Favorites
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Things I Love – #24
Below are some great gift ideas for Valentine’s Day, birthdays, anniversaries, hostess gifts, etc. (Click photos or the blue text for links.)
Notes to Self socks. I love these inspirational socks. Great for Moms, daughters, sisters, best friends, husbands, yourself… you get the idea.
This is a fun couple’s quiz book. My husband and I just take the quizzes verbally and try to guess each other’s answers. Remember, The Newlywed Game? It’s kind of like that, but with multiple choice and not on live TV.
I love this leather catch-all that says You + Me. It’s cute on a night stand for jewelry, lip balm, change, keys, etc.
Silk pillowcases are supposed to help with break-outs, wrinkles and even bedhead. Make sure you get 100% silk and wash it inside a delicates laundry bag, then hang to dry.
This cocktail making set is great for someone who likes to make Manhattans, Old Fashioneds or other cocktails that require stirring instead of shaking. This set comes with everything you need.
An assortment of bitters also makes a great gift for the bourbon and whiskey connoisseur.
This Pure Fiji coconut sugar scrub was at the Fiji resort we went to for my 50th birthday. Luckily, I don’t have to travel to Fiji every time I need to restock. This scrub is great for dry winter skin and it smells like the beach.
Everyone with an Apple Watch could use a new band once in a while. I love these sport loop bands in fun colors.
A flowering bulb garden is great to help friends (or yourself) get through the gloomy winter months.
Don’t forget the pets. Amazon has so many great dog toys. Our son’s golden, Bo, is a chewer and goes through toys at an alarming rate – even the “aggressive chewer” toys – so we have new dog toys arriving regularly. (Our daughter’s dog, Frito, gets regular Amazon toy shipments from me as well.)
What are some of your go-to gift ideas?
As an Amazon Associate, I earn money from qualifying purchases.
Click on the three lines to the left of the word “lifestyle” at the top of this page and enter your email address to receive notifications by email when I post something new on this blog. Also, follow me on Instagram at cocktailsandgratitude for photos of cocktails, flowers, my pets and, eventually, more travel.
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Things I Love – #23
These are items I purchased and love in our Chicago apartment’s Master Bedroom. As I’ve mentioned before, we put together our Chicago apartment very quickly, so you’ll see I purchased furniture mainly from a few stores I have used before (and where we happen to have designer discounts.) Over time I’ve added in accent pieces that are a little more unique. My current project is to add artwork in the apartment hall and guest bedroom. (Click on the photos or blue words below for more information.)
West Elm Grid Tufted Tapered Leg Bed in Stone Twill – I really like having an upholstered headboard for reading in bed and I like the clean lines of the tapered legs.
Leesa mattress (original) – This is an incredibly comfortable memory foam mattress. We actually look forward to our stays in Chicago just to sleep on this mattress. Note: The original Leesa mattress is currently on sale.
West Elm Penelope Grand nightstands – I love the combination of wood and marble; and it’s the perfect size.
Zippered Mattress Protector – This prevents any sweat, dirt, mites, etc. from getting into your mattress which means your mattress is not only cleaner, but should last longer.
Bamboo Mattress pad – A hypoallergenic, cooling, plush mattress pad.
Pottery Barn Morgan sheets – These 400-thread-count organic cotton sheets are luxurious and they get softer with every wash.
Buffy comforter – Another great find that is making its way onto every bed we own. This comforter is made from Eucalyptus and plastic bottles. And, it’s naturally resistant to dust, mites and mold.
West Elm organic cotton duvet – You definitely want a duvet cover for you comforter so you don’t have to clean your comforter as often. The exact duvet we have is no longer available, but I have the style below on our guest bed and I love it.
Pottery Barn Velvet Quilt – The navy velvet is a nice contrast with all of the lighter colors and fabrics. Bonus: It also coordinates with the navy accents in the living room and kitchen. When you have a small space, it’s nice to tie it together with repeating colors. (The exact quilt picture below is no longer available, but Pottery Barn has several velvet quilts. I recently purchased this velvet quilt for our house in Saint Paul.)
