Gifts under £15 - Christenings, Birthdays, New Babies

When you want to buy something special for a new baby, Christening or birthday, it can be really difficult to find unique gifts that don't cost the earth.  That's why we've put together this list of 10 items - to help you along your way.

All of these high quality gifts are made in Britain, some are handmade and all of them cost less than £15!  To purchase any of these gift ideas, use the link below the image.

Football name plaque £12.50

Number 1. This funky metallic blue football name plaque would make a perfect gift for any football mad boy.

The plaque is made from an acrylic letter which is 22cm high and is decorated with the child's name and footballs.  Cost is £12.50 + P&P. 
 
 

Children's Name Plaque - Fairy £12.50

Number 2. A pretty pale pink fairly name plaque, which any little girl would love to have on their bedroom door or wall.

The plaque is made from an acrylic letter which is 22cm high and is decorated with the child's name, the fairy and sparking gems for a touch of bling! Cost is £12.50 + P&P. 

Space 3D Door Name Plaque From £6.50

Number 3. This door name plaque is really unusual and looks really effective on a bedroom door.  Rather than being fixed to a base, all parts are individual and together create a great 3d effect.

The metallic letters are 5cm high and come with spaced themed accessories.  Prices start from £6.50 + P&P.

Butterfly 3D Door Name Plaque From £6.50

Number 4. This door name plaque is one for the girls and again is made from individual letters and accessories.  Another fab addition to a little girls bedroom!

The pink letters are 5cm high and come with a large butterfly and several smaller butterflies. Prices start from £6.50 + P&P.

Door Name Print / Plaque £13.50

Number 5. This gorgeous little door name print comes in a white frame and looks great on either a bedroom wall or door. This frame measures 16.5cm x 21.5cm.

The cost for this personalised name frame is just £13.50 + P&P and will make a great gift for birthdays, christenings or new babies.  Or just because - who says you need an occasion for a great little gift like this?

Door Name Print / Plaque £13.50

Number 6. And for the boys, we have this beautifully designed boat name frame, which is bound to be loved by a little boy. Again the frame measures 16.5cm x 21.5cm. 

The cost is just £13.50 + P&P and will make a great gift for any occasion. 

 

First Tooth Pewter Trinket Gift

Number 7 and 8.  The next two make perfect gifts, bought either on their own or together, for new babies or christenings.  These gorgeous pewter trinket boxes have either "First Curl" or "First Tooth" engraved on the lid and the alphabet engraved all around the outside of the box.

First Curl Pewter Trinket Gift

The diameter of each of these boxes is 3.5cm and they come with their own separate cream organza bag.

They are £10.99 each.

Wooden Name Plaque - Owl £7.75

Number 9. If you're a lover for all things "owl" you'll love this little guy. 

This gorgeous wooden hanging plaque is hand painted (any colour), decorated and personalised with the child's name. It's made from high quality MDF wood and costs just £7.50 + P&P.

Wooden Train Name Plaque - £7.75

Number 10.  And last but not least, is another of our hanging wooden name plaques.  Most little boys love a transport theme, so just for them, is this little wooden train plaque.

Again, hand painted (any colours) from high quality MFD this 3d wooden train plaque is personalised with the child's name and costs 7.50 + P&P.





So that's our top 10 under £15.00 - I hope we've helped to ease the chore of having to find that perfect present, without spending a fortune or hours on the web or in the shops. We have lots lots more on the website, so please pop by to visit us at www.forkeepssake.co.uk and see what other wonderful gift ideas we have.

xx

Tips for Juggling Work and Children in the Holidays

It's only Week One of the summer holidays and my vision of a straightforward work-children balance at home has been somewhat distorted.  Or perhaps, was just completely impractical...!

I tend to plan and think in 'number of hours' (that's a previous office life for you) which has failure written all over it.   The truth is, if you're at home with the kids and trying to work, you will only ever get little chunks of time to chip away at your mountain of looming work.

So having realised and accepted this - I've put together some ideas to work it.  The goal being that I can still achieve what I need to in the day, whilst making the most of the time with the children.  Here goes:

1. Get up a little earlier.  OK, this may not seem at all tempting having managed to ditch the school run for the next 6 weeks...but.... you can stay in your PJ's grab yourself a cuppa and squeeze an hour or so in before the kids are up. It's a great head start.
2. Plan Plan Plan.  If you know what you need to achieve the next day or over the next week, you can prioritise your workload.  
3. Be realistic.  If you're like me, you probably set your sights too high by giving yourself unrealistic targets.  For some reason I think I can do everything plus a little bit more... which sadly... I can't. By setting realistic goals, you are much more likely to achieve and feel good at the end of the day rather than frustrated.
4. Plan tasks not hours. Having worked out what needs to be done you have effectively broken your work down into tasks.  Tasks are much easier to squeeze in around the kids, one might take an hour, another might take 20 minutes. Some you can do with the kids, some you have to do when they are occupied. It makes planning much easier.
5. Activities to occupy the kids.  Think of things to occupy the children whilst you are working.  Mine love colouring, which could  give me an hour to answer emails, process orders or even package orders.  If I need to paint letters or plaques, I give them something to paint so we can do it together.
6. Use TV to your advantage.  Yes I know, the "T" word in the summer, but by letting the kids watch a movie at some point in the day, you are again giving yourself time to work.  When they watch TV just be sure to plan it around when you want / need to work.
7. Go out. Make sure you have something lined up to do with the children during the day - you will spend quality time together, the children will have something to look forward to and you won't end up feeling guilty about having to work. Summer holidays are the best opportunity for us to make the most of the time we do have with our children - especially while they are young.
8. Work in the evening.  Most of us already do this, but we may need to do a little bit more. And perhaps more at the weekend too, whilst daddy is around to look after them for a while.  If you follow to tip 6, you probably won't mind this as you've already been out and done something fun in the day.

I'm sure I'll think of more as these next few weeks progress and trial these in practice.  Will keep you posted.  In the meantime let us know if you have any tips you can add to this, comment below and help other busy mums in the same situation.

Good luck and enjoy!!

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PopUp Britain - The rise of the independant retailer?

It's been hard to ignore the amount of shop closures over the last few years, particularly in the peak of the recession when we were shocked to see the likes of Woolworths, MFI and Faith Shoes go into administration.

Since then, it's been common to see City and Town Centres scattered with vacant stores as retailers continue with their struggle to survive.  And despite a surge in volume of online retailers, they have been restricted to selling online and through events, due to the costs of setting up a 'bricks and mortar' shop.

That is, until now.

Monday saw the launch of 'PopUp Britain', a scheme run by StartUp Britain, set up to support and promote entrepreneurs and accelerate enterprise in Britain.  A PopUp shop in Richmond, Surrey, was opened on Monday for 3 months and will house 6 businesses at a time, for 2 weeks at a time.  The next two weeks will see a second set of 6 businesses selling their products.  Rental fees are then split between all of the businesses. 

What a brilliant idea.  Not only does it help retailers, but it also helps the landlords by filling the space, it helps the high street and it helps to educate the public that we need to support, not restrict, small business - as they are fundamental in the future development of our economy.

I hope all the businesses do well out of the experience and campaign - and would love to see more PopUp shops filling the gaps on the Highstreet!

Have a look at the websites for the first 6 retailers in the PopUp shop: Bertie and Jack  |  Tier One Clothing  | Elephant Branded | Maria Allen Jewellery | Morrow Outfitters | Vulpine

Read full article from Enterprise Nation |  Read more on Start Up Britain

What do you think?  Whether you are a customer or retailer, we'd love to know your thoughts!

Great Ideas for Holiday Souvenir & Keepsake Displays

So the sun is beaming down and summer has finally arrived!  Sat at the computer with the patio doors open, listening to the birds and children in the distance playing in paddling pools, it almost feels like holiday.  For a split second at least... before remembering I'm sat at a computer... inside......working!

With this almost tropical climate bringing smiles to all of our faces, it felt that a holiday theme would be apt for this post.  So, I thought I'd share some great ideas for displaying holiday or traveling souvenirs and keepsakes.

We always seem to come home with odd bits and pieces that I'm reluctant to throw away.  I used to save all of our flight tickets (which were then kept in a box!) the girls always insist on bringing shells back and last year, we accidentally acquired a mini-golf golf ball.

Whatever little souvenirs or keepsakes you have, why not create a display out of them - especially to remind you of the good times, when the heavens inevitably open again!  Plus the kids will just love looking at them and telling their friends about each item.

Here are some fab and unique ideas that I have come across and intend on creating myself.

Holiday Souvenir & Keepsake Jars

These are gorgeous and would look great as a collection, you could use them to display things from different holidays, countries and places.

You can use a jar of any size and simply place all the pieces that you want into it.  You can stick them in if need be.

Themes are limitless - from beach to city holiday, create the theme on whatever your souvenirs are.

Thanks to Indy Hot Moms for sharing this idea. 

Traveling or Holiday Scrapbook.

Now this is something I really need to do.   Having spent many months traveling over the last few years I have lots of photos, coins, notes, tickets and stories to tell.  But somehow my half filled photo albums and traveling souvenirs have all found their way into a box at the back of the loft.  What a waste...!

So, it is my intention to create some scrapbooks - a lovely idea to show the kids all the places we have been to and the things we have done.

Another great idea found on Indy Hot Moms and I love the idea of maps being used as the background.   Added to my 'To Do' List!

3D Box Frame Display - Travel  / Holiday Keepsakes

A deep box frame is perfect for displaying anything that would be too big to fit into a jar and also big enough to use large photos or maps in the background.  A great combination of the above two ideas. 

These look great and let you create a really unique display.  Another on my To Do list, which seems to grow by the second.

