LOVE, LOVE, LOVE
A flask for your sweetheart.
The theme is love. Valentines Day is an opportunity to express your love. a love for humanity, an individual or family. At Kyle Design we have so many designs and items to put them on, there is no end to your opportunity to express your love in a very personal way.
If your love is your #1, your cupcake or
Cupcake arrings in gold or silver.
your monkey. We can help you show that. If hearts and flowers are her thing – got it. Candy? that, too.
If he is your rhino, your big dog and he lights your fire – you can get a gift
Colorful Poker Magnet Clips.
for him here.
Is she a fan of romantic vampire novels? Is he a math geek? Does she love ladybugs? Is he your rock star? Do you wine and dine together? Does he promise you the stars? Did you meet in the rain? Like to walk on the beach?
Do you enjoy candles and champagne? Or beer and baseball? Does she spend her days in the garden? Is his nose always in a book? Will you love her until
You are my #1.
the end of time?
Does she make lemonade from lemons? Does he shiver your timbers? Can he fix anything? Has she knit you some socks? Maybe he is the cowboy of your dreams. She holds the key to your heart.
Do you love to dance the night away or
For your teddy bear.
snuggle in front of the TV? Does he have the heart of a lion? Is she busy as a bee? Is she your princess? Will he slay a dragon for you. Does he live in a castle? Is she from another world?
Is your honey your funny bunny? The cherry on top? Your angel from heaven or your stinky little skunk?
Red glass photography night light.
Express it on a flask,a pill box, a badge reel or a bookmark. Large and
Ornament for your goddess
small tokens of your feelings. A lovely jewelry box, a shining night light. A business like card case, a sparkly earring. A keepsake ornament or a magnet for the refrigerator. So many ways to express yourself .
A letter opener and a love note or a key chain for her purse. A money clip for his cash. Case for her lipstick. So many gifts, so many choices!
Let Kyle Design help you celebrate Valentine’s Day and find the perfect gift.
2008 CHRISTMAS SHOPPING TRENDS
Just taking a minute out of our busy day of processing and packing orders to
hourglass timer
mention some of the shopping tends we are seeing.
With the economy in an uproar it was hard to know how people would react and if they would
Big bow Badge Reel
be shopping. We feel that we have the perfect kind of gifts – practical, beautiful and unique. Well, we are happily busy filling orders.
Fibonacci sequence earrings!
We are seeing that our math and science designs are doing well, as is the vampire design – thanks to all the Twilight fans! We are seeing lot’s of sharks and squirrels, too. Things we are getting low on are the stockbroker design, the fashion design and sewing– so people have really been buying based on their hobbies and professions.
Frosty beer pill box.
We have had fun seeing what people have been using the alcohol and caffeine molecular designs for! Our new double designs are becoming popular and it is great fun trying to decipher the meanings – we had one that appears to have been for a DUI attorney!
Sports remain very popular. Lacrosse, rowing and our new athletic shoe are almost as popular as the swimming design. There are also a LOT of ballroom dance fans ordering.
Round interlinking hearts pill box
The one that we have sold out is our interlocking hearts – so Kyle is gearing up and we will have plenty of that design in time for Valentine’s Day!
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HOLIDAY BAKING – COOKIES vs CUPCAKES
Round cupcake pill box.
I was reading in the paper that a cupcake only bakery in LA has been going after other cupcake bakeries for infringing on their name and polka-dot motif – good thing our little cupcake design isn’t all about the sprinkles! Cupcakes are very in. There are cupcake cookbooks, jewelry and giant
Cookie lovers pill box.
cupcake cake molds. which sounds a bit unclear on the concept of a
cupcake!
Lot’s of people love to bake and cupcakes offer up a lot of opportunities for creativity. Plus, who doesn’t love a little portion controlled sweetness?
Fun in the kitchen ornament.
This time of year baking becomes an obsession for many. My daughter is testing cookie recipes for her holiday give-away plates. I have been asked to share a recipe in an online cookie exchange.
