PROCRASTINATORS, UNITE! and Giveaway Winners!

To start the day off, I want to announce the recipients of the Mon Amie giveaway!  So many of you left such heart warming comments about friends and loved ones that you wanted to bless with some extra love this holiday season.

As I was reading through all of the comments, I was struck by all of the sadness that often surrounds Christmas for many people due to various circumstances (sickness, loss of a loved one, financial difficulties, divorce, etc…).  Our sermon at church this past Sunday dealt with just this:  pain at Christmas.  If you need to be encouraged, I would suggest watching the sermon.  Christmas is such a happy time, but it’s also a very painful time for so many.  I hope the sermon speaks to those that need to hear it.

Now about the giveaway, Mon Amie was extremely generous, and instead of giving away 2 watches like originally planned…. they are now giving away 4!  THANK YOU, MON AMIE! I used a random number generator to choose the winners:  Heidi Bakker for Caroline,  Cheri Gerlach for Kelly, Julie for friend Anne, and Gwen for sister Nelda.  Congratulations, ladies!  I hope your people know how much you love them!  Please contact me at pinteresttoldmeto@yahoo.com to claim the watch!

I also want to share something that a reader shared with me.  If you’ve lost someone you love recently, I can’t even imagine how incredibly difficult the first Christmas is without them.  I hope THIS SONG speaks straight to your hearts. Thank you so much for sharing it, Lindsay.

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Now for some Christmas fluff.   I have something ABSOLUTELY GENIUS to share with you.

First of all, if you haven’t finished your shopping yet, I know you aren’t alone.  I have a couple of options for you of ways you can finish your shopping right here, right now…..without every leaving the comfort of your home.

*** Nordstrom now offers a service called eGifting!

So, today I’m going to share some of MY VERY FAVORITE THINGS with y’all! 

Everything that’s on this collage is something that I absolutely ADORE.  Some of the items you’ve been hearing about for years, and some of them are items that I’ve discovered more recently.   But all of the items highlighted are things that I believe would make EXCELLENT gifts for the ladies on your lists. I own every single one of them, and I’ve given many of them as gifts.

If you’ve already knocked your Christmas list out, maybe you need to give your loved ones recommendations for yourself.  Use this list as your guide!  I highly recommend everything on this list because they are all items that I use and love (some of them every single day).

1) GRAPEFRUIT NEST DIFFUSER – This might seem like a summer fragrance, but I use it all year long in my home. It’s light and fresh and seriously just makes me happy.  I have it in my closet, and every single time I walk in it, I enjoy the scent.  I also have it in our guest bathroom, and people are always talking about how wonderful it smells!  There are lots of other fragrances to choose from, but the grapefruit is my personal favorite.

2) GORJANA CIRCLE HOOP EARRINGS – These are hands down the earrings I wear the most. I’ve had them for about 4 years now, and I still wear them at least 3 times per week.  They are expensive at $59, but the quality is awesome.   They are large, but still dainty…and they are SUPER light.  I love how they make a big impact, and they go with just about any outfit.  I’ve worn them with a little black dress and heels, but I’ve also worn them with a sweatshirt and jeans.

3) BLARDIGANS – I mean….if I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a thousand times….I think blardigans are THE VERY BEST GIFTS to both give and receive.  I basically did a dissertation on the 4 different types of blardigans on Wednesday’s post, so click HERE to check it out.  After doing my dissertation :), I came to the conclusion that the baby blardigan (pictured) and the original blardigan are my two personal favorites.  These are great for every single lady on your list.  Doesn’t matter if she’s 14 or 104, she will LOVE it and cuddle up in it all the time.

4) COLLEEN ROTHSCHILD CLEANSING BALM –  When my skin is dry, I use this amazing cleansing balm to cleanse my face.  And I’m telling you, you’ll feel like you are in a spa.  Using it is like an experience.  It smells amazing, and your skin will look bright, polished, and healthy!  I truly don’t even mind washing my face at night.  #whichisabigdeal  (I use this gel cleanser to wash my face when my face isn’t dry.)

If interested in more of the products, I use the dual enzyme polish to exfoliate so all of the other products will work to their utmost potential!  I’m using the Vitamin C complex to work on my dark spots and the the eye cream has definitely made a difference on the thin lines around my eyes.  I mean, what’s better than giving the gift (or receiving the gift) of beautiful skin?!?  And fyi, my mom recently tried their new Retinol Supreme Night Oil .  She called me in the morning (after only using it one night), and she swore that her skin looked better and smoother after just 1 use!  Now THAT’S impressive results!

5) BLISS UNDIES – I promise you, these undies are the best undies in the history of ever.  Now, I wouldn’t give underwear to just any lady on my list…but if you already have and love these undies like I do, you should totally consider gifting them to your mom, your sister, your bestie, etc.  SHARE THE LOVE!  And if you haven’t tried them yet, put them on your list RIGHT NOW. If you try these undies, you will fall in love…..and then  you will want to replace your entire underwear drawer with them.

