Gift Scrap Blog

Looking around my apartment, I’m thinking to myself…”you know, I really like (fill in the blank).”  So here is my list of random recommendations for this snowy tri-state day…

1. I’m all about a bargain as most of you know.  Many also know that I am quite fond of tattoos and just got one the other day.  Instead of buying expensive lotion to help heal the permanent ink that is now embedded in my skin, I recommend Harmon Face Values Daily Moisturizing Lotion. Cheap and does the trick. *Note: You don’t have to have a tattoo to use this lotion :)

2.  How annoying is it to find the right slot for your knives in your “knife block?” Ok, for those of you that don’t cook and don’t find this annoying at all, skip to #3.  Anyway, the Kapoosh knife holder is amazing and it fits any knife because there are no specific slots! It’s just a bunch of plastic rods that move around.  Hard to explain, just check it out, trust me. Amazon

3. I don’t know what it is about random wood and metal sculptures, but they just make me smile.  For instance, I have a heart decoration on my desk and when I glance over, it just makes me happy and feel “adult.”

4. I will never cut a straight line again.  Why should I when I can use my scrapbooking scissors and cut with an “edge.” Want a rugged look? No problem. Or an elegant design? Consider it done. I use them to cut edges that are a pattern rather than a straight line. Basically it looks like it took you ages to cut a picture or piece of paper into a unique design – but realistically it took no time.

5. For those of you that live in NYC, we are used to cramped spaces.  We laugh at the idea of having a dining room table! Well, if you have an open wall, I totally recommend this wall-mounted table.  It folds flat to save space and flips out when you want to eat.  Voila! You have a table. Grab two stools and you are set for a romantic dinner.  I have only seen this at IKEA and I recommend staining it a color that matches the rest of your decor.  Visit IKEA

For more information about anything I mentioned, please email info@GiftScrap.com or post a comment! Love to hear your recommendations as well!

Last weekend was one of the best weekends of my life.  Why you ask? Well, I found a Michael’s craft store in Manhattan.

When I found it, it was like the skies opened and the angels began to sing…I was in heaven.

It may not seem like a big deal to those who live outside of NYC, where the huge craft stores flood your streets and it’s only a car ride away, but for us Manhattanites without a car and few and far craft stores in the city, this discovery was epic.

I felt like Christopher Columbus on the Niña, Pinta, and Santa Maria.

There are small mom and pop stores here and there in NYC, which I am happy to support, but there is nothing I enjoy more than the craft store giant like Michael’s.  The hearty discounts, cornucopia of aisles, and abundance of knickknacks that I definitely don’t need, but desperately want.

Ah, it was a great day – and going to be a glorious year.

Michael’s is on…

808 Columbus Ave (on 100^th Ave)
New York, NY 10025-5139
(212) 865-0813

And I’ve even found one coupon for you to print…

Happy Crafting!

If anyone knows other great craft stores in NYC or in your hometown, please share!

Delivery.com

I think I am a little behind the times on this, but my friend and I discovered the greatest website in the world.

Let me introduce you to my new favorite lazy man’s site: www.delivery.com

Let’s face it, it’s cold outside.  DC just got hit with a historic snowstorm that paralyzed the region- who wants to go out in this kind of weather?

Well, now you never have to leave your house again to order food or groceries. Delivery.com is easy, quick and I will never pick up the phone again.  Plus, many of you know that I LOVE winning and I LOVE free things.  The more points you earn from your orders, the more points you acquire – thus giving you the chance to get some free stuff.

Anyway – I wanted to share my new finding with you.  Enjoy my fellow lazy friends!

Also, please share any other sites like this!

"Dona & Rabbana"

A friend of mine forwarded a great article to me (thanks @DuxieClothing) about the side effects of fake perfumes.  Living in NYC, we see tons of street vendors selling cheap, knockoff perfume.  95% of the time I walk by them because simply put, I just don’t trust it.  However, there has been that rare time where I decided to take the plunge and buy a bottle.

One afternoon my colleague and I were walking back from lunch when all of a sudden three guys pop out of a van and start yelling, “Hurry, get your perfume, get your perfume. This sells at Macy’s for more than $80, here…it’s only $5.”  I am one that absolutely loves a bargain, so I was like what the heck, I’ll pick up a bottle.  Here’s how my transaction went down…

1. All the bottles that the guys were holding out had the correct name of the perfume and looked exactly like the real deal. I pointed to the Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue box and said I will take one of those.

2. Guy #1 turns around and grabs one from the box behind him and passes it to guy #2 to his left.

3. Guy #2 puts it in a black bag

4. Guy #3 takes my money

5. I get the black bag and Guys #1-3 all encourage me to hurry off

As we walk to the door of my building, all of a sudden we hear police sirens.  Obviously, something pretty sketchy was going on!

I get upstairs to my desk and open the bag.  Instead of seeing a beautiful “Dolce and Gabbana” box like I originally saw outside when the guy was holding it up, I was now holding a fake “Dona & Rabbana” light blue box. I couldn’t help but laugh.  They totally pulled a fast one on me and did a complete swap.  Very clever I have to say.

