Ladies Gift Guide

Whether you’re shopping for your mom, a friend, your significant other, or otherwise – here are a few of my faaaavorite things that if she’s anything like me, she’s sure to love!

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First up we have this lovely bath bomb set! I’m someone who enjoys looooong baths, and if I’m going to use a bath bomb I want it to be pretty, smell nice, and be fun to watch fizz away. It needs to add something to the experience. These are all of that and more, and they’re a super value, too!

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Keeping with the pampering vibe, I’d love to introduce you to Voluspa candles 😍 These beautiful candles are truly special. They each smell SO nice, with a definite luxury feel. The etched glass jars are gorgeous and they burn beautifully! Often found at Anthropologie and other boutiques, they make a statement when given as a gift, that the recipient is highly valued and deserves something special.

The French Cade Lavender and Gogi Tarocco Orange are my favorite two scents (but they’re all lovely), and the large embossed glass jars are my favorite size for gifting!

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Moving into the kitchen . . . lots of good things in this area!

First, the now famous Instant Pot. If the girl you’re buying for cooks with a crock pot and is ever short for time, she’d probably love having an Instant Pot! It’s a pressure cooker made easy with buttons and a ton of video tutorials for the timid (which was me when I got mine until I watched a great unboxing video!). It cuts the time for cooking say a great beef stew from 6-8 hours in a crock pot, to ONE hour in the Instant Pot. Pretty great! AND there’s still the option for using it as an actual slow cooker – they included a slow cook button. This thing can saute, make homemade yogurt, cook chicken from frozen in an hour or less and with zero fuss, it’s amazing! I’ve really enjoyed using mine for the year+ that I’ve had it. If you have a family 4 or larger you might want to opt for the larger 8 quart size. We have the 6 quart and it works well for us, but I wouldn’t mind a little bit more capacity because I love doubling recipes so there’s plenty of leftovers and I don’t have to cook as often! I’ve actually ditched our old crock pot and our rice maker because now we have the ability to do them all in the IP.

 

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Black & Decker Helix 5-Speed Hand Mixer with Case – Okay so, confession, I don’t have one of these yet – (I have the big ‘ol stand up version) but I’d be psyched to get this as a gift and I’m pretty confident I’d whip up more things (see what I did there?) if it was a little less involved of a task to break out the whipping tools (meaning my giant but awesome KitchenAid stand mixer)! And the fun COLORS! I’m me though and totally leaning toward the white 😏 (that purple is really calling my name too!)

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GoWISE Air Fryer XL – When I started hearing about a device that could mimick fried food without all the (usually-not-that-good-for-you) oils and crazy high calories I was definitely intrigued! It also cooks things from frozen more quickly and efficiently than dealing with the oven. I’ve made delicious homemade chicken nuggets, sweet potato fries, crispy asparagus, super crispy fish sticks from frozen, kale chips, and I’m still experimenting!

I’d recommend this 5.8qt size or larger, because you can’t crowd the food in there and have it crisp properly, and any smaller than this and you’ll be needing to do so many “batches” it could get frustrating. I find the 5.8qt size works nicely for our family, but I wouldn’t mind even more capacity!

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Struggle-free Electric Wine Opener! This thing is amazing, just watch how easy it is to get the cork out of the bottle with just the hold of a button:

My parents were gifted one of these and I think it’s just the coolest. Where my wine-loving readers at? 🍷 Cheers!

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Now, for the things to WEAR:

Tieks – a beautiful, hand-made, Italian leather ballet flat with a fun turquoise sole, made famous by being one of Oprah’s “favorite things” and now the favorite flat of people all over, including lots of celebrities. I’ve loved and completely worn out a pair or two since getting my first ones for my birthday 4 years ago (literally wore the first pair daily for almost two years!). They run true to size in my opinion and I especially adored my first pair which were metallic pewter 😍! They were insanely versatile – gray is my favorite neutral. 🙌🏻Great way to spoil your favorite girl. They come in a gorgeous turquoise box with a big sparkly flower bow sort of topper and a handwritten note of thanks!

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Rothy’s – On the opposite end of the shoe spectrum in a way, are Rothy’s: a flat WOVEN from recycled plastic bottles! I was reluctant to stray from my tried and true Tieks, but these kept catching my attention and I had to give them a try. I’ve found their original style, “the Flat” (rounded toe) to run a little big. I usually wear an 8, and I wear a 7.5 comfortably with these. Next on my list to try is “the Point”! I have a now retired color in the Flat, magenta it may have been called? But they’re always releasing new colors and special styles which is fun, and they’re operated out of a single storefront in San Francisco, which I also find fun and in  keeping with their cool, earth-friendly vibe! They’ve already repurposed over 20 million bottles in just the short time since they began in 2016. Get $20 off any pair by visiting their site using this link!

It seems the new Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, is a fan of these sustainable (and washable) flats, too! I just ordered myself a pair of The Point in Maritime Navy ⚓️😍

If you have trouble with the $20 off link leave me your email here and I’ll send you a code by email! 💌

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The Apple Watch – I didn’t think I wanted or needed one, but let me share why I love love love mine.

Now, I had a Fitbit Blaze watch for a long while before deciding to switch to the Apple Watch. I loved my Blaze, and it did a lot of similar things. The battery life was better, too — BUT the Siri integration of the Apple Watch and just the general fact that it’s an extension of my iPhone in terms of interface and apps is reason enough for me to be a happy convert.

