Valentine's Day Pretties

Valentine's Day is one of my favorite holidays. I know it's cheesy and has become a Hallmark holiday, marketed to make people buy silly things and to make single people feel bad about themselves. But to me, it's a day that's all about love, and what could be wrong with that? 

I thought it would be fun to put together a few pretty things that I think are perfect for Valentine's gifts for ladies. There are a few things that your friends might love (one year I mailed #2 to a bunch of friends as a surprise. So fun!), and a few that you might want your husband to see. Feel free to leave this blog post open on his computer... hint, hint!

1, 2 & 3: ban.do. I love this little shop! I want just about everything in it, but it is great for gifts for your friends for special occasions, or just because. :) Bobby pins, Mini Heart pin, and the world's cutest headband.

4 & 5: Anthropologie. I mean really, everything at Anthropologie would make a perfect Valentine's Day (or any day..) gift, but I managed to narrow it down to two items. The sweetest tea towel, with a heart made of ribbons, and JUST GIVE ME THIS WATCH MMKAY?

6: Thatch & Thistle Supply Co. I'm a sucker for pretty packaging. Give me ribbons and bows, twine and glitter tape and watch me work. I go crazy for it. Wrapping presents has become my love language. So when I came across Thatch & Thistle I thought I'd died and gone to heaven! This beautifully curated shop has something for everyone, at incredibly good prices. And Brynne, the shop owner, is as sweet as she can be. (Follow her on Instagram here!) For Valentine's Day, she has everything from perfect little pink heart stickers to mini clothespins dipped in red and pink to pretty party straws for even the most tasteful hostess. Just search "Valentine" in her shop and prepare to swoon. 

7: Gap Body. I've recently re-discovered Gap Body and y'all, what a treasure. They have waaaay prettier things than Victoria's Secret, and much, much better prices. This little number is too cute for words, and even though it seems incredibly impractical, you'll find reasons to wear it. Trust me. ;)

8, 9 & 10: By Boe. This is one of my favorite jewelry shops. I love love love anything gold and dainty and girly, so I'm pretty much in heaven with their delicate wire creations. I used to own a pair of these sweet wire heart earrings, but I lost one and it's all just very tragic. These little droplets are everything, and Ray I will be needing this bracelet, k? 

Have I missed anything? What's on your list of wants or gifts you plan to give friends? I wish I was better at handmade gifts, because we all know they are far better than anything you can buy. Alas, I am not the least bit crafty, so off to the stores I go. 

All my love!

Holiday Gift Guide: Gifts for Men and Stocking Stuffers

For the men on your list:

1. For your cool little brother. Or your husband. We bought a kid's pair of these on super sale at Brickyard Buffalo for Emmett this Summer, and I can't wait till he grows into them!
Handmade wooden sunglasses from Tumbleweeds Handcraft $85

2. Ray has the Clark's version of these boots, and we'll be replacing them soon with a cheaper pair of these from Target.
Merona Estes Boot from Target $40

3. For the whiskey/scotch/bourbon/sweet tea drinker in your life. These are amazing.
Jumbo Ice Round Molds $9.99

4. Also this.
Glass Whiskey Bottle with Monogrammed Wooden Stopper  $23

5. The ultimate Dad gift, with a twist.
Knit Wool Skinny Tie $15

6. For the real man on your list.
Tea Tree Beard Oil $25

7. This watch is so awesome I might buy one for my husband and then steal it.
Arvo Watch (On sale at Brickyard Buffalo!) $41

8. Every man wants a phone charger that fits in his wallet.
USB Charge Card $25 (Use this link for $5 off your first order!)

9. For the wanna-be handy-man (or woman).
The Art of Fixing Things, principles of machines, and how to repair them $11.66

10. For the Ron Swanson on your list.
English Hunting Flask $55


Stocking stuffers: Adults

1. These were on my gift list last year. My mom got them for Ray and I and I've used them every time we travel. They're great for keeping smaller items separated in your luggage, and keep your suitcase super organized!
eBags Small Packing Cubes $19.99 for a 3 piece set

2. These were also on last year's gift guide. I bought a few and put them in everyone's stockings. We've used ours a hundred ways (best use yet- baby-proofing our cabinets!), and they're cheap so get some for everyone!
Quirky Bandits Rubber Bands with Hooks $6.99 for a pack of 10

