Today is the last installment in my Gift Guide series, and I’ve saved the hardest for last. Shopping for the men in my life is always my least favorite. Men don’t ever ask for anything, and when they do actually need something, they buy it. Super helpful guys, super helpful. Hope this guide gives you a little inspiration.

1.|| Reading Material

2.|| Shave OR Style

3.|| Beer of the month club

4.|| Bose Noise-Cancelling Headphones

5.|| Ugg Slippers

6.|| Cologne

7.|| Movie (My husband would enjoy a movie that he could watch with his favorite tiny lady)

Stay tuned tomorrow, I’ll be guest blogging with the fabulous Emily of The Style Hunter to show you guys how we wear cobalt blue. We’ll also be giving away a pretty little clothing/accessory item, so don’t miss out.

I am flying to North Carolina today to spend time with my Mom, and visit my Grandpa who is currently fighting cancer, but I will still be posting for you like always. If you’d like to see pictures of my trip, follow my instagram feed.

There’s still time to enter these giveaways:

https://playdatesandpearls.com/how-to-wash-your-makeup-brushes/

https://playdatesandpearls.com/lust-list-12613-on-the-4th-day-of-giveaway/

XO – Samantha

1.|| Keepsake Gift: Artifact Uprising Photo Book

2.|| Pajamas: Target Velour Robe, H&M Pajama set, H&M Slippers

3.|| Fragrance: Buy her a new perfume. I have been using Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb lately, and love it.

4.|| Decor & Fashion Obsessed: If she loves all things fashion and interior design, she’ll love receiving these coffee table books. Not only are they amazing to look through, but they’re beautiful to display. Bazaar, The Big Book Of Chic, Influence, Kate Spade.

5.|| Relaxing Spa Essentials: Milk and Honey Spa Lip Scrub, Gift Certificate, Laura Mercier Almond Coconut Honey Bath, Sugar Lychee Bath Cubes

6.|| Shoe Lover…aka every woman: Ugg Glitter Flats, Tory Burch Flats

7.|| Protect her favorite accessory in style: Marc Jacobs Gold Foil case, Kate Spade “Be Dazzling”, Cynthia Rowley Confetti case

8.|| Luxury Beauty: Marc Jacobs Eyeshadow Palette, Chanel Mascara (This stuff is amazing!!!), YSL Rouge Volupte Shine

9.|| Set the mood: Kate Spade Candles

10.|| If all else fails…buy her chocolate & Starbucks!

If you haven’t already entered my 2 current giveaways, you still have time! Enter to win a “Naughty Candle” by Illume and a Philosophy “Merry Cherry Tidings” gift set here, and enter to win the Too Faced “Be Merry & Be Bright” face palettes here. Another exciting giveaway starts tomorrow, so stay tuned!

Extra special news: Today is Camryns HALF Birthday, so we’ll be out celebrating and doing all her favorite things. What’s a birthday without cake too?! Here are some of my favorite pictures of her growing up….

4 months {Halloween 2011}

Found her toes!

Christmas 2011 {6 months}

Auntie Love

First trip to the beach

Being inappropriate with Elmo. He looks shocked!

First trip out of the US

Aunties wedding day <3

That day she learned to walk in Central Park

WooHoo I can walk!!

First ponytail (Yes, this counts!!)

Being a female driver

First kiss

Halloween 2012

Halloween 2012

Visiting Grandma in NC

Look who found her belly button!

A family that wears footie pajamas together…

Winter 2012

First vacation without Dad!

6 months

Twins

Learning to walk

After a very long day visiting Nana & Papa in WA

1 year DR visit

French Riviera

Starbucks date with Mommy

Meow

Sundays at the Farmers Market {Getting face painted}

Age 2 1/2 {Yesterday – 12/2/13}

I can’t believe my baby is already 2 1/2…where has time gone? She is such a joy and bright spot in my life, and I am the luckiest Mommy ever! I just love my tiny lady to pieces!

XO – Samantha

I may not be your true love, but you can call me Mrs. Claus, because I have some very exciting gifts for all of you! Starting today, I will be hosting a giveaway every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday until December 25th. Each giveaway will be separate, and YES, you can enter all 12. The winners will be chosen randomly, so there is a chance that you could win more than one of these fabulous prizes. Entering will be easy, all you have to do is follow Playdates + Pearls via e-mail or on Bloglovin’, and “Like” us on facebook. Additional entries will also be available by following us on Twitter, Instagram, tweeting about the giveaway, leaving a comment, etc. The more you enter, the better your chances are of winning. Each prize has been hand picked by yours truly, and will make the perfect gift to yourself or your loved ones.

