Waterside Must Haves {Hostess Gifts Ideas from Casabella }

It's almost that time!  It's our last week of school so that means lots of lake weekends, beach getaways and fun in the sun. If you are heading to a friend's lake house or beach condo you know you can't show up empty handed.  Fun little hostess gifts will go a long way to make sure you get invited back!  

One of our favorite shops, Casabella in East Cobb, has tons of custom items for every lake and beach nearby. We love the personalized book stacks and etched glasses which make perfect hostess gifts! They have a great selection and it is all in one spot. That makes it easy for local friends to pop in, pick up what you need, and be on your way to the lake or sea. 

We put together some of our favorite waterside must haves from Casabella that make any weekend getaway just a little bit better.  We love a great waterproof bag, trendy towels, fun snacks, cute cups, drink mixes and more. 

It would be so cute to put together a little gift bag like this for a friend as a hostess gift or even just to grab all the essentials you need for your next getaway. 

Lastly, we couldn't share waterside must haves without sharing this goodness.  Good Times Slushie mixes are the easiest frozen cocktail mix you will ever try. You just mix it with the liquor suggested and you have a yummy batch that everyone can enjoy. Casabella carries an assortment of flavors and we've been lucky to taste test a few. Take our word for it, these are a must have! 

Need a fun cup to drink those adult slushies from? Casabella has you covered with lots of non-breakable options perfect for your waterside getaway!

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On-Trend Gifts For Teens {Athleisure Clothing They Love!}

Earlier this week I shared some cute on-trend jewelry and accessories that are great gifts ideas for teens and today is all about the athleisure clothes they love. 

Here is the thing...I know a lot of these items are expensive.  I know it is crazy to spend over $100 on a pair of sweatpants.  BUT, I also remember what it was like to be in middle school and just wanting to fit in. I am at a point in my life where I don't care about the labels and having what everyone else has, but when I was 13 you better believed I cared.  Like I have explained to my husband on numerous occasions, that is why I purchase these things for special occasions like birthdays and Christmas. Plus, the lucky thing for me is that my girls wear the same size now so they can share everything. 

That said, I've also found some great dupes for some of the items that I'm also sharing today!  My girls have some of the dupes and they are all great quality so only sharing the ones we personally own. 

1. Lululemon Align Tank 

These cropped tanks are super cute.  Linking a great dupe from Amazon HERE with over 16,000 reviews!  I bought one of these for my daughter's birthday and the quality is amazing!  The only difference is it is missing the logo.  

2. Lululemon Sports Bra

My girls are constantly swiping these from each other's rooms.  I've purchased several of the dupes from Amazon and they really are just as great! Shop HERE and see over 1,500 reviews. 

3. Lululemon Swiftly Tech Long Sleeve and Lululemon Swiftly Tech Short Sleeve

They love all the fun colors, but I will say my girls wear the white and black the most because they match all of their colored bottoms. 

4. Aerie Flair Leggings 

Wish I would have known flair leggings were going to make a comeback because I would have saved all of mine from early 2000's.  These are super cute, super soft, and super on trend with the kids. 

5. Aviator Nation Zip Up 

Want to make a kid's day?  Gift them an Aviator Nation piece of clothing. Who knew a zip-up hoodie could make a kid so happy. Another great option is the Aviator Nation cropped sweatshirt. 

7. Aviator Nation Sweatpants 

Notice a trend with the brands here??? It pained me to buy these at Christmas, but she has 100% gotten her wear out of them.  Super soft and runs true to size, but a little short. Also available HERE. 

8. Gold Hinge Skirt 

These skirts are adorable and have built in shorts. The Amazon dupe looks EXACTLY THE SAME!!!  

9. Lululemon Hotty Hot Shorts 

So many cute colors, but the smaller sizes usually go quick.  My girls like the 2.5 inseam best. 

10. Keiki Kona Shorts

Another adorable shorts option that sort of looks like a skirt. Also nicknamed the butterfly shorts.  Lots of fun colors and lots of options for less than the original on Amazon. 

 

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Easy & Inexpensive Boo Boxes

Full disclosure - going to be a little "extra" here. I love giving gifts, and have been known to give them for every and any occasion. But in past years, I haven't really given gifts for Halloween. This year, though, three of the seven teachers my kids see daily have birthdays the week of Halloween. So, I thought I would do a little something fun for all of the teachers. 

And let's be honest. If anyone deserves a gift these days, it's our teachers! 

I came up with the idea of these little "Boo Boxes". They look pretty, but I promise they are quick and easy to put together. Bonus - I was able to make each one for around $5! 

The kids helped sort and stock each one and within a few minutes each one was packaged and ready to go. So it looks "extra", without being a whole lot of extra. 

HOW TO CREATE YOUR OWN BOO BOXES

Most items I grabbed from the Target Dollar Spot and the Walmart Seasonal section. It all kind of coordinated, but you can do your own mix of items too! 

