The Ultimate Amazon Prime Gift Guide

It seems like everyone’s had their Christmas shopping done for months now, but I’ve always been a last minute shopper! Those people rushing through the stores 2 days before Christmas, when they’re the most crowded? Yep, that was me! Since starting my own business and becoming a mom, I don’t have the time (or patience!) to try to find parking in a crowded mall and battle the other shoppers for the best deal. Not when I can have everything delivered to my door via Amazon Prime! 

I’ve got your ultimate, last minute amazon prime gift guide. From your travel-loving sister to your elegant MIL all the way to your pup, I’ve got gifts that are as adorable as they are affordable. And the best part is that they’re all available through Amazon Prime! So, grab a tea and get comfy. You’re about to finish your Christmas shopping early this year. 

*This post contains affiliate links.

Gifts for Pet Lovers

1. Dog Lovers T-shirt

2. Dalmation Rain Boots

3. Cat Bottle Opener

4. Daschund Slippers

5. Cat Necklace (so sweet!)

6. Dog Bone Canister (I want this SO BAD)

Gifts for Pets

7. Laser toy for cats (my cats would go nuts for this!)

8. Pineapple Chew Toy

9. Cat Bed

10. Gorilla Dog Chew Toy

11. Dog Treats

12. Pet Camera and Treat Thrower (Perfect for keeping an eye while you’re away!)

13. Fluffy Pet Bed

14. Toy Basket (My dog loves going in and finding her toys!)

Gifts for on the go

1. Carry On Cocktails Kit (Because traveling is rough for everyone)

2. AirBNB Gift Card

3. 3-in-1 Scratch off Map

4. Travel Mug

5. Foldable Travel Hangers (perfect for the overpacker- like me!)

6. Laptop Bag

7. Bag Tag with Tracker

8. Chapstick Holder Keychain (keep that Chapstick handy in the winter months!)

9. Poppin Retractable Pens

10. Foldable Silicon Straws with Case (save the turtles!)

11. Striped Tote Bag

12. Pineapple Portable Phone Charger

13. Flower Mirror

14. Sleep Mask

Gifts for Coffee & Tea Lovers

1. French Press Coffee Maker

2. Electric Tea Kettle

3. Re-usable K-Cups (better for the environment and SO pretty)

Fun to Open 

4. Striped Ice Bucket (I want this!)

5. Bookends

6. Daily Calendar

7. Pizza Socks Box (perfect for Pizza lovers and silly Brother in Laws!)

8. Golden Girls Monopoly

Christmas Fun

9. Cactus Cup

10. Reindeer Antlers Headband (I have these- so cute!)

11. Warm & Cozy Mug

12. Santa Sunglasses Mug (Xmas mugs make hot cocoa better)

13. Cozy Blanket

14. Reindeer Thermos (take your Christmas spirit on the go)

Gifts for Dad

1. Sarcastic Mug

2. Wireless Headphones

3. Globe Whiskey Decanter

4. Golf Ball Cup

5. Car Vacuum (also great for mom & grandpa!)

6. Puntastic Dad Jokes

Gifts for Mom

7. Silky PJ set (treat mom! Perfect for date nights at home with dad)

8. Book Tote Bag

9. Mom Mug

10. 12 Month Planner

11. Mom Life Coloring Book

12. Revlon One Step Hair Dryer & Volumizer (my favorite!)

Stocking Stuffers

1. Dino Necklace

2. Unicorn Mug

3. Keychain Screwdriver Tools (perfect for anyone handy!)

4. Starbucks USB Phone Charger

5. Beard Balm

6. Phone Charger Coil Cord (the cutest retro charger!)

7. Rainbow Pens

8. Pumice Stone Foot Scrubber

9. Toddler Snack Cup (Hailey LOVES hers!)

10. Pom Pom Tassel Keychain

11. Rainbow De-Stress Ball

12. Baby Babble & Rattle Microphone (Another of Hailey’s faves!)

13. Blue Light Glasses (perfect for anyone that works on a computer long hours)

14. Rainbow Work Hard, Play Hard Pouch

Baby & Kids Gifts

1. 3-in-1 Unicorn Scooter (Hailey’s Fave!)

