ECardBasket.com

You know how it is, you go to all the effort to find and buy the perfect gift, but you have no idea how to wrap it. You want to make it look special, but hate all the usual wrapping papers. You’ve tried the gift bags, but want something different for your special gift and it seems such a waste of money because they all just end up being thrown away.

Here are ten great ideas for gift wrapping. They are very different from what you might typically use. You’ll find something suitable for men and women, kids and adults and it doesn’t have to be expensive, unless you want it to be.

1. Use a scarf. This is a great idea for that special woman, whether she is your wife, girlfriend or mother. Scarves are always in fashion in one form or another. They can be cheap cotton or expensive silk. No messing with tape here – simply fold it around the gift then tie the ends together. Quick, easy and beautiful! Not only that, but they get to keep the scarf as well.

2. Tea towel. Following the same idea, this can be great for relatives living overseas, granny or that favorite old aunt. You know they have a collection which you can add to. Fold it around the gift and tie in place with a ribbon.

3. T-shirt. This can be a great idea for a guy or girl, adult or child. Again just fold around the gift and tie with a ribbon.

4. Flier. If you want to give them a hint about another gift yet to come… grab a flier or brochure of that show you’ve got tickets for and wrap another gift in it. Watch the intrigue in their eyes as they open it up. Hide the tickets inside the gift or with the card you don’t give them till later to keep the suspense going.

5. Handbag or purse. This one is especially for the ladies. Small cotton purses are ideal as they can be fairly cheap, but are flexible enough to put a range of gifts inside. Just make sure your main gift can fit inside the purse before you buy it. At first they’ll think you didn’t bother wrapping at all, until they look inside. Soon they’ll get to know not to look a gift horse in the mouth!

6. Ball box. A quirky idea for the boys. Get a cheap hollow ball. With a sharp blade cut it in half, punch some holes around the edges and use wire or string to tie the pieces back together again once you’ve placed that small special gift inside. Just don’t use his favorite football or basketball!

7. Papier Mache or balsa wood box. For those of you who are more creative, you can pick these up in a variety of shapes and sizes and they’re very cheap. Give them a coat of paint, stick on some beads, etc., and you have a unique abd beautiful keepsake which becomes a special gift within itself.

8. Belt or tie. For a different way to hold the wrapping on that gift in place use a tie or belt. Even a bow tie would look fantastic. Then he can wear it later.

9. Chain or necklace. Another beautiful, unique way to finish off your wrapping. This again can be as cheap or expensive as you can afford. Wrap it around and clasp into place. She won’t rip this off too quickly, but then again she might.

10. Make your own paper. Here’s an idea if you are a traditionalist and like wrapping with paper. Rather than just painting brown paper you can make something more special. Lay a sheet of waxed lunch wrap on an ironing board. Sprinkle with flower petals, leaves or confetti. Anything that will lay flat and is colorful and unique will work well. Lay another piece of waxed paper over the top. Cover with a thick cloth and press with a hot iron. The heat will melt the wax and bond the sheets together.

These should give you plenty of ideas next time you have to wrap that special gift for that special person.

MySpace has exploded as the number one social networking site online. It’s a place for people of all ages and interests to go to meet people with similar interests, make new friends, and build a network. In order to attract others interested in becoming your MySpace friends, you’ll definitely need to have an inviting MySpace layout, something that reflects your own unique style. So how do you go about creating an eye-catching MySpace layout? Will you need to take courses on HTML, CSS, and Web design or pay top-dollar to a hotshot Web designer?

Fortunately, the answer is a lot easier than all that. With a little time spent upfront, you can create a fantastic MySpace layout that really impresses. Here are 5 tips to get you started in the right direction:

1. Decide on your style — keep in mind that your MySpace page is like your front door to the world. It should reflect who you are and a bit of your own personal style. Just sticking with the default MySpace layout will probably give the impression that you’re lazy and not too original. However, that can be easily fixed with just a little time and effort to learn some basic HTML and CSS.

2. Use pre-made layouts — the good news is that you don’t need to spend weeks or months learning HTML and laboring to make your own MySpace layout. There are tons of pre-made MySpace layouts available both free and those you can buy. Many of the free layouts are quite good and with so many to choose from, you’re bound to find something that suits your tastes. Many of these sites also have layout editors where you can upload your own images and generate the code right there on the site.

If you want to guarantee that you have a unique layout, then you can hire a designer to design one just for you. There are loads of layout designers advertising their services online at very reasonable fees.

