Hamperific will be closed....

Hi there!

Just a quick note to let you know that Hamperific will be closed until the 5th of January, 2010.

Have a great festive season and New Year!

Kirsty

First ever "gift-away" at the Gift Assistant...

Why hello there! Many of you might know that I have another blog called the Gift Assistant... it is a place where I can help people with their gift queries and do some features on some of the suppliers I use, such as Aroma Beauty.

If you haven't already checked it out, may I recommend doing so as we have our first ever "gift-away" of some divine Sexie Coffie.

Looking forward to seeing you soon and Merry Christmas!

Anniversary ideas from the Gift Assistant - coming soon!

Struggling to find thoughtful, meaningful and perhaps unique anniversary gifts?

Join the Gift Assistant every Friday where we will be looking at each of the anniversary years and the traditional and modern gift themes.

Don't leave it to the last minute and risk a crappy gift - get organised and be happy to give something special to your love!

Shaving set - perfect practical Father's Day gift

A quick pic of the Shaving Set available from Hamperific. Postage may be available outside of Mackay, so please email me or call me on 07 4942 8228 for more information!

NEW Father's Day gift ideas

Woohoo! I am excited to say that FINALLY I have added my new gift ideas to Hamperific's webpage!

Only a week to go until Father's Day and I have two fantastic BRAND NEW gift ideas for that special man.

Firstly is the Wine Bottle Case. This little beauty is perfect for BBQ and BYO restaurants when you want to take your own special drop.

These are also a bargain for $30 delivered to Mackay and surrounding suburbs. Just add Dad's favourite drop and you are sure to be in the good books!

Next up is the Shaving Set. These include a lovely plush cotton hand towel, a quality Italian-made shaving brush and a devine Cedarwood and Spice soap from Aroma Beauty.

The soap is especially made for men and shaving and lathers up beautifully. Packaged in a box with ribbons and a card, the Shaving Set is $40 delivered to Mackay and surrounding suburbs.

Hamperific also has the ever popular BBQ Bonanza and Chocolate Bouquets for Dad if food is more his forte...

For pricing for delivery outside of Mackay, please email me!

Happy Father's Day!

Stunning creations from Caroline Mitchell

Whilst on my trip to the Reed Gift Fair in Brisbane earlier this month I met Melissa from Caroline Mitchell, a New Zealand company named after the founder and creative spirit who sadly passed away.

Melissa was showcasing the new range of exquisite hanging decorations exclusive to Caroline Mitchell and all were eye catching to say the least. The range includes Australian native flora and fauna as well as some more traditional icons such as the Aussie flag and the Sydney Opera house.

Each handmade animal and flower almost comes to life with intricate detailing consisting of stitches of metal threads and embroidery, sequins and beads and to chose the one I liked the best is impossible.

So what do you use them for? Only lack of imagination will find you short of ideas, but some of the suggestions include the obvious such as using them as decorations on Christmas trees, include them in the wrapping of a gift instead of a bow, hang from doorknobs or dresser drawers, or tie one around the neck of a bottle for a stunning presentation.

According to Melissa they are like "Earrings for the home". Wherever you use them they are sure to be noticed!

This festive season I plan to carry a selection of Caroline Mitchell’s beautiful creations at Hamperific. For more information, drop me a line at Hamperific.

Making broken bones a little less painful...

My philosophy for Hamperific is to sell things that I like and that I have tested personally. There was one gift basket that has been in my planning stages but not yet ready for sale that I didn't really want to test - the Broken Bones pack.

I know I promised a post on the trends for 2009 from the Reed Gift Fair, but unfortunately due to an accident at soccer (last week) I have had to take it easy from work - mainly because it is tiring typing one handed!

So at the moment I am now trialling first hand the products I was planning to include in my Broken Bones pack: a decorative cast cover from Busted Bling and a waterproof cast cover from Limbo!

Both of these products are fantastic and I can highly recommend them. I selected the zebra skin for my decorative cast cover, but there are many different colours available. Busted Bling was the brain child of Peta Ware who is from Townsville and I am happy to be her Mackay stockist.

Limbo is a fantastic company in Cairns run by Gretchen. The waterproof cast covers are an absolute must for showering and, believe it or not, taking a dip in the pool! Manufactured in Great Britain, they are a real lifesaver and great for the environment - no more Gladwrap!

