In a city like LA everyone loves a chance to stand out in a crowd. With Shoes of Prey, you get to custom design your dream pair of shoes via their innovative 3D technology. It’s super simple, with infinite choices of color and materials, heel height and silhouette. (We calculated over 192 trillion combinations). Prices range from about $150-350. And if you don't like them or they don't fit, they’re fully refundable or they'll change the design to what you desire.
You get a selection of six small wines (4 red, 2 white) for $9.95 to taste and create a tasting profile. Then based on what you like, they curate your first case of wine! The first case is $85, which means about $7 per bottle (awesome price!!) and then you can have them send you a case every few months after that with new choices. My husband and I tried it and love it!
You choose a genre from love to comedy to chillers and more. The box comes with four films and an interactive game as well where you choose best picture, best performance, etc. Great way to choose a genre mom will love and watch with her.
Then add some organic popcorn into the mix with special flavors like rosemary, kettle corn or white truffle from Pipsnacks, 6 pack for $36
Not your ordinary basket.... more like a cool tote. Perfect for the Hollywood Bowl this summer or movies outdoors. Comes with all the necessary accessories, but much cooler - like Mason jar drinking glasses!
Grow your own garden with a choice of Gardenia or Redwood Forest bonsai. The gardens come in beautiful metal boxes with their own gardening shears. Add some pretty gardening gloves, and perhaps some gardening tools and you're set!
Their plan is simple - use soap to improve the world. They say that more than 3,000 children's lives can be saved everyday with something as simple as a bar of soap and clean water. For many of us, taking a shower and lathering up each morning is routine. So why not get a little energized with the AWESOME scent plus clean, of course, with one of these soaps.
“What if a company could change the world through empowering customers to change it through simple, everyday purchases?” That's what one of the co-founders of SoapBox Soaps asked his fellow co-cofounder when coming up with the idea. Okay, he admits it wasn't that articulate, but it was a start.
In just two short years, they have donated their soap internationally to a number of countries including Ecuador, Haiti, Kenya, Thailand and Uganda. 4 Continents in total. 7 Countries. They also provide soap locally to struggling families at homeless shelters, women shelters and nursing homes here in America. Good, right!? So are you clicking on SoapBox Soaps right now to to buy? One soap, $4.99 or two for $9.99.
I say:
I admit it, I'm a body wash fan, but the scent of these soaps is so refreshing I had to give them a try. And yes, I do like the compliments when someone standing close says, "You smell good." Usually it's my husband doling out those compliments (yes, he's amazing). These will be packed on my trip to Europe, (lemongrass & lavendar are my picks) so I'll have more room for other liquids in my carry on. And you have time to order a few to give mom for Mother's Day. I know it's not a chic and sophisticated gift, but a kid could use a little allowance to buy his mom a soap with a such a do-good message, surely mom will be touched.
Christina says:
When it comes to cleansers, my usual go to is body wash because it leaves my skin feeling soft and supple. Unlike most bar soaps, this one doesn't leave my skin dry. The scent is light and refreshing and I love that I still feel moisturized after my shower. The company also donates one bar of soap for every bar of soap you buy, so someone else will feel so fresh and clean because of you.
Lauren says:
I love the natural feel and smell of this soap. My favorites are the cinnamon and the orange blossom scents which fill my shower with a refreshing fragrance after I use them.
Soaps are: Made in America. Gluten-free. Vegan. Packaged with 100% recycled fibers.
What's NOT in them: Parabens, Phthalates, petrochemicals, Palm Oil
Sometimes the best things arrive in a box. It's like a special holiday or birthday when a box arrives at your doorstep and you get to be surprised by the contents. I researched the best box subscriptions and other companies that specialize in sending you curated items from jewelry to dog treats to kids crafts to wine. I checked out an array of items and I shared them with Marie Osmond on Hallmark Channel.
-Kids projects for ages 3-7 that celebrate kids’ natural creativity and curiosity.
-Each box comes with the instructions/inspiration and materials to create the project covering a number of developmental areas through art, science and imaginative play from gardens to dinosaurs to creating butterfly wings.
-$19.95 a month or $220 a year with one month free. Each box contains 2-3 projects each month.
-Lot 18 has rolled out a first of its kind wine club, called Tasting Room.
-Members taste and give feedback before they commit to a full case of wines.
-They receive 6 mini bottles (4 red, 2 white) for $9.99. Members are given instructions on how to taste via an online tool that asks basic questions about likes and dislikes.
-Once the tasting is complete a taste profile is created and the first shipment is created with a case of 12 full size bottles. Four annual case shipments per year. First shipment is $84.99 with free shipping ($7 a bottle) and after that it’s $149.99 for a case ($12.50 a bottle).
