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Lifestyle, Review

10 Professional Yet Fancy Gifts

For some of us, we have some impossibly hard people to shop for.  It may be your boss, for others it may be the friends who have everything, or in my case, we have several professional relationships that we like to acknowledge during the holidays.  For these people, gifts that are a little extra are in order.

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Holiday Fruit and Nut Basket

Maybe its cultural but nothing says well wishes in our culture like a basket of nuts and fruits.  It sends a message of abundance and happiness which is why it is first on my list.

Alexa Echo

This device is AMAZING, it can do as much or as it little as you ask of it.  Consider this for anyone in your life.  For $99 Alexa can read off the headlines, play background music, tell you jokes and tell you how to fix just about anything.  Even though someone may already have one at home, perhaps this would make a great gift for someone at the office!

Amazon Gift Card

This one is a no brainer, let someone get whatever they need – no matter what – Amazon has it! OH-and did you know you can buy Nordstrom gift cards on Amazon too?!?! How convenient.

Apple iWatch

With so many new designs and features, this handy dandy smart watch not only looks good now but fully integrates with your iPhone.  I have seen so many people this past year switch from being dependent on their phone to using their iWatch almost exclusively that even I have my eye on this for the holidays.

Massage Pillow

I used this over the summer and then basically stole it form my parents house.  Its truly and ‘hand like’ shiatsu massage that will chill anyone out at the end of the day.  This is the gift that will keep giving – consider this for the hardest working person you know.

Gold Vases

These vases are so beautiful and so cheap! Get the appearance of giving something pricier with this vase and fill it with flowers for a perfect hostess gift or co-worker gift. Of course World Market has so many amazing gift ideas that I would start there in my search anyways.

Champagne Flutes

Aren’t these glasses unique!?  I love them and think that they would add a little spunk to any celebration. Give two with a bottle of champagne or give six alone to make this gift complete.

Waterman Pen

This is kind of an “old school” kind of gift that doctors have always given to each other and although initially it may seem crazy to spend a lot of money on these pens, they really are special.  You will have to try it to believe it, but if you have an older boss or I would even buy this for my Father In Law, then look into a classic gift like this.

Chocolate, Caramel Crunch Basket

I have received this basket in the past and was so grateful that it was something that my whole family could enjoy! These pretzels are fresh and delicious and we were able to use them all up by the end of the holiday season.  Its sizable enough to be impressive and yummy enough to not get wasted.

Gourmet Gift Basket

This basket has dozens of small packages stashed in it.  With a sampling of all kinds of treats, this gift basket is perfect for an office co worker than can keep these small packs at their desk.  It has an impressive size that says THANK YOU like nothing else can.  For chocolate lovers this is a slam dunk.

I hope you liked this list and I hope it was helpful in your holiday shopping – check out all of our gift guides on the blog to help simplify shopping this year.  Did I miss anything??

Your Chick,

Rina

**We use affiliate links and do make a small commission off of purchases that you make. We use that to help grow the blog. So when possible, please shop links directly from our post to support our work. Thank you!!**

Lifestyle, Review

My Top Ten Picks From Oprah’s Favorite Things

Ok, ok, I love Oprah’s picks each year.   This year is no different.  She has managed to pull together a list of items that immediately struck a chord with me for a different people in my life.  So here is what I will be shopping and (shhhh!) for whom. See all of our gift guides here.

 

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Littbag Light Up Vanity

So I think I will be scooping this up for my Mom and Mother In Law.  It has long lasting LED lights IN THE BAG which makes seeing what is inside easier – its so genius I wish I had thought of it!

X5 Multi USB Port Car Charger

With all of our devices needing USB ports the two slots in my car just doesn’t cut it! Thank got this genius product has my back and can support up to 5 devices!!! This may be the best stocking stuffer ever!  This would also be an AWESOME gift for a teacher too, see all of our gift guides here!

Jotblock Watercolor Set

Doodling can be so therapeutic.  I have so many creative and artistic people in my family that for $25, this gift is a steal!  Drop this in your cart for the artsy one in your family (ahem Dad).

Faux Fur Mittens

Ok, the blogger in my could not resist these adorable mittens and with my upcoming trip to Chicago, I scooped these up for myself and Sonia and Shelly (of course)!

Techloom Sneakers

Does anyone else NOT UNTIE their laces every time they take off their sneakers.  I have been sliding my sneakers on and off for years, so these cuties by APL are right up my alley.  No laces, no fuss!  With so many color choices- how could you not scoop these up for the new year.

Arts and Craft Supply Library

I have two daughters ages 7 and 8 and currently all they care about are crafts and SLIME (BEST slime kit on the market is linked here – you’re welcome)! So for less than $40 I can give them hours of entertainment with a cute modern twist on a craft box.  Santa will be putting this under the tree FOR SURE!

Clarisonic

I bought a knock off one of these years ago and used it till it literally could not go on.  With skincare at the top of my mind lately a new face brush has been on my list for a while. Although this may be one of the more expensive items on this list, with something that I plan on using often and on my face, I think it may be worth the splurge.