So here’s the real question…have you been Naughty, or Nice?

The first item in my First Day of Christmas Giveaway is this Illume “Naughty” candle. This candle has a spicy, holiday scent. You know what would pair nicely with this oh-so-naughty candle? The Merry Cherry Tidings gift set from Philosophy.

Light your candle, fill your bath with warm cherry scented bubbles, and enjoy!

One of you will be the lucky recipient of these two delicious smelling items. Enter Below. Good Luck!

XO – Samantha

a Rafflecopter giveaway

XO – Samantha

I had the wonderful opportunity of teaming up with Jessica of Afternoon Style to show you guys how we transition our wardrobes from fall to winter. We didn’t plan our outfits together, and yet we look a bit like twinsies! Jessica and I are both battling indecisive weather, so layering is essential. One minute it’s 80 degrees, the next it’s cold, windy, and raining. I hope you enjoy what we’ve put together!

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This outfit is the perfect way for me to transition into the winter season. If the weather is really cold, I am good to go and if it decides to suddenly change then I have the option of not wearing the vest or the scarf… and the outfit will still look pulled together. What is your favorite way to layer in the colder months of Winter? Vests? Scarves? Coats? Sweaters?

~

We even had matching tassel bracelets…great minds think alike, right?! Thank you so much Jessica!

XO – Samantha

Hello dolls!

I feel like it’s been so long since I’ve written a full post for y’all. Sorry I skipped out on you Friday, but this Mommy needed to get my life together, AKA clean my messy house so I could take home tour pics for you!!

Since I didn’t post my Friday Lust List, I do have a few tidbits that I want to tell you about real quick.

1.|| If you missed out on the SKII facial masks that I talked about in this post, or if you didn’t purchase them due to the OUTRAGEOUS price tag (but for real though, $125 for 10 sheet masks is insane. I wish they weren’t so damn good!!) then I found a site that sells them for much less. Sasa.com has them in stock for $89, and they ship worldwide.

2.|| This article makes my skin crawl.

3.|| Nordstrom is hosting their (up to) 40% off half-yearly sale. I have my eye on these, but there’s no way my husbands buying me them after my recent Sephora haul.

I won’t make you wait anymore, here’s my bedroom.

Meet Aly, our 8 year old yellow lab. She was being my helper…and getting dog hair everywhere.

The art above our bed is a collection of watercolor paintings that Camryn has done. It’s a work in progress, and has a few bald spots still, but it makes me happy everytime I walk into my room.

This photo makes everything in my room look itty bitty, but it’s just the ridiculously high ceilings. I think they’re 12-14 feet tall.

I cropped this photo, so what you can’t see is the door beside the mirror that leads to our main patio.

This is what she did the entire time I was trying to take pictures. “Hi Mom!” Her eyes are getting that glazed look, and it makes me so sad! My husbands family dog, Sierra, went blind as she got older and it was so upsetting watching her run into things…I’m always worried my sweet Aly is going to have the same thing happen to her. Is that common in labs?

Hope you all had a great weekend! I will be blog swapping Tuesday-Thursday, so you guys have a lot of fun posts coming up…very different guest posts than what you’ve seen the last few weeks. I think you’ll enjoy the change.

XO – Samantha

“Cinderella, Cinderella…”

I am taking the day to play Cinderella, and decluttering and getting my house in tip-top shape before this weekend.

I hope you all have a great weekend, and enjoy something much more fun than dishes and laundry!

XO – Samantha

You guys thought you had gotten rid of me for the day…sike!

I have been searching for fun Holiday cards, and thought I’d share a few of my favorites with y’all! I absolutely love Minted, and I have used them in the past for holiday cards, as well as birthday invites, and custom stationery. Here are a few of their cards that I have my eye on:

Christmas Twinkle Holiday Card

Happiest Holidays Photo Card

Gilded Holiday Mini Book

I love these mini books as a mom. It’s so fun getting to recap our year with Camryn, and share pictures of her growth with friends and family.

Another darling mini book

Twisted Peppermint Holiday Ornament Card

Silentish Night

I LOVE this one!!

Home for the Holidays (For anyone who recently moved)

Merry Typography Mini Card (New Baby)

Conversation Bubble Mini Card

Non Photo Card: Glitter Very Merry Mini Card

Naughty is Nice Mini Card

Those are all my favorites from Minted. Aren’t they adorable? Hope you found a few you like too.

XO – Samantha