Summer Birthday? Terrific Gift Ideas

re you looking for the ideal birthday gift for a friend or a child with a summer birthday? Summertime opens up all sorts of unique gift ideas for birthdays and other occasions. Here are some suggestions for great summertime birthday gifts.

High End Gifts

Summertime is a great time to get a spectacular deal on high end high-tech gifts. With everyone on the move and enjoying the great outdoors, retailers go to great lengths to bring in buyers, and discounting the good stuff is a sure draw. If you've got a school-age kid getting ready to go off to college (or back to college) in the fall, you have two great times to pick up a new laptop at bargain prices - end of school sales and back to school sales. The May/June laptop sales are likely to be deep discounts on this school year's most wanted computers - as retailers and manufacturers clear the deck for the upcoming year's next-gen in tech. That laptop that had your techie kid drooling at the start of the school year is probably high on the ‘must have' list - and chances are you can get it at up to 25% cheaper than you could in September.

Digital cameras are another high-end summer birthday gift that's sure to please - but you don't have to go high end to make someone happy. You can set your pre-teen on the road to a spectacular summer with an inexpensive digital video camera. These items are some the hottest summer birthday gift items going. Give your summer birthday gift recipient the gift of summer memories. Digital video cameras are also great bon voyage gifts for summertime travelers. They're point and shoot simple, and it's just as easy to upload to your camera for emailing and posting to blogs.

Reasonably Priced Gifts

There are plenty of gift ideas that won't break the bank. These days, everyone has so many electronic gadgets that the accessory business is exploding. A great gift that someone is sure to enjoy is an accessory for their new gadget. Whether it is an mp3 player or a cell phone, there are numerous add-ons available which will only enhance the enjoyment of using their gadget of choice.

Summer Birthday Gifts for Kids

Summer time is a great time for kid birthday parties. All you need to do is hit the seasonal toy aisle and fill a basket. Some of the best picks for summertime birthday gifts for kids include:

Fill a beach pail with an assortment of penny candy and inexpensive summertime toys from the dollar store or toy aisle. Be sure to include:
A bottle of bubbles and blowing wands
At least one inexpensive water pistol. Include two for even more fun
Throw and catch with Velcro paddles or gloves
A paddleball

A whiffle ball and bat or other outdoor sporting goods. Summertime is the time for the great outdoors and birthday gifts that encourage activity are ideal summertime birthday gifts for kids. For the serious Little Leaguer, this is the time to invest in a new glove, ball or bat - and include a promise to hit some flies for practice a few evenings a week.
- Swim toys are great summertime gifts for the 7-10 year old set, but don't get them for the younger kids. Inflatable rafts, swim rings and water games are a great summertime birthday gift, especially if the family has a swimming pool. Do be careful about buying swim toys for toddlers and preschoolers, though. They could be a safety hazard.

Summertime Gifts the Whole Family Can Enjoy

Your birthday gift from the summertime birthday boy or girl can be fun for the whole family. Here are a few suggestions for summertime birthday gifts that are fun for the whole family.

- Lawn Games
Badminton, croquet, horseshoes and other lawn games are perennial favorites. Give one as a birthday gift, and you'll be providing the whole family with hours of summertime togetherness.

- A trip to the water park
Ask any kid where they want to go this summer, and they'll all tell you the same thing - the lure of the water park gets them all. Guarantee your spot as everybody's favorite auntie with a family pack of tickets to the local water, theme or amusement park.

- A trip to the mini-golf course
Most towns in the United States have at least one miniature golf course. This is a great gift the entire family can enjoy. Everyone can spend time together outside, enjoying a "friendly" game of mini-golf.

A Guide To Vintage Pattern Terminology

If you are considering sewing with vintage patterns, then you will definitely want to learn the terminology. Vintage patterns come with vintage terminology, not all of which may be familiar. Here are some of the terms you might encounter.

1. Continuous Lap: A strip of fabric cut on the straight grain and used to face edges of an opening or slit in a garment.

2. Jabot: A ruffle or cravat-like accent attached to the front of a dress or blouse.

3. Lapped Seam: A seam in which one seam allowance edge is lapped over the seam allowance of its joining piece and stitched.

4. Pin tuck: Very small tucks stitched just a pin's width from the fold to slightly shape a garment piece. In the late 1920's, a series of pin tucks were often applied across the naural waistline of a frock for shaping and detail.

5. Plaits: An array of narrow (known today as "knife") pleats often applied at the hem of a dress, the ends of sleeves, or around the neck opening.

6. Shirring: Three or more rows of gathers made by small running stitches in parallel lines. The rows are spaced as desired.

7. Slide Fastener: The original term for zippers.

8. True Bias: Fabric that is cut at a precise 45-degree angle to the fabric grain line.

9. Toile: The French term for fabric pattern. Originally pertained to the muslin test garment.

Today, with the help of the internet and the popularity of all things vintage, it's easier than every to acquire vintage patterns. Sewing with the real-deal pattern in its original form is a great experience and a fun way to re-create those wonderful designs from the past. I hope the above glossary of terms will help you easily navigate the world of vintage patterns.