Erase some of frustration involved in finding the perfect gift and enjoy the holiday of love and romance with these great Valentine’s gift-giving tips:

* Want to take a unique route but lack a good idea? Start searching for ideas online. Traditional gifts can be altered slightly with gifts that incorporate jewels, chocolate or flowers in an unusual setting. For example, a bouquet of chocolate-covered strawberries designed to look like a bouquet of roses, puts a unique twist on several of the more popular gifting items.

Or deviate completely from the traditional and look for gifts your loved ones would appreciate, but never expect for Valentine’s Day. Use your computer to help you find great gift ideas for others on your Valentine’s Day shopping list like your grandma and best friends. Use search terms like “gifts for grandma” and “Valentine’s gifts for friends” to help find ideas.

* If you have an idea in mind, find product reviews and recommendations from experts and savvy shoppers with a few quick online searches. Use forums like FatWallet to read reviews on products ranging from electronics to travel. This way not only will you be able to confirm that your idea is a great one, but also ensure you find the best prices, and the best retailer for that product.

* Don’t forget to search for coupons and deals to maximize your savings. Use Ebates.com to purchase the gifts for everyone on your list and earn cash back on every purchase through thousands of retailers. For example, if you choose to go the traditional route and order your girlfriend a beautiful bouquet of flowers from FTD, you can earn 20 percent cash back from your purchase, on top of any discount coupons available on Ebates.com. Keep that extra cash back handy to make your Valentine’s Day celebration even more special.

Many retailers provide free shipping or delivery, and you may discover you can stack deals, allowing you to save plenty of money this Valentine’s Day and helping to ease your gift shopping frustrations.

Celebrate the holiday of love and romance this year in style with great gifts for your loved ones. Go online, gather great and unique ideas and don’t forget to save while shopping.

The post Valentine's Day Gift-Giving Tips first appeared on The How Do Gardener.

On a holiday that celebrates our most genuine feelings, the world of online greetings lacks important personal connections. In fact, a recent survey, conducted on behalf of premium Swiss chocolatier Lindt, showed the majority of women (57 percent) like to receive traditional gifts on Valentine’s Day, such as chocolates or flowers.

However, it’s important to remember that you should buy carefully. Pay attention to the quality of the items you give, make a connection with your loved one’s favorite things, and your gifts will be as unique and special as the person who is receiving them.

Keep these ideas in mind as you shop for your loved ones on Valentine’s Day:

Handwritten Cards
What could be more meaningful than a heartfelt expression of love? Whether you’re telling a family member you’re thankful for his or her love over the years, or detailing all the ways you love your significant other, taking the time to carefully craft a note just for that person is a great idea. You can be sure they’ll treasure it. If you need some inspiration, consider choosing a photo of you with the person you’re writing to and telling them about your good memories of when the picture was taken.

Chocolates
Make your gift stand apart by putting a little added thought into it. Start by choosing premium chocolate, like Lindt, which is made with the finest ingredients and is sure to be the perfect gift option for everyone on your Valentine’s Day list. Secondly, think carefully about the preferences of the person you’re giving the gift to. If your spouse loves traditional flavors, such as milk chocolate, give him one of Lindt’s LINDOR Gift Hearts, which are filled with smooth-melting truffles. And since the survey revealed the majority of women wish a “Happy Valentine’s Day” to friends and family in addition to their significant other, don’t forget to surprise them with something special as well. Consider giving your mom or dad a seasonal bag of truffles with flavors such as Lindt’s limited-edition milk chocolate with a white chocolate center. And surprise a friend or co-worker with a ready-to-gift option, like a LINDOR Mini Gift Heart, which is a great choice.

Jewelry
The idea of giving jewelry might seem confined to a man giving a gift to a woman. But actually, anyone can give and receive jewelry – you might just need to adjust your thoughts on what falls into that category. For example, a handsome watch or playful cufflinks that perfectly match your man’s style can be a great gift. Husbands shopping for their wives can often feel overwhelmed by the amount of style options available, but taking a creative approach to shopping can make it easier to find just the right thing. Take some snapshots of her favorite pieces on your phone and bring them along to the jewelry store. Together with a sales assistant, use the photos to pick out something that will suit her perfectly.

Flowers
Skip the basic blooms and put a bit more thought into any bouquet you give. Think about the recipient’s favorite colors – you don’t necessarily have to go with pink and red just because those are emblematic of the holiday. If you’re stumped for which flowers to buy for your mother, ask your dad whether he knows her favorite blooms, or ask a florist to help you choose flowers with special meanings.

Of course, you can feel free to say “Happy Valentine’s Day!” on your sweetheart’s “wall,” but giving a heartfelt, timeless gift will make the holiday one to remember. For more classic gift ideas, visit Lindt.com.

The post On Valentine's Day, Tradition Beats Tech for your Sweetheart's Gift first appeared on The How Do Gardener.

Nature’s Gifts
Whether decorating your home or cooking up festive treats, use the bounty that nature has already provided.

