Jessie Loves: My 11 Best Mother's Day Gift Ideas

Special gifts for special mamas

I’m getting a jump on my gift guide early this year because it takes time to select a gift, wrap it beautifully, write a thoughtful note and then mail it off. So I am publishing this with enough time to (hopefully) do all these things.

My favorite gifts are personal — either evoking a special memory, or carefully chosen for the recipient’s interests, or best of all, quite literally personalized. Some fav suggestions below.

1. A pewter frame

Pewter is having a moment! And my mom used to work at Old Sturbridge Village so she will love the old-timey material of the gorgeous pewter frames from Match.

My mom with my brother when he was a baby at her job at Old Sturbridge Village.

I especially love the smallest frames Match makes. I have one on a shelf in my kitchen in Bridgehampton with a photo of my kids when they were very little. I smile every time I see it. My mom would love a frame with a special photo tucked inside.

Pewter butter dishes at Ett Hem Stockholm as evidence of pewter trend - ha!

2. Custom stationery

Custom stationery is the ultimate personalized gift. My friend Cheree Berry makes such beautiful sets and that are very easy to customize. This is the set she made for me and every time I use it I feel so special. (It’s also a lovely small size which makes it extra cute and elegant imo).

3. Our LR X Jack’s Wife Freda apron!

This was one of my favorite projects to work on. I’ve been friends with Maya (the co-founder of JWF) for years because I frequent her restaurant so much. My favorite thing about JWF is that it’s such a cool place but everyone is friendly and welcoming there. Too many restaurants in NYC think cool means aloof and snotty. That is NOT cool! JWF is.

How cute is the apron we made together?

Beautiful Maya wearing our apron in the Jack’s Wife kitchen

4. Bulbs

I love the idea of potted bulbs as a gift. So beautiful and tasteful. There are some varieties that will still be blooming come Mother’s Day.

Muscari seen on my trip to London last year.

Daffodils on my kitchen table

You can even get bulbs (or a plant) from the deli in NYC. The trick is to replant them in an elegant pot. They look priceless then!

5. The Dina tote & “Mama” pouch

For a new mom, I would get this Mama pouch from Lewis and our travel tote which so many people use as a diaper bag. We just launched it in a sweet new brown gingham.

6. A beautiful book

Always a lovely gift. Here are a few I like:

• Colu Cooks: Easy Fancy Food by the wonderful

  Colu Henry

• Décors Barbares by Nathalie Farman-Farma

• The Tulip Garden by Polly Nicholson

7. A daily pill dispenser

Not the most glamorous, but definitely super useful. And possible to personalize! I love mine so much. I got my mom one for her birthday.

8. Our Deanie tote

A functional and beautiful tote with our signature floral cross stitch pattern:

9. An elegant bread knife

I love the color of this knife. Perhaps you could gift it with a homemade loaf of bread?

10. A nice pepper mill

Ok this pepper mill is absurdly expensive but it is the Rolls Royce of pepper mills. The lady I know who told me about it said she would give it “its own little pillow next to me at night if that didn't read as insane...” I have tried this pepper mill. It really and truly is amazing. They claim 7 cranks have the power of 70 with a regular pepper mill.

11. Custom crochet doily

I was gifted this doily by a friend and I love it so very much. Any mama would love to have one of these (I wove a ribbon through mine and display it in my office). Do check the delivery times on this one because it takes time to make.

Honorable Mention:

It goes without saying that my most favorite Mother’s Day gift to receive is something handmade by my kids. Little notes or art projects are the things that are most priceless to me.

What are your best Mother’s Day gift ideas? I’m always on the hunt!

Everything I Wore in London

I took the quickest trip to London with Brian and our daughter, Clementine, who’s considering going to school there next year (!). It was classic London weather — partly cloudy and a little chilly. I packed lots of light layers I could style different ways over the course of my long-weekend stay.

I love our Ken shirt. Tops with statement collars are a staple for me. They’re perfect for trips because they’re so versatile. I wore mine solo, and layered underneath my favorite Kule sweater for a “wow” detail.

I adore a base layer, so little tank tops like this one are a must. So sweet with pointelle details.

I got these pants from La Veste and I’m obsessed. I think statement pants are the best!

The cutest ruffle tote. We’ve made it in tons of pretty patterns, but this yellow and brown stripe is my current favorite.

And of course, what’s a trip to London without a rain jacket?

Five Reasons I Love My Mom

Instead of 5 things I’m loving this week, I thought maybe I would list 5 reasons I love my mom.

1. She is tasteful and elegant. My mom isn’t super into fashion, but she’s interested in things that are beautifully made, especially with natural raw materials — not fancy things, but things with inherent beauty.

2. I grew up around crafts and handmade things. I love having a mom who knits. (I also love that she let me wear the little wooden bead necklace I made in the professional photo above).

3. There is no one better to talk to when you’re sad than my mom. She always can help me get out of a funk. Especially when I’m sick and she makes me Chicken Pot Pie.

4. She puts little stems of flowers by my bedside and irons the sheets when I visit.

5. She loves children’s books (she was a children’s book reviewer for a newspaper when I was little) and we grew up reading so many beautiful and beautifully written ones. A few of my favorites: The Country Bunny And The Little Gold Shoes, What Should A Hippo Wear?, Blueberries For Sal, The Duchess Bakes A Cake, Caps For Sale, Miss Rumphius, Ox-Cart Man.

6. And one more thing — that she got kicked out of the Girl Scouts once. I love a bit of mischief in someone who is usually very impeccable!

And One Thing I Hate:

I hate that I don’t have many photos of me and my mom from when I was little (i.e. the reason why I post the same damn photo every Mother’s Day) because she hates to see herself in photos. A good reminder to get in those shots, always.