers are currently available in 14 different customizable templates.  Visit www.papercoterie.com to view all the styles and sizes available.

2.  M-Edge "Design Your Own" Tablet or eReader Case ($30 - $50) - These are two custom Kindle cases I created using the M-Edge Store design app.  We actually have a Kindle and a tablet that are very similarly sized, so I was happy to be able to design one monogram case using the tools included in the app and a second case using a photo we had taken of the liger at King Richard's Faire.  I am extremely pleased with how the two cases turned out both front and back.  If your teen is tech-savvy, then he or she is likely to own an android tablet, a Kindle or a Nook, or an iPad and would appreciate a case created just for them.  If you are gifting a tablet or an eReader this Holiday, then this would be the perfect accessory to go along with it.  Visit www.medgestore.com to view all the customizable tech cases available.

3.  Shainsware Metal Urges Bracelet Kit ($25.00) - This is a bracelet that is made of recycled rubber that can be personalized using the included 33 silvertone letters.  The bracelet kit comes in a compact ready-to-wrap recyclable box that is made of recycled materials.  Although I think the silvertone letters look fantastic on a black bracelet, there are 21 bracelet colors to choose from, including some in translucent glitter.  This would make a perfect gift for any teen who likes to express him or herself.  These bracelets look great layered so you may want to consider purchasing more than one color.  You can even buy additional element packs for more ways to dress up your Shainsware bracelet.  Visit www.shainsware.com to browse the entire selection of Shainsware accessories.

4.  Kipling Jinan Large Backpack ($109.00) - Kipling USA is a well-known brand of quality crinkle nylon bags in all shapes and sizes.  The Jinan Backpack with its classic unisex style would be a perfect gift for a high school or college student.  This backpack measures 11.5" X 16" X 5.5" and has a built-in padded compartment to hold a laptop, netbook, or a tablet.  There are two features that I love about this backpack . . . it has snaps on the side to close when you are traveling light or to unsnap when you need the extra room and it has a faux buckle closure that hides the actual Velcro closure, which allows for easy access.  The backpack above is pictured in Sporty Blue, but there are additional colors available on the Kipling website and on Amazon.com.  Free shipping is currently being offered on both sites for this laptop backpack. Visit www.kipling-usa.com to learn more about this and other Kipling bags and luggage.

5.  WallPops! Enamel Frames by Jonathan Adler ($42.99) - These enamel frame wall decals from WallPops! are the perfect thing to create a wall of inspiration in your teen's bedroom, dorm room, or first apartment.  This kit comes with 12 repositionable and removable frames in bright modern colors.  All you need to do is peel them off the sheet and stick them onto your wall over your favorite photo, magazine clipping, or artwork.  There are 2 colors of each of the 6 frame styles.  The smallest frame measures 4-1/4" square and the largest measures 9-1/2" x 7".  These frames are a perfect alternative to putting holes in your walls or resorting to using tape that will ruin your paint or wallpaper.  To learn more about this frame kit, visit www.wallpops.com.  This kit is currently selling on Amazon.com for $32.38 with Free Super Saver Shipping.

6. Blurb Facebook Photo Book or Instagram Photo Book ($10.95 and up) - Since most teenagers are avid users of Facebook and Instagram, a custom photo book filled with their favorite photos would be such a cherished gift.  The Blurb software is free to use on the retail site and is extremely user-friendly.  You can customize the layout on each page or let the software do all the work for you.  You can also add captions and blocks of text.  The front and back covers are also customizable.  If you would like to give your teen the opportunity to create their own book, then a Blurb gift certificate, which can be for any amount between $20 and $500,  would be the perfect choice.  Our 30-page book is 7"x7", has a hardcover with an image wrap (as opposed to a dust jacket), upgraded black end sheets (as opposed to grey), and costs $30.95 (not including sales tax and shipping).  Visit www.blurb.com to learn more about all their options for custom photo books.



Although complimentary product samples were sent to facilitate this gift guide, all opinions expressed are my own.

3 Favorite Gift Ideas For Dad

As a dad, I get lots of gifts from my kids and family, although all of them are welcome, some will always have a special place in my heart.  I think my daughter presents me with a new drawing rolled up with a rubber band at least once a day, often waiting for me on my chair when I get home from work.  What a wonderful feeling that is . . .

. . . But over the years, I definitely have some favorites.  My most favorite gift was from all of my kids for Christmas a few years back.  They presented me with a professionally published and bound photo book of all of my favorite family pictures, many of them of my kids and I having fun.  I keep that book on a stand on my desk, I want everybody to see it.  It is not uncommon for me to come back to my desk and see people looking through it.

(Click any photo to enlarge)

Another of my all time favorites is a canvas print of me with my son Jake on my back having a blast.  I've always loved stylized pictures on canvas prints.  Every time I walk past it in the hall I remember that day like it was yesterday.

