Here’s some great tips on finding the best gifts for a volleyball coach. Affordable gifts for a volleyball coach, and a few that cost a bit more as well. Let me know if you have other volleyball coach gift ideas.
This cute volleyball is a scaled down version of a real ball, but can easily be displayed on a shelf. Get the team to sign it in different colored Sharpies and you have a great coach gift.
Creativezazz’s own Net Threat design on a black t-shirt with “Coach” on the back. How cool is that? Other designs available through Cafepress and Printfection.
Top Quality Custom Volleyball Ceramic Travel Mug and Sigg Water Bottles
Custom creativezazz volleyball designs are now available on quality travel mugs and Sigg water bottles. Order these quality gifts for volleyball coaches through my Cafepress shop.
Custom creativezazz designs are now available at my Zazzle shop.
Looking for cool volleyball t-shirts or gifts? Creativezazz volleyball designs are up at my CafePress shops. Each design has a separate shop.
Just click on an image below to go to the right CafePress shop. Creativezazz CafePress shops include volleyball t-shirts and volleyball water bottles and volleyball mugs along with other great volleyball gifts. All designs are copyright creativezazz. Colorful, fun styles make great gifts for volleyball players or coachs.
You can also find my designs on t-shirts at Printfection and at Zazzle. All the shops have t-shirts, but each has some other items as well. Shop from the site that has the best promotion and save.
To go to a CafePress shop, click on the image you like below.
CafePress often has coupon codes. Check here to see if there is a current coupon at CafePress
Learning How to Surf at a Surf School Near San Diego
Catching a wave at San Elijo State Beach
I always hated the sand dripping from my brother’s wet suit in the shower growing up in Huntington Beach. He never cleaned out the tub. I adored the smell of the surf wax on his board though. I spent about a decade living at the beach, but I never tried surfing. I regret it now, not only because I missed out on the thrill of catching a wave, but because now I cannot teach my kids how to surf.
When my daughter wanted to try surfing during a camping trip to San Elijo a few years back, a friend took her out on his 10-foot surfboard, and she loved it. The next year we gave her a certificate for a surf lesson for a Christmas gift. When summer came we went back to San Elijo, which is in northern San Diego County, and she got her lesson at the Billabong Eli Howard Surf School located right in the campground. This summer she went back to the same surf school and her younger brother took a lesson there, too. See my review of this surf school below.
The surf instructor taking my kids out to the next wave.
If you’ve never surfed, but you want to help your kids want to try it, here’s some tips.
Follow basic safety precautions:
Make sure they are strong swimmers.
Make sure they have experience swimming in an ocean, not just a pool.
Make sure they know what a rip tide is, and how to swim perpendicular to the shore to get out of one.
The next step is to pick your beach and your instructor:
Pick a beach with one- two-foot waves that come in slow sets and a beach that does not have dangerous rocks. The season and time of day make a difference.
Pick an instructor who is patient and enjoys kids. A friend who surfs may work fine (and do it for free). But you might want to try a surf school for the very first time. These instructors have been trained in water safety. They also have experience in explaining a sport that is a bit hard to explain. Most important, they know how to help “launch” a beginning surfer. You will not have to buy or borrow a surfboard if you use a school as they usually have long foam boards. These board are easy to learn on and softer if they hit you in the water. Surf schools usually offer wetsuits during the lesson as well.
To find a surfing school, just Google the words “surf school” or “surf camp.”
My son's first surf lesson.
The school at San Elijo was professional. It offers private lessons, semi-private, or group. They also have surf camps for summer.
A great feature of this surf school is location. You can take camping gear and make a trip out of it. Surfing lessons are not inexpensive, but if you camp instead of staying at a fancy hotel, you can save in lodging.
The waves at his beach are perfect for beginners. The water is pretty warm . . . in late summer you do not even need a wetsuit. The vibe is good for families. And there are great restaurants nearby if you want to camp and fall asleep to the sound of the ocean, but do not want to do your own cooking.
If you are looking for a great gift idea for Christmas, a birthday, a graduation or another special occasion, a surf lesson may be a great idea.
Let me know if you have other suggestions for non-surfing parents who want to help their kids learn to surf.
If you are going to be out in the sun for long, use plenty of sun block and try Zinka the kind the hard core surfers use. They sell it at the camp store at San Elijo and you can get it at Amazon.
Also, be sure to take a camera so you can capture an experience they will want to remember.
