Tag: gift ideas

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Still shopping? Grab these for Christmas stockings!

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Are you still shopping for Christmas gifts? Me too! I’m starting to tense up, just thinking about everything I still need to get done. And I still need some ideas! But today I have an idea for you, if you’re shopping for small children (and maybe not-so-small children): the new plush figures from Little Drops of Water. They fit perfectly at the top of a Christmas stocking—I tested it myself!

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That’s Our Lady of Lourdes and St. Francis of Assisi peeking out of two of my kids’ Christmas stockings. Aren’t they adorable?

There are no choking hazards on these plush toys; the little birds on St. Francis’ shoulders are embroidered on, as are the golden roses and the Rosary on Our Lady of Lourdes. Our Lady’s veil is sewed at the top, but it does move around (and might wind up being used as a “lovey” by a toddler; how sweet would that be?). These plushies are about 8 inches tall and as soft as can be, just right for cuddling by your little one.

Besides the St. Francis and Our Lady of Lourdes designs shown here, you can also find St. Rita, Padre Pio, Sacred Heart of Jesus, Immaculate Heart of Mary, St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Our Lady of Fatima, St. Anthony, and Pope Francis. They’re calling these #CutestCatholicPlushEVER and I’m inclined to agree.

 

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I’ve written before about the saint figurines and Nativity set from Little Drops of Water, and I’ve since learned that I’m not the only grownup who collects these little sturdy and unbreakable statues.

Little Drops of Water now ships from Chicago, so they’ll reach customers within the USA pretty quickly.

 

Copyright 2022 Barb Szyszkiewicz

Photos copyright 2022 Barb Szyszkiewicz, all rights reserved.

These product samples were sent by the manufacturer for my honest review.

Two Are Better Than One

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Two Are Better Than Once (1)What do Pat Gohn and Danielle Bean have in common?

  • they’re both moms
  • they’re both Catholic, enthusiastically and unapologetically (if that isn’t a word, it should be!)
  • they’re both writers
  • they’re both media-savvy (Pat in radio and podcasting, Danielle in TV and magazines)
  • they both live “down a country lane” in New England
  • they’ve both been inspiring me as a mom, writer and user of social media for years
  • they know how to encourage women

I met Pat live and in person at last summer’s Catholic Writers’ Guild Conference. She is warm and engaging, a wonderful listener who immediately hugs you upon recognition. But before I’d even met her in person, I’d appeared on her podcast and we’d had several fun and inspiring Twitter exchanges. If you haven’t found her podcast yet, what are you waiting for?

I’ve followed Danielle Bean for close to 10 years–I found her through Franciscancards.com and looked forward to the daily blogs and stories that were posted in their daily newsletter. Danielle has since written several books; she appears on The Gist and is editor of Catholic Digest magazine. I haven’t met her in person yet but can vouch for the deliciousness of her Beer Roll recipe.

Pat Gohn’s book, Blessed, Beautiful and Bodacious, was published last year. Danielle Bean’s new book Momnipotent has been out only a few weeks, and I haven’t gotten to read all of it yet. But I’ve read enough to know that these two books are perfect companion volumes.

Pat’s book deals with the “why.” Danielle’s gets into the “how.”

If you’re looking for a Mother’s Day gift for that special woman in your life, I highly recommend this pair of books. Tie them up with a ribbon and attach a gift card for her favorite coffee shop.

There’s nothing like the gift of peace, encouragement and understanding on Mother’s Day. I don’t know any mom who wouldn’t love that.