3. Learn some HTML — despite what you may think or have been told, learning basic HTML coding is not difficult at all. Especially if you’re going to just tweak a pre-made MySpace layout. In fact, this is a great way to get your feet wet and possibly develop a deeper interest in Web site design. There loads of very good free HTML tutorials online to help get you started.

4. Learn about CSS — actually, you’ll find that tweaking pre-made layouts is more about changing the Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) code rather than the HTML. The name may sound daunting, but CSS is a very convenient way to change the formatting of your layout without needing to edit bunches of HTML tags.

The old method for changing the style of the text on a Web page was to edit each and every <font> tag on the page. There could be scores of these tags to change making the job very tedious and error pone. With CSS changing the color of the text used on your MySpace profile page is simply a matter of changing the value that defines the font color in the CSS rule for the <body> tag on your page.

There is a lot to CSS, but you don’t need to be an expert to get started. Like learning HTML, there are also a lot of free CSS tutorials online.

5. Tweaking & experimenting — the best way to get started creating your own MySpace layout is to grab a free layout you like and start experimenting. Don’t be afraid – just jump in with both feet and see what happens when you start changing around the values in the CSS section of your layout. Don’t worry if you mess something up, just make a backup copy of the layout code to be safe. Who knows, you might really like some of the changes you happen to make by accident!

So take some time now to peruse the many free MySpace layouts available and select a few that you really like. You may want to get your friends and family to help you make the final choice. Then from there, it’s just a matter of playing around with the HTML and CSS code until you have something you’re really happy with. And remember, what will really make your profile standout is the content you place on it. Then in no time, you’ll have a MySpace layout that you’ll be really proud of and you’ll see your list of MySpace friends really takeoff!

For someone that loves coffee, giving him/her a coffee gift basket can be one of the best things possible to give them as a gift. Of course, if you know exactly what types of coffee that he/she drinks, then this process will be a whole lot easier, but even if you don’t know, chances are still pretty good that you’ll be doing him/her a huge favor by purchasing a coffee gift basket.

There are plenty of choices on the market today for gift baskets and a coffee gift basket is just another one in the sea of themed-gift baskets. In addition, coffee is probably the most heavily relied upon product to combine in gift baskets simply because it’s consumed by millions of people all over the world! However, you want to be careful that you don’t buy this type of gift basket for the wrong person, but chances are that you’ll already know if your friend or family member dislikes coffee.

The first thing that you should do when thinking about how to create the best coffee gift basket possible is to check out all of your options beforehand. Consider whether or not there are any pre-made gift baskets in the store that contain coffee items and gifts. Since coffee is such a prevalent beverage, there is a very good chance that retail stores that carry gift items will also carry coffee gift baskets.

If you would like to create your own coffee basket, then the first place to start would be with a nice coffee mug. Acoffee mug is a great accessory for anyone who has a coffee addiction and mugs are always a great gift to remember the giver. In addition, if you know that your family member or friend travels quite frequently, then one common suggestion to try would be to look for a travel coffee mug to include with the gift basket. These travel mugs don’t have to be expensive, and there are some decent-quality ones on the market that will keep coffee fresh and hot.

The next decision is what type of coffer to include in the coffee gift bask?

There are a great deal of choices when it comes to coffee varieties and products. There’s Columbian coffee, cappuccinos, espresso products, plain old coffee beans, and all of the different flavored coffees. If you are putting these gifts in a gift basket, then a good idea would be to buy several different coffee sampler products so that the recipient will be able to try out a variety of different kinds. On the other hand, if you know that he or she loves a specific flavor then you may just want to buy the majority of that coffee flavor along with some new ones for him or her to try!

All in all, making a coffee gift basket is a very enjoyable and rewarding exerpience when giving a gift to friends and family.

If you’ve been following the news, you know that lately there has been an outbreak of bogus email ecards. These emails claim that you can pick up an ecard at a link included in the email, which actually contains a virus, Trojan, or other harmful software. More and more people are afraid to open any email that claims to be an ecard due to this outbreak of spam email. This article will teach you how to protect yourself from bogus email ecards, and how to identify problematic email before it damages your computer.

The first part of the email that you should carefully examine is the subject line. Most valid ecards will contain the name of the service that sent them, as well as the sender’s name. Bogus email ecards will have a statement like “a classmate has sent you an ecard” “a family member has sent you an ecard” or “x username has sent you an ecard”. If the subject line of the email you receive is very general in nature, it is probably not a valid ecard and you should delete the email without opening it. If an ecard arrives in your inbox from an unknown source, or you are not expecting a card, you should consider deleting it as well.

You should always examine the text of your ecard, as well. Take time to look over the message before clicking on any links. Does the text identify the sender? Is it someone you know? Does it mention the company that has sent the card? Are there glaring grammatical errors, unclear English, or other tip-offs that make you hesitate? If so, don’t open the links and delete the email.

