Holiday Gift Guide for a Glamorous Grandma

When Rookwood Commons and Pavilion asked if I could help pick out holiday gifts for “Grandma” I said sure, as long as she can be a Glamorous Grandma. If you know my mom, you know what I’m talking about. So I put on my mask and headed to Rookwood, on the east side of Cincinnati to go holiday gift shopping. I was a little trepidatious about shopping in the current climate, but I didn’t need to worry: there are social distance markers and reminders, as well as sanitizers, throughout the shopping center and I never felt crowded or unsafe. Many stores are also offering curb-side pick up if you prefer to stay out of stores. So, you know you can shop for holiday gifts, but what should you buy for Glamorous Grandma?

Here are ten ideas for the cool Grandma (she’s not a regular Grandma) in your life:

*Sur La Table: My mom loves to cook and this Le Creuset Dutch Oven the perfect size for making her homemade Matzo Ball soup or maybe a Roast Chicken recipe from her favorite, Ina Garten. They are also offering virtual cooking classes you can take at home starting at just $29!

*Maverick Chocolate Truffles: I’ve yet to meet a Grandma that doesn’t like chocolate and you can mix and match a box of truffles at Maverick Chocolate to make sure she gets all her favorite flavors

*Joseph-Beth Booksellers: My Mom is a voracious reader and she’s been dying to read President Obama’s new book. If you don’t have a specific book in mind, the staff at Joseph-Beth are always super helpful with finding the perfect one for you.

*Athleta: Only in 2020 would I be suggesting face masks as a gift, but these are by far my favorite. Their Made of Move Masks are breathable, have a filter pocket and metal down the nose to make sure it fits snugly, but comfortably.

*Talbots: We have an ongoing joke about “tops” from Talbots in our family as it’s always what my Grandma wanted for Chanukah. That said, this chunky purple sweater is nothing to joke about. My mom really suits jewel tones, so I’d love it on her. Talbots also has petite sizes for those, like my mom, who are vertically challenged.

*Whole Foods: Did you know Whole Foods has an extensive wine selection? They happen to carry my mom’s favorite, Rombauer Chardonnay. An easy holiday gift you know she’ll love.

*Nordstrom Rack: Before moving back to Ohio, my mom lived in California so winter attire wasn’t really in her wardrobe. These super cute, but super functional, Ugg gloves will be a must for Ohio winter and at a fraction of the retail price!

*Ulta: Every Glamorous Grandma knows the secret to being mistaken for your daughter’s sister is in taking care of your skin. This Sunday Riley gift set will help her glow from within and keep people asking how she could possibly be a Grandma.

*Redlands Grill: Somewhere between fast-casual and upscale dining lies Redlands Grill. My son always chooses to have his birthday dinner there and they are now offering online, take-out orders, too. A gift card from Redlands will not go unused!

*Mitchell’s Salon and Day Spa: Last but not least, who couldn’t use some pampering right now? I know my mom would love a facial, manicure and pedicure to help her recharge. Right now you can get a $100 gift card for $80 or $50 for $40!

I’ve clearly shopped with my mom in mind, but there’s something for every Grandma, glamorous or not, at Rookwood Commons! Keep an eye out for the full gift guide from @ShopRookwood and @CincinnatiBloggers!

Let's be friends! Find me here:

    

Icons made by Pixel perfect from www.flaticon.com

TK Maxx Christmas Challenge

It will come to no surprise to anyone that even vaguely knows me or has even glanced at my blog that I jumped at the chance to do the TK Maxx Christmas Challenge. First I freaking love TK Maxx. Second I love shopping. Third I love a challenge. Throw them all together and I have to wander around TK Maxx for an hour looking for the perfect presents--AWESOME.

December/January is a busy month birthday wise for us; NotBlondeHusband's Dad, Mum and Sister all have birthdays as well as Blondie Boy. So for us Holiday shopping, plus the bulk of our birthday shopping can sometimes put a strangle hold on the budget. Luckily you can find a present for just about anyone, at a fraction of the price at TK Maxx.

My challenge was to shop for the different people in our family and find the perfect Christmas gifts and keep it all to under £200. I had my mission and I went for it. First I have to say if you are looking for Christmas decorations hit up your local TK Maxx. Look at all these baubles and decorations!

I was in the Cincinnati Ballet production of "The Nutcracker" when I was 6 so I'm always partial to a cool Nutcracker--plus these were only £9.99! Can't beat that price! I managed to pull myself away from the pretty sparkly things and get on with my mission.

First up my Mother-in-Law. She and her husband recently retired and is headed off on a 7 week trip around Asia and Australia in the New Year. I decided to put my jealousy about her amazing trip aside and use it for inspiration!  She's a sucker for pink and I thought this suitcase would certainly stand out on the luggage carousel.

 RRP: £120.00 TK Maxx Price: £49.99!

It's also her birthday in early January and she's addicted to her iPhone almost as much as I am so I'm pretty sure she'd love this camel smart phone gloves so she can play Words With Friends while out and about without freezing her fingers!

