Sunshine Rewards Videoblog » gifts

Party Beans Make Great Favors and Personalized Gifts

Tricia — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 21:36:49 +0000

A few weeks ago I was introduced to Party Beans, a custom favor company that specializes in personalized favors and gifts. I immediately loved their site. Not only did I make custom Sunshine Rewards tins (which were sent out to our Super Members Plus), but I let my kids design some for themselves as well. What is so fantastic about their site?

First of all, you can order in any quantity. You can personalize just one tin for one person or use the same design for hundreds or even thousands. The more that you order the less they cost per product. But even if you are only ordering one or two, the price is still reasonable. Second, the site was incredibly easy to use. I pulled a picture of my daughter after she got her braces off from my cell phone. Uploaded it and sized it in one minute. She chose a colored background and the colors of the Jelly Belly jelly beans that she wanted. Done!

I can think of so many uses for these. Looking for an inexpensive but personal way to thank teachers? Upload a picture of your kid holding a sign that says “thank you” and then choose jelly beans in the school colors. Need giveaways for a church group, scout troop, or other organization? Upload a logo or use one of their designs. So many ways to customize I can’t even tell you–jelly beans, mints, M&Ms. Tins, barrels, glass jars. It’s fun, creative, and unique.

Below is a video of my kids showing the Party Beans creations that we ordered for them. It probably took me about 10 minutes total to design both tins, including uploading the pictures. See what you think and then visit Sunshine Rewards for Party Beans cash back and deals!

Send a Treat with Cookie Surprises

Tricia — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 14:11:58 +0000

How many of us dread getting the mail because it’s never anything fun? In fact, it’s more likely to be bills, advertisements, and credit card signup forms. What if you could make someone’s day for less than $10 (including shipping) just by sending them a treat in the mail? Cookie Surprises is a terrific way to do just that.

Cookie Surprises allows you to choose a fun, painted cookie and then customize how it is boxed. It’s an inexpensive way to let someone know that you are thinking about them. In addition to all of the holidays that you usually send gifts, send a Cookie Surprise to someone as a thank-you, a get well, or a word of encouragement.

Below is a video with the Sunshine kids opening up the Cookie Surprise that they got in the mail. We had to do the video in one take because once they opened it, I couldn’t stop them from eating it! I snagged a little piece myself and it was tasty. After you check out the video, be sure to look for Cookie Surprises coupons and cash back at Sunshine Rewards!

She Shops Around 18: Be My Valentine

Tricia — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 02:13:06 +0000

January went by so quickly that this was our first podcast of the year. Just in time for February, we decided to review Valentine’s Day merchants. Cindy led most of the podcast because she has been knee-deep in planning the upcoming Sunshine Rewards Valentine’s Day promotion.

Show notes:

* Quick recap of Affiliate Summit and some of the benefits of attending this year.
* Flowers always work for Valentine’s Day and 1-800-Flowers has a lot of different options. Be sure to understand the difference between having your flowers delivered by FedEx and those delivered by local florists.
* Bath & Body Works and The Perfume Spot have good options for both men and women. I got my favorite new perfume (Pink Sugar) from The Perfume Spot. Bath & Body Works has a terrific new Godiva candle available only online.
* Crazy for Bargains is great for fun pajamas for women, men, and kids. Personally, I like the boxers for holidays. Romantic Gowns (new SR merchant!) actually has some great lingerie, including some cute pink and red sets that would be perfect for Valentine’s Day. (Here the mother/daughter podcast got a little bit awkward).
* Jewelry is traditional for Valentine’s Day and May Leigh has some nice options. Women seem to be wearing more jewelry these days, including multiple bracelets and necklaces at a time and mixing silver and gold. Things Remembered has both jewelry and other items available for personalization.
* You usually can’t go wrong with food (especially if the gift is for me). David’s Cookies makes homemade tasting cookies that can be ordered through the 10th. Ghirardelli is an impressive brand name with high quality chocolates.
* From the customer standpoint, these were all merchants that we personally like to shop through.

Lots of great Valentine’s Day gift ideas today. Hopefully a little something for everyone. And you can get cash back from Sunshine Rewards for shopping at all of them!

