I had to make it his best birthday EVER!

My Dad (aka BIG MUR) turned 50 January 4, 2008. Growing up in a home with seven siblings, I don't think he experienced the big birthday celebrations that I experienced. My goal was to make his 50th one that he would never forget.

Two things you need to know about Big Mur:
1. He loves golf
2. He really, really, really loves golf

I started preparations for his birthday September 2007. My goal - to get the autographs of 50 of the world's top golfers. I sent out over 100 emails and letters hoping that I would be fortunate to even receive one. In the end I received 19 autographs from top golfers such as Phil Mickleson, Adam Scott, Greg Norman and the legend himself - a personalized photo from Arnold Palmer reading: "To Murry Best Wishes! Arnold Palmer" (shown below)


We presented the autographs to Dad in a portfolio book. He plans to have them all framed, although my mom is still curious where he plans to hang all 19 photos.

NOTE: Two or three golfers requested self-addressed stamped envelopes, which meant finding a stamp store with US stamps, otherwise all 19 autographs were free. Making this a fabulous yet inexpensive gift that still today amazes Dad. (There is a stamp store in Toronto that sells stamps for most countries - Adelaide St. East of Yonge)

TIP: Google golfers names to find email addresses and mailing addresses. Even if their sites indicate they don't provide autographs by mail, give it a try. I was successful in many cases.

The second gift that took a bit of planning was a golf club head cover resembling Big Mur.
For this I went to Whoopass enterprises, a company specializing in bobble heads. We were not disappointed. I simply uploaded a few pictures of my dad along with specifics about him - eg. he has a "bum" chin, he wears square frame glasses etc. Before painting the company sent me photos of the clay casting of the head. I could submit changes along the way. This was important as they didn't get his chin right at first.

Here is a sample of the unpainted photo they sent me as a first draft, along with the photos I sent to them.

I wasn't sure what to think after seeing the photo above, but the head cover turned out awesome. So much so that Big Mur calls it his "Mini Me".

This isn't the best photo of the final product, but I think you can get the idea.

Things to remember if you order a head cover - they are best for irons. Woods won't fit in the sock, so remember this when deciding which number to put on the back of the hat. (I made this mistake) Dad's "mini me" has his company logo on the front of the hat and the number 1 and Big Mur on the back.

Dad received other gifts from us on his birthday, but these were the two most memorable.

Keep your gift giving unique!
the gift geek

Handmade has never looked so good!

My find of the week comes courtesy of my good friend Krista. During a recent visit to North Bay, Krista asked me if I knew of a website called etsy.com. I replied no, but made sure I added it to my list of sites to visit. I'm glad I did. The site is filled with unique handmade gifts. Here are some of my favourites:

Preview

For the photography Lover-

For the proud Mom or Grandma-

Need a unique shower gift?

The unique gift ideas are endless on etsy. Search around and you will surely find the perfect gift for the most perfect occasion.

Need the perfect gift? Message me and let me know what you are looking for. I enjoy the hunt!

Happy gift giving!
the Gift Geek

Toronto's One of a Kind Show continues to thrill

I attended the Spring One of a Kind Show yesterday and found a few vendors that thrilled me:

Here are some of my favourites -

I fell in love with Montreal based company Cokluch. They create leather goods from recycled leather. I especially like their hooded bomber style jacket (back view shown). I have pondered buying it for two days!


Designer Sonja den Elzen caught the eyes of my friend Stephanie. Sonja's line Thieves is highly impressive. Her store is at 1156 Queen Street West. The dress Steph picked up looks stunning on her.

The Urban Quilt Company has exactly what I am looking for. When my Grandpa passed away, I saved all of his clothes with hopes of having a couple lap quilts made. These gals can do just that.
Check out their website to view some of their progressive quilt designs.

Lastly, my favourite booth at the OOAK show is TresNormale. These silk screened shirts feature interesting pictures of some of Toronto's best known landmarks, such as the CN Tower, The Distillery District, The TTC and Spadina to name a few. I also love that TresNormale silk screens their business cards on fabric, as well as printing their info inside each tshirt. They are comfy and cute. I always get compliments. The only down fall - although the shirts are printed in Canada, they are made in the USA.

Here are a few of the TresNormale designs:


















If you haven't been to the OOAK show, I encourage you to check out their website and attend the next one. There is something for everyone.

Happy gift giving!
the Gift Geek

Crazy About Cuff links!

I was faced with the question: What do I buy a Carpenter/Student with his own distinct style? My gift giving answer - cuff links of course.

Some of you may think I am crazy, but I assure you, this gift ended up being a hit.

Now a days you can get cuff links to suit anyone's lifestyle.

For my good friends 30th birthday I decided to purchase him cartoonish chainsaw cuff links by Toronto Artist - Hoi ($36).

The cuff links are brass plated. Icons are enamel colour fill on brass. The cuff links feature strong torpedo double swivel backs for ease of use. No nickel contents.

Before finding these at Toronto store Propaganda (also available online at Shopaganda) I searched the web for several other carpentry related cuff links. Here are some of of my favourites:

Saw and Hammer cuff links ($39.95)
Hammer and Nail cuff links ($29.99)
and my all time favourite:
Phillips Head Screw cuff links ($85)

Other fun cuff links that made me smile are:
Alarm Clock Cuff links
Antique Watch Movement Cuff links
Infinity Cuff Links
Three Monkey Cuff Links

Check-out the online store Cuff Daddy for a wide variety of cuff links, including a great selection designed for women.

Happy Gift Giving!
The Gift Geek