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My Top Gift Tips – Kerrie Meehan, VIC
From a life as a travel agent to running a philanthropic Fair Trade shop, Fairly Cambodian, Kerrie Meehan shares her gift experiences including a Cambodian water blessing and gift buying for a Buddhist friend…
1. The best gift I ever received was…a water blessing from a monk in Cambodia.
2. The top gift on my wish list is…a donation from a mystery individual so I could set up a school in Cambodia.
3. The best gift I have ever given were some pens, magazines and toiletries to a sewing school in Cambodia.
4. The hardest person I have ever had to buy a gift for is…a Buddhist friend. She doesn’t attach any significance to material goods.
5. The best last-minute gift is…something fair-trade, so your gift is helping the individual who made it.
6. My hot gift buying tip is…make your purchase count otherwise it is money wasted. Buy something from a fair trade outlet so that your gift gives twice, once to the recipient and once to the person who made it.
Kerrie Meehan runs Fairly Cambodian, a fair trade retail store in Healesville in Victoria’s Yarra Valley – an enterprise that sells beautiful hand crafted goods made by Cambodians. Kerrie was a travel agent who travelled the world for her job. It was only when she visited Cambodia that she was struck by the country’s tragic history, beautiful people and uphill struggle to rebuild what the Khmer Rouge destroyed. She is determined to improve the lives of the Cambodians she knows, by selling their goods on their behalf, spreading their news, telling their stories, and ultimately giving their children an education and therefore a future. You can buy from Fairly Cambodian from anywhere in Australia via her online shop, www.fairlycambodian.com/shop and sign up to the Fairly Cambodian Facebook Page.
My Top Gift Tips – Dom Romeo
What gift is at the top of a writer’s wish list? Freelance writer Dom Romeo shares his gift stories on softball bats and ex-girlfriends…
1.The best gift I ever received was…
An Bisonte notebook – gorgeous bison leather cover that slips over the notebook, so that when it’s filled, I can just replace it. As a writer, I like to carry around a pen and notebook at all times.
2. The top gift on my wish list is…
Boxing gloves and focus pads – the writer’s life is predominantly sedentary; I need more exercise.
3. The best gift I have ever given was…
A softball bat, for a dear friend’s 40th. I’d known him since we were kids, and I’d accidentally knocked him out with one when we were playing softball in primary school – a story he still tells when introducing me to new friends.
4. The hardest person I have ever had to buy a gift for was/is…
Always ex-girlfriends. You know them well enough to get it perfect – but if and when you do, you make it difficult for the poor guy who’s replaced you – which can also be fun!
5. The best last-minute gift is…
Creative and contains handmade elements – either the card (with a poem) or the hamper you’ve put together with delicious teas, yummy imported sweets and delicacies, or the home cooked meal you serve before presenting them.
6. My hot gift buying tip is…
Shop with them some time before the event – you get an idea of what they like, how they like to spoil themselves, and what they are eyeing off until they can better afford for themselves. And then you can surprise them with it!
Dom Romeo is a freelance wordsmith, blogger and broadcaster. Read his stuff: www.standanddeliver.blogs.com
My Top Gift Tips – Kay Trembath, VIC
This week we caught up with Kay Trembath from Crumbz in Victoria’s gorgeous Healesville and decided that home-made treats are always the best option when it comes to gifts…
1. The best gift I ever received was…my engagement ring from my now husband.
2. The top gift on my wish list is…an e-type Jag.
3. The best gift I have ever given was…some pens, magazines and toiletries to a sewing school in Cambodia.
4. The hardest person I have ever had to buy a gift for is…my Dad. Men are so hard to buy for, especially ones who already have everything they need.
5. The best last-minute gift is…something home-made – a scarf you’ve knitted, some jam or chutney, hummus or some flowers from the garden.
6. My hot gift buying tip is…make it yourself. The time and love that has gone into making the present makes it priceless for the recipient.
A selection of Christmas decorations from Crumbz Christmas decoration workshop
Kay is the owner of Crumbz, a fabulous craft shop in Healesville, in Victoria’s Yarra Valley. Crumbz is packed full of gorgeous designer aprons, fashionable fabrics and wool, kitchenware and house hold gift items. Some of their gorgeous products include washing up gloves with a leopard print trim, kids’ chef hats, china tea cups and polka dot cupcake cases. You can also buy all your haberdashery: wool, yarn, patterns, fabrics – whatever your sewing/craft needs. Kay also runs a series of classes and workshops on sewing, patchwork, crochet, knitting and stitching that help people learn about and enjoy crafts from yesteryear. Check out the Crumbz website to check out their products and classes: www.crumbz.com.au
Want a $20 Mr Gift voucher? We would love to hear about your gift giving and receiving experiences – just email your answers to the above questions to info@mrgift.com.au to receive a voucher on us!
