ICYMI our Small Business Gift Guide can be located in this previous post.
photo by Kaytee Lauren
With only a few more days left to do your holiday shopping, if you are like us, you still need to add a few more things for your loved ones. Usually my parents are in charge of the stockings, but I like to slip a little something in for everyone as a surprise! In this post I have rounded up some of my favorite stocking stuffer ideas, many of which I have or have already bought to gift this year, so they are fully vetted.
Some notable items to mention: If you are a fan of “gag” gifts for your stockings, you must get the Scrub Daddy. My best friend introduced this Shark Tank brand to me and our dishes have been cleaner ever since. We may or may not be gifting them to everyone in our families this year. Highly recommend.
If you are looking for a thoughtful gift, that also fits in a stocking and is under $50, I recommend this Kate Spade initial necklace, or birthstone necklace from Anthropologie.
You know we love Old Whaling Company and you can grab 8 of their mini body butters off Amazon to gift to the whole family.
Anything TULA is endorsed by me, especially the eye balm, and you can use code REBECCA15 for 15% off!
A lot of us are spending much, much less this Christmas, but just because you might have a budget, it doesn’t mean you can’t give something just as thoughtful. We’ve found some great things to give under $50 for the ladies in your life!
Some notable items to mention:
Cath has been a Jessica Simpson lover since, well, always. (Remember this blog post?) Her book Open Book would be a great gift for any other J Simps lovers out there.
Loungewear is here to stay, and we aren’t mad about it! I recently got these Aerie velour joggers and after getting them for myself, I snagged them for a few people on my list! They are on sale & you can grab the top too, to complete the set for $60.
Got some ‘tini lovers on your list? These CB2 glasses are a new go-to for our Espresso martinis and make our at-home drinks feel a little more luxe.
meditating isn’t for everyone, but it does have life changing effects.
If you don’t meditate, I totally understand. Meditation is not for everyone… but what if I told you there was an awesome Youtube video that you could listen to while you sleep that would act as a meditation without ANY effort. Okay, you will need to go to Youtube on your computer or phone and put your headphones in before bed– but that is all!
If there are two hobbies we have picked up during 2020 and all the staying-at-home we’ve been doing, it’s home improvement and SKINCARE. From chatting with our TCP community, it looks like this is a common theme among us all!
With the holidays just around the corner and skincare becoming more of a thing (okay, maybe it’s not just 2020, it could be that our 30s are here…) we wanted to share our all time favorite skincare right now! It is a great gift, especially for that treat yourself loving person on your list.
highlighting some local Richmond businesses, encouraging you to shop small this year when you can. You don’t have to live in Richmond to support these businesses and anyone can enter the giveaway!
This year, in addition to our regular gift guides, we wanted to especially highlight some local small business for you to support this holiday season! And as a token of all of our appreciation for shopping small this year, a few of our favorites have donated to this giveaway. We hope you will not only enter and follow along with these great brands, but shop small with them even if you don’t win the giveaway.
Rebelle Naturelle – I have known Mary, the badass black woman behind this all-natural, ethically sourced skincare line, for ten years! I was so thrilled when she reached out to me to share her handmade skincare line, knowing it would be amazing. Let me tell you, the whipped body frosting is absolutely DIVINE!Mary or “M DOT” as she is known on the ‘gram, makes her high quality skincare products with a boutique experience and you can feel the personal touches and GLAM vibes that she adds to each product.
Gifting: One whipped body frosting and One Lavender+Aloe face tonic and setting spray
L & M Company- We love a family business around here and we LOVE the leggings created by sisters Lucy and Michele. They have quickly become an everyday staple for both of us, and we know you’d love them too. These would make a great gift for all the ladies in your life.
Gifting: A $50 gift card to L and M!
ROSE LETTERING CO – We are so in love with Kaytee Lauren’s newest adventure as the owner and creator behind Rose Lettering Co. Her modern, hand-painted ornaments would be a beautiful, thoughtful addition to any tree! Talk about the perfect Christmas gift. You can use code CRYSTALPRESS10 for 10% off this holiday season.
Gifting: a small glass ornament with customized personalization. Includes your choice of ribbon from the collection and a cotton ornament bag
Yia-Mas – My friend Kristina created her lifestyle brand and workshop series Yia Mas to bring the ancient wisdom of Greece to our modern lives. She hosts wellness events and retreats and her shop includes conscious objects inspired by the land, folk traditions and Greek culture! She hosts virtual workshops, Greek dance classes and guided meditations over on her IG, so you’ll be happy you followed along!
Gifting : Yia Mas Tie Dye sweatshirt, Journal made in Greece
RVA Cheesegirl – OH MY GOSH. Are you salivating yet? We have been admiring RVA Cheesegirl on instagram for a while now and the holidays seem like the perfect time to try out one of her amazing boards. Visit her on instagram, shoot her a DM and add one of her delicious cheeseboards to your holiday festivities.
Gifting: One of her amazing cheese boards in the upcoming Treat Yourself giveaway. Stay Tuned on instagram!
Blossom– Your go-to place for all things plant-based and wellness related. CBD, adaptogens, supplements and more! Located on Cary Street and online.
Gifting: A $100 gift card in the upcoming Treat Yourself giveaway! Stay tuned on instagram
Scents of Serenity – a full blog post is coming up soon about this amazing all organic day spa in Richmond. Trust us when we say that anyone on your list would be THRILLED to be gifted a Scents of Serenity gift card or experience.
Gifting : A Scents of Serenity Experience in the upcoming Treat Yourself giveaway! Stay tuned on instagram.
Megan Pratt Art– Follow Megan on instagram for her gorgeous watercolors! We will be gifting a Figure Study set along with the below very soon!
