Tis’ the season for giving, but finding a gift for the girlfriend who has everything is challenging, especially if you are trying to stay within a holiday budget. But with a little creativity this holiday season, you can solve that dilemma by handcrafting your own unique, heartfelt gift. Let GirlfriendCelebrations guide you with a few easy-to-do ideas to make your own. We’re positive you’ll find something for everyone on your list. Click the links to find the how-to!

For the foodie girlfriend:

Chocolate Truffles, Pecan Clusters, Chocolate covered pretzels or Oreo truffles –  What girl doesn’t appreciate a yummy, melt-in-your-mouth indulgence? Place  chocolates in individual candy or small cupcake liners, arrange in a box, garnish with  a beautiful bow. Voila’ Beautifully wrapped chocolates prepared with your own two  hands and a giving heart.

Cookies in a jar - all the ingredients for a delightful girls night in, to make when she needs it the most.

Spiced Pecans or Candied Pecans – give to the girlfriend who enjoys the nuttier side of  life, a tasty snack that she  won’t want to share.

For the fashion-forward girlfriend:

Doodle noodle scarf, Fringe Scarf, strip scarf, Circular scarf, Ruffled Scarf,  or Frilly  scarf – accessories are a fashionista’s best friend.

Dip dyed t-shirt – a chic, stylish re-crafted shirt she is sure to love.

For the pampered girlfriend:

Bath fizzies, Body scrub, Bath salts, Lavendar sleep pouches, Rose dusting powder,  or Winter lip balm, - a gift  of luxury  is always welcomed.

For the entertaining girlfriend:

Decoupage platter , or Cupcake stand – a beautiful gift any girlfriend would love to show off at her next girls night  in.

Doily tablecloth – perfect for the entertaining hostess of elegant dinner parties.

Etched glasses – a thirst quenching way for the hostess with the mostest to share a bevy of cocktails in style.

For the gardening girlfriend:

Clay pot bird bath – painted simply, this can be a great tool for enhancing garden space or attracting birds to watch.

For the busy girlfriend:

Message board – an eye catching way to showcase cherished photos or important notes with beauty.

For the sentimental girlfriend:

Fleece tied blanket – a unique way to give the gift of coziness and warmth, perfect for cuddling up with a book on chilly days.

For the girlfriend who makes life a whole lot better:

Girlfriend Celebrations gift shop – when you don’t have time to make your own gift, but you need to share just how special her friendship is to you. The GirlfriendCelebrations shop is filled with all kinds of apparel to show that you care. (mugs, messenger bag, aprons, magnets, t-shirts, ornaments.) 

With a little creativity, we are positive you can create a charming gift for a special girlfriend. Leave a comment: We’d love to hear about the favorite handmade gifts you have given or received over the years. Read the rest of this entry »

Editor’s Note: This article previously appeared on GirlfriendCelebrations in 2008. All right, bargain huntresses, Black Friday (the day after Thanksgiving and biggest shopping day of the year, in case you’re not aware) is just around the corner. The wee morning hours, mobs of people, neverending lines, and aching feet: remember those from last year? Who wouldn’t need a drink after the race to that finish line? Since you are going to be out and about anyway, why not meet afterward for some girl time? It will give you the opportunity to show off your bargains, get some wrapping done and nourish your body, soul and mind with good food and company. Yes, GirlfriendCelebrations has planned a Black Friday party with you in mind! Read on for all the details, including some easy and fun connecting activities to help you and your girlfriends get the most out of your hours together. Read the rest of this entry »

Ever wondered if your actions alone could  make a difference in the fight against breast  cancer?  You—one single person in a world of 6  billion, helping to defeat a cancer that 1 out of  every 8 women is diagnosed with in her  lifetime. Sounds daunting at best. But with a few tricks up her sleeve and a dash of humor, Breast Cancer Warrior Brooke  Jones reminds us how simple it is for girlfriends everywhere to help in the defeat of breast cancer this Halloween season.

By Brooke Jones

Whether you go out ‘Trick or Treating’ or you stay home handing out ‘treats,’ this Halloween you can help make Breast Cancer HISTORY.

