Green gift ideas for Mother's Day

Fair and Square Imports in McKinney has a variety of unique gift ideas for moms. Photos courtesy of shops.

May 5, 2020

As I sit at my desk this morning, quarantined from friends and family, I mull over how challenging the last few months have been, but there has also been a silver lining.

Neighbors are out walking in record numbers, waving at each other from safe distances, gardens are popping up on every block, people are buying less junk that none of us needs and we’re even getting a peek at the behind-the-glitz lives of our favorite movie stars and TV personalities, LOL.

Every milestone also has a new perspective also as we celebrate drive-by birthdays, social media graduations and soon-to-be Zoom Mother’s Day.

For Mom this year, why not brighten up her lock-in with a gift that also honors Mother Earth? To do that, choose gifts made with thoughtful ingredients or materials such as organic or recycled, wrapped with minimal packaging and that can be recycled or repurposed at end of use. You'll also help support merchants whose businesses are challenged - that’s even better!

Birdhouse kitTHIS OLD BIRDHOUSE KITS

Since 1946, Orr Reed Wrecking has been where all good building materials go to find a new life. The company is owned and run by Hannah Hargrove who lost her grandfather to the coronavirus in March. To help everyone through this crisis, Hannah and her team have done what they do best - creating kits to keep us all busy and your mom will love them. 

Choose from raised bed frames, vertical garden kits, cold frames made with antique windows and more, pre-cut from vintage lumber and ready to assemble. Our favorites are the birdhouses, each one more charming than the last. Ranging from $20-65 for Mom to put together herself, they are all also available fully assembled for an additional fee. 

Delivery available. 1903 Rock Island, Dallas, 75207. 214-428-7429. Be sure to call ahead for hours and availability. Orr-Reed.com.

Frankly GoodPLANT-BASED MUNCHIES

When my youngest son, Frank, became a vegan a few years ago, he couldn't find plant-based cookies to satisfy his sweet tooth, so he baked his own and shared them with friends and family. Now his Garland-based company, Frankly Good, offers plant-based treats that taste so amazing, your mom won't believe they're vegan! 

As a way to pay it forward, for every 100 packs of treats that Frankly Good sells through the end of May, the company will donate 25 packs to local first responders. 

The Mother’s Day Special includes four packs of cookies, brittle or muffins in a gift bag, with a bow, gift tag and shredded paper fill - all for $30 (regularly $40) including delivery in Dallas County (or shipped anywhere in the continental USA for $8 extra). Enter MOM as the promo code and be sure to tell them how to sign the gift card on a note at bottom of order. FranklyGood.com

Music of the SpheresTHE CHIMES OF TEXAS

Marshall Grain in Grapevine is open for business and making sure that shoppers find what they need while still staying safe. One of their most popular gift items is the line of Music of the Spheres Texas-made windchimes which we have featured before but they are worth repeating.

Built to last virtually forever, these symphonic chimes are precision tuned to standard orchestral pitch and sing, so even fussy audiophiles will appreciate them. I have had one in my backyard for over 20 years and it looks and sounds like new. 

Choose from a variety of tones and sizes - all in the tailored black finish that has become the Austin-based Music of the Spheres signature. 

Starting under $100 at Marshall Grain, 3525 William D. Tate Ave., Grapevine, 76051. 817-416-6600 

Radical Tea TowelsDRY WIT

Let Mom know that you support her independence with a tea towel that says it all. Made of natural, unbleached cotton and printed with eco friendly water-based inks, these towels celebrate the lives of powerful women such as Rosa Parks, Ruth Bader Ginsburg and even Charlotte Bronte, author of Jane Eyre, who said, “I am no bird; and no net ensnares me. I am a free human being with an independent will.”

Radical Tea Towel is a family company in Wales yet their products have become so popular in the U.S. that they maintain a warehouse in Pennsylvania. 