Al & Em – Not local to RVA but we love their modern jewelry and are thrilled to include them in an upcoming giveaway! We will be gifting one of their giant bobby pins to a lucky winner.
Other local Richmond small businesses to support this year:
Let’s Talk Towels — In case you are new around here, Reb & her mom have a Turkish Towel business! We have reimagined Turkish Towels as wraps, shawls, and throws in addition to their versatile use as your beach & bath towels! Use code REBECCA for 10% off through the holidays.
Sun and Selene – Gorgeous jewelry, handmade in Richmond by the oh so talented Britt!
Little Nomad – The cutest, hippest children’s clothing store! A must for anyone with little ones on their list.
Dear Neighbor – This little shop in Church Hill has the best curated selection of holiday gifts and they just launched their care packages in their online store!
TO ENTER FOLLOW THE STEPS BELOW! YOU DON’T HAVE TO LIVE IN RICHMOND TO ENTER. GOOD LUCK 🙂
TO RECAP FOR THIS POST’S GIVEAWAY:
Rebelle Naturelle : One whipped body frosting and One Lavender+Aloe face tonic and setting spray L & M Company : $50 gift card Rose Lettering Co: a small glass ornament with customized personalization. Includes your choice of ribbon from the collection and a cotton ornament bag Yia Mas: Tie Dye sweatshirt, Journal made in Greece
One thing is for sure: our love for faux fur has stood the test of time.
One of our very first blog posts here on The Crystal Press 6 years ago, featured Cath wearing a faux fur coat. Over the years, some of our favorite photos, seen in this post, were taken while wearing the winter fashion staple. From our twinning with the colorful Faux Fur from Tart Collections, to the Tart coats in the photo above, we always have a blast when it comes to faux fur (and twinning).{Note to self: time to schedule this year’s faux fur shoot}
The thing we love about a good faux fur coat is how they can take an outfit from zero to hero in the blink of an eye. Our holiday gatherings will look a little different this winter, and it is likely you will be outside for much of them. Our small family get togethers and socializing with friends will likely be cozied up in backyards and on porches and decks and you’ll need a warm coat that feels festive! It is safe to say you will be the life of the “party” if you don a gorgeous faux fur coat.
Coffee table books make the perfect statement in your home and are great gifts for your loved ones. From music, to fashion, to travel, to art – there is a statement coffee table book for everyone your list!
Unlike half-read books on your bookshelves, great coffee table books in your home make a statement. I love coffee table books because they are a statement piece AND a million other reasons. Not only are they beautiful but coffee table books make your space more interesting, flipping through their glossy pages is like a trip to another place, and their size is larger than life. I am partial to the fashion coffee table books, I mean hello – how beautiful is this Tom Fordone? The bold black and white cover really gets me.
so obsessed with my new knit sets from Nasty Gal, which would make the perfect cozy holiday ‘fits
A few weeks I went on a bit of a buying spree on one of the LTK Days and boy I am glad I did! I ordered three different knit sets from Nasty Gal and they came just in time for our trip to The Homestead. I basically lived in these pieces the whole weekend – wearing them together and mixing and matching. I especially love the sweater of the off the shoulder set, so I wore that on repeat with each pair of pants daily. It was just so cozy!! I brought all kinds of other outfits, but couldn’t resist cozying up in these pieces each morning.
black dresses: the perfect start to a stand out look.
If you ask us, a black dress (or ten) is a staple in every girl’s wardrobe. Year round, casual, fancy, long, short, midi or maxi. A black dress is not only a classic, but also the great baseline for a look. You can dress them up, dress them down, and most importantly make them festive for any season!
Our holidays are looking a little different this year, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t get excited for getting dressed! When we asked you guys on instagram, you wanted to see holiday outfit ideas so here we are. The black dress is the perfect start for your holidays looks! You can accessorize with tights, jewelry, coats or a hat and create something extraordinary from an ordinary black dress! We have rounded up 20 options for you guys, ranging in price, length and style, providing options for you no matter your style preference.
Cath likes to throw on a hat to top off her looks, and I love to accessorize with a badass pair of boots and tights. Cath also wrote a post over on Cathclaire about how easy a black dress is for getting dressed when you’ve got an infant in the house. Anything to make picking out your outfit easier is a win in our book!
win a shoot with local Richmond photographer Halle Kennon
We are SO excited to kick off our holiday giveaway series! What better way to kick it off than with the girl behind the lens of so many of our photos: Halle Kennon!
We first met Halle a year ago, when we wanted to shoot some holiday content at the Quirk Hotel and the rest is history! She has captured so many of our favorite snaps, through Catherine’s pregnancy, some great brand collabs, quarantine, our Olsen Halloween and more. She gives great guidance, is stellar at editing and always delivers so many great photos. (Just search Halle Kennon from the side bar and you will find all the hits)
If you win this giveaway, you get either a portrait, lifestyle or couple’s session with Halle in 2021! Think: birthdays, anniversary photos, family portraits. And if you don’t win.. we encourage you should still book a session with Halle because she is the best and we love to support our local creators!
Follow the steps below to enter! The more you do, the more entries you’ll get! Giveaway will run through Sunday 11/22 at Midnight EST.
The phases of the moon have always been fascinating to me. Over the past couple of years, I have really enjoyed learning about the phases of the moon and how to harness the natural power of the two most well known moon phases: the new moon and the full moon. During these two phases, the energy of the moon is most felt.
As I’ve said in several of my blogposts here and on cathclaire.com about the moon, mother moon affects the ocean tides, the growth of plants, and (among other things) human beings with her energy.
I’ve shared my full moon ritual here on The Crystal Press and touched on how a full moon is about completion.
