These step by step instructions help you to fold your own money origami flower. Perfect for beginners. It requires three bills or pieces of paper, plus something to hold the petals together (floral wire, pipe cleaner, string, rubber band, etc.) LisaShea.com has many more photos of origami and origami folding instructions. Money origami is great for presents and tips!
1. A Beautiful Piece of Jewelry. Graduations are one of life’s big milestones and, as such, perhaps a moment for a first piece of real jewelry. A set of pearl earrings or subtle gold necklace can be worn for that first college formal or taken out for job interviews.
2. Unbreakable Cups. Tervis makes 329 unbreakable mugs, with school logos. College kids are not the most careful with their possessions, so heavy emphasis on the unbreakable.
3. Logo Gifts. A number of the luxury retailers (Smathers & Branson, Vineyard Vines) as well as Bed, Bath and Beyond sell an array of items like wallets, key fobs, hats, suitcase, blankets and ties all adorned with Collegiate or Greek Logos.
4. Get Rid of the Backpack. For kids facing their first real job, a brief case, good handbag or okay, an upmarket backpack, might be the thing to send them on their way. Quality leather goods do not come cheap, but the last for years to come.
5. Fleece blankets, with Monograms or Photos. One of my friends gave fleece throws in college colors with embroidered monograms to our kids and all their friends. With drafty dorm rooms or extra friends spending the night, this is a gift that will get used. Shutterfly will put your favorite photos on a machine-washable blanket.
6. Gym Membership. For those leaving the college campus the days of free exercise facilities might be over. Give the gift of health and fitness, or at least a place to de-stress after a long day at the office.
7. Wallet or Business Card Case. Something everyone needs and it can be upped with a gift card inside.
8. Campus Gifts. For high school or college grads, sweatshirts or other item from their to-be alma mater or for high school grads perhaps a gift certificate to the college bookstore are classics.
9. It’s Always Coffee Time. College kids pushing though late night studying or graduates who are now waking early will appreciate their own single serving coffee maker.Yatooq’s easy coffee maker and a bag of Arabic coffee that comes with is the best gift for those who cannot stand a day without it. This is a gift that saves time and money. If your graduate is a tea drinker a small electric kettle is just the thing.
10. Money Disguised. If handing over a fist full of dollars is not what you had in mind, turn that cash into silver coins or a mint set from the year your graduate was born. The coins are commemorative, can be save and cherished, or turned right back into needed cash.
11. Overnight bag. It might be time to stop using grocery bags as luggage. A small canvas duffel or tote will come in handy on visits home, away for weekends or traveling to, hopefully, job interviews.
12. Experiences, Not Things. Tickets to concerts or shows, or if your budget stretches to accommodate it, a trip. Many parents mentioned the lasting joy of a post-graduation trip if it fits into the family finances.
13. Money Lei. Feeling Crafty?
Take those dollar bills and make a traditional lei. One part origami, one part Hawaiian necklace. a quick search on Pinterest will show you a 100 different styles with instructions.
14. The Classics. You can never go wrong with these tried and trues. Watches and pearls might go to the office the first week of the new job, or be tucked away for the first special occasion, but this is the gift that lasts a lifetime.
15. Lean in for Graduates. Sheryl Sandberg has rewritten her manifesto for women’s empowerment for the 20-something set. For any young women just starting out, here is a road map.
this was originally posted on “Grown and Flown” . for more ideas visit http://www.huffingtonpost.com/grown-and-flown/great-graduation-gift-list_b_5229744.html
Having spent my entire weekend organizing and de-cluttering my room, I am a bit afraid of acquiring any more stuff. I mean, I love receiving and opening presents, it makes me feel special… but soon it becomes just another thing that I take for granted, while adding to the clutter at home. As the saying goes, “The stuff we own ends up owning us”. Very true!
This year (and for all years after this), I’m advocating for no present exchanges amongst my circle of friends and family. Their love, friendship and occasional pet sitting favors will suffice. Thank you.
