MAY I SUGGEST A FEW MOTHERS' DAY GIFTS?

I usually do not post personal pictures on this blog, but for mothers day I thought I had to... Me and my wonderful kids! Well, getting back to business, if you are going to "suggest" a gift to your husband here is a list of a few you can pick from. I am not suggesting flowers, chocolate or chocolate strawberries, cards or jewelry, as I am trying to be a little more  creative. Although of course, we all like those too! Some are very expensive but other are free! Nowadays everyone is trying to keep cost low and in truth what really matter to us is to feel loved. So maybe all your kids or husband can do is do stuff for you like you do for them the rest of the year... Whatever you do or get, just be happy and that IS possible if you chose to be happy without carrying a mother flag for that one day! Remember this is not a day to get things done! Take the day to enjoy yourself!

• A gift basket like above (a gardener's basket, fruit basket, baking, spa, wine and cheese, magazines/books, green mom, picture frames, essences, scrapbooking, etc)
• No cooking, doing laundry or chores on Sunday or the whole weekend.
• Breakfast in bed, take out for lunch (unless you like crowds) and eating out for dinner.

• A massage or facial or both! 
• Gift certificates from your favorite stores.
• Hubby going away with the kids the whole day while you relax doing whatever you like (in the jacuzzi, reading, chilling with a glass of wine, gardening, shopping, photographing, painting, or all the above!)

• A jewelery box like the one above (I LOVE this one! If you have the box, you need to fill it up!)
• A new bicycle, new running shoes, Yoga accessories or whatever your favorite sport is.
• A camera or camcorder.

• A key chain like above
• A retreat trip (nature, spiritual, Yoga)
• Anything personalized, like the suncatcher bellow.

• Dinner for two!
• Hubby taking your car to be serviced for an oil change, tire rotation and detailed car wash. Say goodbye to the cheerios that manage to survive under car seats!
• A hot air balloon ride or tandem skydiving! Oh yeah!

• A Panini Press like above.
• A sawing machine.
• A Breville Citrus Press or Juice Extractor like the one bellow

• An Apple iPad. If hold it, you want it!
• An outing to the zoo, the park or a town nearby you like to go for the day or weekend.
• Fair Trade, Sustainable Wage, Handmade African Baskets like the one bellow.

•  A car!!! Why not? Don't you deserve it? ;-)

This article was originally posted on http://arttipsandthoughts.blogspot.com

Any reproduction on any other site is prohibited and a violation of copyright laws.
 

THE MOTHERS DAY GIFT I WILL LOVE TO GET!

I was at work the other day creating awesome mothers day gift baskets and a coworker asked  me if my dear husband is good at giving gifts...

Well, when he wants he is! 

Does he usually gives you anything for mothers day? (her husband doesn't "because she is not HIS mother!")

Well, this year, I didn't give him a chance! I texted him two weeks ago saying: "Mothers Day is May, 9th and I know what I want".

Is there any job on Earth harder then ours? Though the more gratifying, it is not only hard, but THE most important job! We are raising the future of this world!

I learned my lesson that Christmas when I told my husband "don't worry about me honey, I know we are spending a lot with gifts for the kids"... And he said OK we will not buy anything to one another. Of course I was just being nice and polite! I bought him 3 gifts, one from each child to give and one from me! OF COURSE THERE WAS NO BOX FOR ME! "But sweetie why did you say "no gifts?" BECAUSE I DIDN'T THINK YOU WOULD FOLLOW IT! Well it was the last time I said that! He is an awesome husband and honestly I don't need anything because he does let me buy whatever I want... and he may show up with a gift out of the blue, but he is just not good at celebrating dates!

Since last Mothers Day I laid in bed until 10am waiting for breakfast... I "the kids" may bring breakfast to my bed..."Honey, I let you sleep longer, so you could rest!" I WASN'T RESTING, I WAS STARVING! He DID made a delicious brunch though, bought gifts with beautiful wrapping paper with my favorite colors! Yeah! Impressive! Anyway, this year I already told  him what I want! Besides the gift, breakfast in bed, take out for lunch AND dinner! I will "let" him spend the WHOLE day with the kids and I will do something I love! I will show you later!

