holiday Archives • Page 2 of 2 • diy mama

by Shelly on December 1, 2017 3 Comments

Holiday Gift Ideas: Friends, Family and Significant Others

Last December The Minimalists put out a documentary on intentional living. I’ve been slowly adjusting how I live, buy and give to fit those values. The most difficult thing for me in the realm of minimalism is gifting. Not only is it difficult for gifts coming in but also the idea of giving gifts that will be truly impactful to someone (either by aesthetic of usefulness.)

My favorite thing to give and receive are experiences. I loved Miranda’s recent post over at Live Free Creative Co. called 50 Ideas for Gifts of Experiences. Her family of five has been applying the mindset of Less Stuff, More Adventure with their year of #morethanenoughstuff challenge. Only purchasing consumable items, experiences and necessities has been their goal. If your friends and family prefer gifts over experiences, here are some ideas to get you started.

Holiday Gift Ideas for Family, Friends and Significant Others

For your green thumb mother-in-law who loves cooking. Kitchen Greenhouse.

For your Aunt who staying over for the holidays. Bath Pamper Box.

For your hip cousin who just bought a new house. Wild Hair Lady

For your Grandpa who has no plans to retire. Custom Photo Calendar & Easel.

For your boho cousins with a baby on the way. Macrame Baby Swing.

Art for your mom who dreams of the beach. Salt Water Cure Print.

For your Dad who likes to work with his hands. Spoon Carving Knives.

For your nephew that has every toy! Skating Gator Rug.

For your niece that loves to create. House Pillow Kit.

For your sister who loves organizing. Ikea shoe drawer.

For your techy brother who appreciates style. Ikea Phone Charger.

For your friend who is always cold. Arm Kitting Throw Kit.

For your friend who has sophisticated taste in beverages. Whiskey Ice Ball Mold.

For your husband who is obsessed with space. Galaxy Phases of the Moon Print.

For your boho minimalist wife who loves nature. Hanging Wood Nightstand.

And for you, a day to yourself. Go get your eyebrows done, get a free makeover at Sephora, get your hands and feet pampered at the spa and cap it off curling up with a book on the couch next to the Christmas tree. Aaaah what a day. I hope this gift guide was inspirational for that cousin or nephew that is tricky to buy for!

by Shelly on November 22, 2017 8 Comments

Indy is the new Chicago for Holiday Shopping

Holiday shopping is in full force and Indianapolis is scoring all the right points for making your shopping experience fantastic this year. Greater Indianapolis has been growing by leaps and bounds in the past few years and this past year was no exception. With the addition of Ironworks Hotel that opened up in September, the Northside is giving Chicago a run for it’s money. We had the pleasure of checking out Ironworks hotel at a discount to test my theory of having all of the luxury of Chicago right here in Indianapolis. No need to take a bus up to Chicago and lug around massive shopping bags through Michigan Avenue anymore.

Lodging

The Northside of Indy is known for it’s amazing upscale dining and shopping but has only recently become the hot spot for hair salons, spas and hotels as well. The Ironworks Hotel welcomes guests to the new Indianapolis location to enjoy rooms and suites inspired by the 19th century capped off with industrial charm and modern amenities.

The 120 room boutique hotel will be host to three restaurants and a spa that offers facials and massages. Room prices will range from about $139 for a king-size traditional room to $1,500 for the premier founder’s suite on the fifth floor, which has a private bedroom and private terrace with a fire pit and a far-off view of Downtown Indianapolis.

We stayed in the Legacy Suite which has a King size bed and a living space. Both areas have a 65 inch TV for his and her viewing. The windows in this room allow ample light during the day but black out shades helped us sleep like babies through the night. Our favorite addition to the room were the hand crafted industrial pieces by The Rusty Truck like the end tables, desk and wine holders. The attention to detail and craftsmanship of the room was noticeable. It did not feel like a big box hotel which we love.

(photo courtesy of Ironworks Hotel)

Dining

The Ironworks Hotel property will have three restaurants once they’ve all opened. Rize was the health focused breakfast and lunch restaurant that we had the pleasure of enjoying Sunday morning. The food was phenomenal and we were happy to hear that a majority of their food is sourced from local growers. The hotel also plays host to Provision, another health conscious restaurant focused on sourcing from local farmers. Provision’s menu includes locally sourced products from Fischer Farms, Tyner Pond Farms, and Confectionaries, all passionate partners in regional restaurant development and growth in Indianapolis. They also showcase locally grown produce from Cunningham Restaurant Group’s own CRG Grow Greenhouse.

