Personalized Ornament Gifts

as a beekeeper, love these bee ornament gifts. (charlotte ekker wiggins photo)

Personalized Ornament Gifts

One of the best personalized gifts you can give are personalized ornaments. I should know, over the years Bluebird Gardens customers have blessed me with lovely ones.

Whether you are buying new ornaments or pre-loved ornaments from thrift shops, look for ornaments that mean something to the recipient that you can easily customize.

One of the easiest ways to personalize an ornament is to date it and note why you are giving it with the story on a little added tag. A friend gives her nieces and nephews a dated ornament with a story every year so by the time they are leaving home, they have a nice set of Christmas ornaments for their own tree with childhood memories attached. Literally.

Add a little bee to personalize this ornament for a beekeeper. (Charlotte Ekker Wiggins photo)

This particular ballerina Christmas ornament was picked up because it was for a fellow ballerina who had a family member dancing in a “Nutcracker” production.

Another way to easily personalize an ornament is to add a date and the location of where something happened. The location is a good trigger for the memory attached to the ornament.

If the ornament like this pink ballerina needs a defining addition, head to your local hobby shop and see if there is a miniature you can add to the ornament.

If the ornament marks a special event such as a wedding or anniversary, consider picking up an ornament display hangar so that it can be enjoyed all year around.

Also shop after Christmas sales for ornament storage boxes and display hangars.

If giving ornaments every year to family members, it is helpful to keep a list of what ornaments you have given so that you don’t duplicate the memory. You also won’t have to struggle about gift-giving since you’re establishing a tradition of giving ornaments.

For more tips on gardening, beekeeping, cooking and easy home decor, subscribe to my weekly Garden Notes.

Charlotte

What's In a Name?

Pre-printed labels add a nice personalized touch to something handmade. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

What’s In a Name?

One of the easiest ways to personalize a gift is to add a name. In the case of Bluebird Gardens-made items, we add our signature patented logo label with a ladybug on the back of our items. The quilts are shipped with a care guide and certificate of authenticity, which gives our customers an extra assurance that they know the original source of their items.

Periodically someone asks us how to personalize a gift without them having a pre-printed label. That’s easy, have a local embroidery shop embroider a name and special date on fabric you can then make into a label.

You can make your own labels with personalized embroidery. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Last week, we helped a customer making her own first quilt personalize the gift for her granddaughter by suggesting she include the granddaughter’s name in the quilt, like we did in this custom reversible t-shirt quilt we make.

She is also going to have a label made out of custom embroidery with her name and date to add to the back of the custom quilt.

Add a name with custom embroidery in a custom quilt center. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Even if you are making the quilt for yourself, make sure to add a label with your name and date on it. The information adds value to the quilt and will make it even more special to your family and friends if you give it as a personalized gift.

Charlotte

Personalized Ornaments

A sweet ballerina mouse ornament personalized for the receiver. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Personalized Ornaments

The month after Christmas is a good time to shop for ornaments you want to personalize as gifts. Whether you are buying new ornaments or pre-loved ornaments from thrift shops, look for ornaments that mean something to the recipient that you can easily customize.

One of the easiest ways to personalize an ornament is to date it and note why you are giving it with the story on a little added tag. A friend gives her nieces and nephews a dated ornament with a story every year so by the time they are leaving home they have a nice set of Christmas ornaments for their own tree with childhood memories attached. Literally.

This particular Christmas ornament was picked up because it was for a fellow ballerina who had a family member dancing in a “Nutcracker” production.

This charming ornament is holding a nutcracker. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Since the recipient is also a beekeeper, it was pretty easy to personalize this charming Christmas ornament. Do you see it?

No one had to date this one to know who was getting it!

Add a little bee to personalize this ornament for a beekeeper. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Another way to easily personalize an ornament is to add a date and the location of where something happened. The location is a good trigger for the memory attached to the ornament.

If the ornament like this pink ballerina needs a defining addition, head to your local hobby shop and see if there is a miniature you can add to the ornament.

Since three is the charm I added another bee on the foot. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

If the ornament marks a special event such as a wedding or anniversary, considering picking up an ornament display hangar so that it can be enjoyed all year around.