And a list of my favorite dad gifts would not be complete without my "I can't know!" custom t-shirt.  That was my little boy Luke's favorite get out of trouble line for a long time.  It is not uncommon to hear "I can't know!!!" and see a Luke high tailing it away from the scene of a crime in my home.

I love everything they do for me, but these gifts will always be on my mind as they remind me of some great times.

Giveaway & Review: Best of 2010 in a Kodak Gallery Photo Book ($75 AMEX GC) [CLOSED]

Thinking of an original gift for our children to give to their father for the holiday was tough. We have had 6 years of Christmas gifts, birthday gifts, and Father's Day gifts from one or more children, so I was starting to run out of ideas. When Kodak Gallery came to me to try their custom photo books, I realized that this would be the perfect gift for our children to give to their Dad. They could even help me select the photos to include.

The Kodak Gallery Photo Books have two options for getting started. You can either utilize the SMARTFIT Technology, which sorts your photos for you and inserts them into different layouts on different pages. The other option is to make an Original Photo Book where you start with a blank book and build everything on your own, including the layout and photo selection for each page. I tried the SMARTFIT Technology and personally would have preferred the Original. I ended up redoing every page anyways. The SMARTFIT would be good for anyone who was publishing a random assortment of photos, rather than wanting to group the photos chronologically or by theme.

I was very pleased with the options for the book size, cover type, cover color schemes, page backgrounds, and page layouts. Both the front cover and the back allow for you to select a photo and text. I titled my book "Silly Moments of 2010" and personalized the back with a holiday greeting from my children to their Dad.

The first content page allows you to add a message or a dedication. Although it is an option to add captions throughout the book, I opted to let my photos speak for themselves. I did customize the background of each page and tried to alternate the layouts through out the book to make it more interesting to flip through. The photo layouts gave you the options of tilted or straight photos, framed or unframed photos, and even full-page photos.

The photos of the book do not do it justice. I hope they at least give you an idea of the print quality. I am extremely pleased with being able to show off my photographs in this format.

Although ultimately I was very pleased with our book, the site's software does have a few kinks. One bug they are currently working on fixing caused the photos on only one page to shift out of the frames even though it did not look that way in my preview prior to ordering. I did notify Kodak Gallery of the issue and they were able to fix the problem for me. The replacement book I received reflected the correction. Although the books shipped quickly both times, I would highly recommend your not waiting until the last minute to order a photo book for a gift. That way, if something does arise, then you will still have time to have it corrected.

To learn more about Kodak Gallery Photo Books, visit KodakGallery.com, Kodak Gallery on Facebook, and @GalleryExposure on Twitter.

Thank you to Kodak Gallery for sending us a gift card to use towards the purchase of this book and for providing a second gift card for our contest prize.

What you can win:
One lucky reader will receive a $75 American Express Gift Card (to create a photo book of their own).

Limitations:

This giveaway is open to U.S. entries only. You do not need to be a blogger to enter, but you must have a valid email address and be age 18 years or older. If you enter anonymously and do not include a valid email address in your comment entries, I will not be able to notify you should you win this random drawing.

How to Gain Entries:

Leave a comment telling me what style of photo book you would like to make AND what would be the general concept or theme of your book. You MUST do this to be eligible to win this contest.

Extra Entries:

1)  For 5 extra entries, leave a relevant comment on one of my non-giveaway posts. Then leave FIVE separate comments with the name of the post on which you commented. You will earn 5 extra entries for each different non-contest post you comment on.
2)  For 5 extra entries, enter one of my other contests. Leave FIVE separate comments here telling me which contest you entered. You will earn 5 extra entries for each contest you enter.

3)  For 10 extra entries, join the Kodak Gallery (top right of homepage) and sign up to received special offers via email. Then come back here and leave TEN separate comments telling me you did.

4)  For 1 extra entry each, if you are a Friend of mine on Facebook and/or if you have "liked" the 3 Garnets & 2 Sapphires Facebook page, then leave a separate comment here telling me so with the link to your Facebook profile.

5)   For 1 extra entry each, follow Kodak Gallery on Twitter and/or "Like" Kodak Gallery on Facebook. Then leave a separate comment for each with the link to your Twitter or Facebook profile.

6)  Follow me on Twitter. Then leave a separate comment with the link to your Twitter profile.

7)  Tweet about this giveaway linking back to this post. Then come back here and leave the link to your tweet in a separate comment. You may do this once per day until the end of the contest.

8)  Subscribe to this blog's feed. Or you can follow me through Blogger or subscribe via email (widget is on sidebar). Then leave a separate comment telling me you did so.

9)  Subscribe to A Blog of Goodies' feed (the sister site to 3 Garnets & 2 Sapphires). Then leave a separate comment telling me you did so.

10)  Add my button or blog link to your blog's sidebar. Then leave a separate comment with the link to your blog.

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(All entries will be verified prior to awarding this prize.)




