Our Favorite Gifts for Mom

So there totally seems to be a pattern here of procrastinating when it comes to buying gifts, but better late than never, I guess?! We've put together a list of our top gift picks for this Mother's Day to help your loved ones out. You can also check out our holiday gift ideas post for more ideas!

• Mighty Clutch - a purse that keeps your phone charged?  My iphone just died and went to wristlet heaven
• Dinner cooked in your home by a personal chef - give mom a break and hire a chef to cook a gourmet meal for you!  There are so many personal chefs out there, but we enjoyed hearing stories about Gordon Ramsay from Chef Chadd McArthur!
• Clarisonic Mia - this gift set comes with Ole Henriksen skincare, too (the Truth Serum is my fave)!
• On-trend but practical skirt - You can still get down and dirty with the kids while jumping on the button-front skirt bandwagon
• Tieks - if you're looking for compact but super-comfortable flats, Tieks are the way to go!
• Wine Tumbler - for when you need a drink, stat!  And no, 10am is not too early if you are in the throes of parenting a toddler.
• Yonanas - so mom can whip up a healthy dessert when she's in need of a guilty pleasure (check out our review if you want more info!)
• Leather watch - you can't go wrong with a classic watch, although we still can't guarantee mom will be on time
• Paper Pumpkin subscription - for the crafty woman in your life!  She'll get a surprise craft kit delivered in the mail to her every month (check out the first one we ever unboxed!)
• DIY mason jar gift set - if you're feeling ambitious, you can collect some small items and package them in a pretty mason jar
• A funny book - watch out Ryan Gosling, there are some new studs in town!
• Or if you're in the mood for Pulitzer-prize-winning material, try this book, or check out this list for top inspirational books
• A stylish charging station for all the electronics - perfect for the whole family, really!
• A custom print with her favorite quote 

We hope you have fun blessing the socks off your mom or the special women in your life this Sunday!   If you have other brilliant ideas, please share your awesome gifts with us below!

Gift Ideas for Everyone on Your List!

Is anyone else panicking with me?!  There are only NINE SHOPPING DAYS until Christmas!  As we did some last-minute shopping and Googling, we came across some gift ideas that we thought would be great for the people on your list.  Don't worry, Bunchems didn't make it, because it's probably not a good idea to curse in front of your kids. (All prices listed in CAD, unless otherwise stated).

Gifts for Kids

• Re-Play divided plates ($9), bowls ($7), cutlery ($5), sippy cups ($9) and snack containers ($7.50) - made from recycled milk jugs, they're cute and good for the environment! 
• Happy Mats ($30) - for the child who likes to throw the bowls around...this one won't budge!
• My Monopoly game ($39) - the classic game can now be customized with your own photos, so you can personlize the board and characters!
• Play All Day Elmo ($50) - it's the new, more educational version of Tickle Me Elmo!
• Baby Einstein Take Along Tunes ($17) - a highly rated toy for your little one
• Inside Out movie Blu-ray & DVD ($24) - we're all about empathy and feelings, and this movie is a great way to start a conversation with your child about them!
• The Book With No Pictures ($15) - if you have any doubts about this book, watch this video of author B. J. Novak entertaining a crowd of kids with it!

By Camilee Designs on Etsy

Gifts for Gals

• Color Me Swooooon colouring book ($13-$15) - a unique spin on the ever-popular adult colouring book!  Here, you can colour in your favourite heartthrob and learn stalker-worthy facts about his life. 
• Josie Maran Argan Oil ($60) - my dad used this and people kept commenting on how much younger his skin looked!  Sounds like it's time for me to bathe in some!
• #girlboss book ($15.16) - Part biographical, part motivational, all bestseller!
• A pretty planner ($50 USD) - It's not just for time management anymore!
• Personalized necklace ($48) - customize it with kids' names and have them close to her heart, awww
• A jogger pant of some sort ($60) - they're the fashionable mom sweatpant that's great for both comfort and style
• A beauty box subscription like Birchbox ($15/month) or Topbox ($10/month)
• Beautiful ear jackets ($54) - the new trendy earring, where there's as much going on behind the ear as in front!
• Luxury candles from Jo Malone ($75) - if it's good enough for Kate Middleton, it's good enough for me!

