Today I want to share the gifts I put together, with the help of my all time favourite brands, for my besties, aka my bridesmaids.  I am the last of our group to get married, and I of all people know what goes into being asked to be a bridesmaids. It can be a big financial burden, it takes a lot of time, and it’s just a lot in general. In fact, for a while I was considering only asking my sister simply because I didn’t want to put the bridesmaid duty on anyone. But, the more I thought about it, the more I realized that although it is a lot to ask of someone, it is a huge honour. Every time I have been asked, I have always felt excited and like I said honoured to be a part of such a special day.  I also couldn’t imagine standing up to say I do without each and every one of these ladies. They all have had such a huge impact on my life, and my relationship with Lee, and I am so honoured that they all happily said YES!

Before I show you what I spoiled them with, let me introduce you to my girls!

Heather- Maid of Honour

Heather is my sister, built in best friend, shoulder to cry on, travel agent, and just everything I need in life. I have known my entire life that it would be her holding my bouquet, fixing my train, and handing me kleenex… it has always been her! The groom on the other hand, well that took me a lot longer to figure out (woof) but Heather always knew. Her (and my mom) always held onto the hope of Lee and I reconnecting but in the meantime she was right by my side. Heather was there through the good, bad, and the ugly guiding me with patience, kindness, and without judgement.  As big sisters do, she let me figure things out on my own but also fed me the reality  of what I didn’t want to hear at the same time. For this I am eternally grateful.

Nicole: Bridesmaid

Nicole has been my friend since we were in diapers so this proposal box was just a formality.  Nicole and I couldn’t be more opposite if we tried but that is what I love most about us. She is the ying to my yang, the sweet to my salty, the salsa to my chips lol you get the point.  We really have been through it all; the ups, the downs, and the many changes in between but our friendship has always remained the same: strong AF and full of high kicks. Nicole is that friend that I could not speak to or see in 6 months and we hit the ground running exactly where we left off. Nicole keeps me grounded, reminds me of my roots, and pokes fun at me when I need it.

Tia: Bridesmaid

Tia aka Lady Getz, and I met 16 years ago when we both made the Saskatchewan Roughrider Cheerleading team: The Trailblazers!  I was a small town girl with big dreams and Tia took me under her wing. She has ALWAYS lived that find your passion and follow your dreams kind of life. Not many of you know this but Tia is the reason Teach Me Style exists. She told me about this new thing called blogging and said I would be absolutely perfect for it.  She pushed me to start and is STILL pushing me out of my comfort zone to try new things.  Tia is passionate, fierce, and has the BIGGEST heart.

Dawna: Bridesmaid

Dawna and I met 14 years ago when we both worked at Captive Audience and I knew she was a friend I would always want in my corner.  A fellow small town girl, she took me under her wing and showed me the ropes of big city life and it hasn’t stopped, only now it’s the ropes of motherhood! There are so many qualities I love about Dawna but most of all she is that friend that always calls to “check in”, organize a dinner date, or pops by with ice cream on a random Tuesday night. Dawna is that person in my life that just gets shit done… we all need someone who takes a little stress off your plate and well that’s her!

Kyla: Bridesmaid

Kyla and I met through Dawna and our first “date” was a trip to Winners and we’ve been friends ever since… I guess you could say we both scored big that day!  We moved in together not knowing each other and here we are 10 years, 4 kids, 1 husband, 1 husband to be, a few smile lines and grey hairs later! LOL I wouldn’t have it any other way! Over the years, Kyla has been a constant pillar of support for me.  From break ups, to one epic make up, to Dane’s diagnosis, birth and NICU journey, she has been there cheering us on through it all. Thank you for being my news source, recipe finder, favourite listener, parenting coach, and shoulder to cry on!!