6) LEOPARD CLUTCH – This clutch is perfectly sized and very affordable at $45.  It adds just the right amount of style and sass to outfits, and it looks much more expensive than it is.

7) $12 CIRCLE NECKLACE – This necklace is such a sweet little surprise.  AND IT’S ONLY $12.  I was eating lunch with one of my high school besties that now lives in Colorado (shout out, Kasey!) last week when she was home for Thanksgiving, and some of the first words out of her mouth when we saw each other was her complimenting me on this necklace.  I pretty much shouted “AND IT’S ONLY TWELVE DOLLARS.”

8) UGG SLIM PROFILE BOOTS – UGG went and fancied up their signature boot, and I’m not mad about it.  They are everything we know and love about UGGs, but now they are better.  They are prettier and more feminine because they are MUCH slimmer.  And if you are like me, you want everything on your body to look as skinny as possible.  AND THAT INCLUDES YOUR FEET!  ????  This boot also has a bit of a wedge.  Which I love.  OH!  AND THEY ARE WATER RESISTANT!  Mine are the medium height, they come in 2 heights at Nordstrom right now (you can find the short booties HERE), and they come in several different colors.

Concerning sizing, I find these slim profile boots to be true to size. I first ordered down 1/2 a size, like I had done with other UGG boots in the past, but they were too small.  My normal 6 1/2 is perfect on me!  The website suggests to actually order up if you are between sizes.

9) L’OCCITANE BUBBLE BATH –  Okay, so this is lavendar foaming bath.  I know what you’re thinking.  $39 FOR BUBBLE BATH?  It’s shocking.  But it’s lovely and luxurious and fabulous.  The scent will truly transport you and the bubbles are better than any other bubbles I’ve ever experienced.  If your mom or sister is a bath person, TREAT HER TO THIS.  I got a bottle 2 years ago at a conference, and I continue to purchase it, even though it’s expensive.  I’m not typically a bath person, but when I do take one, I always use this.  I love everything about the experience, including my baby soft skin afterwards. I wanted to read what others had to say about it in the online reviews, and I now want to be friends with the reviewer Kate88Kate. Here’s what she had to say:  So make sure your mortgage is manageable and you’ve got a good financial strategy because once you go down the L’Occitane road it’s a one -way trip.  KATE!  Let’s be besties!  Click HERE for all L’Occitane products if you want to check out all they have to offer.

10) DIORSHOW PLUMPING EYELASH PRIMER –  I received this as a sample about a year ago, and I’ve been hooked ever since.  You apply it to your eyelashes before your mascara, and it lengthens your natural lashes.  It keeps lashes separated, prevents clumping, and truly does help your lashes appear longer. I wear it every day now, and can really tell a huge difference if I forget to apply it. (And y’all know I recently purchased THIS PRODUCT on the recommendation of my sister.  She says it will actually make my lashes longer!  I’ll be giving a thorough review of it after I’ve used it consistently for several weeks.  You can click HERE and scroll down the post a bit to see her CRAZY LONG lashes.)

11) URBAN DECAY PALETTE – First of all, it’s not just me who loves this palette….it has 5,728 5 star reviews.  #thatsimpressive  It’s a great range of neutrals, and every single color is GORGEOUS, which isn’t often the case in large pallets like this.  There’s a good mixture of matte, satin, shimmer, and sparkle shadows…and they all mix very nicely together.  And the brush that comes with the set is awesome!

12) PERSONALIZED MAKE-UP BAG – I love the sentiment behind a personalized gift.  The person receiving the gift knows that you took the extra time (and spent the extra money!) to make their gift special, and they always appreciate it.  Barrington make-up bags are an economical way to give a really nice personalized gift.  I mean, if you can afford it, go ahead and spring for one of their totes too!!! ????  But if a tote is out of your budget, a make-up bag is still a very thoughtful gift that you will be proud to give.  And laptop cases and sunglasses cases are great too!

Use the code STMTSAVE10 for 10% OFF your Barrington purchase.  

13) BRACELET – I own this bracelet in both the turquoise and the platinum gold/drusy combination.  I pretty much wear one of them almost every day.  The turquoise lends a bright pop of color to outfits, and the platinum/drusy combo is just so dang sparkly and pretty!

Ladies, I promise you that all of the above items are things that I truly love and that I consistently use or wear in my daily life.  And they all make fantastic gifts.

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I also have some ideas I’ve shared in the past for the men in your life.  Think hubby, dad, son, brother, brother-in-law, UPS guy (or maybe that’s just me), etc….  ????

