20 Birmingham FINDS for Mother’s Day, Graduation, and More

May just might be the new December when it comes to gift-giving. With Mother’s Day and graduations on the calendar for many — not to mention teacher appreciation season and summer plans to prep for — there are so many reasons to hit up local Birmingham businesses. Here’s this month’s roundup of FINDS you don’t want to miss!

FOR THE FASHIONISTA

A pretty prayer necklace 

Moms play a critical but oh-so-difficult role, so help her keep her prayers close to her heart with a Lord’s Prayer necklace. This 14-carat gold-filled necklace features the Lord’s Prayer laser engraved on one side and the Serenity Prayer on the other. The necklace measures 16 inches in length — with a two-inch extender — and can be found for $80 at Monkee’s of Mountain Brook. Does Mom prefer a bracelet instead? No problem! It also comes in a bracelet version, which features a toggle clasp and is also $80.

Comfortably chic stripe dress

Step into summer with a chic new dress that effortlessly combines comfort and style. The Tiffany dress from Drew features light blue and white stripes and a bottom ruffle, making it the ultimate summer staple to dress up or down. A must-have addition to any summer wardrobe, it’s available at milla. for $262.

Sweet summer sandals

The arrival of summer is the perfect excuse for a new pair of sandals — as long as it’s this sweet pair from Shoefly Boutique. Made in Spain, Eqüitare’s Casimir sandals ($23) provide just enough height yet are comfortable for all-day wear and come in a soft honey color that pairs with almost everything.

Timeless top

We’re calling it now: you’ll want this top in every color. This sleeveless fray edge pullover blouse by Bella Dahl is a lightweight top made for those warm summer days. Featuring frayed edges and tie details at the neck, the pullover is made of 100% TENCEL™ Lyocell, an incredibly soft and sustainable fabric for which the brand is known. Better yet, it’s made in the U.S. Soca Clothing carries this must-have in multiple colors — including rose petal, white, desert sky, and soft tan — and it’s available for $106.

Hats off to this summer staple

The right hat will take you anywhere, and this hat from Clover + Bee is on point for those summer days spent lounging by the pool or on the beach. This Brenda palm hat ($99) features a neutral cotton woven band with navy stripes. The hat is part of a sustainable collection that’s handmade from palm fronds on the banks of the Chixoy River by female Guatemalan artisans.

A ‘charming’ necklace

A personalized gift shows genuine thought and care, and an initial charm necklace from Susan Gordon Pottery shows it in a sincerely stylish way. Each initial charm is handmade from clay and stamped with an initial and then high fire glazed and finished in 22K gold luster. In addition to 30 different glazes, the necklace is available in many different lengths and charm options — the Original Charm ($42), Double Initial Original Charm ($62), Classic Charm ($42), Double Initial Classic Charm ($62), or the Heirloom Charm ($52).

A dress with maximum summer style

Oliphant Design is known for its bold prints and beautiful silhouettes, and its latest maxi dress doesn’t disappoint. The sleeveless smocked maxi is made from cotton voile and features feminine details, including smocking throughout the top and ruffle details around the neck, shoulders, and skirt. Bonus: it’s also fully lined. Get it while you can at stella blu for $289.

A beautiful basket bag

A new season obviously means it’s time for a new handbag, and Tulipano has our latest handbag obsession: the Pot de Miel by Clare V. The top-handle basket — which retails for $215 — features a woven design and a leather top handle and enough space for all of those everyday essentials.

FOR HEALTH & RELAXATION

Specialized anti-aging skincare

Mom battles enough during the day — wrinkles shouldn’t be one of them. Help her best protect her skin with the SkinCeuticals Anti-Aging System. This three-product regimen features best-in-class technology to help diminish the skin’s visible signs of damage, reduce wrinkles, and increase luminosity. Even better is that it’s great for a variety of skin types and is proven to reduce the appearance of wrinkles by 20%. The set, which sells for $348, is available at Dermatology & Laser of Alabama.

Lovely new pajamas

If you thought it wasn’t possible to be comfortable and cute when lounging in PJs, think again. The Brenda PJ set by B Up offers an ultra-feminine look while also being the absolute most comfortable pajamas you’ll find. This sky blue set is $134 at The Lingerie Shoppe.