She Shops Around 17: Last Minute Gifts

Tricia — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 17:14:47 +0000

Christmas is coming! Are you ready? Almost all of us needs a last minute gift or two. How can you order last minute gifts online without breaking the bank? Cindy and I found some great gift ideas that you can take advantage of this year. And you will find every one of these merchant on Sunshine Rewards! You’ll find cashback and coupons for almost every one of them (including some great free shipping deals).

Show Notes:

* Food Gifts. It’s relatively easy to find food gifts that can be shipped as late as December 22 and make it in time for Christmas. Good choices include Hickory Farms, David’s Cookies, Mrs. Prindables, Kosher.com, Wolferman’s, and Omaha Steaks.
* Non-food gifts. This category was a little bit harder for us but we did find some great deals. Check out Ice.com, magazines.com, 1-800-Flowers, Amazon.com and Vann’s.
* Gift Certificates and Gift Cards. This is the most traditional category of last minute gifts. There are some things to watch for, however, such as shipping and handling fees or delayed shipping. Look for electronic gift certificates from places like Apple iTunes, Barnes & Noble, Home Depot, GameFly, and Restaurant.com.

This will probably be our last podcast of the year, so happy holidays from Cindy and Tricia!

She Shops Around 10: Travel Sites

Tricia — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 13:23:22 +0000

It’s summer travel time, and who doesn’t love a good bargain? This week we reviewed three different sites that we think of most when we think of travel. We managed to just barely stay within our new 30 minute timeframe! Thanks to all of our forum members for the feedback on that.

Show Notes:

* For some reason I had a case of the “ums” this week. Maybe we should give a prize for whoever counts them all. I think I was distracted by all of the Michael Jackson coverage.
* Angie reviewed our first merchant, Expedia. Are you one of those people who always sings “dot.com” after you say the word “Expedia”? We spent some time talking about the different features of their site including last minute deals and their price guarantees. (SR offers variable rates on completed reservations)
* Tricia gushed about how the Hilton Hotels are her favorite chain. Whether you are looking to book a quick overnight while on the road or a fancy getaway (or a trip to Affiliate Summit!), there is a Hilton hotel that will work for you. And Hilton Honors is one of the best point programs out there. They don’t feature coupons per se, but they do list specials and packages on their site. (SR offers 2% back on completed reservations)
* Cindy took a different route (no pun intended) and reviewed Irv’s Luggage. Whether you are looking for a full set of luggage, a laptop bag, or even travel gifts, Irv’s has some great deals. (SR offers 6% back on purchases plus a number of Irv’s Luggage coupons)
* Announced the winner of last week’s contest and our new contest to win a Sunshine Rewards luggage tag (which is really cool).

Next episode: Back to School. Can it be so soon?

She Shops Around 5: Mother’s Day

Tricia — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 18:36:33 +0000

Mother’s Day is May 10, which means that there is no time like the present to get Mother’s Day gifts ordered. It’s not too late to order even personalized gifts. But if you don’t want to pay a fortune for shipping, you should get your orders made quickly. The three moms at Sunshine Rewards are Mother’s Day gift experts! At least we think we are, given all of the Mother’s Day gifts that we have both sent and received over the past years.

Show Notes:

Favorite Mother’s Day gifts from the past? Cindy can’t remember most of them. (What does that say about the gifts?) Angie likes gifts with a personal touch.
Some moms love flowers but others think they are kind of a waste (send Tricia flowers!!).
What should you do with Mom on Mother’s Day? Whatever Mom wants! (Even if it doesn’t include you.)
Cindy reviewed her favorite online jewelry store, My Jewelry Box. High points are their quality, selection, and good prices.
MJB often runs coupons and free shipping specials and includes a gift box with every purchase. Right now you can get a free pearl necklace with $50 purchases. (Current SR MyJewelryBox coupon: MyJewelryBox.com free shipping and 15% off My Jewelry Box Use code SW045115PA)
Tricia gushes profusely about Sephora and considers herself a Sephora junkie. Great gift ideas for mom? Philosophy gift packs with a variety of scented shampoo, gel, and bubble bath choices.
Sephora ships all purchases with a gift bag as well as free samples. Be sure to look for gift with purchase coupons and free shipping. (Current SR Sephora coupon: Free shipping over $50)
Angie led a discussion about Canvas on Demand. Have your family pictures (or animal pictures if you are Cindy) made into beautiful canvases.
Operation: Hi Mom is a chance for 500 military men and women to have a free canvas sent to their moms this Mother’s Day. It’s terrific to see a company supporting the military like that.
Canvas on Demand gifts are personal and affordable and actually ships very quickly (less than a week).

