Holiday Gift Guides

Holiday Gift Guide | What’s On My Wishlist

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While there really isn’t much that I need this holiday season there are a few things that are on my wish list. Most are consumable as I work to have less things but of course there are a few things like my favorite notebook that I just can’t give up and a few fun items that would be fun to add to my collection. So here it is my wish list – ENJOY!

Wild Friends Sugar Cookie Peanut Butter. I recently purchased a jar of this peanut butter at our local grocery store and our family polished it off in less than four days because it is just that good. That being said I wouldn’t hate to find my very own jar in my stocking along with a few of Wild Friends new Nut Butter Oats that I have been dying to try. 

Conscious Ink Tattoos.  While I would love to get a new tattoo that just isn’t in the cards right now but these temporary tattoos are the perfect alternative. Conscious Ink Manifestation Temporary Tattoos consist of a dream list of positive words, inspiring quotes, healing affirmations and empowering invitations. I just love that when I look down at my wrist (where I tend to place these) I can be reminded to Be Present, Breathe, Love, Laugh and so much more. I also love to share these with Edith who is all about the temporary tattoos right now. 

Leuchtturm 1917 A5 Dotted Notebook. I am obsessed with notebooks and these are my absolute favorite. I have a handful of these books already that I have filled up with blog ideas and journaling and used for bullet journaling. Some people want bags or shoes in every color – I want notebooks. 

Oat Mama Lactation Tea and Bars. Oat Mama was kind enough to send me a variety of their bars and their Chai tea and I have fallen in love. The bars are delicious and perfect for a busy mama like myself. The Chai tea is perfect with a touch of vanilla almond milk and I have been enjoying it most evenings. The problem is however I am almost out so if anyone wants to fill my stocking with tea and bars that would be great. 

Splendid Spoon Cleanse. After the holidays I could use a Splendid Spoon Cleanse. I know I share about these all the time and it’s for good reason I love the soups and drinkable soups. I love to keep the fridge and freezer stocked with them so that I can have something easy to grab for breakfast or lunch (seeing a trend? Mom of three = need for quick, easy and healthy food options). While I usually have a few soups on hand I could really use a full week of cleansing for the new year. Also this is the perfect gift for someone who has everything or is more of a minimalist because it’s truly consumable (and delicious). psst you can save $20 on your first box with my link.

Sappho New Paradigm Liquid Foundation. I recently purchased the Alima Pure Liquid Silk Foundation and while I like it fine and will use it up I don’t love it. Prior to purchasing the Alima Pure I had been using samples of the Sappho New Paradigm Liquid Foundation and while I loved it the price tag was a bit higher than I was prepared to spend but now I am having a bit of buyers remorse. I loved the way the Sappho felt on my skin, how light it was in feeling but how great the coverage was  and overall I just wish I had waited, saved a few extra dollars and purchased it for myself. So now I am doing just that… unless of course someone wants to buy me it for Christmas in the color Rachel. psst this foundation is natural, vegan and you can purchase your own sample here.

Savage Seeds – Moon Mama T-Shirt.  If you know me you know how much I talk about my kids and parenting in relationship to the moon. So obviously this is the perfect shirt for me and I would love kid and baby versions for my littles. 

Fresh Milk Made Here.  I don’t have much to say about this besides the fact that I love it and need it for my office area. It’s just amazing. I also want this one as well which pairs well with the Moon Mama shirt above. 

Honey Mama’s Chocolate. Last but not least I would love a package or stocking filled with Honey Mama’s chocolate. It is easily my favorite chocolate in the world. My entire family is in love with it so much so that we purchased four bars at the farmers market last week and all four were one within the week – oops. 

What is on your holiday gift list this year? 

This post is NOT sponsored however it does contain an affiliate link. Purchases you make through these links will help fund the work I do here on Running With Tongs at no extra cost to you. Thank you sincerely for your constant support.

