2nd Installment: Holiday Shopping Made Easy so You Have More Time for Wine

The Berrrrs are Back...

Last week, The Berrrrs and I shared the first installment of the 2014 Holiday Shopping Made Easy so You Have More Time for Wine Guide and as promised here is the second installment. To keep the intro short I'll answer some rapid fire questions.

What is this?  A butt load of gift ideas to help with your holiday shopping 
What could I expect to find here - I hate finding gift guides that have really expensive gifts?  You'll find gift ideas of all prices with links, ideas, pictures, and promo codes... the whoooole hook up. 

Why would I check this out?  With more than enough time to make or order, ship and wrap your gift you can avoid the holiday stress that comes with parking at the mall, waiting on long lines, and shopping with human Grinches.
Anything else I need to know?  The gift guide is organized into categories with a present suggestion for everyone in the fam and I've starred* the items that are my absolute faves. 
In this installment you'll find: Fabulous DIY gift ideas that are beyond easy and inexpensive Gift ideas for the out-of-the-box Berrrr Gifts for Berrrrs who hate gifts but LOVE experiences
Don't forget to check out the first installment. 
So now grab a glass bottle of wine, and relax (since you no longer have to stress about what to buy), get your credit card ready, and browse through these fabulous gifts ideas. * * *

For the DIY Berrrr:

For Toddler Berrrr: DIY Games

Famous Landmarks

While the original concept I found on this blog for early education was famous landmarks, just think of all of the options you have when you open up this DIY project to famous works of art and maps and people. Check out the easy tutorial here.

Memory Game

DIY Memory Game from Burlap and Blue

I recycled  this game from last year because, well, it's adorable and multi-useful: promotes memorization, entertains, and gives you another place to display pictures. What a great way to keep your kids thinking about grandpa than to have your child find the matching piece. Check out the DIY tutorial at Burlap & Blue.

Go Fish*

This Personalized Go Fish is also really adorable and cheap to make. Although this blog used Photoshop and the result was phenomenal, those of you intimidated by Photoshop, can use PicMonkey.

Here's how:
- First, choose the family photos you will be using and edit them in Picmonkey; editing or cropping them as you'd like and save it to your desktop.
- Next, using the "design" option on the PicMonkey home screen, select the size you'd like your project to be (4x6 is a good start. For the cards below I resized the pixels to 300x450).
- Then, choose the canvas/background color.
- After, in the overlay section on the right sidebar, choose "your own" and upload the first picture; resizing it however big you'd like your picture to appear.
- Finally, add text or any other design features you'd like to use for the personalized names.

Here's how mine turned out without much fuss. Imagine with a bit more time how memorable a gift this would be:

The last thing I'd have to do is print them out on thicker paper and laminate. Voíla! DIY Go Fish Game.

Source: Imperfect Homemaking

For Mommy Berrrr: DIY Finishing Touches

Mason Jar Freshener

Pinterest is a tremendous source in all DIY ideas which is where I found this good (and simple) idea. In this project, all you need is a mason (canning) jar, a hammer and nails.

Directions:
1. Poke holes in the lid with a nail and hammer (you could make a design or keep it simple)
2. Fill the jar 1/4 full of baking soda and 6-8 of essential oil.
3. Done. That's it. So simple right???

You could gift just one or make a few as a gift set of different aromas! View the full tutorial here!

DIY Beautifully Creative Plate and Mug Sharpie ideas*

This has endless options for any special occasion: make a cookie plate for Santa or write your favorite quote about friendship for your bestie or let your kids' masterpiece be a gift for the grandparents or create a set of plates for your college grad who is moving to a new apartment. There are just so many ways and so many decorative ideas you could use that to give you just one would be unfair so instead check out this Plate & Sharpies link, find the one you like best (or create your own obvi) and create away.

Here are the steps:
Buy a plate from the dollar store
Create design with a sharpie
Bake in oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
Done. (*Use rubbing alcohol to fix any Sharpie mistakes.)

