#DGYTIAT: Gift Ideas for Your Momma!

Happy Tuesday!  With only 16 days until Christmas, today we're talking gifts for moms.  Moms are pretty special, and they deserve special gifts for everything they do (I'm looking at you, T)!  These gifts are perfect for your mom, mother-in-laws, grandmas, aunts and any other women who have been a mentor or significant to your life.

1. Lotions and Potions

During the holiday season lots of new bath products are rolled out and they make great gifts, especially as a treat for moms!  I'm a fan of The Body Shop, and this year they brought back a scent I love, Frosted Cranberry!

2. A Cozy Sweater

Talbots is a brand my mom loves, and every year they come out with really pretty holiday sweaters.  They are great quality, too.  I picked out a plum sweater for my mom from Talbots years ago and it is still very classic and beautiful.

3. Wise Women by Joyce Tenneson

Joyce Tenneson's book includes portraits of 80 women ages 65 to 100 and their comments and stories on what it's like to age gracefully.  I think this is an empowering and beautiful book that's inspiring to women of any age.

4. Mini Hanging Garden Kit

This is such a cool gift option for the gardner in your life!  During the cold winter months you can help bring some greenery inside with this Hanging Tillandsia Kit from my most favorite place ever ever ever... Terrain!

5. What I Love About Mom Fill in

This book is an amazing gift because it is so personal and really comes from the heart.  I got this for my mom for her birthday and filled it out over the course of a couple weeks, really thinking about each blank I was filling in.  Maybe she's just being a good momma, but she tells me she really treasures it :)

6. Coffee Mug

Pier 1 is the perfect place to find a new mug for the coffee (or tea!) lover.  They have such a great mug selection and on a rainy Saturday morning there's not much better then filling your favorite mug with a nice hot drink!

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Thanks for joining me today!  Tomorrow we'll talk gifts for you lover/spouse/hubby/bf.  Meet you back here then!

#DGYTIAT: Gift Ideas for Sisters!

Happy Monday!  Welcome to the first #DGYTIAT post - let's kick things off with Holiday Gift Ideas for your sisters!  My sisters are a huge part of my life and two of my best friends, so I love to make Christmas special for them.  And for that matter, don't limit these gift ideas to just your sisters - think of these ideas for your sister-in-law or girlfriends, too!

1. Alex and Ani Bracelets

Super cute and totally on trend, Alex and Ani offers a ton of different charms so you'll be sure to find one that fits anyone's personality.  They even have Sister and Best Friend bracelets that are really nice.  I love the beaded bangles, too because they add some color.

2. Home Decor

I love giving throw pillows as a gift because you don't have to commit to them like you would hanging a painting in your house; you can change them anytime.  Any kind of home decor is a fun gifting option, and you can DIY something to make it even more personal.  I love this retro glasses printed pillow!

3. Wine Glasses

Wine glasses are a great gift to give with.... wine!!!  And then you can plan a girls night to catch up :)  The glasses above are a cute option from Pier 1.

4. Phone Case

Phone cases are a great gifting option and there are soooo many cute ones!  Look on Etsy for unique options.  Kate Spade (who makes the critter case pictured) offers fun options and sleek, chic phone cases for any girl in your life.

5. Pajamas

The winter is all about being comfy and cozy!  Pajamas are a staple year-round, but I think they make a great holiday gift becuase you can give someone a more luxorious or fun pair.  I am obsessed with this Sushi set!  I also think the classic pink and white striped Victoria's Secret PJs are adorable.

6. Make Up

I love checking out Sephora and ULTA around the holidays because all of the holiday gift sets come out.  Usually they are not only great options, but amazing values!  This year Too Faced came out with the Beauty Wishes & Sweet Kisses palette that is so beautiful and only $34!

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Hopefully these gift ideas got your creativity going...  Come back tomorrow for gift ideas for you Mom!

Don't Get Your Tinsel In A Tangle!

Hi all!  With Christmas only 20 days away, it's time to buckle down and get that that holiday shopping done.  Don't stress if you're out of ideas, I've got your back...

You're cordially invited to join the Don't Get Your Tinsel In A Tangle holiday gift guide series!

My theory had always been to get shopping done as far ahead of time as possible, that way I can spend most of the season doing all the fun stuff - baking, decorating and the whole sha-bang!  I decided to do a series next week and will be posting gift ideas for different people in your life each day.  I'm posting every single day, 5 posts!!!, next week!

Here's what the week will look like:

Monday, 12/8: Holiday Gifts for Your Sisters
Tuesday, 12/9: Ideas for Your Momma
Wednesday, 12/10: Holiday Gifts for Men
Thursday, 12/11: Ideas for the Kiddos
Friday, 12/12: A Little Something Special for Your Co-Workers

I've mentioned before that I am not a big fan of gifting stuff.  I like to really put thought into gifts that are fun but practical and won't be immediately tossed into the return pile!  My goal with this series is also to give gift ideas that will fit into a variety of budgets.  I hope you'll join me next week for this Christmas countdown!  Happy Friday!