One last bee on the back of the ornament. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

If giving ornaments every year to family members, it is helpful to keep a list of what ornaments you have given so that you don’t duplicate the memory.

Have you ever given Christmas ornaments as personalized gifts?

Charlotte

Framed Newspaper Article

Framed Newspaper Article Gift Idea

If you’ve look around at your local businesses, and been in business yourself, you know that starting up any business takes a tremendous amount of time and energy, so much so that something as simple as your ribbon-cutting can end up as a torn page out of the newspaper with your full intention of getting it framed to hang on your store wall.

That’s why getting the ribbon cutting photo of one of your favorite local businesses is a simple but thoughtful personalized gift.

We know how special people think our custom scrapbook quilts are with photos so anything that has someone’s photo can be made into a personalized gift.

In this case, it’s a local winery where I get to spend an evening every month or so with friends, enjoying a wonderful meal and learning what wine to pear with different dishes.

I added a white piece of paper to the back so we can all write a short personal dedication.

Once we all get to sign it, we will personally deliver the photo to the business with our collective thanks for all of the work the owners and staff put into their mostly monthly wine-pairings.

Sure it’s what they do as part of their business but having the ribbon-cutting article framed is something they probably haven’t had time to do yet.

Other new business owners have shared how much this meant to them so trust me, it’s a great gift idea that will be much appreciated!

Charlotte

Personalized Furniture Refinishing Gift

Our red and blue quilted bags are lined in plastic and come with a free gift tag.

Personalized Furniture Refinishing Gift

There are several ways customers can personalize our furniture refinishing gift kits:

1. They can choose from a quilted, plastic lined gift bag or a vintage lunch box.

2. They can choose what color of Howard Furniture Refinishing color is included.

3. They can write their own special message on the enclosed gift tag.

The inside of one of our personalized furniture refinishing gifts, do you see the extra item?

This last order included another little surprise. We added a little 2 oz. container of Bluebird Gardens honey with a small wood honey dipper. Seemed only appropriate since Howard furniture care and refinishing products are made with bees wax and carnauba oil.

Our little surprise in this furniture refinishing gift, a little honey and honey dipper!

If you want to add something personal to your furniture refinishing gift, there's room for a little something. In the past we've added a little wooden toy set, a small tin of fresh catnip and even a box of homemade chocolates.

This particular furniture refinishing gift was ordered as a housewarming gift. What other special occasions would you think of giving a furniture refinishing gift?

Charlotte

Personalized Christmas Ornaments

This rabbit on a pine cone is the latest addition to my little Christmas tree this year.

Personalized Christmas Ornaments

Giving, or receiving, Christmas ornaments with a personal subject or theme, is a wonderful way to give someone a very nice personal gift, especially if its someone starting their household graduating from college, or getting married.

A friend of mine started her son on a collection of ornaments when he was born, giving him an ornament every year and dating them. As he got older, he could refer to the ornament and ask about why he received the various ornaments by referring to the respective years. 

Although I don't have anyone I give an ornament to every year, I do add a date to the ones I give, as well as adding a location so the recipient has a memory jog when they see it. 

This is a good gift idea for last-minute shoppers because Christmas ornaments are usually still available if they can think of an appropriate theme for the particular ornament.

So it was with a smile that I unpacked this rabbit ornament sitting on a pinecone gift from a friend this week. The ornament has been added to my other outdoor-themed Christmas decorations and is a wonderful reminder that personalized gifts can be as simple as this little gift and will be appreciate for years to come.

Charlotte

Propagate Plants for Gifts

One of the gifts my friends seem to really appreciate is a start from one of my plants.

Whether it's a rooted cutting from a Chrysanthemum or a start from one of my Christmas cactus plants, propagating plants can be a very nice and inexpensive gift idea.

If you are planning these gifts for a certain holiday, start 4-6 months before the event. Use new soil; thoroughly-washed pots and a root stimulator, available at most garden centers.

Make sure the cut you make on the donor plant is clean; dip into root stimulator, then place in a planting container with a good soil mix. Water. 

Put in a warm sunny spot or under grow lights and monitor. Depending on the plant, you should see a new green sprout within 4-6 weeks for most plants.

I used to try to remove the original plant. Now I leave it with the sprout so people can see it came from a cutting.

Charlotte