Holiday Gift Guide 2015 | PDX Edition

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2015 PDX Gift Guide

When it comes to holiday shopping we are pretty minimalist with our gift giving. We like to focus on gifting things that are of high quality, locally purchased and fit one of our categories: wear, want, read, create plus stockings (you can read more about that here). We have recently started doing a bit of holiday shopping and here are a few things that I have picked up from various shops around Portland. A few items for us an a few gifts to give to family and friends.2015 Portland Gift Guide

1. Fermenting Weight ($10) from Portland Homestead Supply.  If you are around Neil or I long enough we are bound to bring up Portland Homestead Supply. It is one our favorite shops in Portland and is filled with all sorts of things for DIYing at home from making soaps, lip balm, and candles to fermenting and preserving. Plus if you have little ones there are a few cute goats and chickens out back that you can visit; a weekly occurrence for our family. As for this item Neil actually purchased it for himself. This fermenting weight is perfect for anyone who is looking to get into fermenting. Pair it with a nice wide mouth jar, a lid and air lock and you have the perfect gift. 

2. Molly Muriel Lip Balm ($4), find at the Molly Muriel store front in Milwaukie, OR or at various shops around Portland. This lip balm is fantastic and it is made locally here in Portland. It would make the perfect stocking stuffer for anyone on your list. Molly Muriel also has a variety of other skincare products and some pretty amazing smelling candles. 

3. Folding Ruler ($10) found at Schoolhouse Electric. So I’ll be honest this is the most exiting item you can find at Schoolhouse Electric but I still love it and think it makes a really great gift. Schoolhouse Electric is a beautiful shop and is filled with something for everyone. You won’t have a hard time finding something there. Personally I wish I just lived there. 

4. Portland Bridge Magnets ($10) from April Black. We came across April Black at the Portland Night Market and just fell in love with her art work. We ended up picking up two sets of magnets and some cards to gift this Christmas. I’m wishing we had picked up a few things for ourselves as well but alas we didn’t so I’ll have to make an order sometime soon to get a few of her beautiful prints. 

5. I love Books Pin ($3-5) found at Tilde. I can’t remember who this pin is by but it was one of the things I picked up on a recent Tilde trip. Tilde is another one of my favorite shops in Portland. It is filled with beautiful locally made jewelry, beautiful candles, skincare, greeting cards, bags including Matt & Nat for my fellow vegans and so much more. We love to pick up gifts here. 

6. Soy Wax Candle ($15) from Wooly Beast Designs. I have known about Wooly Beast Designs for awhile because the owner was in a family meetup group I had a few years ago but it wasn’t until the Portland Night Market that I actually smelled any of her candles. Neil and I fell in love with The Bearded Man sent and we have been burning it for the last week. I am disappointed that I didn’t get in a Black Friday order to get a few more candles but I am still planning to pick up a few for friends and for myself. 

7. Seely Mint Patties ($8) found at Whole Foods. The Seely mint farm is located along the Columbia River on the way to Astoria. The Seely’s us mint oil they distill from their 450-acre mint farm to make these delicious patties. The patties are also gluten free and vegan so they would be perfect for most anyone on your holiday list.  I think they would make a perfect stocking stuffer.

As you can see there of great shops and products here in Portland. What are some of your favorite local Portland shops and/or products? Any local products that I should add to my gift giving list?

Disclaimer: This post is not sponsored in anyway. I purchased all of the items with my own money with the exception of the box of Seely mints that was sent to me to sample. 

A Minted New Year

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If you are a Naturally Family reader you know how much I love Minted. We used Minted for our birth announcements and New Years cards (p.s. I’m sending them out today). We also gifted my grandmother the Vermont photo art print for Christmas this year and ordered ourselves Naturally Family business cards. As you can see I’m just in love. I love the designs, the customer service and the selection of products. 

