Please note, we are not getting paid for these recommendations, we just think they are fun gift ideas.
Loves the Bling
After chocolate and flowers, the next thought most people have is to give their mom some kind of jewelry. But I'm gonna kick it up a notch. Try to find meaningful jewelry. Whether it's a ring that has the birthstone of every kid or just a necklace that holds some meaningful message, it would be hard to go wrong. Here are a couple of places to give you some ideas:
The Fashionista
It can be almost impossible to buy clothes for your mom, so here's an idea. There are plenty of clothing subscription boxes nowadays and you can give a gift card to get her started! If she doesn't end up liking it, there's no need to keep the subscription. Obviously this choice is not for everyone, but if your mom really loves her fashion, she'll be thrilled. Here are a few of the many options:
No Frills, Give Me Function
Some moms are all about practicality, and there's nothing wrong with that! It just makes them a little trickier to shop for. But don't worry, from crafty moms to cooking moms, here are some ideas for the practical mom.
Crafty Moms: Cricut (not cheap, but potentially worth it)
Practical No Clutter Moms: Roll-Up Dish Drying Rack
Gifts for Display
There are lots of sentimental moms out there, and the best way to get them feeling all warm and fuzzy is to give them something they can show off. There are so many options out there, but here are a few if you're stumped.
Pamper Time
We all know our moms work hard, so they could probably use some pampering. It's hard to go wrong with some self-care, whether it's face masks, lotions, or essential oils. Here are a few ideas to get you started.
Treat Yo Self (But for You and Mom)
Nothing beats quality time with your mom, but how you choose to spend that time together is totally up to you. That can make it tricky, but here are some ideas of fun activities you might consider doing with your mom.
Spa Night
Get a basket with some yummy smelling lotions and soaps, nail polish and files, face masks, and even some comfy bathrobes if you want. Then schedule a night when you and mom can put it all to use while chatting or watching a chick flick.
Custom Puzzle
There are lots of places you can get a custom puzzle with a picture of your family or whatever you want a picture of, but it doesn't have to stop there. When you give your mom the puzzle, make sure to schedule some time when you can work on the puzzle together. Here's one of the many places you can get a custom puzzle.
Custom Book (If your mom is a grandma)
Here is a website where you can customize your own cartoon characters to star in your own book! Once you get your book, make sure to schedule time for your mom to read the book to her grandkids. She'll love it and might even cry.
Beauty and Function
There aren't a whole lot of things in the world that we can easily justify purchasing because it's beautiful. However, if you throw in some functionality, you've hit the jackpot! From mugs to towels to Towel Ties, here are a few ideas that your mom will be able to use and admire.
In the end, it's hard to go wrong with a thoughtful present even if it may not fit your mom's personality perfectly. She will appreciate the gesture and the effort put into getting something that isn't the stereotypical present.
Good luck in your hunt, and go show your mom just how much you love her!
]]>How Often Should You Wash Your Hand Towels?
The first consideration comes down to how worried you are about germs and bacteria. If someone in your household is sick or immunocompromised, you should be switching the hand towels out every day.
If your hand towel is located in a bathroom or used for anything other than clean hands, the standard is every couple of days.
If your hand towel isn't used very often or has plenty of time to dry in between uses, you are likely fine to wash your hand towels every week.
If you want to avoid bacteria and mildew problems, don't wait any longer than a week!
So what does this mean for you? Obviously it would be a lot of hassle to wash towels every day, so we recommend having multiple hand towels available for each bathroom and/or kitchen. Luckily hand towels are not too expensive and come in a variety of colors and patterns, so have some fun!
Guilt-Free Ways to Go Longer Between Washes
Life is busy, and maybe we should be washing our hand towels every few days, but how many of us actually have the time or brain power to remember something that's so easily forgotten? While you still shouldn't go longer than a week for washing your hand towels, there are some ways that you can stretch the time from a few days up to a week.
Pay attention to what your towel is made of. Most people love a good plush cotton hand towel, but unfortunately, those towels trap moisture because they are thick and the dense cotton loops make it hard for the water to evaporate. While this means you may want to stay away from super thick towels, it doesn't mean your towels have to be scratchy. There are many towel blends that are soft, absorbent, and fast-drying.
Microfiber is known to be a fast-drying material, so if you have a towel that contains microfiber, it's less likely to trap moisture and grow bacteria. Just be aware that microfiber is often more likely to wick moisture away, so it may not absorb as well as cotton.
Turkish cotton is also known to dry quickly while still feeling nice to the touch. These towels are typically thinner, so they tend to dry pretty quickly. There are a lot of fun designs made of Turkish cotton as well, so prepare to have fun choosing some pretty towels!
And while you're at it, make sure to add a Towel Tie to your hand towels to keep them from falling on the floor. Nothing will get your towels dirty faster than dropping them on the floor. Not only are Towel Ties functional, but they are decorative as well! Win-win.
In the end, make sure your towels will dry quickly and stay off the floor. If you can do those things, your towels will stay cleaner longer.