Gray Malin art – I’ve shared this photo on my blog before… I own several of Gray Malin’s photos and this one just makes me happy.
Navy & gold Safavieh lamps – These lamps tie together the navy quilt and the gold hardware on the nightstands. (This exact style is no longer available, but Overstock has many other navy lamps available.)
Leather catch-all – My husband needs a place to empty his pockets at night so I found this cute holder on Amazon.
If you have any favorite bedroom pieces (furniture, sheets, art work, etc.) please share in the comments.
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Things I Love – #22
Every January there are a few items I find myself purchasing, usually related to refreshing or organizing my home for the remaining winter months. Click on the photos below or any blue words for more information.
Candles – To replace the Christmas scents I’ve been burning since Thanksgiving, two of the scents I purchase every January are Orange Blossom and Bamboo from Nest Home Fragrances.
Brother Label Maker – I asked for a label maker for Christmas and I’ve really enjoyed making labels for all of my storage containers. Next Christmas, I’ll know exactly what’s in each storage container.
Food Dehydrator & Jerky Maker – Citrus is in season. So, for all my cocktail making friends, this is the time to dehydrate commonly used citrus like oranges, lemons and limes. Look at your grocery store for unusual citrus like pink lemons and blood oranges.
Glass Storage Jars – I love these borosilicate glass jars with airtight locking bamboo lids. They seal tight so your dehydrated citrus, coffee beans or whatever else you are storing will stay fresh. And, they look great on your counter.
Dog Collars – The dogs needed fresh non-Christmas collars. I love the price point and the removable bows on these collars.
Humidifier – I have this countertop humidifier in my kitchen. Our house is really dry in the winter and when I fill this in the morning, it will run the entire day.
Ramekin cups – We’ve been making a lot of charcuterie boards lately, and while I love using these silicone baking cups for nuts, fig jams, cornichons, etc., I decided to pick up a set of these white porcelain ramekins to switch it up.
What household items do you like to refresh in January?
As an Amazon Associate, I earn money from qualifying purchases.
Click on the three lines to the left of the word “lifestyle” at the top of this page and enter your email address to receive notifications by email when I post something new on this blog. Also, follow me on Instagram at cocktailsandgratitude for photos of cocktails, flowers, my pets and, eventually, more travel.
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Things I Love – #21
Winter Coats
Last year I bought a long faux shearling coat (aka Teddy coat because it looks like a teddy bear) from Lou & Gray. It’s cozy and soft, but casual enough to wear with leggings or jeans. Almost every time I venture out with this coat, I get a compliment. Unfortunately, the coat I own is no longer available but here are a few options. If you’re interested, order quick as these coats are selling fast; some sizes sold out since I started writing this blog post. (Click photos below or blue text for more information or to purchase.)
This Lou & Grey shirt coat is adorable, but it’s almost sold out.
This Sherpa Coat from Abercrombie & Fitch comes in both brown and grey and is selling fast.
This cream faux shearling coat at ASOS for only $135 will sell out fast.
This VERO MODA Lynn Teddy Coat from Nordstrom comes in cream and fir green. Comments indicate it runs large, so size down.
This Teddy coat from J Crew is available in several colors.
This Faux Fur coat is available at Bloomingdales. Bloomingdales has several faux fur / shearling options so search on their website to find the style and color you like the best.
If you’re ready for an investment piece, you can’t go wrong with a Max Mara Icon coat. I purchased the Max Mara 101801 in Ultramarine in 2018 (Things I Love – #8) and I hope to have it for many years. Although, I do tend to save this coat for dressing up, not walking the dog. This coat fits amazing and it’s made out of wool and cashmere so it’s really warm. When we were able to visit Chicago last winter, I stayed nice and warm while walking miles to and from dinner.
Comment with your favorite winter coat below. Do you prefer classic investment coats or trendy, less expensive coats? Or both?