We just got back from a great trip to the San Diego Zoo. We went with my brother who lives in San Diego.
Some tips:
Discount Tickets and Deals
Never pay full price. Be sure to do an search for online discounts and deals at San Diego Zoo. AAA has a coupon out now that gives you $9 off. You have to print out the coupon plus show your membership card. Usually the membership card gives you 10 percent off, but this is even better. You can also check discounts at Costco.
The Gorillas are one of the best exhibits.
Also, Mimi’s Cafe has some voucher you can get if you stop by. It allows you to buy an adult deluxe admission at the San Diego Zoo and get a free child admission.
You can also try eBay for discount tickets if you plan ahead.
If you plan to ride the little bus at the zoo (and you will if you want to see it all) then get the deluxe admission. In fact, it is kinda hard not to get the deluxe admission cause I don’t think they even list the regular admission at the gate. You have to ask for it. So if you are sure you do not want the bus then ask.
If you ride the bus, get in line early. My brother gave us a tip to sit on the right hand side of the bus. Both sides are Ok, but the right is the best. Also, sit on the top deck of the bus. You see more. Unless it is super hot.
Bring a camera with a zoom lens if you have one.
Panda at the San Diego zoo. See the pandas early to avoid the line. This is one of just a few zoos that has pandas.
There is sometimes a line at the panda exhbit so try to do that early. A panda cub was recently born so the mom and cub are off display. But there is another panda (pictured) you can still see live. you can see mom and cub online via a live panda web cam.
The koala exhbit is chock full of cuteness.
Do not miss the gorillas or the koalas.
The newest exhibit is Elephant Odyssey, which showcases the link between fossils and ancient species and the current animals, especially those of the California. While the exhibit is very well done, I still find it hard to watch elephants at the zoo. Even if the enclosre is large and well furnished, it’s hard to think these guys are happy. The exhibit is educational, however, and would be great for kids learning about evolution or fossils.
I sorta hate to see the cats (jaguar and tiger etc) pacing at the zoo as well. San Diego has nice enclosures, but any zoo still seems a jail in a way for some of the animals.
Overall, San Diego is one of the better zoos. We like the LA zoo as well, but this was great for a change.
The zoo has a great gift shop for souvenirs . . . but it is a little pricey. Visit it at the end of your trip so you do not have to carry purchases around. Or better yet, shop after you are home from Amazon (see links above for some great ideas).
Creativezazz’s exclusive “Net Threat” design can now be ordered with team numbers on the back. The back design features the same stylized volleyball swooshing down from a spike and fun lettering as the front.
volleyball t-shirt frontvolleyball t-shirt with number on back
You can order Net Threat shirts and other creativezazz design through printfection.com, a company known for quality print work and customer satisfaction. And printfection often has coupon codes, so be sure to check printfection or creativezazz on Twitter to see if there is a recent coupon code.
The volleyball team coach can show some style as well with a version of the t-shirt that says “coach” on the back. A great gift for a volleyball coach.
volleyball t-shirt with "coach" on back
If you want numbers on the back of any of my other designs, or want me to create a unique design for you, please let me know. Contact me at: emailcreativezazz.com. Thanks.
When we got the email congratulating us on winning one of the coveted tickets to Michael Jackson memorial, we had only nine minutes left to reply or lose the tickets!
In a rush we completed the transaction and got instructions to go to Dodger Stadium in person to get gold wristbands by 5 pm. Then came the emotional discussion of who should get to go. We had won two spots, but we have 4 family members.
Our 11-year-old daughter won out over our 9-year-old son, who was getting over what was probably swine flu.
My daughter and I jumped in the car and drove into LA before rush hour. Dozens of police greeted us as we approached Dodger Stadium parking lot. But everything went smoothly. We went to sleep that night with gold wristbands securely attached and tickets safely tucked into my wallet. We set the alarm early so we could use public transportation to get to Staples in plenty of time.
Tons of hype had surrounded this event with reports that thousands would be trying to get into Staples Center. But almost everyone we saw had the gold wristband like we had. A few vendors hawked Michael Jackson t-shirts or hastily-made programs. A small band of right-wing nuts carried hateful placards: “Michael will Burn in Hell!” Oh, and tons of cops. LA used about 3,000, way too many for this event. No wonder it cost several million.
Some in the city suggested after the fact that Michael’s family or promoter should pay the millions spent on the cops. But in the end the mayor said a city that bills itself as an entertainment capitol should be willing to pay.
