7 Hostess Gifts That People Will Love

Fancy soaps sit on the bathroom shelf, and potpourri sachets get lost in a drawer. So, instead of bringing traditional hostess gifts when you visit a friend, bust out one of these slam-dunk gifts that people will love (and want to use!) right away.

1. Adorable watchdog doorstop to make them smile, $24.
2. Spanish lavender to make their kitchen smell like summer, $58.
3. Indoor s'more maker, for obvious reasons, $25.
4. Summery rosé wine, with a tree wine stopper, $8.
5. Cheeky dish towel, since we've all been there, $16.50.
6. Big Sur room spray to inspire wanderlust, $20.
7. Guilty-pleasure gossip magazines to flip through together.

Thoughts? What do you normally bring as a hostess gift?

P.S. More round-ups, and the first travel week...

(Post by Joanna. Graphic design by Rachel from Elephantine for Cup of Jo.)

Mother's Day: 4 gifts for new moms

Last week, I featured a Mother's Day gift guide with gift ideas for our own mothers. But I've gotten emails from husbands asking for gift ideas for their wives, since they want to honor the mothers of their own children. How sweet is that sentiment? So, here are four Mother's Day ideas for new mothers...
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Mother's Day Gift Guide

Mother's Day is Sunday, May 13th--about two weeks away! Here are 10 gifts she'll love...
A bouquet of peonies, above, since they're pretty much every woman's favorite flower. $93.
A mug to make her laugh, $14.
Brunch cooking class in Brooklyn, celebrated on Mother's Day. $125/person.
Plant topper, to fill her bedroom with light and rainbows, $140.
Morse code bracelet that spells out "mom," $40.
Fondue pot filled with chocolate, $20, plus a basket of strawberries. Made in Paris, naturellement.
Your favorite childhood photo sent to her in a silver frame, $28, to remind her that you'll always be her baby. (Get 10% off any Pinhole Press order with the code CUPOFJO.) P.S. That's my mom, my twin sister and me above:)
Friendship earrings--one for you and one for her. $55.
Field of Grass soy candle, to transport her to freshly cut grass in the countryside, among daisies, beneath the sun. $20.
An astrology reading, because how fun is that?! And lunch afterward to talk about it all.

P.S. More great gifts for women...

10 Valentine's Day gifts for women

The Miraculous Push-Up Bra, for obvious reasons. $58. (This is sexy, too.)
Cool heart hoops by Marc Jacobs, $48.
A gift certificate for a foot massage. Have you ever gotten one? Pressure points on your feet correspond to other parts of your body (your head, your arms, your back) so you leave feeling relaxed and floppy all over. Amazing and such a treat. $115 for an hour.
Flowers, and here's the kicker: Send them to her office. It's so much fun to get flowers at work! Her heart will secretly skip a beat when the delivery guy walks in and calls her name, and they'll look gorgeous on her desk for a week. (P.S. Skip the traditional dozen red roses and mix it up a little or a lot; and be sure the bouquet includes a vase. Call up a local florist, or Teleflora and Proflowers are great, too. xoxo)
Ampersand necklace to show your sweet connection. (The font was inspired by the alphabet magnets on everyone's fridges growing up!) $124.
Etta James CD, with classic songs to make her starry-eyed. $4.99.
Giant heart balloons to have waiting in the bathroom, bedroom, hallway and living room when she wakes up.
A notepad with your favorite schmoopy photo, $12.99.
A brownie of the month club. (This exists!!!) $65 for three months.
A good old-fashioned love letter, since that's all she really wants anyway.

What kinds of gifts do you like to get (or give) for Valentine's Day? I'd love to hear more ideas...

P.S. A men's gift guide coming up tomorrow! And past gift guides...