More Blog Lovin......Bring it On!

Well now, I guess I must be doing something right.  I just got another blog award and as always I can't get enough blog lovin!  This time it is the Liebster award which is an award for up and coming bloggers with 200-300 followers.  It was given to me by a very special and talented lady, Mystiqua of pursuitoftitus2.  Thanks so much!

The rules for receiving this award are as follows:

1. Show your thanks to the blogger who gave you the award by linking back to them.

2. Reveal your top 5 picks for the award and let them know by leaving a comment on their blog.

3. Post the award on your blog.

4. Bask in the love from the most supportive people on the blogshere – other bloggers.

5. Hope your recipients pass the award to their 5 favorite blogs to keep the love flowing.

Note: I read a few posts from bloggers who received the award and the number of followers varies. On some blogs – less than 200 and others wrote between 200 and 300. 

Well, without further ado I would like to award these 5 blogs the Liebster Award...…drum roll please!

loveparish

carolbalocka

fashionablehome

lauradora-lauradora

thejuicery

Check these blogs out, they are interesting and a treat to read when you are having a little down time.  Enjoy.


Cherio!

For The Love Of Mom - A last Minute Gift Guide

I don't know why this is but somehow no matter how you plan to buy a gift in advance, time always seem to slip away and before you know it you're buying something, anything from Walgreens or the even the grocery store.....at the last minute.  Okay, so maybe its not that bad but you know what I mean,  perhaps you've had a similar experience.  Time is just not a team player sometimes.

If there is ever a time you want to marinate on what you are buying or presenting though, do it for for Mothers Day.  I mean, this is for mom, the woman who gave you life, not to mention all the selfless things she does for you out of love every day.  A little effort here is so well deserved....  But Just in case you are having last minute shoppers panic or a melt down, here are 10 gift ideas mom will love! 

A Spa Day

No mother will ever say no to this.  And why would they, after all, if anyone deserves to be pampered, moms do. Trust me you'll even earn a few brownie points with this one.

A Personalized Gift Bag

Since you are privy to what your mom likes best, you have vital information that can actually result in you selecting the perfect gift!  You know her favorite color, candy, fragrance, movie, book, spice, slippers....and all the stuff she admires on TV.  Now take that information and get as many of these items as you can afford and then put them all in a beautiful gift bag. Top this with decorative tissue paper and and you're done!  The best part about this is, your mom will love everything in the bag, guaranteed.

Jewelry
They say that diamonds are a girls best friend and there's some truth to that...but we love great looking jewelry. Period.  If you can afford precious stones like rubies, emeralds, diamonds etc. then go ahead and get mom some high octane bling!  If your heart is willing but your pocket is weak, there are semi-precious stones that are really beautiful, much lower in price and come in various birth stone colors.  Consider stones like garnet, peridot, topaz, opal etc. Find out what your mom's birth stone color is, but do it inconspicuously...we like surprises, and we especially like it when you take a little initiative and think about the gift. Tip: When in doubt try a classic like pearls or something simple in style like this gorgeous and elegant garnet and white topaz necklace. 

(You can find this necklace at www.ice.com for $75.00)

A Work Free Day ( With Advanced Pampering )

This is my favorite gift idea.  Serve mom breakfast in bed with a note or card saying that she is not allowed to do anything for the whole day except relax and enjoy herself. Present her with a beautiful, comfortable bath robe and comfy bedroom slippers. Give her a few of 

her favorite movies or magazines and let her unwind.  During the course of the day, prepare lunch and dinner for her.  She will appreciate your effort and it will really make her day very special!

A Sewing Machine
If your mom is crafty and likes to sew, a sewing machine is the perfect gift for her.  Even more so if she needs a new one or plans to buy one in the future.   Machines have come a long way over the last decade.  They are able to do just about any decorative stitch you can imagine.  And, this is just the kind of gadget that makes a crafty mom really excited!!!  You can find a Singer machine starting at $149.00  here.

Magazine subscription Or Favorite Books
Whether its a magazine subscription, cook books or novels, books make a really excellent gift.  You are basically giving the gift of knowledge to someone you love, now how awesome is that!

