Sometimes it's nice to have new gift ideas for the ladies who are on your shopping list for this time of year. So if your mom, mother-in-law, sister, best friends, nieces, co-workers, daughters, girlfriend, wife or any other female is on your list to shop for, I hope this gift guide will spur some ideas for you!
1. Advent Calendars For Ladies
I came across this idea last year and I love it. For any woman who loves to do her nails and loves new nail polish colors, this is cutely displayed and I like it because the recipient gets it at the beginning of December. It's a great way to give a fun gift at the beginning of the month to a girl who will appreciate it. Who doesn't love an advent calendar? And with new polish colors each day?? Nothing better. There are a few different brands that put these out each year. Ciate and Essie are great options and I believe OPI has it's own version for this time of year.
Along the same lines, this tea advent calendar would be worth trying! For any tea lovers out there, I think this is a great gift and good way to try some different flavored teas. I was always a big fan of Teavana's loose leaf black teas, but since they don't make them anymore I was forced to try a different brand. I purchased Adagio's black loose leaf tea but haven't tried any of the flavored teas yet. If you do give it a try, let me know how you like it!
2. Subscription to Texture
For anyone who isn't familiar with the Texture, it's an app that allows you access to all kinds of magazines via a device. You pay a low monthly subscription and have access to just about any magazine you can think of, current and past issues. They have a gifting option where you can pay for someone's subscription for a certain period of time such as 6 months or a year. It's cheap and awesome and something she can enjoy all year long.
3. Subscription to Audible
If there's a lady on your list who does quite a bit of driving on a regular basis, I highly recommend a subscription to Audible, an app for audio books. There's a monthly fee for this app at about $14.99 per month which does add up, but it does allow you to purchase a free audio book each month. I have not found a better app to date and because of the free books monthly, I think it has been worth it. I love satellite radio, but a subscription to this app trumps that for me so far. I have a 35 minute commute each way to work and I can fit a lot of book listening into that amount of time. I'm not like everyone, but I prefer an audio book over reading it. As a result, I'm reading several books each month which I was not doing before.
4. Resin Phone and iPad Stands
Have you made purchases through Etsy before? For anyone who isn't familiar with Etsy, it's a marketplace of handmade sellers who have their own virtual shops set up to sell their products and services. I'm an Etsy seller and I use it frequently for gifts. I've had both good and bad experiences from sellers, just like everyone else has had with shopping experiences whether it's online or in actual the bricks and mortar.
I would highly recommend this Etsy seller, Stuermer Studios, who makes resin stands that hold iphones and iPads and more. It's a high-quality product, colorful, and practical. I have one phone stand at work and and an iPad stand from her that I use in my kitchen which is perfect when following recipes. I think they are adorable and she's a great seller to work with. She also can make stands for Androids, Kindles and other non Apple products.
I have found that fans of my pieces range from about 3 years old up to 75 and even 80. My jewelry is designed to be easy to wear, in style and make her feel and look good, regardless of her age. I make the glass beads by hand using a torch and kiln. If you know someone who appreciates art, artisan jewelry is a great option. Pieces are one of a kind, unique and colorful. Choose from long tassel necklaces, large beaded chunky bracelets, simple cuff bracelets, wrap bracelets and beaded earrings.
6. Awesome Treats That You Can't Find Everywhere
I have three examples of fun treats I would recommend. The first one is from an Etsy seller called The Atomic Apple. They make and ship incredible caramel apples with all kinds of toppings. There's a lot to choose from, they arrive fresh and well packaged, and are a fun gift!
I also love salt water taffy from a company called The Taffy Shop! This is excellent salt water taffy that comes in pre-sealed bags with cute packaging, creative and fun taffy flavors and mixes, and excellent tasting taffy which is my number one priority when choosing where to buy from. I have a wholesale account with them and have several taffy mixes available for sale in my shop. If you live in the north Iowa area and don't need me to ship your items, you can use the coupon code LOCAL upon checkout and skip the shipping fee! This taffy is gluten free and remains fresh as long as the bag is sealed for 6-8 months. This taffy is a great hostess gift, gift for teachers, co-workers, coaches and for yourself. Only while supplies last I must add.
Lastly on the food topic, a high school classmate of mine, Karen Reshetar, started a business called Whoever Wins Gets A Cookie. She makes these adorable, unique cookies and other treats as well. She's able to stencil anything you want on them and these are a great option for parties, holidays, hostess gifts and more. The colors and shapes she can do are amazingly unique and a great change of pace for desserts and parties. She also has experience working in a gourmet chocolate shop. Click here to visit her facebook page and see more.
7. Games & Puzzles
I don't have specific links to any puzzles I love more than others, and I only tend to do them in the winter when we're outside less. But I do love new games just as much. I just ordered Project Genius and I can't tell you if it's worth buying yet or not. To be decided. But it gets good reviews, looks cute and I like the concept of it.
8. Personalized Rolling Pin
I gave this gift to my grandma who loves to bake and I had it personalized with her last name on it. She often makes cookies for grandchildren and her own children, and I thought she would appreciate being able to personalize them with her family name. For someone who likes to bake, this gift is a cool, unique option.
9. All Out Natural Deodorant
If you have someone on your shopping list who loves using organic products, this new deodorant would be a great stocking stuffer! It's a hard-working blend of pure essential oils, coconut oil, and shea butter that inhibits bacteria and soothes the skin for a high performance experience for 24 hours. The founder of this organic product line is Jane Merten, an entrepreneur from my hometown.
10. Pottery
Last on this list but certainly not least is pottery! I sort of think north Iowa is a small mecca of extremely talented potters and there are a few that I would highly recommend purchasing from if you love it as much as I do. In particular I love Margie Kline's pieces from Old Crow Pottery including her platters, bowls, wine chillers, soap dishes and mugs.
In addition, I also love Emily Kiewel's work (pictured above and below). She's from Charles City, Iowa and is the founder of Tombo Studio and I have loved every piece I have of hers, in particular her cups and mugs. She has a lot of unique functional pieces including tea pots, plates, bowls, mugs and more. Pictured below is her gold feather jar. 
She's also an etsy seller and makes these beautiful porcelain necklaces.
Well those are my top pics! If you have any thoughts or anything to add, please comment below. Be sure to sign up for my email list to stay in touch, receive all the latest info and for exclusive offers by visiting www.wristflairglass.com.
Thanks for reading!