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Things I Love – #20
Holiday Gift Ideas
As I’ve gotten older, I like to focus on gifts that involve an experience. Since travel and public experiences (like a spa day) are limited now, below are some ideas for stay-at-home experiences. (Click on blue text {NOT photos} for more details or to purchase.)
Hand / Foot Treatments: Between the constant hand washing and the cold temps, everyone could use extra hand cream. Buy a package of white cotton gloves and a few tubes of thick hand lotion. (The cotton gloves will warm up hands to help the lotion soak in – also there won’t be greasy hand prints on everything.) Fill several small gift bags with a pair of gloves and one tube of lotion, now you have little gifts for all your girlfriends. To elevate: Include a foot mask with a thick pair of socks and a lip balm.
Manicure / Pedicure: I love these cute polish and top coat ornaments from Olive and June. To elevate: Fill a plastic storage container with a polish remover dispenser, cotton rounds, a fingernail file, buffer and orange sticks.
Spa Time: Include a favorite face sheet mask, bath salts and body lotion. To elevate: Include a facial steamer, a cooling roller and under eye masks. I love this face steamer and cooling roller (store the roller in the freezer and roll over your face and eyes to reduce puffiness and brighten your skin.)
Build Your Own Pizza Night: A pizza stone, a pizza cutter and a pizza peel. To elevate: Include Italian beer or wine and a gift certificate to a local Italian market for gourmet supplies.
Charcuterie Board: Order a custom cutting board and combine it with small serving bowls and a set of cheese knives. To elevate: Add a bottle of wine and assorted shelf-stable charcuterie items like: fig jam, Marcona almonds, olives, cornichons and gourmet crackers or include a gift certificate to a local cheese shop.
Cookie making: A new mixing bowl, cookie sheets, spatulas and cookie cutters for an afternoon of baking. To elevate: Include a Kitchenaid mixer an apron, pot holders and / or a family favorite cookie recipe.
Hallmark Christmas Movie Night: A mug or two, hot chocolate, marshmallows, crushed candy canes and a set of Christmas movie bingo cards. To elevate: Buy glass canisters for the hot chocolate fixings and a handheld frother to create a fluffy hot cocoa. This frother almost doubles the size of your drink, so leave lots of room in your mug!
Book Basket: Fill a basket with your favorite books or an assortment of best sellers. To elevate: Include a monogram book embosser and embossing stickers or a Kindle with a Kindle Unlimited membership. Consider sending the same book to multiple friends and setting up a virtual book club date in January.
Bulb Garden: You can purchase a bulb garden or kit online or from your local garden store. To elevate: Make your own kit with a pot that matches the recipient’s style, a gallon baggie of potting soil or stones, a paper bag with paper white bulbs and don’t forget to include potting instructions. Once planted, the bulbs will bloom in about four weeks. Everyone could use flowers during the January gloom.
Movie Night: Put together a basket with classic Christmas DVDs and treats including popcorn, flavored popcorn seasoning, traditional movie theater candy and bottled sodas. To elevate: Include popcorn bowls and a cozy blanket or a subscription to Netflix, Hulu or Amazon Prime video.
Game Night: Choose a favorite board game like Life, Monopoly, Trouble or Scrabble, add a deck of playing cards, Uno or Skippo, then add some sweet and salty snacks. To elevate: Send snack boxes and a game like Yahtzee to multiple households and schedule a Zoom call for a virtual game night.
What are some of your favorite stay-at-home experiences? I’m always looking for more ideas.
As an Amazon Associate, I earn money from qualifying purchases.
Click on the three lines to the left of the word “lifestyle” at the top of this page and enter your email address to receive notifications by email when I post something new on this blog. Also, follow me on Instagram at cocktailsandgratitude for photos of cocktails, flowers, my pets and, eventually, more travel.
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Things I Love – #19
I love Advent Calendars. I’m not talking the cheap, waxy chocolate kind for children. I’m talking calendars with an adorable daily gift for the special grown ups in your life. Unfortunately, some of the calendars below have already sold out for this year, but keep them in mind for next year. (Click on the photos below and any blue words for more information.)