Since photography is one of my passions, on the top of this page is the my gift: the Nikon D5000! Bellow are a few pictures of me five weeks before I became a mom  for the first time and could get gifts for it! And at the bottom of the page, the pictures I was taking on those pictures if that makes sense!? Location is Cozumel, Mexico and "Yes" I traveled to Mexico 32 weeks pregnant! (and it was AWESOME!)

So, what are you going to get? If you have similar situation send a gift "suggestion". It works better right after you made your husband happy that night... You can also say, "I know it is difficult to pick something, so I can help you!" See, I got a lot smarter hum?

Read "MAY I SUGGEST?" for ideas of gifts from $0 to thou$ands!

Pictures by Daniela Cohen.

ALL PHOTOGRAPHS ARE PROPERTY OF THE ARTIST AND ARE PROTECTED BY THE UNITED STATES AND INTERNATIONAL LAW.

YOU MAY NOT COPY, PUBLISH, OR OTHERWISE USE ANY PHOTO WITHOUT THE SPECIFIC WRITTEN PERMISSION OF DANIELA COHEN.
Copyright© 2010. All rights reserved.  
 

This article was originally posted on http://arttipsandthoughts.blogspot.com

Any reproduction on any other site is prohibited and a violation of copyright laws.
 

WOODEN TOYS YOUR CHILD WILL LOVE

When I grow up plastic was something new. Back then, the picture above would look like something very futuristic. I remember well the time when my parents had to take used empty glass bottles to the store in order to buy soft drinks! Do you? Well in only 4 decades we've come a long way from that as now there are about anything made of plastic and most kids playrooms are filled with toys made from plastic (mostly made in China). While you can teach your child about the environment and the importance recycling, there is nothing better to do to our earth then to buy less plastic and more wooden toys! So, here are several alternatives for wooden and other eco-friendly toys manufactures or resources we love in our house! All of them are easily found online.

• Plan Toys (puzzle shown above, cutest wooden mini dolls)
• Haba (specially good teethers and baby rattles)
• Hape International (bamboo, stylish car shown bellow)
• Melissa & Doug (known for great wood puzzles)
• Educo (Hape subdivision)
• Maple Landmark (made in Vermont, USA)
• Kid O (from Switzerland, toys and great design furniture)
• Adena (has some Montessori materials)
• Montessori Services (all Montessori materials)
• Eden Home (everything green, including toys)

Or if you have a handyman in the house this book (bellow) has 50 easy to build projects to make your own toys!

This article was originally posted on http://arttipsandthoughts.blogspot.com

Any reproduction on any other site is prohibited and a violation of copyright laws.

A SPECIAL BOX TO SPECIAL FRIENDS' BABY!

Have a special out of town friend who had a first baby? Use wrapping paper as a liner for the box and fill the box with those necessities you know she will need but may not know yet and will not mind getting more if she already has. I put from baby Qtips to a window shade, plus a few special gifts. I LOVE the prayer bear, doll or angel that recites "now I lay me down to sleep" prayer when squeezed. For little Emma Horton, born five weeks ago, at only 25 weeks gestation, I sent an angel! Thank God she is doing fine and growing cuter everyday. Please, add her name to your prayers or thoughts tonight! 

 

This article was originally posted on http://arttipsandthoughts.blogspot.com

Any reproduction on any other site is prohibited and a violation of copyright laws.

A MUST HAVE BOOK FOR YOUR CHILDREN!

The Lion and the Mouse is an Aesop's fable about a lion that wants to eat a mouse who wakes him up. The story carries a deep message! This version by Illustrator Jerry Pinkney is the 2010 winner of the Caldecott Medal. The Randolph Caldecott Medal is awarded annually by the American Library Association (ALA) to the artist of the year's most distinguished American picture book for children.

Pinkney's pristine illustration talks, there is no need for words! Just gorgeous! Use his  powerful drawings to teach your child the signs for the animals.