On Halloween, October 31, 2010 (which just happens to be the last day of Breast Cancer Awareness Month), in cities and suburbs; boulevards and businesses; condos and cubicles across America, Breast Cancer Warriors and their friends will go door-to-door, office-to-office and desk-to-desk using a new Halloween ‘mantra’: “Trick Or Treat To Help Defeat Breast Cancer“, and we’ll do it every Halloween until Breast Cancer is history.

All Halloween donations will be used by The Breast Cancer Warrior Foundation to remove the financial barriers that currently prevent thousands of Breast Cancer Warriors from participating in Breast Cancer Clinical Trials. The sooner all Breast Cancer Clinical Trials vacancies are consistently filled, the sooner the Breast Cancer CURE and PREVENTION will become available.

To guarantee that every donation made on Halloween ends up in the hands of The Breast Cancer Warrior Foundation, please make your donation with a check, not cash – not quarters; not dimes; not dollars – checks, made payable to: The Breast Cancer Warrior Foundation, in whatever amount you can afford. We know that these are difficult times, so we ask that you write a check for One Dollar; or Two Dollars; or Ten Dollars – or whatever amount you can afford. Write as many of those checks as your budget will allow. Place your checks next to your Halloween Candy Bowl and when Breast Cancer Warriors or their friends come to your door on Halloween give a check, knowing that your hard-earned money will end up in the hands of the Breast Cancer Warrior Foundation, and no one else.

We’ve created a special series of Breast Cancer Warrior ‘Trick or Treat To Help Defeat Breast Cancer’ shirts (T’shirts and sweatshirts). They fit men, women, children and even small four-legged family members. We’ve even designed Breast Cancer Warrior ‘Trick Or Treat To Help Defeat Breast Cancer’ Tote Bags, to help Trick or Treater’s collect donations. Get yours at our online store: The Breast Cancer Warrior Affirmation Outlet.

Wear your Breast Cancer Warrior ‘Trick or Treat To Help Defeat Breast Cancer’ shirt; knock on doors and say the powerful words: “Trick Or Treat To Help Defeat Breast Cancer”. The words are printed on the shirts and bags, so if you forget what to say, just look at what you’re wearing. (We Breast Cancer Warriors do occasionally forget things, don’t we?!)

Proceeds from the sale of Breast Cancer Warrior “Trick Or Treat To Help Defeat Breast Cancer” shirts and bags, as well as all Halloween donations, benefit The Breast Cancer Warrior Foundation.

Please join us this Halloween, in honor of Breast Cancer Warriors past and present, and help make Breast Cancer HISTORY.

Brooke Jones is a former stand-up comedian, Los Angeles radio personality and screenwriter. Now, in addition to fighting cancer, Brooke is the creator and editor-in-chief of BreastCancerWarrior.net — the internet’s unique breast cancer web Site, featuring crucial information, expert articles, links to the Internet’s most-respected breast cancer web sites, and …humor.

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Girlfriend breakups are “the dirty little secret no one talks about,” according to our girlfriend Irene Levine, author of Best Friends Forever: Surviving a Breakup with Your Best Friend. And she should know. Not only has she written a thoughtful and comforting book on the subject of female friendships, she also expertly answers reader questions about friendship on The Friendship Blog. We are so pleased to feature her post here as we continue our Month of Friendship Series. We believe Irene is truly unique as both an expert and advisor on friendship.

by Irene S. Levine, PhD

Despite the romanticized myth of BFF, the hard truth is that most friendships don’t last forever. In fact, research suggests that when it comes to friendships, there’s a phenomenon somewhat akin to the seven-year itch; half of our friendships change over that time period.

Just like other life-affirming relationships that we treasure—relationships with lovers, husbands, siblings, children, and pets—our closest friendships are imperfect. Friendships are fraught with disappointments and misunderstandings—resulting in some of the highest highs and the lowest lows of our emotional lives.

Remember Anne of Green Gables, the lonely orphan who never had a bosom buddy until she met her neighbor, Diana? Anne instantly realized she had found a soulmate in Diana. But as Anne grew up and her world expanded, the foundation of her once perfect friendship with Diana collapsed, paving the way for the next phase in her life. Given all the transitions that that take place in the lives of women (moving, mating, mothering and managing careers, just to name a few), it’s not surprising that friendships fray. Anne’s story is universal; as people grow and change, their paths diverge. Friends drift apart and even kindred spirits may find themselves circling in different orbits.