Seeing the casket draped in red roses while a parade of singers and other celebrities talked about Michael Jackson was a surreal experience. You weren’t sure what to make of it all. Was the deceased “the greatest entertainer ever” as one speaker put it? Was he a freak who had taken advantage of children? Or just a child himself, who had been abused by his own family?
The crowd was a mix that reflected LA, but the speakers extolling him were predominantly African-American. A bit of a paradox as at the zenith of his popularity, most of his fans were white.
An inside page of the Michael Jackson Memorial program. Click to view larger image.
Smokey and Berry Gordy talked nostalgically about the good old Motown days when young Michael was a phenom. But would Michael himself recall his childhood with such a glow? In interviews he had said his father would punish him physically and emotionally if he made mistakes while practicing. Perhaps Motown and even Michael’s father should get some credit for his meteoric career. But I could not help wondering if all this gushing about his childhood was a revisionist history of child exploitation. Even if Joe’s strict discipline led to Michael’s success, was it worth it?
And speaking of Joe Jackson. Michael said he was so abusive he physically wanted to throw up when he saw him. Would he really have wanted this guy sitting in the front row with the rest of the family? Joe, wearing gold bling, was eager to try to jump up and get in on handshakes and hugs as speakers greeted the family. Would Michael have wanted him anywhere near his kids?
Performances by stars such as Lionel Richie, Stevie Wonder, Mariah Carey, Jennifer Hudson, Usher, and John Mayer caused some of us to shed a tear. The one that touched me the most was Michael’s big brother Jermaine singing “Smile.” The voice sounded a lot like Michael’s. So much emotion went into Jermaine’s performance. You could not help but wonder about the complex relationships that family must have had with all those talented kids growing up in the shadow of Michael’s career.
The big brothers served as pallbearers, and they all wore dark suits with a gold tie and red rose in the lapel. They all had on a single sequined glove. Seen live, these gloves really sparkled. Perhaps only these brothers had any real glimpse what Michael went through as a child star in the Jackson household.
Brooke Shields said many thought she and Michael made an odd pair. And I recall thinking that when they started hanging out as teenagers. But as a child star, she too had an inkling of the stress of being in the spotlight so young. As did Elizabeth Taylor.
I was impressed as well by Al Sharpton as he spoke eloquently off the cuff. But not so much by Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, who blathered on incoherently so long that I noticed the teleprompter read “PLEASE CONCLUDE YOUR REMARKS” for half her speech.
Right on the ticket it said “no cameras.” So I did not bring mine. But plenty of people did and were flashing away during the ceremony. Seemed a bit disrespectful. As did the people who came in raggedy or slinky clothes. But hey, it’s LA.
The cover of the program handed out at the Michael Jackson memorial. Click to view larger.A photo of the Jackson 5 when they first started out was on the back cover of the memorial program.
My daughter and I will not forget the day. We are keeping our gold wristbands and tickets as well as the memorial program they handed us as we entered Staples Center. Michael’s songs flooded the airwaves after his death, and they still play in my mind. I ponder his legacy. I wonder if he had lived if the big comeback tour would have been a hit . . . or if the critics would have panned him. Seems like more and more kids go into entertainment so young. Few of them can sustain popularity into adulthood. Many end up messed up. Maybe those in the entertainment industry should do more to ensure that parents and the industry itself doesn’t take advantage of these kids so their talented lives do not turn into train wrecks.
I scanned the covers and an inside page of the program, but if you want to see the whole thing, I found it at scribd.
Growing up, I took Michael Jackson for granted as he had always been there. Now that I take the time to listen and reflect, I appreciate his music more. If you are looking for Michael Jackson music, Amazon has a whole store devoted to him at the following link:
When I first heard Michael had died, I immediately thought he must have committed suicide. Then I wondered if it was a drug overdose. He was too young and healthy to just drop dead. As the LAPD investigate possible misuse of drugs he may have used as a sleeping aid, I think about how hard it must have been for him to come to peace with his life each night, especially during the tough time of his trial. To think that he had overcome his darkest hour and was coming back . . . .
As for me, my favorite song of Michael’s will always be “Never Can Say Goodbye,” a song he sang so sweetly when he was just 12. It was 1971. One of my best friends had moved the year before, and it seemed to reflect how I felt. Now it has an added meaning.