Okay, now that you’ve heard all about how amazing they are, you know why I went ALL out for their gifts! The items in these boxes were carefully curated by me and they are my ALL TIME FAVOURITE! If you follow me on Instagram, there is a good chance you are very familiar with all of these brands and have heard me talk about them or seen them featured many times:

Melanie Auld Adorned Necklace
Since the day I received my necklace the only time I took it off was when Dane was in hospital and that’s because I didn’t wear any  jewelry while he was in NICU for sanitary purposes. I absolutely love this timeless piece.  I have an H, L, D charms and a dog bone for the pups! My necklace is 14k gold and that is what I decided to gift the girls as well. I wanted this to be a piece they don’t have to take off and they can continue to build on.  Each girl received their 14k gold initial on a gold chain. Classic, timeless, and something they will wear and customize to their liking as time goes on. If you haven’t checked out Melanie Auld’s Adorned collection it is absolutely perfect- it makes the best gift if I do say so myself!

Hillcroft Robes
Discount Code: HOLLY10

No robe on Earth will compare once you wrap yourself in a Hillcroft robe. They are literal PERFECTION. It’s hard to explain just how amazing they are, but one of the girls messaged me after opening their box and said “I feel like a real adult now that I have this gorgeous robe” It’s so true though, it just feels rich, and luxurious! I have the bamboo and the sweat pant robe. I love them- the bamboo is lighter which makes it nice for Spring, Summer, and for when you’re blow drying your hair.  I can’t be the only once who breaks a sweat while blowing out my hair! The sweat pant robe is definitely my favourite during the Winter months as it is a little heavier and extremely cozy!! Hot tip, if you know someone who is having a baby- get them robe! I LIVED in mine during pregnancy and postpartum.

Eluo Beauty
Discount Code: TEACHME20

I am a big bath girly and most of my bridesmaids are too so I had to include something luxurious for the tub! Eluo bath soak is self care in a bottle. Would I like to get to the spa more often? Yes. Is that a reality for me and well most people? No. Enter Eluo. Even if your kids are running around, banging their toys and throwing their food, simply sprinkle this in the tub, put on some music, light a candle, maybe read a book and I promise you will feel like a million bucks. The all natural powder blends have been carefully formulated with certified organic and ethically wildcrafted ingredients whenever possible. LOVE that!

Heart + Soul Candle Co
Discount code: HOLLY10

My favourite candles of all time and I don’t say that lightly. I’ve been burning candles for a lot of years! Of course, they smell amazing- that is a must. But what you may not think much about it what your candles are made out of, and most often candles are full of extremely toxic ingredients. These are NOT. Heart + Soul Candle Co is committed to creating a candle that not only burns cleaner, but also provides a stunning ambiance, for all to hear, see + smell. Heart + Soul only use the best, high end fragrance oils in all of our blends. They are free from harmful toxins + carcinogens, to ensure peace of mind while burning them in your home. Bonus, these gorgeous vessels double as a whisky glass once the candle is done!

Chelsea King
Discount code: TEACHMESTYLE15

If you  see me wearing a scrunchie, there’s a good chance it’s from Chelsea King! I’ve been whipping my hair up into top knots with these scrunchies for YEARS! Of course, they look super cute but I wear scrunchies almost anytime my hair is up because they don’t damage your hair like typical hair elastics.  Recently they launched their Atelier Collection of claws, clips, and combs and they are STUNNING! I can’t wait to try them!

Minted: The Will You Be My Bridesmaid cards were custom made from Minted! I have been using Minted quite a lot lately: birth announcements, Christmas cards, wedding invites, birthday gift, and I am always thoroughly impressed with their quality and service!

Boxes: The custom made boxes that I used to put all the goodies in were ordered from Etsy and if I’m being honest it wasn’t idea. The shipping was nearly twice as much as the boxes and it took over a month and a half to arrive- I would look into getting something made locally if you’re wanting something similar! I searched Etsy and found this Canadian company that might be a bit better than the one I used!

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Teacher Gift Ideas:

• Beaded lanyard:  Teachers always need their keys yet they always seem to be loosing them, haha! With a million things going on in the day they don’t have time to think about where they’ve put their keys.  A beautiful handmade lanyard is legit the perfect gift. My friend Kyla (a fellow teacher) makes them and they are always a hit! Find her on Instagram here and send her a message to order one!
• Bath salts: Teaching is stressful and the Christmas break is meant for relaxing! Help them with a little self care and make or buy them (whatever you prefer) some bath salts! If you’re feeling really generous add a bottle of wine and a candle (if you know the teacher is okay with alcohol) and make a little relaxation gift basket! If you’re up for a little DIY here is the recipe!
• Teachers Pay Teachers Gift Card: If you’ve never heard of TPT it’s an online resource where teachers spend hundreds of their own money buying lesson plans and other resources for their classroom.  This is a great gift for not only the teacher but something your child will reap the benefits of as well!
• Desktop Carousel:  I bought this for myself a few years ago and it is hands down one of my favourite classroom items. Ask your child if their teacher has this on their desk and if not, I would highly recommend it, it is AWESOME!  If it’s a bit more than you would like to spend I would ask another parent or two in the class to pool together to purchase it, oh and don’t forget to use your coupon! Michaels always a coupon for at least 40% off, sometimes even 50%!
• Board Games: I can’t take credit for this but this is such a great idea! Board games are great for indoor recess or lunchroom and they can be expensive to buy!
• Dollarama Gift Card: One year I saved all my Dollarama receipts and totalled them up at the end of the year and nearly gave myself a heart attack. Teachers, I don’t recommend doing this. Parents, feel free to lighten the financial load of a teacher by purchasing a gift card, every little bit helps!
• Thirty-One Bag: I got one of these bags a few years ago and they are perfect.  Teachers are notorious for hauling stuff between school and home and these bags are perfect for just that!
• Stojo Collapsable Keep Cup– I bought myself one of these a few months back and it is my latest obsession.  It is perfect for the coffee lover and let’s be honest teachers basically live off of coffee! You can find these locally at Mortise & Tenon or if you’re wanting to order online you can find them  here!
• Coffee Bar- A parent at my old school used to do this every year and the entire staff always looked forward to it! She would make a bunch of cold brew coffee and tea and bring all the fixings (milk, cream, soy, almond, simple syrup,  to go cups, etc) and set it up in the staffroom for us all to make our own iced coffees! It was SUCH a treat!  You could get creative with this- I think a popcorn bar with a bunch of different seasonings would be good too!
• Thoughtful Snacks: Some of the best gifts are the ones where you know the students really pay attention and know your favourites.  I absolutely LOVE fuzzy peaches and it never fails there is usually one student who picks up on this and gets me a big bag of them and it always puts a smile on my face. Not only because I love fuzzy peaches but because I know they pay attention and have put some thought into it.  My teaching partner Michelle is obsessed with popcorn and so a few of her students have brought her bags of popcorn, it doesn’t cost much but it sure does mean a lot! Ask your child what their teacher snacks on, I’m sure they’ll be able to tell you!
• Mugs / Wine Glasses: I know I’m going to get flack from some teachers for this but I swear I love getting mugs.  I also collect them and so that’s likely why haha but it never fails, I always think of the student who gave it to me as I pour my coffee into it!  I have also got some pretty rad wine glasses over the years.  One of my favourite was one that they had engraved with “I’m sorry if my kid makes you drink” hahah SO funny! This little duo is SO cute! 
• A Handwritten Thank You Card (paired with a bottle of wine): Okay, it doesn’t need to be paired with a bottle of wine but it definitely is appreciated because teaching is HARD haha

Ok- there you have it! I could really go on forever. But my best piece of advice would be try to get to know your child’s teacher and be thoughtful. Teachers are very emotional, thoughtful beings and they appreciate it when others are too.  When in doubt get a pen and paper and write a thank you note… it costs nothing but your time and means the most!

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How to be the best Valentine, ever!

Step 1: Order these ADORABLE pajamas from here!
Step 2: Go to the grocery store and grab the ingredients to make pancakes. You will need:
– flour
-baking powder
-salt
-white sugar
-milk
-eggs
-butter
-Grab some strawberries and coconut whip, too! This recipe doesn’t call for it but it’s Valentine’s Day so let’s go all out!
Step 3: Buy flowers and a card.  Wrap pajamas!
Step 4: Wake up early and make THESE pancakes.   Recipe here!
Step 5: Deliver breakfast in bed and enjoy the perks of being the BEST Valentine, ever!

Pajamas aren’t their thing? Don’t stress! I’ve rounded up some other gift ideas for you!!

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