AnythingJoes.com - personalized childrens gifts

First Day of School, Are they ready with Personalized School Gear?

Thu, 12 Aug 2010 21:57:00 -0400

"My hair is washed, my sneakers squeak, I'm so excited, I can hardly speak!

New things to do, new friends to meet-- Hooray! It's the first day of school!"

Is this how your kids are feeling?? Maybe not, but there is definitely excitement in the air. First day of school activities include a new classroom, desk assignment, roll call from a new teacher, new subject matter, making new friends and of course sizing up the kids around you....who's got what, who's cute and who's not.

The school and teachers have prepared you with a list of needed school accessories, trying to make sure everyone is prepared and on equal footing, but you know you want your child to have the edge. Not only are you concerned with whether their personalized backpack will hold up, but is it cool enough for them to be proud of how they look heading into class? Don't fool yourself, these things are of great importance to kids of every age from kindergarten right on through High School.

For the parent, first day of school can be very emotional. Your little one is heading off to begin the next phase of their life. You are not able to be there to pick them up when they fall or make sure they are understood, you always know just what they mean, but will that new teacher? Many parents would love to get to know the teacher from the start, but sometimes you are not able to meet them for more than a second and from this chance meeting decide if this person will be the best for your child. Scary stuff for the first timer, but it will get easier. You've given your child the tools they need, they know how to interact, they know how to behave (hopefully) and now it's up to them. Of course, it never hurts to "get to know the teacher" by having a special teacher gift for this person who will become such a big part of their life.

At Anything Joe's we help parents select the bags and accessories they will need for the upcoming school year. But we also help the parents find items to help build memories. We have Grade School Memory Books and our First Day at School Frame is one you will cherish for years.

Best of luck to all Mom's and Dad's sending their little ones off to that very first day of school this year. Remember that we are here to help you with your child's school needs whether it's personalize lunch boxes or personalized backpacks or just hanging on to the first day of school memories.

Choosing Dance Gear, a Dance Bag for Dance Class

Thu, 15 Jul 2010 10:48:00 -0400

Bags are an accessory that a girl of any age can hardly live without. In the early ages, a girl carries it first for toys, then for other items as she grows. Then there are specific ones for specific purposes such as a school bag or backpack for books, a kid's bag for a mother to store toys clothes and bottle, gym bags and if the girl follows the suit of so many, a dance bag.

Dance Gear is cool and fun. A dance bag has its own specific features and uses. Of interest is that they can be of multiple different designs, shapes and sizes for different types of people. Usually children and specially girls prefer them in pink shades with black accents or vice versa. Duffel bags are the most common ones that are used to store your dancing gear, as they are convenient and compact, perfect for the older dancers. For younger girls our Dance Teacher friends recommend just an open shoulder tote as the younger ones have a hard time with the zippers of a duffel. Besides they are just so cute when you leave them at the door with their little shoulder tote!

Usually dance bags require space enough for a change of clothing, shoes and some other items. Other than duffel, totes are also used just as much. Shoulder bags are also used quite a lot to keep your dancing gear, and the choice depends upon the user as to what type they want. Girls usually prefer small compact ones that have just enough space to hold the necessary items. If they take several styles of dance and spend a lot of time at the dance studio Some dance bags are just basic black bare bones and others are highly decorated with designs, embellishments like sequins, appliqued designs, etc. Serious Dance Students are more about the functionality than trying to be cute.

So if your child is headed for " So you think you can dance " then get the bag that will take them all the way there. Take into consideration the type of class your child will be taking. Tap and jazz have larger, harder shoes and while ballet shoes are smaller, they do require specific care to last.

So to sum up briefly, Choose an open dance tote for younger girls, 2-5, duffles or larger totes for middle age to older dancers. Save the Garment Bag for Christmas Gift Giving as they probably will not need this until spring recital or Dance Competition.

At www.anythingjoes.com we have a wide selection of personalized dance bags from which to choose. We hope we can be of assistance in your search for the Perfect Dance Bag.

Back to school, Choosing a Kids Backpack

Sat, 10 Jul 2010 21:34:00 -0400

Back to school....dreaded, exciting, feared and anticipated. The term means different things to all of us. Back to school means one thing to a kid and another to their parent. At Anything Joe's this is an important time of year to us...helping parents and their kids find the right school gear.

For the kids, a new grade, new teachers, new friends, new chance to start over each year. To Moms and Dads it means expenses. Buying backpacks, lunchbags, fees for teams, clubs and activities. For many choosing school backpacks and lunch boxes is a summer long process. It seems to begin the moment school is out for the summer. Choosing backpacks for school is an important part of preparing for the upcoming year. It has to fit with back to school fashions and be durable to last the entire school year.

Since the pricing of school backpacks has increased, more and more Moms and Dads are taking a very close look at the construction and durability factor. For the boys in the family it is less about find a "cute" bag that stands out and more about a "cool" backpack that will fit in. For the girls, it is all about "trendy", cute and making a statement, "I'm girly, I'm not girly. For girls the backpack and school gear is a little more revealing about their personality and maybe wanting to stand out. For the guys, they just don't want to stand out at all, they just want to be one of the guys.

Here are some important tips when shopping for backpacks.

Since many retail stores stock backpacks from only a few different manufacturers, it's important to visit different stores while searching for a backpack.
Before looking at the price tag and manufacturer, try a backpack on to see how it fits. Then, look at the price and manufacturer to determine if the backpack is adequate. Remember that buying a backpack that fits well and is well constructed could save your back a lot of stress over the course of a school year.
If possible, load the backpack that you are considering purchasing with heavy items. A weighted backpack feels and fits differently than one that is empty.