I never ended up using any of it because honestly I was nervous I would break out into hives or something.  And after reading the article below, I’m glad I did not try it out! Bad reactions from knockoffs range from a runny nose to redness and eczema. Eek.  Article from Harpers Bazaar

How about you…ever try a fake perfume? Did it smell like roses or make you break out into a red blob?

Cheers

Scenario…
Going out with your friends is a great way to socialize and meet new people.  Usually, you end up at a bar. Once you find a bar you like, you get comfortable and it becomes your stomping ground.  You come to know the staff on a first-name basis and their friendliness and sense of humor becomes attractive.

A pattern develops in this new found home away from home:
Step 1: Pay as you drink
Step 2: A free shot here and there
Step 3: Hugs & friendly kisses start to be exchanged more frequently with the bar staff, along with the steadier buy-back
Step 4: You and the bar back wink “hello”
Step 5: When you walk in, your favorite drink is passed over to you even before you open your mouth.
Step 6: You close out the bar and are invited to stay for after hours.
Step 7: The bouncer lets you skip the long line and bypass the cover charge.
Step 8: The new after-hours spot becomes the bartender/bouncer/DJ’s (insert appropriate staff member here) apartment.
Step 9: You start feeling something for him, and plan your drinking schedule around his work schedule so you can hang more.
Step 10: Love is in the air, at least on your end. You treasure his winks from behind the bar, from the DJ booth, or from the door where he is stationed.

Are these the steps to your next happy relationship? I mean, it sounds pretty great…free drinks, no waiting in the cold on line, good conversation, and a desirable, hot man that is all yours! Isn’t he?

Possible Outcomes…
#1 You continue your pattern of going out.  Despite your day job and his night job, things seem to be going really well with him.  Your work suffers from exhaustion, and your colleagues ask quite frequently about your late nights due to the fact you practically fall asleep at your desk every day. But you are happy and make a note to buy concealer to cover up those dark circles under your eyes. (Desirability: MODERATE; Reality: MODERATE)

#2 As you continue going to the bar, you can’t help but notice the amount of “extra friendly” girls that also are there regularly and seem to be floating on cloud nine around him. Your man assures you that you are his one and only, and runs outside on his break to buy you a single rose. (Desirability: MODERATE; Reality: MODERATE)

#3 You get butterflies when your man winks at you from his position in the bar. But when you turn around, some hot blonde is returning the exact same smile that you are.  You start to wonder, who was that affectionate gesture really for? (Desirability: LOW; Reality: HIGH)

#4 You surprise him during his lunch shift with his favorite iced coffee.  He is making out with that redhead that you noticed coming around the bar more regularly. You go up and dump him and the coffee over his head, and march out. (Desirability: LOW; Reality: HIGH)

#5 You go to the bar to hang out with your man.  As he is at the other end of the bar hitting on a group of bachelorettes, the guy next to you leans over and says you have the most stunning eyes he has ever seen. You stop staring at your man behind the bar to turn and be blown away by the most beautiful man you have ever seen.  Time flies as you immerse yourself in conversation with the new man with a stool in front of the bar.  You cast one last glance at your bartender and realize that he hasn’t even noticed that you have been preoccupied for the last three hours. You have been dating your new hottie ever since that blissful night.  (Desirability: HIGH; Reality: MODERATE)

The Lesson…
“It’s time to raise the bar”

I’m sitting here at my desk, deciding what to write for my first official post on my new GiftScrap blog.

Living in New York City has it’s perks for sure, but I often wonder why I don’t live somewhere warm? Maybe it’s because of the fast paced nature of NYC which is hard to find somewhere else. Or is it because in one 400 square foot store I can purchase fresh flowers, a bag of flour, lottery tickets, orange juice and a cactus all in one trip? It also could be that in a 5 block radius, I have over 20 restaurants to choose from. I don’t have to spell it out any further – we all know that NYC is an awesome city and I couldn’t picture living anywhere else at this point in my life.

So, instead of complaining about how cold it is here, I invested in a Snuggie. For those of you who live under a rock and don’t know what a Snuggie is, here is a funny clip from the Ellen show: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOhrsLEozZs

Laugh all you want, I love my Snuggie. And it actually does keep me warm and my hands free! Without my Snuggie, which I am actually wearing right now, I would have a hard time typing this blog…and even creating a scrapbook or two.

For those of you who are also wondering what “GiftScrap” actually is, it’s my new scrapbooking business. http://www.giftscrap.com I started the company after giving a hand made scrapbook to one of my best friends for her birthday. It took me weeks to complete but it was so worth it when she opened the book and started to cry. I had pictures of her from her early childhood, all the way up to her current life in NYC. She said that she had never received such a thoughtful gift, and after hearing that I realized that I would love to create these books for more people.

Thus, GiftScrap was formed!

Ok, I think this is enough for my first post. I am signing off for now.

Keep warm. Snuggle up.

Kim