Hey all! Springtime is here (well, not really here, here–we are still getting snow in CO). BUT Mother’s Day is upon us, and I always love sharing some gifts that not only make our loved ones feel special, but also make a positive impact in the world. The small makers, sustainable upgrades, fair-trade and female-empowering, and clean and safe options! Especially for the mamas. PLEASE, if you are gifting household, beauty or personal care products, make sure they are safe and healthy for yo momma. xo
Highlighting some current favs below. Reach out with any and all questions and let me know if you purchase one of these ideas for your mama or yourself! -Amber
PS, have an idea for a gift to be added to the Make Simple Happen guide? Contact me!
1. Beautycounter Body Care: Safe and Luxurious Body Care, in newly upgraded sustainable packaging. Give mom the gift of relaxation without harmful chemicals. Favorites include: Luminous Hydration Body Oil in Citrus Rosemary, Melting Body Balm, and the Sugarbuff Body Polish in Lemongrass
Award-winning products, Leaping Bunny Cruelty-free certified, free of 1,800 known toxins and carcinogens, Environmental Working Group (EWG) Certified, and a registered B Corporation that’s women led and owned. Yes please! I’ve been advocating with this amazing company for more than 3 years. And you know what led me to it? Wanting safer products for my momma after a cancer diagnosis. And I can’t stop, wont stop, until all products are safe for us, and we don’t have to watch our loved ones suffer from disease and illness at alarming rates in this country. I know we can do better and I’m so encouraged by the progress made and the shifts in the industry already happening!
2. Hand-poured Terra cotta Tripod Candle:
These Refugee-made wax candles from the nonprofit Preemptive Love, include beautiful terra cotta tripod containers (REFILL them and keep em going!), Soy candles fragranced with phthalate-free essential oils, wooden wicks, and the best part, besides how cute they are–Every candle provides relief and jobs for families fleeing violence around the world.
3. Mama Sweatshirt from Ollie and Penny
Handmade from Ashley in California, order this soft and cute sweetshirt from her Etsy shop and share your support of small female makers. I loved this coloring and font combo so much, and how it can work for a “comfy-at-home” or “out on the town” option.
I love everything I own from Threads Worldwide–the quality, beauty, and especially the stories behind them. This pair of earrings jumped out to me–made from upcycled bullhorn, bone and wood, each pair is handcrafted from women in Vietnam through a fair-trade workshop that creates jobs and independence.
5. Plant Lady Sun Hat from ModParty on Etsy
Super cute sun hat for your favorite plant lover. Comes in a variety of styles from a female maker on Etsy with 5-star reviews. Double bonus–sun protection! Pair it with your favorite mineral sunscreen (suggestion: Beautycounter’s Daily Sheer Defense).
Speaking of PLANTS!
Not only do plants look gorgeous for decorating, but there are several varieties that have been linked to detoxing the air! My favorites are Peace Lilies, Spider Plants, Ferns, and Aloe Vera plants. (and lucky for moms that don’t have a “green thumb”, these varieties are also easy to keep alive!). Read more about how to reduce your toxic load through plants in my post here.
Other ideas:
Buy your flowers from your local Farmer, which promotes seasonality, sustainability, and shopping local (stat: over 80% of all flowers sold in this country were imported–“We can’t possibly care about climate change and global emissions while demanding year-round flower availability”). Shop Local and In-Season Instead: You can locate your local flower farmer here.
Poetry! I am especially into Morgan Harper Nichols, and anxiously awaiting her new book “How Far You Have Come”, which should arrive before Mother’s Day. You can find her work, and really beautiful gifts on the Garden 24.co shop.
The Perpetual Calendar!!! Everyone needs one of these for birthdays and anniversaries!
Product Free Gifts: Foot rubs, hikes together, cooking together, cleaning her house for her, planting a garden for her, HUGS after Hugs (especially after a year of very limited or nonexistent hugs).
BE well, loves!
-Amber
Make Simple Happen 