Salts for a relaxing bath

Who doesn’t love a little pampering? These bath salts from Eau d’Italie are the ultimate in relaxation, providing all the calming comfort any mom would want. Straight out of Italy, each box contains 500 grams of pure saline crystals scented with Eau d’Italie, Le Sirenuse’ signature fragrance. Pick up this gift to pamper Mom at a’mano for $55.

FOR THE HOME

Anne Neilson gift collection

Stock & Trade Design Co. provides home decor accents that are perfect for all of the loved ones in your life, especially when it comes to Mother’s Day. There’s no going wrong with any selection from the Anne Neilson Angels collection, which includes gifts and home decor that inspire love, faith, and design — all with an affordable price range between $22 and $138.

The scent for any occasion

There’s perhaps a no better time than Mother’s Day to splurge on Mom, and for that, look no further than the Abd El Kader Classic Candle by Trudon. A top seller at Design Supply, the candle is made in France by the oldest wax company in the world and is inspired by the scents of Moroccan spices with head notes of apple, blackcurrant bud, clove, ginger, lemon, and mint. This classic size is $125, but larger versions can be purchased as well.

Freshly picked florals

Most any mom swoons for flowers, and Leaf & Petal offers so many options when it comes to picking just the right arrangement. The garden shop offers a variety of options to pick out a special container in-store — and so many floral varieties as well based on your budget — or you can bring in a special container to have florals arranged in. This particular arrangement features a double phalaenopsis orchid, single phalaenopsis orchid, maidenhair fern, autumn fern, variegated ivy, and tiger branches (complete in a container available in the shop) and is $184.

Vintage finds to update any room

A new accent — or two! — is an easy way to freshen up the home, and Mom would always appreciate a French find from Lolo French Antiques et More. Shop owner Laurent “Lolo” Gouon is from France, and he hand selects every item in the shop, which features one of the most diverse collections of period and style pieces in the South. A few current favorites include demijohns (large 19th-century French hand-blown green glasses that come in different sizes and range in price from $250 to $650), bannetons (antique French bread baskets that were used in boulangeries throughout France by French bakers and are $125), and breadboards (which comes in a variety of sizes and range in price from $75 to $450).

Oh-so-cute wine glasses

There’s so much to love about Stemm’s unbreakable silicone wine glasses. Made of FDA-approved food-grade silicone, they were practically made for summertime gatherings. Not only are they unbreakable, but they are light, portable, and dishwasher safe. Clover + Bee offers them in four different color combinations, and each set of two is $23.

Soft satin pillowcase

Help a graduate feel a little more comfortable when away from home for the first time with the soft and satiny PJ Harlow pillowcase. Sold in a set of two, the pillowcase is made of a super-soft silk cotton rayon blend, helping sleepers feel cooler in the summer and warmer in the wintertime. Three Sheets carries them in four color options — pearl, eggnog, silver, and blush — and each set is available for $64. Step up your gift-giving and have them monogrammed with the graduate’s initials.

FOR THE ONE ALWAYS ON THE GO

Delightfully patterned drinkware

Everyone loves a cute tumbler, and that’s only amplified when it’s a Rifle Paper Co. and Corkcicle tumbler. The brand’s ‘Cream Lively Floral’ pattern is the perfect design for use all through summer, and like all Corkcicle drinkware, it keeps beverages cold for over nine hours or hot for three. The Cottage Basket carries the fresh floral pattern in a tumbler ($32), mug ($39.95), canteen ($40), and flute ($24.95).

Organized glamour for all the things

Fun, functional, and fashionable on the go — that’s the definition of this cosmetic bag set by TRVL. The clear outer bag can hold the coated gingham inner bag or be used separately to hold more items while traveling. You can even take the gift-giving up a notch and have the inner bag monogrammed. The duo — and a variety of other bags in the same matching pattern — can be found at Swoozie’s for $64.95.

Fun and functional beach towel

Nothing quite says ‘summer has arrived’ quite like a new beach towel, and Dock & Bay’s microfiber XL towel is the one you’ll be going for again and again. Not only is the towel large but lightweight, it dries three times faster than a standard cotton towel, won’t collect damp smells, and sand shakes right off. Best of all, it’s available in a variety of cute color stripes ($30) and patterns ($32) at Wrapsody.

Happy May, Birmingham!

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