Gifting the he/hims and they/thems in your life can be pretty tricky - especially since you usually don't get a solid response on what they actually want. Finally being in a relationship though has opened my eyes to the subtle ways they can tell you what they like, without having to tell them to do anything! What do they like to do ALL the time? What interests them when they're searching the internet or when you're going shopping at Target with them? What a relief it is to have clear communication with a guy for the first time!

I do know that I tend to reference the same items every time I've done this guide in the past, but it's what works and it tends to always please! So please enjoy and let's get into my next guide - for the lads! 

Plant Energy Shirt | Breville Bambino Espresso Machine | Market Smiley Patch Beanie | Mushroom Pour-Over Coffee Set| PUPPERS PLAID KOOZIE | Inverted Lighter | Best Buds Votive Candle Set | Konor Waterproof Chukka Boot | Harry Potter Collection - Hogwarts Express 3D Puzzle | BORDEAUX CORKSCREW | Flannel Pajama Set | Fenmore Midsize Multifunction Brown Leather Watch | Pinecone Cut Decanter, Green | Custom Vinyl Record Print | PIZZA SOCKS BOX 

A new merch drop from my favorite streamer (Julen), pizza socks that I even want, and so many other tech/gadgets that will make his holiday super special! These will be perfect for stocking stuffers and for big spaces under the tree.

It's been so long, wow! When I first started the Mostly Lisa Holiday Gift Guide series, it was one of the best ideas I had come up with for this blog. It drove me to use my creativity, it urged me to regularly post because I was so proud of what I had made. Now? Now it's mostly inner feelings of everything I've made doesn't even matter in the long run,  that it wouldn't get the attention I thought it deserved no matter how hard I've tried. It takes a lot of work, I'm talking hours and days for me to create all of this on my own. I know, I know, I decided to do this for my blog and that is a task I put upon myself, but still. Endless hours of searching and editing to make something that was a lot of fun in the beginning but has now turned into an ego game. That's not what I'm about, so I had to stop and I'm really glad I did.

The time passed has helped and it's brought a new perspective for me to look at. I'm going to approach this series not so seriously and just do it for fun again. If it gains nothing, if no one sees it - I'll be okay with that because I know that I put my heart into it. Maybe I'll be able to work with some small, local brands and have the ability to give something away because that's what the holidays are all about. So I've decided to try again, and here I am. ❤✨🎄

Let's start with the ladies!

Christmas Time In The City Dessert Plate | Capri Blue Ombre Faceted Glass Jar Candle | Eco dreamiest long-sleeve pajama set in constellation print | Celestial-embroidered velvet Mary Jane flats | Holiday Jigsaw Puzzle | Original Pink Hoodie | Satin Heatless Curling Set - Sunset Tie Dye | GALAXY NECKLACE | Hatch Restore Personalized Sleep Solution | New York Eau de Parfum Spray | Kraken Kitty Edition Black Chroma Wired Gaming Headset | The Muppet Christmas Carol - Vinyl Soundtrack | Maroon Patch Beanie | Spirited Away Lipstick | Hot Cocoa Kit | Obstinate Headstrong Girl Mug | Northwoods Candle | Grecian Bust Table Lamp 

I am ALWAYS down to watch a movie that is based in Autumn, or that has Autumn in it, so I wanted to create a list of movies that are some of my absolute favorites! I love the bright, colorful moments that happen in movies with this season. They're so much fun to watch and sit back on a moody, rainy night in October with someone special. So please, feel free to read through and let me know what you're watching this time of year!

Stepmom (1998)

A terminally-ill woman must deal with her ex-husband's new lover, who will be their children's stepmother.

Pride & Prejudice (2005)

Sparks fly when spirited Elizabeth Bennet meets single, rich, and proud Mr. Darcy. But Mr. Darcy reluctantly finds himself falling in love with a woman beneath his class. Can each overcome their own pride and prejudice?

Little Women (2019)

Jo March reflects back and forth on her life, telling the beloved story of the March sisters - four young women, each determined to live life on her own terms. 

You've Got Mail (1998)

Book superstore magnate, Joe Fox and independent book shop owner, Kathleen Kelly fall in love in the anonymity of the Internet both blissfully unaware that he's trying to put her out of business.

When a young girl living with her good-witch grandmother learns she too is a witch, she must help her grandmother save Halloweentown from evil forces.

A group of young misfits called The Goonies discover an ancient map and set out on an adventure to find a legendary pirate's long-lost treasure.

Dead Poet's Society (1989)

Maverick teacher John Keating uses poetry to embolden his boarding school students to new heights of self-expression.

