Top 10 Gifts for Teenage Boys

Top 10 (plus a Few) Gift Ideas for Teenage Boys
When I choose tags from a 'giving Tree', it's generally the teen boys who are left for last. And it's not because no one cares; it's just that they can be pretty intimidating to shop for!
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Our Baby Diaper Cakes

This post is at the request of our wonderful clients who are curious to know how the Baby Diaper Cake looks wrapped in tulle. Many Diaper Cakes come wrapped in cellophane wrap which makes it hard to carry and doesn’t look as elegant as soft tulle. Our Baby Diaper Cakes are wrapped in tulle and tied with silk ribbons. Above is a sample picture of a custom designed cake we did for a pair of delightful twins.

Finest Blossom – Baby Clothing Bouquet

Baby clothing bouquets are a wonderful alternative to the usual flower bouquets. This unique baby gift is an assortment of baby clothing, receiving blankets, bibs and so much more. They are accented with silk flowers and leaves to give it a ‘traditional’ bouquet look.

Like our Baby Diaper Cakes, our Finest Blossoms- baby clothing bouquets can be custom designed using your colours and keeping your budget in mind.


Finest Blossom - Baby Clothing Bouquet : Available at Finest Expressions- Designer Gifts & Gift Baskets

Mom's little Helpers

If you are a family member or a close friend of the family, involve the older siblings in making mom a baby shower keepsake. Depending on their age group, help them make finger print cards or a little family scarp book. Let them participate in making something in the kitchen or with party decorations. Not only will mom be touched that her other babies helped with planning this celebration but the children will feel more involved with the pregnancy.

We also does custom gift basket for the sibling. Above is a sample of one we did for a very special big sister! Contact us if you'd like to have a custom made gift basket for that wonderful older sibling(s)!

BabyCake - Yum!

Absolutely beautiful and delicious cupcakes from BabyCake will make a wonderful addition to your baby shower dessert table.

They come in mouthwatering flavours such as Velvet Underground, Choco Funk and Polar Bear. These ‘bundles of heaven’ can be ordered online at http://www.babycake.ca/index.htm or by visiting their parent restaurant, kubo Radio at 894 Queen Street East.

50 Wedding or Bridal Shower Gifts Under $10

50 Wedding or Bridal Shower Gifts Regularly Priced Under $10
Gift list for wedding gifts priced under $10 from most any local retailer.
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How to Be the Perfect Grandma: Rules of the Game

There is a grandma in every family and we have a few at Finest Expressions as well. So when it was time to give one of our grandma's a gift for her birthday, we found this cute book with all the inside secrets on how to be a perfect grandma. The grandma feed back has been that its full of ideas on how to enjoy your grandchild, to be actively part of his/her life and how to deal with the parents as well.

About the Author

BRYNA NELSON PASTON is an overjoyed grandmother of six, aged three to ten, whom she calls “the music of my universe.” Formerly an editor of the Jewish Times (Philadelphia), she has written for numerous national magazines and newspapers. A graduate of Penn State, Paston lives in Fort Washington, Pennsylvania. Source: http://helpfullyproves.blogspot.com.com

Available at www.http://helpfullyproves.blogspot.com.com

Product Of The Month - Baby Gift Basket

Precious Baby Girl - Gift Basket

Pink, pink and more pink! Our deluxe Precious Baby Girl gift basket comes with:

• 1 Receiving Blanket
• 2 Washcloths
• 1 Pair Socks
• 1 Coin Box
• 1 Body Suit
• Plush Elephant Toy

A perfect baby gift for a precious baby girl.

Available at www.finestexpressions.com

Couples Baby Shower

It’s becoming an urban trend to have co-ed baby showers so both the parents-to-be can celebrate the arrival of their unborn child. If you are considering to throw a couples baby shower, the best place to start would be asking the couple if this is something they would enjoy. Once they give you the green light, go ahead and compile a guest list with them. Keep a balance of men and women so the father-to-be feels comfortable.

Try to keep a neutral theme, one that both the sexes would enjoy. Here are a few good choices to consider:

-Tropical Theme

-Beach Theme

-BBQ Theme (See Summer Baby Showers post below for details)

-Jungle Theme (Check out our Jungle Safari Diaper cake*. It will make a perfect centre piece for the baby shower!)