I found this display on the Martha Stewart website - where there are some other original ideas for holiday keepsakes that you can make yourself.




If you have an ideas that you'd love to share with us, or even photos of keepsake displays you've created, please feel free to comment below!  Well, time to go back to work.  Bye for now, and we hope you enjoy the sunshine!!

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Mad About Owls - Part 1

Like many other people (women and children I should imagine) across the UK I appear to have developed a slight obsession with owls.

I just love them and have come across so many wonderful pictures and products across the internet that I have now set up a Pinterest Board dedicated solely to Owls. 

In this post I wanted to share a couple of my favourites with you (without plugging my own owl creations of course!).

Follow our Mad About Owls Board on Pinterest

1. Christmas Red Owl

One that is not yet on the board, but will be going up imminently is this gorgeous red owl, sold by Jenny's Shabby Chic Home Accessories.    Although set in a Christmas theme, this gorgeous owl can be for any time of the year.  You can the owl and Jenny's other fab creations on her Facebook page: Jenny's Shabby Chic Home Accessories



2. Little Needle Felted Birds

These tiny little guys have made a few waves on Pinterest and for good reason.  They are incredibly cute and Lauren Alane has taken some brilliant photos of them. 

Have a look at her blog or website for more images, they truely are fab!! So much so that it took me quite a while to decide which photo to post here!!


3. Gorgeous Pink and Green Owl Cushion

I could definately find a house for this pretty owl  themed cushion - in beautiful shades of pink and green. 

Am loving it, it's just a shame that the website selling it is based in the USA. 

But for those of you that live there - it looks as though you're in luck :o) These Made in the USA by Carousel Designs.




That's my 3 for today, but I shall be back to post some more finds.  Apologies to those who aren't quite as obsessed with owls as much as I am ;o)

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Thanks for looking. Let me know if you have any other cute owl finds. x

3D Shadow Box Picture Frames - 10"x10" Deep Display ames

Buy Oak 10x10" Deep Box Frame

Following high demand for our deep box frames for keepsakes and 3d framing, we've introduced a new size to our range.

Our new 10"x10" frames have a depth of 2.1" (55mm) and come with a box fixed to the back of the frame to allow for the extra depth.

These deep frames are perfect for creating unique and special 3d displays.  Typically our customers use them for framing baby casts, baby shoes, other baby keepsakes and wedding keepsakes.

Back View of Frames with Box

Our high quality frames are made to order and come at an affordable price of £27.00 - helping you create a display with a professional finish, without the price tag of a professional framer.

Buy White 10x10" Deep Box Frame

These frames are currently available to buy from our website in White, Oak and Black.  However you can also request them in brown, silver and beech - we just don't have an image to show yet.   Please see other sizes to see the colour and style of these coloured frames.

Buy Black 10x10" Deep Box Frame

If you run a baby casting business and are looking for a supplier of frames, please get in touch we'd love to hear from you and see how we can help you.

To see all of our products, visit For Keep's Sake - For Personalised Gifts and Keepsakes

Personalised Gifts ideas for Children - Direct to your Door

The rain may be threatening any chance of going to the beach for the day and has most definitely got in the way of barbecue season, but it won't stop Birthdays and Christenings and babies are still being brought into this world every day. If you have presents to buy and don't fancy being caught out by an inevitable shower, let us do the work for you.  We have added lots of lovely new handcrafted and personalised products to our website, helping you to shop in the comfort of your own home. We have lots more wooden name plaques for boys and girls.  Prices start from £7.50 for the mini wooden hanging plaques to £18.00 for the larger 3d plaques with more detail. Name plaques are perfect for birthdays and christenings, as well as new baby gifts.  Or you can do what we've done with them and buy them for your own children.  The kids love them, and they look great on bedroom doors or walls.  See the range of Name Plaques available on our website. We have also introduced a range of beautiful and unusual personalised magnetic noticeboards.  Who said noticeboards need to be dull?  Inspired by a fabulous poster style noticeboard in Costa Coffee (of all places) we fell in love with this range and wanted everyone to know about them. They are available in different designs for children, or you can even personalise the noticeboard with your own photo or your child's artwork.  An ingenious idea and a perfect gift for parents or grandparents.  Prices start at £48.00 for these truly unique keepsakes and you can see the range here.
Unique Gifts and Keepsakes for all Occasions, or Just Because....!
Keepsake Frames Create gorgeous and unique displays of your most precious memories with our modern range of keepsake frames.  We have lots of sizes and colours, so take a wonder over to our website to see the whole range.	Fingerprint Jewellery Beautifully handcrafted, fine pieces of silver jewellery with a child's handprint, footprint or fingerprint. We have jewellery that mums, dads and grandparents will love. Fingerprint / handprint Jewellery	Wooden Letters We have lots of styles of wooden letters for babies, boys and girls.  Lots of sizes available too - have a look at our wooden letters.