Top three men’s grooming tips
So the jury’s back in and gentlemen, the general consensus is that there’s no excuse for hair in the wrong places when it comes to men’s grooming. We sought advice from our customers and friends for their top tips on how men can look their best and here are some of our favourite tips…
1. Nose hair is a no-no
Author and professional speaker Jennifer Burrows implores men to maintain their ‘manscape’ with a regular trim of stray hairs. “Gentlemen, please invest in a good quality nose and ear hair trimmer – preferably one that comes with an eyebrow shaping attachment. Bushy is not sexy and nose hair tickles during kissing”.
Trimming those stray hairs is an essential grooming task advises Jennifer Burrows, contributing author of You Can…Live the Life of your Dreams.
After 20 years in business, Sue Ismiel from Australian wax brand Nad’s is an authority on waxing and hair removal, affirming, “Nose hair is such a turn off for women”. After identifying that out-of-control nose hair was a problem for many men, Nad’s developed Nose Wax to target nose hair on the inside of the nose, as well as blackheads on the outside of the nose. “I am so excited about having found a simple way to get rid of unsightly nose hair and in the process have rekindled people’s passion for their partners now that their nose hair is gone!” says Sue.
Remove hair from the inside of the nose as well as blackheads on the outside with Nad’s Nose Wax
2. Exercise caution when removing hair
“Always use a clipper guard when trimming your public area with hair clippers,” advises author of The Vagina Buffet, Tales of a Brazilian waxer, SJ Tierney. Tierney explains: “I was trying to get my husband’s pubic hair as short as possible, so I took the clipper guard off and I accidentally cut his scrotum – it was one of those “not happy Jan” moments”. Ouch!
Tierney also suggests carefully considering where you practice your hair removal. “Never drink and groom, and never allow wax, razors or tweezers at your bucks party!” and don’t forget to consider other members of the household, “If you want to groom in private, remember to keep the door locked”.
“If you want to groom in private, remember to keep the door locked,” advises author SJ Tierney
3. Tweezers are your friend, not foe
Andy Roache from Andy Hair and Makeup, Mooloolaba believes that all guys should have a pair of tweezers in their bathroom draw that aren’t just for removing splinters.
“Guys, even if you’re low-maintenance, when it comes to grooming, there’s one area to give a wee bit of attention to: your eyebrows. Just a bit of a pluck with tweezers can whisk away those wiry strays, or sneaky greys. Why distract from the conversation with an errant brow line? Tweeze with ease!”
Andy Roache from Andy Hair and Makeup says that a pair of tweezers are essential
Thanks to our contributors for sharing their tips and tricks for men’s grooming:
Jennifer Burrows is from Value for Life – creating insanely great presenters who get heard, get their point across and ultimately get what they want and is a contributing author of “You Can…Live the Life of Your Dreams” (due for release 1st December 2012). www.valueforlife.com.au
Sue Ismiel is founder of Australian brand, Nad’s, specialising in hair removal products, including Nad’s Nose Wax. www.nads.com.au
SJ Tierney is author of The Vagina Buffet, Tales of a Brazilian waxer. Read more about SJ Tierney’s remarkable (and hilarious) adventures at www.vaginabuffet.com.
Andy Roache is a freelance hairdresser and makeup artist based in Mooloolaba, Sunshine Coast. www.andyhairmakeup.com.au
Check out our range of men’s grooming products, including high quality men’s grooming brand, Beauty Mate.
My Top Gift Tips – Leanne Cox, Qld
Mr Gift loves hearing about the gift-giving, buying and receiving experiences of our customers and friends. This week we caught up with Leanne from The Grasshoppers Closet, who shared some of her tips…
1. The best gift I ever received was…Tickets to Cirque De Soleil.
2. The top gift on my wish list is…A hot air balloon ride.
3. The best gift I have ever given was…Telling my husband I was pregnant for the first time on his Birthday.
4. The hardest person I have ever had to buy a gift for was/is… my fashion savvy nieces in their early 20s.
5. The best last-minute gift is…Gourmet foods from a Deli, popped in a basket with a bottle of wine.
6. My hot gift buying tip is…Give experiences, food or something recycled – life is for living, not putting on a shelf to collect dust!
Leanne Cox is the founder of The Grasshoppers Closet, a web-based business that developed from Leanne’s passion about going green and selling high quality recycled children’s clothes. www.grasshopperscloset.com.au
Want a $20 Mr Gift voucher? We would love to hear about your gift giving and receiving experiences – just email your answers to the above questions to info@mrgift.com.au to receive a voucher on us!
What’s the best cake to make for a guy?
It’s always tricky working out the best way to give someone a good send off when they leave a job. Whilst gifts are great (and I promise I will dedicate another whole blog post – or ten to the best leaving gifts), cake is essential. The hardest bit is deciding what sort of cake to cook/purchase.