]]>So what are your choices? Unless you use paper towels exclusively, most of the only solutions have been homemade and DIY. Do any of these look familiar?
These are not necessarily bad options, but they do require work and skill that not all of us may have. And although some of these options look nice, a lot of them do not look or feel sophisticated. So what are your options if you want a beautiful, sophisticated kitchen? Before you decide to get rid of towels entirely and replace your them with paper towels, check this out:
Introducing the Towel Tie. It's made of premium full grain leather and is available in multiple designs and colors to match your style. This simple solution will provide your towels and your kitchen with a little rugged sophistication that will provide both beauty and function. That's what we call a win-win. Check out the products page to see which Towel Tie you fall in love with!
]]>As any inventor knows, the first prototype likely looks much different from the finished product, and that's usually a good thing. This is definitely true for the Towel Tie! It took hundreds of hours to perfect, but the final product was definitely worth the wait. Naturally, inventors may wonder why the final model didn’t come to fruition right away, but doing so only robs them of the challenges and joy of the creative adventure.
This whole journey started with a frustrated grandmother who had reached her limit picking up the kitchen towel that had either fallen to the floor or was in a heap on the countertop. As long as there have been kitchen towels, grandmothers have been trying to solve this dilemma with the crocheted towel topper. A skein of blue yarn and a blue kitchen towel were purchased, and this grandma was armed for battle with her crochet hook when a better idea struck. What if a band of some kind could be attached around the towel to secure it to the handle? The real journey had begun.
The first prototype came about by trying to combine fabric with elastic, basically a scrunchie for your towel. Functional? Mostly. Kid proof? Kind of. Elegant? Not quite. Problems? Indeed. It was back to the drawing board. After hundreds of hours of experimentation, a box full of new prototypes emerged, some of which were duds and others with some potential. They all soon found themselves in a plastic container tucked away to preserve history, when some leather from Grandma’s shoe shop was discovered in a closet. This changed everything.
Countless more hours were spent transforming a simple leather band into a decorative piece of artistry worthy of being displayed on any kitchen towel. Several leathers and techniques later, the Towel Tie was born!
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Leather offers a sophisticated, durable look that can be rustic or elegant or both! However, not all leathers are created equal. We use a full grain bridle leather for our Towel Ties to ensure that it will last a lifetime, so if you don't know much about leather, here is a simplified look at why we chose the leather that we did.
Cowhide is made of two main integrated layers: the grain and the corium. Collagen fibers in the corium are thinner and more flexible and become tighter and thicker as they move up toward the grain, where the fibers are tightly packed and very strong. Hide can be split horizontally into several layers, making various types of leather of varying quality.
Full grain leather is made with the entire top grain layer intact (with all the unique imperfections like insect bites, scratches and stretch marks). This unaltered grain layer of closely packed fibers, give a hide its strength, durability and water-resistance. It is the most expensive leather because it’s the best and highest quality in terms of durability and longevity. It can develop unique characteristics with use and can last for many years if cared for properly.
Top grain leather is a full grain leather which has been “corrected” by buffing or sanding to remove imperfections. With the removal of part of the top grain layer, it is more pliable and thinner, but not as strong as full grain. It is used in fine leather goods.
Lowest quality split leathers are made up of the bottom part of the leather (the corium) that has been split at the grain/corium layer. Leather in this category won’t last as long or look as nice as full grain and top grain leathers. Suede fits in this category and is a particular finish of leather which gives it a soft fibrous effect. If a product is labeled as Genuine Leather, it may be real leather, but it is the lowest quality leather leftover from the hide after the higher end products are made. Corrected grain leather is a lower quality leather printed with fake grain. Bonded leather is made up of scraps of leather mixed with a polyurethane binder to form one piece.
We tried several leathers from different tanneries to see which would be the best fit for Towel Ties. We chose to use the high quality full grain leather which comes from Jumbo Heavy Native Steer hides of the United States and Canada. Both the Dark Havana brown and Auburn brown used for most of our current products are made from bridle leather penetrated with ColorFast from ChahinLeather® in Orizaba, Mexico. This full grain leather is vegetable tanned and then hot stuffed with oils and tallows that allow it to be weather-resistant. In a 45 day process, the leather is then drum dyed to achieve a beautiful, uniform color.
This entire process not only helps prevent your Towel Tie from staining your towel, but it also gives it a rich, smooth cut. It can develop a rich patina as it ages, and with proper care it can last for many years. The Bridle leather is stiffer, while the Horween Cavalier, which has been made in the USA for over 90 years, is a combination tanned leather with a softer feel and the characteristic leather smell.
Please keep in mind that leather is a natural product. There may be color variations and an occasional characteristic mark. After using your Tie for a while, you may notice that it naturally stays curved after taking it off of your towel. Although it starts out as somewhat stiff, your leather Towel Tie will look and feel even better with age and use. We hope it embellishes your kitchen for many years to come.
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