A shopping blog of cool gift ideas

These days, my life is so jam-packed that I barely have time to take photos, let alone print them and arrange them in an album. It's a sad by-product of our modern digital lives, I guess, but it's important when we have special occasions that we remember to slow down, capture those moments on film and keep them in a place where we can always enjoy them.

That's why I love the idea of giving beautiful photo albums as gifts for special events. These keepsake monogrammed photo albums would make a perfect bridal shower gift and a great reminder to the bride to slow down and savor this exciting time in her life—which is really the best gift of all!

Plaid Photo Album starting at $65

Like most grads, I kept the tassel from my cap as a keepsake, but the only display it got was on my rearview mirror. If only I had a more fashionable graduation keepsake that I could sport year round.

Well, girls and their obsession with being fashionable will never change and they don’t have to, even when it comes to saying sayonara to senioritis thanks to Juicy Couture grad jewelry. This cute collection of charms, bracelets and rings all come stamped with 2008 so she can remember her graduation year in style.

My favorite is the Limited Edition Pennant Charm. It features a pastel enamel pennant embossed with the words Juicy Class 08 and a tassel accent. It's the perfect way to say congrats to the Trendanista graduate. I'm sure she’ll think of cooler ways to sport this stuff than in her rearview mirror!

Limited Edition Pennant Charm starting at $42.00

There's really no denying that college is an exciting time in a person's life. There are new friends, new activities, more freedom and independence, and the chance to even sleep-in and have Fridays off with the right class schedule. The not so exciting part, though, is the sudden lack of space. Sharing a single dorm room, often the size of a walk-in closet, can be a challenge. But with a lot of organization, some strategic planning, and products designed for small spaces, it doesn't have to be so bad — and can even be kind of fun.

The Dahon Folding Bike is perfect for a high school graduate going off to college in the fall who may not have room to store a traditional bike. He or she will love the ease of getting around campus without sacrificing crucial storage space. Not only can the bike be housed conveniently and out of the way, but it can be easily folded and transported in the trunk of a car, which will be perfect for those trips back home on long weekends!

Dahon Folding Bike, Espresso starting at $399

What do you get the grad who's always been a class clown? Not some boring old dorm fridge, that's for sure. But this USB Mini Frig is a different story.

Any jokester will appreciate the wonderful absurdity/genius of this one-can-only cooler. Just put the bevvy in the retro-looking device, plug it into the computer, and within seconds, you've got an ice-cold drink without even having to leave your chair! Which means it's perfect for the lazy college student. Not to mention an awesome graduation gift for the grad with the Best Sense of Humor.

USB Mini Frig starting at $24.99

The transition from college into the real world isn't always a smooth one. Help your graduate ease into work life with these SkidGrip Slip EV Dandy Chestnut Unisex Slips by Converse. A fantastic hybrid, these shoes are a great way to dress up a casual outfit and a perfect way to retain a bit of individual style on the job.  Only Chucks for grown-ups could make business casual cool.

SkidGrip Slip EV Dandy Chestnut Unisex Slip starting at $59.99

One of the best things about college is receiving care packages from home. I used to look forward to a care package as much — if not more — than putting a hard test behind me or blowing off steam at a party on the weekends. My favorite packages were filled with sugar and snacks that made the all night cram sessions a bit more bearable.

The Off to College Gift is just the gift to get a new high school graduate off on the right foot. Filled with dorm life essentials like a small hammer and screwdriver kit, a collapsible clothes hamper, first aid kit, a "how to" book for laundry, and my fav, plenty of snacks, it has all the things a brand new college student will need — and appreciate! — in those first few weeks of the new semester.

Off to College Gift starting at $29.95

One summer when I was a kid, I made a tin can telephone with my friend who lived next door. We tied two tin cans on either end of a very long string, pulled the string through our bedroom windows and chatted into the cans. The sound quality was okay, but believe me, a real phone would have been a hundred times better. In fact, yelling from our windows would have been better!

Well, "tin can technology" has come a long way since I was a kid, and these Boosted Unisex's The Tin Can Speakers prove it. Designed and created by a California artist and graphic designer, these computer speakers represent the struggle between nature and technology, making them a cool high school graduation gift for a creative spirit.

Boosted Unisex's The Tin Can Speakers starting at $71.95

I'm not one of those girls that has her shows. You know, the ones that you just can't miss? In fact, I don't even have TiVo. But even I have to admit that this ARCHOS Portable Media Player is pretty darn awesome. And it's the perfect gift for the grad Most Likely to Travel the World in 80 Days, particularly if he or she can't bear to be away from Lost or Gossip Girl (or whatever everyone is watching these days).

The 4.3-inch flat-screen allows you to download movies, photos, videos, music, PDFs and TV shows wirelessly. Plus it plays MP3s through its built-in stereo speakers (for those of us who prefer music to television). And the best part is that it's a gift he or she will use long after high school or college graduation.

ARCHOS Portable Media Player starting at $99.99

My parents knew better than to order me one of those bulky class rings. And I imagine someone likely to be voted Best Dressed Girl on Campus wouldn't dare slip one on her finger either. That's why I'd get her this brilliantly quirky Hand Made Black Rose Sterling Silver Fashion Ring instead. The bold knuckle-duster is right on trend (the bigger the better). Plus it's adjustable, so you don't even have to know her ring size.

So whether your Trendanista is graduating from high school or college or just wants a fun new bauble, this bud's for her!

Hand Made Black Rose Sterling Silver Fashion Ring starting at $98.00

You know Mr. Most Likely to Rule Wall Street is going to be doing a lot of traveling one day—or at least doing business in different time zones. So whether he's captain of Math Club or graduating summa cum laude in finance, prep him with this World Time Clock for graduation. The mod barrel-shaped clock tells the time in twenty-four major cities, from Amsterdam to London. Just roll it so the appropriate locale is on top, and you'll get the local time in that city. Whether you need a high school graduation gift or a college graduation gift, this is a great travel timepiece (perfect for globetrotting suits), but it'll also look nice sitting on that mahogany desk he's bound to have. World Time Clock starting at $74.00