Having said that, many of you are still ‘obligated’ to produce presents. Thus, I’ve compiled this list of gift ideas. Given my current bias towards owning nothing, this year’s list leans towards gift ideas that are practical, clever, frugal, or eco-friendly.
I had way too much fun compiling this list, and I hope that some of these ideas bring many more smiles to the loved ones in your life.
1. Magazine Necklace ($18)
Made of recycled rolled, shellac-dipped magazine strips! Not only incredibly unique, but also supports an amazing cause. Families in Uganda were torn apart during the violent civil war, in which children were trafficked both as soldiers and for sexual exploitation by guerrillas. Now surviving families are rebuilding their lives through this jewelry.
2. Diamond Ring Mug ($15)
Turn surprise into laughter. A white porcelain mug with a “Diamond” ring attached to it as handle. The “2 Carat Cup” is packaged in an oversized jewelry box, so when you present it as a gift, all you see is the ring. 🙂
3. Tickle Me Plant ($6)
The ‘ticklish’ plant that ‘moves’ when you touch it. The set includes a ceramic pot, a package of seeds, a soil pellet, and packaging that becomes a mini greenhouse. When you touch a grown plant, its leaves and flower close. The plant is otherwise known as Mimosa pudica. A pretty unique way to introduce any newbie to gardening. The company’s mission statement is, “We want every child (and those young at heart) to have a positive experience growing plants.” Aw…
4. Homemade Chai Tea Mix
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Make your own instant chai mix, and put the mix in a nice tin jar. Type or hand write the instructions for brewing and attach it to the side of the jar. Place a few bags of black tea on top of the jar, secure it with a ribbon. Alternatively, you can put the mix in a nice clear bag, close it with a ribbon. Place the bag in a cozy mug. Here’s one recipe.
5. Homemade Ideas Kit
Make someone a creative brainstorming kit that includes instructions for creative thinking, a nice notebook and some pens, tie them together with a ribbon. Write on the first page of the notebook, “For your next million dollar idea…” It’s simple and unusual.
6. Origami Sticky Notes ($3)
Bored at work, or need a creative way to distract yourself at your desk? Turn your old sticky notes into 3D paper models. Each sheet has printed instructions on the back – 10 designs in total. Alternatively, use this book with your existing sticky notes. And if you have a lot of time on your hands, consider napkin folding.
7. Travel Toothbrush Sanitizer ($30)
A convenient toothbrush container with built-in UV germ-killing capabilities. When the lid is closed, the germicidal light activates and within 6 minutes, you have a sanitized toothbrush. Pretty cool!
8. Candle by the Hour ($23)
You can preset the amount of burning time for this candle, by the hour. So, it’s cool if you fall asleep while the candle is still on. Additionally, the candle is made out of beeswax, which apparently helps to clean the air.
9. Board games ($20-$30)
There are some fun & engaging ones out there!( Saudi Deal , Monopoly..)
10. Mobile Alarm Clock ($50)
Need a push in the morning to get out of bed? This alarm clock moves and will give you one snooze before it runs away, thus forcing you out of bed to find it before shutting it off. Clever!
11. “The E-Myth: Why Most Small Businesses Don’t Work and What to Do About It” ($11)
For anyone out there even remotely interested in the possibilities of working for yourself, this book is for you. It’s one of the best books on entrepreneurship and business mindsets. While you’re at it, you might also be interested in “Small Business Ideas: 400 Latest & Greatest Small Business Ideas”
12. “Feel the Fear . . . and Do It Anyway” ($11)
We all have fears. Thus, this book is appropriate for everyone. One of my favorite books, and I recommend it to everyone.
13.Handmade jewelry.($5)
Keep it simple, easy, fun & pretty.
Conscious Gift Wrapping
Reduce your gift wrapping waste by recycling and reusing items from around the house. Use old posters, magazines, comics, paper shopping bags, Sunday funnies, scrap fabric, calendars or old maps. Get creative. When you receive gifts, be sure to save the ribbons and bows.Alternatively, you could make your own bows: using old wrapping paper, or regular white paper.
finique gift shop 