-True and Company has reinvented the way women buy intimates. By taking a fit-based approach to online bra retail by replacing the uncomfortable fitting room experience with an online two-minute fit quiz and risk-free home try-on.
-Take trueandco.com's 2-minute online quiz and create your own personal bra shop of best fitting styles. They use your current bra size as a starting point and then diagnose your true size taking into account your shape, pain points and common body image issues.
-Their algorithms then recommend and sell only the styles and the sizes that fit a woman’s specific body shape in a personal bra shop created just for each customer.
-For your initial home try-on box, get your 5 favorite styles (you pick 3, their experts pick 2) sent to your home.
-You then have 7 days to try on the bras. Pay only for what you keep, return the rest.
-This is not a subscription service, but you can try it as often as you like.
All bras start at approximately $45. Shipping and returns are always free.
-Why spend over $100 for that designer blouse when you can have designer-quality blouses and tees delivered to your doorstep each season for $30 or less.
-Get a box of one, two or three shirts delivered every 3 months at the beginning of a season. Three tops are just $20 each.
-Neutral colors so they match with items in your wardrobe. Quality fabrics. Fashion forward. Styles similar to Alexander Wang, Theory and James Perse.
-Every month you receive 3-5 items of the top jewelry and accessories trends based upon the box you choose-Boho, Luxe or Mixe for $30 a month or just try it once for $40.
-You can try Misto Box for just $5 with free shipping. Subscriptions cost between $12.50 to $15 a month depending on the length of the subscription.
-Misto Box has a team of coffee experts who taste and evaluate more than 50 coffees every month from different artisan roasters across the country. (Think local favorites.)
-Each box contains four 1.7 - 2 ounce samplings of premium single origin coffee from four different artisan roasters. You’ll get to know each roaster and coffee intimately with included tasting notes and coffee info.
-Gourmet food delivered to your door for $10-12 a month depending on the plan you choose.
-Each box contains 8 or more gourmet foods.
-New flavors each month curated with a different theme.
- For every box sent, a meal is donated to feed 1 in 5 hungry children in America. In one year of business, Love With Food has donated more than 50,000 meals. They donate a meal to a hungry child via efforts with Feeding America and Share our Strength.
-Their motto is “Make Tummies Happy.”
- Love With Food frequently works with celebrities to curate the boxes, e.g. Thanksgiving 2012 box was curated by Amy Roloff of Little People Big World of TLC. Upcoming April 2013 box is curated by Andrew Zimmern of Bizarre Foods on Travel channel.
I turned two vintage tool boxes purchased inexpensively at the Rosebowl Flea Market in Pasadena, CA into beautiful garden boxes perfect for gift giving.
The vintage tool boxes before their transformation had been painted an ugly mustard color and were beaten and scratched up. Next steps were to strip and sand down the wood and get it ready for staining.
I chose to stain the tool boxes rather than paint them. I knew the stain would preserve the wood better and with a protective coating the newly created garden boxes could be left outside on a patio or porch to give the new blooms some sunshine. I decided to stain the boxes two colors in similar hues, the main body and handle are Horizon and the sides are Sedona Sun. Both are Cabot Custom Tints. As little decor choice I added the flat wooden birds, purchased from Save On Crafts and stained them each Cabot Ready Mix in Brown Mahogany.
Add in some gardening tools, gloves, seed packets and small pots and voila, you've got a great gift to give!
In my mother's day it was all about getting a gleaming tennis bracelet or showing off a charm bracelet that you continually added another dangling piece from your travels. Now it's all about the well curated pile up that happens on your wrists. We picked our favorites from the slew of choices that best describes our style.
When I'm styling clients I always teach them to mix it up meaning pair high with low end, designer with vintage, TJ Maxx finds with Neiman Marcus. This wrist pile up is just that kind of mix. I paired easily accessible bangles from Alex and Ani with one of my all time favorites jewelry designers, Alexis Bittar with a new company that just launched with super affrodable jewels, Mynt Box.
A bit of natural, gold, and turquoise...that's all I need to show my wrist some love. Oh they have to be great for layering fun! I've had my eye on the watch from Greta Bean for a while, and the J Crew bracelets would be a perfect layering piece! The Kate Spade bangle would also pair really well with the gold jcrew bracelets. I want them all!