Olive & June – This is a new nail polish line that I discovered this summer (and love!) so I was thrilled to see they had an advent calendar. I bought this during the pre-sale and it sold out very quickly. The Olive and June website has many other gift options like a Merry Mani ornament with a polish and topcoat. OPI and Essie also make advent calendars.
Sugarfina – If you know someone who likes candy, but not necessarily chocolate, this calendar has a nice assortment of Sugarfina candies and only a few chocolates. PaperSource also sells Sugarfina so check both to see who has the best price.
L’Occitane – This is a great way to try L’Occitane products and considering the items included, it’s really a good deal. L’Occitane offers both a Signature calendar and a Premium calendar. (The Premium calendar is already sold out, so I only listed the Signature calendar above.)
If you like chocolate, try a high end chocolate advent calendar, like Godiva or Charbonnel et Walker. Williams Sonoma sells several advent calendar options for every price range and flavor profile.
Have a whiskey lover in family? There’s an advent calendar for that at Flaviar. There are also advent calendars for everything from gin to hard ciders. If you want to build your own alcohol advent calendar, Amazon sells these empty advent boxes and Teeleandco on Etsy has this cute wine Christmas tree advent calendar.
For the breakfast lover consider the Bonne Maman calendar with 24 mini fruit spreads and honey or the Adagio Gourmet Tea calendar.
And last, but not least, Chewy has advent calendars for your dog and cat.
If you haven’t bought advent calendars for this year, order soon! Not only do they sell out early, but with Covid there are shipping delays with many companies.
Comment below with your favorite advent calendars so I can add them to my list for next year. Note: It’s perfectly acceptable to buy yourself an advent calendar.
As an Amazon Associate, I earn money from qualifying purchases.
Click on the three lines to the left of the word “lifestyle” at the top of this page and enter your email address to receive notifications by email when I post something new on this blog. Also, follow me on Instagram at cocktailsandgratitude for photos of cocktails, flowers, my pets and, eventually, more travel.
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Things I Love – #18
Here are some of my recent Amazon purchases.
I love having these airtight storage jars decorating my kitchen counter. I now have three jars holding dried citrus, but soon I’ll be switching them out to hot cocoa, marshmallow bits and crushed candy canes (see below.) I like the borosilicate glass because it’s clear, light and strong. However, KKC has many less expensive storage jar options, if you prefer.
I have patio lights in my backyard all year. I have one set on the arbor by our back gate and another behind the couch on our patio. I love looking out at night and seeing the lights glow in our yard. Note: Instead of buying replacement bulbs, it’s cheaper to buy an extra string and steal bulbs from that string. Also, I have had squirrels chew through a cord before, so keep the extra cord even after you’ve used all the bulbs.
The Capri Blue candle scents are AMAZING! Stock up on these for January after you’ve burned all your pumpkin spice and Christmas candles. They smell like summer and will help get you through the winter gloom. If you don’t love the hot pink above, click here for more fun styles and colors. The Volcano scent is one of my favorites. Note: I also love traveling with this metal tin.
These plaid jackets are really cute. I do think they run a little small so check the measurements and if your dog is close to the next size, definitely size up.
My face is already feeling dry and winter is just starting. Incorporating a face steam into your routine once a week will help purify and hydrate your skin. Make sure you buy a gallon of distilled water to have on hand for your steamer – the minerals in tap water will clog up your steamer.
This is quite the bargain. 100 gift tags and 100 feet of twine for $6.99! I recently made gift bags where I folded over the top of the bag and used a hole punch to make two holes, then I tied the bag shut with twine and added a gift tag. These would also look great if you want to do a more rustic Christmas gift wrap. Consider tying in a sprig of evergreen or seeded Eucalyptus to give it a personal touch.