The sense of trust, intimacy, energy and connection we feel with a best friend is absolutely exhilarating, but when that friendship begins to erode or drift away, the sense of unease, discomfort, or loss is palpable. So what can you do to mend a broken friendship? Here are some tips for getting over the inevitable bumps:

1. Communicate

There’s a wall of silence between you. She isn’t answering your text messages or voicemails, and is ignoring your Facebook comments. You haven’t seen each other for a week and you used to talk every day. What do you do? Summon up the courage to start a dialogue. If there’s any hope of mending the friendship, you need to find out what’s wrong and resolve it. Sending an email or snail mail (note or card) to your friend, telling her you miss her and want to talk, gives her a chance to respond without being caught off-guard.

2. Apologize

If you know it was you who said or did something wrong—or who didn’t do or say something you should have, own up to the mistake. Apologize sooner rather than later because time has a way of making little problems fester. Of course, if you have a recurrent case of foot-in-the-mouth syndrome, this isn’t going to work.

3. Forgive

Conversely, if you were the one who was wronged and the friendship is important to you, consciously decide to forgive your friend in order to save the friendship. Try to think about what happened from her perspective and accept her apology. If her behavior is consistently ambivalent and unpredictable, forgiveness may not be the right fix.

4. Take a break

You’ve approached your friend to sort out the problem and you’ve been ignored or rebuffed. Perhaps your friend needs more time to get over her anger and disappointment. Propose that you NOT see each other for two weeks or a month. Maybe you need time apart (what I call a friendship sabbatical) to realize how much you mean to each other. On the other hand, you both may breathe a sigh of relief during the trial separation.

5. Downgrade

Maybe your expectations of each other are a mismatch at this time. Perhaps, you need to establish boundaries: Tell her you need more space for yourself and more time with others. Maybe your relationship is based primarily on shared history and your lives have grown too disparate to remain besties. Gradually downgrade to a casual, once-in-a-while friendship. Make the change with grace and respect, leaving the door open for reconnecting in a different way at a different time.

Admittedly, fixing a broken friendship is never easy or simple because the rules of friendships aren’t clear. Compounding the problem, women are often embarrassed or ashamed to talk about friendship problems. If they speak to men, they’re likely to be accused of catfighting. If they speak to other women, opening up about another friend may be seen as a betrayal. As a result, friendship problems often remain the dirty little secret that nobody talks about—except on TheFriendshipBlog.com.

Created by psychologist, author, and professor of psychiatry Dr. Irene S. Levine, TheFriendshipBlog.com is the only authoritative place on the internet for women to anonymously ask and receive advice about their friendship problems and dilemmas. Writing as The Friendship Doctor, Dr. Levine is a regular contributor to The Huffington Post and Psychology Today. Her most recent book, Best Friends Forever: Surviving a Breakup With Your Best Friend is based on an online survey of more than 1500 women (anonymous, of course).

The Friendship Circle (a network of five organizations committed to celebrating the power of female friendships) is partnering in September for a Month of Friendship. Visit these Friendship Circle websites daily in September for more inspiration and information:

• The Friendship Blog – by psychologist, professor of psychiatry, and author, Dr. Irene S. Levine (The Friendship Doctor), author ofBest Friends Forever: Surviving A Breakup with Your Best Friend. Follow Irene on Twitter.
• GirlfriendCelebrations – premier source of girls night ideas on the web. Founded by friends Dawn Williams Bertuca and Tina VanZant Bishop. Girlfriend Celebrations on Facebook and Twitter
• GirlFriendCircles.com - only online community that matches new friends offline by connecting circles of women in local areas, by Shasta Nelson. On Facebook and Twitter.
• Girlfriendology.com - online community for women based on inspiration, appreciation and celebration of female friendship. Created by Debba Haupert. On Facebook and Twitter.
• MWF Seeking BFF - chronicles the author’s search for a new best friend after moving to a new city for love, by Rachel Bertsche.

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Girlfriend-in-Chief Dawn participated in the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer in Chicago June 5 – 6 in the company of more than 3,000 “girlfriends.” Here are some of her thoughts on this amazing journey!