These are the items that my guy LOVES and are HIS must haves.  Some of these items he’s had for years, and he still loves them and uses them just as much as he did when he first received them.  In fact, the only thing new in the below gift guide is the Patagonia pullover.  He’s owned everything else for at least 2 years.  This isn’t just some random gift guide of items I think would be good for guys, these have all met Chris’s seal of approval…and that’s not an easy seal to get.  ???? This was actually a gift guide from last year, but these are definitely tried and true items.

bose speaker /e tip gloves / patagonia / under armour tee / deer stags slippers

He syncs the Bose speaker with his phone or any smart device (via bluetooth connection) and plays music EVERYWHERE:  the neighbors, the pool, the ranch, tail gating, EVERYWHERE.  He’s owned it for 4 years, and it’s still going strong.  The range is about 30 feet with no obstructions, battery life is 6-8 hours, and the sound quality is awesome!  So many readers have purchased it for their husbands, sons, boyfriends, and/or dads over the years, and everybody says they were gift giving heroes!

I gave him the e tip gloves 2 years ago.  They allow him to use his i phone while keeping his gloves on.  He loves them.  He’s been wearing Under armour tees for a couple of years now, and he really likes the fit.  They’re soft, not too loose or tight, and they wash great.  He also loves their shorts.  His slippers are slip on, cozy, and ON SALE  for $21.90!!!!  WOW!

The Patagonia pullover is the one new item.  He’s always worn Northface Pullovers (and still loves the several that he has), but he decided to mix it up last  year with this Patagonia.  He just wanted a different option and he thinks they are quite a bit warmer.!  He continues to love the Northface jackets as well.

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And this was my guide for guys this year!  Some of these items are going to be familiar (I include items that are the biggest hits every single year), but I’ve added some new suggestions as well.  Ones that Chris personally owns and that I HIGHLY RECOMMEND for gift giving (because they are his faves) follow……#3, #6, #7, and #9.

1) cotton and cashmere v neck / 2) better sweater zip front jacket / ***3)  Patagonia quarter zip pullover/4) mavi relaxed fit jeans / 5) fleece lounge pants/*** 6) ugg slippers /*** 7) bose speaker / 8) buffalo check shirt /*** 9) e tip gloves /10) patagonia waterproof vest /11) wood and slate bottle opener

1) cotton and cashmere v neck – This sweater comes in 5 colors total.  It’s soft, lightweight, and great for layering.

2)  Better sweater zip front jacket– This one zips all the way down, so it’s more like a jacket than a pullover.  It’s another great option for Patagonia lovers.

***  3)  Patagonia quarter zip pullover – I would say this is Chris’s favorite piece of winter clothing by far.  It keeps him warm, without being bulky, and it just looks great.  It can be worn just about everywhere…..to a football game, to a party, to church, everywhere!  This is a perfect gift for guys of ALL ages:  dads, grandpas, sons, uncles, brother in laws, boyfriends….seriously EVERYBODY!  Chris loves it for the function, but I love it for how cute he looks in it!

4) Mavi relaxed fit jeans  – Chris only wears relaxed fit jeans because he always needs the additional room for his thighs.  These Mavi ones have a really good amount of stretch in them, and lots of reviewers mentioned their comfort.

5) fleece lounge pants – I want to buy these for Chris.  And then after I do, I want to wear them.

***  6) Ugg slippers – These slippers have 1,505 5 star reviews, and they are incredibly comfy and warm. That’s all you need to know.  Oh wait, they have rubber traction on the bottom, so they can easily be worn outside to the mailbox, to get the newspaper, etc.  I wear the ladies’ version while walking the dogs and all day long when I’m at home.

***  7) Bose speaker – I talk about this in pretty much every single men’s post I do, and I will continue to do so, because it’s the BEST. GIFT. EVER.  Chris takes his speaker everywhere and can play the music off of his phone anywhere!  We use it on the porch at the ranch house, we take it to the neighbor’s when we get in their pool, and it’s great for when you’re grilling out!  It makes an awesome gift that so many guys would be thrilled to get.

8) buffalo check shirt – Cute and festive!

***  9)  E- tip gloves  – Special fabric/technology in the gloves allows for the person wearing the gloves to both keep their hands warm AND access technology!  It’s awesome to be able to text and operate your mobile device while wearing these gloves!  These are also great for all ages!

10) Patagonia waterproof vest  – Chris doesn’t wear vests, but I love a guy in a Patagonia vest.  Maybe I should just get it for him for Christmas!  I really like the popped collar, and I just think they make a guy look totally put together.

11) wood and slate bottle opener  – So I picked this item for the collage late last week….and when I went to grab the link yesterday, there was a very unfavorable review that had been left.  So………even though it’s cute, I don’t want to recommend it anymore just in case the comment is spot on.  Sorry, y’all!

To check out all of the gifting suggestions at Nordstrom, click HERE.  For men’s gifting specifically, click HERE.

All right, girls!  Be sure to check back here on Monday for my family Christmas card!  I wish I could send one to each one of you!  xoxo

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