The third location, Blue Sushi Sake Grill, is due to open in late 2017. Sushi enthusiasts will appreciate Blue Sushi Sake Grill’s high-quality ingredients and fresh seafood. Along with traditional sushi selections, they are known for their growing list of tasty vegan-friendly and gluten-free fare.

(photo courtesy of Ironworks Hotel)

Pamper

After shopping all day you’ll want to make time for relaxing your worn out muscles. Massage Heights in Ironworks Hotel is the perfect resort for your massage and facial needs. Massage helps lower blood pressure, improve flexibility and increase endorphins along with loosening muscles. They’re currently running a grand opening special that includes a 1 hour massage for $25 (that is a $75 discount!)

If it’s your first time, be sure to get there at least 10 minutes early to fill out the paperwork. Members can enhance their massage or facial with various Elevations (from Hot Stone Therapy and Reviving Foot Scrubs to Revitalizing Face Massage and Active Therapy), as well as all-natural Aromatherapies designed with specific benefits in mind.

Shopping

Indy is the new Chicago for Holiday shopping. The Fashion Mall is the premier luxury shopping destination for the Indianapolis metro area, and Indiana. A dynamic retail fusion of ready-to-wear fashions, home decor and top technology. Boasting a unique mix of high-end anchors, including Saks Fifth Avenue and Nordstrom, top brands and luxury specialty retailers such as Burberry, Tiffany & Co, Raleigh Limited Menswear, BCBGMAXAZRIA, kate spade new york, Swatch, tumi, Coach and more. Fulfill all of your tech needs at The Apple Store and Microsoft store.

Some of my favorite stores are at Keystone Fashion mall including Anthropologie, Crate and Barrel, West Elm, MAC, Pottery Barn, The North Face and Lucky Brand. The Fashion Mall in Indianapolis has everything Chicago has without the traffic.

(photo courtesy of Simon Malls)

With Thanksgiving in a couple of days, our minds will quickly switch gears to shopping for the Holidays. Give yourself a break this year and experience your Holiday Shopping trip in luxury with fine dining, one-stop-shopping, a little pampering and a great night’s sleep.

Related Posts:

Girls Day Out in Indy- Mass Ave

How I Do a Girls Day Out in Indy | Mass Ave

Girls Day Out in Indy- North Side

How I Do a Girls Day Out in Indy | North Side

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by Shelly on December 9, 2014 2 Comments

Making Spirits Bright

What are you all up to this holiday season? Busy choosing the perfect tree, ice skating with your kids, forgetting to move that darn elf?? Continue Reading about Making Spirits Bright →

by Shelly on November 7, 2014 4 Comments

Thanksgiving Tablescapes

Greetings friends! I hope your first week of November has treated you well and you’ve managed to stay warm (and not blow away!) I’ve been seeing amazing ideas in the way of activities, decor and recipes for Thanksgiving that is getting me in the grateful spirit.

I have a lot to be grateful for in my life. I’m blessed with a healthy family who is also happy. I’m thankful to have grandparents, aunts, uncles, friends and neighbors that have so much love for Sophie, it’s unreal. I’m thankful to get to take my daughter and dog on a walk at the park and be confident that we’ll have fun and feel safe. I’m thankful that I get to choose whatever pumpkin recipe I want (and possibly fail at) for Thanksgiving because money and time (a helpful husband) allows me to do so. I’m thankful for Thanksgiving (and the month of November) that helps us get into the holiday spirit by recognizing what we’re thankful for. Also, I’m thankful for you! Thank you for reading my posts, sharing my posts, trying my crafts and giving me tips and tricks on what to improve!

Here are my top 10 inspirational Thanksgiving tablescapes to modernize my decor:via Laura

via Karen

via Destiny

via Justina

via Kelly

via Desiree

via Chelsea

via Teri

via Emily

If I had to choose a favorite, it’d be a tie between Emily’s multi patterned design and the nature feel of Karen’s. I really like different aspects of each of these set ups though so I may have to pull individual pieces from each to make a totally different tablescape! Which one do you like the best or are you more traditional in your Thanksgiving table settings?

For more Fall ideas, check out my Modern Fall Decor post, Fall Nail Ideas, or my Fall Recipes & Decor board on Pinterest!
Follow Shelly Bergman’s board Fall Decor & Recipes on Pinterest.

The photos and stylings of this post are not of my own. You can click the links to take you to the original masterminds behind the eyecandy in this round up. Also, please pin from their sites rather than this round up.