(Part 2) Best products from r/blogsnark

Here's my list of gift ideas! Mostly stuff I own and love:

1. This blanket is soooo soft and warm and feels more expensive than it is. It's my fave blanket to cuddle up with on the couch. I've washed it a bunch of times and it doesn't get pilly. https://www.wayfair.com/bed-bath/pdp/eddie-bauer-fairisle-indiana-fleece-throw-blanket-erb1198.html?refid=TEM_WF178294&mmid=1836553907&csnid=2704DFEA-3249-43C6-A15B-609AA2148800&libra_c=&libra_d=&libra_g=&cltr=
   
   
2. Just bought myself this cute slouchy hat from Madewell. It's soft and the color is on point. https://www.madewell.com/kent-beanie-in-coziest-yarn-H3306.html?dwvar_H3306_size=ONE%20S&dwvar_H3306_color=PK6774&cgid=accessories-hats&position=7&position=7&activeChunk=0#start=1
   
   
3. This is my forever holy grail hair product! Makes my hair so soft. It's better for people with thicker/coarser hair, I think it could be a bit heavy for fine/thin hair https://www.sephora.com/product/hairdresser-s-invisible-oil-P375391
   
   
4. I've sent a box of Jenni's ice cream multiple times for a gift and it's always a hit. They send it on dry ice and the packaging is cute. There are fun flavors to chose from plus the classics (I sent this to my sister last year and she was obsessed with the Riesling Poached Pear flavor) https://jenis.com/gifting/
   
   
5. I read this cookbook this year and loved it. It's more of a book on learning to cook on your own, than a typical cookbook, but also includes recipes. https://www.amazon.com/Salt-Fat-Acid-Heat-Mastering/dp/1476753830
   
   
6. Society6 has tons of stuff (total black hole for browsing, beware) but I own and have gifted their makeup bags which come in a zillion fun prints. They also have tote bags which could be a good gift. I'm a cat lady and use this one for makeup when I travel: https://society6.com/product/a-lot-of-cats_carry-all-pouch?sku=s6-998120p51a67v445
   
   
7. I think I'm about to gift myself this vest this year for Christmas :) https://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/118915?page=mountain-pile-fleece-vest-misses&bc=12-27-610-504729&feat=504729-GN3&csp=f
   
   
8. This is on like every gift guide ever, but for a reason! My mother-in-law got me one of those Barefoot Dreams sweaters last year and it is SO soft and cozy. I love it for long airplane rides. https://shop.nordstrom.com/s/barefoot-dreams-cozychic-lite-calypso-wrap-cardigan-nordstrom-exclusive/3112763?origin=category-personalizedsort&breadcrumb=Home%2FBrands%2FBarefoot%20Dreams%C2%AE&color=black
   
   
9. Have you seen the Sephora scent samplers? I think these are the best deal ever. You get a sample of 15 different perfumes. And the kit includes a certificate to redeem for a full-size bottle of whichever of the 15 perfumes that you liked best. (The price of the full size bottles is pretty similar to the price of the kit, so it's like getting a bottle plus the 15 samples for free.) Maybe a good gift for a teen girl? https://www.sephora.com/product/holiday-perfume-sampler-P435370?icid2=products%20grid:p435370:product
   
   
10. Last one: My forever favorite gift is a gift certificate for a massage! My husband gets me this for my birthday every year and I always look forward to it :)
    
    EDIT: I guess I'm overflowing with gift ideas today, here are some more:
    
    
11. These wine glasses are pretty: https://www.worldmarket.com/product/recycled+stemless+wine+glasses%2C+set+of+4.do?sortby=ourPicks
    
    
12. These candles are a cute idea. I just got one for my sister but it hasn't arrived yet so I can't review it. https://homesickcandles.com/
    
    
13. If you want to send flowers or a real wreath, I have bought flowers through TheBouqs.com for a few years and loved them. Sending a holiday wreath could be a good idea for like an mother-in-law or grandma who already has everything.
    
    
14. Every year I send my Grandma a Williams Sonoma food gift. Last year it was these chocolate croissants. https://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/chocolate-croissant/
    
    
15. My sister got me a few months of a Birchbox subscription last year. It was not something I would have bought for myself but I enjoyed it! You could also gift one of the cooking box subscriptions like Blue Apron, etc.

Some ideas that have worked well for me/others:

Aging Parents - Kind of expensive (fluctuates a ton) but if you have a parent with a ton of photos who talks about scanning them all in someday, this scanner is fantastic. I have the older version and it's literally so easy to use that even my mom and dad could figure it out when I let them borrow it. Not a great bulk doc scanner but exactly what you need for photos. Pair with a case like this to store the originals in and you've done a great deed.

Newlyweds- If they don't have specific interests, a picnic blanket goes over well. I have the one linked and it's nice for the cheap price. Pair with some wine, maybe some other picnic accessories. I'm also giving a minted gift for a custom designed print for wedding photos to my brother/new sister-in-law.

