Imagine her face when she opens this
Finn here again. I’ve got a lot to say. Apparently.
I’m not hard to buy for—if you pay attention. But so many people just don’t. Or at least that don’t pay enough attention. Maybe they realize that I am a perfume whore (The more the merrier, I say and I’m not ashamed). What they don’t get is that just because I like fragrance it doesn’t mean I will like their favorite, which they will invariably assume, even if I didn’t say I liked it or even notice they were wearing any. And invariably that scent will be something sweet and delicate, which is NOT me at all and should be obvious to anyone who’s ever been in my presence.
But enough about me.
What I’m getting at is this: Unless you know for sure what your giftee likes perfume-wise, it really has been better just to refrain from giving that particular item.
Until now.
Sephora has the perfect solution: Sephora Scent Samplers
Easy-breezy and oh-so-cool. Plus, they have samplers for men, too.
A few caveats: You must redeem the voucher at a Sephora store; you can’t use it online. And it’s not valid for our Canadian friends unless they cross the border. Finally, there is always the chance that the recipient won’t like any of the available scents. But the included selection is diverse enough that the chance would be slim. Two of the collections have one scent that I’ve recently fallen in love with and I’m picky as hell.
Pricing on these are $50 for the Best Sellers
I gave one these to both my brother and my dad for Christmas (they like cologne almost as much as do) and they loved it. Gift-giving WIN I tell you. Even my mother liked the idea and she’s a pain in the ass when it comes to gifts. Trust me, you’ll be a hero. Try it.
P.S. These are a great way to sample several fragrances and even save a few bucks on new scent if you’re in the market for yourself.
Maybe, just maybe, someone in my life will get the hint (anyone?) and buy me one of these babies. But they’re probably not paying attention.
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Post tags: cologne, fragrance, gift ideas, gifts, gifts for women, perfume, scent, Sephora
Comes in five colors
This post is brought to you by the lovely Finn. She is my personal shopping guru, so I’m beyond excited to have her pitching in here at Buy-Her!!
There are two things you should know about me: 1. I’ll read just about anything I can get my hands on. 2. I’m rarely at home when I have time to read.
I spend a lot of time in waiting rooms. Waiting. Books are great company, but I found out the hard way that my favorite metal bookmark with the inspirational quote and the leather tail really sucked outside the relative safety and calm of my house. And by that I mean the stupid thing fell out all of the time. It’s really hard to keep up with the continual stopping and starting of trying to read in between appointments when you keep losing your place.
Last year I had a little bit of money left over on a gift card, so I decided to give the Book Bungee from Levenger a try. It’s a hard plastic bookmark with a thick, flat bungee cord attached. You mark your place with the plastic part, then wrap the bungee around your book. And lo and behold it keeps your place AND keeps the book closed. It makes my heart happy. You just don’t know.
I don’t have to remember to take the book out of the car anymore; I can toss a book in my tote in the morning and have it with me whenever I have time to read. It never falls out and I never lose my page. You can use it horizontally or vertically and it fits all sizes of books: hardcover, trade paperback (my favorite) or regular paperback. The best part is that it’s cheap inexpensive at $6. And it comes in several different colors.
Two words: Stocking stuffer.
Legal nonsense: Although I’ve done freelance work for Levenger and my brother currently works there, no consideration was (or will be) provided to me (or my family) by Levenger for this review. I purchased the item myself and wanted to share it with others.
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Boys read too
Listen, I don’t subscribe to the idea that there are girl things and boy things. While I may be what is typically called a “girly girl”, it’s by choice and not genetic shackling.
If my kids want to play with dolls, trucks or lab rats, I don’t care, as long as I don’t step on it in the middle of the night.
That being said, I’m probably not going to convince my son to read more by handing him my first edition copy of Sweet Valley High.
The holidays are coming and I think books make great gifts for kids. Books are an especially good gift for boys who are so. not. impressed. with clothes (and really don’t need another video game. Really. Please.)
As of December 14th, I’ll have a 10 year old boy, so the focus of this post is “mid-grade” books for boys. (Most of these books will work for girls as well, obviously, but I wanted to concentrate specifically on ideas for boys today.) Let’s just pretend it’s not called “Buy Her” for a moment.