In the same way that buying gifts for men is a challenge, cooking the appropriate cake for a guy can also be a bit of a conundrum. Whilst women’s hearts melt for cute cupcakes and pink icing, this doesn’t always work for dudes.
My last challenge was for a blokey bloke’s leaving do, so the Victorian Sponge just didn’t cut it. Given that he likes beer, port, cognac, and pretty much all other alcoholic drinks known to man, a Baileys Cheesecake struck me as the most appropriate option (after ruling out a Guinness Cheesecake).
The below cheesecake recipe derives from a favourite family recipe that originally started life as a lemon cheesecake. The beauty of this recipe is that you can pretty much adapt the 1/3 cup of Baileys to be 1/3 of a cup of anything you like (although I wouldn’t recommend Guinness) e.g. lemon juice, orange juice, lime juice, or another liqueur of your preference. No baking is required and you can even make this one the day before for extra flavour – enjoy!
Base:
125g melted butter
250g pack of sweet biscuits – I love Arnott’s malted milk, but Arnott’s Ginger biccies are also delicious for a stronger flavour.
Filling:
250g of cream cheese (leave out of the fridge for half an hour or so to soften)
400g can of sweetened condensed milk
1/3 cup of Baileys (or another magic ingredient of your choice for flavour)
1 teaspoon of gelatine powder
1 tablespoon of water
What to do:
1. Crush biscuits finely (by hand or in a food processor) and mix in melted butter
2. Press biscuit mixture into a lightly greased dish ensuring that the base and sides are evenly covered. Refrigerate for 30 mins (or until firm) to set base.
Tip: You can use a flat-bottomed object such as a glass or jar to press mixture down firmly.
3. Filling – Beat cream cheese with electric beaters until soft and smooth. Add condensed milk and Baileys. Continue beating the mixture until smooth.
Tip: If you are using lemon, lime or orange juice for a citrus-flavoured cheesecake, grate a little rind into the mixture for added flavour.
4. Mix gelatine with water and then add to the cream cheese mixture, ensuring it is thoroughly combined.
5. Pour the filling into the base and refrigerate until set – will take a couple of hours or can be left in fridge overnight.
Will keep in the fridge for a couple of days, covered (if it lasts that long!).
Wishing you all the best in your new job, Christian!
If you love cooking, check out some of Mr Gift’s great cooking and kitchen and gift ideas…
My Top Gift Tips – William S, Melbourne
Mr Gift loves hearing about the gift-buying experiences of our customers and friends. We are excited to share some of these unique stories and wise words with you, so keep an eye on our blog for more over the coming weeks…
1. The best gift I ever received was…a gold necklace I received for my 21st Birthday. It was given to me by my mum and I wear it every day.
2. The top gift on my wish list is…a Rolex watch.
3. The best gift I have ever given was…the handcrafted wooden jewellery box I bought my wife for her 30th birthday when we were on holiday in New Zealand.
4. The hardest person I have ever had to buy a gift for was/is…my Dad, because he has expensive taste.
5. The best last-minute gift is…alcohol i.e. a bottle of wine.
6. My hot gift buying tip is…buy gadgets, because everyone loves them!
-William S, Melbourne
Top 10 tips for buying the best gifts
What’s the best present you ever received? Chances are it was a gift you received as a child – something you really wanted, something that you wrote on your Christmas list and hoped Santa would remember. Buying gifts for children (apart from the ones that have everything) is easy – they know what they want and they’re not afraid to let you know. Adults, on the other hand are much more complex. There are few people that will tell you what they really want, with men often being the worst culprits. So how do you become a ‘mind-reader’ to find the perfect gift that they’ll really love? Our top 10 tips for buying the best gifts will set you on the right track:
1. Listen
Your gift recipient is your best source of information for gift inspiration, so listen up! What have they been up to lately? Have they moved house? Perhaps they have taken up a new hobby, such as golf, or started a new job. Recent changes in their life present numerous gift opportunities for items that would come in handy and help them adapt to a new situation. For example, if they have just bought a new car perhaps there are some accessories, such as car seat covers or floor mats that they might need. Likewise a new job could warrant some new cufflinks or a laptop case. Listening closely and taking note of the things that are important in their life shows you care – after all, this is the reason you are buying them a gift in the first place!
2. Ask
Sources close to the person you are buying a gift for are like gold, especially if you haven’t seen them for a while. Your ‘sources’ will be able to give you the inside info on what your recipient is into, what they need or what they have asked for. People such as partners, parents, siblings, children and close friends are all useful gift inspiration sources and you could even chip in and purchase a gift together if you want to buy something really special.