An Ipad
This is the the gift that keeps giving.  Your mom will be able to assemble recipes, keep tract of appointments and organize better in general, send and receive emails, listen to music, shop, and so much more with the Ipad.  If your mom is even a little technology savvy, she will love this, besides, you can always show her how to use it.  Once she gets the hang of it, this will be a favorite!

www.apple.com

Hair Combs

Hair combs are gorgeous gifts for women with "bob" length hair and longer.  These come in a wide array of styles and prices so its all about your own personal preference.  In this case since its for your mother, consider her favorite color, and think about her style.  Is it vintage, modern, ultra trendy?  Either way, every time mom wears this, she will  think of you!  So make it good.

www.bridalphantasy.com

www.bridalphantasy.com

 Coupons Just For Mom

If you are unable to buy a gift and want to do something meaningful or thoughtful, just make some coupons.  Each coupon entitles mom to various leisure activities and benefits around the home. .This is especially great for older children and husbands who can take over for mom for a few hours and provide the service required. Make a handmade card for mom and have all the children color and sign it. Present the card with the coupons inside.  (You can also down load these same coupons at http://static.oprah.com/pdf/mothersday_coupons.pdf)

Flowers & Chocolate

You can never lose with flowers and chocolate.  Lilies, roses and peonies are beautiful and elegant choices but there are so many other gorgeous and fragrant flowers to choose from.  The chocolate is the perfect compliment to the flowers, moms around the world approve!

Well thats a wrap my friends.  I hope this helps you to select a wonderful gift for your mom.  Let me know how it goes and all the best to you for a happy and blessed Mothers Day!

And These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things....

I don't know if any of you caught the "Oprah Favotite Things" show that aired recently.  If you did then you're probably still in traction from laughing so hard.  It was absolute madness!!!  People were screaming hysterically, jumping up and down, gasping for air, clutching their chest, I am pretty sure a few of them even passed out.  Oprah is hard core folks!

Well, after watching this I was inspired to share some of my favorite things as well.  I cannot give you cars like Oprah yet but what I can give you is really nice gift ideas that will save you time and money.  So, lets do this!

First up these gorgeous emerald green earrings inspired by one of Angelina Jolie's red carpet looks.  These earrings are incredible looking and they are under $80.00.  Not bad at all for something that you can wear for years to come.

Next is one of my absolute favorite gifs to give, holiday gift baskets. You can personalize these to meet every personality under the sun.  Just fill the basket with your friend or family member's favorite things and you have a gift that will not only be appreciated but remembered! (Tip: some the filler items can be very inexpensive, like a particular chocolate bar or a favorite book but together all of these things make a wonderful gift for the recipient) Also it does not have to be a basket, it could be any good looking container, be creative!

And what would Christmas be without some sparkle?  This bib necklace is perfect for the woman who is not afraid to shine......yes, the pun was intended.

If you have girl friends who likes fashion like I do, makeup is a great gift to buy.  Trust me she will love it!  There are so many trends in makeup right now and you certainly can be as tame or daring as you want to be.  The best discovery for me however is the fact that I can now buy organic makeup that was made with my health in mind. How fabulous is that. Here is a great brand called Afterglow whose pieces range between $16.00 and $18.00 per piece.

Tip: Nail polish, eye shadows, neutral lipsticks, eye pencils and bronzers are a good choice since they work with lots of skin tones and are not as specific as face powders. If you are not too confident stick with neutral palettes.

This list would not be complete or realistic without something technological, after all technology is now a vital part of our daily lives. So here is a little beauty that stole my heart.  The Canon IXUS 105 digital camera, as advanced in function as it is stylish. The question is, who wouldn't love this digital camera?  (Retails for around $165.00) 

These dinner plates from Delfina Dinnerware really caught my eyes in more ways than one.  I just love the pop of color!  Imagine how marvelous this would look on a table. Of course you can mix and match  with other pieces or buy the whole set, whatever you do, its bound to look spectacular!  A great gift for mom. (Retails for $51.80 for 4 dinner plates) 

Now this is not something you should do on a whim, however if you have a child or special love one who adores animals, wants one and could take proper care of it, you cannot go wrong with a pet.  Its common knowledge thats a pet loves its owner unconditionally and thats something we could never have too much of.

Tip: visit your local animal shelter first before buying a pet.  There are many animals waiting to be loved and given a good home.  Also, in most cases it will cost a fraction of the cost to adopt than it would to purchase a pet.