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!

flounder dinner

I am sitting here on my couch and just thinking about what I did this weekend.  Parts of it were very girly, others a bit boyish, and then whole other parts of it could classify me as an 80 year old woman.

Here’s the rundown of my last two days…
1. Made flounder
2. Drank wine 
3. Broke a glass pitcher because apparantly pouring hot water into it was not smart
4. Booked a hotel in Yountvile, CA for my friend’s wedding
5. Started a scrapbook for my friend’s son’s first year
6. Went to the Gym
7. Watched the Jets lose
8. Walked my dog
9. Spent some time on Twitter and Facebook
10. Cleaned my apartment
11. Started to plan a poker night
12. Had brunch with my parents
13. Watched “The Pregnancy Pact” on Lifetime. I really do love a good Lifetime movie.
14. Became very perplexed by the new Walmart “screaming clown” commercial
15. Checked out my horoscope and is now very excited for January 30th.  That apparantly is MY day for good change.

All in all, a very diverse weekend.  It makes me realize that I am pretty unclassifiable. 

How about everyone else? How would you classify your weekends?
Tame with a splash of crazy?
Boyish with a touch of Girl?
Party so hard you don’t even remember?
So lame that you wish you could forget?
Unclassifiable? 

…let us here about it!

Guys always say that women are hard to shop for.  And many of us are.  However, the one thing that we absolutely love is a thoughtful gift.

It could be as simple as a card to as extravagant to a piece of jewelry with the date of when you first met engraved in it.  A gift with a little meaning behind it can go a long way.

Valentine’s Day is only a month away and why not give your woman an unforgettable gift this year?  Here are some of my suggestions…

1. Take her to the restaurant that you took her to on your first date. Have her favorite flower waiting for her at her seat.

Or you can really go above and beyond by doing a little research and find a restaurant that reminds you of her.  Take her to a restaurant with her same name. Or did you have the best vacation in Spain? Take her to a Spanish restaurant and recreate the trip.

2. Engrave a special saying or date on a piece of jewelry. Her favorite quote? Your nickname for her? The date you first met? Any of those would do!

3. Rewrite her favorite poem.  Even the thought that you took the time to actually sit down and write something important to her is incredible.

4. Cook for her.  It doesn’t even have to be complex, and if it comes out bad, make sure you have enough wine on hand… she won’t remember how awful it tasted.

5. A GiftScrap book.  I had to get a shameless plug into the list.  But in all honesty, if you have 15-20 pictures of her, you, or you both together – all you need to do is send me the link to them or upload the pictures on our site and we will create a beautiful scrapbook that she will adore.  It will score you so many points…you have no idea. http://www.giftscrap.com/order.php

Please share some more ideas! What were some of the best gifts you have received? Or even the worst gifts?!

Happy Wednesday everyone.

I have started doing something new with my music choices. I decided that each day I will focus on a certain letter of the alphabet and that’s the only music I can listen to for the day. I know, a bit crazy but let’s just go with it for a minute…

For instance, the other day was “A.” Grabbed the subway and listened to “Addicted to Love.” And, this even meant that while I was on the bike at the gym later that night and “All Cried Out” and “Against All Odds” came on, I listened. I have to admit, that those “A” songs in particular were not the most “gym pumping” choices, but I kept them all despite that fact.

Today, is “B” Wednesday. I might get anything from Lady Gaga’s “Bad Romance” to Lionel Richie’s “Ballerina Girl.” You just never know what “B” song Wednesday will bring.

This “ABC” concept made me think about a new idea for my scrapbooks. Create a book for your family and friends in alphabetical order. For instance, think about your mom. Does she make the most amazing apple pie? Boom, there’s your “A” page. Cut out a delicious picture of an apple pie and paste a picture of your mom baking. Does she always blast the Beatles in the car? Tah Dah – George, Paul, John, Ringo, and your mom on the page.

Perfect gift? I think so!

If you are interested in a gift like this to give to someone, let me know! I would be happy to create it for you. Email me at info@giftscrap.com

Have an Ace of Base “Beautiful Day.”

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