gift giving

Mother’s Day

It’s almost Mother’s Day! I still consider myself a very new mom, and this weekend will mark my second year celebrating this very special day. I always made a big deal out of the day for MY mom and have to say, it’s even more special that I can now share the day with her. I think there are so many ways to show mom gratitude and appreciation! Gifts are always such a wonderful sentiment but sometimes it’s all about the little things.

Sleeping in. Sleeping through the night. Sleeping like my husband sleeps. Those would all be wonderful things to be given this mother’s day. The ability to sleep on my stomach and drink a bottle of wine (not in that order) would be AMAZING. Those are not possible right now due to being a pregnant mommy. My time will come very soon though! Then sometimes I think, man a day at the spa would be a fantastic mother’s day gift. But that would require me spending hours AWAY from my baby when I would probably just miss her like crazy and suffer major FOMA. I think mother’s day should be about spending quality time with the family and celebrating the very opportunity that I am blessed to be someone’s mommy. I did however read about one awesome tradition have decided to start it this year. It is to go to our local nursery, and between myself, my daughter and my mom, we will each pick out a flower that reminds us of one another. Then we will go home and plant it in the garden. Obviously Hallie is too young to realize what this is all about, but it will be fun to start anyways. I will just have to steer her in the direction of the peonies for now!

With all of that being said, it is pretty awesome to get a sweet present, whether it’s mother’s day or not. I have rounded up some treasures that I am totally LOVING right now and would be overjoyed to receive. A little bit of something for all of the mommies out there!

GEO Knit Throw / Kate Spade Jewel Dish / Books From Indigo / Clay Inspired Wine Cooler / Anthropologie Candles / Eleanor Jewel Case / Oversized Wicker Throw Basket / Dottie Glassware

I am a sucker for throws. This GEO print is super fun and I feel it would be easy to work into any room, no matter the existing decor. I love the navy as well. The jewel dish would be a lovely gift for anyone who wears rings. I have one in my bathroom, by my bed and even near the kitchen sink. Just in case I need to remove my wedding rings. I have misplaced them once and NEVER want to do that again! Books can be a difficult gift to give. After some thought out research, these two are bound to hit the spot with any mom. One a nice easy bath tub read, and the other one that has a different perspective and brings out all the ‘feels’. This wine cooler is so cute! I can totally see it on my patio table, with a blend of different blues in glassware and a crisp white linen tablecloth. Very Mediterranean. I also plan to do a lot of white wine drinking this summer so a chiller will come in handy. This one can be soaked in cold water prior to keep an icy chill on your bottle that much longer. Full disclosure on Anthropologie candles. I have many. I have a backstroke supply in our hall closet. If my husband new that I spent an average of thirty dollars on each of these candles, he may not be my husband any longer. Light one of these puppies up though and you will forget all about how much you paid to breathe in that heavenly scent. Worth. Every. Penny. The Capri Blue candle is an Anthro signature smell – the one you inhale dreamily whenever you enter the store. The Voluspa is one of my absolute favourites. Feeling the sudden urge to light one just writing these words. Since this Christmas just past, I have become quite obsessed with jewelry boxes. I can’t believe I went without one for so many years in my twenties. I love having a beautiful case to house all of my bits and bobs in. This one here is the Eleanor case from Indigo and I love the femininity of it. Mom will too! These oversized wicker baskets are so fun. I plan to put one beside the new baby’s crib and fill it with swaddle blankets. There is just something about them that makes me feel like I am in Aladdin, I love them! The color palette is great too. Lastly, this Dottie inspired glassware from Crate & Barrel is super cute. Fresh and summery, alcoholic or not a drink is going to refresh!