Gift Ideas For Boys: 10 Books
1. Hatchet by Gary Paulsen
From Publishers Weekly:
“When the pilot of a small, two-person plane has a heart attack and dies, Brian has to crash land in the forest of a Canadian wilderness. He has little time to realize how alone he is, because he is so busy just trying to survive. And learning to survive, to plan on food not just for a day but until and if he is rescued, only begins when he stops pitying himself and understands that no one can help him.”
I remember this as an amazing story of a 13 year old boy stranded in the wilderness after a plane crash. Reading the reviews again years later reminded me of the additional back story about a boy whose parents are going through a divorce.
It’s recommended for children 9-12.
2. Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls
Who among us does not remember the first time we read this book – and cried like babies? I remember having it read to me in a classroom and being amazed as all the boys in my class sat beside me and cried just as hard as I did. This is an especially wonderful book for kids with a soft spot for animals.
3. The Call of the Wild by Jack London
More animals, more nature. This book is recommended for “young adults” but I would be happy to see my 10 year old curled up with this classic. What makes this story different from the first two is that it’s told from the animal’s perspective. It’s much more raw and complicated than the first two stories.
4.The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
The very first sentence of this book reminds us that we first learned about Huckleberry Finn in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. Now it’s Huck’s turn. It’s another great adventure story with young boys as the central characters. If you’re having trouble getting your son interested in reading, having them read a story with a main character they can more easily relate to is helpful.
5. The Great Brain by John D. Fitzgerald
The first in a series, this was one of my favorite books as a kid. I adored the main character, J.D, and aspired to be as clever as he was. I remember vividly the story of the first indoor water closet and J.D. selling admission to the flushable toilet to his friends and neighbors. To my young mind, this kid was a genius.
6. The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner
If your child is into mysteries (hint: was Scooby Doo their favorite cartoon?), there’s a good chance they’ll love The Boxcar Children Mysteries. The stories center around four orphans, ages 5-15, and is a great starter for beginner readers. The book was written in the 1942 by a teacher who cleverly used only the 500 most common words in the English language to create a very easy to read, yet exciting, beginning chapter book for 7 and 8 year olds.
7. The Hardy Boys by Franklin W. Dixon
There are dozens and dozens of books in The Hardy Boys series, and this starter set includes the first 6 in the series. The picture at the top of this post? That’s my son, enthralled in a Hardy Boy book and neglecting his beloved Nintendo DS in order to finish it.
8. How to Eat Fried Worms by Thomas Rockwell
My son read this book recently and we actually had a discussion about how much we would have to get paid to eat fried worms. That may sound like a small thing, unless you’ve had a 9 year old boy – who never wants to talk to his mother anymore. The book is hysterical and disgusting at the same time as the characters concoct a myriad of ways to eat big, juicy worms.
9. Ben and Me: An Astonishing Life of Benjamin Franklin by His Good Mouse Amos by Robert Lawson
This was the book that got me interested in history and historical figures, although at the time I just thought it was really cool that this mouse thought he helped Benjamin Franklin do so much. I went on to read more “Insert Important Name Here and Me” books, and the historical events they covered were never more accessible to a young kid.
10. Charlotte’s Web by E. B. White
OH, how I cried when Charlotte died. But I don’t plan on telling my son that. Instead, I’m going to lead with “it’s a story about a pig and a spider”. That should lure him in. If not, I’ll mention the potential slaughtering of said pig.
What favorites did I miss?
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It seems like the moment you finish buying graduation gifts for the year, wedding season arrives. Wedding season means buying wedding gifts – or buying a card and sticking money in it while you sit in the church parking lot.
While cash is always an option, and many couples have wedding registries to give you gift ideas, some wedding presents call for a little more thought and personalization. Maybe you’re a friend of the groom and can’t get excited about giving him kitchen cutlery as a wedding present, or maybe the happy couple has been living together for a while (oh, for shame!) and is already well stocked in the domestic department.
Or maybe you’re just a big sappy romantic yourself and you love the chance to give a sentimental gift – and what better excuse than a wedding?
5 Unique Ideas for Personalized Wedding Gifts
One of my favorite wedding presents that I received for my own wedding was a copy of our wedding invitation in a beautiful frame. I had never seen or heard of anyone doing this before – which is probably why it was one of the few wedding gifts that we didn’t get in duplicate (or triplicate). It hadn’t occurred to me before that gift to keep a copy of my invitations for posterity.