What to look for:

Thick, well padded shoulder straps
Shoulder straps that can be easily adjusted
2 straps rather than 1. Weight should be easily distributed across your back
Stitching that does not expand when pulled
Lightweight and durable

We hope this tips will help. At Anything Joe's we carefully choose the backpacks we offer. Not all of our backpacks are intended for school and heavy books, if you have any questions please do not hesitate to email your questions to: anythingjoesonline@yahoo.com

What's in a name, Choosing a name for my Baby!

Wed, 30 Jun 2010 10:43:00 -0400

As a Personalized Gifts for Kids store, we are exposed to every name imaginable and some very unique baby names. And we certainly enjoy seeing all the varieties that parents can come up with for their Baby Names. Baby names are a big issue in the process of having a new child. Some go with family names, some use the name of a favorite entertainer, and of course some name after Grandpa or Grandma. And some spend weeks and months looking for just that one unique name.

According to Parents magazine section on Baby Names, Aiden was at the top of the list for Baby Boy Names for 2007 - 2009 along with Jacob, Michael, Ethan, Joshua, Daniel, Alexander, William and Matthew. Baby Girl Names were Isabella, Isabel, Bella has been the top girls name for the last two years followed by Emma, Emily, Sophia, Abigail, Elizabeth and Chloe. All classic names that have been around for centuries. So obviously a name is a way to pass on heritage as well as uniqueness.

If we could spot a trend besides classical names in choosing baby names, it is that parents want a name that will be unique and give their child some individuality 'from the git go'. Lately we have had many customers choosing the phonetic spellings or changing usual letters to different ones. For instance choosing Rel as their daughters name, (but it was pronounced Ariel like the mermaid.) Another example of this would be changing the name Isaiah to Issaiyah. Different and individual to be sure.

While we don't have have favorite baby names we do know that choosing baby boy names or baby girl names will have an impact throughout their lives. So take your time for this important decision.

As far as keeping the baby names secret until the time of delivery, this can be fun and add some intrigue to the event. However keep in mind the grandparetns. It is extremely frustrating to the grandparents ready to lavish gifts upon the next generations brightest star. It is fun to go ahead and let everyone know so they can bring personalized baby gifts to the shower and you can begin personalizing your nursery and have their little room ready when they return from the hospital. But the choice is yours. Secrets are fun too!

Gifts like personalized piggy banks, door signs and canvas artwork are a great way to celebrate the naming of a new baby and making their room their own personalized haven from the very beginning. It will also help when they begin learning their letters and spelling since the name is usually the first word we teach them to spell and recognize.

Best of luck in your search for the baby names in your family. We hope to be able to put this carefully chosen name on a personalized gift for them in the future.

Tell us your unique names. we love to see what names you have for us to personalize with!!

Spring Dance Recitals

Mon, 22 Mar 2010 11:17:00 -0400

This is the time of year that all dance schools end their year with the infamous "spring recital". If you have ever been to one, you know the thrill of seeing that 4 year old standing out on stage in pure shock and amazement as they see an auditorium full of folks looking "just at them".

Tutus and Tap Shoes, fancy outfits and way too much makeup make this a great opportunity for photos and special memories. A great way to congratulate them and get them prepared for another year of dance would be a new Dance Bag to take to the recital or give them afterward.

Check out our extensive selection of bags and please make suggestions for other dance gifts. New this year is a "Dance Shadowbox" that gives us a place to personalize with the date and location of that special recital and room to preserve tickets, programs, etc., safely.

Click here to view some ideas.

Making Easter Special

Mon, 22 Mar 2010 11:07:00 -0400

As we near the finish line for the Easter holiday gift buying, it has been exciting to see everyone that starts a new family Tradition with the Easter Holiday, a personalized basket for a new baby or toddler that they can use every year, The Golden Egg, The Bunny House, Easter Buckets and bags. We hope you will share with us how your family celebrates Easter and how the Easter Bunny makes his delivery. When I was growing up, we actually left carrots on the front steps and that is where we would find our baskets!! The bunny would also leave a few eggs scattered around the yard so we would do our own family egg hunt before heading off to church to celebrate and then the big lunch at Grandma's!

To personalize or not to personalize? That is the question!

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 09:10:00 -0400

Obviously we believe personalized gifts are the way to go. Our thousands of customers back us up on this idea. Of course you could get carried away, but in general, gifts that the child will use are all enhanced by adding their name. They add a sense of pride, the "this is mine" attitude that every child exhibits when they are young. So gifts for their room, banks, plaques, pillowcases, etc. with their name are a natural....to them it supports the idea of "I am special". It also says that the person giving the gift put some thought into it!

Items for use "out in the world" may need a little more consideration. For toddler bags, diaper bags, dance bags and backpacks, take into consideration the age of the child and the circumstances the item would be used. For the daycare crowd, names are fine since they are always under adult supervision, always with mom or dropped off personally at the door of a daycare facility or loving grandparents and then picked up by the parents. It also helps the youngest children learn to recognize their name. Also in daycare or dance class settings, it keeps their bags and items safe from "disappearing".

If the child is slightly older and may be "on their own" out in public some, a monogram of their initials or a single initial may be the better way to go on gifts like backpacks. But again the name is perfectly fine in the dance school setting. You may find that most girls will still prefer their name on items until they are in late high school. The "monogram" seems a little too grown up to many.

Love to hear your thoughts on this, please post them here!