2. Doctor Kit (on Hailey’s wish list!)

3. Gratitude Journal

4. Letter, Numbers & Shapes Puzzle (kids love puzzles!)

5. University Board Books Set: Science

6. Digital Camera

7. Pretend Play Tea Set (Hailey is obsessed with this!)

8. Soft Rattle Set

9. Avocado Guitar

10. Baby Einstein Piano (Another fave, and so pretty!)

11. The Wonderful Things You’ll Be Book (We love to read this together!)

12. Fox Block Walker

Grandma

1. Neck Massager

2. Recipe Book (grandma can save all her family recipes in one place!)

3. Crockpot

4. Shawl

5. Digital Photo Frame (fill it with pics of the kids!)

6. Grandma & Me Aprons

Grandpa

7. Whiskey Decanter with Antique Ship

8. Picnic Wine Set (perfect for dates with grandma!)

9. BBQ Tools Set

10. Kindle (also great for grandma!)

11. Fondue Maker Set

12. Golf Ball Shaped Whiskey Chillers (add a bottle of his fave whiskey and he’ll love it!)

I hope this list was helpful so you can find a little something for everyone on your list!

DIY Jingle Bell Christmas Tassel Earrings

As soon as it’s socially acceptable (aka, right after Thanksgiving!) I go into full-on Christmas mode. I can be found wearing a Christmas sweater, reindeer antlers, or Christmas accessory at any given moment. Sometimes, all of the above! A great way to add some Christmas spirit is to wear some holiday earring. One of my favorite types of earrings is tassel earrings! They always add such a fun pop of color to an outfit. They add a LOT of drama but weigh practically nothing. They’re perfect! Since I love decking myself out for the holidays, especially Christmas, I created this fun DIY project so you can jingle everywhere you go!

*This post contains affiliate links.

You will need:

Embroidery floss (similar here)
Jingle bells (similar here)
Earring hooks (similar here)
Jump rings, optional (similar here)
Jewelry tools (similar here)
Scissors (similar here)

1. Make your tassel earrings by following these instructions. If you want thicker tassels, follow these instructions. Also, a note: if you try to use the first method (where you use the entire spool) and it gets tangled up, you can try using the second method (where you use cardboard) instead!

2. Brush out your tassels to give them a nice fluff. I recommend using a comb although I used what I had handy- a Barbie brush!

3. Now that your tassels are made, it’s time to make them into earrings! Attach a jump ring to the top of your tassel by looping it through the first string you tied at the top. Then, loop your earring hook through and close it. You want to make sure that the knots are at the back, so figure that out before you put the earring hook on. You can also skip the jump ring altogether and attach the earring hook directly to the string at the top.

4. A note: I’d recommend getting a set of these clear earring backs so you don’t lose your earrings. I sadly lost one of the Halloween ones I made!

5. Using a piece of embroidery floss, thread on your jingle bells. You can either use floss that is the same color (or similar color) or an alternating shade.

These are a great stocking stuffer or even something to add to an advent calendar! If you want a fun way to display them, try this tutorial to turn them into fun ornaments!

What do you think about these tassel earrings? Will you be having a Christmas movie marathon and make them with your girlfriends? Let me know in the comments below!

DIY No-Sew Wine & Liquor Bag

It’s no secret that I love to make Christmas crafts! I’ve got a whole bunch of projects here on the blog but I’m always on the lookout for more! This time, I decided to make a bag for your wine and liquor gifts. It’s so easy to make and the best part of this project is that it’s NO SEW! Because as crafty as I am, sewing is NOT my strong suit! This project is a great way to use up all that fabric and ribbon in your stash. Because let’s be real- we all have a giant stash of fabric that we hoard!