Towels cost $22 each and shipping anywhere in the U.S. is free if your order is over $35.

Jane Goodall'CLASSY' TREAT

What better time is there for Mom to learn about conservation than now and who better to teach her than Jane Goodall

Masterclass, long known for their incredible online courses, has created a primer on saving the planet from one of the most profound teachers living on it. According to their website, “Dr. Jane Goodall teaches how you can conserve the environment. She also shares her research on the behavioral patterns of chimpanzees and what they taught her about conservation. You'll learn how to act locally and protect the planet.”

Wow! Plus, for a limited time, when you order Masterclass for Mom, you get access for yourself or someone else for a full year, all for $180. You and your mother can learn to sing with Christina Aguilera, study filmmaking with Jodi Foster or polish your tennis game with Serena Williams. Visit Masterclass.com for full details.

White Rock Soap Gallery gift boxGOOD SCENTS

Our friends at White Rock Soap Gallery are running a special on their popular Swag Box and it’s perfect to perk up Mom’s special day. Choose one item from each category to build a customized $12 gift box ($20 Retail Value) just for her. 

Choose from over a dozen scents of vegan soap, a sugar or salt scrub, a soy votive candle and even a sweet lip balm, all in a gift box with card and colorful ribbon. 

Remember to select your options in the drop-down lists on the company’s website. If nothing is selected, the WRSG team will choose the most popular combinations for your mom. 

Another option is to buy Mom a White Rock Soap Gallery gift card and let her choose her own swag. What fun! 

Don’t forget to add an extra swag box for the graduates in your life and even one for yourself. If you order $30 or more, you get a free Hand Gel (1 oz), just the right size for purse or pocket. Free shipping nationwide or curbside pickup available at Lake Highlands store, next to the Post Office. 10233 E. Northwest Hwy, Suite 401, Dallas 75238. 469-215-5125. WhiteRockSoapGallery.com.

Yucatan HammocksSWING TIME

Just down the shopping center from White Rock Soap Gallery is Rooster Home and Hardware, home of George the Rooster. Every year, the store’s owner travels to Tixkokob, Yucután to select colorful handmade hammocks from Pedro Ynocencio Layton Cruz and his family, but this year they won’t be able to go. 

That makes these unusual nap spots in short supply. Made from weather-resistant cotton and nylon in assorted colors - large enough for two to snuggle, $89. 

Pick up one for your mom, while they last, and be sure to take a moment to walk through the gift department at Rooster Home and Hardware, 10233 East Northwest Hwy. Suite 409, Dallas 75238. 214-343-1971. RoosterHomeandHardware.com.

Truly Unrhuly earringsECO BLING

Local jewelry artist Chris Unruh originally planned to be a landscape designer, but then turned her talents to jewelry instead. So glad that she did because her work is exceptional. In honor of all of the moms who are quarantined right now, Chris is having a 30 percent off sale on her Truly Unruhly Etsy site. The hard part will be choosing which of Chris’ lovely designs will be just right for your mom. 

Keep her stylish with these Large Teardrop Gray Enamel Drops With Hammered Brass Drops, $33.60 (were $48), with a matt gold and gray finish that is on-trend for today’s fashionista. All of Chris’ products are hand-made locally, many featuring found or recycled materials. 

Chris notes, “I’ve always been amazed and in wonderment of the shapes and colors that nature has to show us. I prefer to embrace a natural stone or an uneven pearl than a perfect surface, since those don't exist in nature. At times over the years, I have enjoyed exploring upcycling and trash reuse in my work.” 

Find more of Chris’ work on her Etsy page.

Hard Cider KitCIDER MAMA

If your Mom loves apple cider like I do (hint, hint to my kids), send her a DIY Hard Cider Kit from Brooklyn Brew Shop. 

She’ll love creating her own intoxicating version of a drink that has been loved for ages. The Hard Cider Kit has everything Mom will need (other than the base of ordinary grocery store cider) for three batches of tart, dry and bubbly hard cider. According to the company, “Making hard cider is even easier than making beer and making beer is pretty easy!” 

Bishop CiderIf you’d rather give your Mama some locally-made brew, check out Bishop Cider in Oak Cliff. Choose one of several varieties from sweet to tart and pick up CurbSide or ask for local delivery. My favorite at Bishop is Crackberry - a blend of cranberry and blackberry for just the right mix of flavors and fizz to tickle any gal’s fancy! Around 8 bucks per six-pack. BuyBishop.com.

Fair & Square Imports earringsFAIR TRADE

Andrew and Kate Jones, owners of Fair and Square Imports in McKinney, have several options for Mother's Day, including a curated Fair Trade Home Cooking Gift Bag ($29.99) that includes a Sari Hot Mat, Kantha Dishcloth, Olive Wood Spoon, Mini Hand-painted Bowl and "Mother" Inscribed Soapstone Heart. 

The company has also just launched a new line of gorgeous Mexican hand-crafted jewelry that Mom would love. Check out this Sterling Silver Small Circle Mosaic Earrings featuring a dazzling combination of pearls, dichroic glass and Austrian crystals, $32.99. 

The company offers curbside pickup or shipping to just about anywhere. Fair and Square Imports, 219 E. Louisiana St., McKinney 75069. 469-343-4421.

Pretty Things & Cool Stuff garden kitGET HER GROWING

We just love Dallas greenie Kim Young and her gift ideas on Pretty Things & Cool Stuff. She has recently added Botanical Interests seeds and has assembled a fun kit for budding gardeners - Grow Your Own Indoor/Outdoor Bee & Bird Friendly Gardening Kit

Each kit includes a tray and seeds to grow baby greens and microgreens indoors, plus another tray to sprout seeds for an outdoor pollinator garden. 

Young also includes 12 biodegradable pots for the outdoor plants. Perfect for any age group, this is our pick, especially for seniors. It will encourage moms to get outdoors every day to enjoy their new garden. $30 for all at PrettyThingsandCoolStuff.com.

Lowes raised bed kitRECYCLED GARDEN

It’s just great that even large companies are going green and we can show them that we support this trend by choosing their greener products. 

If your madre is really into gardening, Lowes has a nifty raised bed kit made from 38 percent post-consumer recycled plastic and 62 percent sustainable hardwood fiber - materials that would normally go into the landfill. 

The resulting boards require no maintenance and are touted to not rot, warp, splinter or fade for many years. They feature an attractive textured wood-grain finish that will blend into Mom’s front or backyard. 

Lowes can deliver anywhere in just a few days. Order soil, mulch and plants to go with it and Mom will have fun putting it all together. There’s even a video on the Lowes website that shows how easy it is to assemble. Raised Bed Kit is $49.98 in-store or at Lowes.com.

Eco Blossom red yarrowNew Vintage Rose Yarrow is one of the offerings from Eco Blossom, a Fort Worth-based online nursery.

GOING NATIVE

Fort Worth-based Eco Blossom Nursery can help turn Mom’s yard into a native Texas paradise, filled with flowers that originally grew here on the prairie.

Eco Blossom Greggs mistSimply order the plants online and Eco Blossom will deliver anywhere in DFW - and they’ll even install them if you want. 

Choose from a huge variety of native and adapted plants such as New Vintage Rose Yarrow (pictured above), Texas Primrose, Purple Coneflower, Red Yucca and Gregg’s Mistflower (pictured with butterfly). Even the names sound dreamy and Mom will love them. 

The company also offers seeds from Native American Seed, another Texas-based company, in specialty mixes to attract bees and hummingbirds and even hard-to-find milkweed for creating a haven for monarch butterflies. Visit EcoBlossom.com for full details.

Whole Earth Provision Co prayer flagsBRING ON BUDDHA 

Offer Mom some peace in her backyard with Tibetan Prayer Flags from Whole Earth Provision.

According to Wikipedia, legend ascribes their origin to the Buddha, whose prayers were written on battle flags used by the devas against their adversaries, the asuras. 

The Gu-Chu-Sum Diety set features Padmasambhava on blue, the Windhorse on white, Milarepa on red, Tara on green and the Kalachakra symbol on yellow. 

The five flag colors represent the five elements: blue (earth), white (water), red (fire), saffron (infinite space), and green (cosmic winds). 

Other styles also available. Around $15 each. Each one is printed from hand carved woodblocks in Tibet. Several other Mother’s Day gift items available on WholeEarthProvision.com.

Lush henna blocksPROJECT HAIR DYE

If your mama’s locks are showing more gray than usual on your Zoom chats, treat her to luxury and a fun project at the same time. In my own search for hair dye that is eco-friendly and safer for the environment, I happened upon Lush Henna Blocks

As the company says, “Using henna to color hair is a fabulous natural alternative to synthetic dyes, and it’s a cinch to get sensational results. Each color is expertly blended with henna, essential oils and deeply conditioning cocoa butter, so your hair will be left looking and feeling fabulous.” 

I not only had fun applying it, which takes a few hours, but my hair never looked so shiny. Each waxy henna block is $27.95 but I was able to dye my hair six times. Lots of other goodies at the Lush website.

Whole Foods gift ideasPAMPERED HERO

We can all agree moms have always been heroic and in recent weeks their everyday heroism is more apparent than ever. 

To celebrate your mom this Mother’s Day, Whole Foods wants to share some DIY spa day ideas to ensure she feels pampered! Here’s an easy spa mask - not the kind you wear to the store but something that Mom can whip up in her own kitchen  and lick her fingers when she’s done. 

DIY WHIPPED STRAWBERRY FACIAL MASK

All you need: strawberries, heavy cream, essential oil and bentonite clay

    1.    Combine one-half cup strawberries, a one-half cup heavy cream and two drops essential oil in blender and pulse three times to puree.

    2.    Add one-fourth cup bentonite clay and pulse three more times, or until mixture thickens.

    3.    Moisten a washcloth warm water and drape over face for 30 seconds.

    4.    Remove washcloth, apply mask to face, avoiding areas like eyes, lips and nostrils.

    5.    Allow mask to dry for 15 mins before rinsing.

    6.    Pat dry & follow with toner, as needed. Store in fridge for up to three days and use daily or once per week for sensitive skin

If you think your mom would rather have her pampering in a ready-made form, why not assemble a goodie bag for her? 

Start with Aura Cacia essential oils, a few potted herbs, her favorite dessert or wine, Whole Foods Market Facial Sheet Masks, bath salts and bath bombs. Share a little extra sweetness with bars of her favorite chocolate or a sweet springtime Blackberry Lime Cake, on sale for 20 percent off through May 12. 

And don’ forget the flowers - Whole Foods Market is also offering their tulips on sale: 20-Stem Bunches of Tulips for $9.99 from May 6-12. Or a Double-Dozen Bunches of Whole Trade Roses for just $19.99. 

For more ideas, see more Mother's Day tips here. Pick up at your local Whole Foods or order online for delivery at WholeFoodsMarket.com.

Kari GranSOFT SKIN IS IN

Help Mom take care of herself the natural way with Kari Gran's “Little Black Dress of Eco-Skin Care.”

The starter kit includes products to deep clean pores, provide proper hydration, balance oil production and leave skin glowing. Each Skincare System Mini Kit includes a two-week supply of Essential Serum, Lavender or Rose Hydrating Tonic, Cleansing Oil and the newly released SPF 365 Serum. 

All products from Kari Gran are ideal for all skin types and are made using the finest natural, organic, wild-harvested and non-GMO ingredients. Find gift ideas and more at TheChoosyChick.com.


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