Potted plants are the perfect present, and make wonderful centerpieces. A small pot of live herbs can add a fresh taste to any meal. Indoor potted plants can help clean the air, too.

Things like pinecones, nuts, fresh fruit, pine boughs and leaves beautifully supplement a gift basket, holiday wreath, or floral arrangement. This added personal touch will not only stand out to the recipient, but can also be eaten or composted after the holidays, extending its use and leaving very little room for waste.

Recycle and Reuse
We have all experienced the sight of the overstuffed trash cans lining the curb following a party or holiday celebration. Wrapping paper, boxes, disposable cups and plates along with ribbons and bows overflow garbage bins at the end of each year. This year, cut down on that waste by simply reusing and recycling.

If you receive a gift in a lovely gift bag, box or even wrapping paper, simply flatten it out, fold it up and store it away for reuse next year. Think of the bags, boxes, papers and bows in new ways. Gift bags make festive lunch bags and are a fun way for kids to carry a special toy when going to a friend’s house. Boxes can be used for storing sweaters, scarves, gloves and hats once the seasons change.

Wrapping paper can be used to protect breakables when moving or storing. Festive paper can also be cut up or torn into strips for decoupage or paper mache. These papers will then be given a new life in future holiday celebrations. Even a simple shoe box with a decoupage of colorful wrapping paper becomes a work of art that can be used next year as a gift box.

Ribbons and bows are always fun for reuse. Tie them around pony tails for beautiful hair ribbons or use them to bind together flowers in a vase. Wrap ribbons around kindling near the fireplace for a festive touch to the fireside.

Compost
Another way to keep the trash can from overflowing this season is to compost whatever you can. Fresh flower arrangements, dying poinsettias, dried up greenery and wreaths, and even that Christmas tree can all be composted. In addition, vegetable peels, coffee grounds, tea bags and some wrapping paper can be thrown into a compost pile to return to the soil.

If you do not already have a compost bin or pile, one can easily be purchased or made with minimal effort. Occupying just a small corner of the yard, compost is an easy way to create organic material for use in the garden. For more detailed information on composting, check out our earlier article, Composting 101. Now, the celebration need not end in January – but can continue to grow into the next year.

Recycling, reusing, composting and celebrating the gift of nature are great ways to stay green this holiday season, and reduce the amount of waste while increasing the amount of fun you experience during this festive time of year.

The post Staying Green for the Holidays first appeared on The How Do Gardener.

Where to start?

No need to be a computer guru
First, assess your computer’s capabilities and obtain the right software. The more RAM (amount of memory) the computer has the better, according to Keld Bangsberg, academic director in Media Arts & Animation at The Art Institute of Portland in Oregon. This will allow you to store many photos and video files, which take up room in your hard drive. “Machines with a minimum of 4 gigabytes are recommended. You don’t need a high end machine to accomplish good work, but having a machine that doesn’t fight against you is helpful.”

For software, Ric Peterson, The Art Institute of Seattle academic director in Photography and Video Production recommends Adobe products, which he says are the “industry standard.” Consumers should be able to find a wide range of new software these days for photo and video editing, particularly on Apple platforms.

Plan the project for success
For crafty projects such as greeting cards or a memory album, try to go beyond just selecting the right photos. Add special touches that represent your family, your interests, where you live, favorite vacations or beloved pets. This can include scanned images of your child’s artwork, a postcard, famous quotes or poems, for example.

Bangsberg also recommends thinking about foundational elements such as color and what kind of mood the color conveys. “Ask yourself are you working within a color palette that is compatible, or are the colors disjointed, and don’t match?” he adds.

When tackling video, the best way to get started, according to Peterson, is to map out a small storyboard to plan out the shots. Another aspect to consider is how you frame your scenes – you can use close-ups to focus the attention and perhaps heighten the moment, or use broad vistas, where the camera is farther away.

Learn to ‘release’ creativity
For most novices, learning how to release your creativity may be the most difficult challenge.

“Practice is the most surefire way to getting better in any creative endeavor,” says Bangsberg. “First, find a simple way to get your ideas recorded. Don’t expect perfection on your first try, it’s all about capturing the inspiration when it strikes.”

Norton Young, department director in Advertising and Graphic Design at The Art Institute of Portland, agrees. He recommends carrying a small journal so you can write down anything that is a trigger such as words, color combinations, or objects that you can work off of later.

To spark ideas and concepts, also try changing up your routine. Young explained that we tend to rely on what we know, which can be a creative block and that the best approach is to put yourself in a new frame of mind. He offers these tips in how to get your creative juices flowing:

* Put yourself in an unfamiliar situation or place.

* Observe objects around you and think about two items that do not normally go together and how to make them one concept.

* Read different magazines and watch television shows you normally do not view.

* Try new foods or listen to different music genres.

“Looking for inspiration in areas you are not used to seeing is the key,” adds Young. To learn more about The Art Institutes schools, visit www.artinstitutes.edu.

The post Personalize your Greeting Cards and Gifts this Year first appeared on The How Do Gardener.