Personalize Your Gift Card with Heart

Gift cards are no more than just gifts and no longer considered the impersonal and lazy way to celebrate a special occasion or holiday, meaning gift giving has never been easier, it's the new way to reduce the rising cost of living!

Buying gift cards at a discount is almost like buying cash at a discount. Consumers are realizing that it's now more than just about giving - it's about saving. Customers who purchase gift cards from us and then use them as the method of payment at their favorite merchants are significantly reducing their shopping expenses. it's the new trend on how to fight the rising cost of living.

If you've ever had an awkward gift giving moment, or have had to fake your enthusiasm over a gift from a caring, thoughtful person in your life because the chosen item just wasn't anything you had a use for, you'll understand the benefits below of a gift card.

1.Perfect for business incentive programs and employee bonuses.

2.Personalized gift cards can be ordered online.

3.The prepaid Visa Card is accepted anywhere.

4.Available in any amout you want.

5.No fee to view a transaction history online.

Personal Shopping Spree

Gift cards are available from many businesses, specialty stores, as well as gift cards through nationally known credit card companies that can be used anywhere that accepts that credit card. Though it might seem more personal to buy a gift card or gift certificate for a special business, you are limiting the redeemable options.

- No boundaries on purchases. The recipients can buy whatever they want, wherever they want.

- No longer associated with lazy or thoughtless giving, a gift card can be seen as a personal shopping spree given by you. Some of the benefits are

- No duplication of gifts that have to be returned

- The card can be used along with cash for a purchase that the recipient has always wanted but found too extravagant to buy.

- The recipients receive exactly what they've wanted.

- Safely redeemed in stores or online. The gift card is only good for the amount specified, and cannot give access to personal accounts.

How to Personalize Pre-Paid Gift Cards

If you feel your gift card somehow lacks the personal touch, personalize a greeting card and tuck the gift card in the envelope. Some gift ideas:

* A Romantic Dinner for My Favorite Busy Couple

The gift card lets your friends choose the restaurant they like versus a gift certificate from the restaurant you choose. They even have the option of using the gift card for take-out and flowers, if they have an opportunity for a romantic dinner at home.

* For Your Next Wine-Tasting Tour

The personalization shows you've thought out your gift, but the card can be used not only for wine, but gas to get to the vineyard, dinner on the road, or even a special clothing accessory for the excursion.

* For Whatever Santa (the tooth fairy, Easter Bunny, etc.) Forgot to Bring

Perfect for a grandchild, niece, nephew or the neighbors child who you will not be able to spend the occasion with. The first gift is the gift card, the second gift is being able to choose and buy their own present.

* For my Favorite Shopper, A Post Holiday Sale Shopping Spree

Your gift dollars will go farther when the recipient is able to scour the after holiday bargain tables.

Gift Card Hazards

Gift cards, depending on point of purchase, can have expiration dates, non-use penalties, lost or stolen card replacement fees or other administration fees.

Before you buy, check on the state laws that pertain to your purchase. Gift cards and Gift certificates Legislation by state can be found at the National Conference of State Legislatures Website.

With the economic downturn, some of the recipients of gift cards will find they need to use them for everyday purchases. Isn't it wonderful to think that you have made their life easier with your gift, without bringing attention to their personal circumstances?

Give the gift of motivation. With a special personized gift card, you can provide your employees, parents or teachers with all the incentive and reward of cash, backed by the security and acceptance of the Visa name.

Useful Tips for Buying a Gift Card

Buying a store gift card is pretty easy. You simply pick the retailer and buy the card in the store or over the phone. Or you can buy an e-gift card online that’s e-mailed to you or your little nephew and can be used online or in stores. But there are a few issues you should consider before committing to a store card, which we’ll describe below.

Buying a bank-issued gift card requires a little more research. Terms and conditions vary widely, and information about these gift cards isn’t always easy to find. Be sure to confirm anything you’re told over the phone with information at the bank’s website. While you’re at the bank’s site, read over the frequently asked questions/FAQ section.

Pottery Art in China with A Long History I --- Preface

"Tao (pottery)", according to the figure described in oracle bone inscriptions, it implies a person who was squatted and sit on the ground, with a tool just like a wood stick modeling clay. Through sintering adobes will form into ceramics, which we called pottery today.