In case you want to know where specific items from this bunch came from here is a breakdown: 

- Drink holder: Walmart Seasonal Section (come in packs of two)

- Mini Candy Corn Packs - Walmart Seasonal Section

- Decorative Cookies - Target Bakery

- "I Put A Spell On You" Socks - Target Dollar Spot, $1

- Fall Candle - Target Dollar Spot, $3

- Glitter Nail Polish - Target Beauty Section (Colors: Strobe Light & Rockstar Pink)

The fun socks I just couldn't resist. Especially since the week of Halloween our teachers have a lot of fun events planned. Our teachers are a wide range of ages too. 

One classroom is peanut-free so I did these Fall candles with the drink huggers and socks instead of the mix candies and cookies. 

For wrapping I used the following: 

- 5x5 inch treat boxes (can be found here or here)

- Various ribbon -Walmart Craft Section

Long time readers know we used to have an Etsy shop with different stationery and printables we created. Those days are long gone, and while I still love creating personalized items for our family, for this project I download this super cute "Spooky Wishes" tag from another Etsy seller. 

The "Spooky Wishes" tag printable came right away and was editable. I customized them to each kid's name and then printed on some cardstock. Super easy! 

Once the kids put the items they wanted for each of their teachers and wrote a little note, the "Boo Boxes" were all wrapped up and ready to go! 

I did these for our teachers, but could totally see doing this for friends, family, neighbors, or co-workers. They might even make for a fun little agent gift if you are a real estate agent. Put in a Home Depot gift card and done! 

I like that it was a simple idea and could even be done as a candy filled "Boo Box". Everyone loves a little surprise - no matter how big or how small! 

WHO WOULD YOU GIVE A BOO BOX TO? 

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Mix & Mingle: Simply Be Box

One of our favorite things about running Magnolia Mamas is all of the amazing companies we get introduced to. We love supporting other women and moms who are going out on a limb, following their callings and creating some amazing things.  Because of that we started our Mix and Mingle series...to share with you some fun small businesses and the people behind the amazing products we come across. 

It's been a while since we've had a post in this series, but when I got introduced to Ellen Cooper by a mutual friend I knew this post was meant to happen! Ellen is the founder of Simply Be Box. Simply Be Box is a faith-based subscription box just for teen girls (middle and high school ages) and we absolutely LOVE what Ellen has created.  I'll share a little more about the box and all the goodies in a sec, but first let's get to know Ellen. 

 

1. Tell us a little about yourself. 

I'm an Atlanta native, grew up in East Cobb, graduated from Walton High School and went to Ole Miss. Been married to James since 2003 and we have two teenage daughters, Ella and Hannah. I worked in a corporate career for 15 years and left in 2013 to spend more time with our girls, get more involved in the community and at church. At 40 years old, God called me to seminary which was never in my plan, but turned out to be a life transforming experience. I've always felt called to pour into girls and have had many opportunities to do that over the years with my own daughters, their friends and through bible studies and small groups. 

2. If you could visit anywhere in the world, where would you go? 

I'd probably eat and drink my way through Italy. 

3. What's the funniest/most embarrassing thing that has happened to you as a mom? 

When my girls were younger, we had that first nerve racking birds & bees discussion. In an attempt to be real and open with them I held nothing back, used all the real words and for some reason felt the need to go into specifics about the egg and sperm...you know all the details. Feeling relieved and quite proud of myself to have successfully made it through that conversation, my husband walked in and said, "so the girls tell me you lay eggs?" I have never laughed so hard...mom fail! 

4. What inspired you to start Simply Be Box? 

During quarantine, we kept seeing commercials for the big subscription box brand so my daughter and I decided to order one. It was so fun, we both loved receiving it in the mail. It got me thinking how nice it would be if there was a subscription box specifically geared toward teen girls filled with things they'd love, that was positive and could be a vehicle to share the gospel and encourage them. I did some research and couldn't find anything so I decided to start it myself. Since graduating from seminary in 2019, I'd been praying for God to reveal what was next and for a while it was unclear, but as 2021 rolled around it started to become clear that this was it. The box full of goodies may get the girl's attention, but I'm really after their heart, to help them know how much they are loved by God and to be who God created them to be. 

Now that you've gotten to know a little more about Ellen and how Simply Be came to be, it's time for the really fun part. Taking a peek inside the fall box!  

My girls were thrilled to open up theirs and see all of the goodies it is filled with.  

What's in each box?

Each Simply Be Box has a theme focused around one of their "Be Attitudes." 

Be You, Be Brave, Be a Light, Be a Friend. 

It is filled with items that are on-trend and that the girls love, but also items that are positive and uplifting...something all our teen girls need in this day and age. 

Each box includes something to READ, DO, USE, DISPLAY, WEAR & EAT. 

 How often do they come? 

The neat thing about Simple Be is that you can choose to get a one-time box, a seasonal subscription or an annual subscription. We think these would be fun gifts for the teen girls in your life!  You could do a one time gift or a subscription, but this is something positive and really different than anything out there that we have seen!