I have never been able to master candy making, but I am a cookie making machine during the holidays. this year, though, I may jump into the cupcake frenzy.
Technorati: cupcakes, cupcake, cupcake with frosting, cupcake with sprinkles, cookies, holiday cookies, baking cookies, cooking, cooking ornament, kitchen ornament, pill boxes, pillbox, personalized gifts, custom gifts, tree ornaments
THE RIGHT GIFT
Dollar sign tree ornament for accountants and financial planners.
I know a lot of people are still unsure how the economic downturn is going to affect how they celebrate their holidays. We typically say we will spend less during the holidays than we actually do. The last few years it seems that retailers have started discounting in November and having blow out sales in December – which always seems to motivate people to spend more than they planned.
This year for me it is going to be about getting the right gift – not the best deal. Deals can be exciting – but more and more I see that the deals are not really such a deal. The size of the package has shrunk. the number of items in the box has been reduced. The “free” shipping is made up for in the “handling” charge. The quality of the item is not what it once was. It all just reminds me of that old adage about no such thing as a free lunch.
So – the right gift. Not one that has been marked down, not one that might fit. Not something they might
Customized Dragonfly pill box.
not already have. The right gift for everyone on my list. And how will I do that? By choosing things that are really personal and useful. Things that tell the person that I put a lot of thought into their gift. By selecting , say, a pill box (useful) and putting a dragonfly design on it (personal) with aqua iridescent color (shows you know their taste) and their initials engraved on the back (keepsake). And I can do that for each person on my list.
I have lots of nieces and nephews. For each one no matter what age I can find a gift and make it really thoughtful and personal. Bookmarks are one example, I
Happy Graduation 2008!
can choose one with a peace symbol in pink, another with dogs in purple and another with a graduation cap in cobalt blue – have them engraved and I have 3 gifts that match the interests and personalities of those kids.
Looking through the list, I see pill boxes, money clips, business card cases, contact lens cases, magnets for the fridge, a flask or two, a metal wallet and and, of course, tree ornaments that would all be just the right gift for my family and friends.
So get out your list, sit down and spend some time on our site and I am sure you will find the right gift for everyone!
X bookmark X busioness card case X contact lens case X custom gifts X desonger X dragonfly gifts X Engraved gifts X flask X functional gifts X gifts bad economy X graduation gifts X keepsake X magnets X Meaningful Gifts X money clips X ornaments X persoanl gifts X pill box X purse X right gift X thoughtful gifts X useful gifts X wallet
THINKING ABOUT THE CALIFORNIA BALLOT INITIATIVES
Pillbox for voters.
California voters have a lot to think about this November when it comes time to vote. The presidential election is on the minds of everyone, but we have 12 more propositions to vote on.
Proposition 2 has to do with our farm raised food and requires calves raised for veal, egg-laying hens and pregnant pigs be confined only in ways that allow these animals to lie down, stand up, fully extend their limbs and turn
Cow lovers night light.
around freely. Aside from the animal rights perspective, the concerns are for food safety, environmental impact and also helping smaller, family farmers be competitive as larger “factory” farms are more likely to practice these confined methods.
Proposition 3 is basically a bond measure which authorizes $980,000,000 in bonds, to be repaid from state’s General Fund, to fund the construction, expansion, remodeling, renovation, furnishing and equipping of children’s hospitals. Proposition 6 is a criminal justice initiative for tougher punishment for gang crimes, drive-by shootings, meth distribution and victim intimidation.
Props 7 and 10 are two ballot initiatives focusing on alternative energy, Prop 10 on fuel and prop 10 on wind and solar which would require California utilities to procure half of their power from renewable resources by 2025. There are major concerns that the proposition as written will cause established, small renewable energy companies our of business, and that it is poorly written and so complicated that it could hurt the cause of renewable energy in the state.
Same sex couple gifts may be found by clicking here.
