Unique Gifts for Mother’s Day or for that Special Woman in your Life

My mother passed away in November 2014 and naturally, I am missing her especially on Mother’s Day. But I know she is happily with my Dad in heaven. There are quite a few Mother’s Day gift posts, but I though I would share items that I personally use or love that you may want to give to your Mother or a special woman in your life.

My mother, Julie on her wedding day

For the Creative Mom

I like to keep my hands busy while watching television at night. However, it is also nice to do something that doesn’t require a lot of intense thinking. My go to? Adult coloring books. There are so many different kinds available~easy to complicated.

My son’s girlfriend, Delaney bought me a Paris Street Style coloring book and I love each page. It’s rather a relaxing thing to do and there is a sense of accomplishment when you complete a section.

There are many resources to purchase these~Amazon has a nice selection here. You may want to try Etsy or google a specific style coloring book.

Don’t forget a complete set of coloring pencils. I prefer pencils that are labeled with their color name. Here is a set of 72 with a sharpener, eraser, sketch pencil and extender for only $11.57.

Anything to Help Promote Sleep

As we age, getting a good night’s sleep is critical to good physical and mental health. Mothers tend to sleep with one eye open so the gift of zzzzz is a vital one. Here are a few items that I use and love. Why not put together a basket of these goodies?

This small, weighted, microwaveable blanket is 44″ x 18″ and is perfect on a chilly night or if your sheets are cold when you slip into bed. The combination of climbing into warm sheets, the weight of the blanket and the smell of lavender, is SO relaxing. You can find it here on Amazon, and it comes in different fabrics too. It is also very soothing if you aren’t feeling well or battling a cold or flu.

This small aromatherapy ultrasonic essential oil diffuser produces a calming, aromatic mist that covers a room up to 300 square feet. With an automatic shutoff, you don’t have to worry about it after you have fallen asleep. The link to this particular one is App enabled so you can operate it from your smart phone. You can use different essential oils too. If this one is out of stock, here is another from the same company.

We have a Lather store nearby and I frequently purchase their Quiet Night Relaxing Balm. For the last four nights this seems to have a positive impact on my sleep. I rub the balm on my temples, forehead, back of the neck and on my inner wrists before bed. After a few relaxing deep breaths, it does seem to settle me down for sleep. This small container goes a long way and you can find it here.

I love Soma’s (a division of Chico’s) Cool Nights fabric pajamas. With a special blend of lightweight rayon fibers the pajamas stay cool and the fabric doesn’t stick to your body. They come in a variety of styles from sleep shirts to shorts. Here is the link (and now 35% off).

Does Mom Love to Read?

Do you read an actual book or use an E-reader? Since I am paying more attention to the harmful blue light from computers and smart phones, here is a clip-on reading light for night-time use. This Hoogalite blocks 99.94% of light from the blue part of the spectrum, which is perfect for reading at night without disrupting your circadian rhythm. At $12.99, it is also great for traveling. You can find it here.

When I travel, I love taking my Kindle where I can preload many books to read. Though mine is a few years old, the newest version has a larger display and an adjustable warm light.

For the Gardener

Personally, I wear these shoes ALL the time…so comfy. A gift from my sweet friend, Janie, I love the chicken motif so much so I also bought the rain boots. Not only are they made in the U.S.A. but they come in multiple colors and designs. Right now they are on sale (-13%) on Amazon for $34.99.

How cool is this? These protector Farming Sleeves are made from recycled plastic bottles!. A Christmas gift from my sister, Susie, again, this is a gardening must.

The farming sleeves protect my arms from nasty rose thorns and numerous cuts, as well as plant irritation, harmful UV rays and overheating. It is is pretty breathable barrier between your skin and the elements. Maybe they would protect me from Finn’s razor sharp puppy teeth? Here is the link to Farmers Defense and you can find similar sleeves on Amazon here.

Beauty Essentials

Rarely do you find my name and beauty in the same sentence, but I do have a few products that I love and trust.

There are two Trader Joe’s products that I recently discovered and I cannot say enough about them.

The lemongrass coconut oil does help with dry skin and has a nice scent. I use the Rose Water facial toner every morning and evening and it’s a lovely hydrator for your face.

Both products are under $10.00 and if you do not have a Trader Joe’s nearby, you can order the lemongrass coconut oil here and the rose water toner here.

This pumpkin enzyme mask from Peter Thomas Roth smells so good that you almost want to eat it. Reminds me of pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving Day. What I like about this product is that you don’t need to keep it on for very long~3 to 7 minutes. It helps even and clarify the look of uneven skin tone and smooth the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. You can easily order it through Amazon here.

I’m a huge fan of this Water Drench moisturizer by Peter Thomas Roth~it’s silky, lightweight and I truly notice the difference in how it locks in moisture. I keep trying other moisturizers but I like this one the best. From Amazon here.

I purchased this GloPro at home facial micro needling kit a few months ago. My kit only has the facial tool, but you can purchase additional tools for your scalp, thighs and abdomen. As stated on their website, this tool amplifies skincare absorption and creates firmer, smoother skin in just 60 seconds a day. As microneedles glide over the skin, skin’s natural rejuvenation response is ignited, which stimulates cells to restore volume and glow from the inside out. LED red light therapy and microcurrent stimulation help stimulate cellular turnover and magnify results.

I use it about 3-4 times per week. Since I tend to be rather critical of what I see in the mirror, I am not sure my skin is improving, but I love how it feels tingly after using it. You can find it here.