Book Club

Y'all know our love of books and a good book club. Can you even believe that Simply Be has it's own?! The READ in each box is a faith-based book, devotional, or bible study focused on that box's theme.  The girls are invited to participated in a 4-6 week virtual book club via Zoom to discuss the book, implement what they are learning and to just be encouraged. 

Simply Be Book Club is a subscriber exclusive, offered to those who sign up for an Annual or Seasonal Subscription. 

Discount Code 

Ellen was kind enough to share a discount code with us for our followers to get $10 off any purchase of an annual subscription, seasonal subscription or a one-time box. 

Use code: MM1021 through the end of this month! 

Learn more about Simple Be Box

Website // Facebook // Instagram 

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Teen Gift Idea {Favorite Color Gift Basket}

 Last weekend my daughter was headed to a birthday party for one of her friends so that was a good excuse for us to go shopping! When I asked her what she wanted to get her friend she told me about the cutest idea she had seen online for a favorite color gift basket. After finding out what her friend's favorite color was (Aqua) we made our way to Target and went on the hunt for all things Aqua.  

We hit up the accessories section, make up, nail polish, snacks, candy, school supplies and more!  This gift was so much fun to shop for and even my son had fun looking for items that would match.  

We took it all home, styled it cute in the basket with shredded paper filler on the bottom and then wrapped it up with clear wrapping paper and a big matching bow.  It was the cutest and easiest thing to put together and I'm pretty sure we'll be giving this gift to all of my girls' friends in the near future!  

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Cute Gift Card Idea for Teachers

Today and tomorrow are my kids' class holiday parties and then they are out of school for two weeks!!! I'm so excited and can't wait to have them home over Christmas. Since I'm one of the room moms for their classes I'm helping with the teacher gifts from the class.  I know teachers love gift cards so instead of doing one large gift card I decided to put together these little gift card trees.

It's such a cute and easy gift card idea if you have a group going in together for one large gift.

I found the mini trees at Target this year (I got them from Walmart last year) and added a ribbon to the top.  Then I gathered gift cards to all of our teachers' favorite places.  We collected money from parents at the beginning of the year to help with things like class parties and teacher gifts, but you could even ask parents to donate a gift card towards the group gift. 

Some are smaller amounts ($5 to Starbucks or $10 to Chick-fil-a) and some are a larger amounts to their favorite restaurant or store.  I just try to get enough to fill up the tree!  I removed the cards from their packaging, write the value of the card on the back with a Sharpie, and tie them on the trees to be the "ornaments." 

These gift card trees are such an easy thing to put together and fun for the teachers to receive because not only are the getting gift cards to a lot of their favorite places, but they also get to keep the mini tree for their classroom or their home!

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Quick & Easy Father's Day Gift Idea

June is filled with so many fun events - graduations, weddings, showers, birthday parties, and Father's Day. Sometimes it's tough to be creative and think of the perfect gift when there are so many events with in a small period of time. I'm often guilty of stressing over trying to find that "wow" gift for each and every occasion, especially when it comes to dads and grads.

Dads are especially hard for me. My dad and husband are some of the hardest people to shop for no matter what the occasion. They are the type of people that if they need or want something throughout the year, they just buy it for themselves. I try to keep a running list of things they mention in passing on my phone, but sadly it always gets dwindled down to nothing by the time an event rolls around. 

I mean, I totally appreciate their proactive ability to get stuff done...but it makes a little tough for the gift givers in the group. 

But not this year! 

This year I've stumbled upon the easiest stress-free gifting idea that makes everyone happy. It's even in the name - Happy Cards! 

We were introduced to Happy Cards last year, and when I was shopping for graduation gifts I remembered how fun and easy they were to gift. Happy Cards are themed gift cards with more than one retailer attached to them - so the gift receiver can chose where they want to purchase their gift from. It can be one of of the retailers or multiple retailers. There is literally a Happy Card for every type of occasion and every type of interest. 

I need to start remember to gift them more. Every time we've gifted a Happy Card the receiver raves about how easy it is to use.  

And it was even easier to plan for this year's round of graduations and dad gift ideas because I realized I could order and send them straight to my home (or the gift receiver's home) from GiftCards.com. With just a click of a button and a few days wait time the gift was on our doorsteps. So so easy! 

I ordered a variety of Happy Cards for each event. For the Grads I chose Happy Student, Happy Teen, or Happy Moments cards. For the Dads I purchased a mixture of Happy Guy, Happy Moments, and Happy Dining cards. 

The hardest part in the whole process was getting the kids to sit down and sign the cards. If that's the most stressful part of gifting, I call that a win! 

Hopefully this helps if you need a quick and easy gift idea for the grads and dads in your life! Do you have an easy go-to gift idea? Share with us! We are always looking for great ideas, and you never know who you might be helping out! 

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**This post was sponsored by GiftCards.com via the ShoppingLinks network. All thoughts and opinions are our own.