This was our longest podcast yet and full of lots of great gift ideas. Let us know what kinds of merchants you want reviewed next.

And be sure to check out our entire Mother’s Day Shopping Category.

Sunshine Rewards Reviews Things Remembered

cindy — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 19:26:03 +0000

After my horse, Scatman, passed away I received a beautiful bracelet from one of my co-workers. She purchased the heart bracelet from Things Remembered and had it inscribed with “In My Heart Forever” on one side and “Scatman” on the other. I haven’t stopped wearing it since the day that I got it and thought that you might like to see it. It’s a special piece of jewelry to celebrate a special life.

Things Remembered is a great place to buy gifts that will celebrate a life, an occasion, or a memory. With the Things Remembered coupons and cash back from Sunshine Rewards, you will be giving a gift that is affordable yet memorable. Check them out for wedding gifts, anniversary gifts, and all of the other moments in your life that you want to remember. Here’s a look at my special gift from Things Remembered.

She Shops Around 2: The Gift of Food

angie — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 14:24:59 +0000

Angie and Cindy joined me again for our second run at podcasting. Everyone who knows us knows that we love our food merchants! To celebrate Angie’s birthday and prepare for upcoming holidays like Easter and Mother’s Day, we decided to review three of our favorite food and drink merchants: wine.com, Cheryl & Co., and Mrs. Prindables.

wine.com review: Learn more about how to use the wine.com reviews and rating system to pick wines for yourself as well as others. wine.com has a huge selection of wines at different prices as well as gift suggestions.

Cheryl & Co. review: One of my favorite all-time sites for both my own family and gift ideas. Cheryl & Co. is loved by Sunshine Rewards members because of their quality and good prices. We talk cookies, brownies, and Cheryl Oh’s. Be sure to also check out our Cheryl & Co. video reviews (Sunshine Rewards Reviews Cheryl & Co and Holiday Treats from Cheryl & Co).

Mrs. Prindables review: By far one of the most impressive gifts that you can send. Across the board, Mrs. Prindables gets high marks for their chocolate covered caramel apples. Watch our Mrs. Prindable’s Awesome Apple video review to see an actual apple as it is delivered.

Don’t forget to use the Sunshine Rewards link above for all three merchants so that you can not only take advantage of our coupons and discounts but also get cash back.

Emitations “Brilliant” Jewelry Cleaning Set Video

Tricia — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 16:32:10 +0000

You’ve spent your money on beautiful jewelry. Now are you doing what it takes to keep it looking like new? Maybe you picked up some jewelry at a rummage sale and want to make it sparkle like it cost a fortune? It’s quick, easy, and cheap to shine up your jewelry with the Jewelry Cleaning Set from Emitations.

Check out this video explaining how to use the Brilliant Restorer in conjuction with the Jewelry Polishing Cloth. The Jewelry Cleaner itself is $6.99, but you can get it with the cloth as a set for $12.50. Don’t just buy them for yourself. These would make great gifts and giveaways. Be sure to visit Sunshine Rewards for the latest Emitations coupons.

Ghirardelli Chocolate Deals at Sunshine Rewards

Tricia — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 16:45:11 +0000

When Angie and I found out that we were going to be getting some Ghirardelli Chocolate to make a video with, we had a bit of a hard time deciding who was going to get the samples. You see, we are both Ghirardelli Chocolate lovers. So we compromised and decided to make the video together!

Ghirardelli Chocolate has been a favorite chocolate brand in the United States for over 150 years–with good reason. The chocolate is of excellent quality at affordable prices. Whether you are looking for a $7 gift tin or a $200 holiday basket, Ghirardelli Chocolate has something for everyone.

Check out our video below and then visit Sunshine Rewards for Ghirardelli Chocolate coupons, discounts, and free shipping. Plus, act quickly and take advantage of our increased cash back.