Gifts for Mom

This year I got inspired with Gifts for Mom for Mother's Day by the colour pink. Its such a fun, fresh colour without being overstated. Here are my picks for Mom:

Perfume - Why not get mom one of her favourite scents this Mother's Day. There are a tons of options to choose from and every time she uses it she will think of you.

Purse - Find me a girl who doesn't like a good bag. I love this Rebecca Minkoff. The chain adds some edge to this other wise girly bag. The shape and quilted textures are definitely classic so Mom can use it for years to come.

Flowers - Flowers are a great way to let Mom know that you are thinking about her especially if you cannot be with her this Mother's Day.

Scarf - I think a scarf is the perfect accessory. It can really add a punch of colour to an outfit and make it that much more exciting. There are so many different patterns and colours out there, surely there is something your mom will love.

Beauty Products - Treat Mom to some high end beauty products that she may not splurge on for herself. These One Love Organics (gift set available at Shop by Monika) use all natural ingredients and are supposed to be good for all skin types.

Tea - David's has a great collection of teas for Mom and their special edition Perfect Mug is adorable.   Stock up on her favourites or find her a new favourite. You can't go wrong with Cream of Earl Grey.

Graduation Gifts for Friends

The majority of my friends are graduating this year. They are off to start the next exciting chapter of their lives. Here are some ideas that I came up with to get them as a small congratulations. All are under $50. 

Starbucks Giftcard -  A Starbucks (or other coffee or tea) giftcard is a perfect gift for someone who is about to enter the workforce. Pair it with a thoughtful card and provide them with coffee for their first day of work. 

Book - There are so many great books out there for grads. Lean In is one that I would recommend for any recent grad. 

Manicure - Treat your friend to a manicure. Its nice to feel pampered after studying for so long.  Many places have gift cards you can give, but even better why not go with her and spend some time together before things get crazy again. 

Travel Journal - So many of my friends are taking time off after graduating and before they start working to travel. A journal is a great way for them to record their thoughts and memories while abroad. Fun add ons: a sleep mask and ear plugs for those train, plane and car rides. 

Necklace - Dogeared has some really cute necklaces that are perfect for grads. Wether you want to wish you friend good luck on her next chapter or thank her for always being there for you. I like the simplicity of them. Etsy also has some great options for unique jewellery and personalized necklaces.

DIY Love Jar

This is a cute and quick way to show someone that you love them. I had everything I needed to make my Love Jar around the house.  I got the idea from Collen Ludovic she has a full tutorial here.

I decorated the outside of my jar with glitter heart stickers that I got from Michael's. I covered the lid with some heart tissue paper I had left over from last year's Valentine's Day. 

I filled my jar with some cute notes, cinnamon hearts and Love Tea #7. I used the tea filters that I had and secured the end with some glitter heard stickers to make them a bit more festive.   

Saying Thank You

These past couple of weeks have been super busy and full of stress and anxiety with events, studying for midterms and applying for summer internships. I am so grateful to all of my friends and family who have been there for me during these past few weeks.

I wanted to say Thank You to those who put up with me while I was sleep deprived and stressed and starting thinking about the best way to do that.

Thank You Notes - a simple thank you note can go a long way. It shows that you really appreciate the the person and the time that they took to help you.  I think hand written thank you notes are more sincere then an email because you actually have to take the time to put pen to paper.

Starbucks Gift Card - Show your appreciation for someones time by buying their coffee that day. Even a small amount can go a long way to brightening someones day and showing that you truly appreciate them.

Cookies/Baked Goods - If you are talented in the kitchen (or even if you aren't they have mixes now) its always nice to give homemade goods.  My friend recently lost her phone and had it returned to her by someone in their building. She brought them a plate a cookies as thanks and they were thrilled to receive them.  I find guys especially love receiving homemade baked goods.

Flowers - Flowers are a great way to say thanks. Its always nice to have a fresh bouquet and they are a great thank you to send to someone who might live further away.

What is your favourite way to say Thank You?

Jaclyn

Gifts that Give Back

Why not give a gift this year that your giftee will not only love but that will also give back to others. Its a win, win, win.

Warby Parker - Not only are their glasses cute and functional for every pair sold they provide a pair to someone in need. So why not provide your four eyed friends with a gift card to Warby Parker and help give the gift of sight to someone in need. 

TOMS - TOMS also has a one for one model. Buy a pair of shoes and they will give a pair to someone in need. Their shoes are incredibly comfortable and go with pretty much everything. There are a ton of styles and prints to choose from. 

MetoWe - MetoWe is the Social Enterprise of Free the Children. It helps support the overhead costs of the charity. They offer socially and environmentally conscious goods made by artisans in developing countries and provide fair wages to Mama's supporting their families. 

Hosting For Hope (HomeSense) - The net proceeds from these gives go towards helping women and children victims of abuse through supporting local shelters and violence prevention programs in the community. 

Tory Burch Agenda - All profits from the purchase of the pink shade will benefit the Tory Burch Foundation, which Supports the economic empowerment of women entrepreneurs and their families in the US. 

Cole and Parker - Cole and Parker sell fun socks that support a one for many model. They are partners with Kiva and proceeds from each purchase of socks is loaned to support entrepreneurs in poverty. 

Gift: Hot Chocolate in a Mug

I knew I wanted to share some of the marshmallows I made with my friends and family. So I put together these super cute and simple mugs with everything they would need for a mug of hot chocolate.   

I found the mugs at my local dollar store. I was surprised by their super cute collection of Christmas mugs. I decided to add a small bottle of Baileys since its amazing in hot chocolate and found a sample pack at the LCBO. I add a pack of hot chocolate and some marshmallows then wrapped it up in cellophane. It was a quick and easy gift that I know they will love for under $10. 

Weekend Snaps

Gift for the besties birthday. So exited Chapters is now carrying Kate Spade!  

All wrapped up in my signature wrapping (all the friends have gotten this bag at some point or other) 

Studying for miderms :(  

Study Snacks 

Perfect end to a turkey dinner. 

Jaclyn