So what is in the Broken Bones package I hear you ask. Well, it has to include a Busted Bling cast cover and a Limbo. Then there will be a gift voucher from Video Ezy (or Blockbuster) and some snacks to get through the movie fest! Cost will vary depending on the break - an arm, leg, wrist etc, but this will surely bring a smile to your recipient's face as a unique gift.

For more information, contact me at Hamperific!

Have a great weekend,

Kirsty

Reed Gift Fair here I come!

Just thought I would let you know that tomorrow I am off to check out the Reed Gift Fair in Brisbane. Ok, truth be know I am as excited as a kitty in a fish market to be checking out all the latest trends in gifts and gift giving!

I am ducking down for the day only, so will be beack late tomorrow evening with a head full of sensational new gifts, ready for Father's Day and of course Christmas.

Watch this space for some of the gorgeous new things soon to be available through Hamperific!

Have a great weekend!

Exciting news!

Wow, finally I have managed to get my NEW blog up and running... It is called the Gift Assistant and you can check it out here.

What is the Gift Assistant all about, I hear you ask! Well, it is a place where people can ask me about finding that perfect gift for their special occasion. Some of the gift suggestions can be bought from Hamperific and others through various other places (lots of online stores), so it isn't just about hampers and gift boxes, I promise!

This is very exciting and I hope to be able to give some unique and original gift idea advice. So, if you would like to ask about your gift dilemma, email me here.

Best wishes and happy giving!

Interesting gift request

Well last week came and went in amongst technological interruptions, but thankfully I will still able to fulfill a request all the way from Canada!

A lovely lady by the name of Maya was looking for a grocery hamper to send to her partner, Rowan who was in Mackay for the show.... Knowing what the show lifestyle is like, Maya knew that her beau did have ready access to wholesome foods and figured that it would be a HUGE surprise for his birthday that was on Friday just gone.

So, with the wonders of the internet Maya Googled terms like "home delivery" and "grocery deliveries" and came up with nothing. A little further research and she found Hamperific! Figuring that Hamperific might be a little more flexible than the regular florists she contacted me and asked for a custom made gift for Rowan.

I always like a challenge and so her request was no problem, even when I had to obtain a real red rose, a slice of birthday cake and a newspaper to deliver with the gift! This hamper required a little bit of thought and consideration as Rowan lives in a van and can prepare his meals with just a kettle and microwave and has limited space. Well, I fulfilled the request and everyone seemed very happy - Rowan had fresh fruit, veges and pantry goods all in a collapsible crate, complete with a Mars bar muffin (his fav chocolate) and a Geelong Cats stubby cooler to boot.

Here is a photo of the delivery with Rowan just a little bit more than dumb-founded.... fancy his love organising such a gift from Canada!

Wonderful feedback from Mother's Day

It almost seems so long ago now, but Mother's Day was quite an event this year. Definitely no sleep in for this Mum of one as I packed up my gifts at 6:00am to be a part of the Mackay Troppo Markets.

I had completed my Mother's Day deliveries on the Saturday before so could focus my attention on the huge market day ahead of me (thank goodness!) and arrived home Sunday afternoon to find some fabulous feedback that I have to share with you all.

Samantha from Ball Bay had purchased her Mother one of Hamperific's signature Chocolate Bouquets which also included a foil balloon. Even I will admit that it looked stunning and had that many chocolates even a chocoholic would have struggled!

In her email Samantha says: "Just thought I'd send you this photo of mum with her beautiful hamper. She absolutely loves it and I have had so many people ask me about it and you so you may get some more enquiries sometime soon. Thanks so much again, it is such a beautiful hamper and you certainly have put a lot of work into it which is great."

So here is a pick of Rhonda enjoying Mother's Day with her Chocolate Bouquet. Doesn't it look delicious?

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Celebration dates

I hope all you Mums out there had a lovely, relaxing Mother's Day yesterday!

I spent most of the day at the local Troppo Markets meeting lots of happy Mums who were out and about making the most of their day...

Now Mother's Day has passed I wanted to let you know about my new page on Hamperific for Celebration Dates. The idea behind this is to keep one place where the major reasons to celebrate are all in one spot.

So you can even bookmark it and keep ahead of when events such as Father's Day falls.

I would love to add to this list with other celebrated events, so please make sure you let me know of others that you celebrate so I can put them on the list!

