Gift Guide | Playdates + Pearls

02/06

Valentines Gift Guide

With Valentines Day right around the corner, I thought I’d share a few of my favorite gifts for the special people in your life. Don’t procrastinate and be a last minute shopper, because we know what a gift from Walgreens looks like. Be thoughtful. Cook him dinner, and romance him over a bottle of wine. Take her out on the town and surprise her with a special gift. Watch House of Cards, and pretend February 14th isn’t a holiday…oh wait, that’s just me and my husband.

However you celebrate, here are a few ideas to get you started.

1.|| A lighthearted card for your boyfriend/girlfriend. Mulberry Press Co. has great options, and made this custom card – Trust me, you want to press this link...the following card will make you giggle.

2.|| You can buy her jewelry without breaking the bank. Try this C. Wonder kiss bracelet for $38 This makes a great gift for your sister, or BFF too.

3.|| Men don’t buy cologne so that they smell good, they buy it so YOU think they smell good. Pick him out a cologne that you love the smell of. My favorite is Gucci Guilty.

4.|| The perfect V-Day phone case.

5.|| Macarons originated in France…and so did love, so clearly these are a must.

6.|| Lego heart box. Let your kids build it, and then store their valentines candy inside it.

7.|| The Lovers Dictionary for the reader in your life.

8.|| Jo Malone fragrances are among my favorites, and his products are absolute luxury. Skip the flowers and buy your lover something from his collection; this Rose Bath Oil smells amazing, and it will last longer than real roses too.

9.|| A couples massage is never a bad idea, even if it’s not Valentines. My favorite local spa is milk + honey, and they’re offering amazing Valentines packages that include services like massage, facials, manicures, pedicures, and more.

10.|| Make a book of memories using images straight from Instagram. Artifact Uprising has books specifically for IG photos, and I know from experience that the quality is great, and one of their books will make your special someone very happy!

XO – Samantha

posted by Samantha Hawes 3 Comments
Filed Under: Gift Guide Tagged: Valentines

12/17

Minted Gifts & A Festive New Year

Calling all last minute shoppers! Yes, you…you know who you are. You’ve been lounging in your long-johns sipping hot chocolate and watching your favorite Christmas movies all month, and now you’ve realized you have less than 10 days before Christmas and you still haven’t ordered holiday cards to send your family and friends. It’s not too late!! Luckily for you, Minted has your back. If you’re feeling like you’ve missed out on sending Christmas cards, why not send New Years cards to the people you love most instead? Minted has some beautiful options, and you can receive 15% off all holiday and new years cards using code FLURRY15.

Here are a few of my favorite New Years Cards:

Confetti New Years

Cheers Garland

I love this next card, especially for any of you that are needing a last minute card, and you don’t have a photo that you’d like to share. Share all your favorite memories and achievements of 2013 with this fun “Year in Review” card.

No Photo – Year In Review

If you’re struggling to find a gift for you friend, coworker, or even mom or sister, then Minted has you covered there too. How about a beautiful calendar with photos of you, a grandchild, pet, or a vacation. Minted also has my favorite stationary which can be personalized for that extra touch of luxury.

A Year of Art - Perfect for art or home decor lovers.

Watercolor Brush Grand - Your friends and family will love hanging this (and bragging to their friends about it)

Hello Friend Personalized Stationary - I’m smitten with this stationary, and will be adding it to my desk very, very soon.

Paris + Vintage Ribbon

Audrey Stationary

Sanibel Island Stripe

There are too many gorgeous designs, how’s a girl to choose?! They also have more masculine designs for the man in your life.

Circle Circle Dot

You still have time to place your orders and receive your goodies before Christmas, but hurry, hurry, hurry! Save 15% off when you buy 3 or more gifts using code GIFTS15. The hardest part about ordering from Minted is deciding which beautiful card, or gift to choose. I could spend hours curled up on the couch with my laptop browsing their site, and personalizing everything from ink colors, card shapes, types of paper, card backing, and even custom return labels. It’s easy finding something that everyone on your list will love.

UPDATE: 12/17 & 12/18: Free shipping upgrade to Fedex 2-day on gift orders $50+

If you haven’t already, be sure to enter all THREE giveaways:

Giveaway 6 - ends today, so get your entries in!

Giveaway 7

Giveaway 8

XO – Samantha

posted by Samantha Hawes 1 Comment
Filed Under: Gift Guide, Giveaway, Product Review Tagged: Gift Guide, Gifts, Happy New Year, Holiday Cards, Minted

11/27

Gift Guide: Gift Swap $25 or Less

Today I have rounded up my favorite gifts under $25. So many of you asked for co-worker gift ideas, or gift swap ideas, and I think these are all perfect. Many of these items are MUCH less than $25, so pick your price point and shop my finds.

1.|| Pattern Post Cards

2.|| Turquoise Glass Water Bottle

3.|| Twisted Peppermint B&BW Set

4.|| Harry & David Snack Box

5.|| 2014 Calendar

6.|| Body Shop “Born Lippy” Balm Collection

7.|| Essies Winter Nail Collection

8.|| Rose Gold Travel Mug

9.|| Coffee Connoisseur Kit

10.|| Tea Lover Set

1.|| Fox Cocktail Shaker

2.|| Navy Anchor Note Set

3.|| Rifle Paper Co. Floral Coasters

4.|| Kate Spade Bookmarks

5.|| One Line A Day Notebook

6.|| Olive Oil Dipping Set

7.|| “Put some hair on your chest” Flask

8.|| Burts Bees Skin Care

9.|| Lush Rosy Christmas Set

10.|| Christmas Kisses Lip Prep Kit

I hope you all have a Happy Thanksgiving! I’ll be back on Friday, and kicking off the official “12 days to Christmas” countdown with a “Naughty or Nice” inspired giveaway. I will be hosting a giveaway every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday leading up until the 25th. 12 days, 12 prizes, DON’T MISS OUT!

XO – Samantha