gifts

Best BFF Gifts: Top Ten {Tuesday}

by oh amanda on May 23, 2011

I’m a gift-giver. It’s one of my love languages. Not necessarily FOR me, but the way I speak. These past few weeks I’ve had several friends who I felt NEEDED some gifts. A friend experiencing the one year mark of her mother’s death, another friend starting school and one headed into surgery. I’ve got gifts on my mind for all of them!

So, here are some of my go-to gifts, gifts I actually already bought and stuff I’d just love to buy and save for when someone NEEDS it! Here it is…

MY TOP TEN MOST AWESOME GIFTS FOR YOUR BFFs!

{all pics are clickable so you can visit their respective sites & shops!}

1. Funky Necklace

Source: etsy.com via Amanda on Pinterest

My friend Candace makes these and I just love it. I have no idea what you wear it with and am pretty sure I’d look like an imbecile in it. But I still want one. Plus, all the profits from Candace’s shop goes to Compassion International!

2. Scripture

Source: etsy.com via Amanda on Pinterest

The kids and I make Scripture posters and banners all the time. (See: Impress Your Kids) But I’d love to have some Word-filled art on my walls. I bought this one for a friend of mine who has FIVE KIDS. Tell me she doesn’t need to remember THAT verse!

3. Personalized Jewelry

Source: etsy.com via Amanda on Pinterest

I’m a big fan of the hand-stamped jewelry. I have an “OhAmanda” necklace, “Lydia & Asa”, my World Vision, “Faith, Hope & Amor” plus a few Blissdom necklaces thrown in. This is a gorgeous twist on those simple necklaces—a sealing wax necklace. I’m telling you if that necklace was purple it would be on my neck now!

4. Thirty One

Source: iheartorganizing.blogspot.com via Erinn on Pinterest

Have you discovered the wonderfulness of ThirtyOne? It’s a tupperware-pamperedchef-mary-kay kinda thing. Only fun bags. I have the above bag and it is the most organized, sturdy, adorable little thing ever. Staci is a consultant if you wanna buy something! I just bought 2 of these bags–only in the mini version for some friends!

5. Candy

Source: bakerella.com via Lauren on Pinterest

I mean who doesn’t like sweets? I couldn’t resist this one. Perfect for my sisterchicks!

6. Posy Pins!

Source: google.com via Amanda on Pinterest

I love these little posies from The Pleated Poppy. Lindsey, the owner & awesome-maker of these adorable little pins gave them out as her business card at Blissdom one year. I wear mine all the time. It’s awesome. They come in sets of 3 so you could totally split them up and give them to 3 different people! Score!

7. Scarf

Source: thepleatedpoppy.com via Amanda on Pinterest

I can’t get enough of scarves. I just bought my mom an awesome scarf from FashionABLE (made by women in Africa) and I showed you the cool twisty scarves from Fragile Flower on Saturday. But I also adore these ruffle scarves from The Pleated Poppy! YUMMY.

8. Gussy

Source: shopgussy.com via Jenni on Pinterest

How adorable is Gussy? If you haven’t found her ruffly-ness, then you must hop over to her site RIGHT NOW. I bought this little catch-all case for Mandi because it’s got birds on it–perfect for a twittering sisterchick!

9. Journal

I love journals. I have one like this from Dayspring. Mine is pink with birds (imagine that) but this one is the same shape. I love the feel of it. I think everyone should have a journal. You need to practice writing after all–because when do you ever do that? (Speaking of which, I just heard that Georgia is doing away with teaching cursive writing in schools! Handwriting! A lost art! Who knew?!)

10. a Bag!

sustainable gift

You have to put all this great stuff inside of something, right? I got this cute bag from Plywood People at the Orange Conference. It’s made by legal refugees in Atlanta. They make these cool little bags out of old signs and billboards. And one of the coolest parts about their organization is they sell the bags in bulk quantities so you can sell them as a fundraiser for your church or ministry. Isn’t that smart?

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And speaking of ridiculously cute things, Lindsey from the Pleated Poppy is offering a $25 gift certificate to her shop to one very blessed and highly favored ohAmanda reader today! Aren’t you excited?!

All you have to do is leave a comment telling me your favorite BFF gift to give. And then, if you’d like an extra entry (and who doesn’t?) do one or all of the following (just leave an additional comment for each):

1. Tweet: My two new BFFs, @thepleatedpoppy & @oohamanda are giving away $25 of cuteness today! And I want it! http://bit.ly/ohbff #toptentues
2. Share this post on Facebook: it’s easy, just click LIKE below–you can even add a status update to it!
3. Like ohAmanda on Facebook!

