Mother's Day Gift Guide | 2020

Mother’s Day Sunday May 10th

Alert Alert, this is your 2 week warning…Mother’s Day is coming and since mail is moving a bit slower these days, now is the time to get on it!  I’ve made it easy on you and put together some ideas for you, all you have to do is click on your favorite item below!

One of my favorite things to do in quarantine has been to send unexpected mail packages to friends/family. Isn’t it extra special to get fun mail these days? I put together a list of items that you can easily ship to your Grandma, Mom, Sister, Friend that will make them feel loved and cared for. And since this year has been a little unique to say the least, Mamas are going to LOVE being celebrated extra this Mother’s Day!

To shop using my affiliate links, click on the photo below

MIG Lavendar Home Spa Package (cannot order after April 27th)

• Y’all trust me when I tell you this stuff is gooooood.  I’ve used the lavender bath bar and oh my goodness, it is so refreshing and relaxing!  Not to mention it leaves your skin feeling so clean and smelling yummy!  Also, it is 100% organic!  Keep an eye on this company, they are doing some amazing things!

Pottery Barn Cozy Slippers

• On Sale! At this price buy these furry slippers for yourself, and your mama!

Savannah Bee Co. For The Tea Lover

• I love supporting local businesses! Does your mama love tea? Then this is the perfect treat! Delicious honey and loose leaf tea at your doorstep.

Smallwood Home Custom Wood Frame Photo

• 50% off!!! I cannot tell you how much I LOVE these custom wood photos! They are so well priced and the quality is truly amazing. These are not only wood framed, but your photo is printed on wood also, the finish has a canvas look to it. You simply have to try it! They turn out gorgeous!

Williams Sonoma Enamel Berry Colander

• Fill this sweet colander with farm fresh berries, top it with a diy tea towel…and it is the simplest sweetest gift!

Humorous Etsy Quarantine Themed Gifts- I love etsy and makers!

• Coffee Mug ( coffee mug says: Mother’s Day 2020, The One We Were In Quarantine)

• T-shirt (T-shirt reads: Mothers Day The One Where I Was Quarantined 2020)

Magazine Subscription

• What does your mama love? Cooking, Home Decor, Gardening, Travel? There is a magazine for that! Keep in mind, subscriptions usually take 4-8 weeks to begin…so send their first issue with a note that a subscription has been made.

Support a Local Boutique- Neckerchief

• Lightweight Neckerchiefs are all the rage! Wear around your ponytail, wrist, neck or tie around a bag! Keep your mama styling while supporting a local boutique!

Bath Bombs

• Spoil that mama with some luxurious bath bombs! Who knew Pottery Barn carried bath bombs in such pretty packaging?!

Gardenia bush for the plant lover

• It is in my opinion that every yard needs a beautiful smelling gardenia bush! I especially love gifting flowers that will stick around longer than a few weeks.

Magnolia Table Cookbook

• Joanna Gaines latest project, the magnolia table cookbook! This book is so pretty, full of yummy recipes with beautiful imagery.

  OR

• maybe Snoop Dogg is more of your mamas style of cooking! Hahaha!!! When I saw he had a cookbook entitled “From Crook To Cook”, I had to give hime a shout out. Though I can’t actually vouch for the recipes.

Happy Mother’s Day to all of my mama friends! You are loved, and you are rocking it! I hope you find some peace and quiet amidst all the craziness of the past few months!

xo

laurie

photo cred: Lauren Neal

ps. This photo is a treasure! Consider buying a gift card from your local photographer this Mother’s Day! Many of them are struggling through quarantine as their income has stopped abruptly. This photographer is located in Cincinnati, but she also travels! Check her out! www.laurenneal.com

The Best House Plants For Beginners | Tips & Tricks

It’s that time of year when I start to really crave warmer weather, sunshine, and flowers. However spring just can’t make up its mind. So to usher spring in quicker I have started filling my home with plants!

Last year I became a plant mom for the first time! I had been wanting plants and thought i’d probably not have much luck with keeping them alive. However, I am happy to report that many of them are still with me today! Not all of them survived, but I have learned a few things along the way that I thought might be fun to share with you!

Plants I have kept alive

(photos of these plants are above and are in order from left to right)

Monstera/Split Leaf Philodendron- It looks like a monstera but it is actually called a split leaf philondenron and it is perfection! This plant has done me no wrong. It has been a happy little plant and is loving it’s bright light spot on our hearth.

Peace Lily- This plant was so beautiful up until a few months ago! I think I overwatered it and it started to brown on its leaves. However, new growth keeps happening so I think it is on the mend! Also, this plant had beautiful white lilies on it when I bought it, but they browned and so I simply trimmed them off. I love it’s big leaves all on it’s own.