November Favorites

I'm a little late to the party seeing as we're already three days into December, but it's time for another favorites!  Let's jump right in.....

1. Songs

Uptown Funk - Mark Ronson feat. Bruno Mars

I've been blasting this song pretty much daily (sorry neighbs) 'cause it puts me in the best mood and just can't help but dance to it.  I love how old school it sounds and it's so fun to listen to pretty much anywhere.

I'm Not the Only One - Sam Smith

And I know and I know and I know and I know and I kn-owww, I just can't get enough of this song! (You have to sing that line to the tune of the song...)  But seriously, Sam Smith's voice is like butta and it's lovely to hear someone with a really different and ah-mazing sound.

2. Memory

This month started out awesome with my momma's birthday and the Race for Hope.  I went to a paint night with my sister (in-law) and did a kitchen project with Scott.  I did some baking and house decorating, and had a fantastic Thanksgiving - it was a pretty good month!  My favorite memory was on the first of the month - my Mom's birthday.  We had so much fun surprising her all day and surrounding her with her favorite people.  And I love hosting people at my house, so to have 10 people join us for a birthday dinner was just awesome!

3. Body Product

After having an allergic reaction to about 56413454 different types of soap, I have found one (and tested if for a couple months) that I love, love, love!  I mentioned this in my Farmer's Market Favorites, but Ellen April soaps are just so heavenly I'm bringing them up again.  The suds up nicely and smell incredible, a new bar was the first thing on my Christmas wish list this year!

4. Thing/Accomplishment/Brag-Time

Scott and I did our kitchen back splash all by ourselves!!!  And we didn't even want to kill each other after!!!  The picture above isn't the latest, we added outlet covers and caulked the bottom edge, but here's a look at our masterpiece!  I'll be posting before and after pictures of the kitchen once it's 100% done, but I am so damn proud of that back splash.  It was a time-consuming, not super fun, but easy project, and I'm just glad we were able to do it (and save $500!).

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I hope you all had a great month and be sure to check back on Friday because I'm announcing an exciting new series that will be happening here next week!  See you then :)

My Favorite Things Link-Up: Stocking Stuffer Ideas

Where have I been?!  Does it matter.... let's act like I didn't miss a couple weeks on here.  I'm excited because this is my first link up!!! with Cheers Y'all, A. Liz Adventures, Miss Dixie and Southern Style.  Today's topic is stocking stuffers!

When it comes to stocking stuffers, I do my best to think small but special.  Just because these little gifts have to fit in a stocking doesn't mean they can't be creative!  I think there are a lot of ways to keep stockings fun and make them exciting to open last (at least in our house!).  Here are my ideas for what I think makes the perfect Christmas stocking!

1. Gift cards

Gift cards are a great stocking stuffer because they show you know what someone likes and give them the fun of picking out exactly what they want!  I think iTunes gift cards are a great gift.  You can find them pretty much everywhere and with the popularity of the iPhone, they are sure to be appreciated!

2. Something Sweet

This stocking stuffer is a no brainer - a sweet treat!  It can be chocolate or gummies or whatever you love, but be careful over a fire place ;)  My favorite chocolate to indulge in comes from Eclat.  This is where to go if you want something truly decedent and delicious.  I recommend trying any of the caramels or, my favorite, the champagne truffles!

3. A "Coupon" Book

Here's a template I found for a DIY coupon book.  If you want something a little more fancy, Datevitation is an awesome site where you can customize a coupon book for any occasion.  They have great ideas and you can even add your pictures into the little coupons!  A coupon that would go over well in my house would be 1 free back scratch... let's be honest you're going to do it anyway so why not make it a "gift" ;)

4. A Date

Tickets to a sports game or to see their favorite band are such a fun gift!  It gives you something to look forward to, and can be a great surprise in a Christmas stocking.

5. Something Silly

I feel like you haaave to have something silly in your Christmas stocking!  A few mini bottles of liquor or a new key chain are a few ideas.  Get creative with this stuffer and really think about things your receiver loves!  I used Breaking Bad keychains as an example because I would love getting one... bitch!

6. Something Warm

I don't think I need to list too many reasons of why socks are a good stocking stuffer; here's a hint: People wear them almost everyday.... so there's that.  Gloves are perfect for this time of year because... well because it's cold.  Think of this stuffer as the practical gift.

7. A Toy

No stocking is complete without a toy.  This is an easy item to go any which way price wise.  Lots of stores have "stocking stuffer" sections where you can find fun toys - last year I found a kit to build a mini wind up helicopter for Scott's stocking.  If you're looking to spend a little more on a "toy" think along the lines of a new iPod or a FitBit.

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Stockings are one of my favorite parts of Christmas!  I hope this list helps spark a few ideas for your stocking stuffers and I'm sure your loved ones will appreciate all the thought put into their stocking this Christmas!  Only 30 days left!

My First Stitch Fix

Last night I came home to my first Stitch Fix box!  Stitch Fix is a subscription service for clothing and accessories.  You can choose to have a box come every couple of weeks, monthly or bi-monthly.  I decided to start with bi-monthly to see how I liked it.