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OK! You know what to do! Join in the fun by writing a list on your blog–a list of ten! Then LINK back to me in it. PASTE the url in the linky below. And start LOVIN’ on the rest of the participants by tweeting (use the hashtag #toptentues), facebook-liking, stumbling, commenting & just plain old READING their pots! For rules and a cute button see my Top Ten {Tuesday} page!

disclosure: The Pleated Poppy and I bartered for this giveaway, she had no idea what the post was going to be about.

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Tornadoes & Diapers

by oh amanda on May 12, 2011

in gifts

**giveaway closed but keep reading!**

Buckle your seat belts! This post is going to be a bumpy ride! I have like 5 awesome things to tell you about…

When Mary was at my house for the Orange Conference, we stayed up waaay too late watching the weather to see if a tornado was going to blow us to Oz. It didn’t. The kids stayed in their beds all night and we happily drove (2 hours!) to get to the other side of Atlanta the next day. But Alabama was not so lucky.

Pleasant Grove, AL. taken by my friend Karla at KarlaArcher.com

While we were at Orange we met Mom With A Minivan. And after Orange she emailed me because she teamed up with Immediate Tornado Relief to help the tornado victims in Alabama. Immediate Tornado Relief is actually two guys from a church in Decatur, Alabama who raised $100,000 in the 31 hours after the tornado. They are helping people get their lives back by supplying basic needs now (like toothbrushes and even bins to store the stuff they are salvaging from their homes! ) and then diving “DEEP with families and adopt them and help them with everything.”

You might remember that I lived in Birmingham, Alabama for a few years. And after reading the facebook updates of my Birmingham friends, I got shivers thinking about how much devastation was so near them!

Meanwhile, Pampers emailed me about this new Little Miracle Mission campaign they are doing. It’s to celebrate Pamper’s 50th Anniversary. They are doing specific missions throughout the year to support and help babies and parents. It’s really very cool. Pampers asked if I’d be willing to take a $50 giftcard (from them) to celebrate, support or protect a little one in my community in honor of Little Miracle Mission.

And as soon as they asked, the first thing I thought of the moms in Alabama. I imagined what it would be like to suddenly have NOTHING. No diapers. No sippy cups with milk. No stuffed animals. No favorite pajamas. What would that be like? What would my poor kids be thinking? feeling? How long would it take to get back on our feet?

So, here’s the deal. As the May gift from ohAmanda, I’m giving the $50 giftcard and matching it with $50 to Immediate Tornado Relief to help the tornado victims…my former neighbors! And I’m going to give away another $50 gift card from Pampers on my blog for one of you to help someone else! You can give to Immediate Relief, you can go to Wal-Mart and buy bags of Pampers to send to Alabama. You can give to a church down the street or to any organization that you see fit!

How fun is that?!

And along with all this, I want to say THANK YOU to Pampers (of course!) and to my two new sponsors:

Bargain Briana the blog you need because “bargains don’t find themselves”! Briana is one of my in real life friends because we went to the Dominican Republic together and stayed in Cinderella’s Castle together. (Wow. Talk about extremes!)

Discount Party Supplies. You know my love for all things party! Well, just wait, you’ll get to know these guys better soon. Stay tuned for a fabu giveaway from them!

Because of their support (and yours by clicking my affiliates, visiting my partners and generally coming back every day), I’m able to give and highlight these great organizations and ministries.

Let me stop for a second and clarify. This is just an opportunity for ME to give back some of the benefits I’ve received on this blog. I’m not trying to be the Pharisee who is giving in front of everyone to be awesome. I’m pretty sure you’d see right through that. I’m using this monthly post to highlight these ministries to hopefully inspire YOU to give, too. I just want to show you some of the places I love and give to. And I hope you do the same. Does that make sense? Is that ok? I really do consider these gifts given to be from ohAmanda at large.

Now, let’s get back to that gift card…

Enter to win one $50 gift card to celebrate, support or protect a child in your community (do one or all, leave a separate comment for each):

Leave a comment. Dream big–what could you do with $50? Who would you give it to?
Tweet it! How would you spend $50 to help a child? @oohamanda & @pampers are giving away a $50 AMEX to help you do it! http://bit.ly/ohTornado
Share on Facebook. It’s easy – just click the “Like” button at the bottom of this post! You can even add a status update with it!