3. For the boy (or girl!) scout in your life.
Stormproof Matches $12

4. For the stylish homeowner/ Christmas party hostess.
Wishbone Bottle Opener $14

5. For your little sister/niece/girlfriend/coworker/self.
Ryan Gosling Coloring Book $13

6. For your dearest cheese lover.
Gold Cheese Knives Set $23

7. For the fashionable single gal on your list.
Glitter Bow Shoe Clips $20

8. For your annoying little brother / Secret Santa at work.
Coal Soap $4.99

9. These little "jam jars" are so great. Small, portable, and they connect via blue tooth.
JAM Classic Bluetooth Wireless Speaker $32

10. For every man on your list.
Wall Mounted Bottle Opener $9

Stocking Stuffers for kids:

1. & 2. Airplane and dumptruck shaped crayons from CrayonCraft Etsy shop $7 and $13

3. The sweetest baby and toddler headbands from Little Hip Squeaks $10

4. Little ballerinas and teenagers alike will love this one.
Conair Perfect Bun Maker $7.65

5. Every little boy needs a portable road playset!
My First Autobahn Road Tape with Toy Car $19.99

6. For all those kiddos who won't have a real white Christmas.
Instant Snow $2.99

7. Sarah Boynton's books are some of our favorites. These are great for babies and toddlers!
Boynton's Greatest Hits Board Book Set $16.55

8. These are so fun for bedtime, bath time in the dark, playing under home-made tents, etc.
Glow Stick Bracelets (Tube of 100) $9

9. Perfect for kids, annoying for parents. But it's Christmas, so they won't mind. ;)
Wooden Musical Instruments $17.67

10. This site has so many cool temporary tattoos for kids (and adults)!
Tattly Temporary Tattoos $5

Check out my gift guides for the ladies and kids on your list here, and you can find last year's gift guide here.

Holiday Gift Guide: Gifts for the Ladies & Kiddos on your list

For the women in your life:

1. For the old lady in all of us.
Gap Elbow-Patch Cardigan $39

2. This sweet bracelet has been on my wish list since I was pregnant with Emmett. Perfect for your mama, your baby's mama, your niece's and nephew's mama, or any other mama on your list.
Coatt Morse Code Bracelet $48

3. For your glam-iest girlfriend.
Flapper Coin Pouch $38

4. For the crafter on your list. Everything in this shop is beautiful and special. The items are inexpensive so you could put together a great little gift bag!
Thatch & Thistle Supply Co. Etsy Shop Items starting at $2.50

5. For your wife. Ahem. (Someone tell my husband!)
JCrew Crystal Triangles Bracelet $135

6. For the organized lady on your list.
Wire Storage Basket $18 and up

7. For the homebody.
JCrew Lodge Moccasins $49.50

8. These are perfect filled with candy or tea bags for your kid's teacher, your coworkers, your mom, your babysitter, your pediatrician, your hairdresser, etc etc etc. :)
Golden Monogram Mugs $10

9. When it comes to buying gifts for girlfriends, my strategy is to find something she wants but would never splurge on for herself. This fits that bill.
Holiday Mercury Candle $24


For baby:

1. Every kid needs this t-shirt! (Especially Emmett)
Y'all shirt from Mamacase prints on Etsy $22

2. For the camera (read: iPhone) obsessed kids on your list.
Pixie Moss Wooden Toy Camera from Twig Creative $30

3. For the stay-at-home mom who needs a little help entertaining her kiddos. Or the working mom who just doesn't have time to be super creative. So basically, every mom ever.
TogetherBox Subscription $29/month

4.  I'm a huge fan of The Animal Print Shop. Everything in the shop is so sweet! This would be a great gift for any baby or toddler on your list.
Giraffe Print from The Animal Print Shop $25 and up

5. Aren't these fun? Kids love stacking toys, and these are a clever and different take on the usual stacker.
Grimm's Wooden Rainbow Nesting Blocks $21.55

6. Emmett got one of these for his birthday and we love it! We keep all of his books inside and he sits under his teepee reading and playing. It's great for the kid with the big imagination on your list!
Teepee Play Tent from B.E Little You and Me on Etsy $115

7. This personalized memory game is so so awesome. I'm dying to get one for Emmett with photos of all of his aunts and uncles in Georgia. So sweet! (Find coupons here!)
Personalized Memory Game $19.99

You can find more gifts for the men on your list, and stocking stuffers for everyone here, and last year's gift guide here!

Things I Desparately Want: Emmett Edition

I'm working on my blog ya'll. Bear with me. (Do we like the new name? Be honest. I think it needs work, but it's getting there.)

I've had my eye on a few things for little Emmett that I plan to buy one day, when I have extra money. (Is there such a thing??) So, I thought I'd share them here as a way to keep track. (Pinterest is blocked at work. Isn't that tragic?) Also you might want to buy these things, which would be great for you and your babe, and great for me so that I can live vicariously through your awesomeness.

