(MS) — Today people realize what a precious gift the earth is and want to do everything in their power to celebrate its beauty and preserve its natural resources. By showcasing the treasures of the earth, you provide a constant reminder of the awe-inspiring gifts that are all around us.
Born of nature, fine jewelry remains one of the earth’s most breathtaking treasures. From unique metals to dazzling gemstones, a gift of jewelry is an elegant touch and one way to put environmental beauty on a pedestal.
Known for combining color, form and texture to its contemporary collection,
Makur Designs offers a new Morganite Collection that brings the beauty of warm, earthy tones to life. Morganite is the best known gemstone from the colorful group of the beryls. Women the world over love morganite for its fine pink tones which radiate charm, esprit and tenderness. Morganite stones come in a variety of pink hues. Some are decidedly pink, while others lean toward lilac or light violet. Or there may be a hint of orange. Whatever the case, Mother Nature has developed a stone that will complement a wide variety of skin tones and showcase natural beauty.
Makur’s collection pairs morganite with 18k rose gold and is set with diamonds that harmonize the balance of color and design. The warmth that emanates from the pieces can bring a smile to the face of jewelry lovers, which makes these pieces a perfect gift for the holidays or other special occasions.
To learn more about the Morganite Collection, call 877-77-MAKUR or visit www.makurdesigns.com. GG07B124

(MS) — Jewelry gifts are definitely coveted during the holidays — and year round. When giving the gift of jewelry to loved ones, look beyond the basic to shapes and styles that offer something that’s truly unique.
RedStart Design now features cleverly shaped pendants just in time for holiday giving. Choose from an egg-shaped pendant, which can symbolize the rebirth of the season, or an infinity loop, calling to mind the heart and symbolizing strength and eternal hopefulness. The 14 kt gold infinity loop pendant retails for $490 and the egg pendant retails for $440. Both items are also available in sterling silver. What’s more, 15 percent of proceeds collected from sales of the Rose Infinity Loop pendant (rose gold) will be donated to support breast cancer awareness. This way you can give a heart-warming gift, while also giving back to others.
To learn more about RedStart Design and their pendants, visit www.redstartdesign.com, or call 877-822-7RED. HL07C258

(MS) — On the heels of the holiday season comes a time when sweethearts exchange tokens of their love and affection. When it comes to Valentine’s Day gifting, men generally have the advantage: Buy her jewelry and she’s bound to be thrilled. But purchasing for men can prove challenging.
The primary rule of gifting men is to think about what they want, not necessarily what they need. Now is the time to show that special person in your life how much you care for him. Here are some Valentine’s Day gift ideas ideas to get you started.
Comfortable clothing: Pick out items that you know your man will love wearing. Although you may prefer him in a cashmere mock turtleneck sweater and trousers, if he is more of a ribbed henley and jeans sort of guy, go that route.
‘Scent’sational appeal: Even if they don’t want to admit it, most men know that smelling good definitely makes them more attractive to women. That’s why a gift of cologne will be appreciated. For years BRUT has been one of the best-selling fragrances on the market and a must-have wearable classic scent for men. Choose from the original fragrance, blending notes of lemon, anise, basil and lavender. Or try BRUT Revolution, a new cologne with a light, crisp citrus scent. You’ll want to snuggle up close to your man for the rest of the day while he’s smelling so appealing.
Electronic factor: What guy doesn’t go ga-ga over gadgets? Chances are if you come through with one of the latest flat-screen high-definition televisions you’ll be put up on a pedestal. Whether the man in your life likes watching sports, is a movie buff, or tunes in to those animal channel documentaries, a new TV will help him enjoy his hobbies even more. If a TV is a budget-buster, think of other “toys” he might enjoy: a navigation system for the car, an MP3 player, a PDA, or a video-game system are all good choices.
Interest and hobbies: Tickets to a game for the sports fan; knives or lures for the outdoorsman; new computer equipment for the techy — keep hobbies in mind when selecting gifts. They’ll make finding something he’ll love that much easier. Gifting men doesn’t have to be a mystery. Just keep in mind his likes and interests and you’ll achieve success. TF082611

Fabulous Gift Ideas to Please Foodies

(MS) — Key trends, such as today’s soaring demand for premium quality foods and beverages, and the increasing popularity of television cooking shows, have inspired a plethora of new products specially designed to please gourmet and cooking enthusiasts. To help navigate crowded store aisles, here is a short list of new and innovative gifts to consider:

Gifts for Connoisseurs of Chocolate, Coffee and Tea:
’Tis the season for chocolate! There’s nothing like a piping hot cup of hot chocolate to chase away a chill, and BonJour’s new Hot Chocolate Maker in pink also generously benefits Susan G. Komen for the Cure ($40 retail). Complete with two matching pink cocoa mugs, the pink Hot Chocolate Maker presents a delicious opportunity to give to a worthy cause. (With each sale, $3.00 will be donated to Komen for the Cure with a minimum guaranteed donation of $30,000.)
Chocolate aficionados who like to entertain will be thrilled with the new and elegantly styled Chocolate Dipping Set from BonJour. Crafted of classic white ceramic to blend with any holiday table decor, a 20-ounce, microwave safe pot sits neatly on a stand over a tea light to keep chocolate warm and smooth for dipping. The set includes bowls to hold dip-ready foods and six stainless steel dipping forks ($30 retail). The set is a fun and interactive way to enjoy dessert tableside — from chocolate covered strawberries, to chocolate covered slices of banana, pound cake, marshmallows, and more.
Coffee connoisseurs prefer brewing their beverage in a French Press coffee maker, which allows for maximum coffee bean extraction and full-bodied, rich tasting coffee. Impress the coffee lover on your list with BonJour’s high-quality 8-cup Maximus French Press ($40 retail), which now comes in chic translucent metallic finishes, including a vibrant Candy Apple Red. For latte, cappuccino and mocha gourmet coffee fans, BonJour offers its new automatic Caffe Latte Frother ($20 retail). The powerful, battery-powered, hand-held frother whips milk in seconds to transform a regular cup of Joe into a café-style treat.
Tea lovers have no reason to feel left out in the cold. Today’s interest in health and relaxation has focused a spotlight on the benefits of tea. Delight an avid tea drinker with one of BonJour’s new hand-blown glass teapots featuring a removable infusion basket to brew loose tealeaves. The new Celeste Teapot Set ($60 retail) makes the complete gift as it includes a 32-ounce round teapot, creamer and sugar bowl with extra-long handled sugar spoon.

Culinary Gifts that Keep on Giving
Practical and thoughtful, cookware is a perennial favorite gift among culinary enthusiasts. Double the value of giving this season with the purchase of KitchenAid Cookware’s new Cook for the Cure Twin Pack Set, which includes a new 10-inch Round Griddle and 11-inch Round Grill Pan crafted in the cause’s iconic pink hue ($50 retail). With each purchase, $5.00 will be donated to benefit Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

Following in the Foot Steps of Celebrity Cooks
Popular television cooking shows are drawing millions of Americans back into the kitchen, and one of the most influential stars leading this trend is Rachael Ray of Food Network fame. Inspire a novice cook, or please a diehard Rachael fan with a gift from the celebrity cook’s eponymous line of cookware and kitchen tools. New this fall is the Rachael Ray Enamel Cast-Iron 7-Quart Dutch Oven ($100 retail) — a generously sized round pot crafted in Rachael Ray’s three favorite colors — orange, blue and new for fall, green. If you’re looking for a fun stocking stuffer with a culinary theme, new Rachael Ray Tools come in affordable sets, such as the 2-Piece Pastry Brush Set, and 3-Piece Spoonula Set (cross between spoon and spatula, $15.00 each retail). Made of durable, heat-resistant nylon and easy to clean silicone, the tools come in all three colors, as well.

Essential Tools for the Budding Home Chef
Just as an artist needs the right equipment to be inspired to create, an aspiring cook requires a solid foundation of high-quality cookware and cutlery to master the art of cooking. Tap the inner chef of someone special on the gift list with a complete set of gourmet quality hard-anodized nonstick cookware. Anolon offers a well-designed 10-piece Anolon Advanced Cookware Set ($300 retail) with all the basic pots and pans needed to get cooking. Constructed to ensure fast and even heat distribution for best cooking results, the cookware features comfortable SureGrip handles on both the cookware and lids. Crafted from a combination of stainless steel and silicone rubber, the handles provide a soft, cool and confident grip.
An innovative gift for the budding home chef is the Infinite Circulon 6-Quart Covered Chef Pan ($70 retail). Recently introduced, Infinite Circulon is the first-ever hard-anodized nonstick cookware that is both dishwasher-safe and can be used on all types of ranges, including induction and glass cooktops. The generously sized, versatile Chef Pan is ideal for preparing stir-fries, and endless dishes that call for browning and sautéing vegetables, meats, poultry, and fish.
Good kitchen knives are another “must have” for home chefs. New this season is a collection of super-sharp knives with gleaming stainless steel handles from Anolon. The Anolon Stainless Steel Cutlery 3-Piece Chef Set ($50 retail) features a trio of indispensable knives no cook should be without: 8-inch Chef’s, 6-inch Utility and 3.5-inch Parer. Well balanced and comfortable to hold, the blades are made from a perfected composition of German high carbon stainless steel that is highly durable, retains its edge longer, and resists staining and rusting.