Snake plant- you can’t kill this thing. I have overwatered and under-watered this thing and it WILL NOT DIE! If you are nervous about becoming a plant mom, try this one! Also, it can do well in low light!

Fern- this baby is wild but I love it! Every time I think I have killed it, it keeps growing! I simply cut away the brown leaves when they show up and it seems to be happy about that. This baby likes moderate light.

White Nerve Plant- I love the white vein detail on this plants leaves. It tends to like low to moderate light and to not let the soil dry out completely in between waterings.

Dracaena- I feel like this plant is going to die on me at any moment, but then it doesn’t. It prefers to have moist soil and not let the soil dry out. So I sometimes water it more than once a week. It also likes moderate light, next to a window.

Pothos- Everyone says pothos are easy plants, however mine is not thriving. I love this thing and I think I need to repot it, but am nervous about that! It prefers moderate light also even though it said it could handle low light. It’s leaves are so pretty…I am determined to get this thing thriving!

(Shop using my affiliate links by clicking on the photo)

Plants I have killed

Croton- This is a beautiful plant that I keep replacing, however it has not done well in the winter months for me inside. This plant has become diseased twice on me and I think it actually prefers being outside on our porch. I moved it outside back in December (on a covered porch), and to my surprise it is still kicking.

English Ivy- This was also supposed to be easy to keep alive. I’m not sure what happened, maybe I over watered it or it wanted to be repotted? I bought this plant twice also, and killed it twice.

Succulents- I think my lethal mistake was putting them in a plant with no hole in the bottom. But they did thrive for a few months before they bit it.

Tips and Tricks

• Make sure you know where you want to put your plant before you buy it. Does that space get lots of bright light (next to a window), or is it low light (far from a window)? Look at the tag before you buy the plant, it will tell you what type of light the plant prefers and how to take care of it. Also, don’t be afraid to move your plant around if it doesn’t seem to be thriving in a certain location!

• If a room or space has no windows or not a lot of light, it’s best to opt for a fake plant. This is how I killed a few plants before heading out to get some realistic faux plants. Also, if you have real plants in your home…the fake ones look more real!

• Buy larger more well established plants. I seem to have better luck with larger plants living longer and thriving. Larger plants don’t outgrow their container and don’t need to be repotted as often.

• Make sure the container your plant is in has a hole in the bottom. The plants I have killed quickly are plants that have not had a drainage hole in the bottom of its pot. This is key so that even if you over water it, the extra water has somewhere to go. Plants don’t like to sit in standing water.

• Something to be aware of when choosing plants is that some plants are toxic if your pet or child eats the leaves. Make sure to check the toxicity of your plants and be aware in order to keep your kids and pets safe!

When should I water?

The best way to kill plants is to over water them. Most plants only need watered 1x week or when you stick your finger in the soil and it is dry. So pick a day and time to water! Sunday is my water day, but Water Wednesday is a great way to remember too!

Where should I put plants?

Plants instantly make a space feel more cozy. Every room can easily take a plant somewhere in it! Think…

Mantel

Entryway

Side Table

Window Sill

Hearth

Bookshelves

I want plants but can’t afford them right now!

Have no fear, bring the greenery in from your yard! I have been clipping leaves off of my bushes when I just need a little extra green around my house! Depending on the variety, some leaves will keep for a few weeks (in water), while others need to be refreshed every week. Have fun experimenting!

Greenery from an outside bush, and Azaleas!

Affordable pots

The most affordable pots I have found are from Walmart and even Kroger! Keep your plants looking uniform in your home by choosing all one color pots! I love using concrete pots. There are so many fun shapes and textures but when grouped together they still go together. Another idea is to buy cheap terra cotta pots at Lowes or Home Depot and paint them! Check out this terra cotta inspo from Liz Marie Blog!

***Don’t get discouraged when you kill a plant! Even expert gardeners kill plants! It just happens, and it is a learning process! Have fun!

One-Piece Swimsuits Trends For 2020 | Target

The last thing I want to be thinking about right now is bathing suit season! But with spring break coming up, i’ve been forced to start looking. For the past two summers I’ve found my swimsuits at Target! I have been pleasantly surprised by their quality and style! I also have found that their suits fit true to size. Target has a bogo sale going on now until February 25th! (BOGO 50% off). So if you are in the market, I rounded up some of my favorites. Also, I love seeing what the new trends will be. I am pleasantly surprised by the amount of cute one pieces out there! Look what I found!

**Simply click on the photo of your favorite suit to take you to my affiliate link.

CLASSIC BLACK

• Classic black is a must have in your swimsuit wardrobe. Target has so many gorgeous black one piece suits. I am loving all the beautiful detailing on the back! As a Mama of 4, I thank the designers of these suits for making them so unique!

FUN

• I love to find suits with color and patterns that are youthful and not so granny like. I think these suits fit that description with their fun colors and designs. Trend alert: color block suits are in style! This makes me so happy because it’s a great way to have color without committing to a busy pattern.

