giftsTag:

Posted on by Hailey Matesic Posted in Holiday, Quick Bites
Leave a comment
0 Likes

New Cookbooks Perfect for Holiday Gifts

One of my favorite gifts – to give or receive – is a great cookbook. There are so many cookbooks that came out this year that would make the perfect gift!

Here are some ideas on how to gift a cookbook:

Posted on by Hailey Matesic Posted in Holiday, Recipes
Leave a comment
0 Likes

Peanut Butter Pumpkin Dog Treats Recipe

What does one get the dog who has everything?! Or really, what does one get a dog for Christmas? Homemade dog treats!

Can I just start by telling you, our dog, Mudbrick (named after our favorite winery in New Zealand), was freaking out over these treats? He was air sniffing, offering up every trick he knows to try to score one, and doing this little growling thing he does when he wants something.

These are so fast and easy to make, you’ll be dishing out treats for every single dog in your life! And the ingredients are really quite simple, just make sure you use an all natural peanut butter. There are some with add ins that doggos’ stomachs can’t process.

I of course made pretty boy sit patiently and wait while I could snap a few pictures of the dog treats packaged up for his neighbor pals!

Continue Reading…
Posted on by Hailey Matesic Posted in Holiday
Leave a comment
0 Likes

Gift Guide: For the Foodie

Okay, I know we are all probably foodies here, but stay with me. This gift guide is for the one who is really more into the eating food than cooking or baking (promise, I’ve got a gift guide right around the corner for the cook and the baker!). Surely, you’ll find some overlap for anyone on this list, but really it’s been put together for that I-love-food-but-I-can’t-really-cook gal or guy.

  1. Who doesn’t love a little gift set?! Your recipient will only need to add pasta & cheese to this crate (or include a really pretty pasta and a nice block of parm!) 2. Cheese markers & some nice cheeses. 3. A wine bag (stashed with some bottles!) 4. Or combine that wine bag with a Vinebox subscription. 5. Cute ornaments, like an avocado or slice of bacon. 6. This book that literally makes me want to go out to eat every single weekend and not cook a thing. 7. Foodie dice, so cute! 8. Really, really good olive oil for dipping.
Posted on by Hailey Matesic Posted in Holiday
Leave a comment
0 Likes

Gift Guide: For the Hostess

Gift giving is my love language – I wish I had bags of money hiding under the mattress just so I could give everyone little gifts! This year, we’re kicking off the gift guide with the hostess in mind. Some of these are great for actual hostess gifts, and some for the hostess with the mostess in your life.

  1. Whisky Truffles, for a little gesture. (Or up the ante with a nice bottle of whiskey & some glasses). 2. Record player. I love playing old vinyl when we have company. 3. Apron, oven mits. Can you have too many? 4. A chic ice bucket. 5. Chemex coffee maker. 6. Rewined candles. Any scent, but Champagne is my fav. 7. A baguette cutting board/server. For all the even pieces you could want! 8. My go to: cheese knives. Really lovely hostess gift but also great for the hostess in your life. Pair with a nice cheese and cutting board to amp it up. 9. A gorgeous corkscrew. 10. A fondu pot. Legit such a great gift for the go-to house in your circle!

A few more ideas for hostess gifts:

  • A nice bottle of wine in a cute cloth bag.
  • Flowers in a pretty vase.
  • A pie, in a leave-behind pie dish.
  • Flowers scheduled to arrive the day after an event. (Bouqs are my fav!)
  • Serving platter, cheeseboard.
  • A basket with cheese, jams, nice crackers.

What are your go-to hostess gifts?

Posted on by Hailey Matesic Posted in Holiday
Leave a comment
0 Likes

Holiday Gifting: Teens

To me, teens are always the hardest group to shop for. Sometimes, it comes down to budget, sometimes lack of ideas, and sometimes I have no recollection of what I would have wanted as a teenager. Plus, I mean, they have so much more technology than we did!

In each of our guides, I’ve talked about gifting based on what you think that person really wants and wouldn’t gift themselves. I don’t particularly enjoy gifting money, but I do remember as a teenager always loving having my own money and I do know my nephews appreciate hard cold cash more than any gift I would give them at this point.

