Conversations With My Mother | Keepsake Journal

Conversations with My Mother is a keepsake journal for collecting a lifetime of your mother’s stories.

Conversations-with-My-Mother-thoughtful-gift-ideaInterview your mother with engaging questions that will encourage her to provide facts about specific aspects of her life and relate rich details about her experiences.

This beautiful journal has places to record dates, write about your mother’s unique life, and attach photos and keepsakes.

You’ll learn so many things you never even knew about your mother.

Not Your Average Journal

Conversations with My Mother prompts all kinds of questions, some I would never have thought to ask.

Continue Reading

Unique Custom Painted Shoes

Do you have Hamilton fever? I haven’t seen the musical yet, but I’m obsessed with the soundtrack.

I have my niece, J’menii, to thank for getting me hooked on Hamilton.

hamilton-custom-painted-shoes-gift

This same young lady has a thing for Converse sneakers. I’m not exaggerating when I say she has more than 10 pairs of Converse shoes in her closet. All colors. The girl even wore a pair with her formal dress to high school prom!

J’menii is graduating from high school this year so I decided on a graduation gift that combined her two obsessions and I ended up with Hamilton-themed Custom Painted Converse Shoes!

Custom Hand Painted Shoes

For the shoes, I had an artist paint them gold and black with a couple of logos. Then I had the artist paint phrases from the musical to inspire my niece to kick butt in college and to achieve her goals in life!

The outside right shoe features the Hamilton logo with the words “I’m not throwing away my shot.” The outside left shoe features a silhouette of the Schuyler sisters with the words “Rise Up.”

The inside left shoe reads, “There’s a million things I haven’t done.” The inside right shoe reads “Just you wait…”

Continue Reading

Birthday Cake Not Birthday Candles

My girlfriends and I love to celebrate just about everything, and we especially make an effort to be together for our birthdays.

birthday-cake-not-birthday-candles-thoughtful-gift-ideaElise brought a box of four individually packaged cakes made from the Original YaHoo Baking Co.  Of course, you can make your own or purchase from a local bakery.

Janiece had fun trying to choose either the Bourbon Pecan, Chocolate Espresso, Rum Crunch or Chocolate Chip Amaretto Liquor Cakes.

They were delicious and the perfect size. Besides, who needs the calories of a regular size cake?

Prior to Elise lighting the four candles, she said:

“This is a birthday cake but not birthday candles.”

Then she said:

Continue Reading

Multiple First Dates With Spouse

I came across a genius idea in my Facebook feed that I had to share it with our readers!

multiple-first-dates-spouse-experience

Have you heard about the “Truth Bomb Mom?” Her videos always inspire me and make me laugh, but the video below has to be in my top 3!

Truth Bomb Mom (aka Kristina Kuzmic) shares her secret to a happy marriage and the best, most creative way to reconnect with her spouse–lots of FIRST DATES.

What exactly does she mean by “first dates?” It means going on date nights as if they just met and were going on their actual first date.

Recreating First Dates

It begins with her husband texting her “Hey, this is Phillip. It was great meeting you the other night. I would love to take you out to dinner.”

He is pretending they just met to recreate that newness and anticipation of a first date.

Continue Reading

Talking Hamster Repeats What You Say

A talking hamster that repeats everything you say? Yes! I couldn’t believe how amazing this little soft plush toy worked!

talking-hamster-repeats-what-you-say-thoughtful-gift-ideaI was searching for a birthday gift for Princess Diana’s two-year old son Axl. He has a five-year old brother, Aiden, who shares his toys so my mission was to find something totally new and different.

Talking Hamster Mimics Any Language

I found it! This hamster’s talk back function allows it to mimic everything you say in ANY language no matter if you talk, sing, laugh, grunt, babble, or scream.

When I say everything, I mean everything!

The electronic hamster will even repeat a cat’s meow, a dog’s bark or a squeak of a chair. Continue Reading

Big Face Cutout for Graduations & Parties

Looking for an attention-grabbing gift? I say, go big or go home!

big-face-head-cutout-graduation-giftCreate a Big Face Cutout of the gift recipient you can use for funny photos or to show support for graduates. It’s just the right size for all ages and the perfect accessory for any party or event!

What is a Big Face Cutout?

