last minute gifts!

Okay all you last minute shoppers!  This post is for you... there is still a full week until Christmas so if you aren't done... don't worry! I still have a few last things to snag before the big day and I'm sure I'm not alone.  It's time to put that Amazon Prime account to it's test and get your shopping finished without having to brave all the awful crowds at the malls and shopping centers.

I've got something for everyone here and at all price points - so there is no excuse!  Hop to friends....

top row: agate coaster set (under $25!), enclosed eco-system (these are SO cool and under $50!), instax camera, live succulent collection (under $50!), live laugh love Lightbox (only $15!)

middle row: tea cup and infuser set (under $25!), classic book collection (under $50!), wooden salad bowls (only $25!), mini photo printer, lego mug

bottom row: colorful masking tape set (under $15!), cat nightlight (under $16!), essential oil diffuser (under $30!), I Woke Up Like This mug (under $20!), SMEG red kettle, clear makeup display (only $20!)

holiday gift guide 2017: stocking stuffers under $25!

How is your holiday shopping coming along!?!? I was at the slowly and calmly gathering gifts here and there phase. Which has now moved into the semi-freak-out-how-will-I-have-this-done-in-time phase. Next week will be the I'm-riding-on-pure-adrenaline phase (hopefully! I don't know how else I will get everything done!).  Any way... if you could use a little help (i.e. a full time on staff elf) right about now like me, I've got some help for us both!

Today I rounded up tons of under $25 stocking stuffers and the good news is that they ALL ship for FREE in time for Christmas delivery.  That's the kind of help I need these days.  You? There are fun finds here for all ages like Dylan's Candy Bar mason jar or a peppermint snow tube for the kiddos. And super practical gifts like black/white charging cable or fingerless gloves for your brother or sister that has everything. I love these 80's remix magnets for your BFF from way back or drop earrings for that super glamorous friend of yours. A initial bottle stopper is perfect for EVERYONE on the list that is at least 21+ - think grandmas, uncles, teachers and neighbors.  And a few of my personal favorites are this peppermint lip conditioner, these Invisibobble hair ties are amazing and this is my favorite candle!

marble phone case, initial bottle stopper, my favorite candle!, striped lining makeup bag, the prettiest coloring pencils, pink glitter water bottle, Dylan's Candy Bar mason jar, black/white charging cable, pom pom beanie hat, good vibes mug, fingerless gloves, drop earrings, Invisibobble hair ties - obsessed with these!, peppermint lip conditioner - my ALL time favorite!, interchangable strap digital watch, 80's remix magnets, peppermint snow tube - my kids would adore these!

SaveSave

holiday gift guide 2017: sleepwear for the entire family under $100!

I say it every Christmas and I will say it again: sleepwear is hands down the best gift to give (and receive) for the holidays!  The truth is, I rarely buy pjs for myself or my kiddos throughout the year so by this time of year not only do we want new cozies for the cold weather... we also kinda 'need' them too.  And really the lounge and pajama selection is the BEST this time of year... robes, slippers and pj sets can be difficult to come by brand new in the summer. So this is THE time of year to stock up on sleepwear gifts for the whole family.  Plus, they are great gifts to give to friends and family because its usually pretty easy to guesstimate sizing and who say no to a snuggly pair of pjs or a robe?

I love this nightshirt and over the knee sock combo.  How cozy would that be for a winter movie night at home? These slippers look SO soft and they are available in quite a few colors.  My husband loves these Ugg slippers the best and he usually needs a few new casual tees to lounge in or a new pair of sweatpants for around the house.  For my kids I love the fitted pajamas (and they love them too!).  Both of my kids are always seeming to grow out of their robes and slippers each year. How cute are these bunny slippers (under $25!)!?!? So darling. The best part is everything I've pulled together here is at the $100 price point or under... with most items being UNDER $50!  So they are not only the perfect gift, but at the perfect price!