Archaeological discoveries have proved that as early as in the Neolithic Age (about 8000-2000 BC) the Chinese people had invented pottery. The agricultural production emerged in later primitive society had bought a relatively more fixed life to the ancestors of the Chinese people, which also produced the demand for pottery objectively. So, in order to improve the quality of life and make their lives more convenient, gradually Chinese people invented pottery through the burning of clay.

The word first appeared on pottery, it was found on a ceramic flake left by Shang Dynasty, and which is the only piece so far, while there are many pieces of ceramic flakes without words on. With a long history of pottery, China has left a great number of ceramic heritages, among these historic treasures, the oldest pottery was been produced out in BC 9,000 (with carbon isotope C14 detection).

The original pottery were been burned into in open-air, and these primal pottery are rough and fragile. About BC 8000, people started to put the ceramic model into pottery kiln, and with the method of controlled burning to improve the pottery, quality, through this method the pottery produced became not only more strong but also more beautiful, and turned into one kind of artworks.

Before the Shang Dynasty, the main colors of the pottery are only three: red, gray and black. Later based on the development of enamel coating technology, the color of pottery became more abundant and bright. In the Tang Dynasty, faience ware, also called painted pottery or colored pottery, one kind of Tang handicrafts was created out, among which, the Tang tri-colored pottery is the most well-known typical work.

On the basis of the high-level ceramic technology accumulated long-term, China produced porcelain ware in the world, which has become an important medium of the exchanges between the East and West cultures and economy, and people in the West just called porcelain as CHINA namely the country of China, it can be also said to describe China with Chinese porcelain (china). In Western languages the word “china”, whose meaning also includes pottery. In the history of the development of Chinese ceramics, the pottery was appeared before porcelain, and the porcelain was took birth from pottery.

An Overview for The Sales Market of Toys in China

The quantity of young kids under the age of 14 and babies, toddler and preschool children in China is over 300,000,000, accounting for 25% of the whole population. Among them 80,000,000 live in the city, which form a great number of toy consumption. Especially in recent years, parents identify with the concept that toys can enlighten children on their intelligence, moreover, majority of modern families in China only have one child, whose parents are willing to spend money on their child.


In recent years, it has appeared some features and special trends for toy sales in the mainland of China:

1. R/C Toys

Appeared with high technology, for instance, electronic toys that can sound or shine, R/C toys and interactive toys that can speak or perform a series of actions are salable goods. Presently, various R/C toys on sale in the market reach about 1 hundred kinds, mainly are variety of R/C toys (remote control toys) and hobby items, such as R/C car, R/C helicopter, nitro R/C car, R/C gas boat, remote control helicopter, remote control car etc., each R/C car(remote control car) costs about 20-65 dollars，R/C gas boat(remote control gas boat) is about 20-50 dollars，and the price of R/C helicopter differs between 450 - 2,000 dollars.

2. Model Toys

Electric model toys attract both children and adults, such as tank cars, cars installed with alarm whistle and so on. Though these toys are not cheap in price, especially the electric toys, commonly between 8-10 dollars, some even as high as 80-100 dollars, but they have a strong footing in the market.

3. Adult Toys

Besides the children toys, adult toys in mainland of China are also have large market. According to the latest investigation of China Social Investigation Office, 33% of adults think they are fond of toys and would like to buy them. It is investigated that except for traditional Chinese Chess, I-go and kite, adults prefer R/C toys (remote control toys) and hobby items, such as R/C car, R/C helicopter, nitro R/C car, R/C gas boat, remote control helicopter, remote control car etc. The last research of China Toys Association shows the acceptable toy price for most consumers in the large and medium sized cities is no more than 15 dollars. However, in some large cities and some medium sized cities, some ingenious and top graded toys reaching up 150 dollars and even 1200 dollars still have their market. It takes an average of about 5% of the whole year consumption for Chinese citizens to buy toys, and with the toy development of top grade, brightness and series, in particular, R/C toys (remote control toys) and hobby items, such as R/C car, R/C helicopter, nitro R/C car, R/C gas boat, remote control helicopter, remote control car etc., the toy consumption will be in the status of advancing.

4. Plastic Toys

Plastic has taken the place of metal, wood and have become the main material for toys making, because it costs low, easily deals with, safer and light.


Although according to the official statistic, the toy sales in mainland of China are no more than 2,000,000,000 dollars in 2006, it is estimated by people in this industry that the actual market demands should be 9,000,000,000 dollars. People in this industry believe that the forecast demands of Chinese toy market will increase at a rate of 40% per year in the following years, and the consumption of Chinese toy market will hopefully exceed 13,000,000,000 dollars.