-Color theme – You can work with contrasting colours such as pink/brown, blue/brown or yellow/white. However, go easy on the pink for all the men’s’ sake!

You could play traditional games but adapt them to your couples baby shower. Non-traditional choices would include charades, movie trivia or Taboo. If playing games doesn’t fit with your crowd, keep a casual setting where guests mingle, catch up and share their baby stories.

Stick with simple ideas and you will deliver a fun couples baby shower that all your guests are sure to enjoy!

* Jungle Safari Diaper Cake - $110 – Available at www.finestexpressions.com

New Baby Diaper Cakes & Gift Baskets!

We are really excited about our latest designs of diaper cakes and gift baskets! They are in trendy colours and unique styles. Do check out our unique diaper cakes and baby gifts at www.finestexpressions.com

Cynthia Rowley Designer Tote

We just couldn't resist posting this little piece on our blog! Illinois native, Cynthia Rowley has designed these trendy and gorgeous baby diaper bags or as they call them "Designer Totes".

DESCRIPTION
Shiny Patent Leather
Grosgrain Ribbon Detailing
Personal Notebook Blotter
Multi Easy-Drop Full Size Pockets
Matching ThinsulateTM Insulated Double Bottle Case
Coordinating Zippered Pouch
Fold Out Changing Pad w/ Head Rest Cushion
Zipper Enclosure
Dimensions: 15.50" L x 5.50" W x 10" H

Tip Of The Day : Baby Shirt Signing

Tip Of The Day

At your next baby shower, have guests sign a baby shirt instead of a guest book! It looks adorably cute and will make a wonderful keepsake for many years to come.

Saison Rue on TV!

Greg Koch, CEO of Stone Brewing debated with a sommelier the merits of beer vs. wine on Good Morning San Diego (KUSI San Diego), and in an obvious gesture of outstanding taste brought a bottle of Saison Rue with him.  The host thought a fast one was being pulled on him, "But, golly, that bottle looks just like wine!"  Very cool to see our beer getting TV coverage, and I hope it isn't our last!

http://www.kusi.com/news/goodmorning/25648474.html

Online Baby Showers

Online Baby Showers are quickly gaining popularity in North America. In today’s world where families and friends are spread all over the globe, it’s a wonderful way of staying connected and celebrating the upcoming birth of the new baby. In other situations, mom-to-be might be confined to bed-rest so this might give her a chance to socialize and enjoy her shower while lounging in her P.Js! It can supplement the traditional baby shower or it can be an exclusive event in itself.

There are companies that offer online baby shower packages that included:

Emailed Invitations
Message Boards
Live Chats
Photograph Albums (online)
Online Baby Shower Games

There are a lot more features offered by different companies so it’s best to do your research before making your pick.

The other option is to organize all aspect of the party yourself instead of going for a packaged deal. You could send out free e-vites, set up a free home page, blog, Facebook group, Flickr album or MSN chat.

Don’t let the physical distance between mom-to-be and her loved ones get in the way of this celebration. This is an opportunity for you to make her feel supported and get her family/friends involved with the pregnancy.

Second Baby Showers

So you threw mom an amazing baby shower, she got loads of wonderful gifts and the baby arrived. Now fast forward to a couple of years later and its time for baby number two. As a best friend, sister or mom do you throw another shower?

Some people feel that the first baby is the only one who should get a baby shower. Others believe every first deserves a shower, i.e first boy, first girl, first baby with new husband etc.

Then there are people like us who love parties! So go ahead and throw the second time (or third or more) mom a shower. Try any of these different themes to make it extra special:

Diapers & Dishes – Baby Shower

This theme is quickly gaining popularity with second-time moms. All guests bring diapers or dishes for the parents-to-be. Diapers are an essential with all babies and dishes refers to freezable meals that the parents could use in the hectic weeks after the baby. Tip: Take our simple yet beautifully designed diaper cakes instead of just a box of diapers. A 3-tier diaper cake includes approximately 100 diapers and is decorated with ribbons and flowers so it can be used as a centre piece for the shower as well.

Spa – Baby Shower

A shower that is focused on pampering the mom with relaxing spa treatments. You could hire a professional to give manicures, pedicures, facials or massages.

