LAST MINUTE VALENTINE'S DAY GIFTS

I'm not the best at giving gifts, I must admit. The way I show love the most is through words of encouragement and quality time. When I'm shopping for a gift I want to go to one place to by it all. For gifts for my girl friends, I love all of the little trinkets that Idieh Design has to offer. It's my one stop V-Day place for sure!

Heidi Barlett is the boss lady behind the company, and she is also a fellow Phoenician. She has such great style and taste, and I love that she has created her own line of t-shirts, accessories and prints. Some of my favorite things from her shop and gifts for Valentine's Day are her t-shirts, iPhone cases and prints. 

iPhone cases are always a good gift if you know what size to get. You can easily add a personal touch, and it's a fun accessory everyone enjoys switching out from time to time. This one with lipstick marks all over it is my personal favorite.

Graphic prints are like a better version of a greeting card. It's something that people can hang, and often times the best prints are encouraging and up-lifting. I love thinking that I gift I give can keep on giving for years to come, and that's exactly what a framed print like this one can do.

Lastly, graphic t-shirts are still popular. Maybe your friend doesn't wear them on a daily basis, but these shirts are cute to workout it on even sleep in. I love this "dance it out" one because my family has a dance party in our living room almost every night. The lipstick mark t-shirt is also great too, especially if you're nervous your friend won't resonate with the sentiments on the other t-shirt.

Photos by Rennai Hoefer

MAJOR CRUSH

If you know me or have followed along for some time you'll know that I don't wear a lot of jewelry. But, when I do wear jewelry I only like to wear very special, quality pieces. I like when jewelry has a story, a powerful message or a special someone behind it. I've partnered with Shane Co. to share with you my Valentine's Day must-have jewelry because they are a company that offers those treasured gems.

Sometimes we see dollar signs when we think of shopping at a jewelry store, but I had no idea that you can find real gold and real silver items at Shane Co. for reasonable price points of under $200. Plus, with every purchase you make at Shane Co. you receive a certificate of authenticity. Many of us have probably spent similar amounts of money on jewelry that isn't even the best quality or guaranteed to give you timeless satisfaction.

I love this infinity collection by Shane Co. because the best way I can describe my love for my husband and kids is "infinite." This diamond bracelet and matching ring are modern and simple, but eye-catching. They are definitely high on my Valentine's want list.

Yellow gold, rose gold and silver are all on trend right now. You can mix and match them without wondering if they "go" together. I liked stacking these gold and rose gold diamond rings for understated, daily sparkle. 

In the past I haven't gravitated toward heart shaped jewelry, but when I saw this simple heart necklace I really loved it. It's one of those necklaces you would expect to see every woman wearing because it's sweet, delicate and can be layered with other jewelry.

This gold tassel bracelet, on the other hand, is that kind of unique piece that I'm always looking for. To put the bracelet on, you simply slide the gold ball down and slip it on your wrist. It's a design you would think you would see other places, but I never have! This bracelet is at the top of my want list!

If you're in the market to buy someone special a gift but you don't know what to get them, you can take this quiz to see what they might like. To see more things I'm crushing on you can check out my MAJOR CRUSH Pinterest board. Plus, you can enter to win $1,000 to Shane Co. by designing a Valentine's card, click here to enter.

Photos by Rennai Hoefer

CLASSROOM VALENTINE'S DAY

This year is Elle's first year celebrating Valentine's Day in school. I'm so excited for her, but Valentine's Day is a lot different than it was when I was growing up. Usually you would get a ton of candy and some fun cards from friends, but her school has asked us not to bring sweets. So, in lieu of candy I found these plastic macarons on Amazon.com. You can buy six for $7.99. I bought stick-on-earrings and stickers for the boys.

For her cards, Minted had the perfect Valentine's Day card that let me personalize it with her name and add a photo of her on the back. For three year olds a photo is such a great way for them to know who their Valentine is from since they can't read. Here's to hoping these go over well.

Win Love

This post is sponsored by Ellie Vail.

Love. It's what we all hope to feel and know every day of our lives, but also something we often fail at doing well with our friends, kids, parents and significant others. We have often heard the famous quoted verses from 1 Corinthians 13, "love is patient, love is kind, love does not envy, love does not boast...." and I've already missed the mark with patience this morning with my 2 year old. But every minute that goes by is a new opportunity to change our attitudes and actions. What better reminder to love well than jewelry that says "love" on it.

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All of these gorgeous pieces are by Ellie Vail. They are not only stylish, but also affordable.

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You can win your very own Juliette "love" ring just in time for Valentine's Day by entering below or clicking here. The contest ends on Friday, February 13th. Best of luck, and I hope your day is filled with a lot of love.

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Celebrate Galentine's Day

This is a sponsored post by Memebox.

Galentine's Day is the new Valentine's Day, didn't you hear? This Valentine's Day make some room for the gals in your life and celebrate how much you love and care for each other. In my mind the perfect girl party has dresses, flower crowns, flower petals, makeup, wine and candy. What about you?

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For the perfect makeup look, Stephanie of SN Makeup Artist and my dear friend, created an EASY makeup look for you. Simply apply Memebox's I'm Lip Tint Balm #2 in Flash Neon Pink and you have the perfect lips. Done! That's right. A DIY with one step. That's what I'm talking about! Get 10% off your lip tint when you use the code AVE10.

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Malori Maeva of Hoot and Holler created giant pink and red crowns for us to wear, and I dressed Steph and I up in dresses from Frances Vintage. Put some wine and chocolate out and turn on some girl tunes, and you got yourself a lovely, memorable Galentine's Day.

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Photos by Michelle Herrick; Art direction and styling by A.V.E. Styles; makeup by SN Makeup Artist, florals by Hoot and Holler.