Gift giving To Little Ones

I can’t believe Christmas is next week! It always manages to sneak up on you, no matter how prepared you are or how early you start the festivities. It is often here before you know it. I have discovered something new this year when it comes to holiday shopping. Once your child is walking, they are no longer a good shopping partner. Christmas shopping is impossible. As if the malls were not overwhelming enough this time of year, throw in an energetic toddler who desperately wants out of her stroller and is vocally going to let the whole place know it, and we have one flustered and fed up momma. I have put the remaining shopping list on hold until this weekend when I can escape to shop alone and Hallie can stay home and play with daddy. It’s just better for everyone that way. With all of this talk about shopping brings me to some of my toddler favourites that I want to share with you, just in case you are still scrambling to come up with the perfect gift idea. There are so many perfect gifts for kiddies! It really is quite hard to narrow it down. Hallie is only 14 months as well so she would prefer to play with the box the gift came in rather than the gift itself. In future years we aim to limit the gift giving too. I am a big believer of the following motto: Something you want, something you need, something you wear, something you read. Plus a gift from Santa of course. So though I have many favourites, I am not splurging on everything that catches my eye! Lets have a little self-control ladies, I know it’s hard. Whether you are looking for big or small, here are some excellent choices for the little ones in your life. (Apologies if these are more girl oriented. I don’t yet have a baby boy and am obviously obsessed with things for little girls. I promise to broaden my horizon soon!)

Toy Kitchen / Land Of Nod Blocks / Play TeePee / Land Of Nod Rocking Piggy / Velvet Elephant Purse / Tartan Pinafore / Winter Parka / Confetti Tamborine

Disclosure:
We purchased the TeePee from Bed Bath & Beyond. It is wonderful though it is not the exact one I have pictured above. There are so many out there to choose from and most I have researched look durable and a good investment. Make sure you check dimensions as they do vary.
As for the toy kitchen, I hummed on this gift idea forever and am now slightly regretting not getting it. I as going to wait for Hallie’s next birthday but I may not be able to wait that long. It is ADORABLE and we have seen a few at different playgroups that we have attended. Hallie gravitates to it instantly and will stand there frying up eggs for ages. Plus it’s white and will not look like another giant and hideous kid toy taking over my adult space. Win, win.

DIY Spice Rack: Gifts For The Foodie In Your Life

I was determined this year, as I am most years, to make some of my gifts. I love making gifts for people. The only thin line you need to be weary of here is that you still want it to be a gift they can actually use. I am sure a lot of my crafty gifts back when I was younger came more from being thoughtful versus thinking of actual functionality. I came up with many ideas for people on my list this year, all of which are cute, easy to construct at home, and will actually go to good use for the recipient. One in particular I have decided to share today.

My Dad loves being in the kitchen. When we used to live closer to him, we would go over at least once a month for a feast of yummy appetizers and his famous home cooked rack of ribs. He even used to host a ‘rib-off’ in the summertime. Though he didn’t always win, I have forever been a fan of his bbq’d creations. I wanted to make him something that he could use not only on meat, but in all of his stovetop concoctions. I found the idea of making your own seasonings on Pinterest, and adapted it to make this little craft you see below. Quite simple and allows you to get creative in your search for different spice recipes. My husband built me the miniature crate that holds them – unfortunately until I get confident on a saw, that part will remain designated to him. Saws and power tools are my springtime goals.

In the meantime, I hope this helps you with your DIY gift ideas, perfect for any foodie lover on your list.

Supplies:

Empty Spice Jars – I bought mine at the dollar store. They are dollar store quality too I have discovered a little too late. Bed Bath & Beyond carry a variety too that look like they may be a bit higher quality if you want to spend the extra dollars.
A variety of spices to mix – Google homemade seasonings to decide on your recipes and go from there.
Tags & Twine – these are for labeling your spices and including food pairing recommendations.
A miniature wooden crate – any handy husband should be able to build this for you.

Combine your spices and seasonings according to the recipes. Funnel into your empty spice jars. Label your tags and attach with twine. So easy!

Father’s Day Gift Guide

Father’s Day is just around the corner! Last year I tried to make it special because I was pregnant so we had a Father-To-Be fancy breakfast. This year I am so excited to actually celebrate our dinnertime-hero and let him know how grateful we are of him. (more…)

Time With Tiffany

Motherhood, Lifestyle & Design