gifts

Mother’s Day Gifts

by Ashley on April 29, 2013

Shopping for Mother’s Day? There’s no one perfect gift for the grandmother, mother, sister, wife, and expectant spouse… Maybe a simple handwritten card or some flowers will do, maybe she’s hoping for the moon!

Here are a few ideas…

Quality, French Cheese Knives that look pretty atop her cutting board.
The most decadent cookies, straight from New York. (Or you could bake a batch, because she’d love those too!)
A classic Breton striped shirt (the new staple).
Pajamas she could stay in all day.
Lamy Safari Fountain Pen in a color she’ll love, because she still prefers handwritten notes.
But she shouldn’t have to waste precious time on the return address, so a custom Calligraphy-style stamp would be sweet.

A gorgeous new cookbook for her collection: Vegetable Literacy
A luxurious (and beautiful) Turkish Hammam Pestemal
Repeat after me: Keep Calm.
A set of stacking rings. (Perhaps pricey for the occasion, but aren’t they gorgeous?)
Gemstone Meaning Earrings (I’d choose the Aqua Chalcedony for endurance—something about marathons versus sprints?)
Friday Night Lights: The Complete Series, because you know she’ll love Tami Taylor and this is ideal summer-time, nursing on the sofa, binge-watching television.

Nespresso Milk Frother, for the perfect latte, even if she never makes it out the door.
Cenitfolia Robe from Anthropologie: that place between comfortable and sexy.
An Air Plant: simple to care for, lovely to look at
Zoku Quick Pop Maker, because she really wants a popsicle, too.

Not pictured:
A brag book with her favorite photos from Pinhole Press. She’ll love it forever.
Well-crafted with a story behind it: something pretty from BRIKA.
A book of essays written and illustrated by women: Equals.

And of course:
Anything made with love.

An offer of help. (True story: A few months ago, I happened to be at an event with the founder of Pinterest, Ben Silbermann. His wife, infant, and mother-in-law were along with him. I got to talking with the last of those three—who was visiting from across the globe—and I’ll never forget it: I said something to the effect of “it must be so nice to be here with your grandson.” And she replied “Oh, no. I’m not here for him. I’m here for my daughter. Everyone wants to take care of a baby; I’m here to take care of my daughter.” Amazing, right?)

P.S. My wedding anniversary falls on Mother’s Day this year, by the way. Just saying. Wink, wink.

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Mother’s Day gift idea

by Ashley on April 4, 2013

Last year, for Mother’s Day, we gave each of our moms a personalized 8-photo Brag Book from Pinhole Press. They were a big hit and we’re making them again.

The thing is, we had them shipped directly to their homes and so I didn’t see them until much later–when I realized how badly I wished that I’d ordered one for myself for that very first Mother’s Day!

This is the one that I made for my mom, with pictures of each of us holding our newborn baby on the day she and he came home from the hospital. (By the way, I think Hudson looks so much like me as a toddler, which of course makes me unreasonably proud… as if it’s some sort of big surprise or something I could control.)

Fortunately, Pinhole saves your previous orders for you, so I was able to simply push “re-order” on this one and then create three new ones. The hardest part was choosing which photos to include out of the entire year’s.

I’ll keep the rest a surprise.

Can you believe we’re already talking about Mother’s Day? Order by the end of April to get a gift to yours in time! Update: 25% off all photo books through April 16 with the code booklove.

More gift ideas to come…

NB: Pinhole Press is a featured sponsor, but all of the opinions expressed are my own.
Interested in sponsoring Hither and Thither? Contact me at amuirbruhn [at] gmail [dot] com.

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To & From

by Ashley on January 22, 2013

My new shopping habit, Luvocracry, asked me to suggest a Valntine’s day gift I’d like to receive for the latest issue of To & From–they just released their 2013 Valentine’s Day gift guide. You can find the feature, here, on pages 10 and 11.

Here are a few other things I’d be happy to have on any gift list…

Teuscher Champagne Truffles (my favorite chocolates)
A bejeweled clutch (and somewhere special to take it tucked under my arm)
Something shiny and delicate with my loved one’s initial
Something shiny and less delicate (ideally with a romantic inscription)
Anything with “A Love Story” in the title (but especially this book)
A preview of summer (with plans for somewhere warm to wear it)
A bouquet of sharpened pencils (because you know I love that movie)
Body glow oil (because I’d never buy it for myself but would probably like to)
Underwear both of us can appreciate
A honey jar (even though I’m already so sweet–ha!)
Classic, valentine red drop earrings
Or A bouquet of paperwhites and a romantic movie.

P.S. Request an invite to Luvocracy.

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Gift Guide: For Her

by Ashley on November 28, 2012

(1) I’ve had these bags by Valhalla pinned for ages now. A very Brooklyn bag. (And P.S. Did you know you can buy Etsy gift cards now?)
(2) The Gilmore Girls Complete Series on DVD–because they’re not on Hulu or Netflix, darn it!
(3) Round out her collection with still-relevant, out-of-print issues of Domino Magazine.
(4) A beautiful Turkish Towel.
(5) Classic riding Boots will be a huge hit. It’s a thrill to open the giant box and get that whiff of leather. And these will last forever.
(6) These will come in handy when the weather warms up: A set of waxed canvas Panniers for riding bikes together.
(7) The new Eames coffee table book.
(8) I think the LemLem Split Scarf is gorgeous. But it’s the sort of thing I would never splurge on myself. I’m guessing there are many others out there who would love this just as much as I would.
(9) A gold-dotted dish for keeping her earrings in.
(10) Gorgeous coasters. I don’t actually like to make people use coasters, but for these might require an exception.
(11) A perfectly simple, gold, Michael Kors Women’s watch (that’s big enough to fit on a man’s wrist).

(12) All of the best cafes in New York seemed to use these Classic Italian Cappucino Cups.

(13) Cashmere socks Completely decadent.

(14) Swedish Hasbeens 877 Zip It Emy Boots. These might be really for me.

(15) A trendy necklace for wearing with t-shirts and jeans.

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Gift Guide: For Him

by Aron on November 28, 2012

(1) These aren’t cheap, but he only needs one great, classic pair of jeans.
(2) I really like the looks of these super-slim J Fold Wallets.
(3) Who wouldn’t like a pair of wingtips? These from Frye are awesome, but Penguin has a good version too–for less!
(4) This helicopter may not last forever, but it’s crazy fun! Think obstacle course through your pendant lights… or maybe don’t… (I’ve actually wanted one forever.)
(5) Timeless.
(6) Gin is undergoing a resurgence and this has long been one of my favorites. We recently had it over ice with sparkling grapefruit juice from Trader Joe’s and a sprig of rosemary. If he’s an independent sort of fellow, try this homemade gin kit.
(7) Because you never know when he is going to need a pen.
(8 & 9) I really enjoyed the new Babel by Mumford & Sons the first time I heard it, and I’m liking Grizzly Bear’s Shields more with every listen.
(10, not pictured)Ashley gave me this wonderful calendar of our family, it would be great any office.