MINTED - APP FOR THAT

The newest addition to my Minted collection are their notebooks and planners. If you know me you know how obsessed with notebooks I am. I love the feeling of putting pen to paper (pen must have the cap on the end of course or it cannot be used) and just writing down anything I am thinking. My best blog posts are the ones that I put down on paper first. I make notes regarding blog ideas, recipe ideas, menu planning, homeschool planning or just simply anything that I am thinking at the moment. While I obviously love using my blog to write and share I first love to brainstorm and/or outline on paper first. I am also that way when it comes to planners. 

minted-recipes

Planners are another item you could say I collect; I usually have at least three going at one time. I like to have a planner for both of my blogs and one that is for our family and my workouts. I have tried to convince myself that online planners or iPad apps work just as well but for me they just don’t. Just like with blogging I like to put things down on paper first. That being said if it is an important task or event I will also put it in my Google Calendar so that I get an alert but first it always goes in my paper planner. There is just something about seeing everything laid out on paper. 

One new thing I am doing this year is taking daily notes of what we did or a little anecdote from the day and recording it in my planner. I also have two notes books one for each of the kids to take notes about their year so that they will have it when they get older and can go back and see what they were doing or a funny quote they said.

Minted-Edith

I credit the idea of daily journaling to my grandmother for this idea because for as long as I can remember she has written in her journal everyday. It’s not a dear diary type of journal but more of a line of the day style where she records notes from the day such as what she did that day or who came over to visit. Often when we visit she will pull it out to tell us what was going on that same day the year before or if we are trying to remember when something occurred she can pull out her little journal planner and tell us. I love this about her and I have decided that I want to continue this practice myself. 

Well ‘cheers’ to the new year and to new notebooks and planners. Is there anyone else out there that also shares my love for the handwritten word? Also if you love planners and/or journals you can get Enjoy 20% off all day planners, notebooks, and address books. Code: DAY20 but the promo code ends today January 5th so take advantage! 

Also….I know that this is a big year for weddings and lots of friends are getting engaged (Congrats to our friends Laura and Aaron) so you or a loved one might be on the looking to send Save The Dates; while we are far beyond that point I can’t help but lust after the beautiful options on Minted

Disclaimer: Minted provided me with a store credit in exchange for posting my honest opinions. I would like to note that I loved Minted and shop the site often regardless of any store credit. Seriously I have an obsession. 

Last Minute Stocking Stuffers

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stocking

STRONG & KIND Bars: These are the perfect stocking stuffer for the person who is really into savory foods or for someone who loves a sweet and salty combination. We received a box of these bars to try (thank you KIND) and I have been loving (most) of them. These bars include pea protein making them a great protein source and they also have all 9 essential amino acids. Oh and they taste great. My favorite flavors are honey mustard and honey smoked BBQ. I also liked the hickory and jalapeno but the Thai chili just wasn’t for me. 

Eat Nakd Bars: Of course if I included a savory bar I felt like it was in order to also feature a sweet bar as well. I first came across these bars on Instagram and had to try them. After trying most of the flavors the rhubarb & custard is my absolute favorite. These bars are made from raw fruits and nuts and are gluten and wheat free and vegan! Most only have 3 total ingredients. P.S. I’ll have a giveaway for these bars soon so stay tuned to learn how you can win your own box. 

eos Lip Balm: Seriously one of my favorite lip balms. They are moisturizing and they come in great flavors and who doesn’t love the round shape? I found this set on Amazon and the great part is that you can break the package up and include them a few stockings. 

Dream Zone Sleep Mask: There is not a night that goes by that I don’t use a sleep mask. I became addicted to them when my friend Laura made me one for Christmas many years ago and now I can’t sleep without one. I actually received this exact mask last year in my stocking from Neil. 

Weleda Indulgent Body Lotion Kit: I love to have little travel sized lotions to throw into my purse especially in the winter. This pack has four different lotions all mosturizing and all with their own benefits. Again this is another great kit to buy and distribute among a few stockings. 