Teens- Move beyond the selfie stick - some phone lenses go a long way, get a self timer for the phone, or a PowerCore. The powercore isn't sexy but super loved by all. I usually hit up BaubleBar or Sephora for deals too.

Handyman- I shoved this cheap light in my husband's stocking last year and he loves it. It's super handy.

Homebody- This is out of stock in the best size right now but it always comes back in. It is the softest blanket ever, doesn't shed, and we bought them for every room of the house.

Dog- What dog doesn't love bully sticks? A good deal, really good quality and my dogs have loved them.

On my wishlist- A milk frother, The Food Lab cookbook, a magnetic pincushion, maybe some Ugg slippers, a bunch of Etsy art and Essie gel couture nail polish. Debating a special purchase for myself with a bonus I received, I'm thinking a camera for a big trip coming up if I can find the right holiday deal.

It is correct.

First, the majority of her estate belonged to her crown, as she put her personal wealth in trusts for her grandchildren in order to avoid taxes. The reason that her private art collection was put into a national trust was because of a deal with Queen reached in 1993 to avoid paying taxes on the Queen Mother's private collection. (It is also argued wasn't private at all because it was given to her as gifts or were purchased through non-transparent ways. This is one of the reasons the Sovereign Grant was created in 2013.)

Here is another article, also from the Guardian (2002):

>The gamble that foiled the taxman
>
>The Queen Mother's longevity has cost the taxpayer millions in lost inheritance tax revenue, it was becoming clear yesterday. It is likely that the public purse, which part-subsidised an extravagant lifestyle to the tune of £643,000 a year, will receive little from her estate.... In 1994 the Queen Mother placed two-thirds of her money fortune - an estimated £19m - into a trust fund for her great grandchildren, a gamble, at the age of 94, that she would live for another seven years and so avoid paying 40%. That hurdle was cleared last year.
>
>...
>
>Her stewardship of the Castle of Mey, the one home she owned, in Caithness near John O'Groats, is an example of royal acumen. The pile was derelict in 1952 when she bought it with money bequeathed by her husband George VI.
>
>The 1,800 acre estate costs at least £500,000 a year to maintain, but in 1996 it was placed in the possession of a charitable trust and the Queen Mother subsequently paid rent only for her annual stay each August.

But if you're interested in royal finances, there's a new book (out last month) called And What Do You Do? What The Royal Family Don’t Want You To Know by a former MP. The author has written about these issues:

>[T]he Queen Mother’s reputed £70 million legacy raises serious questions. Take the case of the valuable jewellery that she had supposedly given to her grandchildren back in 1993. This was more than seven years before she passed away, which meant that no death duties were payable.
>
>All these items were found in one of her cupboards after her death, which might be construed as deception, yet the Inland Revenue decided to let it go. So where did the Queen Mother’s £70 million come from? Perhaps part of the answer to the mystery can be found in a 1942 windfall, when she was left a large hoard of jewels by an heiress to the McEwan brewing fortune, a collection known as the Greville inheritance. Was this hoard given to her personally or as consort to George VI? Did the jewels truly belong to her, or to the State? And why were no death duties paid on the £70 million? It could be, of course, that there is nothing untoward in these wills. If so, why seal them?

Finally, if the royal family is RICH RICH, then why was Prince Andrew so hard up for cash that he arranged for an oligarch from Kazakhstan to buy his house for 15 million pounds, well over the asking price? (The oligarch never moved in, btw.)

Product Reviews, Winter Edition:

• Phillips Wake-Up Light. Actual game-changer. I am a morning person, but when the dark-until-7:30am mornings drag on, I struggle. This has really changed how my wakeups feel.
  
  
• Uniqlo Jeans. Stretchy, supportive fabric. Normal human person washes. 33 inch inseam! $60 in Canada, which is about as much as I feel like spending on jeans that my beleaguered thighs will just burn through in a few months.
  
  
• Figuring out my skin routine which, for me, looks like this: CeraVe cleanser, Paula's Choice AHA/BHA exfoliant, The Ordinary HA+B5, Paula's Choice Ultralight SPF Hydrating fluid. My giant pores are less obvious and my skin looks radiant and healthy. I also drink a shit-ton of water which probably helps?

I am reading The Late Bloomer's Club https://www.amazon.com/Late-Bloomers-Club-Novel-ebook/dp/B077CNY89T which is really cute and lighthearted - small town drama.

I am also trying to find a good audio book. I tend to like long sagas on audiobook.

Not OP, and never tried Accutane, but I am also an azelaic acid convert. I use this tube and order it straight from Amazon. In fact, my derm told me to just order it online. It's worked wonders. This is a great primer on how to use it.

I swear by this alarm clock. It has made me actually get up right away, which I thought was impossible. The key for me was to set it far away, so I have to walk to it to turn it off. It gets so bright (you can adjust the settings on this) that distance does not matter. It also helps me wake up more gradually, so the sound of the alarm isn't so jarring. Another morning thing that has helped me is giving myself something to look forward to while I get ready -- like listening to my current audiobook. It is also nice to start the morning not feeling rushed or guilty about sleeping in. Remembering the positive feels it gives me has made a big difference!