A few things stand out above the rest:

• Siri adds things to my grocery list for me 😍 Just name a list in the reminders app “Grocery” and telling Siri: “hey Siri, add eggs to my grocery list” will add eggs to that list in your reminders app! I love it because then when I’m shopping I just check things off as I go!
• It’s a “remote shutter” for my iPhone camera and has allowed me to capture so many more awesome photos because of it (especially because of the 3 second delay option!)
• I can answer phone calls right away from my wrist if it’s important
• Ability to read and respond to texts from the watch
• Notifications/calendar reminders pop up so I’m not missing appointments
• It tracks my workouts/heart rate/movement for the day etc. and encourages me to move a little if I’m having a sedentary day
• The customizable digital watch faces are a nice touch. “Modular” is my fave, but the flower version of “Motion” is gorgeous and fun too! 🌸🌼

I have the version without its own cell service and am perfectly okay with that. I actually opted for the series 1 when I got mine because it served all my needs and was on a great sale. Of course the newer version (series 4 was just released), or anything in between, will all be great too! Browse/learn/buy here.

(P.S. – so many fun band options! I got my first extra one on eBay and have another from Amazon. I really like finding the “slim” ones because I have tiny wrists and feel they look better on me.)

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Diamond Alternative Stud Earrings: Okay, I’m really excited to share these with you, because I’ve worn these round cut, filigree set studs in the 1.03 ct weight each size DAILY for TEN YEARS and I still love them and they’re in perfect condition! We can debate all day if you’d like about how much more wonderful mined diamonds are than their lab-created counterparts, but in the end, I think what really matters is 1) how do they look (they need to sparkle and shine, duh!) 2) how do they hold up, and 3) are you pleased with the source? These are set in 14k white gold.

Because demand is “high”, mined diamonds are quite costly, especially the larger they get. So what’s a girl who likes big sparkly jewels to do? Enter: this company. Not all diamond alternatives are created equal. Some actually refract more light and give off a different kind of sparkle than mined diamonds. Others aren’t heirloom quality, but are better suited for short-term wear or fashion jewelry. These studs were my “test” of whether these stones could satisfy my eye and the test of time and wear. I’m happy to say that they have, and that I’ve enjoyed great customer service with the company also. If mined diamonds tickle your fancy and you go ga-ga over the 3 C’s (cut, color, and clarity), by all means go ahead and enjoy them! I’m happy to share though, that you can equally enjoy identical (optically perfect, actually) jewelry with no guilt over its source or the cost, and without sacrificing stone size if bigger is better in your book 😉Now, enjoy browsing! (Check out their blog especially for more info about the stones.) And don’t forget to come back and tell me what you’re eyeing/what your favorites are! 😍✨

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Tiffany & Co. Notes Alphabet Charm Disc and 18″ Chain – this is one of my favorite surprise gifts ever! My sweet friend gave it to me after I’d taken engagement photos for her and her fiance when I was first getting my feet wet with photography. I’ve loved it since day 1 and I still wear it often (as I write this, in fact)! It can be fun to stack with other dainty necklaces, but I most often wear it alone. It feels extra special because of the initial – ladies love things that are personalized!

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General life loveliness/enjoyment:

A beautiful notebook or two (so many pretty options here!)

And speaking of beautiful journals, I discovered a super sweet and down to earth artist on Instagram a few weeks, Sarah Hickey of Innerglo Art ago whose work I’m LOVING . . . and it turns out she makes journals too! Check out how gorgeous these are! Her Etsy shop is where you can find them.

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Zebra F-301 Fine Point Pens – These are my favorite pens E-VER. They write beautifully, and they’re really fine point which for some reason is extremely satisfying to me! I think they make my handwriting look better than when I use other types of pens. I buy them in a pack like this and put them all over the house/in my purses/car etc. so they can be my g0-to. She/you’ll have to stop people from stealing them from you! Would be a great stocking stuffer, too 😉

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Dyson Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner – Okay, so we’ve had one of these bad boys for 8 years and I’m still completely obsessed with it. CORDLESS. Adjustable to a little shorty version for jobs like cleaning out the car. Wall mountable for easy charging. Ours isn’t fuchsia like this but I sure wish it was! 💘Dyson has shown us great customer service over the years with it, too. I’m a fan!

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BeatsX Earphones: These wireless bluetooth earphones are one of my favorite personal items. They block outside noise well, and honestly if I’m having a rough day with the kids, I turn on some soothing “liquid mind” playlist tunes on Spotify and pop these bad boys in. Suddenly I’m tranquil and able to handle things. The sound quality is quite good, battery life always impresses me, they charge quickly, pair easily with my devices, and are simple to keep track of since they’re connected as they are!

Speaking of listening, I’m a HUGE fan of audiobooks, and Audible has done nothing but treat us right and offer us all the books we could ever want to listen to for years now! Give an audio-version of one of my favorite books, or better yet, an Audible subscription!

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And a couple bonus stocking stuffer ideas:

Remington Fuzz-Away Fabric Shaver – What woman (or man for that matter) hasn’t been frustrated by a favorite clothing item looking worn out much before its time due to those dreaded “nubbies” that pop up due to friction and certain fabrics!? Regardless of whether your item was expensive or a bargain find, THIS little device is here to save the day! I’ve given a handful as gifts and have two myself I love them so much. Every home/lover of clothes needs one!

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All-in-one Jar Opener: someone gifted us one of these jar openers years ago at my bridal shower along with a cookbook called “A Man, A Can, A Plan” 😄and I’ve reached for this tool countless times! So handy and liberating to be able to open even the toughest jar.

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And there you have it! Feel free to comment with any questions and do let me know if you think there’s something I should absolutely add to the list.

Don’t forget, you can also check out my entire collection of “favorites” over on Amazon anytime (in categories beyond those mentioned here) by visiting Erin’s Amazon Favorites!

I hope you’re enjoying the holiday season so far and that you have a happy and peaceful as possible Christmas.

Happy shopping!

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