Proposition 8 would eliminate the right of same-sex couples to marry in California. The California Supreme Court unequivocally held that same-sex couples have a constitutional right to marry under the California Constitution.
Proposition 11 is called the Voters First Act, it creates a citizen’s commission to make independent decisions leading to legislative boundaries based on fairness and the public good and not political aspirations.
Proposition 12, a Veterans Bond, authorizes issuance of $900 million in bonds to create a fund that assist veterans who are purchasing farms, homes and mobile home properties.
Voting is patriotic!
A lot to think about and read about and become an informed voter. Remember to vote, November 4th!
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BEARS AND FARMERS AND GOVERNMENT
Charming Pig - or pork belly - Stamp box.
In many of his campaign speeches, John McCain has been ridiculing a research project in Montana which
Celebrate the bears night light.
study’s the DNA of grizzly bears. He makes some sort of comment about their “crimes”. In fact, the Montana study has proven that the once endangered Grizzly is recovering it’s numbers. If this news helps remove grizzly bears from the Endangered Species List, restrictions on logging, oil and gas drilling, and development will be allowed to ease.
Remember to eat your green veggies badge reel.
Another news story which caught my eye is a local Bay Area one about an organization called the Farmer-Veteran Coalition. The mission of this group is:
The mission of the Farmer-Veteran Coalition is to mobilize our food and farming community to create healthy and viable futures for America’s veterans by enlisting their help in building our green economy, rebuilding our rural communities, and securing a safe and healthy food supply for all.
With a little assistance, returning combat vets can find healing and productive work on farms. One
Celebrate Farming ornament
returning soldier who is now farming said it was good for Iraq vets who had “lost their social skills” during their tours, “they don’t feel comfortable interacting” with the public. Farming allows these combat vets a purpose and the opportunity to benefit from and help to stimulate the growing green economy.
It’s nice to know that the government AND the community activists are doing their part to make things right in our country.
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SHOPPING WITH MY TEEN
Click here for Football fan ID badge reel.
One of the great rituals for high school student in the fall is to celebrate Homecoming. They don’t even make an effort to include alumni as they did in my day, and I don’t think the kids even know that it is supposed to be for the alums in the first place. They just want to go to the dance, and maybe the football game.
So the time had come for the big shop. My daughter had a whole outfit in mind based on some things she had seen months ago in the store..I knew that it was as unlikely those shoes and that dress would still be around as that she would choose a modest dress which could be worn over and over. So my tactic for this trip was to “go along and get along’ as much as I possibly could. I would
Fashion, style, pillbox. Choose your color.
keep positive thoughts washing through my brain and believe that those perfect items would still be hanging around Macy’s in her size.
They weren’t. But we gamely went through the racks and she was not terribly insulting when I held a dress up for her approval and I was determined not to take her jabs to heart. We went into the fitting room with
Pink shoes compact mirror
8 outfits and quickly and without rancor sorted down to 4 and then something amazing happened. She asked for my opinion, I gave it, she didn’t argue with me and we agreed on a darling hot pink halter dress – and it was $19.99!!! OMG.
So we went back to the shoe department with happy hearts and as we were thinking we would head to
Cell phone themed card case.
another store, she saw some zebra print shoes. We both liked them, they were in her size and reasonably priced and we bought them. She took pictures of the dress and the shoes on her phone and broadcast them to her friends. She is so happy and I am so relieved.
Technorati: football, homecoming, high school, dance, dress, pink dress, zebra print shoes, shopping, teenager, mom, business card case, badge reel, cell phone card case, cell phone gifts, style gifts,
LATE SEPTEMBER HOLIDAYS
Cheery cherry round pill box.
It seems that everyday is a holiday for someone or something. I see that today , September 24, is Cherries Jubilee Day. Apparently this is not a holiday sanctified by congress, but one instituted by the food industry, but, hey! Let’s make Cherries Jubilee for dessert.