Check out the Celebration Dates page and let me know!

Have a happy Monday!!

Hamperific's E-Newsletter out now

Thanks to all of you who have checked out my Mother's Day gifts online and given me feedback, it is all very much appreciated!

I also wanted to let you know that I have finalised my first ever E-Newsletter that makes mention of the Mother's Day gifts that I have added to the web, with one more gift that is available to E-Newsletter subsribers only.

If you would like to join the mailing list, subscribe online at http://www.hamperific.com.au/page2.htm or drop me a line at hampers@hamperific.com.au

I intend to send out the E-Newsletters only when I have a complete range ready. There is nothing worse than getting 10 emails from the same organisation when 1 would have been enough!

The next edition will include information about upcoming baby gifts, eco-friendly gift boxes and some other great new products I have been able to source.

It will also hopefully include an update about how I am going to go national (scary!!).

Be safe and enjoy your weekend!
Kirsty

Mother's Day: What's hot when the budget's not

With Mother's Day on the horizon some families are wondering how they are going to celebrate Mum's special day now that money is tight.

According to Kirsty Mawer of Hamperific, this Mother's Day is all about meaning rather than the price tag.

"Mums want to know that you appreciate their help, support and love and you don't need to buy a diamond ring to say 'thanks' ".

Now with the economy the way that it is, each shopper has many options to find that perfect gift at the best price. But for those whose family budget is a bit tight, there is no need for Mum to miss out.

"Now is an exciting time for thinking about getting creative and experimenting with things around the house," says Kirsty.

Practical gifts are certainly the way to go when funds are tight, but practical doesn't have to equal boring.

"With a little bit of thought kids can get really crafty to make great gifts. Try making drink coasters from cardboard, leftover wrapping paper and a piece of contact for a waterproof covering. Find some cheeky photos to add a truly personal touch".

But if you're not into paper crafts and still want something practical and special for Mum, why not try a selection of herbs. Scouting around the local garage sales might find you an attractive basket, or purchase a hanging basket to pot a gift that will last beyond Mother's Day.

"Gifts that have dual uses or the wrapping is also part of the present are extra special. Besides reducing waste it is also a bonus for the recipient".

Kirsty attributes the popularity of her signature Chocolate Bouquets to this philosophy.

"After consuming the tasty parts of the bouquet the recipient has a great ceramic pot to use. Whether it is for potting a plant or using it as a pen holder, it is a useful container".

Since Hamperific began in October last year, the Chocolate Bouquet has been evolving.

"People have recognised that my Chocolate Bouquets are great gifts, but can also be ideal as table decorations for special events. Now I have created a shorter bouquet to suit the market".

"I have also adapted the bouquet to create a healthy snack version for those who don't want chocolate", Kirsty explains.

And Hamperific's Chocolate Bouquets won't break the bank either starting at just $40 delivered to Mackay and surrounding suburbs this Mother's Day.

If you would like to see a tutorial on "Making Coasters", post a comment below!

For more cheap and practical gift ideas or to find out about the bouquets, visit www.hamperific.com.au or call Kirsty on 4942 8228.

Secretary's Day 2009

Wow, last Wednesday was Secretary's Day 2009!

I worked as a Personal Assistant for some time in my previous life and I don't ever remember celebrating this wonderful event... I am assuming that it was because the boss didn't know that Secretary's Day, or "Administrative Professionals' Day" (the politically correct title) was an official day on the celebration calendar!

Well, I hope that is why it wasn't celebrated!

So, you may be wondering how a boss would show their recognition of a job well done for these "Administrative Professionals". According to some sites, flowers, chocolates and stationary are socially acceptable as are clocks and other timepieces (watches maybe?).

Now, I don't know about you, but if I ever received a clock or watch from my boss, I wouldn't be thinking about them appreciating all my hard work, but maybe a subtle hint that I should get to work a bit earlier?

It wouldn't be hard to think of what I would have liked for this day, if my boss knew about it... a Chocolate Bouquet would have been one of them... Or even one of my Living Vases ...

I would love to hear if you have ever received a gift to celebrate "Administrative Professionals' Day" or even Secretary's Day.

Drop me a line and tell me all about it! In the meantime, I hope you had a fabulous "Administrative Professionals' Day" all you lovely, hard working office professionals!

Kirsty