The Mr. & Mrs. Picture Frame shown here is on sale for $20 at Things Remembered and can be personalized with the wedding date or couple’s names.
Another wedding present that stands out from my own wedding is a throw blanket that my aunt gave us with our names and wedding date embroidered on it. It came in a neutral color so I didn’t have to worry about it looking hideous with whatever decor I was using in our house. We use it all the time and it’s a nice reminder of our wedding and the people who shared that day with us.
I’ve only ever seen the personalized wedding throw at Things Remembered. (It’s on sale for $24.99 right now.)
Monogrammed gifts are great for housewarming presents. But they are also an excellent idea for weddings. This is especially true if the couple is going to be sharing a last name after the ceremony – which is still the more traditional route to go. (That being said, it’s best not to assume that the bride will be taking the groom’s last name and to double check before offering to decorate their house with his initials).
Once you’ve confirmed that they’ll share a last name, a set of monogrammed coasters make a great wedding gift. I like this style specifically because they’ll unassuming enough to fit into just about any decor, and pretty enough to be displayed on an end table.
Get these monogrammed coasters for $14 on Amazon4 $14.00 on Amazon.
What’s more romantic than a picnic? I love wedding presents that encourage the new couple to spend time together and a picnic basket does exactly that. Personalize the gift with one of your favorite bottles of wine and gift certificate to a local deli or sandwich shop.
This 2 person picnic basket is available on Amazon and includes 2 plates, 2 glasses, 2 cotton napkins, silverware and a corkscrew/bottle opener.
Recipe Box with Family Recipes
One of my most prized possessions is an index card with a recipe for cheesecake written on it in my grandmother’s handwriting. A great wedding present that requires more time than money is a recipe box filled with family recipes. If you can coordinate your efforts with members from the bride and groom’s family, you have a can’t miss wedding gift that’s sure to become a treasured part of their family history.
This roll top wooden recipe box is only $10 at Amazon.
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Holy crap, it’s May. How did that happen?
As the days get warmer and Christmas becomes a distant memory, no doubt your mailbox will soon be filling up with graduation announcements. Yes, further reminder that time has flown by and it’s time to start thinking about ideas for graduation gifts. High school and College graduations have begun and chances are good that someone you know will be in need of a graduation gift in the next month.
Of course, you can always stick money in a card and call it a day – or you can go the extra mile and make sure your money doesn’t go towards beer and take out.
Top 15 Graduation Gift Ideas for Women*
*Because she’s not a little girl anymore
1. What Lies Within Us Bracelet – $69.99
“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
These inspirational words are etched onto the sterling silver cuff bracelet, and are exactly what every woman needs to hear as she embarks on the next chapter of her life. This is a perfect graduation gift for a woman with a love for literature, a sentimental heart, or a bumpy road behind or before her.
2. Oh, the Places You’ll Go! – from $10.99
“You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself
any direction you choose.
You’re on your own.
And you know what you know.
And YOU are the one who’ll decide where to go….”
-Dr. Seuss
This book is one of my all time favorite inspirational books. I’ve given it several times as a graduation present. Yes, it’s a children’s book. But it’s moving and perfect in it’s simplicity. And chics dig that kind of thing.
3. The Money Book for the Young, Fabulous & Broke – $9.56
God how I wish someone would have had the foresight to give me a book about finances when I was graduating from high school. Perhaps it would have prevented me from using my emergency credit card for new jeans and my student loan overages for late night tacos. Or maybe, just maybe, when I got my first real job and had MONEY! and CREDIT! and companies throwing themselves at me with LOW MONTHLY PAYMENTS!, I would have had the good sense to use a little moderation.
While a high school graduate might roll their eyes and toss it on the pile of books to be read when they find it five years later, no doubt a college graduate is already starting to think about how to make her way in the world a little more comfortable financially.
4. Samsonite 4-Piece Travel Set – $118
When you’re young and broke, you travel with duffel bags and back packs. Good luggage is one of the signs of adulthood – and one of the last things we buy for ourselves until we absolutely have to have it. (Hell, I’m 29 years old and still using a set I bought at a flea market.)
This set from Samsonite is a great deal on quality luggage – and the red will save your graduate time and potential embarrassment at the luggage carousel.