Check out this Sharpie decorated plate by Shabby Art Boutique to get you excited:

For Daddy Berrrr: 

Loooooove Soundtrack*

This is part DIY / part experience / part stolen idea. Husband and I watched Begin Again about a month ago. In the movie, Mark Ruffalo describes his first date with his ex-wife in which they used a headphone splitter cable to plug two headphones into one audio player and then spent the evening just walking around listening to music. This got me thinking... What if I made Husband a playlist (and maybe he made me one in return)? What a lovely homemade gift that would be on its own but introduce the splitter cable and a few hours of walking around any city together and you've got yourself a romantical gift idea.

* * * 

For the Out-of-the-Box Berrrr:

For Kiddo Berrrr: Mae Chevrette Art:* 

I recycled this gift from last year because I truly love her work. Maybe it's the wanderlust in her art or the beautiful quotes she uses about adventure and travel but I'm enchanted every time I look at one of these pieces. Here are links to some of my favorites: She is Fierce, Every Dreamer Know, To Be Brave, Field Trips

For Mommy Berrrr: Special Jewelry*

I can't begin to tell you how ridiculously cute I find this darn necklace. Months ago I pinned it (see? it's on my Pinterest accessory page) specifically so that I could include it on my holiday gift guide post and, well, here it is. What a clever way to wear your wedding date (or other important date) around your neck. Check out the Roman Numerals necklace at MyBelovedCo on Etsy.

For Daddy Berrrr: Coffee Mug 2.0

There are times when Husband wants coffee but doesn't want to brew a whole pot for just one. While Keurig was a game changer, it is on the pricier end and for people who live abroad, it isn't always the easier option. Enter this minibru coffee press mug. Brew a single cup with this French press coffee mug by adding coffee grounds and hot water. 

* * *

For the Berrrr that Loves Experiences:

For Kiddos Berrrr: Language Lessons

Research shows that kids pick up languages at an early age and that being bilingual is quickly becoming the norm and not the margin. This interactive and comprehensive program is designed to help children 0-6 learn a foreign language. Choose from 1 of 11 languages and your kids will be entertained while inspired to learn a foreign language through videos, books, flash cards, and CDs. Check out the Little Pim website for more information or buy this deal on Travelzoo for 50% off (prices starting at $15). 

For Mommy Berrrr: Wine!!!*

What? Wine is an experience. Especially when it comes delivered to your door. This deal from Heartwood and Oak Wine Merchants via Travelzoo is glorious. For $39 (a major deal from the normally marked price of $160) a half case of wine will be delivered right to mama's door! Or choose the $79 deal and get 12 bottles. Boom! Best of all, it's a Nationwide deal. Check out what selections of wine mama could be sipping on HERE. Hurry up.

For Daddy Berrrr: Tours*

But not just any tours... 

Food Tours

It's no secret that Husband isn't a fan of stuff. He likes experiences over sweaters. And I like giving them to him because guess what... I get to enjoy them too. A great tour I could guarantee is the Greenwich Village Food Tour through Foods of NY. Also combining the history of Greenwich Village with delicious flavors, this is a foodie's dream. With stops at some of Greenwich Village's most well-known establishments like Joe's Pizza, Murray's Cheese Shop, and Rocco's Pasticceria, you'll quickly see why New York is one of the food capitals of the world. Use these promo codes for savings (valid for gift certificates only):

Use THANKSGIVING through tomorrow for 15% off. 
Use BLACKFRIDAY Friday, November 28 - Monday, December 1 for 10% off.
Use CYBERMONDAY December 1-4 for 10% off.

I also just found this amazing food tour deal from Great Food Tours for a steal! Choose from one of their four tours in NYC for 50% off or check out their food tours offered in other cities.

Drunk History Tour

It's no secret that I am a fan of libations so imagine my utter joy when I discovered this tour. Complete with historical re-enactments, trivia, improv comedy, and, of course, booze, the Drunk History Tour through NYC Tours, is the perfect combination of fun and drinks and a great date for Husband and I, combining Husband's love of history and my love for, well...

Use the promo code NYC2FOR1 and get two tickets for the price of one thanks to the lovely people at NYC Tours!


Happy Thanksgiving and happy shopping!