The Top 10 Welcomed Christmas Gifts for Lovers

With the communication and blending of Chinese and Western cultures, "Christmas" – the major holiday in Western countries also have entered into Chinese people’s life and become more and more popular in China. So what’s a suitable Christmas present to give away has also turned into an annual trouble. In China, couples of lovers are the main stream who inclined to enjoy annual Christmas holiday, with ulterior motives to deepen the love of each other, then as same as other important holidays in China, the Christmas was treated as Valentine's Day by numerous lovers.

It's a God's truth for lovers that they will not let any opportunities of expressing love away, then this year many dear diaisticate girls has throw out the task to their boyfriends early ”what Christmas gift you to give me? and I will not accept ordinaries”. So the boyfriend has to rack his brains to search a Christmas gift which is uncommon for his lover. At same time, as the girlfriend you should to take care of your boyfriend too, and you should not consider yourself merely, it’s time to take consideration for what Christmas gift is your boyfriend’s favorite. It seems there are not only sweets in love, but also some small happily tortures in it.

Without further ado, let’s talk about the top 10 Christmas gifts welcomed by lovers. The common features of these Christmas presents are DIY, unique personality thus to cater for her or his feelings of been respected and cherished monopoly by you. Certainly we also have taken the popularity of the presents into account, and the prices of these recommended gifts are all less than one hundred Yuan. Those gifts that priced for several hundreds or more than one thousand Yuan are not involved in our recommendation scope, you could find them everywhere. As they are all cheap, so you can consider a variety of selection, and a well-chosen assortment is just a real bump！

1st. Personalized DIY Doll.

To make a doll imaged with her or his figure, and on which to highlight her or his characteristics and clothing. When your love saw this special article, and listened to you talking about the hard process of the doll manufacturing, she or he will be bound to be moved much. Ceramic, glass, and so on materials are all good choices.

2nd. Pajamas


Pajamas is just one kind of universal gifts. Because it’s unnecessary to consider too much for the size when you are to choose a pajamas as a present, unlike an outerwear which always requires for a particular size, it will be ok as long as the size of which is tolerable. Moreover, the pajamas is one kind of underclothes and it could let your lover think of you when she or he is go to sleep.
3rd. Silk Scarf

Silk scarf is the best embellishment in the winter. It could always match you’re your lover’s clothing, and make your winter full of warmth.

4th. Fuwa

The mascot of 2008 Olympics Fuwa are very cute, if your lover is a lively girl, I guess she will be bound to favorite with these lovely four dolls, and you should to select the largest stuffed set that made of plush, oh, it maybe spent your more, ok, also you can choose only one of them. Fuwa are produced by Chinese people who had taken a great deal of efforts into, so it certainly will be meaningful.
5th. Bracelet
A beautiful bracelet, and it is best a bracelet made of two chains which are closely entangled with each other. Send it to your girl, and she can wear it everyday, when she see the beautiful bracelet, she will think of her sweet lover. I think it’s a good choice that could make her eyes brighten the joy produced could be lasting long.
6th. Blessing Note in Love Wall
Go to the Love Wall and spend ￥10 make a blessing note for her/him, and write your sweet pledges for your thick and faithful love on it, The love note in the Love Wall could be stayed on permanently and it is a good witness for your love, and after 10 or 8 years passed, you two could back and have a look at it, doesn’t it are full of memories and significant？


7th. Stationery

Send a fine stationery gift to your boyfriend: A high-level notebook with packing costs about $16, and a high level gel pen with packing costs about $12, a pen $25, attached with a simple greeting card shall costs about $2-5.

8th. Health Food

If you want give away health foods as this year’s Christmas gift, you could send men AngLi LP (About $90), and send women pearl powder(about $60-70), nutrition wine (about $100) for elders, and children will more enjoyed with a large box of Denmark cookies. Nowadays giving away health foods is always a right idea, because nowadays most of peoples are all pay attention to their health!

9th. MP3 or a Recording Pen


You should make it through what is her like before sending out your Christmas gift, you could see about what she said, and the girls sometimes will implied, intentional or not. Put the songs she or he liked or your special words of blessing in the machine and play them out on the spot.

10th. Romantic Dinner

Taking a dinner in McDonald, KFC or a western restaurant who branded with steaks with her, especially a steak set course, it only costs about $30 per set and in which there are red wine, steaks and bread, but also in most occasions there’s an extra Christmas gift ready for you, and the romantic moods in dinner will certainly improve the loves between yours.

