Mother’s Day Gift-Giving Guide, Part 2: Long on Love, Short on Time & Money

So you still don’t have the perfect, pretty gift for the pretty lady in your life? Well, with Mother’s Day right around the corner, you still have a few last minute, lovely options that are sure to tickle Mom pink!

Our moms were there for us when we cried our first tear, said our first word, took our first step. So even if you’re short on time and/or money, you’ve gotta find a way to show the most important woman in your life how important she is to you on Mother’s Day!

Here are my top tips on how to honor and celebrate Mom this Mother’s Day without breaking the bank or running out of time.

1) Give Mom a present every month. Beauty boxes are a new, thoughtful, little service that Mom will love! A few times a year or once a month (depending on the service you select), she’ll get pampered with an assortment of beauty products to try. There are so many choices that it can be overwhelming so let me break it down for you.

Is Mom a glamourous woman? Does she love any and all things beauty? Is she always looking for the best new makeup or skincare?
New Beauty Test Tube is the way to go! For only $29.95 every 3 months, Mom gets a beauty box filled with goodies like this:

New Beauty Test Tube: The GoodsNew Beauty Test Tube: The Goods

For more info about New Beauty Test Tube, read our BF post here: http://www.beautyfrosting.com/mailbox-monday-new-beauty-test-tube

Is Mom eco-conscious? You’re own earth mother incarnate? A goddess of green?

 Eco-Emi is the way for you to go!

For more Eco-Emi details, read our post here: http://www.beautyfrosting.com/mailbox-monday-eco-emi-glamour-you-can-feel-good-about

There are lots more beauty box services where those came from but those are my BF-Best picks for this Mother’s Day! And while Mom won’t receive the actual box on Mother’s Day, when you tell her what you’ve done and that she’ll be receiving gifts all year long, she’ll be utterly delighted at your forethought!

2) Favorites are fun! Does Mom have a wine she adores? Buy her a case of her favorite wine at BevMo. Too expensive? Buy her a bottle and a fancy wine opener like CorkPops! The cork pops right off thanks to CO2 cartridge. I don’t wanna say she won’t need you anymore but…you get the idea!

Mom more of a tea-totaler in that she loooooves her tea! Buy her an antique teapot, a teacup and a box of her favorite tea (most people don’t mind an Earl Grey, English Breakfast or Darjeeling).Wanna be extra thoughtful? Buy her a box of sugar cubes. Every true TEAista loves ‘em!

3) Spa Day at a steal. Subscribe to  YipIt.com (even if only for 2 days) and get the best deals on all discounted spa services and favorites (everything on Lifebooker, Groupon, Daily Candy, Living Social and all the others in one place!!!) for your favorite lady!

You will get DEEPLY DISCOUNTED spa, restaurant and more deals that will make you look like the prince you are while paying like a pauper. Nice. How cheap am I talking? I’m talking $5 manicures, $29 massages, $25 blowouts, $30 hair coloring and more. Yes, it can be more than that but that’s as low as they go!

4) Pack a picnic. Gather your Mom’s favorite foods and beverages and hit a park, museum, beach, lake or backyard. Every girl, no matter the age, loves a picnic. It’s really that simple. Be sure to pack glassware, utensils, plates, napkins and a candle too!

5) Movie Matinee. Take Mom to a movie. Just don’t forget to sneak in her favorite champagne or candy! It’s that little extra step that makes it special!

6) In-Home Spa. Can’t get away? Need a last minute solution? Pamper your pretty lady at home. Many women I’ve talked to said that it really couldn’t get better than just getting a few moments alone. Draw her a bath, light some candles, pour her a glass of her favorite wine (or steep a cup of her favorite tea), grab her favorite book/trashy magazine and set her up in her own personal in-home spa night! Perfect for those moms with little ones running around. Let her relax and unwind in the bath while you pop in a dvd for the little darlings! And pop the bubbly for her. Just remember that she’s in a spa treatment. That means NOOOOO disruptions!

7) A Little Something Special? Maybe you love all of the ideas above but still want to give her a little something special. Check out my In-My-Tub-Tuesday: Mother’s Day Edition post to get a few bathtub-ready treats. Anything by Kai or Darphin will tickle her toes!

8) Super Last Minute Fix. Buy 2 bouquets of flowers at Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods or your favorite neighborhood florist. This can be done for under $20. Keep it simple. Don’t buy a mixture of 15 colors. Women don’t want it.

Buy 1 or 2 colors (I’m partial to pink, violet, yellow or white and roses, hydrangeas, peonies, tuberose, tulips or gerber daisies) and divide them into 5 different smaller-medium sized vases.

Put one each in the bedroom, bathroom, living room, kitchen and anywhere else where when she sees them, she’ll smile. It’s that extra thought of scattering them through the house that means the most! Just be sure to clean up your mess, throw away the trash – and oh!- be sure to put water in the vases with a touch of Sprite (may sound crazy but they’ll last longer)!

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If you do one of the above, I can guarantee you a smile (and probably a hug too) from the Mom in your life. And, if she likes it, drop me a note or send me a pic!

 

xoxo,
BF 

BF Asks: What’s the best Mother’s Day gift you’ve ever given or received?

 

Thirsty Thursday: White Wine recommendation (ooh-la-la!)

Espiral Vinho Verde $3.99 (!!)

I am a red wine lover. It’s my spirited beverage of choice (just see the pic of me in the bathtub in my gallery). But sometimes in the lovely city of Los Angeles, it gets hot -especially with a lack of air conditioning – and chilled, white wine is the only way to quench a parched palate.

So, imagine my delight when I found a CHEEEEAP white wine that I loved!
That is the case with the $3.99 bottle of Espiral Vinho Verde that my sweet neighbor-friends brought me for my Easter dinner. Its crisp, light, refreshing and slightly effervescent taste was just what the 80-degree weather wanted.

And then that tart green apple bite with a drizzle of honey? Deeeeelish!!

It reminds me of a tame, less sweet Green Apple Jolly Rancher. And, y’all, that’s a good thing.

I imagine it would pair delightfully with summer tapas such as ceviche, vermont white cheddar, goat cheese and/or red bean dip. But I’m not a wine expert.

I just know what I like.

And, honey, I like this. I like the taste and I looooove the price!

Head on over to your nearest Trader Joe’s and grab a bottle for your next dinner party!

 

xoxo,
BF

 

BF Asks: Are you a white wine or red wine drinker? What’s your fave?