Contest ends Thursday, May 19.

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Stocking Stuffer Ideas {giveaway}

by oh amanda on December 17, 2010

in christmas,gifts,giveaway

Nestlé Family Holiday Exchange

Has anyone noticed how amazingly giveawayish my blog has been this week? We’re talking giveaways galore! And just in time for Christmas! It’s all thanks to Nestle’s really cool Holiday Celebrations website!

Well, are you ready for ONE MORE? Keep reading…

cute felt diy stocking from Nestle

One of my very favoritest (is that a word?) gifts to give is stocking stuffers. I just love pouring out a big stocking and letting all the stuff fall on the floor. When I was little Mama and Daddy always put an apple and an orange in our stocking. It always reminded me of Laura Ingalls. Except I don’t think she actually got an orange for Christmas. I think she got a penny. Anywhoo.

I usually fill the kids stockings up with little things—crafty kits from Michael’s, funny pencils and yes, candy. But this year I want to do themed stockings. For Lydia I want to do ballet. There is the cutest ballet store near us and it was overflowing with adorable ballet stuff–ornaments, leg warmers, books, wrap around sweaters, t-shirts and tutus.

ballet stocking stuffers

For Asa? I’m thinking cars. Wouldn’t it be fun to fill the whole stocking up with different kinds of cars? Matchbox cars, Disney’s Cars, wooden cars, those cute little people cars and oh-my-goodness-how-much-would-he-love-these Buzz & Woody cars?!

toy story gift

For my husband, it’s a little harder. We’re not giving gifts to each other this year. It’s just pointless. We don’t need anything. And I’d rather spend our money on blue plastic. But I would like him to have something fun to open on Christmas. Maybe I could do a TV theme. Right now we’re watching the first season of The Big Bang Theory(Oh, how I love Sheldon Cooper! I think we watched 4 episodes in a row last night). Oh! Maybe I could do a Big Bang Theory themed stocking!

Bazinga

OK. So it’s a little weird. And totally UN-Christmasy. But you have to admit that would be kind of fun!

Leave me a comment telling me what you’d like to see in YOUR stocking and you will be entered to win some fun stocking Stuffers from Nestle including WONKA Fun Dip books, a CRUNCH & Paul Frank Basket AND a $100 Visa Gift Card! How’s that for a good stocking stuffer?!

Don’t forget–there are four other fabu bloggers in this Nestle Holiday Exchange! Visit Southern Plate, Mommy Files, 24/7 Moms and Super Mom Central and get some great holiday ideas PLUS you could win over there!

Thanks again to Nestle for hosting this fun party. Check out the rest of our Holiday Exchange posts–and read the comments because there are tons of great ideas there! Also, the Fudge/Pumpkin Bread/ $25 Giftcard to JoAnn’s giveaway is still open!

{Also, I would be remiss to not link to my sisterchick Jessie and her post about Stocking Stuffers that give more! My kinda gifts!}

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Creative and Simple Gift Ideas

September 22, 2010 gifts

This is a guest post from my bff and sisterchick, Staci from Simply Staci. Be prepared to be jealous of her creativity… One of my most favorite things to do is give gifts. Beyond the obligatory birthday and Christmas gifts, I really love those out of the blue gifts. What I’ve come to realize is [...]

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Gift Ideas: Top Ten {Tuesday}

July 19, 2010 gifts

I’ve always loved giving gifts. The summer is a gift-giving holiday every other week–Father’s Day, Mother’s Day, birthdays and in just FIVE days my 12th wedding anniversary! Can you believe I’ve been married for 12 years? I must have been 10 when I got married. Anyway, today I was thinking about a gift for my [...]

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I Wanted To…

December 20, 2008 christmas

I wanted to write a post on Wednesday to link to the Joyful Impressions carnival at Impress Your Kids. I wanted to show you how Lydia and I made giant crayons for all her friends. I wanted to make them in ABC molds so each child would have personalized crayons. I wanted to talk to [...]

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If You Are My Family DO NOT READ THIS.

December 19, 2008 christmas

It’s less than a week till Christmas. LESS THAN A WEEK. That means next Friday, we will be DONE with Christmas. I know, I’m the master of the obvious, but I just can’t believe it! And I’m still hopelessly stumped on what to get a few key people in my family. Like my dad. My [...]

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