To layer on the wrist goodies, I started with something simple-but with a touch of glitz. The denim on these metallic bracelets goes with everything, while the gold and silver makes them pop. Then I added on this retro leather watch, because while the bracelets are all party, the watch is strictly business. And finally for the biggest personality piece, I found this banned books bracelet, which shows off not only my unique sense of style, but my literary taste as well. Not only does my wrist look fantastic, but each of these pieces make for a fine representation of my busy weekend ahead!
Layering is a fashion trend that can be done with a flick of the wrist! I love collecting different bracelets of shape, color and texture to curate unique arm swag. Chains are my favorite accessory and I paired it with this really cute bird cuff. I'm a fan of affirmations and one of my all time favorites is staying fierce! I love looking down at my wrist for that little reminder.
ON ALISON : Red Ada Lace top from Joe's Jeans, $145 JoesJeans
Create a “clutch” gift with wine, chocolates and small gift items from Venakado wine and gifts. Starts at $30 Venakado.com
Sweets for the sweet. Instead of choosing for the recipient, get them a gift that lets them choose their favorites sweets. You send an e-card from Sugarwish for one of three sized gift boxes of candy and the recipient chooses what candy they want to fill it. Everyone is happy. Starts at $25 Sugarwish.com
Always a success! You can tell someone you love them with stylish pieces from necklaces to bangles to earrings with messages of love and lucky to pretty hearts. Layer on one or two or stack them on your wrist. These items like Alex & Ani start at $38 and can be found at Nordstrom andBloomingdales.
If you haven’t dated long enough to get her jewelry, but want something that is still shiny, get her the Ella earphones headset from Frends (no I in the name) for $49. Designed by jewelry designers just for women they come in gold, rose gold and silver colors. Wearefrends.com andKitson.
When just one card isn’t enough, a cute idea is to put these Vintage Valentines all over the house for your husband or wife for $10
You can be naughty or nice with books like “Let’s play Doctor” for $17 or Love Poetry by Pablo Neruda for $12. Also from Kitson.
If wine isn’t for you, then draw a bath, steep some tea and relax from Birdpick Tea and Herb.
So the day that's all about LOVE is less than two weeks away and we wanted to give you our favorite gift ideas that perhaps you'll get for yourself, others or suggest to that special someone to get for you. Adn we wnated to make sure they could be bought and received in time. While we hope all your days are filled with joy (ok, we're sappy sometimes), we know for some this is the day that small or large gestures occur.
Myself and my DIY Diva companions have been working on several wood stain projects lately and when I came across this card, I immediately liked the implication of it being a more permanent testament than a paper card. I may have to head into my style studio and create something similar.
My husband gave me this gold hummingbird necklace with the black diamond eye for our anniversary. We noticed several hummingbirds while walking our dogs one day and when he came across this necklace by Kyle Chan in a boutique he knew it'd be a great gift. He was right! I wear it almost everyday, even when I layer on longer necklaces.
Are you and your sweetheart from different sides of the earth? Or maybe you grew up next door to one another but now you're tackling long distance? This sweet little custom piece will stitch you two together with a heart made up of maps of your hometowns. It's a perfect gift for weddings, engagements, and you guessed it, V-day! For something more basic, the artist also does one piece heart maps of hotspots like London, Paris, and Italy. Perhaps it's where you got engaged!
My Heart Beats for You Drinking Glass Set, $24 Zbuys
This Valentine's Day give the gift that the two of you can enjoy. Suprise your valentine with breakfast in bed and have these full of fresh squeezed orange juice. This glass set is super cute and meant to be together, just like you and your sweetheart. So pour out some bubbly and cheers to the love-filled day!
To me, Valentine's Day is about the simple sweetness of being in love, like when you were a kid and gave your crush a box of candy hearts and said "be mine". Now that we're all grown up and realize those candies taste like chalk, why not surprise your love with a gift of sweets that are super cute (read: NOT cheesy) and insanely delicious?! I plan to surprise my love with some of Sweet and Saucy's yummy hand painted macarons, xoxo rice krispy treats, and sweet "grownup candy heart" cake lollipops!
While many of us may be thinking about our new year's resolutions and trying to trim down by a few pounds, my thoughts turn to planning the next party and what I'll be wearing or dressing others for whether it be for the Oscars, Valentine's Day or upcoming events. And then my thoughts turn to the need for GOOD FOOD for those occasions! I shopped online and tasted some of the top FOODS from around the world that can be delivered to your front door. Since I'm Marie Osmond's style contributor on her show, I shared my favorites with her and the audience. Here's my top picks that I've shared with friends and family.
European inspired cheese and specialty food shop. Sometimes the perfect meal is a baguette and cheese. But not just any cheese, I like picks from France, Spain and other foreign countries for my brie, Fontina, Gouda and Manchego. They have created delicious pairings of cheese, wine, charcuterie and extras like honey or jams. Featuring Around the World and Kitchen Essentials. Prices range from $6 to under $200.