September 26 is both Native American Day and the celebration of Johnny Appleseed. Native American Day is celebrated in California and recognizes the
Native American Feathers themed gifts.
over 100 named tribes which resided in that state. The day is celebrated by all ages to learn more about the culture, heritage and traditions of the California Indian.
Johnny Appleseed’s real name was John Chapman, he walked West from Massachusetts creating apple nurseries along the way. The legend suggests
Apple themed gift items for apple lovers, teachers and cooks.
that he planted apple seeds randomly as he traveled, but it was actually more of a business and his traveling also allowed him the opportunity to do missionary work. He lived very simply, bartered or gave his belongings to charity. He wore no shoes, even through the snowy winters. He was also known to care very deeply for animals and insects.
So to celebrate Johnny Appleseed’s efforts, I think I’ll make my first pie of the fall season this weekend.
Technorati: holiday, cherries, cherries jubilee, cherry, cherry pie, dessert, apple, apples, apple pie, Johnny Appleseed, apple trees, Native Americans, Native american Day, California, feather, pill box, indian, missionary, bare feet, animals, insects, apple gifts, cherry gifts
IS IT FALL YET?
Autumn walnut leaf business card case.
Here in Northern California, Fall is an odd season. I know people say there are no seasons in California, but there are – it’s just that Fall starts in late October and ends sometime after Christmas and then winter lasts, oh, about 2 months and then Spring starts in March and goes until June when it is Summer again. That is if you go by the temperature and deciduous tree cycles. It is all fine with me, except that the palette of the falling leaves in December clash with the traditional Christmas colors.
Anyway – we always know when it is supposed to be fall because of the new TV season!
You can’t really go by the sports programs because they seem to start playing football in July – but when the new season of House comes on – Hurrah! it’s fall. I must admit that I have not seen any new shows that look appealing, but I am happy that Pushing Daisies is coming back after the strike shortened season, and I am an avid fan of Lost and Gray’s Anatomy. I watch Survivor and The Amazing Race with my husband – he loves those, but his favorite is House. My daughter and I watch Hero’s together.
Pill box for an award winner.
So this week is the start of the Fall Season. The Emmy show last night sort of kicked it off. I love to watch for the fashions, but enjoyed the antics of Ricky Gervais and seeing the Mad Men cast out of costume.
I am also happy that more of the actors and producers pointed out the incredible value of the writers. The make or break of a show for me is the
A charming writer's pill box.
writing. One of the main reasons I love Lost is that it is so unpredictable and different. I am rivited by the writing in House and Mad Men. And love the comedy infused in the drama of Grey’s Anatomy. I am discerning about what I watch, but I admit I look forward to my shows starting up again soon.
Technorati: television, fall season, TV, House, Mad Men, Hero’s, Ricky Gervais, Emmys, fashions, Lost, Grey’s Anatomy, Survivor, Amazing Race, fall, fall leaves, seasons, norcal, Pushing Daisies, writers, awards, pill box, business card case, card holder
TALK LIKE A PIRATE DAY 2008
Pirate condom case - when the pick up line works - "That’s the finest pirate booty I’ve ever laid eyes on."
Talk like a Pirate Day occurs every September 19. What started as an “arrgh” over a missed handball became and annual event because, well, talking like a pirate is fun! The, now 7 year old ITLAPD has evolved from just a fun day into a major party day and in 2008, because there are good mateys everywhere, into The Year o’ th’ Philanthropic Pirate.
The official ITLAPD website gives information on fund raising or, as they put it : “Plunder for philanthropy” because “There be no end o’ good causes that could use an infusion o’ doubloons.” The site is fun and full of advice for parties, costumes, and of course how to talk like a pirate. The pick-up lines
for pirates are funny, as is most of the information on the site. they offer books, t-shirts and even patterns to “Knit like a Pirate, an idea which we incorporated into our alternative knitters design last year.
For great pirate gift ideas, consider our flasks and cigar cases. We have pirate business card cases for the professional buccaneer, too! For the less flamboyant sea dog, consider a anchor or sailboat design gift.
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My Art Filled Life 