I recently put together Hallmark movie gift bags for my girlfriends (see bags and tags above) with hot cocoa packets, crushed peppermint candies, dehydrated marshmallow bits (these taste like the marshmallows in Lucky Charms) and Hallmark movie bingo cards from Etsy. Note: the containers of crushed peppermint candies and dehydrated marshmallow bits are huge! Consider Christmas and/or hostess gifts with three canning jars – one filled with homeade hot cocoa (super easy recipes on Pinterest), one with marshmallow bits and one with crushed peppermint. Throw in a tin of homeade cookies (or peppermint bark if you want to use up more of the crushed candy) and this is a gift anyone would love to receive.
As an Amazon Associate, I earn money from qualifying purchases.
Click on the three lines to the left of the word “lifestyle” at the top of this page and enter your email address to receive notifications by email when I post something new on this blog. Also, follow me on Instagram at cocktailsandgratitude for photos of cocktails, flowers, my pets and, eventually, more travel.
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Things I Love – #17
If it’s time to refresh your wardrobe for Winter, check out some of these great deals I found online. (Click on photos below for more information.)
These Zara pieces are cute and cozy for lounging or working from home. There’s just enough wool in these pieces to keep you warm without being itchy. I’m allergic to wool and have no problem wearing these.
These H&M pieces are another cozy lounge set. These pieces are lighter than the set above from Zara.
This H&M hoodie is longer and works great with leggings or skinny jeans. I’ve found that H&M has great sweatshirts for men and women, but the trick is to check in often. One of my favorite H&M gray sweatshirts with a stripe down the arm sold out really fast.
I love this dress. I have a few very expensive cashmere sweater dresses that I hardly wear because they’re too warm and I save them for nice events. This is a great everyday sweater dress. It’s a little longer but has slits on both sides. This fall I wore it with a pair of slip-on sneakers, but I will definitely wear it with black tights and ankle boots this winter. UPDATE: The H&M Turtleneck dress above sold out in gray, it is still available in beige melange. Click here and here for more turtleneck dress options.
This is another really cute dress that I have received compliments on. I’ve worn it with a white tank top underneath and Vans mules. Again, I’ll probably wear black tights, Moto boots and a long sleeve t-shirt underneath as it gets colder.
Madewell makes great t-shirts for layering. If you aren’t familiar with Madewell denim, check out their Roadtripper Jeans. These are the only jeans I would wear while traveling.
This is more expensive than the items above, but I always like to have a good quality, long knit skirt to wear with chunky sweaters and boots. This model is tall, so the skirt hits closer to the top of the boot on me.
Click on the three lines to the left of the word “lifestyle” at the top of this page and enter your email address to receive notifications by email when I post something new on this blog. Also, follow me on Instagram at cocktailsandgratitude for photos of cocktails, flowers, my pets and, eventually, more travel.
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Things I Love – #16
Here’s another Amazon list, but this one is focused on household items. Since I am still limiting the number of stores I go to, we have weekly Amazon deliveries. Click on the photos below or the blue text for an Amazon link to the products listed.
If you want to chill down a bottle of wine quickly or just keep your open bottle of patio wine nice and cold, order this La Creuset wine cooler sleeve. When it’s empty, it folds flat so it doesn’t take up much room in your freezer.
You know I love Nest candles since they’ve been on my blog several times in Things I Love – #8 , Things I Love – #2 and the Nordstrom Sale. These two candles smell so fresh and they are in beautiful containers that can be repurposed after the candle is gone. I bought these for birthday gifts but I like them so much I might need to order more for myself. The Ocean Mist candle is more expensive, but note it is a larger 3-wick candle.
These Lucia candles were on my Things I Love – #1 post. I first discovered Lucia candles at a vineyard in Napa. I didn’t want to pack a glass candle holder in my suitcase so I found them online and ordered them before we even left Napa. Amazon offers different scents at different times; so if these scents don’t appeal to you, check back in a few weeks to see if there is a new scent in stock. The scents are very mild, so they’re best used in a smaller room like a bathroom or bedroom.
EltaMD Face Sunscreen was in Things I Love – #4. The EltaMD sunscreen line is recommended by dermatologists because it doesn’t leave an oily residue behind which might cause breakouts or reactions with sensitive skin. There are multiple variations of this sunscreen, so look around for the correct one to fit your skin needs. I personally prefer the clear sunscreen over the tinted.