For the Cook/Chef

Wearing one of my favorite aprons by Lee

When I am stressed, I put on my apron and spend time in my kitchen….which I love. Cooking, baking or just assembling food is therapy for me. And it starts with the act of me putting on my apron. It doesn’t sound like much but the ritual of it lightens my mood and makes me happy. If you want to peek into my kitchen, click here.

Locally, there is a wonderful woman who makes aprons, Aprons by Lee. You can also find her at the Uptown Farmers Market at Central Avenue and Bethany Home Road (rated the best farmers market) on Saturday mornings. She has a wide selection of fabrics and will custom make something for you too.

Pretty pale green apron from The Enchanted Home

I recently purchased this cute apron from The Enchanted Home. The pleated skirt and the deep pockets are a plus. This picture is from their website and really doesn’t accurately show how adorable this is. Plus it made from a nice weight cotton. You can find it here.

Le Creuset is the leader in highly-durable, chip-resistant enameled cast iron and a pioneer in color development. From the pure, rich tones of their colors to the fine quality of their distinct gradient and finishes, Le Creuset’s leadership in color is unmistakable. I own one 5.5 quart Le Creuset Dutch oven that I use all the time, mostly to bake my sourdough bread.

Baking bread in my Le Creuset dutch oven

This piece of cookware will be a family heirloom and is often passed down from generation to generation. They are not inexpensive, but a worthy splurge for someone who loves to cook. For a 5.5 quart Dutch oven, it will run approximately $400, and you can find it in 13 colors here.

For the Coffee Lover

My family bought this coffee maker for me for my birthday a few years ago. I cannot speak highly enough about how much I LOVE this machine. When we have guests, everyone lines up for lattes, cappuccinos, iced coffee, you name it. Plus it is very easy to use.

Ordering Nespresso coffee pods is all done online (or you can go to one of their stores)and is effortless. Seriously, this machine is used several times a day and never disappoints. If you like it in white (or sea salt), it’s less expensive than the stainless. See it here.

My morning cup of coffee

Sunday, May 12th is Mother’s Day. Hopefully, this post will help stimulate some different gift ideas for your own mother or those who have been like a mother to you. Or if you would like to get a gift for someone special in your life, these recommendations are tried and true. All of these products are ones that I own and have tested myself.

Thanks for joining me today and have a fabulous Tuesday!

Please feel free to share this post on Pinterest.

ust a reminder that any words that are italicized bring you to the source. If it is a product on Amazon, please note that I am an Amazon Affiliate. If you purchase something through my website, I receive a small (very small!) stipend, which doesn’t affect the price you pay at all. My goal is to make sourcing the items easy for you. Thank you for your continued support.

Just a reminder that any words that are italicized bring you to the source. If it is a product on Amazon, please note that I am an Amazon Affiliate. If you purchase something through my website, I receive a small (very small!) stipend, which doesn’t affect the price you pay at all. My goal is to make sourcing the items easy for you. Thank you for your continued support.

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22 Comments

  1. Wonderful ideas and suggestions today, and I am embarrassed to ask for more ideas, but where did you get the beautiful pedestal cup for your morning coffee?
    Always enjoy ” life at Bella terra”, thanks so much sharing.

    1. Penny, the coffee cups are a Jennifer Orkin Lewis design from Anthropology. They do not carry them anymore and I do not think Jennifer is designing or making them. I literally stalk eBay and Etsy for used ones. I just love them. Recently bought another 4 on eBay because I broke one of my favorite designs. Good luck in finding them. They have a really good handle too (a requirement for a good coffee/tea cup).

    1. Rachel, I am now wearing them as my forearms always are scratched and cut by gardening and other manual labor projects! It’s fun that they come in a variety of colors and prints. Happy weekend!

  2. Mary,
    what a wonderful post. Your picture in the apron by the orange trees looks like you are a model! Those beauty products have nothing on the inner beauty you exude. Or, maybe also inherited from your parents! Anyway, loved this post. Love Soma sleepwear- got me through my surgery and dealing with stitches, aches, etc.
    Hope that wasn’t TMI!! Ha!
    Happy Mother’s Day neighbor,
    Karleen

  3. Mary, Love all the ideas and your parents pic as well as your pic in the apron. Think I will start putting on an apron as my favorite room to be in is the kitchen preparing a meal. Have downsized and sure miss my larger kitchen. Enjoyed looking at your kitchen–so thought out. Thank you for sharing.

    1. Tevia, I love the fact that Mom looks just purely happy! She and my dad had a long and loving marriage. They were the most devoted to each other and loved one another til the end. It’s fun to go back and try to see family resemblances!

  4. Wonderful ideas Mary, and your parents’ wedding photo is beautiful! Thanks for all the great suggestions – I’ll be getting some for myself! (I’m someone’s mother, right?!) 🙂 Hope you have a lovely week!

  5. The photograph of your mother and father on their wedding day was precious. Happy smiles, great shoes and a shining wedding band on your father’s hand. Sweet. Sweet. Sweet.

  6. Wow! You look so much like your hansom Dad 🙂

    Thanks for all the interesting information. Great job!!

    1. Valerie, my dad was truly one of the most amazing men God ever created. I feel like I was president of his fan club. He had piercing blue eyes, the iconic crew cut and a personality that wouldn’t quit. I miss them both dearly.

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