(See previous post for details)

Mom’s hobby centered - Baby Shower:

Some moms love cooking (like one of our Finest Expressions moms) so throwing her a home cooking party might be a great surprise. If she is into a particular book or movie, working with that theme could be fun as well.

In conclusion…Whatever theme you choose, the key is to have fun whether it’s the first, second or third baby shower!

Spa Baby Showers

There are tonnes of baby shower themes that you could work with but one of our favorites is the spa themed shower. What could be a better way to treat the mom-to-be then to have her pampered with pedicures, manicures and massages*? The best part is that you and all the other guests can enjoy some spa treatments as well.

There are various mobile spa facilities that offer complete spa services at homes. Each guest could choose one treatment such as manicure, pedicure, facial or massage. You could even try getting a Henna tattoo artist to add an exotic touch. Belly casting can also be included in the spa themed party.

For the decor, think of your last spa visit and you what you enjoyed the most. Scented candles, soothing music and of course fresh flowers.

The menu for this theme is fun, easy and healthy. Try fresh fruits such as melons, strawberries and cherries. A platter of veggies and dip would go wonderfully as well. A few light sandwiches and an assortment of fruit juices would complete the food table.

You could get mom a spa basket of her own to enjoy after the event. Check out our Bath and Body gift baskets for more ideas or give us a budget and we will design a basket using your theme and colours.

*Be sure to check which massages and spa products are suitable for pregnant women.

Summer Baby Showers

We are in the middle of summer and if you are about to throw a baby shower, its a beautiful time to do so! So many fresh ideas and settings that you could work with to create an unforgettable event.
How about throwing the special mom-to-be (or parents-to-be) an outdoors baby shower? Complete with a BBQ menu, summer drinks*, and even outdoor games. Work with bright colours and use the summer blooms as inspiration. As a centrepiece for the big (or small) party try our Harmony Baby Diaper Cake**. The 2-tier cake has 65 Pampers diapers (size 1). Its accented with creme mums and high-quality gross-grained green polka dot ribbon. Wrapped in tulle and tied with silk ribbon it will make a beautiful centrepiece for a beautiful shower.

*Be sure to have some non-alcoholic drinks for the mom-to-be!
**Harmony Diaper Cake- $64.99. Visit us at www.finestexpressions.com to place your order today!

Botanical Paperworks - Baby Shower Invitations

Sometimes picking out baby shower invitations is as hard as picking out wedding invitations! When we were researching for unique and creative invitation ideas we came across this amazing product from Botanical Paperworks. The Canadian based company found by a team of mother and daughter, offers baby shower invites that you can plant and grow wildflowers! The hand-made plantable seed paper is called Garden Greetings. You can customize it with your choice of seed paper and stripped ribbons.
Check them out at http://www.botanicalpaperworks.com and be sure to visit their blog!

Welcome Note...

We are very excited and thrilled to have finally launched our Finest Baby Showers and Gifts Blog! It took a lot of research and planning but we are finally here.

A little introduction...Finest Expressions - Designer Gifts & Gift Baskets is a family owned business that opened its doors in 2007. We absolutely love every aspect of gift giving including product selection, designing and colour coordination. However, its receiving those compliments and thank-you notes from our thrilled customers that we enjoy the most! There are so many exciting aspects to putting a special gift together and we take pride in offering our clients the very best. From top notch quality products to uniqueness and creativity of each gift, we take care of it all.

Our blog will not only be a showcase of our products, but it will have tonnes of useful information about baby shower trends, themes, other baby product reviews and so much more.

We hope to be your complete resource guide for hosting hit baby showers and getting baby gifts that the parents will truly appreciate.

Beer, Food and Tanks

Last Wednesday night I invited a couple of friends over for a little dinner party at my house, needless to say that The Bruery's beer was center stage. We started the night out at our local Belgian beer bar with bottles of Chimay White, Foret, and Fantome. After we were primed and ready it was time to start cooking. We had somewhere between six and eight different beer and cheese pairings that I wish I could remember (that's what alcohol does to you when you drink too much!).  I do remember I wasn't a fan of the extra aged gouda; it tasted like I was eating cardboard which I could have been doing after drinking all day! For dinner my friends and I grilled up three different types of chicken:  one beer butt chicken cooked with Orchard White and two others using Stone's grilling sauces (have to support our distributor!). We sauteed some asparagus with Trade Winds Tripel and grilled up some corn to compliment the chicken. This was the first time I have cooked with The Bruery's beer and it won't be the last!  The beer butt chicken was the favorite dish of the night along with the Tripel and Levud's. I never knew my friends had good taste in beer; I must be converting them over. It ended up being one of the most fun nights I've had in a long time and something I needed after that whole mash incident.

