The holidays may look a little different this year but that doesn't mean we can't still give to those we love - or get ourselves a few frivolous things. I won't judge (I do it too!) Even if it's a drop-off on their porch or shipping directly to them, you can show your loved ones you're thinking about them!

 

For the Home

If you're looking for women-owned businesses to support, rockflowerpaper is a great option to check out! I'm very into gifting household items this year instead of clothes and, luckily for me, they have a great selection of both home goods and clothes/accessories!

 

rockflowerpaper has quite a few Winter-themed serving trays that I'm considering as gifts (and for myself, obviously!) How adorable is this Winter Stags tray I bought with a gift card!? Might have to buy a plate hanger to showcase it on the wall instead of covering it with treats. Or I'll just leave it like this on our dining room table (without the succulents.) That's also what makes trays great gifts, so many ways to use them.

 

They also have a collection of ceramic pots with succulents! I have a thing for cute little succulents so you better believe I added some to my cart for the living room (and one for my Grandma too!)

 

Earlier this week rockflowerpaper started their Black Friday sale! You can get 20% off of $50, 30% off of $100 and 40% off of $150 orders. (not including succulents)

 

Handmade Gifts

 

Since I'm doing most of my holiday gift shopping online I'm trying to avoid the "major" stores and shopping small. I do a Secret Santa every year with my siblings/their partners and browsed etsy last month for my gift and found lots of fun options. I can't tell you what I got since it would give away the secret, but I used a few different sellers to make the perfect gift! Jewelry from etsy is also a popular choice and I've gifted many etsy-ordered necklaces in my day!

 

The Gift of Food

 

Another fun option for gifting this year is a week of meal delivery services! That way your loved one can have a fun meal without leaving the house! My brother bought my Mom a week of Blue Apron years ago and it was such a great gift. There are a ton different options too. I have personally used Blue Apron, HelloFresh and EveryPlate and enjoyed them all! You get the most bang for your buck at EveryPlate ($59 for 5 meals) but I find Blue Apron's meals ($59 for 3 meals) more adventurous.

 

To make it even more fun you can coordinate a week to get the same meals and make them together over FaceTime/Zoom/whatever video service you prefer. It's like date night for a family member or friend!

Personalization

Who doesn't love a gift made especially for them? Stealing another idea from family - my Mom made a photo calendar for my Grandma one year that had all our important family dates in it - birthdays, anniversaries and even puppy birthdays. She has twelve grandchildren so Mom made each month a photo collage of a different grandchild. 

 

You could also go another route and make a recipe or photo book, both of which I have received as gifts and loved! Knowing someone took the time to create something just for you makes it all the more special. You can use sites such as Snapfish and Shutterfly for these! (I always check who has a better coupon at the moment.)

It's the time of year to start thinking about Holiday gifts! With a little help from Marshalls I got an early start on my gifting.  Everything you see below I bought at Marshalls!  I fell in love with the blanket I got at Marshalls a couple months ago so I decided it was the perfect gift for Lydia and Christine.  The blankets were already wrapped making them super easy to give.  I also wanted to give them a couple little trinkets as well so I picked up these fun wrapped chocolate bars and adorable ornaments (a moose and giraffe!)

Marshalls is the perfect place to shop for your gifts, they have everything you could need. Clothes, shoes, accessories as well as a wide selection of home goods.  Have someone that loves wine? They have unique wine glasses and more. They even have a selection of books and journals for the writers and readers in your life.  And the best part? Everything is below retail price - you'll never pay full price for fabulous gifts!

* Disclosure: I have received free products or value from Marshalls or The TJX Companies, Inc. in connection with my affiliation with Marshalls Project FAB.

