I’ve got some fresh Mother’s Day gift ideas for you, in the form of a Favorite Things list! You all loved the Favorites Things we shared for the holidays, so Alex and I pulled together some more of our can’t-live-without (or don’t-want-to-live-without) must-haves.
Fresh Bread | Jen Deibert Art | Etat Libre d’Orange and Boy Smells Perfume | Cordless Lamps | A Fresh Candle | Feature Focus Makeup | 8-in-1 Yard Cart | Mill | Bike
Favorite Things May 2024
Fresh Bread | There’s nothing quite like a super fresh loaf of bread, and the Country Sour Dough from Strong Arm Baking is seriously the best bread I’ve ever tasted. They offer porch-drop deliveries once/week here in Raleigh, and I often order a family meal or two, and always this incredible bread. It is so so soft and tender on the inside, I’ve seriously never had any as good. If you’re local, sign up for their email list, and try porch drop one day soon. It’s the perfect gift for a friend, as well.
Jen Deibert Art | I’ve been coveting one of Jen’s quirky trophies for years, and recently shared on IG Stories the lovely little candle holders I have of hers. Her pieces are so fun to look at, and full of heart and meaning. A true treasure for your home.
Etat Libre d’Orange and Boy Smells Perfume | A few years ago I decided I wanted to find a perfume I loved. Some of my grandmother’s old things still have her signature scent, and since scent is so tied to memories, I wanted to be more intentional about my own. I’m not a huge fan of typical floral perfumes, so I sought out smaller companies with more unusual offerings and ordered sample kits. Trying out the different samples was so fun and helped me land on a few that I truly love.
Cordless Lamps | You may recognize these from my holiday Favorite Things list, and I’m sharing them again because they are just that good. So many folks have reached out to say how much they love using them around the house, and now on decks and patios. They hold their charge for a surprisingly long time. I’ve seen a few versions of custom shades for these lamps, like these. I’m tempted to try a DIY!
A Fresh Candle | I haven’t actually tried this scent yet, but I’m dying to! I’ve heard it’s divine. Now that I use a candle warmer instead of lighting them, candles last forEVER. A splurge on a fantastic candle is much more justifiable now.
Feature Focus Makeup | When we were in NYC, Elsie and I treated ourselves to a Feature Focus at Sephora. A dear friend had done the same with her daughter and we loved the idea. For $30, you get a 30 minute spot in the makeup chair, so we each had our eye makeup done. It was such a fun treat, and felt so special for our night out in the city! The service is available at most Sephora locations, so this would be such a fun thing to do before a girls night out or a special occasion or just for fun!
8-in-1 Yard Cart | Our epic yard transformation is in the home stretch, and I’m picking up things we’ll use to maintain it. This yard cart is a true work horse and will make moving heavy pots, mulch, plants, etc easy. I can’t wait to put it to work!
Mill | I’ve mentioned this in the newsletter before, and I’m sharing it again, because I am still loving it! This super fancy composter reduces all of our food waste (veggies and fruits of course, but even meats, cheeses, pits, rinds, etc) to a dry, fine substance that I put right into our outdoor composter. It allows us to process and compost waste much more efficiently and put it back into our garden quite quickly.
Bike | This gorgeous weather has inspired us to get out on our bikes this spring. I’ve had this bike for a couple of years now, and it has served me so well. I’ve gotten quite a few compliments on it, as it threads the needle of functionality and aesthetics. I have the 7 speed, which gets me around our hilly neighborhood just fine, though given a re-do, I’d likely go with the 21 speed. Oh, who am I kidding…the electrics are very tempting! I added this wicker basket.
There you have it, my favorite things thus far in 2024.