Twitter ye not!

A very quick post this one.... Fabulous Photo Gifts is now on Twitter!

Twitter has been compared to the old telegraph system put onto the net.

You can communicate with other Twitters via online, email or SMS.

Here's a link to our profile as we dip our feet into Twitter and evaluate its social networking opportunities as another way to keep in touch with our customers and visitors. You'll see our latest 'twitters' in the twitter panel on the right hand side of this blog.

Oh nearly forgot - here's the link.

http://twitter.com/fabphotogifts - click here to visit.

Square Photo Coasters that look round

A bit like Willy Wonka's square sweets that look round, we've just introduced a new addition to our very popular Photo Gift line-up.

Now you can personalise round (that's circular for those of you of a more technical nature) coasters with your own photographs, online at Fabulous Photo Gifts.

Measuring 9cm in diameter, these glossy finish coasters are green baize backed and come in a set of 4. They're also available with a wooden holder option.

So if you like things to look round instead of square, click here to order a set of personalised photo round coasters today.

Finding a reputable tradesman is harder than it looks

It can be really hard finding a reputable tradesman or company to carry out any kind of home improvement for you – from a simple dripping tap problem to the larger projects like garage and loft conversions, driveways, double glazing and conservatories.

The best tradesmen are usually the ones that come recommended but, if you're new to an area, or you don't see your neighbours very often, then where do you find the recommended companies in the first place?

Luckily, I came across a website that seems to be addressing this problem. They have their own network of approved craftsmen, who have a high customer feedback score based on their own independent survey of home improvement companies.

Quite simply, they do all the work for you – their own advisers will visit you, agree the work and confirm a price. You can then either book and reserve the job there and then or you get your own login details to go back online and check availability of local craftsmen and reserve them for a later date.

I thin it's a really innovative approach to home improvement. They do all the work – finding the best craftsmen, booking the work, handling all the payments and liasing with the companies as the work progresses.

Here's a clip from their website- “Are you looking for a genuine craftsmen to improve your home? Real craftsmen aren't easy to find. They don't advertise because they don't need to. The quality of their work speaks for itself.
Real craftsmen work on recommendation, they're the home improvement industry's Best Kept Secrets. Now, thanks to the biggest ever online survey asking homeowners to rate home improvement companies, we've identified, inspected and selected the best installers to join our independent, nationwide network of elite craftsmen.”

As they say themselves... the best to choose a home improvement company is on the recommendation of others!

Click here to visit the All Craftsmen website.

FabPhoto T.V. Exclusive!

Coming soon.... FabPhoto T.V - Exclusive!

Surrounded as we are by hundreds of peoples photos every day, we've decided it's about time our customers got to share their photo gift giving occasions with everyone else.

So we're launching FabPhoto T.V – our very own 'T.V channel' – your chance to put your photo's or video's of you or someone you know using / wearing / displaying their personalised photo gift from Fabulous Photo Gifts, online on our exclusive 'channel'.

Lots more details coming later – we just wanted to wet your photographic appetites and inspire budding Spielberg's to dust off the box brownies and super 8 cine's and get filming. They'll be prizes for best entries and a lot of fun!

Well don't watch this space – go and get filming and photographing! If you've got any ideas or things you'd like to see on FabPhoto T.V, drop us a line and we'll see what we can do.

In the meantime, here's some classic personalised photo gift moments to inspire you:

Meeting someone at the airport, wearing photo t-shirts
Birthday / anniversary celebration
Someone opening their pesonalised photo gift
Someone completing their personalised photo jigsaw
Someone drinking a cup of tea out of their personalised mug
Making a sandwich on a personalised chopping board (why not make it part of a recipe video or safety in the home video?)
'Puppet shows' using personalised teddy bears or props in bottle t-shirts

We're working on our own video storyboard which will feature the kids showing you how to use our website and order a photo gift online (don't worry – they won't get the credit cards! Not that they don't ask!!)so watch out for that late May 2008.

Click here to visit our 'Contact Page' for details to send your photo's or videos too or leave a comment below. Sorry – we can't promise to return your FabPhoto T.V submissions so we suggest emailing any materials or enclose stamped , addressed envelopes if you want pictures returning.

NORMAL PHOTO GIFT ORDERS WILL STILL HAVE PHOTOGRAPHS / CD'S RETURNED AS PER OUR STANDARD ORDERING TERMS & CONDITIONS.

Recipe - Lamb Shank Shepherds Pie

Lamb Shank Shepherds Pie with Parsnip Mash

Serve with plenty of green vegetables and /or crusty bread - a delicious Winter warmer.

Re-created here by the Black Swan - Reproduced here courtesy of All Things Local Community Magazine.

Fabulous Photo Gifts sponsor the monthly online photo competition - click here to personalise a photo gift now.

Method:

1. Pre-heat your oven to gas 3/160-170 degrees. In a large frying pan, brown the shanks all over until a good even rich brown colour is achieved, transfer to a deep tray big enough to occupy them and also fit into your oven.

