Mother's Day Gift Guide

Mother's Day is coming up, and I am excited to share some ideas with you today for a gift that will show your mum how much you appreciate her- or if you are a mother you may want to treat yourself to one of these!

The Gardener Mum
Why not put her green thumb on display with this beautiful rose necklace from Whitehot Jewellery? Available in silver, gold or even with a teardrop accent added on, this necklace is dainty enough to be worn everyday.

Silver Rose Necklace

The Bookworm Mum
A good book is always appreciated, and this new novel by Bill Clegg is a real page-turner. Even before being published, it appeared on the longlist for this year's Man Booker Prize, and the subject, although grim, explores the bond that is family.

Did You Ever Have a Family

The Fashion-Forward Mum
This gorgeous tote bag is sure to get admiring glances, and will go with everything!

Ooh La La Graphic Floral Top Tote

The Coffee-Drinking Mum (isn't this all of us?)

A perfect coffee in under a minute can be yours with the Nescafe Genio Coffee Machine. I have one of these and enjoy the Americano pods or the Chai Tea Lattes, yum! If you purchase this machine and use the coupon code NDGMUMSGENIO you can also get 20 boxes of capsules for free!

Genio 2 Black Coffee Machine

The Crafty Mum
A card kit is always good for those mums who want to get some craft time in but may not have a couple of hours to come up with ideas. This kit gives you all the embellishments, cards bases and even the envelopes to create 10 cards.

Beautiful Blossoms Card Kit

The New Mum
Winter is coming, and the night wake-us can be rough for a new mum, especially when she is sitting up for an hour or so to feed, change and comfort the newborn. A fabulous dressing gown that can also be worn during the day is a great idea to make new mums feel a bit more glamorous.

Spot Cuddle Gown

The Movie Buff Mum
The Dressmaker is a great Australian based movie that was just released on DVD on Wednesday, so this movie should be something new for your mum to enjoy! With fashion, man-candy and a fabulous storyline, this is a perfect chick flick to watch with your mum over a glass of wine.

The Dressmaker DVD

Which gift do you think your mum would most like to receive- or are any of these on your Mother's Day wishlist?

Made in NZ Father's Day Gift Guide

I love supporting local businesses, and New Zealand has some wonderful shops online that cater for all sorts of people. With Father's Day coming up on Sunday 1st September, I thought I would share some Kiwi made gift ideas for your Dad.

The Photo-Loving Dad

These sweet Me & Dad magnets are fantastic on the fridge with a photo- what a great surprise for Father's Day. I have had mine since 2011 and still get comments about them! You can also put them on filing cabinets if he wants to display photos in the office Available from tinch.

The Car-Proud Dad

We all know a guy who loves his car, and these car mats are proudly made in New Zealand to deal with our weather conditions. No more traipsing mud into the car! Select your design based on car make and model from Rubbertree.

The Book-Loving Dad

This is The House That Jack Built with a New Zealand twist. Gavin Bishop is a wonderful New Zealand author and any of his books are a welcome addition in our house. A great book to read to children- my husband is in charge of bedtime books and this would be a firm favourite.

Purchase from Gecko Press, a wonderful book supplier that has books from New Zealand and around the world.

The Grill King Dad

This heavy duty BBQ cover will protect your dad's most prized possession and is NZ made, waterproof and UV treated. Grab one at Not Socks.

The Chef Dad

How cute are these wooden spoons? You can even customise it to your Dad's favourite colour or tie it in with your kitchen décor. Great for those Dads who are in charge of Scrambled Egg Sundays. Purchase via Jamie Kay.

The Tech Dad

Most men I know own a smartphone, laptop, tablet or gaming console of some kind. A NZ based business, Wrappz allows you to customise these items. How great would it be for your Dad to have his favourite photo of his kids on his iPhone or Playstation? Wrappz cases provide robust protection and are printed using the latest techniques to provide a visually stunning scratch resistant finish. Have a play and come up with a design that Dad will love.

The Comfortable Clothing Dad

Comfort always starts with the bottom layer, and Thunderpants are a great NZ company making underwear that is designed to not ride up your bum! They even have a special on at the moment, so grab a great deal.

The Family Man Dad

Another favourite gift in our house, this framed list of house rules is a lovely reminder of family bonding. Perfect for any Dad I think! Check out the full range of options at smartiepants.

The Bed Hog Dad

Some men won't stay on their side of the bed, no matter how hard you try! It gets even worse when the littlies climb in as well, leaving you with hardly any room to sleep. Try to combat the problem with these pillows from Hazel Loves Design.

I hope that you have been inspired by some of these suggestions. Which gift suits your Dad the best?