No. 1 A Lumee phone case, this one is doublesided with lights for ultimate photo taking // No. 2 The ONLY way I’m gifting $$$ this year! If we are giving money, we are giving it in a creative way & I love these can safes. // No. 3 Create Your Life notebook, for those cerebral teens & soon-to-be-graduates // No. 4 Headphone earmuffs (you can also find headphone beanies for the fellas) // No. 5 Lightbox // No. 6 Sugarfina treats // No. 7 Polaroid instant print camera! I might need to add this to my own wishlist // No. 8 Sonos compact speaker

Posted on by Hailey Matesic Posted in Holiday
Leave a comment
0 Likes

Dear Santa

For me, the key to gifting is picking an item you wouldn’t expect the recipient to treat themselves to. Maybe it’s a more extravagant item, maybe a little outside of their spending comfort zone (ya know, I don’t looooove to spend $35 on lipgloss for myself, but my best friend? You bet!). This approach helps you to select an item you know they’ll love and really feel the thought that you put into it.

After all, it’s the thought that counts, isn’t it?

This year, my letter to Santa has a little bit of everything, from beauty to clothes to accessories to my favorite pan I cannot live without (so I obviously need a second one).

No. 1 Dyson hairdryer // No. 2 Ruffle blouse // No. 3 My favorite All Clad pan (similar)- total workhorse in my kitchen and I would just love love love to have a second one // No. 4 A subscription to Magnolia Journal because JoJo is my homegirl // No. 5 A cozy pair of slippers // No. 6 A pretty scarf in neutral colors // No. 7 The Waterford New Years Ornament I ask “Santa” aka “Hubby” for every year // No. 8 Fittingly the iPhone 8 – you don’t even want to see my phone screen right now…// No. 9 Burberry lippy in military red // No. 10 A new pair of black flats, because the pup ate my good pair.

Posted on by Hailey Matesic Posted in Holiday
Leave a comment
0 Likes

Holiday Gifting: The Gentlemen

I can’t even tell you how much fun I have picking out gifts for Hubby. Al doesn’t really buy himself much throughout the year, and if he does it’s more related to a hobby, like a new golf club or new kicks for the gym. Christmas is my time to shower him with love, and some things I know he’ll really appreciate, but would never buy for himself.

One gift not on this list that was a huge hit from last year was two nights in Washington DC and dinner at our favorite restaurant. I picked a weekend, booked a hotel, and made a reservation for us – it was the perfect, thoughtful gift, and something I knew we would both really enjoy. It would go perfectly in the duffel bag below!

No. 1 A sharp looking fleece // No. 2 A leather watch, because he has a dressy steel one, but he neeeeds a casual leather watch! // No. 3 The Nest thermostat, which he received last year and LOVES – big hit! // No. 4 Bose noise cancelling (wireless) headphones // No. 5 A beer making kit – who doesn’t love a new hobby?! // No. 6 For his nicest of bourbons (Pair with a nice bottle of his favorite liquor for a brother or father or father in law gift!) // No. 7 A duffel bag – for a quick weekend getaway // No. 8 A more fashionable pair of sunglasses – don’t ask 😉

Posted on by Hailey Matesic Posted in Holiday
Leave a comment
0 Likes

Holiday Gifting: The Ladies

We’re kicking off our gifting week with gifts for the ladies! From big to small, there are so many great gifts for women to really make them feel special, which is always my goal in gifting to the women in my life. I think these ideas are perfect for everyone from your mom to your best friend to your wifey.

If you’re like me and not that into gifting cash for the holidays, I have two simple tips when thinking about gifts for the ladies (which really works for everyone):

  1. Think about what she’s really into (does she love to get her hair blown out, go for manicures, take photos, cook?)
  2. What would she probably not buy for herself, but still love to receive?

No. 1 A luxe bag in a neutral color to be worn year round // No. 2 Gloves with an extra special detail, like a sweet bow // No. 3 A beautiful pot for her kitchen // No. 4 The fresh sugar lip suite – I love these, want to try them all, but just can never bring myself to buy them for me // No. 5 A beautifully designed aromatherapy diffuser // No. 6 Fun and trendy earrings in a seasonal color // No. 7 Treats from Sugarfina // No. 8 Cozy slippers in a neutral color to go with all her favorite pj’s