Random Drawing:

This contest will be closed on Monday, January 10th, 2011 at 11:59pm EST. A random number drawing will be held shortly after. The winner will be announced here and will be contact via email or through their blog. If the winner does not respond within 48 hours, a new number will be drawn.

Good luck in the drawing!

Giveaway & Review: Custom Printed Lulu Photo Book [CLOSED]

This October, my husband and I will be celebrating our 10th wedding anniversary! We do not yet know how we will be celebrating, but I did know that I wanted to have some type of keepsake to commemorate this milestone. A photo book from Lulu.com seemed like the perfect thing to allow me to tell the story of our first ten years together as husband and wife.

(Click image to enlarge)

This is not the first self-publish book I have created. I have to admit that I was not looking forward to it. The ones I have made in the past took hours to create, not counting the time it took me to select and gather the digital photos together. Well, it turns out, I was bracing myself for nothing. The Lulu Studio publishing software was extremely user-friendly. Creating this book could not have been easier and took a fraction of the time compared to my past experience with making books.

This particular book is 8.5" x 8.5" and has a casewrap hardcover binding. You start off by choosing a theme. I went with "Eternal". Then you can select from a variety of pre-designed layouts for each page. Some pages could house one or more photos, some only text, and some both. You even have the option of leaving a page blank, but it will still have the themed background printed on it. I was able to upload multiple photos at once, which was a huge time-saver. To design each page, it was only a matter of selecting the layout, dragging and dropping the desired photo into each frame, and adding the desired text, where appropriate.

I have to say that I cannot be more pleased with the results. The photo quality was amazing, especially considering some of the older photos were scans. I was impressed by the quality of the paper, the binding, and the printing. The best part of this book, however, was sharing the past ten years with our children. They loved seeing photos of my husband and myself before they were born and listening to the story told across these 20 pages.

Lulu.com offers much more than photo books. You can create and self-publish all different types of books, including cookbooks, books of poetry, and portfolios. You can keep your book private or share it with a select few. You can even opt to make it public and sell copies of it, similar to the way websites like Cafe Press allow you to sell your designs on products. The book I made only costs $19.99 plus the cost of shipping. There are no hidden fees, such as set-up fees, making this an affordable and amazingly personal gift to make for a loved one.

To learn more about the possibilities Lulu offers, visit Lulu.com, the Lulu Blog, Lulu.com on Facebook, and on Twitter.

Thank you to Lulu.com for sending us a sample book free of charge to base this review upon and for providing a second book for our contest prize. This article was written as part of a campaign for the Family Review Network.

What you can win:
One lucky reader will receive a customized 8.5" Square Hardcover 20-Page Photo Book.

Limitations:

This giveaway is open to U.S. entries only. You do not need to be a blogger to enter, but you must have a valid email address and be age 18 years or older. If you enter anonymously and do not include a valid email address in your comment entries, I will not be able to notify you should you win this random drawing.

How to Gain Entries:

Browse the selection of self-publish books available on Lulu.com . Then leave a comment telling me what type of book you would like to make (besides a photo book). You MUST do this to be eligible to win this contest.

Extra Entries:

1) For 5 extra entries, leave a relevant comment on one of my non-giveaway posts. Then leave FIVE separate comments with the name of the post on which you commented. You will earn 5 extra entries for each different non-contest post you comment on.

2)

For 5 extra entries, enter one of my other contests. Leave FIVE separate comments here telling me which contest you entered. You will earn 5 extra entries for each contest you enter.

3) For 10 extra entries, blog about this contest linking back to this post AND Lulu.com . Then come back here and leave TEN separate comments with the link to your blog post.

4)

For 1 extra entry each, if you are a Friend of mine on Facebook and/or if you have "liked" the 3 Garnets & 2 Sapphires Facebook page, then leave a separate comment here telling me so with the link to your Facebook profile.

5) For 1 extra entry each, follow LuluDotCom on Twitter and/or "Like" Lulu.com on Facebook. Then leave a separate comment for each with the link to your Twitter or Facebook profile.

6)

Follow me on Twitter. Then leave a separate comment with the link to your Twitter profile.

7)

Tweet about this giveaway linking back to this post. Then come back here and leave the link to your tweet in a separate comment. You may do this once per day until the end of the contest.

8)

Subscribe to this blog's feed. Or you can follow me through Blogger or subscribe via email (widget is on sidebar). Then leave a separate comment telling me you did so.

9)

Subscribe to A Blog of Goodies' feed (the sister site to 3 Garnets & 2 Sapphires). Then leave a separate comment telling me you did so.

10)

Add my button or blog link to your blog's sidebar. Then leave a separate comment with the link to your blog.

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(All entries will be verified prior to awarding this prize.)


Random Drawing:

This contest will be closed on Monday, October 11th, 2010 at 11:59pm EST. A random number drawing will be held shortly after. The winner will be announced here and will be contact via email or through their blog. If the winner does not respond within 48 hours, a new number will be drawn.

Good luck in the drawing!