 RRP: £54.00 TK Maxx Price: £19.99!

Next up is my Sister in Law; she also has a January birthday so I decided to pick a theme and buy two presents that would complement each other. She's recently been making cakes for some of her friends so when I saw this baking display I knew I'd find something!

So many options to choose from! I had to restrain myself from not buying anything for myself! I decided to go with a 14 Piece Cupcake Decorating Kit and a gorgeous sterling Cake Stand to display her creations!

RRP: £19.99 TK Maxx Price: £9.99

RRP: £45.00 TK Maxx Price: £16.99

Next up I was looking for a Chanukah gift for my Grandma Bess. She was a bit of a Carrie Bradshaw back in the day and is still really stylish. She's partial to scarves so when I saw this designer beauty I knew it would be a perfect gift for her!

RRP: £109.00 TK Maxx Price: £34.99

NotBlondeHusband is notoriously hard to buy for so sometimes we just end up going for more practical presents. He wears button down shirts to work but can have trouble with some shirts since he has broad shoulders. I know this American designer fits him and favourite colour is green so it was a winner!

RRP: £120.00 TK Maxx Price: £39.99

Last but not least is Blondie Boy. As you know he is obsessed with Cars and he also loves building towers and garages with Duplo; he doesn't have this set yet but I know he'd love to add it to his collection!

RRP: £40.99 TK Maxx Price: £29.99

The total retail price of my shop should have been £508-

 I only spent £201.93! 

I went just under £2 over budget but I shopped and bought for 5 people including 4 Christmas presents, 1 Chanukah present and 2 birthday presents! I think we can let the £2 slide don't you think? I've always loved TK Maxx for shopping for myself but now I more than know it's perfect to shop for everyone on my list! What's the best deal you've ever found when shopping?

TK Maxx provided me with a gift card for my mission but all opinions are my own. Y'all know well enough by now I don't say something I don't want to right?

What I Wore Wednesday: TK Maxx Shopping Spree

Last Friday I was whisked off to London thanks to TK Maxx to go shopping for my outfit for The Mad Blog Awards. Y'all already know I'm a HUGE TK Maxx fan so I was super excited especially as the High Street Kensington store is notoriously amazing for its semi-formal and formal wear and their "Gold Label" range.  

I had no idea how I'd never heard of "Gold Label" up until now but OMG I'm so glad I know now. We are talking THE most amazing designers at THE most amazing prices. Some of my favourite designers, we are talking the types of people who show regularly at fashion week, and reduced from over £2,000 to down to £200! Crazy right?

Jo, Liz and I (photo by Sally Whittle)

So some of the other finalists and I had a great time looking through dresses and trying different things on. I wish I could have fit in some of the designers but those that did fit weren't flattering or had weird pockets right on the widest part of my body. It was frustrating but it gave me the kick in the ass I need to start eating healthier which is obviously a good thing! 

(photo by Sally Whittle)

Originally I went for this dress (while being mega jealous of Liz's find by one of my favourite designers) even though I had some concerns about it. After shopping we were treated to a fabulous lunch and had a great time chatting and laughing and if I'm honest talking about body hair far too much. Seriously I had a dream about it that night but I digress. I'm really looking forward to seeing everyone again at the awards!

Jo, Liz, Helen and I at lunch (photo by Sally Whittle)

When I got home I tried on the dress for NotBlondeHusband and realised I didn't totally love it. So today I went to the Argyle Street branch of TK Maxx which also carries Gold Label brands to find a new dress. I tried on A LOT. There are some dresses I didn't get a photo of but these were a few.

I didn't buy any of the above but there were some hot contenders! What did I get? Well you'll just have to wait until the awards! I bought two dresses and am still undecided on which one I will wear. There is still a chance I'll go back to TK Maxx again and try on more. Can you tell I'm incredibly indecisive? 

TK Maxx provided my travel and a gift card to purchase an outfit but all opinions are my own!

What I Wore Wednesday: Window Shopper

I've been up to a lot of window shopping lately. Does it still count as window shopping if you try things on? I was down south for work Sunday-Monday and I'm back down again tomorrow as well before heading to London for a weekend with my girls and then I'm back home in time for my birthday Monday before we leave for France Tuesday. Are you tired? I am!

So I've been trying to find work clothes, holiday clothes and just general cute clothes and while I've tried on A LOT I'm not sure I've actually found a lot.

That's not even all of it! I mostly hit up my mainstays: TK Maxx and HM but I did look around in the Oasis and Warehouse sales, too. I'm in love with the swallow themed dresses and tank tops at HM-- I love old school swallow tattoos so they are totally up my street. The tank is a bit see-through though so I'll need to layer it over a white tank.

I like the idea of the tie dye maxi dress for my holiday but umm doesn't it look like there is a target right at my cootch? The stripey short dress I am going to use as a pool cover-up and while I love the pink and blue Cynthia Rowley dress it just was that little bit too tight on my butt to work in real life.