Hello my fellow skincare enthusiasts, today I wanted to talk about these two beauties! This is not sponsored by Fresh Beauty (however, feel free to hit me up FB, I would adore being an ambassador for you) but I'm enamored with these products and wanted to share a little bit about them and how they fit into my skincare routine flawlessly. After trying both in a sample size several months ago, I originally put them to the side due to both of their price points and not being able to justify the spending. That has now changed and I'll just say, I'm probably never going to go back. Both products in their full-size form are well worth the purchase, especially if you use the proper amount every time. A little goes a long way! Please read on for my thoughts and let me know what you think! Have you tried a Fresh Beauty product? Pros? Cons? I'd love to know any other items I should try. 

Sugar Strawberry Exfoliating Face Wash

Rose & Hyaluronic Acid Deep Hydration Moisturizer

This lightweight moisturizer delivers 72-hour deep hydration in three ways: A duo of hyaluronic acids instantly and deeply hydrate while time-release technology delivers continuous hydration. Damask rose extract strengthens the skin’s barrier, resulting in dewy skin that’s plumped with moisture.

What an absolutely stunning scent, obviously of roses. I feel like a goddess applying this to my face after exfoliating. It leaves skin feeling silky smooth and hydrated, which works perfectly for me as I tend to have dry skin year-round. There's no sticky residue leftover and the best part is that the scent doesn't linger for too long. It also includes hydrating plum seed oil to keep the complexion looking fresh, which is what everyone wants, right? Highly recommend!

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Always,
Mostly Lisa

A few things to love this month. 

Grecian Bust Table Lamp

Look at this lamp! ✨ The perfect mixture of elegance and sophistication is what I think Anthropologie does well with its home decor, so I'm not surprised that I would find this and love it immediately. This has been on my wishlist for a while, but I hope that July will bring it to fruition. 

Reacting to 'THE HILLS' with Whitney Port

This YouTube series is such a guilty pleasure of mine! I love Whitney and her husband, Timmy, as they re-watch 'The Hills' from start to finish and provide hilarious commentary throughout. It's fun to watch, 30-minute episodes that are easily digestible and can be on in the background if you want. If you ever watched the show originally, I highly recommend starting this series!

Leonie Black Ballet Flat

A comfortable flat from Loeffler Randall that has me dancing off the ceiling! Seriously, these are a dream.

I came across this series of photos last week and I've been thinking about them ever since. There's something so magical about them.. maybe it's the anonymity of who the woman is carrying the big bouquet of flowers or maybe it's the hint that they're off in a hurry to meet someone they love OR they just need to get the stems in water as soon as possible. I mean, the possibilities are endless and I love that little fact. This has inspired me to go out and see if there are any other mysterious ladies carrying the world's most beautiful flowers and living a life I can only dream of. So please, enjoy and help me make up some fantasy about who they are and what they're doing. 👀🌺🌿🌼

Yasmine Florals

Carla Coulson

vilde kaniner

Ashley Kane

zoeclaudia

Today's guest post comes from someone I greatly admire and am inspired by here in the Twin Cities. Brittany Chaffee uses words in such a beautiful, romantic and poetic way that I figured she'd be the perfect person to create a story for what self-love means and how love can come into your life when you least expect it. Please read on and enjoy her melodic musings on romance.

typography by cannedsorbet

We envision love, in the beginning, to be a striking and complicated muscle. But when we fall in love, the movement feels a lot like slipping. The looseness, expansive. Right before I found my now husband, when I was angry and twenty-three years old and tired of dating bad men, my mom told me: “Brittany, love is effortless. You’ll be surprised by it.” 

But something else happens when we fall in love. When we come to know people; slip under the looseness of their open hearts, we come to know them as intimately as ourselves. That part is scary. It takes vulnerability. Because, in turn, we have to reach deeper into the pockets of ourselves. If the love is right, we wade deeper into self.

My favorite line in the entire book, Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle, is this: 

“We don’t need other people’s love in order to love ourselves; we don’t need a romantic partner to be ‘complete.’ But we need other people to teach us how to love ourselves best.”

A month before I fell in love with my husband, I finally found peace with being alone. I thought: you are beautiful and twenty-four. Your world has only recently spread open. The minute I felt myself slipping, falling in love, I thought: oh, shit. There’s more. Because loving is the damn truth. Loving him reminded me that I did, in fact, love myself.

Love is beyond dual coverage and picking up takeout because you’re hungry and being an emergency contact and meeting family and Thanksgiving. Love is finding new ways to love ourselves because there’s another human involved. They become our mirror; our reminder that we get what we give. Loving is, at its root, selfless. But, the act of it says so much about what we’re capable of offering. We offer what we need, what we desire. For the first time, we realize our hearts are available for big moments, big affirmations. And realize we deserve all of them. That is self-love.

Love is showing someone else why you care about them because you care about yourself. Love is self-love flipped on its head, the equal give and take of human-defining togetherness. It is beyond what we ever imagined and above what either of us originally believed.

"Love is effortless because it helps define who we are. It’s as beautiful and simple as that."