Happy Halloween VIII – Colorful Halloween Decorations

* The Design Colors used in Halloween Decoration
--- Orange is the Themed Color of Halloween



Echoes with "Jack’s Lantern", the color black and orange are traditional colors on the eve of Halloween, and the representatives of black there are black cats, spiders and witches, while the representative of orange is pumpkin lantern (Jack-O'-Lantern), all these decorations are familiar symbols of Halloween.

During the Halloween, you could deck the large dinning table in your home with orange, yellow and green thus to produce a thick ambience of village, accompanied with rural music emitted from stereo, oh! It’s so warm and cozy!

Today, a mass of purple, green and red have begun been used with Halloween decorations. If the home furnishings in your dining room are more suited with these colors, well then they could also bring you great inspirations for your holiday decoration.

* Symbols of Halloween
--- Pumpkin is The Most Popular Figure in Halloween



Among all symbols of Halloween, the pumpkin figure is most popular

Halloween also called "Ghost Holiday" in the West', so many symbols of the Halloween are themed with ghosts and demons, but among them there are also lovely symbols like pumpkin lanterns and scarecrows. Whether on a Jack’s Lantern in your hands or those furnishings on dining table or in dining room, pumpkins could be seen everywhere.

Try and take some minds for the festival, you can choose some storage tanks, small decorations that shaped in "pumpkin head", or use your hands to make some napkins, placemats that formed into big pumpkins, with these you could dress your table uniquely and full of moods, which is very important for holding a successful party.

* Unique Style Home Furnishings
--- Special Ideas for Halloween Decoration


An exquisite candle holder could bring more fun to Halloween decorations easily for us, and to choose candlestick as a Halloween decoration also is very economical. You only should to spend a small amount of money and buy a variety of novel candleholders to deck your dining table in holiday, whose wonderful patterns and aromas could show your high taste prominently. Even these candlesticks are only been displayed on the dining side-tables, they could also acted as kind of elegant embellishments for your happy life. The base of iron candlestick could bring a qualified sense of weight, matched with long candles in solid colors, it can reflect out dazzling sheens.

Simple structure is also a bright spot in the design of this type of candlesticks, using them to deck your dining table could produce unique flavors in Halloween. And small candlesticks are also a good choice, the color of light rose could foil joyful moods well and bring more warm to this festival, and leave you beautiful memories to this special holiday too.

When we choose home furnishings for decoration, flower is always an important factor that could bring us joy and beauty, so in Halloween our dining tables could not keep them away. You can select a bone china flower vase and several wild chrysanthemums matched with it, or to buy some dried flowers that stained with orange, all these are good ideas that keeping with the occasion and the time well.

No matter to choose what decoration or furnishings to decorate your home in this Halloween, I believe they could all bring surprises and enjoyments to our life. Even if you have never been abroad, and never enjoyed this holiday really, as long as you have mastered the furnishing skills of the home life, and as long as you could pay more intention to collect the knowledge of the life with home furnishings and home decoration, I believe you could become a true connoisseur of life and fashion finally.

Happy Halloween VII: How to Make a Halloween Pumpkin Lantern?

How to Make a Halloween Pumpkin Lantern?

Steps 1. Cut

Cut a hole around the top or botton of the pumpkin (the size of the cutted hole should not be too large, but also not be too small to make your hand stretched inside and draw the pumpkin fleshes out

Tips: You should pay more attention on during your cutting and try your best to make the cut surface smoth and tidy.

Steps 2. Draw Out & Shaving Thin

Using a special spoon (a spoon for daily use also is fine) stretch into the pumpkin and draw out the seeds and fleshes of it. Then select a place on the pumpkin skin, on which you are ready for carving, and shave the pumpkin peel thin to about 1 inch thick.

Step 3: Paste Paper Face

Selected a place on the pumpkin and paste or tack the paper face you prepared before.

Tips: Please pay attention to put the tacks in accordance with the dotted lines of the paper face when tacking, thus to avoid producing small holes on the pumpkin skin.

Step 4: Carve and Draw along with Broken Lines

Follow the dotted lines of the paper face and using a small cone or a thumb pin draw out the face figure on the pumpkin skin, and torn down the paper face when finished.

Step 5: Seeing The Results

Finally, to see your results, and using a small cone to amend it point-to-point furthered. So a wonderful work has taken birth and just Picasso is hard to follow!