TRENDY

• There are some really fun trends happening this season in one piece swimsuits. I remember as a kid having a swimsuit with a cutout back and thinking it was so cool (because my mama wouldn’t let me wear a two piece, haha!). Guess what the cutout trend is back! Also popular this year is the keyhole detail. What do you think of these styles?

I also have been eyeing some www.cupshe.com suits. They have some really fun one piece suits that are priced so cheap (like $24 and under!). I’ve never purchased from them before so I will let you know what I think! If you have experience with this company, I’d love to know what you think! Where else do you like to shop for fun and unique swimwear?

Stocking Stuffers For Men & Women: A Gift Guide

*This post contains affiliate links. Clicking the links will take you to a new site. Any purchases made could benefit Laurieschultzblog.com at no cost to you.

Stockings might be my favorite part of Christmas morning. As a kid (and still to this day) I loved waking up in the morning to see my stocking overflowing with presents. It is a huge part of our family’s tradition. We always wake up, open stockings in a free for all, have a special breakfast (breakfast casserole, pull apart bread, and cinnamon rolls have all been a hit in our fam), and then we open big gifts one by one.

What is the order of events in your family?

Some staple items I get in my stocking almost every year are: mascara, chapstick, socks, & jewelry. My husband usually gets: socks, chapstick, a gift card (be creative with the gift cards! He loves smoothie king, itunes, and I love starbucks gift cards in $5-$10 increments. I typically try to keep each stocking stuffer I purchase under $15 each and ideally under $10…as stockings can add up quickly BUT they don’t have to!

What are some staple stocking items you receive or give every year?

Shop the items below by clicking on the photo

Kids Stocking Stuffers: A Gift Guide

*This post contains affiliate links. Clicking these links will take you to a new site. Any purchases made could benefit laurieschultzblog.com at no cost to you.

To me the perfect stocking stuffer is something that is unique and FUN! I love searching the internet for gift ideas that I have never seen in stores, or that I know my kids will think is fun! While on vacation last summer my kids saw these handheld water toys in a gift shop and they thought it was the best thing ever! If you grew up in the 80s/90s do you remember them from your childhood?! I used to love them too, and thought nowadays they were to “basic” for kids…but to my surprise they loved it! That gift idea, made me think of other things I had as a kid that I loved, like fruit stripe gum! Just go browse your local cracker barrel for more priceless nostalgic items!

What things from your childhood do you think would make great stocking stuffers for kids?

Another thing I always look for when shopping for stocking stuffers, are items that are cheap (like under $10). Bonus if they come in a pack of 2 or more so that I have one for each child. Most of these gifts are also Amazon prime ready, which lets be honest is a lifesaver! To shop these items click on the photo below!

What are your favorite stocking stuffers for kids?

15 Personalized Gift Ideas For The Family

Personalized gifts are honestly one of my favorite gifts to receive. I think personalized gifts feel well, personal. Like the giver not only thought of a sweet gift to give, but also went the extra mile with personalization. In a world that you can have any package at your doorstep in 2 days (i’m definitely not complaining about this), a personalized gift seems a little extra special for the added time and intention behind it.

When deciding on what gifts to give my family, I always try to think about what gifts I would love to have, but wouldn’t buy for myself. Also, I really am drawn to gifts that are sentimental in some way with a photo, or that means something to our family. This personalized gift guide was made with all of those thoughts in mind. Also, I have personally purchased or received many of these items as gifts and have loved them! I hope you do too!

You can shop my affiliate links below by clicking on the photo.

Monogram Mommy & Me Hat $29

Pottery Barn Kids Duffel Bag $35

Photo Memory Matching Game $19.99

Handwriting Keepsake Ornament $14

Photo Puzzle $19.99

Metal Photo Ornament $10

Engraved Pocket Knife $17.95

Floating Frame 2 pk $28.99

Custom Stamp $20.97

Metal Luggage Tag $11.99

Fabric Crayons $4.29

13 Handkerchiefs $12.98

Dish Towels $26.74

Sterling Silver Necklace $44.90

Personalized Stationary $25

Recordable Storybook $34.99

Personalized Handkerchiefs & Dish Towels

You may be wondering why the fabric crayons? Well, they are for you to use with the dish towels or handkerchiefs! My kids have made some really fun personalized gifts for their grandparents with these items! Click HERE to see how!

Frame A Family Heirloom

The other item on the list to personalize yourself are the floating frames! Wouldn’t it be beautiful to frame a love letter, recipe, or a childs artwork? Blesser House has a wonderful tutorial on how to preserve a recipe or a letter. Take a look! https://www.blesserhouse.com/how-to-preserve-and-frame-handwritten-recipes-and-letters/

photo by Blesser House

Which of these personalized gifts are your favorite?