I almost forgot to mention the addition of a new bright beer tank to the Bruery! A few weeks ago my friend Kevin and I drove up to Woodland Hills and loaded up a 7 barrel BB tank in the back of my truck. All I can say is that loading a tank in and out of the back of a truck bed without any machinery was really fun! Thanks to Kevin for waking up so early to help me!

My friend Bryan helping cook dinner. I had to empty out a soda can to put Orchard White in it for the beer butt chicken.

My friend Jessica (my old room-mate) and I at the bar

Our 7Bbl BB tank waiting to be unloaded.

The Beer From Hell

Yesterday was our toughest brewing day yet.  It was a day where nothing seemed to go right, and with brewing, you can't stop what you're doing and come back on another day.  

I arrived at 4:30 in the morning and started mashing in.  The batch was our Imperial Stout, which consists of 2500 lbs. of grain (our typical batches are in the 1000 lb. range), several different types of sugar, a long boil, and usually another batch from the second runnings.  While I was mashing in, I was milling because our grist case only holds 1000 lbs.  Ben (our part time brewing assistant) showed up at 7 and mashed in the other half of the batch.  Mashing in took a little over 3 hours, but it went smoothly. 

I then went to recirculate the mash and Ben discovered the pump was leaking.  I tightened the connection between the pump head and the motor, which resulted in bending the pump bracket and increasing the leak.  Meanwhile, a few people showed up to visit.  I forgot that the sparge was running, and the mash tun started to overflow from the top.  I started to hook up our grant to another pump, and then after ten minutes of trying to rig something together, I decided to back track and use the leaking pump anyway.  It's about 10 AM now.  To this point, the day had been hectic but tolerable.

The runoff of the Imperial Stout went fine, but a bit slow.  It was a 3 hour transfer that Ben masterfully supervised.  We then went to run off the second runnings, which went about as slow as the Imperial Stout.  It's now 3 PM, and on a typical brewday we're just about finished at this point.  About 6 BBL of the second runnings were in our whirlpool (we didn't have any place to put the wort) when the mash stuck.  After about two hours of Ben and Tyler trying to unstick it, I told them to forget the second runnings batch and lets just empty the mash tun.  

We stuck a 55 gallon drum under the mash tun (which is filled to the brim with water and grain) and opened the dump valve.  Nothing comes out, so I poke a hole in the grain bed with a stainless steel paddle and it starts flowing.  I go to check on how full the drum is, and decide to put a bit more in there.  I open the valve, and the mash forcefully falls into the drum.  It is flowing everywhere.  I try to close the valve, but it's jammed.  Mash and 170 degree water is flying everywhere.  It's a tidal wave of hot shit, all over my arms, legs, in my boots, and the brewery is a disaster.  I'm cussing, running around in frustration, and in pain.  Tyler gives it a shot to close the valve, and eventually the drum fills and the flow slows.  After a few minutes of trying to comprehend the situation (the brewery has a few inches of water and mash everywhere) Ben notices the stainless steel paddle is coming out of the valve.  Tyler and him fish it out of the mash tun, and we close the valve.

After several hours of cleanup, I leave the remainder of the batch for Tyler and Ben to complete.  Thanks guys for finishing up!  I have a few burn blisters on my hand and my leg, but nothing too bad.  I'd like to say I'm lucky, but the day was too horrid to say anything about luck.

I already hate this beer.  I'm condemning it to bourbon barrels for over a year, and hopefully I'll forgive it at that point.  The starting gravity is 31 P, and with the sugar additions during fermentation, should be around 37 P.  We're aiming for a 20% ABV beer, but I'm sure fermentation will stick, just because the beer despises me.

When you wonder why the beer costs so much, or why I hate it so passionately, you'll now know.  It doesn't have a name yet, but expect it to reflect my opinion about it and the day we had making it.

Some photos of the disaster: