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My tastes could best be described as eclectic. They range from classic to whimsical to geeky, and I adore anything holiday-ish. I pretty much just like what I like without trying to fit myself into a specific category. Do you have a slightly quirky mom in your life? Use this gift guide to put a smile on her face!

Kitchen Stuff

 

I have this wooden sign sitting on my counter and it makes me smile every time I see it.

 

 

These woodland measuring spoons are so adorable. There is a whole line of beautiful etched beechwood kitchen utensils.

Really now, who wouldn’t want a Nessie ladle? It also comes in purple and green. (Note: there are cheaper options than the ones I linked to, but take notice of the longer shipping time on those if you are in a hurry.)

Pretty and simple, this butter tray does the job with style.

 

This bag of foodie dice is the perfect way to figure out what to eat for dinner.

I’ve had a set of measuring bowls for years and use them almost every day. Each bowl has two measuring lines – 1/2 cup and 1 cup, for example. I originally bought them to help my kids learn fractions, not realizing they would become one of my favorite kitchen tools.

I love the colors of this electric kettle. Our kettle sits out on the counter because we drink lots of hot tea and French Press coffee. I would much rather look at this beauty than our plain kettle.
p.s. This delicious tea smells like Christmas in a can.

Home Stuff

I have fond memories of my dad playing Christmas records when I was little. This modern vintage turntable looks retro, but is audio ready. Now if I could just get my hands on an old Percy Faith Christmas album!

I did my first quilling project last year and it was so much fun. This quilling kit has everything you need to get started.

I am especially fond of this ceramic whale. It would make a really cute planter for ivy.

Wearable Stuff

Any mom who is a Star Wars fan will love these R2-D2 earrings. You might have to gift them early for the movie premier night! 😉

I adore anything by Burt’s Bees, and this classic gift set has some of my favorites. We have Burt’s Bees lip balms stashed all over the house and in each car.

If your mom was a teen in the 80s, chances are she had colored mascara. It is back in style and I have it in blue and purple.

I can hardly stand the cuteness of all these Hot Chocolate Design shoes. The ladybugs might be my favorite.

All of these Lova charm bracelets are so beautiful, and they are a bargain compared to the ones at the jewelry store.

Office Stuff

What could be a better pencil organizer than a giant sharpener?

Pretty file folders add a whimsical touch to an otherwise boring job of sorting papers. I have my eye on these vintage owl folders for school next year.

This Ikea utility cart is one of my favorite things in our home. I put mail in the top bin, my homeschool binders in the middle, and library books in the bottom. I’m thinking about using it as an arts & craft cart.

I’ve asked Santa to bring me a set of chalk markers this year. Hope I’m not on the naughty list!

These happy little binder clips will put a smile on your face.

I hope I’ve given you some good ideas for the lovable quirky mom in your life.

Merry Christmas!!

More Gift Guides:

• Gift Ideas Your Tween Will Love
• Doctor Who Gift Guide for Your Favoite Whovian
• Gift Ideas for Your Minecraft Fanatic
• Gift Ideas for a Pretend Play Home
• 100 Free Printable Gifts for Kids

Follow Amy T @ Amy’s Wandering’s board Christmas on Pinterest.

Buying gifts for an 8-12 year old can be a tricky thing. They are too old for baby dolls and toy trucks, but not quite old enough to want just clothes and gift cards. I’ve put together a tween gift guide filled with things my own tweens would enjoy. Hopefully it will help cross a few names off your list!

When possible, I’ve linked to items with Amazon Prime shipping. You might be able to find an item for cheaper through another seller, but be sure to pay attention to the shipping date before you order. Items coming from another country will take considerably longer to arrive.  Try an Amazon Prime 30-Day Free Trial.

This post contains affiliate links.

If you know a Lego fan, they will get a kick out of this Build-On Brick Mug. They might also enjoy one of these Lego minifig alarm clocks.

The Rainbow Loom was a hot item last year, so chances are your tween already has one. A Grab N’ Go Organizer is a great way to corral all of those little pieces. It also comes in blue or magenta. My daugher displays her creations on a Loom Boom – a simple tower that holds up to 40 bracelets. I recommend this loom band refill set. The colors are vivid and the bands are high quality.

All of my kids like to play Nerf Firevision Football, which is played at night. Each player wears a pair of Firevision frames (2 are included). The frames have a red or green light that bounces off of the reflective stripes on the football. The cool part is that only the person wearing the glasses can see the glowing ball.  There is also a Firevision basketball set and flyer disc, and you can order additional frames.

Most tweens have outgrown playing with stickers, but not when they can create their own! The Xyron Create-a-Sticker Machine turns any piece of paper into a sticker. It is perfect for adding a personal touch to everything from notebooks to skateboards. It also comes in a 5-inch version. Don’t forget the refills – available in permanent or repositionable.

My son got this Syma Sky Thunder Drone Runner for his birthday and now eveyone wants one. It is very durable! The cage protects it when running into the ceiling or wall. If you have a Costco nearby, I bought ours there for $20.

This wacky Bean Boozled game is our go-to birthday gift for friends. It is filled with Jelly Belly jelly beans – some tasty and some weird – each color has one of each. Spin the spinner and pick a jelly bean. Will it be licorice or skunk? No matter what, it WILL be hilarious!

The problem with buying this gorgeous Enchanted Forest coloring book is refraining from keeping it for yourself! (Maybe you better go ahead and order two.)  A set of Prismacolor pencils would make a perfect pairing.

Take Taco Tuesday to the next level with these funky taco trucks. How can you look at those and not smile?

Leave it to a tween to find the humor in something this disgusting. I predict that the Runny Nose Shower Gel Dispenser will motivate more than one preteen boy to take a shower.

Has your tween discovered the Funko Pop Figures? My kids collect them, and I am a bit smitten with them myself – especially the Peanuts set. There are hundreds of characters available from Disney, Marvel, and popular TV shows & movies.

Astronaut Ice Cream reminds me of the crunchy lump of cotton candy that always gets left in the bottom of the bag after a trip to the fair, but my kids think it is so cool. It is fun to experience at least once!

A Wreck This Journal gives its owner permission to go a little crazy. Each page has an assignment like painting with coffee, filling a page with doodles, or even tearing the page out and using it as a cup. It comes in a variety of covers.

Slingshot these Flingshot Monkeys across the room and listen to them howl (the kids and the monkeys) as they go flying through the air.

So tell me, what is on your Tween’s Christmas list this year?

My other gift guides:

Doctor Who Gift Guide

Minecraft Gift Guide

100 Free Printable Gifts for Kids

Pretend Play Home Gift Guide

Need more gift ideas? This guide is part of the KBN 2015 Holiday Gift Guide. There you will find fantastic gift ideas for all ages!

This post contains affiliate links.

Minecraft is the Great Motivator for a couple of my kids. They know that schoolwork and chores have to be done in order to play. And compared to most of the other video games they own, I really don’t mind them playing because it encourages creativity and cooperation. They like to hang out on the Skrafty Homeschool Server, and have even taken a class. Hopefully, this list will make it easier to shop for your Minecraft Fanatic!

p.s. Minecraft toys are a hot item this year, especially the Lego sets – they are already limiting them to two per person. I would suggest purchasing soon if they are at the top of your child’s list.

p.p.s. We own the torch and it is really cool!!

{Minecraft Gear}

Blue Diamond Sword & Pickaxe // Wall Torch // Steve & Creeper Masks // Light-up Redstone Ore // Light-up Diamond Ore // Complete Handbook Collection

{Minecraft Legos}

The Village // The Farm // The Cave // The First Night // The Nether // Micro World // Micro World – The End // Crafting Box // The Ender Dragon // The Mine

{Minecraft Toys}

Diamond Steve Figure // Mini Vinyl Figure Set // Baby Cow Plush // Baby Sheep Plush // Magnet Sheets

{Minecraft Papercraft}

Animal Mobs // Overworld // Hostile Mobs // Shelter // Minecart // Utility Pack // Snow Set  

{Minecraft Clothing}

Creeper Hoodie // Career Opportunities T-Shirt // Animal Totem T-Shirt // Periodic Table T-Shirt // Diamond Hoodie // Gamer Socks // Creepers Gonna Creep Long Sleeve T-Shirt

{Minecraft Accessories}

 Pixel Sunglasses // Diamond Dangle Earrings // Ironsword Belt // Treasure Chest Wallet // Creeper Wallet // Diamond Crafting Hat // Phone Cases (several choices) // Creeper Mug

{Minecraft Stocking Stuffers}

Lanyard // Pickaxe Stylus // Baby Animals Stickers // Pin Pack // Note Cube // Ornament Set // Cookie Cutters // 2015 Wall Calendar // Animal Toys

 

Visit the rest of the iHomeschool Network Gift Guides

You might also be interested in these:

{Doctor Who Gift Guide}

{Gift Ideas for a Pretend Play Home}