Today's gift guide is for the girl who likes all things timeless! She likes high quality pieces that will last a lifetime and doesn't like to skimp on basics.  Classic means different things for different people, but the general idea is the same: basic shapes that never go out of style (but I believe they can be any color!) Here are some pieces that a classic girl would love, I wouldn't mind them either. ;)

Jimmy Choo - Gilbert Pumps
Proenza Schouler - PS11
Frame Denim Jeans (I REALLY want these!)
Yves Saint Laurent Dress
Alex Monroe Heart Ring
Victoria Beckham Sunglasses

Welcome to my first gift guide of the year! I'm not exactly sure how many I'll be doing, but there will be at least one. ;)  This past Friday while I was at Marshalls I found a perfect gift for someone who loves books and thought I should form a gift guide around it!  It's a Penguin Threads book; Penguin redesigned some covers of classic books to make it look like they had been sewn on, they also have a really cool texture to them.  I picked up a copy of Little Women for myself because it's one of my favorite films and I don't have a copy of the book.
Little Women $11
In Vogue hardcover book $75
Amazon.com Gift Card
Kindle Case $29
Linda Farrow Luxe Glasses $630

Father's Day is fast approaching (June 17th in the US) and Mr Porter (net-a-porter for men) has a handy dandy Gift Guide to help you pick out a present for your dad! They have guides for five types of Dads: The Sunseeker, The Workaholic, The Globetrotter, The Hipster, and The Traditionalist! Each guide showcases the best in global style from some of the biggest names in international menswear.  I know most of the stuff in there is expensive, but you can also use it as inspiration and find cheaper versions!  What do you usually get your dad?

Mr Porter is also having a contest where your dad can win a $500 Gift Card to shop the store! They are asking fans to submit vintage photos of their dad and the most stylish dad will be chosen for a $500 MR PORTER Gift Card.  To enter, send your vintage photo of your stylish dad to fathersday@mrporter.com. Their editors will announce the winner on Father’s Day and their favorites will be featured on the MR PORTER Facebook and Tumblr page.
My picks (the camera bag would be perfect for my dad if it was for a bigger camera...he LOVES photography). They are also having their sale, up to 50% off full prices! The perfect time to find your Dad a gift!

Mother's Day (in the US) is in a little under 2 weeks, so I figured I would do a quick gift guide featuring one of my new(ish) favorite jewelry stores, 31 Bits! I have been a bit obsessed with 31 Bits since I featured them in February. I wear my bracelets every single day, they go with everything!  For those of you that missed it the first time, 31 Bits uses fashion and design to empower women to rise above poverty by offering a variety of different programs for the women they work with in Uganda, learn more about it here. Here are some pieces I think any mother would love:


31 Bits is celebrating Mother's Day by using limited edition gift bags as well as personalized gift tags on all purchases, you can write a personalized note for your Mom and they will put it on the tag for you! This is available until May 13th, so be sure to order soon to get your gift in time for Mother's Day!

We all know how much I LOVE shoes, so I figured I should do a gift guide for all the shoe lovers out there!  But who doesn't love shoes, right?!  For a Christmas gift you want to buy something unusual, not something the receiver would buy on their own (but still something they'd love.) I've chosen shoes from a variety of price points the prices range from $33 all the way to $1495. The Marc Jacobs mouse flats are ADORABLE! I've always loved the mouse flats but these have an added punch!

Tabitha Simmons animal-print calf hair and leather ankle boots - $1495
Alexander McQueen buckled suede boots - $795
Marc by Marc Jacobs Glitter-covered leather mouse ballet flats [RED AND GOLD!] - $250
Jean Michael Cazabat - $147.50
Michael Antonio $32.99

Last week I mentioned I would be doing some gift guides and Lydia requested gifts for the fussy father, aka one who "doesn't want anything and doesn't like sports." You guys love to hit me with the hard ones, don't you.  This is pretty much like my Dad though, he doesn't really need or want anything (he does like sports, but not in a collectible way.)  I say go with something corny that is unique to your father, a good book or movie, maybe something for the car, etc.  You could always fall back on the trusted tie, too. [I'm showing some expensive options but you can obviously find cheaper ones]

James Bond DVD Sets via Amazon
Banana Republic Sweater
J.Crew Tie via Mr. Porter
Burberry Watch
Bose Wave Music System via Amazon
Black & Decker Car Vacuum via Amazon