2. To this tray add the carrot, celery, onion, garlic, rosemary, Worcestershire sauce, stock cube and enough hot water (boil the kettle a couple of times) to come ¾ of the way up the shanks, transfer the tray to the oven and cook uncovered for 3-3 ½ hrs, turning the shanks every hour or so (exposing part of the shank like this allows the natural sugars in the meat to caramelise slowly and create a better finish to the dish).

3. While your lamb is cooking put your parsnips and potato in a pan deep enough to occupy them and enough cold water to cover, season the water with salt and bring to the boil, boil for a further 10-12 minutes until a knife passes through the vegetables with ease. Drain the parsnips & potato in a large colander and mash (but wait until the steam has ceased rising from the vegetables this will help render a dryer, firmer mash rather than a wet, sloppy one). Season well with salt and pepper and put to one side, do not refrigerate or allow to cool completely or it will be very difficult to work with in the final step.

4. Once the lamb meat is falling away from the bone with ease remove the tray from the oven and carefully pour the liquor/stock from the corner of the tray into a deep pot which will fit in your fridge. Wait around 45 minutes until your stock is merely warm and then place the pot in the fridge for at least an hour or so until the fat has set solid on top of the liquor. While you are waiting for this to happen slide the meat off the shanks into individual bowls or one big one, discarding all bones and any fatty sinew from the skin. Divide the peas between the dish or dishes.

5. Return to your liquor, carefully lift the fat which should be solid (if it isn’t solid use a ladle) away from the stock, bring the stock back to the boil and reserve the fat separately. Estimate roughly how much ‘gravy’ you shall need to just cover the meat in the dish or dishes and allow the stock to reduce until that amount is rendered, while it is still boiling whisk in the gravy granules a little at a time until the stock is thickened, remove any rosemary sprigs that remain and pour the ‘gravy’ over the meat in the dish(s) until meat is just covered/not swimming! Any extra can be reserved for later.

6. Return to your mash, using two spoons divide the mash evenly over the filling(s) and rough up a little with a fork, place tiny spots of the reserved fat on top of the mash, don’t go mad you just need a tiny amount! (discard the rest or save in the fridge for up to a week as cooking fat for Yorkshire pudding’s etc)

7. When you are ready to serve the pie preheat the oven to gas 5/6 or 200-210 degrees and cook the pie in the middle of the oven for about 15-20mins until the top is golden brown and the filling is trying to burst through.

Ingredients:

For the filling……….
4 Lamb shanks (use shoulder shanks as they are cheaper and are apt for this dish as the meat will be removed from the bone.)
2 carrots - diced
2 sticks celery - diced
1 small onion - diced
3 cloves of garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
2 good sprigs of rosemary
2tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 lamb stock cube

For the topping……..
6 parsnips - peeled & roughly chopped
1 large or 2 small potatoes - peeled and roughly chopped the same size as the parsnips

To finish……..
2 small handfuls of frozen peas
Pinch of salt & pepper
2-3 tbsp gravy granules

As Dean Martin sang - That's Amore

The Fabulous Photo Gifts postbag has been busting with more kind comments and recommendations of our fantastic (or should that be fabulous?) service during April.

Here's just a small selection of the typical comments we've received this month....

I received the jigsaw really quickly, and am delighted with it – L.B.

Thank you, thats fantastic! - K.M.

Just to let you know I received my jigsaw yesterday from you.
It is really nice and arrived quicker than you promised so many thanks, will be using you again in the future - M.S.

Wow, Thanks Mandy that's great, it's for a birthday this weekend so that's
the best news!! Thanks again – T.

I'm sure i will be ordering again as i like many items on your site – V.G.

How do we keep everybody so happy? Attention to detail, prompt reply to any queries, hand optimisation of each and every photograph sent with orders and of course, an ever increasing range of quality photo gift items you can personalise with your own photographs - all online, 24/7.

It's also very pleasing to report that our new deluxe photo panels have proved a big hit with customers - so much so that we'll be extending the range shortly with a special portrait desk stand option. Watch this space!

Father's Day - What my Dad has asked for on Father's Day

What my dad has asked for on Father's Day

What did my Dad ask for on Father's Day? In Typical Dad like fashion, he insisted we didn't spend any money or bother getting him anything - “Spend on yourself” he delighted in saying knowing full well that we would be getting him something, whether he liked it or not.

So once we'd got over the hurdle that actually getting him something for Father's Day was going to happen, the next question was what?

“Something in-expensive – Save your money for the kids” (OK we already got that bit) - “Something with a picture of the kids on it” (anything else?) “something useful”.

Luckily for us and you too, we knew of a fabulous photo gift company that have a range of gift ideas perfect for Dad. You simply choose your gift, upload your photo, pay at the online checkout and hey presto, your personalised photo gift arrives.