Completing the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer is a lot like childbirth: Painful but rewarding. Walking 39.3 miles in two days is, simply, hard. No matter how much you have trained, you can’t totally prepare for your feet repetitively pounding on pavement and Mother Nature dishing up some wet and windy surprises. Bones hurt, blisters pop, chafing appears in (ahem) private places, humidity induces unusual rashes. By the end of Day One, you’re not sure you really want to (or can) get up and walk on Day Two. And yet, the main takeaway from the weekend is a feeling of triumph. In fact, many find this feeling so addictive they choose to do the walk year after year (perhaps, in a phenomenon similar to that of childbirth, selective amnesia sets in).

I spent the Avon Walk weekend with eight other women brought together by our personal trainer, Tracy, a Walk veteran. Training for the walk was a classic example of our philosophy at GirlfriendCelebrations – doing something meaningful together builds friendships! Establishing a walking routine is a great girlfriend-bonding activity. During our training walks, my teammates Liz, Cathy, Robin and I had nothing to do but talk. We’re definitely closer as a result. And during the Walk weekend, I was privileged to get to know my other teammates Teresa, Bonnie, Linsday, and Sherry better as we walked and talked.

Even though our group sentiment was “never again,” after walking 26 miles (a marathon!) the first day of the event, my memory of it now is fond and framed in pink. I’m proud of our accomplishment. We did it, girls! What kept us going? The things that unite women during any bonding experience, whether it’s college rush, child rearing, or working in adjacent cubicles: Read the rest of this entry »

As busy women with hectic calendars, we are always looking for ways to make more time for play in our days. With this in mind, Peapod, the online grocery shopping and delivery service, invited the Girlfriends-In-Chief and some fellow bloggers on a warehouse tour to show us how they could make our lives easier with the click of a mouse. As busy wives and moms, we were all quick to see how Peapod could help de-stress our domestic lives.

But what really put the icing on the cake was how Peapod’s delivery service can make entertaining easier: Helping a girlfriend take out the frazzle of eleventh- hour shopping and put the dazzle back in a last-minute soiree. Yes! What we learned can help us—and you— delete one more obstacle to having a fabulous girls night. Read on to see what we learned about their food quality and offerings for entertaining. And, see the end of this post for a great offer from Peapod that will save you $20 on your next grocery order.

It’s Cold in There

Our tour guide, Tony Stallone, Peapod’s Produce Guru, helped to put all our apprehensions about grocery stores of the 21st century to rest. Being skeptical yet savvy consumers, we initially thought that one would have to physically go to a store to get the freshest produce. But Tony was convincingly quick to point out that in order for Peapod’s service to succeed, the produce has to be better than the produce you would pick for yourself.  Simply put, if you were to pick bad cherries, you would only have yourself to blame. If Peapod were to send you bad cherries, it would not only be the pits for you but for them as well because as a consumer, you’re going to complain. Peapod’s produce goes through a careful inspection process. The fruits and vegetables are not only hand-selected but they are also tasted to ensure a positive experience for the customer. After touring the many different temperature zones in the warehouse (which, it seemed to us, were cool, chilly, cold, colder and freezing—because Peapod takes pride in never breaking the chain of coldness the entire time the food is in their warehouse) and walking among the peppers and apples (each have their own temperature-and humidity-controlled zone, by the way), we were sold on the quality of Peapod’s produce. The fruit in their warehouse looks much better than the room-temperature fruit selection we see at our local Jewel or Ultra. We won’t think twice when it comes to ordering a fruit tray or appetizers from Peapod for our next girls night.

Just a side note, the Produce Guru has his own blog about *drumroll please* produce which you can find here. He is very knowledgeable when it comes to selecting and storing produce: even grandma would be impressed. Here are a few of the tips he shared with us en toure.

• Strawberries – Inspect the entire box of strawberries, don’t be afraid to turn the box over. The strawberries on the bottom and sides of the box will go bad first. Look especially at the shoulders of the strawberries, that’s where bruising occurs first.  Strawberries will last longer if kept at a colder temperature.
• Apples – Refrigerate them. Keep them cold or they will go mealy.
• Avocado – If the button pops off the end easily Makes, it is ripe.
• Guacomole Dip – To store dip overnight without it turning black, place a plain piece of saran wrap over the dip and gently press down until all of the air is out of dip. Keeping the air from coming in contact with the dip will ensure it stays green.