Gifts for Guys (you should also check out the list we compiled for Father's Day!)

• Herschel Duffle bag ($90) - so you can toss that free Goodlife bag he's been sporting 
• Leather smartphone gloves from J. Crew ($128) - cashmere-lined for warm and comfortable smartphone use in the cold winter
• Leather coasters from Frank & Oak ($40) - not your grandmother's doilies!
• Cedar shoe tree ($35) - for the guy who loves his shoes
• Jack Black Power Pack gift set ($85) - certified organic facial care for men!
• Samsung Occulus Gear VR ($99 USD) - it's a virtual reality headset so your neighbours can't see what you're watching 
• MVMT classic leather watch ($109) - so he'll be on time for your dates? 
• Chromecast Audio ($45) - so you can play all your music on any speaker using wifi

Funny Gifts

• Hotline Bling Sweater ($24) - because who doesn't want a little Drizzy on their ugly sweater?!
• Boyfriend Pillow ($40) - popularized by a cameo on the TV show Glee.  I can't decide if it's creepy or really brilliant. 
• Reusable toaster bags ($8) - so you can make grilled cheese in your toaster!
• Poo-Pourri spray ($14) - to prevent foul odours from escaping the bowl when you're doing #2
• Go the F*** to Sleep book ($15) - a funny and honest look at getting your kids to sleep
• Zombie Survival guide book ($16) - in case you haven't watched enough Walking Dead
• Face Butt towel ($41) - so you never wipe your face with your butt ever again

Unisex Gifts

• Kindle e-reader ($65) - This is a great gift for the commuter or traveller in your life!
• A humanitarian gift of education, animals, nutrition or medicine (prices range) - bless those in need with a practical gift this holiday
• Tile: The Tile App Tracker ($25) - attach this cute little square to anything you want to track, and you can find it using your smartphone if you ever lose it!  I wonder if I can attach this thing to my kids?? 
• Nanotech Titanium Diaphragm In-Ear Monitors ($70 USD; $125 CAD) - for the audiophile in your life 
• Humans of New York: Stories ($20.70) -  It's the new Chicken Soup for the Soul, don't you think?  (Did I just age myself there with the Chicken Soup reference??)
• Melaleuca (Tea Tree) oil ($39) - for natural treatment of skin issues, and for cleaning around the house
• Dyson DC34 Animal vacuum ($230) - a practical gift for cleaning crumbs, and especially great for the car!
• Meal subscription from Chef's Plate (starting at $50/week) - get all the ingredients and a recipe; all you have to do is cook it!

Nerdy Gifts (it seems really expensive to be a nerd!?)

• Back to the Future Flux Capacitor Watch ($50 USD) - hop in your DeLorean and grab one of these
• Star Trek Klingon weapon replica ($240 USD) - for that friend who is constantly telling you to, "Live long and prosper."
• Fallout 4 Vault Dweller's Kit ($110 USD) - perhaps this isn't totally useless?
• Star Wars Light Saber ($289 USD) - you'll definitely need to get this once the movie comes out!
• Sphero BB-8 App-enabled Droid ($190) or the remote-controlled version ($70) - seriously, my son is obsessed with balls and loves watching this thing move around (maybe I should move this one to the kids category?)

If you're still not sure what to get, you could always try a DIY, like the Mason jar gift sets we made!

What are your best picks for gifts this holiday?  Let us know, and we'll add it to our list for Santa!