We went for a personalised photo mug for his favourite morning cuppa that comes complete with a teddy bear keyring personalised with Happy Father's Day all for under £12!

We could have chosen a stunning clock for his bedside or a chopping board for his daily sandwich making.

Actually, we'll probably save that one for his birthday and put a picture of his terrier on that instead.

So if, like us, you were stuck for a present idea for your Dad on Father's Day – Sunday June 17th 2008 – then your stuck days are over. Head over to Fabulous Photo Gifts website, choose a gift, upload your picture, pay online and let us worry about dear old Dad.

What would you like to see?

Hi readers and followers of all things Photo Gifts - particularly the Fabulous kind!

We're going to be using the next month to start adding new features and ideas to the Fabulous Photo Gifts website, including (hopefully) a facility to add a Fabulous Photo Gifts greeting card with your message printed inside it to accompany your personalised photo gift (especially useful if you're sending it to someone as a gift).

So anything else you'd like to see added? - leave your suggestions (by comment) here.

Photo Gifts make Publisher sit up and notice for Dubai Novelists

A transcript of Fabulous Photo Gift's latest Press Release as submitted to National Business Information .co.uk ....

Novelists in Dubai use Personalised Photo Jigsaws, showing their proposed book cover, to stand out to publishers courtesy of Fabulous Photo Gifts.

'Rush jobs' are part of everyday business, whether that's online e-commerce or not. So when a couple, living in Dubai contacted Derbyshire based Fabulous Photo Gifts, time wasn't on anybody's side.

The couple had quit the 'rat race' and travelled the world before settling back in Dubai and performing as motivational guest speakers around the world. They're currently writing their life journey called 'Go Smell the Flowers' and submitting the first manuscripts to publishers here in the UK.

They wanted to really catch the eye of the publishing house and after a short online dialogue, culminating in a very late night telephone call from Dubai, decided to use Fabulous Photo Gifts small wooden jigsaw puzzles, personalised with the cover of the book itself.

Of course, this was the weekend and the agent in London was leaving for the publishers Tuesday afternoon, so it was a case of working late sunday in order to allow enough cooling time to wrap and ship safely monday by recorded delivery.

The jigsaw book cover certainly made an impression with the publishers and agent alike and as an extra courtesy, we sent both a 15 and 24 piece for the agent to choose from, with the unused one being forwarded to Dubai directly by their agent.

“We received a lot of very positive comments from both our agent and the publisher about our 'marketing method' and will be using more of the same with future submissions” said Jim and Em.

In fact they were so delighted, that they're ordering other personalised items for when they visit the UK in the summer and have already promoted their photo gift experience on their own inspirational blog.

Technical Partner – Jonathan Crouch said “it's always nice to get such positive feedback, especially when you really go the extra mile to help a customer out. That's what Fabulous Photo Gifts is all about. Being small enough to cope with emergency requests as and when they occur, but also being able to provide that level of personal service which is often lacking in larger companies”.

“Their 'novel' approach to marketing a manuscript is yet another example of the potential our short run personalised photo gift service, to businesses and individuals looking for an edge to their marketing and PR efforts, can offer”.

For more information, please contact Fabulous Photo Gifts at www.fabulousphotogifts.co.uk

Doctor Who - Time Gentlemen Please

Unless you're actually travelling through time and space in your own personal Tardis, you can't have helped but notice that the new series of Doctor Who is going to be starting this Saturday (5th April).

Tantalising glimpses of the Doctor (played with a debonair flair by David Tennant) fighting off aliens with new companion Catherine Tate (Donna) (face - bothered!) are already online and in teaser adverts on BBC.

Which is pretty exciting if you're a Doctor Who fan (like us - well me anyway).

So then came a brilliant idea! Why not show Doctor Who episodes in pubs on their big televisions like they do the football?

I mean, surely, there's more supporters for Doctor Who than there is football - well the local every day games isn't there?

I'm sure they'd be a big hit. I must write to the breweries at once. If they had Sky+, they could pause it while you went to the bar for a refill (or the little boys/girls room)

Well, we thought it was a good idea.

It's great hearing from old friends

If we're all honest, most of us are lucky to count real friends on more than one hand. Not saying they'd drop everything to rush to your aid at a moments notice but friends that your always pleased to hear from.

So it was the other day when my good friend Simon dropped me an email to say Hi!

He runs his own online computer systems build and supply company (and he's rather good at it) specialising in unique system builds using quality components across a range of budgets and usages - home budget to serious gamer to business user etc.

We've always found his prices excellent, his service top notch and he's always been able to offer sound advice.

For example, on his website at the moment, he mentions Windows Vista and the Service Pack 1 fix that's just recently surfaced. Despite this, he knows that many customers still prefer Windows XP (either installed or to install themselves) and he is still happy to continue with XP as customers demand.

So if you like to do business with companies that come recommended, then we're very happy to recommend you to NSYS - The Computer System and Base Unit Specialists

Keep in touch Simon - now you've found my email address.