• Read the rest of this entry »

In honor of Mother’s Day, our May Girltalk topic is  Moms & Daughters & More: Strengthening the Bonds, Breaking the Chain. To download this month’s PDF Discussion Guide, click here. For more information on Girltalk, click here.

A personal note from Christine Arylo, founder of Girltalk

Whether you are adopted, from a family of seven, an only child, whether your mother is like your sister or you never talk to your mother, whether your mother is alive or passed on… the truth is that we were all born, we all came from a mother, and we are all women. What’s not so black-and-white is how these relationships with our mothers and mom-like influences impact who we are today… consciously and subconsciously. And since they are some of the most influential relationships in our lives, I say let’s put on our wetsuits this month, dive into the water and do some exploring of what may be lurking underneath in our subconscious sea!

No matter how ‘close’ you are with your mother or daughters, all mother/daughter relationships are complicated, intertwined and full of many levels. It’s just part of the deal. Just as we might receive a set of good china, we are “handed down” behaviors, patterns and beliefs from our mothers that affect our lives on many levels. Read the rest of this entry »

While book clubs seem all the rage these days, gathering with the girls to discuss books leaves little room for a girl to express her creative side. Why not change up your next girls night in with a hip and soulful poetry party? With inspiration from National Poetry Month, Girlfriend Celebrations has created a party plan for girlfriends like you looking for a fresh, expressive outlet. A poetry jam for women who want a creative slice of life or an alternative to the humdrum girls night. Yes, you can create this party with poetic ease, even if you’re feeling at a loss for words.  So go ahead, get your guest list together and plan away with us. Read the rest of this entry »

With Mother’s Day less than a month away, it’s time to start thinking about a gift for the important moms in your life, a gift special enough for the women that have helped to make you who you are. Some of us are blessed to have a mom that is like a best girlfriend; nearly all of us have a mom, mother-in-law or mother figure to remember on Mother’s Day. Giving the right gift can be tricky: you’re navigating the fine line between what you can afford, what mom will like and what gift will make mom feel most appreciated. Who knew it would be so complicated? But don’t drop before you shop, girlfriend, because the Girlfriends-In-Chief have come up with a few gift ideas to inspire your Mother’s Day gift giving.

Here are 5 thoughtful gift ideas for special women in your life:

Charitable

Volunteer – Find a cause that mom is passionate about and volunteer together.

Present her with a wrapped or ribbon-tied photo album. In the front, place an invitation stating the day, time and place you have planned for the two of you to do your volunteering together. She can use the album for pictures to remember the special day you shared  helping out those less fortunate. Not only will you both be rewarded  with warm feelings of helping others, but volunteering can help you to grow as individuals as well as help to make your mother/daughter bond a little stronger. It’s a gift filled with warm fuzzies for all. Try searching www.volunteermatch.org to find volunteer opportunities near you.

Inspirational

Motivate – Encourage her to exercise! Give mom a gift certificate for your time as a weekly walking partner.

A key reason many people don’t work out is simply because they  lack motivation. It’s easier to work out if you have someone there  to motivate, get you going and hold you accountable to a workout  schedule. Why not be that motivation for mom to help her get in better shape and to help her feel better about herself?  Schedule a night or two each week ( just make sure you keep up your end of the bargain) to accompany mom on a healthy walk. Not only will you inspire some healthy habits, it will give you some quiet mom/daughter bonding time. Best of all, it’s free! A win/win gift for all.

Green

Plant a garden - Surprise her with a garden! Bring the supplies and your muscle power to plant the garden she always wanted but never had time or energy to create.

Planting a garden in the outdoors is a great option if you have the  yard space. However, If she lives in a townhouse or condo, you can still make an indoor garden together. A garden makes a great gift because it will keep her busy and give her something to look forward to. A gift bearing the fruit of your labor, what could be better than that? Read the rest of this entry »

For many, making new friends can be a daunting project.  Let’s face it, putting yourself out there to risk feeling rejected is a shoe than many are not eager to fill. But studies show that finding girlfriends to laugh with and confide in will  not only make you feel better, but can be a life saver as well. Our girlfriend Jessica over at The Improbable Housewife has had to put on that shoe of

uncertainty  and step out of her comfort zone to re-gain her social life and sanity. Listen on as she shares some tips she used to create her own social mojo:

Read the rest of this entry »