For the gals...

grey striped pajamas, grey/white robe, fluffy bow slippers, striped thermal nightshirt, over the knee socks, red flannel pajamas, sleep mask

For the guys...

mens joggers, mens flannel plaid lounge pants, grey mens thermal robe, mens Ugg slippers, white long sleeve Patagonia tee

For the kiddos...

girls flannel striped shorts, two pack fitted pajamas, fleece sleep tee, fluffy slippers

boys red robe, boys flannel jogger pajama pants, boys fitted striped pajamas, wooly sock mocassins

holiday gift guide: what mom REALLY wants with Evereve!

This post is sponsored by Evereve. All opinions are my own.

Thank you for supporting the brands that support this blog. 

Today I am partnering with Evereve to bring you a gift guide for all those moms in your life!  If anyone knows how to treat moms right, it's Evereve.  With super helpful sales associates and an amazing selection of wardrobe staples and trendy items that are perfect for the busy mom on the go - Evereve has something for every mom this holiday season.

Every time I pop into my local Evereve I am always floored by the amazing selection and my ability to seriously want EVERYTHING.  They are always getting new stock in and always have plenty of stylists ready to help me pull together the perfect outfit or gift. You can see my holiday looks with Evereve here, or this was my go-to fall look, also styled by Evereve.

Today I pulled together some of my favorite giftable from Evereve that the moms on your list will really love!  A few things that are on my own personal wish list are this toasty sweatshirt, this LOVE locket by The Giving Keys and I am so in love with these wedge SOREL boots!  I love these 'LOVE YOUR MELON' pom pom hats... it would be perfectly paired with this stay-cation top.  For the lady that has everything this grey ruana/shawl or fringe hoop earring would be perfect!  There isn't a busy mom alive that doesn't love a super flattering pair of skinny jeans and cable knit sweater combo!

top row, from left: LOVE locket by The Giving Keys, stay-cation top, pom pom hat - so cozy!

middle row, from left: grey ruana/shawl, fringe hoop earring, cable knit sweater

bottom row: wedge SOREL boots, toasty sweatshirt - my favorite!, skinny jeans - so flattering!

gift guide: under $25 gifts for guys and girls with Gordmans!

This post is sponsored by Specialty Retailers, Inc.  All opinions are my own.

Thank you for supporting the brands that support this blog!

Earlier this month I partnered with Gordman's to pull together my fireplace mantel for Christmas for less than $100. It was so much fun decorating this part of our home for the first time after extensive renovations.  And it was so easy with Gordman's - they have great decor pieces for your home for the holidays - and year round - in store right now. Every time I pop in there a new lamp, pillow or candle is catching my eye. Then earlier this week I loved compiling a couple of gift baskets on a budget.  Gordman's never disappoints with stocking or basket stuffers to pull together a personalized gift at a great price.  If you've been to a Gordman's recently you know that they are BIG on gift baskets this year. My local store had quite a few already made, or they have tons of baskets and bins to create your own. You can simply grab a basket of any size and start filling it with gifts and goodies at really affordable prices.

If you've never been in a Gordman's store I highly recommend it!  Gordman's is an off-price retailer that believes that shopping should be both fun and affordable.  They are fully stocked on men's and women's clothing, outwear, shoes, home accessories, toys and gifts this time of year at unbelievably low prices.

Today in partnership with Gordman's I have 14 (fourteen!) gifts under $25 for the guys and the girls on your shopping list this year. As I was compiling this post I realized that all these gifts are actually under $20 dollars each (TWENTY!?!?) so I even beat myself at my own game here.

For the gals (below) we have hot chocolate and a mug set (under $15 for all three pieces!) that would make a great teacher gift combined.  I love this pillow (only $18) and blanket (under $15!) and together or separate they would make great gifts for a college-age gal to jazz up her dorm room. You really can't ever go wrong with a candle, knee high socks or slippers (all under $10 each). 

The guys (see below) are always the MOST difficult to buy for (is it just me!?!?) but I know my husband will LOVE this insulated growler (only $20!) and some Christmas flavored coffee (under $5). This zip up sweater is SO soft and practical that any guy will love it - and it's only $15.  My husband and my son both need a new Dopp kit and this one from Nike is the perfect size and under $17. And just for fun what guy doesn't love a box of chocolates and some HUGE playing cards (how fun would building a card house on Christmas Day be with these cards!?!?) - both under $8 each.  Wow, I mean are those some amazing deals or what?!?!?

