Father's Day Gift Guide

Father's Day is almost upon us, and while I'm done shopping for Rosie's daddy (aka my husband) you guys might still be tap tap tapping those noggins trying to come up with something that's juuuuust right for the dads you love.  Here are a few ideas!

1. I love this Wood Block + Prints from Artifact Uprising.  At $30 including shipping it's a good price for unfussy photos dads can display on desks, dressers, or nightstands for years to come.  With twelve photos to choose from he'll have a different view for every mood, and honestly you can update those photos any old time with a few regular prints from Walgreen's instagram prints.  Easy peasy, and sweet.

 2. Is your dad/husband a baseball fan?  I think this Home Run Oven Mitt from Urban Outfitters ($14) is hysterical!  Maybe you throw a couple baseball tickets in?  Cross your fingers and hope it inspires offers of an extra hand at dinner time?  Wishful thinking...

3. This Pops is Tops card from Rocket Ink ($4) hits the perfect note in my book, clever, vintage-y and just a hint of sentimental.

4. These Grillmaster Serving Trays by Threshold at Target ($9.99-12.99) are seriously fun, and seriously inexpensive.  They are melamine, so you won't have to handle with care when using them outdoors.  My favorite is the pig, of course!

5. Got a shutterbug on your hands?  This SLR Leather Camera Strap from Tanner Goods ($105) is super sturdy and super stylish...truthfully I'm tempted to get one for myself.  It's also 4" wide, comfort is key!  Feel free to take a look around their collection for other ideas, very manly accessories.

6. My husband desperately needs this Hartmann Hanging Travel Kit from Brooks Brothers ($98).  It's classy, durable, and has lots of pockets to keep their toiletries organized.  I can't stand the cheap little black ones from some free giveaway he currently uses - yuck!

One or two more ideas that came to me just now - I think this print is adorable and sweet ($24), and I know camping dads would get a kick out of this affordable and classic flask ($24).  Couple of these gift are budget blowers, it's true, but I'm hoping there's something for every dad to enjoy.  Dad's really are rad!

Last Minute Mother's Day Gifts

If you're anything like me you have the very best intentions (and ideas!) for gifts but life just gets in the way. On Monday I had planned on getting cards and gifts in the mail for Mother's Day, but Rosie came down with pneumonia and the week was spent tag team parenting, consoling, and fighting WWIII trying to get antibiotics into the tiny tyrant. Whew, I'm exhausted just writing about it.  And now Mother's Day is Sunday, eek! Here's my plan is to get back on track, lickety split.

Chic Last Minute Gift #1: Photos, what mother doesn't love getting photos? And better yet, Instagram photos! Pretty, perfectly curated, and you can print directly from your Instagram library with the Walgreens app (for Droid or iPhone!) You guys, I spent 1 minute downloading the app, 5 minutes choosing the pics I wanted to print, 1 minute googling a coupon (PRINTS40 for 40% off!) and like 30 seconds checking out. You can pick them up in an hour at your local Walgreens. A little kraft paper bag, Washi tape and bakers twine...boom, done. $10.74, 10 minutes of action time, 1 hour of waiting and your first chic last minute gift is handled.

Chic Last Minute Gift #2: Trader Joe's flowers.  Here are a few secrets to get $17.96 worth of flowers to look like a $50 florist bouquet.

1. Choose flowers that are all in the same color family. Pinks and purples, red/orange/yellow, or whites and blues. It's the easiest way to get them looking coordinated.

2. Strip the flowers of leaves and buds below the water line (basically 4-5" below the head.)  Keep any straggler flowers that are too short or have broken stems, we'll use them later.

3. Grab a few flowers of each variety in one hand and continue adding a few of each variety as you turn your bouquet around, until you run out.  Cut those stems down and plop into water, done-zo!

One more time, for the cheap seats in the back (this is still using the same $17.96 worth of flowers we bought for the first bouquet.)

Last but not least, I like to pull out these little brown jars for straggler flowers that are too short to make it into the big arrangements.  They are infant Advil bottles and vitamin bottles with the labels pulled off.  I keep any glass bottles with a pretty shape or color for little arrangements such as these. Toss a few of each flower in the bottles and brighten your kitchen window.  A few more tips on cheap (but pretty) grocery store flowers here and making flowers last for the long haul here.

Easy peasy lemon squeezy.  Mom, mother in law, and you - all taken care of!  I especially love the last part, seriously moms, you need to TREAT YO'SELF!

I hope this has been helpful, and that your mom's day gifts are all settled.  Happy Mother's Day to all you moms out there.  Every day you don't lock your kid in the closet and run away is a win in my book, I'm impressed!

Gift Guide: Mother's Day (May Day Inspired)

Inspired by the flowers of May Day, below are a few floral Mother's Day gift ideas.  All my pretty but affordable picks are $32 and under, enjoy!

1. For the moms out there who love flowers, The Flower Recipe Book ($15.99) - the cover alone is swoonworthy!  "A flower-arranging bible for today's aesthetic."  YES PLEASE! 

2. This floral hedgehog print from ChipmunkCheeks on Etsy is adorable and chic ($20), a mother who loves art and decorating might enjoy this.  Pop it in a little frame ($10), done and done!

3. My heart skipped a beat when I saw the production samples of the Rifle Paper Co. iPhone Cases on Anna Bond's Instagram in January.  I've been dying for the Rifle Paper Co. Botanical Rose iPhone Case ($32) ever since.  Could it be any prettier?  Nope.

4. My mother loves to garden, and I'm pretty sure she'd love these gorgeous Flower 3 pc. Tool Set from PJ Tool Supply ($29).  They remind me of the Liberty of London and Target collaboration a few years ago, do you guys remember those gardening gloves and household items?  I still dream of them, and wonder why I didn't buy more of the amazing items.  Sigh.

5. For the mom who loves to cook, or just loves her kitchen I love this Pink Floral Dishtowel by Etsy seller LisaRuppDesign ($20), the print is an original work by the seller/designer Lisa Rupp.  It is so pretty, and comes in two other designs grey and yellow. 

6. For the perfect hostess of a mother, these glasses are $2.49 each KROKETT glasses from Ikea.  They come in pink and light green and are even prettier in person, seriously you guys.  A set of 6 would set you back $15, such a good deal!

7. Does your mom sew?  If so, think she would seriously obsess over what to do with a few of these gorgeous Liberty of London fabrics - I know I do!  These are my favorites, starting from the top left going clockwise, Claire-Aude in Pale Yellow ($8.75), Claire-Aude in Red ($8.25), Nancy-Ann in Purple ($8.75), Irma ($9), Tatum in Blue ($8.75).  (all prices listed are for a fat quarter)

8. For the most sentimental of moms, this Mother-Daughter Card by Rifle Paper Co ($4.50) is seriously my favorite.  Ever.  It says "Happy Mother's Day, to the mom who taught me everything."  I would love to get this card from little Rosie Posie someday, with a note about all the things I taught her.  Hopefully she'll leave off "swear like a sailor", but let's be honest - probably not. 

In true May Day fashion, I'm off to pick up and arrange some flowers to drop off at a friend's doorstep.  Hope your day is extra sunny and full of pretty flowers!