First and foremost, I'm dying for these sweet little moccasins from Freshly Picked! I've been oggling these adorable little shoes for months, but my uber practical husband won't let me buy them until Emmett actually needs to wear shoes. I keep telling him the boy neeeeeds them, but he just won't give in. I'm right though. Picture his little legs sticking out of his little shorts and these little darlings on his feet. I. die.

We decorated Emmett's nursery (here) while I was pregnant, and we LOVE it. It's colorful and sweet, and it makes us all really happy to spend time in there. It was perfect when Emmett was little tiny, but I'm starting to feel like it needs a little updating. Since my post on the nursery, I added lots of sweet art to the walls from this shop on Etsy. We've moved the furniture around a little bit (to make room for activities), and I would love to fill the new open wall space with these adorable animal faces from The Animal Print Shop. The little faces above are some of my favorites, but there are so many to choose from!

Can anyone tell me how I can get this image to center?? I've tried everything!

I would love to give Emmett one of these funny little "Pretend" animal tails from this Etsy shop. They are so funny! I can imagine Emmett walking around the house with one tied to his little bum acting like a wolf or a lion or even a little fish. I love toys that foster his little imagination, so these are at the top of my list. So cute!

 

Doesn't this teepee (from this Etsy shop) look like so much fun?! Little boys love forts, and I love the idea of Emmett having his own secret space, just for him. This would be so great for a big back yard (which we don't have), or even for a little boy's playroom, which we also don't have in our current house. So for now, we will just have to keep dreaming, and make forts the old fashioned way- with blankets and pillows!

Emmett has a birthday coming up in a few months, and I'm already starting to think about his party. I'm not sure what the theme will be yet, but I do know that I want to shower him with all the love and affection I possible can. I want him to know that he is special, and that this one day is all about him. And I can't think of a better way to make someone feel special then to give them a crown to wear! Isn't this one sweet? It comes in tons of colors, but I especially love the gold. If it goes over well, we might even make it a part of our family's birthday traditions!

I guess that's all for now, but don't worry, I'll be back with more!

Holiday Gift Guide: Christmas gifts for everyone on your list

I LOVE giving Christmas gifts. I love everything about it- I spend weeks searching for the perfect gift for everyone on my list, and once I find them, I spend hours wrapping them. My dad is a gift-wrapping expert- he spends practically every extra minute over the weeks leading up to Christmas posted at our dining room table, with scissors in one hand and Scotch tape in the other. I learned from the best, and wrapping presents is definitely one of my favorite parts of Christmas!

I've been scouring the internet for great gift ideas (who has time to actually GO shopping??), and I've come across some pretty awesome gifts, so I wanted to share a few of my favorites here. Happy shopping!

1. This would make a really great stocking stuffer for that friend (or spouse) who always seems to lose track of their car keys!

Magnet Key Chain $16.95

2. Another stocking stuffer, for pretty much everyone on your list. I can think of about 3,000 ways this might come in handy, and at only $9.99 for a 10-pack, you can afford to buy one for everyone!

All-purpose Rubber Band + Hook $9.99

3. For the world traveler on your list, these packing cubes are a must-give! Super useful, and come in a ton of colors.
Luggage Packing Cubes $17.49 for a 3-pack

4. One more stocking stuffer, perfect for every man on your list. This tiny tool includes a small flat screwdriver, medium flat screwdriver, cross screwdriver, pry bar, wire stripper, lanyard hole, and bottle opener. Not bad for only $6.99!
Keychain Multi Tool $6.99

5. For the coffee drinker in your life, this beautiful glass coffee maker will look good on your counter while it makes the perfect cup of joe. Comes in 3, 6, 8 and 10-cup sizes.
Glass Coffee Maker $34.95 - $42.95

6. For the lover of fine whiskey, who also loves tradition (with a twist!).
Whiskey Advent Calendar $241.34

7. These next two are perfect for the newly married couple on your list.
Mr. & Mrs. Cocktail Glasses $18 

8. Doesn't this look cozy? It makes me want to sleep under the stars (maybe with that Whiskey Advent Calendar in tow?)
Double Sleeping Bag $119.93 (on sale!)

9. For the amateur chef. Given only on the condition that there will be many delicious meals made for you in the future. ;)
Windowsill Herb Garden $37.95

10. For baby's first Christmas! Isn't this the sweetest?? I want one for Emmett so bad. Find coupons here!
Mini Book of Names & Faces $29.99