Lasagna Trio

When I saw this I literally added it my cart instantly.  My lasagna can get so sloppy and slippery sometimes its embarrassing!  Chicago Metallic has solved this problem by breaking up the pan into three sections and I LOVE IT!

Apple Air Pods

If you have not made the switch to Apple Airpods yet you are missing out, Sonia and I use these all day, everyday! These have an incredible battery life and charge in the case they come in.  They are $150 at the Apple store and $144 here, so add these to your cart and be hands free for life!

My Leopard Print Dress Doubles Up As a Cardigan  | Necklaces are From This Store on Etsy

Floating Pearl Hoops

Last but not least are these beautiful earrings.  Hoops in general are a go-to chicks look and I looked around for a cheaper version of these earrings and failed! They fall flawlessly and look so elegant that they may actually be worth the price.

Well I hope you found this gift guide helpful.  Its not too early to start stashing stuff and crossing off names.  I love giving gifts all year round but the holidays are extra special!

Cheers,

Your Chick,

Rina

**We use affiliate links and do make a small commission off of purchases that you make. We use that to help grow the blog. So when possible, please shop links directly from our post to support our work. Thank you!!**

Chick Picks:

Fashion, Lifestyle

How To Save Your White Sneakers With This One Product

I had been down about the condition of my favorite Gucci sneakers recently and decided to do something about it.  Instead of just replacing them, I decided to try out a quick five minute and five dollar solution to my problem.  I had worn these so much (see them here and here) that they had gotten so dirty and I hated the way that they started to look.  I tried my go-to solution for everything which is baby wipes with no success.  But then I tried the magic eraser by Mr. Clean and was thrilled with my results.

See my before and after pictures here:
Before

 

After


My Blazer is $29 Here (I am wearing Size S) | Fave Gucci Sneakers Here | Go To Adidas Sneakers Here (On Sale) | Hamsa Necklace Linked Here | Go To Evil Eye Necklace Here

Here is the step by step process for restoring your sneakers to ‘like new’ :

  1. Wipe down sneakers first with a baby wipe or wet towel to get off obvious ‘gunk’
  2. Fill a bowl with warm water.
  3. Dip magic eraser into the bowl.
  4. Begin gently rubbing your sneakers. You can repeat this step as many times as necessary.
  5. Wipe off with a clean towel.

Protip: Wash the laces too! My whites were mis-matched until I did this.

The Magic Eraser can also be used gently on handbags as well.  I was able to save my shoes in less than five minutes and I was so excited that I had to share it with you!  The way I look at it is that you will buy it once and always have it for your shoes and your family’s shoes!

Chick Picks:

Lifestyle

An Ode to My Dog: CoCo

I didn’t grow up with a dog, in fact, the only pets I had were parakeets and rabbits.  Both of which I knew I would never have as an adult.

Just after I got married, 11 years ago, my husband surprised me with a maltipoo for my birthday. I was speechless and a little upset mostly because I had no idea what it meant to be a dog owner! Little did I know I was about to embark on a journey that would reshape the person I am today.

We named our first furry baby, Peanut. To be honest, before he arrived I had put him on a one week trial….if it didn’t work out, we were going to send him back.  Peanut was born in Texas and arrived via American Airlines where we met for the first time. He was 8 weeks old. Tiny, like a Peanut, with white curly hair. He was terrified. When I reached for him I immediately panicked because I didn’t know what to do next. Once I got hold of him from the back of his crate, he curled into the palm of my hand and calmed the nerves we both had and we both immediately felt a sense of relief. It was clear, I was consumed with so much love for this little animal.  It hit me in that moment that we had just become family. It didn’t take more than 5 minutes for me to make my decision that he was staying with us forever!

Most valuable lesson as a dog owner:

Unconditional love. Peanut gave me the gift of friendship with no strings attached.  He grew to love me and my husband as his furry parents and we loved him as our furry baby. He journeyed with us through two pregnancies and babies and accepted and protected our kids with every bone in his body.  We tragically lost Peanut to a coyote attack shortly after his 7th birthday and it felt just as tragic as the loss of any family member. There were days Peanut and I were besties and days we were frenemies, but we were family. In his absence I learned that he taught me to be more kind, more compassionate and more forgiving.

Today we have Coco another adorable maltipoo.  He is everything Peanut was and continues to be for us.  While having a dog can sometimes feel like work, there isn’t a moment that goes by that I’m not reminded of Peanut and how his legacy serves as a reminder to not take the human and dog relationship for granted.  I can definitely say I am a better person because of my furry babies and will be forever indebted to my dogs for the lessons they teach me everyday!

Your chick,
Sonia

Chick Picks:

There are so many versions of this sweatshirt! The one I am wearing is linked here |  A slightly higher end version of it is linked here | Revolve has a distressed version here | Jeans are linked here | Booties are sold out, but I have linked something similar here |Check out the necklace that we all have here  see it on me here