Who doesn’t love chocolate? They do a variety of chocolate, truffles, decadent chocolate chip cookies and hot chocolate, and bars in wickedly good flavors—everything is delicious! They use the finest ingredients and they combine exotic ingredients together with chocolate like chilies, nuts, and ginger. Prices range from $6-96.
They had me at red velvet. And Oprah and Gayle fell hard for their blue velvet cake with cream cheese frosting and sugar snowflakes. If that’s not your dream cake, don’t fret because they have cupcakes, rich chocolate cakes and mousses as well. Approximately $40.
The company has been around since 1888 and they are not your average nut company. This isn’t about a bag of peanuts at the ball park. These nuts are packaged beautifully in tins and wooden boxes and have highly addictive flavors like Crème Brulee Almonds, Fleur de Sel Pistachios, Herbes de Provence Pecans, Artisan-Peppercorn Blistered Virginia Peanuts. Prices range from $23-50
No floss required when you snack on this variety of hulless popcorn which means it’s crunchy yet tender. It’s also naturally grown, popped in small batches using extra virgin olive oil and extremely tasty whether you choose to add flavors like lemon truffle or go with their signature rosemary. You can buy bags that come packaged in a cool wooden crate or large bags. 6 large bags for $36
Having a party and don’t have time to prepare it all? Whether you’re feeding the family, your kid’s football team or your friends you can seem like a super chef when you choose it all from Schwan’s. From Schwan’s Home Service we have these delicious flatbreads great for any party or a quick snack. Schwan’s offers hundreds of delicious flash frozen foods that are delivered right to your door so you can create meals to serve and share with your friends and family. Visit Schwans.com to shop for a unique variety of delicious meals and original recipes the whole family will love. And it’s affordable! Featuring the Spinach and Mushroom Flatbread Pizza and the Roasted Garlic and Chicken Flatbread Pizza, serves four for $8.30.
In a short period of time ONEHOPE Wine has become one of the most recognizable cause brands in the United States of America. ONEHOPE Wine donates an astounding 50% of its profits to partner charities benefiting a variety of causes. To date ONEHOPE has raised over $1,000,000 for a wide range of charity organizations that benefit the environment, cancer research, ending hunger, helping veterans and children’s hospitals and more. ONEHOPE has become the socially conscious wine of choice at several hundred premier events including the Grammy’s, The American Red Cross Gala, the BAFTA’s, Sundance Film Festival and VH1 Save the Music. They have a variety of wines from Pinot noir to Merlot to Sauvignon Blanc. Wines range in price from $19-60.
Plenty of invites and so many bottles of wine are endlessly toted to party after party. It’s time to be more thoughtful with your choices of gifts you bring to the hostess. As the style contributor for Marie Osmond's show, I shared a variety of choices that satisfy everything from a host with a sweet tooth to a green thumb.
Let the host have a reprieve from the kitchen. Bring the hors d’oeuvres so friends and family can have a chance to socialize before sitting down to the main meal. Or if it’s a causal gathering watching football or playing board games, this mix of savory and sweet options from Hickory Farms satisfies everyone’s snacking needs.
The host has enough to deal with after the party cleaning up so make the next morning easy by filling a basket with gourmet goodies to take care of breakfast. If you’re spending the night, be sure to get up and make the host breakfast as an extra bonus.
Gourmet goodies and basket all from HomeGoods, $30
Sure you could bring wine, but if your host is a dog lover, why not bring treats for their animals. Make sure it’s a healthy treat and add a dog toy or canister to hold the treats.
Does your friend have a green thumb? Everything he or she touches just grows with abundance? Or perhaps a friend who would like to do some planting? Give them a garden they can grow inside or enjoy when the weather turns warmer.
Herb garden, butterfly habitat and bonsai trees from Overstock.com
Sweet tooth? Skip baking and bring the host some our her favorite candy and instead of wrapping it up put it into lacquer boxes that she can place on a coffee table or once empty use for jewelry. Going to home with kids then bring along Nestle holiday boxes with candy inside and trivia to keep them occupied.
Nestle holiday candy and lacquer boxes from Home Goods
The host has enough to take care of without taking out the camera and snapping lots of photos. Take the pressure off him or her and offer to take all the photos and instantly share with all the guests using the new free app from Familiar.
Share one of your favorite recipes with the host and wrap it up in a new apron or pot holder, napkins and wooden spoon. I’m a fan of sharing a carrot soufflé recipe that I make every holiday.