3. Take note
It may sound tedious, but keep a note of the gifts you buy people so you don’t accidently buy them the same gift again. This is something I’m guilty of, and I have also had the pleasure of receiving the same gifts two years in a row from the same person. Something you thought was a good gift idea last year may still sound like a good gift this year, so be careful!
4. Don’t buy a gift for yourself
Believe it or not, not everyone likes the same things as you! As tempting as it is to buy that newly released book from your favourite author, question if your recipient would enjoy it as well.
5. Be organised
A lack of organisation often results in panic-buying, which can be expensive and futile. If you need to buy a last-minute gift, go with something consumable such as a nice bottle of wine, a food hamper, spa voucher or movie tickets. Whilst these gifts are not as memorable (or personal), at least you won’t end up buying your poor recipient something hideous in haste that they will put in a cupboard and never use again. Be sure to add key birthdays to your calendar, or set a reminder in your phone so you have plenty of time to research, purchase and send gifts and cards.
6. Set a budget
A budget will give you some parameters that will help you narrow down your options and hopefully save you time. If you want to buy something really special, consider buying a joint gift with close friends and family. Whilst joint gifts can help take the pressure off decision making, they can also become complicated if you can’t all agree.
7. Buy special or unique items that people wouldn’t necessarily buy for themselves
Whilst I’m a huge fan of practical gifts, the best gifts are often the ones that we can never justify buying for ourselves, such as a nice watch, a beautiful pen, expensive wine glasses, or an experience on our Bucket List. We often ‘made do’ with what we have and it’s not until we use this new, unique gift the we think “wow, how did I ever live without this!”. Check out Mr Gift for quality gifts and fresh gift ideas.
Other gift tips:
8. Don’t forget to remove all price tags before wrapping your gift
9. Spend time looking for an appropriate card and wrapping paper
A great gift is made even better when you pay attention to these small but important details.
10. Send it in time!
Yes, it may be the thought that counts, but the best gift in the world still seems like an after-thought when it arrives a week late.
Want more gift tips like this? Subscribe to our newsletter here…
Top 10 Gifts Mum will love this Mother’s Day
When was the last time you called or visited your mum? If you’re now feeling a bit guilty, check out our top 10 Mother’s Day gift ideas and spoil your mum this Mother’s Day, Sunday 13 May.
Whilst Mr Gift specialises in great gift ideas for guys, we also have a lots of unisex gifts that mum will love too.
What’s the best way to choose a gift for your mum? The first rule of gift buying is to really think about the person you are buying a gift for. Consider what they enjoy doing and what their interests are. Although this might sound obvious, it’s important to listen to them – they may have developed a new interest or started a new hobby, such as cooking, gardening, reading etc. Always try to buy gifts that complement their passions – old and new.
We have also categorised our top gifts into areas that your mum might be interested in, such as homewares and gifts for the kitchen and garden, so hopefully this will give you a few ideas. Check out our website for additional gift ideas in other categories or shop by price point.
Gifts for the home:
1. Mapkins, Paris $8.95– Take mum to Paris (even if you can’t afford the airfare) with these gorgeous paper napkins decorated with maps of Paris, New York and London.
2. Joseph Joseph Quicksnap Ice Tray $14.95 – Make mum’s life easier with Joseph Joseph’s clever Quicksnap Ice Tray. Unlike traditional ice trays, removing ice cubes from this tray has never been easier.
3. Fred Half Pint Glass Carton Jug $19.95 – Mum will love this quirky little jug – it’s also a great conversation piece when friends drop in for a cuppa.
4. Record Coasters, set of 4 $24.95 or 2 sets for $40 – You can never have too many coasters – especially when they look this good! They’re essential for protecting your coffee and dining table surfaces from dreaded water marks. Also check out the matching Record Placemats.
Gifts for Mums who love to cook:
5. Joseph Joseph Chop2Pot Plus Chopping Board $17.95 – This is the ultimate chopping board for quick and easy meal preparation.
6. Cubic Timer $49.95 – This fun timer is a kitchen essential with settings of 3, 10, 30 or 60 mins, so you’ll never have over-cooked eggs or a burnt muffins again!
7. Joseph Joseph No-Spill Salt and Pepper Mill $69.95 – The quickest and easiest way to season your meals with no mess or fuss.
8. Joseph Joseph Elevate Carousel Gift Set $79.95 – No kitchen is complete without this bright, fun (and practical) utensil set.
Gifts for Green-thumb mums:
9. Thumb Waterer $24.95 – The gentlest way to water small seedlings and delicate plants.
10. Eggling, Wild Strawberry $24.95 – A unique, fun way to grow plants indoors – perfect for your kitchen or windowsill. Also available in basil and mint.
SPECIAL OFFER: Receive FREE delivery and a FREE Credit Card Night Light with all Mother’s Day orders over $50 purchased before Sunday 13 May. Simply enter code MUM when you place your order.