Fingerprint Holiday Cards

I have to admit, I'm a little type A when it comes to crafting with my preschooler...especially when the craft will be given away as a gift! I really have to stop myself from cringing when I watch her change up the craft to her liking (she has this weird fascination with black ink/paint?!). Really, I should applaud her creativity and encourage her to continue thinking outside the box. This holiday card craft is for all you type A crafty parents out there. It's pretty fool proof and it looks awesome and adorable. Best of all, it's super easy and your kiddies will have a blast making fingerprint art. Relatives and friends will love receiving this holiday keepsake!

Materials

• blank white cards (or folded card stock)
• envelopes 
• ruler or straight edge
• black sharpie
• stamps (red, green, yellow, blue...or any other colour you want,  you can use paint but it will be messier)
• embellishments of your choice

Instructions

1. Using a black sharpie, draw out the design of your choice. I used a straight edge to draw the tree and menorah.
   
   
   
   
   The wreath was drawn by tracing around the bottom of a drinking glass.
   
   The string of lights and candy cane were drawn free-hand. 
   
   
2. Ask your child to put their fingerprints along the black lines (or at the end of each "stem" for the string of lights and tip of each candle for the menorah).
   
   
3. Decorate to your liking using stamps and embellishments.
4. Seal with love and send away!

Takes no time to whip up these cute holiday cards! We made a whole stash in under half an hour. What holiday cards are you and your kids crafting up this year?

Advent GIVING Box

I was thinking of a special advent calendar to make for my daughter this holiday season. I scoured the interweb trying to find something unique but I really couldn't find what I was looking for. When I stopped to think about, I realized I couldn't find what I was looking for because I didn't want yet another advent calendar that counts down the days until Christmas with a daily gift or treat. The idea of my daughter getting a daily present to count down the days until she gets even MORE presents didn't sit well with me. I want her to learn the importance of giving and not just receiving. So I decided to make an advent calendar that allows her to give daily. Each day starting December 1st, my daughter will remove the numbered tag and add one item that she would like to donate to the less fortunate into the box. It can be a nonperishable food item to give to the food bank, a new or very gently used toy/clothing item to donate to local shelter, a winter hat/mittens for the homeless etc. By the time December 24th rolls around, there will be 24 items to donate!!!

This is how I imagine the box looking as it fills up!

What a great way to celebrate this wonderful time of the year. I love that my daughter will spend each day thinking of ways to give to others. I can't wait to see the items she picks out (hopefully her baby brother won't end up in the box!).

Materials

• Large cardboard box (I used a diaper box) or any large bin/container
• Festive wrapping paper
• 24 small tags (I found mine at a scrapbooking store, but you can easily make your own by cutting out small rectangles and hole punching the top)
• Number stamps or number stickers (or a marker to write them by hand)
• Paper straws
• Scissors
• Tape
• Pen
• Glue gun
• Decorations (i.e. ribbon, stickers etc.)- optional

Instructions

1. Cut flaps off cardboard box.
   
2. Cover box with wrapping paper. 
   
3. Stamp numbers 1 to 24 onto paper tags.
   
4. Space out tags evenly on one side of the box (I made 3 rows of 8). Using a pen, mark the location of each tag.
   
5. Cut paper straws into 24 small pieces (approx. 3/4 of an inch).
   
   
   
   
6. Using a hot glue gun, put a small amount of glue on one end of the straw piece and adhere to the marked pen spots on the box.
   
   
   
   
7. Hang tags onto straw "hooks".
   
   
   
   
8. Count down the days until Christmas by giving back daily:)

Just to sum it all up! Feel free to pin and share with others!

Alternative Calendar Ideas (if you really don't have the time to be so crafty, try using one of these ideas instead):

• Paste the month of December (just cut it out of a calendar or print off the computer) onto one side of the box and cross out each day using a pen/marker, a bingo marker or with a cute sticker.
• Adhere rows of string onto the box and use clothespins to clip on the days.
• Buy 24 cheap plastic hooks from the dollar store to hang up each day.
• Simply stick the days onto the box using tape.
• Fringe sheets of paper, add numbers 1-24, rip off each number to count down the days (just like  flyers posted on bulletin boards with phone numbers to rip off).