Many bogus email ecards contain a link that connects you to a site where harmful programs are downloaded to your email. If there is a link in your email, hover over it with your mouse to see where it goes. Does it go to a valid ecard site? Beware of links that end with a .exe suffix. This means that the link is an executable program – most likely a virus or Trojan. Valid ecard sites send an email with a link, as well as a code that you can copy and paste onto their website to pick up your card. If your email does not contain such a code, it’s probably not from a valid source.

In general, if you have any hesitation at all, avoid clicking on a link in your email. Instead, delete it without reading. Doing so will help protect your computer from problematic software. If the email is unclear, difficult to read, or from an unfamiliar sender, most likely it is not a real ecard and should be avoided. If it contains a link that ends in .exe, it should be avoided. And if the subject line is overly general and does not contain the name of a known sender, it should be avoided. Following these guidelines will help you to protect yourself from bogus email ecards, and allow you to open cards from friends and loved ones with confidence.

We’ve all experienced the hunt for the perfect greeting card – searching the aisles for just the right greeting to send to that special person. Often the cards offered just aren’t personal enough, or if they are, they cost a fortune! However, there are free alternatives that you won’t find in a greeting card shop or drugstore. Imagine being able to send a card customized to the recipient and occasion, that included a personal message, photo, even their favorite music – for free. You can do just that with free musical ecards – without ever leaving your desk!

There are several companies that offer ecard services for free, allowing you to completely customize your correspondence. One such company is Smilebox, a free greeting card service that lets you send a variety of personalized ecards. You can add your own photo and video, along with a message of your choice. You can even create beautifully designed digital scrapbooks – all from the comfort of your home computer. The software is easy to download and user friendly. It also allows you to store your greetings on your computer, so that you can view them whenever you’d like.

Another company that offers this service is Blue Mountain. They offer a 30-day free trial of their free ecards, allowing you to send unlimited greetings. You can choose from a variety of free musical ecards and animated ecards, allowing you to find just the right way to celebrate your loved ones special day. The service is easy to sign up for and use, and even allows you to set reminders so that you never miss another special occasion.

When choosing an ecard, take the time to match the greeting to the recipient. You can search through a variety of themes, including sports, floral cards, funny cards and many more, to find just the right one. Often, you can customize even further by adding your own photos and videos. The end result – a lovely personalized card that your recipient is sure to enjoy.

By choosing a greeting card service that offers free musical ecards, you can take personalization one step further. Is there a special song that you and your partner enjoyed on your first date? Why not add it to the card you’re sending for her birthday or anniversary? What about sending your niece or nephew a card that wishes them a Happy Birthday, while singing a greeting at the same time?  The options are limited only by your imagination when you take the time to send a customized musical ecard.

If you’re looking for a cheaper, more convenient option to picking out a standard card at the drugstore, consider trying out a free ecard service today. You can send a card in less than five minutes, without ever leaving your home or office. Your loved ones will feel appreciated, and only you will know that you sent them a wonderful card while saving both time and money.

If you’ve been looking for the perfect way to share photos and videos with your loved ones, without the expense of printing pictures at the store, Smilebox photo ecards may be the perfect solution. Smilebox offers free scrapbook templates, slideshows, ecards, postcards, and more – allowing you to send the perfect greeting for every occasion. Whether you’re announcing a new baby or sharing holiday greetings, you’re sure to find the perfect template to suit your needs. You can design, email, and print personalized greeting cards from the comfort of your own home, saving both time and money.

Unlike other ecard services, Smilebox allows you to customize your greetings with your own photos, music, and more. You can create an ecard that is as unique as your family, with a few simple clicks. Imagine – no more digital photos languishing on your hard drive until you get the time to print them, pick out a card, and drive to the post office. With Smilebox, you can design the perfect card from your home computer and send it to your loved one – all for free!

Traditional greeting cards can be expensive and impersonal, often costing $4 or more apiece, before you account for printing any photos you choose to include. Smilebox photo ecards allow you to choose a beautiful design for any occasion, personalize your message, and add photos – all free of charge. Your friends and relatives will be amazed at the professional and creative cards you can create, using Smilebox’s easy to install software. You’ll be pleasantly surprised at how easy it is to send these cards – literally only taking minutes to design and email.

Smilebox also lets you design digital scrapbooks and slideshows – perfect gifts for Mothers’ Day, Fathers’ Day, or just to preserve and organize your memories. You can quickly set up beautiful scrapbook layouts that organize and display your pictures by themes, season, or date taken – without cutting, pasting, or running to the craft store for that missing piece. If you’ve never scrapbooked digitally, you’ll be amazed at just how easy it is to display your pictures digitally.