You will need:

Fabric (a fat quarter from Joann Fabrics makes 2 bags)
Ribbon (similar here)
Fabri-Tac (here)
Scissors (similar here)
Iron (similar here)

Directions:

1. Cut your fabric in half or approx 11 x 18 for a standard small bottle of wine. If you’re gifting a larger or double bottle, you’ll need to adjust for that.

2. Iron out all the wrinkles on your fabric, using water or steam for any deep folds.

3. Fold your edges down and iron it for a smooth edge. I started with the sides and then did the top and bottom. You don’t want to fold too deep on the sides since it’ll be a little tight already.

4. Glue the top fold closed using your fabric glue. This is so that it has a nice edge when you put the bottle in.

5. Use your fabric glue in a zig zag pattern along the folded edge and fold shut so that the WRONG side is on the outside.

6. Glue your bottom edge shut with a zig zag of glue.

7. Once it’s all dry, turn it right side out.

8. Place your bottle inside and tie a ribbon bow at the top. Double sided ribbon works best for this, since you can see both sides when you tie the bow.

Add a gift tag and place the bottle bag under your tree. The best part about this project is that the bag can be reused again and again! WAY better for the environment than a paper bag that gets tossed away after its first and only use. Also, these are SUPER cute and also double as Christmas decor! I can totally see making them for your wine bottles on your bar cart, and even making tiny versions for mini wine bottle favors at your holiday party!

So, what do you think about these wine bottle bags? Will you be making them for friends and family? I’ve never wanted to gift liquor more! Let me know who will be getting these in the comments below. 

How to Find Your Christmas Style

A few years ago, we celebrated our first Christmas in our new house. I wanted to go all out and decorate. We bought a new (fake) tree at a black Friday sale and I made plans for the perfect decor to fill my new home. Our old tree was about 5 feet tall, and while it was a perfect fit in our tiny NYC apartment, it would look like a dwarf in our large house. With this new tree came the need for new ornaments. Since we had 3 cats, and hoped to have some kids soon after, we decided to go with plastic ornaments instead of glass. In case you aren't aware, it's really hard to find cute plastic ornaments. They're usually cheesy and cheap looking, without necessarily being inexpensive. I looked at all the pretty glass ornaments and felt envy for the types of people who could buy them. It felt like my childhood all over again.

How my Christmas Past Affected my Christmas Present

You see, back at my parent’s house, we used to have this big beautiful Christmas tree. I remember making ornaments with my dad and putting up the same ones every year. Each one seemed to have a story and while it was kitschy, it was really sweet. We used multi-colored lights (because, you know, the 90’s!) and metallic gold fluffy garland. After a while, my grandmothers got sick and my mom did too. It took a heavy toll on her since she had to care for them, rushing from the hospital to the nursing home to see them both. My dad had to work a lot and my sister and I often ended up at his office with him. She and I would share his secretary’s chair after she left so that we could go online, since they had internet access there.

Because of all this stress my parents had, our house got forgotten. It filled with junk and we essentially became hoarders. I don’t use that term lightly- we were. The holidays became a little less glamorous for us. There was literally no place to put our tree anymore. Because my parents were so overwhelmed, we’d usually end up cleaning a spot for the tree and putting it up at the last possible minute- Christmas eve. After a few years, even this didn’t happen anymore. We bought a tabletop pink tree (the cutest!) and this replaced all our old decor.

Now, back to out first Christmas in our new home.

When my husband and I bought our house, this felt like a new opportunity to have that special Christmas I could only dream about. I had visions of Hallmark-movie-style decor in my head and I imagined a home fully decked out for Christmas. I bought a ton of new stuff to go with all the stuff I had brought over from our apartment. I had the perfect decor, the perfect home, and possibly even the perfect life. Finally, it was like everything had come together for me.

I'm not sure if it was the new house, but Christmas didn't feel like Christmas that year. The whole house had been decked out, but it somehow didn't look Christmas-y enough for me. Everyone else that came in felt the Christmas spirit, but I sure didn't. I struggled to figure out why as I packed up all my perfect decorations.