Did I look for cheaper dupes of that bag on Amazon? You bet I did. But you bet your bottom dollar I’d style it WAY differently. I’d wear all black, a gold belt, black mule chunky heels, and the pink bag with a matching pink lip. And I’d water my 8 year old Trader Joe’s orchid on my way out the door, not butcher it.

PS I went with this knock off Shrimps bag instead and it’s GORG and I’m really impressed with the quality. Highly recommend.

I mentioned in last week's thread that I was reading The Dollhouse .... it was a quick, easy read. A little predictable, but enjoyable enough. I started Her Every Fear over the weekend, but just really started getting into it yesterday. I didnt read much other than the Amazon summary before buying, so there's a side plot with the cousin that I did not realize was coming.

There is a book I really like, called Attached: The New Science of Adult Attachment Theory. You might like it, your comments about your reaction to potential partners reminded me a lot of some of the stuff it talks about.

I LOVE this book for older toddler to kindergarten age kids: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0062455508/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s02?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Packing hack: IKEA Fracta Storage bags. They shape up into zip-up rectangles with handles on the sides and the ends. I bought about 20 through Amazon for my last move and they are amazingly useful for linens, clothing, anything soft/smushy basically and they hold A TON. They also stack up neatly for storage and they don't break like bins sometimes do. Plus if you empty them and fold them up they take up way less space than stacks of bins. You may be able to find them cheaper but here's a link to at least show you what they look like:

https://www.amazon.com/Ikea-901-491-48-Frakta-Storage-Blue/dp/B00MJC4U08/ref=sr_1_4?crid=1JY9SSDWR0OPR&keywords=ikea+bags&qid=1566590383&s=gateway&sprefix=under+armour+girls+girls%27+bucket%2Caps%2C165&sr=8-4

I am in the midst of updating our 50 year old ranch, and am currently obsessed with light switch plates. Does anyone have any strong feelings or favorites they would like to share? I'm currently leaning towards these from Franklin Brass, which are cheapish, and simple, but with a twist? https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07VFF3ZJW/ref=twister_B01IZZ7B62?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

dude there are these things I buy on amazon that stop the slide. I have foundt hese ones to be the best out there they are the tits.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DQOLADS/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

thats not an affilaite link i promise. but they will keep your glasses from sliding i like heavy ones too

I got two packs of these temporary stick on paper shades to use until I can make up my mind / save up money. They look good in person, especially for $2-3 a piece, and my only complaint is they're annoying to lift up and down regularly. But they're not an eyesore so I'm not rushing to get rid of them.

https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B000SDX54M?tag=amz-mkt-chr-us-20&ascsubtag=1ba00-01000-org00-win10-other-smile-us000-pcomp-feature-scomp-wm-5&ref=aa_scomp&th=1

I'm stalking blinds.com and selectblinds.com for their replacements. These sites always always have sales. I have my carts full with wood roller blinds waiting for a 40% sale. Wood roller blinds can add some really nice texture to a room.

I’m With the Band, by Pamela Des Barres, is probably the definitive groupie autobiography. You could also check out Wonderful Tonight, by Pattie Boyd, about her relationships with Eric Clapton and George Harrison.

It’s been years since I’ve read either book, but I remember Des Barres’s story being dishy, entertaining fluff. Boyd’s autobiography was heavier. (She wasn’t exactly a groupie, but her book fits the genre you’re looking for.)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004AKCBXA/

​

Hopefully these aren't the same ones that didn't work for you, but I have to have complete blackness to sleep and these work really well for me!

I have this Oontz Angle speaker that I use to listen to music while I'm working. The sound is great, and it was under $30. The only thing I don't like about it is that when it needs to be recharged, it just shuts off -- no warning. But for the price, it's a great little speaker.

https://www.amazon.com/Enhanced-Splashproof-Portable-Bluetooth-Radiator/dp/B010OYASRG

The girl who played Erin Walton had a fascinating book about the battle she went through due to her implants!

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007X5INVS/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1

You can check out this book "Mind as Weapon". It's really about how to train your mind to work for you. It works towards anything you want to achieve. Book is short and straight to the points. It's on amazon, link here https://www.amazon.ca/Mind-Weapon-Train-your-mind-ebook/dp/B07L5BHL3K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1549256725&sr=8-1&keywords=mind+as+weapon

I have a entry-level one. It's a Phillips. I think it cost around $50. This is the Amazon listing for it

Have you considered getting a Phillip's sunrise simulator alarm? It gradually becomes brighter for 30 minutes before your alarm goes off so you wake up naturally. It also has a regular alarm that goes off too. I have the basic model but there are fancier ones you can get.

Philips Wake-Up Light Alarm Clock with Sunrise Simulation, White (HF3500/60) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00F0W1RIW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_zgk1Ab92QVKHR