Thanks again to Gordman's for sponsoring this post and for providing all the gifts you see here.  

holiday gift baskets with Gordmans!

This post is sponsored by Specialty Retailers, Inc. All opinions are my own.

Thank you for supporting the brands that support this blog!

Earlier this month I worked with Gordman's to pull together an easy and affordable (under $100!) holiday mantle for my home - you can see that full post here! And today I am partnering with them to get some people checked off my holiday shopping list with fun and affordable gift baskets!  If you've never checked out a Gordman's near you... put it on your holiday to-do list! I recently stopped by our local Gordman's store (it's in Grandville for all you local ladies and it's HUGE!) and loved putting a "done" check mark next to a few people on my holiday shopping list for this year.   There's no "hunting" for deals at this off-price retailer. The good deals find you... or at least they found me!

Gordman's challenged me to pull together a few gift baskets for special people on my list this year... so I got right down to work.  I decided to pull together a few gift baskets for our sitters.  As a mom you know how life (and sanity!) saving a good sitter can be. I try to think of generous ways to spoil them since they do so much for our family all year long. They had tons of cute and affordable baskets to choose from. I loved these wire baskets (only $13!) so I snagged two and started filling them.  Read on for the details on each basket...

Basket #1

For the first basket I did a GIRLY GIRL theme. For this basket I started with a super cozy scarf (only $9.99!), and added a cute 'love" plaque (only $3.49) and a journal ($4.99) and then finished it off with a festive ornament (only $2.99).  The entire basket was under $35 - which is a great price point for a teacher, sitter or friend.  

Basket #2

For the second basket I did a COZY winter theme. I first snagged another bright red blanket (I got one for myself too, shown here!) for only $7.99 and added a cozy pom pom hat (only $9.99), a Christmas candle ($6.99) and some of my favorite candies (only $2.99) and also another pinecone ornament - I'm in love with how simple and pretty they are.  This basket totals just under $40 - so again, a super price point for maybe a teacher, the superwoman that cleans the house for you, a sitter or a friend. 

How cute are these!?!? I think any recipient would love a thoughtfully pulled together gift basket from Gordman's this season, so be sure to stop by their store to get a few people checked off your list!

holiday SALE watch!

It's HERE!  The holiday shopping season is OFFICIALLY in swing!! Consider me your personal elf-assistant from now on! This post will be your one-stop-shop for all the best holiday sales over the next few days, Thanksgiving Day, Black Friday and Cyber Monday. So bookmark it, check back frequently and have a blast over the next couple of days finding those absolutely delightful holiday gifts for all your loved ones. I know shopping for my friends and family is always so fun for me each year, I hope you enjoy it too!  And don't forget that this post will be updated regularly (check back often!) and you can re-visist all my holiday gift guides here as well if you need more inspiration!

You can shop some of my favorite retailers here:

My FAVORITE - Beautycounter is offering an amazing deal now today only!... Spend $175 and get a FREE body oil worth $75, it smells amazing! Or get FREE shipping over $100.  Or they just launched a brand new line: Countermatch, this is an amazing line for combination skin. You can purchase MINIS of the Countermatch line today only for $48 (price goes up tomorrow)!  You can see all my favorite Beautycounter products HERE or see what I use for makeup everyday HERE. DON'T miss this sale!



Nordstrom has Cyber Monday deals + an additional 20% off select marked down items! And FREE SHIPPING and returns as always!

Old Navy always has fun holiday gifts, today everything is  50% off! Here are some my favorite giftables...

J.Crew always has gorgeous holiday gifts for the whole family. Their entire site is 40% off with an ADDITIONAL 10% off until noon with code: SHOPFAST

LOFT has beautiful gifts for the women in your life and the entire site is 50% off today and FREE shipping! These are my favorites:

J.Crew Factory is another great spot for gifts for the whole family... and today the entire site is 60% off! What a deal! Use code: CYBER

Madewell has 25% off their entire site... use code: GOODMOOD

Anthropologie is always a great place for keepsake gifts... they are offering 20% off SIGTEWIDE today and FREE shipping over $100!