It wasn't until a month later, when I went into a thrift store near our wedding venue in Hawley, PA that I realized what had happened. I never had perfect Christmases growing up. We were a "put the tree up in a scramble on Christmas Eve" type of family. Perfect Christmas trees and decorations were only found in catalogues and hallmark movies. Cheesy, bright 90's holiday decor was all I ever really knew. So, while I might have dreamed about a day when I could have that perfect Christmas home, I didn’t truly feel like the kind of person who would have one.

It turns out, making a place feel like Christmas doesn't have to mean a perfect catalogue home. It can mean vintage ornaments, nostalgia, and the cheesy ornaments you had as a kid. Now, I try to keep my Christmas decor feeling fresh but also traditional. That means taking the same items out of storage year after year, and trying to buy ornaments and decorations that have meaning to me. It’s less about what’s pretty and more about what feels like me. I know my style will change over the years, but right now it’s a slightly nostalgic and colorful version of Christmas. A more upscale version of the ones I had as a kid, if you will.

To find your Christmas style, I’d recommend asking yourself these questions:

1. What did I love about Christmas as a kid?

2. What kind of decor am I drawn to? Think about colors and styles.

3. What’s my favorite piece of Christmas decor that I currently own? How can I add more decor like it?

4. What decor do I put up every year that I don’t like anymore? And, what don’t I like about it?

5. What color do I have most in my Christmas decor? Do I want to continue with that, or change it up?

I’ve been asking myself what exactly I want my home to look like and what Christmas means to me. It turns out it’s less about being the picture perfect Christmas, and more about being my picture perfect Christmas!

What does your perfect Christmas look like? Are you into traditional colors, fun colors, muted colors? I think we all know which ones I’m drawn to, haha! Let me know your preference in the comments below!

Colorful & Glam Holiday Kitchen Upgrades

I took a look at my kitchen the other day and realized it needed a facelift. The counters were filled with all our junk, various appliances, dishes, baby items… you name it, the counter is covered in it! The issue with our kitchen was the same as everywhere else in our home- I didn’t love the items we had displayed in there, and therefore it didn’t matter that everything was covered with junk. What I mean by that is… when you’ve random stuff on your counter, it’s SO easy for the random stuff that should be there to get mixed up with clutter and suddenly you can’t see your countertops. Also, if there’s more stuff than there are places to put things, you end up in the same little pickle!

During the holidays, this problem gets even worse. Between the bake sales and guests coming over, it feels like the counters always get covered in items that don’t ned to be there! To combat this issue that we all face, I’ve rounded up 14 gorgeous, functional kitchen items that will elevate your whole kitchen and have you WANTING to keep it clean. Because when your kitchen accessories are a show stopper, you need to make sure everyone sees them!

*This post contains affiliate links

1. Chip Clips- Ah, the item that started this whole post! My original chip clips were an assortment of adorable, cheap plastic ice cream cones, bows, animals… essentially, whatever someone found at a register and gave me because they thought of me! And of course, a few that I bought impulsively as well. But when we ended up losing and breaking most of these clips, my husband asked me to order a new set on Amazon. I was originally planning to get a plastic set again (because that’s what I’m used to!) and then I saw these beauties. They felt too fancy for my stale chips but you know what? My chips deserve to be fancy too.

2. Wire Bread Basket- I think this basket is so cute because it’s gold and gorgeous. However, the wire design ensures that you actually SEE your bread and therefore are more likely to eat it. I’m one of those “out of sight, out of mind” type of people so even something like bread can get forgotten! Right now, our bread is just tossed on the counter but prior to that we somehow acquired a black basket that had our bread in it. Neither was a very pretty solution! Now I’m antsy for a new basket!

3. Utensil Cup- I have a cute utensil holder on my counter that’s actually a large canister (minus the lid) but I love the idea of this cool, simple white and coral one. It feels so glam and upscale for a fraction of the cost! It adds such a subtle pop of color.

