She Likes Purple

I Have Gift Guides for You!

It's my favorite time of year, friends, and one of my favorite things about this time of year is that I know some ridiculously talented people who know how to find some ridiculously awesome gifts for nearly anyone in your life. Those people combined with those gifts has created two of my favorite links in all the world to share:

1. The Official 2011 Style Lush Gift Guide

AND

2. The Official (and First!) 2011 Food Lush Gift Guide

Elizabeth is the brains behind the first and Caitlin is the new brains behind the second. I'm so lucky to know them both, and even luckier to work with them. They did an incredible job, and I am so excited to share these with you.

Happy shopping! 

Style Lush Gift Guide!

Well, not here. This isn't Style Lush, after all, but for the last few nights I haven't been writing here because I've been editing our SUPER AWESOME GIFT GUIDE over there.

(I'm not the official talent or mastermind behind this guide. Elizabeth is, and she deserves so many bottles of champagne from me for putting this together, it's ridiculous.)

This guide is special because you can afford everything on it. Every single item is $25 or less. So these are real gifts for real gift buyers and they're all awesome, which helps.

I hope you'll love it as much as I do. If you want to spread the word about it, please do (no, really, do do do!), and you can also grab the code below and copy/paste that into your blog somewhere (anywhere!) and this cute badge will pop up and direct all your friends and family and internet stalkers to the post.

 

<a href="http://www.stylelushblog.com/2010/11/100-holiday-gift-ideas-for-25-dollars-or-less.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.shelikespurple.com/sl_holiday_badge.gif" ></a>

Happy, happy shopping friends.

Thanks, Elizabeth. (I know MY family thanks you since every gift I buy will be from this guide.)

Mother's Day Gift Guide

I meant to tell you about this guide I put together recently, but I forgot. I do that a lot.

It's a lot less stress-inducing to forget to spread the word about a blog post than to, say, forget to pay the water bill, though.

(I will just say our city has the very worst website in the history of the world, and they make it impossible for you to pay online or over the phone since the city employees seem to always be out to lunch. So I end up having to mail a check three streets over. Basically, it's a damn process to give them my money each month.)

Anyway! If you are a mom or know a mom or just like buying things for moms, check out Style Lush's Mom's Day Gift Guide. Everything is under $30 because I figured that price point would make the people who know, love and shop for me more willing to buy me something off it. 

Ahem, Mike, ahem.

Holiday 2008 gift guide

Mike and I are in mega save-money mode. We have a child joining us in February, in case you didn't know, and apparently babies need clothes and diapers and medical attention and a slew of other things, all things that unfortunately come with price tags. So, we're saving money, we're counting our pennies, we're putting a freeze on gift buying. (Family, I hate to break the news to you this way, but will a hug do this Christmas?) Also, we're in a recession, which is apparently Breaking News, except not all that breaking when every media outlet has been projecting Doom and Gloom and We're All Going to Die of Not Being Able to Shop Ever Again for at least a few months now.

But, hey, maybe things aren't looking so bad for you. Perhaps you'd like to actually buy gifts for the people in your life this holiday season. If so, I've put together a list of my favorite little gifts, collected 'round the Internet, and I'd like to share them with you. 

(Before I go on, though, let me direct you over to Elizabeth's annual Gift Guide, 100 Gifts for Under $25. She is incredible, and I'm bookmarking far too many items on her list for next year, when hopefully we have money and a group of loved ones who has forgiven us.)

Now, let me say one thing before going on, I hate Christmas shopping and always have. I think it's mostly forced and contrived and more often than not people find themselves standing in the middle of some giant, soulless retail store on Christmas Eve searching for something that will do for their niece or boyfriend or father-in-law. I think most holiday memories are made without a gift in sight, and I wholeheartedly suggest not worrying so much about the gifts and instead send a card, bake some cookies, organize a nice family get-together. So many things matter more than stuff, you know, but I'm no fool, stuff ain't all bad. This list is for the people who genuinely want to buy something for someone, and who have the money to spend.

I love the idea of a jewelry catchall much better than a jewelry box, actually, and this one is $29.95. (Also, Red Envelope has excellent shipping features right before the holidays.)

 

This is for someone who has been very nice, as it's $95, but I love this black croc-embossed leather clutch from CrystalynKae.com. (Free shipping, also.)

 

I like everything in this Etsy store, but especially this ring at $29. (Also this ring and these earrings.) 

Everything from this Etsy store, as well, but I love this hand-painted teacup and saucer set for a measly $18. Now, if I only drank tea or coffee.

 

I not only am having a baby, but I have plenty of friends who are, as well. You can choose your own fabric and personalize this bib and burp cloth set for $32.99. I love the brown in the pictured pattern. 

 

Do you know what I'm constantly on the hunt for? A simple yet unique necklace that goes with everything. I love this "Big Moon" necklace for $54.  

This Anthropologie coin purse is fun, original and $14. I'm sorry, but why I haven't bought this yet is beyond me. 