Tassels can be made from all sorts of materials: ribbon, floss, yarn, etc. You can pick these up at a fabric or craft stores or even at dollar stores. You can also find a wide variety of online sources.
I am going to show you how I made the tassel I used on some bookmarks I made for my son’s Little League Team party.
For this example I am using some embroidery and crochet materials I had around the house. The first step is to wrap the thread about a dozen times around two fingers. Trim and remove.
Next cut about 6 inches of thred and tie it around your looped circle.
Next you will measure and cut the thread that attaches the tassel. Measure off about 12 inches and place it as shown in the pictures below. Tie it with the ends of the thread you used to tie the tassel.
One way to finish off the tassel is to add a bead. You need one with a wide opening. I used inexpensive plastic pony beads fore this project, but you could use fancier ones. Just slip it over the end of the loop and position over the top of the tassel. You may want to secure it with a drop of craft glue.
Next trim the end of the tassel and arrange the threads the way you like. On this bookmark tassel, I unwinded the individual thread in my crochet yarn.
My daughter and I make many varieties of tassels, and I hope to show more soon. Tassels can be used on bookmarks and lots of other craft projects. Let me know if this easy tutorial helped you with your projects.
Here’s how to make deluxe bookmarks that look like they came from a upscale bookstore. Personalized bookmarks make a small extravagance perfect for a gift or party favor.
I made these baseball bookmarks to give out to the members of my son’s Little League Team at the end-of-season party. If you bought these at a bookstore or gift shop they would run $3 to $4 a piece. They take a little time to make, but the cost breaks down to less than 50 cents each in supplies.
Step One: Make the Art
Using photo imaging software (I use Photoshop) create your artwork to fit a 2″ x 6″ area.
These are printable bookmarks. You can print them yourself if you have a good printer. Or you can have them printed at a photo place. Remember that when you get photos printed, the edges often get trimmed a bit. So do not include any vital art in the edge border.
Open a new file that is 4 x 6. Duplicate your artwork and position 2 copies inside the new file so that you print two bookmarks on one 4 x 6 photo.
Have your photo printed on lustre finish (not glossy). Lustre is more durable and does not show fingerprints.
bookmark printed two-up on standard 4 x 6 photo
Step Two: Back and Trim the Bookmark
Once your photo is printed, you will want to back it with acid-free cardstock. You can buy cardstock in 8.5″ x 11″or scrapbook paper works as well. Plain or a pattern will work. You can get paper at craft stores or online.
Back the bookmark with acid-free paper. Use an acid-free gluestick to glue it to the paper.
Carefully glue down the photos. If you do happen to get glue on the front of the photo, use rubbing alcohol to wipe it off. Next use an Exacto knife and straight edge to trim.
Use an Exacto knife and straight edge to trim.
Separate the two bookmarks
Separate using Exacto.
Bookmarks with rounded corners look more professional. Luckily it is easy to make them with a handy corner punch you can pick up for a few dollars at a craft store or online.
Use a corner punch to round the corners.Corner rounded.
Step Three: Attach a Tassel
Use a hole punch to make a hole in the top. You can use a standard hole punch, or use a simple shape. I used a star punch for this bookmark.
To attach a tassel, loop it through the hole as shown in the following photos. You can use store-bought tassels or make your own.
Put loop through the hole.Insert end of tassel through the loop.Pull tassel tight.
Et voila! You now know how to make a bookmark that looks like you got it in a bookstore. My daughter and I make these and sell them at craft fairs. We also give them as gifts. I like to add them to a present in place of a gift card.
Now that you know an easy way to make bookmarks, get inspired by checking out some of my other bookmark designs. If you are a scrapbooker, you can probably find lots of paper, stamps, and punches to come up with interesting bookmark designs.
I’d love to hear your ideas about custom bookmark designs. I think they would make a creative party favor for a wedding, Bar Mitzvah or birthday party.
Ya gotta love vintage ads for cool design and insight into the history of our culture. A web site that has a bunch of old ads all scanned in and organized by topic, date keyword, etc. Ads are from 1930 and 1969. Tons of them!
The index is amazing.
Also a random image link.
Get inspired by these ads. But be aware that many of them may still be under copyright, so don’t use them for commercial purposes.
Mrs. Merrill’s third graders celebrated the end of the school year. Photos are up in a private gallery. This album requires a user name and password. Parents, if you need this information, please email me emailcreativezazz.com.