Have you decided how you are going to count down the days until Christmas? Try making a Giving Box; after all, the gift of giving is the GREATEST gift of all<3

P.S.  I really should have let my daughter help decorate the Giving Box...don't be a crafty control freak like me and let your kid have some fun with it!

Remembrance Day Wreath Craft

My daughter has been very curious about why everyone is starting to wear a red poppy this time of year. She mentioned it to me after coming home from a subway ride with her grandma one day. It was a very good question. Since she is only 3 and a half years old, I initially struggled to explain the significance behind this symbolic flower. So I summed it up to her like this "Canada is a very beautiful country, and we are so lucky to live in this country. There are many men and women who worked very very hard to protect our country and to make our country safe to live in. It is because of these brave men and women that we are able to live in such a happy place like Canada. We wear a red poppy to say thank you to them." My daughter nodded her head and said "I am thankful for the men and women. I love Canada." We decided to honour the men and women who served our country by creating a Remembrance Day wreath to put up in our house. It's a really easy craft to create with your children and has a serious and important meaning.

Materials

• Empty egg carton
• Artificial grass"tile" or a green paper plate (to function as the wreath, I purchased the artificial grass from Dollarama)
• Red nontoxic paint
• Green nontoxic paint (if using a white paper plate for the wreath)
• Paint brush/sponge
• Black paper (or felt, pompoms, buttons etc.)
• Scissors
• Glue 
• Glue gun

Instructions

1. Cut out "poppies" from the egg cartons.
   
2. Have your child paint them red and allow to dry.

   

   Little brother really wanted to help out with this craft!

3. Cut out a wreath shape from the grass tile or paper plate (if using a white paper plate, feel free to paint it green).

   

   If using a round paper plate simply cut out a hole in the middle!

4. Have your child glue black paper circles (or black felt, pompoms, buttons etc.) into the center of each painted poppy. If you want to keep things simple, just use black paint or a black marker to make the centers of the poppies.
5. Using a glue gun, adhere the poppies around wreath (space out evenly).
   
6. Hang proudly and take the time to remember.

   

   We will never forget the heroes who served our country and we are forever grateful.

Take a few minutes to talk about Remembrance Day with your child and please remember to share any Remembrance Day craft activities you have with us:)

Spooktacular Monster Silhouettes!

Halloween is just around the corner and it's time to get those spooky decorations up! If you are looking for a unique, inexpensive and super-cute way to decorate your place, look no further! Monster silhouettes are easy to make and my toddler nearly lost her mind with excitement when I first put them up. In fact, she loved these adorable monsters so much we ended up keeping one up in the house all year round. I originally found my inspiration while surfing the net one day. Here is the pic I came across and I knew instantly that I had to have these googly monsters in my house...ASAP.

image from: http://fashionnaction.blogspot.ca/2011/10/googly-monster-house-halloween.html

Materials (ALL from dollarama!)

• Black bristol board 
• Yellow or green tissue paper (or any spooky colour you want!)
• Scissors 
• Tape 

Instructions

1. Cut out monster shapes from black Bristol board (if you want to make giant sized monsters, just tape pieces of Bristol board together). See shutterstock pic below for some inspiration (or just google images for "monster silhouettes").
   
   
   
2. Use coloured tissue paper to cover eyes, mouths etc. 
3. Tape monsters onto windows. 
4. When it gets dark out, turn on the lights in your house to bring these monsters to life! 

Check out the cutie-pie monster with the googly eyes and waving arms!

 So simple and fun! Your house will be the hit on the block so be sure to get lots of candy to hand out:) What spooky decorations are you planning on putting up this year?

Note the annoying bike left on the porch which ruined this picture...ugh.

 Happy Halloween!