Or check out these other amazing deals...

Tory Burch has 30% off with code: THANKS. This or this would be a great gift!

Amazon Black Friday deals are HERE! This would be a great gift!

Gap is 50% off the entire site! ALL of these are my favorites!

Kate Spade is 30% off site wide... or 40% off sale! their gifts are the best!

Pottery Barn Kids is 20% off almost everything and FREE shipping. These are my favorite to give!

(early) Black Friday finds!

The Black Friday sales are in FULL swing and I couldn't resist pulling together just a few of my TOP favorites for you! Whether you are shopping for your loved ones, or maybe treating yourself to a little something that has been on your wishlist - the timing is perfect because the deals are amazing right now!  All of these pieces are marked way, way down making them super budget friendly!

These are a few of my favorites that would make great gifts or let's be honest, they would also make a great place in your closet too! I know a few of these have been on my own wishlist...  make sure you shop early for the best selection, I have a feeling that quite a few of these are going to be selling out quickly!

faux fur collar coat, earrings, striped insulated mug (only $12!), cream sweater, Tory Burch cross body bag, Kate Spade tote, Uggs, striped pjs, my favorite Christmas candle!, striped cosmetic tote, over the knee boots (50% off!), gold sneakers, my favorite cashmere sweater (almost 50% off!), studded cross body bag, TUMI cosmetic pouch, black wool coat (other colors available!)

holiday gift guide 2017: for the tweens/teens!

My gift guides continue today with another hard to buy for crowd... the tweens and teens.  Since my kids are 10 & 13 now I am officially retiring the "kids gift guide" and moving into a gift guide aimed at older kids with maybe a few items thrown in for those "young at heart" teens.  It's hard to believe those kiddos of mine are so grown up these days. But they are! And while I am really enjoying this stage of motherhood it is a really tough one to buy for.  They usually want a lot of big ticket items (like a computer, iPad, iPhone, etc...) that they may or may NOT be receiving, but I still want them to have a few more gifts wrapped under the tree.

This gift guide for tweens and Teens is inspired by my own kids.  They are PICKY and I know that they would love each item on this list - I scoured the internet to find creative and fresh gift picks for those hard to buy older kids and also threw in a few classic gifts as well.  My kids always love a few practical gifts like a new robe or beanie hat that will get lots of use this winter. For the kid at heart this snap together X-Wing Fighter model is pretty awesome, I adore this astronaut duvet set (there are also ballerinas, dinosaurs and more!) and these fashion icon paper dolls are pretty rad. For the adventurer these packable and portable hammock kits are awesome and they are available in tons colors and under $50.  For the techy teen in your life a fun polaroid camera or charger cord set is the perfect gift. My kids are super into crazy socks right now... these llama (camel!?!) socks are so crazy and weird I know they would be a hit.  Shoes are ALWAYS a winner for my kids... they can't get enough of new sneakers and hunter boots are always a win for the girls.

I hope this list inspires your gift buying for those tricky tweens and teens in your life!

heart robe, striped robe, boys 'chill' beanie, squishies (my kids are OBSESSED with these right now!), portable hammock, fair isle pom pom hat, hunter boots, X-Wing Fighter model (easily snaps together), charger cord set (under $15!), polaroid camera, blue fleece pull-over, army green sneakers, fashion icon paper dolls, astronaut duvet set (so fun! Or there is a ballerina, dinosaur and others!), headphones (under $50!), waterproof bluetooth speaker (under $50!), llama socks, pink hooded t-shirt, kitty socks (only $15!), DIY tinted lip balm kit, sour candy set

Shop the pieces by scrolling below...

holiday gift guide 2017: gifts for her!

Today I've got another awesome gift guide for you! And this time it's all about the ladies in your life... mothers, babysitters, teachers, bffs, sisters, nieces... or let's be honest - YOU! There is no shame in forwarding this blog post on to the guy in your life for inspiration. The guys usually need a little, ahem, 'inspiration' now and again!