This is a perfect graduation gift for a woman who loves to travel or is moving away from home for the first time.
5. Franklin Covey Planner & Planning System
One of the best gifts I ever got was when my mom introduced me to Franklin Covey for my birthday one year. She set me up with a binder and a year of planner pages and showed me how to use it. I was hooked. Over the years I’ve modified my own system (and learned to incorporate an iPhone into it), but it was Franklin Covey who first taught me about productivity and time management.
Graduating from high school or college means walking into a new schedule, a new set of responsibilities, and a totally new way of doing things. A top notch planning system is a great graduation gift idea that can help her get started on the right foot.
Diamond studs are classic and have long been used to mark milestones in a woman’s life. What better way to say “well done, this is a big deal!” than with diamond earrings?
7. Multi-Colored Freshwater Pearls – $49.99
Along the same lines as the diamond earrings, a strand of pearls is a classic “must have” for any fashionable woman. I’m particularly in love with this multi-colored strand as a graduation gift because it’s a modern twist on an old classic. This is a great gift idea for budding fashionistas on your graduation gift list.
8. TomTom ONE Portable GPS Navigator – $129
OK, so you’re not buying this for your neighbor’s daughter or your babysitter. But if you have a woman who is graduating and looking for a more extravagant gift that no one else has thought of, the GPS might be just what you’re looking for. This is an excellent graduation gift for a woman who will be headed to a new city on her own after graduation. Send her out into the world with confidence that she can manage all by herself.
9. Fossil Watch (Katalina – White) $49.99
Again with the jewelry that every woman needs. Yes, I know. You can’t have a gift guide for women for any occasion without a healthy dose of the bling.
A great watch is an absolute must, especially for a woman who might find herself out on her own for the first time in her life.
10. Egyptian Cotton 6-Piece Towel Set – $26
I remember opening a box of towels for my high school graduation and thinking “ohhh, yeah, I guess I’m going to need towels now!” A few years later, at my wedding shower, I opened yet another box of towels and thought “ohhh, yeah, I need new towels again!” You can never have enough good towels – especially if the woman you’re buying a graduation present for is moving out for the first time, or leaving behind a dorm full of roommates to get her first place. Cliche or not, new towels say new start.
11. Flip Video Ultra Series Camcorder, 30-Minutes (White) – $80
I have the Flip Video Ultra Camcorder and I love it. It’s really easy to use, carry and transfer videos to my computer with no additional software needed. You’re not going to make feature films on it, but it’s a great video camera for a young person to capture and share their new life on.
12. Nikon Coolpix L20 10MP Digital Camera with 3.6 Optical Zoom and 3 inch LCD (Deep Red) – $110
Is the graduate headed off for a summer abroad? A digital camera is a great idea for a graduation gift. Nikon’s Coolpix is a reasonably priced digital camera that packs quite a bit of bang for the buck. I actually have a Coolpix camera that I use when I don’t want to lug my big, fancy camera around and it’s great for snapshots of people, events and places.
13. Padded Laptop Tote Bag by Janine King Designs – $79
Just about any high school or college graduate these days probably has a laptop. The only thing missing is a super cute laptop tote bag to haul it around in. This design by Janine King was referred to me by the lovely Karen Sugarpants and purchased by a Buy-Her reader who RAVED about it to me later. I think this is a perfect graduation gift for a high school graduate headed off to college.
With that said…
14. VIE Fashion Laptop Bag – $19.989.989
THIS is the laptop bag I bought for myself after the laptop tote I bought for myself failed to fit my laptop. When I first bought it, I had trouble getting my computer inside it and I was all “OMG HOW HARD CAN THIS BE TO GET A LAPTOP INTO A LAPTOP BAG?!?!” Then my husband proceeded to put the computer in the bag and make a fool of me.
I love this laptop bag because I can use it to carry my laptop back and forth and put everything I’d put in a purse inside it as well. It’s fashionable and functional. This bag seems to be a better look for a recent college graduate who’s headed into the workforce.
15. Personalized Reflections Premier Black and Silver Pen and Pencil Set – $19.99
Speaking of heading into the workforce, a personalized pen and pencil set is a great gift idea for a woman who takes herself seriously. It’s also a great graduation gift for an aspiring writer – or someone bound to be spending a lot of time doing paperwork. The possibilities are endless!
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