Big Face Cutouts are photos printed on an oversized face cutout made of heavy-duty weatherproof paper. They can be attached to a stick so they’re easy to hold.

They’re really popular at sports games, graduations (first make sure they’re allowed by the school), and birthday parties.

Continue Reading

I’ve Loved You Since Forever

I enjoy giving children’s books for gifts. So I’m always on the look out for special books that touch my heart and I’ve found a favorite!

I’ve Loved You Since Forever is a beautiful picture book inspired by New York Times bestselling author and NBC TODAY show co-anchor Hoda Kotb’s heartwarming adoption of her baby girl, Haley Joy.

Hoda and her celebrity friends bring the book to life in this adorable video she produced.

I've-Loved-You-Since-Forever-thoughtful-gift-ideas“I’ve Loved You Since Forever”

Before birds flew over rainbows
And monkeys swung on trees
There was you, and there was me

Before the sun set in the sky
And honey came from bees
There was you, and there was me

Before the moon lit up the night
Elephants wandered free
There was you, and there was me

Before otters swam together
And rivers reached the sea
There was you, and there was me

Waiting for the day our paths would cross
And you and I turned into we
Oh, I’ve loved you since forever
And forever’s how long you’ll be loved by me Continue Reading

Samoas and S’mores Girl Scout Cookies | Teacher Gift

I love Girl Scouts cookie season! It’s a chance to buy delicious cookies while helping girls raise money for their troop.

samoas-smores-cookies-teacher-appreciation-giftMy favorite thing to hear is when a Girl Scout tells me her troop is raising money so they can go to camp.

That always warms my heart because of the incredible summer camp memories I have from my childhood.

Tasty Teacher Appreciation Gift

During cookie season, I like to buy Samoas and S’mores Girl Scout cookies to give as teacher appreciation gifts.

Continue Reading

Personalized Toy Basket

- - $20 or Less, Kids

Toy baskets are a parent’s best friend…

Because they spend so much of their time picking up toys off the floor. Again and again and again.

personalized-toy-basket-bin-gift Someone has to pick up those 50 Hot Wheels cars and those 150 pieces of Mega Bloks. Yes, I make my kids help me a lot of the time but sometimes it’s just faster and easier to do it myself.

Toy baskets make it easy for parents (and kids) to clean up from room to room and the pretty baskets make cute storage space.

Their open top makes it simple to take things in and out, and they’re light enough even the kids can move them around. They can be filled with anything from large wooden toys to soft stuffed animals. They are just so convenient!

Life with children is a beautiful mess and toy baskets make it cleaner and more organized.

DIY Personalized Toy Basket

A gift I like to give for baby showers and kids’ birthdays is a Personalized Toy Basket with a child’s name on it. I make them myself and you can too!

Continue Reading

The Pioneer Woman Cookbooks

The Pioneer Woman Cooks – Come and Get It! is Ree Drummond’s newest cookbook.  This cookbook touts simple, scrumptious recipes for crazy busy lives.

pioneer-woman-cooks-come-and-get-it-cookbook-thoughtful-gift-ideaIt’s the perfect gift for anyone who loves to cook and is a fan of The Pioneer Woman.

Food blogger and cookbook author Ree Drummond, aka as “The Pioneer Woman,” is a sassy former city slicker who has moved to a ranch in Oklahoma to live with her rancher husband, their children and a menagerie of animals.

Drummond also has a TV series on the Food Network and invites viewers into her life (and kitchen), sharing her brand of home cooking, from suppers that are thrown together in a hurry to preparing elaborate celebrations.

It’s amazing to me how you can Google recipes for any cuisine from your phone while walking down the aisle of a grocery store. So convenient!

But… if you know someone who still enjoys the feel of a cookbook, The Pioneer Woman Cooks – Come and Get It! is a treasure of delicious recipes! And her down-to-earth way of writing will make anyone laugh.

I just so happened to know that someone. My son’s girlfriend, Danielle, beamed from head to toe when she opened the cookbook gift signed by her idol.

Pioneer Woman’s Simple, Scrumptious, Doable Recipes

Danielle, her mother, and sister are huge fans of Ree Drummond and traveled to Pawhuska, Oklahoma to visit the Pioneer Woman’s Mercantile Store.  They were mesmerized by the general store, exceptional deli, and amazing desserts in the bakery! Continue Reading