I had high hopes for a turquoise Jessica Simpson dress but for someone with big boobs she sure as hell didn't design something flattering on a bigger bust. You can see it hanging up in the lower right; it looked so amazing on the hanger but just did not actually work on me.

I guess it just goes to show that some things will look amazing on the hanger and shite on and others look not so hot on the hanger but great on you. How do you go about picked out things to try on when you go shopping? Any tips or tricks for finding hidden gems?


Just to be fair here is something I actually wore to my meeting on Monday. I had a fairly important presentation to give so I went with something I felt comfortable and confidant in:

Grey Cynthia Rowley Dress- TK Maxx

Black Cropped Blazer-HM

Leopard Heels- Dune

Pink Fiji Friendship Bracelet-Monica Vinadeer

My good friends and team Cybher crew Siân and Claire helped me prep for my meeting so I wore our bracelet so they'd be there with me, too!

Also just for good measure here is Blondie Boy showing off his new Cincinnati Reds hat his Papa John got him! I'm pretty sure he is the cutest Cincinnati fan in Scotland :)

Guest: How to eBay

Cass from Frugal Family is the Queen of good deals. Not only does she really know how to stretch a pound and find amazing steals but she is absolutely a sweetheart. I've met her a few times now and she is super sweet. I've been sticking my toes in world of eBay selling and here Cass tells you how to make eBay work for you whether buying or selling.

Hi, my names Cass and I’m an eBay-aholic.

Actually, I’m not really addicted to eBay (although I love it) but I do use it quite a lot, both to buy and to sell, so I thought I’d share a few of my hints and tips on how to find a bargain and how to make some extra money using the site.

Buying
There are literally millions of listings on eBay at any one time, so you’re pretty much guaranteed to be able to find what you’re looking for just using the search box.  You can then filter the results to show you the items ending soonest, those located nearest to you and in price order and if you don’t want to try your luck by bidding in an auction style listing you can select the Buy it Now tab which will bring up only the items for sale on a Buy it Now basis. 

There are a few sites that you can use to help you find even better bargains:
Local eBay Bargains can be found at Local Bargain Finder which finds bargains in your local area.  This cuts down on postage costs and also narrows your competition for the item as a lot of sellers will only allow collection for some items so only people in your area will be bidding against you.

You could also try Fatfingers which is a site that will help you search for mis-spelt listings.  I managed to find a great bargain on here before for a scooter as the seller had listed it as a ‘scoter’ rather than a scooter which meant that when people typed scooter into the search box, this listing wasn’t displayed.

You should also have a look at Last minute actions which will search out all the items ending soon with no bids on them.

When you’ve found something you want to bid on, the best way to keep the price low is to leave it as late as possible to place your bid.  This gives other buyers less time to outbid you.  If you’re not going to be around to do this, you could use Goofbay’s free eBay sniper service which will leave it until the last seconds of an auction to place your bid.  I’ve used this a few times and been pleased with the results but you have to give them your eBay password to allow them to bid on your behalf and that always makes me a little nervous.

Selling
So now you know the secret to finding bargains on eBay, you should have a go at selling some of your unwanted things on there to make you some extra money to pay for all the great bargains you‘re going to be buying…. 

I’m not going to tell you how to list an item for sale as the eBay selling system is self explanatory but having sold loads of things on there personally, I have a few tips that might help things go smoothly for you:

A good photo of your item is essential and if it’s an item of value it’s definitely worth including more than one photo to really show off your item.  Always try and photograph any flaws or faults in the item and refer to this in the description as well - honesty really is the best policy.

I try and time my listings so that they end on a weekend, late morning or afternoon is the best time in my opinion.  That means listing on a Thursday if you select a three day listing and a Tuesday if you select a five day listing.

I sell my children’s clothes when they outgrow them and apart from the special items like party dresses or designer items etc, I find that they sell better in small bundles.  I usually bunch together between 3 and 5 items and sell them as a job lot, any more would mean that the postage costs would probably put off a buyer.

Fit as much in your title as possible - eBay searches for words in the title and not the description.  For example ‘Brand New Girls Next Pink Chiffon Party Dress, Aged 7’ will appear in loads more searches than ‘Absolutely gorgeous pink dress perfect for parties’  

Post your items out as soon as you can after they have been paid for and you really should always send them by trackable means as you are liable if the buyer says they didn’t receive the item and you can’t prove otherwise.  Having said this, for smaller items I usually just obtain proof of postage but I’ve never had a problem with parcels not getting there.

I save all my jiffy bags to reuse when I sell things, it keeps costs down and is also good for the environment as you’re reusing something rather than buying more packaging.

We keep the boxes and instructions to everything, things always sell better if they are in the original box with instructions.

Even broken items sell well - we recently sold a broken first generation ipod that had been in a drawer for years and made eight pounds - not much but better to have some money that something taking up space in a drawer.  Just make sure you’re clear about something being broken in the title and detail exactly how in the description.

Why don’t you have a clear out and try and make enough money to pay for Christmas presents this year - It’s easily done, I promise ;-)