Sweet Gifts for the Baker and Holiday Hostess
For the person who loves to bake, there’s always room in the cupboard for another well-designed cookie sheet, cake pan, muffin tin, or loaf pan. Make it an extra-special gift by presenting the bakeware with a treat baked inside. For instance, arrive at a holiday party with the perfect hostess gift — a delicious cranberry walnut loaf cake beautifully baked in a new Circulon Bakeware 9- x 5-inch Loaf Pan ($13 retail). The Circulon Bakeware features the brand’s signature long-lasting Total nonstick food release system and is made of heavy gauge carbon steel to prevent bending and warping.
Holiday gifts for the food-minded are plentiful and tempting this season. Learn more about the items mentioned online: www.bonjourproducts.com, www.anolon.com, www.kitchenaidcookware.com, www.circulon.com, and www.rachaelray.com. TF082619

(MS) — Valentine’s Day is supposed to be a joyful time each February. However, when it comes to finding the right gift for the men in your life, be it a son or a husband, women can end up more frazzled than festive. With so many gadgets and gizmos coming onto the market each year, how can you ensure your gift will be unique and not a run-of-the-mill item you picked up on the fly or that they already have?
Sports collectibles make an interesting gift for any loved one who is a sports fanatic or even those who have a passing interest in sports. Whether you’re buying for a son whose room looks like he raided a stadium locker room or a husband who spends more Sundays watching “the game” than mowing the lawn, a sports-related item is a thoughtful, unexpected — and generally inexpensive — gift idea.
Authentic Sports Collectibles, and its informative, and easy-to-browse Web site www.ascollect.com, makes finding that perfect gift easy. Whether you’re short on time, or would simply prefer to do your shopping from the comforts of hom, simply look through the offerings on the site, and in a few clicks, you’ll have a special piece of sports history delivered for the ones you love.
Choose from among autographed mementos, photos, licensed apparel and more. Authentic Sports Collectibles carries items from your favorite sports teams and covers all major sporting activities: baseball, football, basketball, golf, tennis and boxing. Each collectible comes with a certificate of authenticity. What makes these gifts special is that they give the recipient a unique link to the sports personality. Plus, these items can accrue in value over the years, and can be passed on to loved ones in time.
To learn more about sports-related gifts ideas for those on your Valentine’s shopping list, visit www.ascollect.com. TF082620

(MS) — It seems as though it gets harder and harder to find that perfect gift for the handyman (or woman) in your life. Fortunately, finding that gift doesn’t need to be so hard, as the recent boom in do-it-yourself home improvements has created a wealth of new ideas.
Consider the following gift ideas for the do-it-yourselfer in your family, courtesy of Woodcraft.
* The gift that keeps on giving. One of the most popular gifts is a magazine subscription to a favorite magazine. To gift givers, magazine subscriptions are popular because they’re pretty inexpensive. To the gift receiver, magazines are the gift that keeps on giving. Whether the magazines comes one every two months, once a month, bi-monthly, or once a week, the handy man of the house will love the wealth of new information it provides throughout the year. A yearly subscription to Woodcraft Magazine provides six issues per year, and offers a host of season-appropriate articles and tips on do-it-yourself projects.
* Make the math a little easier. Nearly every do-it-yourselfer runs into problems stemming from incorrect calculations when cutting angles. A Starrett® Pro Site Protractor takes those errors out of the equation. With two scales, a red scale and arrow that show the angle for a miter joint, and a black scale and arrows that provide the angle to fit a single workpiece to an angle, making miter cut calculations has never been easier. You can even choose from two models, the full-sized 12-inch or compact 7-inch, both of which boast machined aluminum legs with an adjustable friction pivot.
* For the multi-tasker. For the jack of all trades do-it-yourselfer, finding the right gift can be a major hassle. The new Fein MultiMaster could be just the thing. Because no two DIY projects are the same, the MultiMaster uses a broad assortment of accessory blades to handle sanding, scraping and hundreds of previously “manual” tasks. Gone are the days of sanding tight spaces with paper, as the MultiMaster’s profiled sanding pads make the job far less “hands-on.”
Thanks to the booming DIY movement, finding that perfect gift for the do-it-yourselfer in your family has never been easier. If you find yourself struggling with a decision, you can even give a Woodcraft gift card so the family handy man (or woman) can make the decision themselves. For more products and inspiration, visit www.woodcraft.com. TF082621