Early in the quarantine process, I sent my daughter a Yahtzee game. Then we had a Zoom call where we played Yahtzee as a family. The game I bought her had a plastic cup and was really loud when shaking the dice, so I bought her the leather felt-lined Yahtzee cup. I also discovered I was running low on score sheets, but guess where I found them… on Amazon, of course!
Are you getting tired of all of your games? We love Play Nine. Even though it’s called a golf game, it really has nothing to do with golf except using golf terminology on the cards like Hole-In-One, Out-of-Bounds, Par, etc. It’s a fun game for 2 – 6 players and you can easily visit and play. My Mom has a regular Play Nine ladies group and they set up two tables with a set of cards for each table.
We don’t have central air in our house, so in the summer we always have a fan in our kitchen. Our old fan stopped working, so I ordered this streamlined Homech tower fan and we love it. It doesn’t take up much space but it really moves the air around the room and it’s quieter than a regular fan.
I’ve been using Olly Sleep gummies to help me go to sleep for over a year. What I like about these is I haven’t built up a tolerance to them like you can with plain Melatonin. I chew two gummies as I’m going to bed most nights and I’m able to read for 15 – 30 minutes before I start falling asleep.
I bought these silicone baking cups in both standard and large. They’re great for making cupcakes, muffins or individual egg bakes and you can use them in the microwave. They also add a fun pop of color to a cheese board when filled with olives, fig jam, nuts, etc. I can only assume they would make a great snack cup for kids filled with goldfish or other small treat.
Since I’m shopping on Amazon weekly, sometimes even daily, I’m going to post regular list of things I’m buying on Amazon. So please share this post with others who might enjoy regular Amazon suggestions and comment below with some of your favorite things to buy on Amazon.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Click on the three lines to the left of the word “lifestyle” at the top of this page and enter your email address to receive notifications by email when I post something new on this blog. Also, follow me on Instagram at cocktailsandgratitude for photos of cocktails, flowers, my pets and, eventually, more travel.
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Things I Love – #15
Below are some of my favorite clothing items on Amazon and a few new items that caught my eye. Click on the photos below or the blue text for a link to each item.
Dresses are one of my favorite things to wear because it’s a fast and easy way to look pulled together. This long sleeve tunic dress is lined, has pockets and it comes in a variety of colors. I have the red one.
The same dress as above except with a cute ruffle short sleeve. I have the black one.
Every closet should have a long tank dress. You can dress this up or down and add layers underneath or on top. I love throwing on an oversized cardigan or denim jacket with sneakers for running errands. Switch out your shoes, add some fun jewelry and you’re ready to go out for dinner.
If maxi dresses aren’t your thing, here’s a short tank dress that is just as flexible.
If you’d prefer to cover your arms, here’s a great t-shirt dress that comes in a variety of colors.
This is a super cute dress to throw on as a cover-up or to wear running errands with a pair of flip flops.
This BB Dakota dress would make a great date night or even wedding guest dress.
Every time I use this rattan bag I get at least one compliment from a stranger. You can fit a small wallet, a cell phone, hand sanitizer and a baggie with a face mask inside. Perfect for a day of errands.
I use this assortment of twenty different scarves to tie on my handbags. I love to find a scarf that ties my handbag and outfit together and this assortment covers every color combination.
This Champion V-Neck is a great workout shirt and it’s available in a variety of colors. I have the blue one.
These Under Armour leggings are super light for summer workouts.
I bought several of these cotton nightgowns in different colors. They are really comfortable and long enough to wear around the house.
I’ll post an Amazon favorites list with household items soon. What are some of your favorite Amazon clothing finds?
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Click on the three lines to the left of the word “lifestyle” at the top of this page and enter your email address to receive notifications by email when I post something new on this blog. Also, follow me on Instagram at cocktailsandgratitude for photos of cocktails, flowers, my pets and, eventually, more travel.