4. Keurig Cup Holder- In my kitchen, the Keurig just feels like an eyesore. We have a large black one that isn’t even made anymore. We need an adaptor just to use regular k-cups! We have a drawer-style cup holder which accentuates the dark hole that it creates. While I may dream about replacing my old keurig, I figured getting a nice k-cup holder to go next to it could be fun! I love this one because if you organize your k-cups in color order, you’ll have a glam little rainbow on your counter!

5. Re-usable K-Cups- If you want to reduce your kitchen clutter, save the environment, AND make your kitchen glam in the process, try switching to these pretties! I love the gold color and the fact that you don’t need to fill up a landfill with k-cups. (I should note- I don’t drink coffee and therefore don’t use a Keurig. But my husband does!) You can pop these in a cabinet or drawer since they’re so tiny which would save some much-needed counter space.

6. French Press Coffee Maker- If you prefer to get a little fancier (and more eco friendly) with your coffee, you can grab this french press! I love it’s gorgeous gold finishes and I think it would look amazing on your counter or stove. It also comes with a set of cups that matches which makes it perfect for guests during the holidays!

7. Ceramic Mixer Bowl- give your mixer an upgrade with this gorgeous bowl! Mine has a clear glass bowl and I know a lot of them have metal bows. Since they’re big and always sit on the counter, they could use a nice and spiffy bowl to catch everyone’s attention! 

8. Gold Serving Utensils-My bamboo serving utensils are literally falling apart (they’re breaking apart into pieces!) so I’ve been debating getting a new set. These gold ones are gorgeous! I can only imagine how pretty they’d make my countertop look as they glimmer in the light. I don’t like to cook, but these might change my mind!

9. Canister- I love using canisters in my kitchen for hiding the less-than-pretty stuff that needs to be accessible. Whether you fill it with rice, coffee, tea bags or sweeteners, this canister will perk up your kitchen while hiding your eyesores! I also love to place these in cabinets so that those look nice too.

10. Phone Stand- between recipes, kitchen timers, and text updates from family, we need to keep our phones handy all holiday season! This holder will keep your phone in place and safe while you do everything you need in the kitchen. No more crying over spilled milk- your phone is up and off the counter so it’s safe!

11. Garlic Keeper- before we got a garlic container, it always sat in the fruit bowl looking funny. This container fits your garlic perfectly and still looks adorable. If you keep a lot of garlic at home (like we do!) try this larger size.

12. Pet Canisters- Few things are as hideous as pet items. Between cardboard boxes of treats and giant bags for food, these items are totally necessary, yet very ugly. Since they need to be accessible, they often end up on the counter taking up space and being their ugly selves. So, I recently switched to canisters for our excess pet food and everything looks prettier now! You definitely don’t want to go for anything clear, except maybe for cute dog bone treats. I love how colorful but glam this canister is. I think I need one for Lexie’s treats now!

13. Electric Tea Kettle- ok while we are on the topic of morning drinks, let’s talk about tea! I love tea and have several cups a day. I have a stovetop kettle which looked cute in the store and became ruined within a month of regular use. I guess they can’t withstand the heat and turn black! I love the idea of a countertop version, and this one automatically turns off when it’s done instead of whistling! Paired with a tea bag storage box you’ll be serving your guests tea easily with less mess! 

14. Utensils- if you’re anything like me, all your kitchen tools are random items you acquired over the years. Upgrade to a gorgeous matching set that will make everyone jealous! This set comes in a variety of handle colors, like navy, mint and pink. It’s sure to match any kitchen! It’s also very reasonably priced so you don’t even need tot talk yourself into it!

With a few small updates, your kitchen and countertops will look amazing once again. I find that with less on the counter and having things there with a purpose, I’m able to keep it clean much more easily. And also, I WANT to keep it clean! I love to show off the gorgeous items I find, rather than my extensive collection of junk I tend to keep.

What do you think of these items? Will you be ordering some? Any tips for keeping a counter clean or items you love? Let me know in the comments below!