If you enjoy your Smilebox membership, you may also choose to take advantage of additional, paid features. For a low monthly fee, you can print your designs – either at home or a local store. You can browse the site without ads, and templates are yours to keep. You can also enjoy unlimited premium designs – allowing you to design and print as many cards per month as you’d like.

Smilebox is the perfect way to keep in touch with far flung friends and family in a busy world. You, too, can enjoy the convenience of designing greeting cards on your home computer by signing up for a free Smilebox photo ecard account today. You can start sending photo ecards, scrapbooking, or arranging photo montages immediately. Stop storing your photos on your hard drive for the future, and start putting them to good use and sharing them with your family today.

We all know that choosing a greeting card can be difficult. You have to pick out just the right card for the recipient, make sure it suits the occasion, and then remember to send it in time can be exhausting. Free interactive ecards are a great alternative, allowing you to choose a card, customize it to your loved one and the occasion – all from the comfort of your desk. Many ecard services even allow you to schedule cards in advance or set reminders of upcoming events, so that you don’t have to stress about missed birthdays or anniversaries.

Smilebox is a great ecard service that allows you to send ecards, design digital scrapbooks, and build photo presentations for free. You can choose a card template for almost any occasion, and then add your own photos and videos for a truly personal greeting that your recipient is sure to love. Their software is easy to download, install, and use – making it possible to create and send beautiful customized greetings in just a few minutes from your home or office, with no need to set foot in a drugstore or card shop.

Blue Mountain is another service that allows you to customize your cards. They offer free interactive ecards, as well. The recipient is instructed to point and click to make a variety of actions happen as they read the card, providing a truly interactive greeting experience. These  cards are perfect for both adults and children, allowing them to participate in their greeting experience. Interactive ecards allow the recipient to truly enjoy their card, instead of simply reading it and setting it aside.

If you’ve never sent an ecard before, don’t despair. It’s easier than you’d think to get started. First, you need to choose an ecard service to use. Somewhere on the home page, there will be a link to sign up for their service. Complete the requested information, and you’re ready to get started! You can then browse cards by theme, occasion, or style, and select one that you’d like to customize. The site walks you through how to send cards, step by step, and allows you to add your own photo, video, or even music to some cards. In just a few minutes, you’ll be the creator of a beautifully customized card, ready to send to your loved one’s inbox.

Free ecards are convenient, personal, and environmentally friendly. You can send greetings from your own computer, instead of spending time, money, and gas to pick out a paper greeting card. There’s no postage, no waste, and no hassle involved. Many services allow you to date cards in advance, allowing you to design your greetings when it’s convenient for you to do so, and send them on the date you choose. The software is quick and easy to learn, and allows you to personalize your greeting in ways that are impossible with a traditional greeting card.  If you’ve never sent an ecard, you should try signing up for a free service today. These convenient greetings will change the way you send cards forever.

If you’re tired of spending money on greeting cards and postage, a free animated ecard may be just the greeting you’re looking for. Animated ecards are cards sent via email that have pictures that move – a great, creative way to acknowledge your loved ones special day. Sending an ecard as an alternative to a paper greeting card allows you to send cards from home conveniently, save on wasted paper, avoid paying postage, and customize your card to fit your recipient perfectly.

There are a variety of places online to find free animated ecards. Smilebox is one such website, providing animated cards, great personalization options, and the ability to add your own photos for that special touch. The software is free to download, and allows you to save your cards on your computer after they’ve been sent. You can create beautiful personalized photo ecards, digital scrapbooks, postcards, and more using the Smilebox software.

Blue Mountain is another wonderful ecard company. They offer a 30-day free trial of their program, which allows you to send unlimited free animated ecards. Their cards are beautifully illustrated, and offer the perfect chance to try out an ecard service before you commit to purchasing a subscription. Blue Mountain also offers an option that allows you to print greeting cards from your home printer and mail them – great for customers who like to send or receive traditional snail mail greetings, but don’t want the cost of a paper greeting card.

Free animated ecards are great for people who love to be creative with their correspondence. Creating your own ecard allows you to add animation, photographs, and even music to your greeting – turning a simple birthday or holiday card into a unique, enjoyable experience. Imagine the thrill your loved one will get, knowing that you took the time to design a custom ecard just for them, instead of simply picking a greeting card out at the store. You can find free ecards for nearly any occasion, from graduation to birthdays to welcoming home a new baby. Ecard services will even allow you to set reminders of upcoming events, so you never miss a special occasion again.