For $20, a personal stylist reviews your style survey as well as your Pinterest boards and anything else you send them.  They pick out five pieces and send them to you.  You have three days to try everything on, decide what you want to keep, and send the rest back (free shipping!).  The $20 stylist fee goes toward anything you buy, but if you don't buy anything, you still pay the fee.

To be honest when I saw the box I thought "hmm.. that's kinda small for five items.  What did they send me?!"  I was definitely interested to see what was inside.  I'm a big fan of packaging, so here's a look inside the box.

There's an adorable card with images of each item and how you could style them.  I actually really appreciated this because I could tell that I had a lot of the items they were pairing pieces with and I felt comfortable with the choices.  There is also a price list so that you know how much each piece is, but we'll get to that.

Here are the five items inside my Stitch Fix box!  I saw an amazing cardigan, a lovely lace sleeved top, a gold statement necklace, a chevron blouse, and maroon printed pants.  When I saw the pants were a medium I laughed out loud like, yeah, this is going to go well.  They looked tiny when I held them up but I figured what the hell, gotta try em!

This is where I need help.  EVERYTHING fits and (I think) looks really cute!  Should I keep a few pieces or all of it?  Please excuse the selfies and dirty mirror here...  First up are three pieces from the box: the lace sleeved top, the pants (that fit awesome!) and the gold necklace.  I took some pictures so you could see the detail (see the pants above and the shirt and necklace below).  I paired the outfit with my ankle booties to see how it would actually look.

Next up is the sweater I'm actually obsessed with.  I tried it on with distressed skinnys, a tan tank and my beloved ankle boots.  I don't think I have to say too much about this BEAUT!

Finally, the last item is the chevron blouse.  I paired it with a Stitch Fix suggested tan skirt and black heels.  I think this would be a great look for work.  The sleeves also roll up and button, so the top could be worn a bit more casually.

I need help decided what to keep!  A (big) part of me just wants to keep the whole box.  If you purchase all 5 items, you get a pretty major discount (for this box it's $75 bucks off).  So, to keep all 5 items would be $229.  If I only keep my top three (the lace top, pants and sweater) it's $204, so for an extra $25, I would get to keep this chevron top and necklace.  Heeeelp!

I will say I am officially in love with Stitch Fix.  The fact that everything in my box fit and I liked everything honestly shocked me.  I'm not a big doubter but I didn't think it would go so smoothly.  Definitely looking forward to my next fix!  I also really loved the fact that I could try everything on at home with pieces that I already have.  It was so convenient to see how each item would fit into my wardrobe.

Please leave a comment here or on my Instagram telling me what you think I should keep!  Have a great weekend y'all J

Weekend in Pictures: Halloween, a Yoga Surprise & the Race for Hope

What a weekend!  We stayed busy all weekend, starting with Halloween on Friday.  I was able to dress up for work, so I went as a ballerina.  I got a whopping 4 votes in the costume contest (3 were bribed with spiced candied pecans) and lost to a man dressed as Diana Ross.  Guess I didn't have much of a chance...

As tradition goes, Scott and I handed out candy at my sister-in-laws while they took the kid out trick-or-treating.  Abby and Chase were dressed as Princess Jasmine (pronounced Jabs-Min according to Abs) and Aladdin.  I loved seeing all the kids come around.  I heard about a drinking game where you take a shot each time you see a Frozen character... I saw 3- whomp whomp.

Cutest family ever!

Saturday was my Mom's 60th birthday and did we have plans for her!  She insisted she didn't want a big party, but we still wanted to get her friends together to celebrate how great she is.  I thought of throwing a surprise yoga party, and my sisters and I started planning.  I tricked her into thinking we were going to a regular class and when we showed up, she was shocked to say the least.

We turned the party into something more important, a food drive!  Thank you to all who donated.

Saturday night I hosted Mom's birthday dinner at my house.  That afternoon her very best friend showed up as another surprise, so we had a full house :).  I put together a chili bar for dinner and it was a big hit.  It was super easy to prepare ahead of time, and everyone could customize their own dish.  We opened gifts and chatted, it was great to have everyone there!

My Aunt Lisa, Mom & Aunt Lydia.

Mom and Hannah.

Happy Birthday Ma!

Sunday morning we got up bright and early to walk in the Race for Hope, an event to help raise awareness for brain cancer research.  Our team, Jim's Geniuses, walks in honor of my dad.  It was a chilly morning, but we had a bunch of great friends join us.  Thank you so much to everyone who donated and walked with us, it means so much to have the support each year.

Sorry my pictures are mostly blurry - I was walking backwards while taking them!

Jim's Geniuses 2014!

Freezing at the end, but we made it!

My love bug :)

The Dwyer Ladies!

A weekend full of family time and fun is awesome, but we were wiped on Sunday.  We got home just in time for the Eagles game, and then I sat on the couch until Melissa reminded me about a sale at AC Moore!  Ha!  After a little shopping, some sushi and TWD were the perfect ending to an awesome weekend.

This week our granite gets installed!!!  I'm just a little excited to get rid of our 1994 Florida teal laminate counter tops.  Happy Monday - have a great week!