 

I'm a big fan of Z Gallerie. When Mike and I got engaged, we were given a champagne flute set I adore, a set I very much look forward to putting to use in a few short months. I also love this (inexpensive) travel jewelry box ($15.95). My mother will agree with me when I say I need one as she had to take home some tangled necklaces of mine recently and returned them to me in separate plastic bags. All because I traveled with my jewelry in a cardboard box, I kid you not.

I love this magazine tote from Francesca's Collections for traveling (on sale for $14.98). I think Mike would support someone buying this for me so the next time we fly together he won't have to hold five trashy magazines with Britney Spears on the cover and his one, geeky issue of Popular Science. 

Now, most people won't include hand-dipped strawberries on their Christmas list, but who wouldn't enjoy finding these on their doorstep? $49.95 for a dozen. 

Runners up, sans pictures:

These classic, perfect earrings.

Steel water bottle (sleek and shiny, oh my).

Cheesy and adorable "let it flow" goblet. 

These awesome, funky socks. 

Classic piggy bank.

Mother's Day Gift Guide

I've been planning to combine some of my "products of the day" and some other great finds into gift guides for a while now. After reading Elizabeth's Mother's Day Guide, I was reminded of this plan, and I immediately told Mike this is why I need an iPhone, to set reminders for myself about important dates and birthdays and BLOG IDEAS. Anyway, please visit her site first—she has some incredible picks over there—and then come back here if you have any holes to fill in on your shopping list—for all the spectactular mothers in your life. (Oh, by the way baby—if you're reading this—I'm feeling very vulnerable this year about the whole not-a-mother thing, so why don't you make sure Molly gets me those shoes below, OK?)

1. Francesca's Collections earrings
I discovered Francesca's on my lunch hour one day and, OH BOY, was my life ever changed. It's more than just a clothing boutique, it's more of well-rounded gift shop—gifts for you, for your friends, for the bride-to-be in your life and, also, for your mom. Whenever I take my mom there, she's instantly drawn to the earrings. Check out their online store or a location near you. But, you really can't go wrong with any of dozens of pairs. Like this one:

($24)

2. Red Envelope monogrammed candle and soap set

($40)

My love for Red Envelope runs deep, and my love for personalizing gifts runs even deeper. I love this set—monogramming something slightly unconventional.

3. Anything from Lisa Leonard Designs
This is one of my new favorite go-to gift sites. You would be astounded if I told you how many new moms are in my life. In the last two years, SEVENTEEN people have had a baby (some have had two), and they aren't distant, long-lost acquaintances, they are FRIENDS. They are FAMILY.

For all of these expectant and new moms, I love this spoon ("baby's first spoon"):

($20)

Another beautiful gift to give from Lisa Leonard Designs is this "teenie tiny initial" necklace.

($42 for two charms; $8 for each additional charm)

4. Etsy SewMo Shop
I just found this Etsy shop recently, actually, and I love the unique patterns and interesting colors of the accessories. This particular bag is fantastic:

($46)

5. Fleur-de-lys glasses from Anthropologie

($32 for set of four)

You may be safer ordering these online for the mother in your life who loves collecting pretty (but useful!) things for her home and kitchen. I say safer because the moment you step into an Anthropologie I dare you not to walk up to 9,000 different things lamenting how you can't afford this or that but you just CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT IT. It won't end well. You'll leave depressed (or broke!) and you'll forget you even went in there to pick something up for someone else. So, order online. Trust me.

6. Our Name is Mud mug

($13.50)

I've loved this line for years. (I keep meaning to buy this bling holder for my rings.) They have tons of mugs that would be perfect for the mom you know who is addicted to caffeine. But this particular mug made me think of Crystal, my friend who will be a mom to a little baby girl in late September. Along with dressing her daughter in a million different shades of pink, I think she'll be in need of a pink mug filled with strong, hot coffee, as well.

7. Laptop sleeve

($34)

How many moms do you know who blog? A HELLUVA LOT, RIGHT? Well, if they blog on a laptop (highly possible), they'll need something pretty to carry it in. I love the green one, but it also comes in black, which is just as lovely.

8. J. Crew shoes

($195)

When I'm a mom, this is what I would personally like for Mother's Day. (HEAR THAT MOLLY!) Shoes you can't justify buying for yourself, but shoes that have a Pavlovian effect on you nonetheless.

9. Personalized cards from Sugar Paper

($125 for 50 cards)

This site makes me want to pawn things, so I can afford every set of expensive (but pretty!) stationary. If your mom has been particularly good this year, splurge on a set of personalized flat cards for her. And then ask her to send you a card with a check enclosed.

10. L'Occitane Honey & Lemon gift box

($81)

Every now and again I go in this store and buy one travel-size lotion or powder or room spray. I can't afford any more than that, but I like to have nice things, even if they're particularly small in size. This gift box will spoil the mom you give it to. And there's really nothing like being spoiled if you're a mom, right? At least that's what I've been told. Being Molly's mom is ridiculously difficult, but I don't get much sympathy when I bring that up in conversation with other mothers. Not even when I mention how she loves her dad more than me. (Also, the site is currently offering free shipping for orders over $40. Incentive!)

::

Enjoy shopping for all the mothers you know and love. And look forward to the next gift guide, either Father's Day or "What You Should Buy Me For Our Anniversary"—I think both will be fun.