Ecards are also an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional greeting cards. Sending your greetings by email helps you to do your part to conserve paper and energy, allowing you to contribute to saving the earth. You can feel good about sending an ecard instead of a greeting card, knowing that you’re doing your part to help the environment.

If you’ve been trying to decide what type of card to send to a friend or relative, consider trying out an animated free ecard. Ecard services are easy to use, and you can sign up in less than five minutes. There’s no risk or fee to join, and most allow you to send unlimited cards. You could be scheduling and sending ecards in just a few minutes, allowing your loved ones to enjoy beautifully personalized greetings. Try sending a free ecard today – you’ll be glad you did.

If you’re planning a surprise party for someone special, here are some tips that will make planning and organizing the event easier for you, and unforgettable for them!

1. Start early. Pulling off a surprise party takes time and a lot of planning and organizing, so starting six weeks to two months in advance is a really good idea.

2. Find a theme. There are lots of party-planning Websites on the Internet that can help, or you can find party-planning books at your local library or bookstore. When searching for the “perfect” theme, here are some things to keep in mind: the occasion, the time of year, the number of people you plan to invite, the age, interests and hobbies of the “guest of honor” and the people you’ll be inviting.

3. Decide on a color scheme. Once you’ve got your theme, figure out your party colors. Don’t go overboard, stick to two or three colors. For example, if you’re throwing a “Mexican Fiesta” red white and green, or red yellow and green would be perfect. By incorporating your colors into your theme, even inexpensive decorations and paper goods will create the ambience you want to create.

4. Plan your budget. Even if you don’t have a lot of money, with a little creativity and ingenuity, you can still create a memorable, exciting event by investing your time and thinking outside the box. For example, before rushing off to the local party store, look for items you’ve already got around the house that could be used in a different way. For example, your child’s red wagon could be filled with ice and used as a drink container if you had a western, cowboy or old-fashioned theme. Clear or colored Christmas lights can be called into duty and strung outdoors on the deck or patio. Even summer toys such as a sand bucket and pail or water toys can be used to hold flowers, candles or decorations. Don’t forget to check at dollar stores, yard sales and thrift stores for inexpensive containers, party favors or decorations that can be incorporated into your theme.

5. Send out invitations early – at least 4 weeks before your event and then do your follow up a week before to help you finalize your arrangements. Don’t forget that you can send email invitations for free — just do a search for “free email invitations” or “free online invitations” to see all your choices. Make sure that your invitations incorporate your theme.

6. Create a scrapbook. Ask each guest to write a letter, or bring a copy of a photograph that will have special meaning to the guest of honor. Include a copy of the invitation, pictures of the planning process and before party preparations, as well as a list of the food, guests, etc. This will become a treasured memento of the day. Don’t forget to ask someone to be the “designated photographer” or buy several disposable cameras and let guests take pictures during the party. These can be developed and added to the scrapbook later.

7. Prepare food and drinks that relate to your theme. Think about the “presentation” of food and drinks as well. Serving dishes that either relate to the theme or are in the color scheme will add to the festive look and feel.

8. Get organized – ask for the help you need and follow up. If you’re having people bring food or drinks, or participate in setting up before the party, make a list of who is responsible for what. Delegate as much as you need to to ensure that everything gets done and that you get to enjoy the party as well. Most people will be more than happy to bring something or help, if you just ask them.

Once you’ve given someone a task to do though, follow up with them, to make sure that everything’s getting done on time. Also, because nothing ever goes exactly according to plan, make a list of everything that would make the party “perfect.” But put a checkmark or star by those things that you know aren’t vital to the success of the party. If something does go wrong, or changes have to be made, you can cross these un-essentials off the “To Do” list first, and still pull off a successful party.

Save your “party notes” and when the party’s over with, do a quick evaluation of what worked and what didn’t. Over time, your party planning notebook can be used to mix and match ideas for almost any kind of party, and by referring to your notes about what worked, you won’t have to rely on your memory alone for creating well-organized and enjoyable events.

9. Buy Thank you notes before the party starts. As they arrive, or sometime during the party, have each guest address an envelope to themselves. If gifts are being given, you can either make a separate list of who brought what, or write it in pencil in the upper right-hand corner of the envelope. Having the Thank-you cards already addressed makes filling them in and sending them much easier! Another simple idea is to take the guest of honor’s picture holding each gift perhaps with the gift giver — you can include the pictures in the scrapbook later, and send a copy with the Thank-you note.

10. Have a good time. Once the party starts, relax and enjoy yourself. No matter what happens, everyone will have a better time, if they know that you’re having fun too.