When I pull together these gift guides I always like to make sure I am keeping it real... for my guys gift guide (here) I always run the gifts by my husband first.  I make sure to ask him if it's something he would ACTUALLY like to see under the tree for himself to make sure I am on the right track.  For the girls gift guide I always choose items that I love and also that I think are a good price point or are reasonable for what I would spend on a gift.  It's great to splurge on a gift from time to time but it's important to have a few budget friendly picks too!

These gifts here are some of my favorite to give and get.  A gorgeous scarf, the perfect pajamas, my favorite candle and candy, a few practical gifts like luggage or a cosmetic pouch,  a few beauty picks like my mini facial oil set or a lip gloss set and even a few home items like this cozy blanket or an aromatherapy diffuser (I use mine non-stop in the winter) round out the list. So whatever budget or lady you have to shop for, there is sure to be something here for her (and by her, I mean her and you, wink wink).

leopard wallet, kendra scott necklace, pom pom hat (only $15!), polka dot pajamas (under $100!), faux fur/pom pom throw blanket, lip gloss set (I love their minty scent!), pink scarf (under $25!), candy bento box (under $50!), 'she believed she could so she did' bracelet (only $35!), luggage set, 'make mine a double' insulated mug, fleece lined slipper socks, volcano candle (my FAVORITE candle to burn!), nude eye trio (I'm obsessed with this eyeliner/eyeshadow combo!), polka dot cosmetic pouch (only $15!), convertible bow gloves/mittens, rose gold wireless headphones (under $100!), pull over fleece (under $100), "hello" balloons shelf art (so cute!), aromatherapy diffuser (under $40!)

Scroll through the items below to see them all!

holiday gift guide 2017: for him!

I am kicking off my holiday gifts guides TODAY!  Cue the confetti!  I'm definitely starting my holiday shopping already because... hello, December is busy enough on it's own. I like to start early to take the stress out of it all and make sure I am still having fun with the gift giving process.

Today I am tacking the GUYS on your list - because if the guys in your life are like the guys in my life, they are the most difficult to shop for.  My husband admits that if he wants or needs something he usually snags it for himself, which I am totally okay with - until birthdays and Christmas rolls around and I am at a loss. Plus, he's a pretty low maintenance guy. Those two factors make him difficult to shop for - and guys in general can be that way... brothers, uncles, dads, grandpas can all be so tricky to buy for.

I am always trying to think one step ahead of them... what is something they don't know they want yet! You know? Fun techy gifts like a new nest thermostat (my husband totally geeks out over ours), a turn table and his favorite 90s LP, new wireless headphones (my husbands are always breaking!) or a bluetooth speaker for his office or the garage are great ideas. Practical gifts for the traveler like my husband include new rolling luggage set (LOVE this set!), packing cubes or a new YSL Homme cologne set that has a travel size (I can't tell you how many times my husband has left his full size cologne in a hotel - sob!).  I always like to include a few more practical ideas too... like a gorgeous watch, a half zip fleece pullover (this is my husband's favorite style) or leather gloves.  And for the kid at heart I love this funky pair of sneakers, an smart phone projector (so fun!), dark chocolate bourbon bears or a fun "geeky" board game. I always love to throw in a few books as gifts too... I've heard awesome early reviews about Artemis, a sci-fi space adventure, and what guy doesn't a compendium on whiskey?

I hope you find something here for the special guys in your life... there will be more gift guides coming over the upcoming weeks and of course a huge Black Friday shopping guide coming at you soon too!  So stay tuned!

watch, nest thermostat, rolling luggage set, half zip fleece pullover, camo gym bag, wireless headphones, leather gloves, smart phone projector, packing cubes, U2 vinyl record, turn table, sneakers, quiz game, rib knit beanie, Artemis, whiskey book, geek battle game, dark chocolate bourbon bears, bluetooth speaker, YSL Homme cologne set

Browse the gifts below by scrolling left or right...