Bombas Socks: I know socks are kind of boring but we all wear socks or at least most of us do so they are perfect for a stocking. Plus these socks are awesome! Super comfy and supportive and the perfect gift for him or her. 

Disclaimer: This post is NOT sponsored. There are a few affiliate links include. 

2014 Holiday Gift Guide | For the Foodie

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foodie

For the Raw Foodie – The Raw Food Beginner Deck – This little deck of cards has everything for your raw foods kitchen. It provides you with a card for setting up your kitchen, recipes for juicing, blending and so much more. You’ll find some pretty amazing recipes for raw vegan cheese, luxurious raw desserts and so much more. 

For the Healthy Chef– Eat Clean Live Well – I have been loving this cookbook lately. It is filled with seasonal recipes (I’ll be sharing one tomorrows on the blog) that are nourishing, healthy and of so tasty. Perfect for a foodie friend.

For the Veggie Lover – Vegetable Tea Towels– these beautiful towels are on my own holiday wish list this year. These are made by a Vermont based husband and wife duo who also have a number of other wonderful products from bags, to tops for kids and adults, scarves and even a treat for your kitty. 

A Treat for the Foodie’s Stocking – Kandy Kale – as we all know kale chips are all the rage (people still say that right?) anyways they are super popular but have you tried kandy kale chips? These things are addictive but a little pricy ($5-7/bag) so your foodie friend might not buy these for themselves so why not treat them to a tasty and healthy treat! I recommend the Sea Salt Caramel flavor. 

A Spicy Treat for your Favorite Foodie– Sriracha2Go – I might deem this the best invention of the year. As a sriracha addict, I went through about one bottle per month when I was pregnant with Edith, I think this is the perfect gift. I don’t know how many times I’m out and I just wish I had sriracha on hand but all to be found is Tabasco (yuck) now with this little key chain you and/or your foodie friend will never go without sriracha! 

Disclaimer: while this post is NOT IN ANY WAY SPONSORED there are affiliate links.

2014 Holiday Gift Guide | For The Cook

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For the Cook

 

For the juice lover(s) – Breville Compact Juice Fountain – we bought ours five years ago and it works wonderfully. Great for 1-2 people. 

For the smoothie, soup, nut butter and sauce lover – Blendtec Total Blender Classic with WildSide & Twister Jars– again we have had ours for five years and it is one of the most used items in our kitchen.  I seriously use it daily. You could always go with the Blendtec Total Blender Classic (sans Twister Jar) but I would recommend getting the add on (it’s on my own ‘to buy list’). 

For the creamy soup and sauce lover – Cuisinart Smart Stick– another highly used kitchen tool. I have again had mine for years and it is used a few times per week. So great for creamy blended soups and pasta sauces. Oh and it comes in a variety of colors! 

For the zoodle and salad lover – Brieftons InstantVeg Spiralizer – I know that many people love their Paderno spirializer and I used to own one myself but I bought the Brieftons a few months ago and it’s far superior (IMO). The only down fall to it is that you have to cut your veggies to fit the holder but otherwise it does an amazing job. 

For the cooks stocking– OXO Good Grips Hand-Held Mandoline Slicer – another absolute favorite kitchen item that I use nearly every day and it will fit perfectly in your cooks stocking. Want to take it up a notch (take note hubby) you could go for the OXO Good Grips Complete Grate and Slicer Set or the OXO Good Grips V-Blade Mandoline Slicer. 

For any cook – Hamilton Beach 70670 Chef Prep 525-Watt Food Processor– you might be thinking ummm you are recommending I get this cheap-o food processor for my loved one? Why, yes I am! I bought this food processor many years ago and I really love it. I know it’s not the super fancy, higher powered ones that are out there but it really does the job. I won’t lie to you I am lusting after the more high end ones but this is a great and affordable option. 

Disclaimer: while this post is NOT IN ANY WAY SPONSORED all of the links are affiliate links.