Tips On Making A Mother's Day Gift Basket + Le Petit Marseillais - Say Bonjour To France's #1 Body Wash - Now In The U.S.

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #SoFreshSoFrench #CollectiveBias

One of France’s biggest beauty secrets is out – say “Bonjour” to Le Petit Marseillais™, France’s #1 body wash brand that is finally here in America. This carefully-curated Walmart collection is available beginning in March and features 17 products, located in the specialty bath & body aisle, where loofahs are sold. I had the opportunity to test out some of these incredibly wonderful products, and I am so excited to share them with you! You will find these products at a very reasonable price point too. I am considering grabbing myself a few of the scents, and am also looking forward to being able to gift these in a Mother's Day Gift basket soon. The full collection can be found in Walmart and also online! I am also sharing some early Mother's Day Gift Ideas, all of which you can customize to your mom's favorite scents and taste preferences. Also, get a quick and easy DIY idea to add into your gift basket. Enjoy!

Shop online for the whole line of products at walmart.com.

Learn all about the brand on their website, here.

Follow the brand on Instagram here.

And, connect with them on Facebook, here.

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Le Petit Marseillais™ was originally created in the sunny harbor of Marseille, a city on France's southern coast. It was an important trading center in the region, where the founder, Bernard Lengelle, fell in love with the region's fragrant artisan soap made with local olive oil. Utilizing ingredients deeply rooted in sunny Province, a French region known for its Earthly riches, simple values, and joie de vivre - joy of life, these products are well-loved among those who live in and those who travel to France. Upon reading lots of positive reviews of the brand, I learned that customers are extremely excited that this line is finally available in the US!

I was fortunate enough to receive a shipment of the following items to feature in my post. I have since seen the whole line of products at various Walmart locations, and I am excited to try the entire line - at this price point, I can definitely afford to test a few of them out! Read on to see what I thought of each product. The entire collection includes an assortment of eight body/hand moisturizers, two liquid hand soaps, six body washes and a bar soap with prices ranging from $3.99 - $7.97.

1. Le Petit Marseillais™ Orange Blossom Extra Gentle Shower Crème Body Wash
2. Le Petit Marseillais™ Orange Blossom Extra Gentle Hand Soap
3. Le Petit Marseillais™ Shea Butter, Sweet Almond & Argan Oil Nourishing Body Milk Lotion

If you're looking for a beautiful and easy way to add a bit of a personal touch to your gift basket, here is an idea! Simply use fabric glue, hand stitch, or use a sewing machine to attach ribbon to some wash cloths or hand towels. I used a tropical printed ribbon because I love the fresh and sunny appeal of this line of products. I originally wanted to use some ribbon in an orange hue to match the packaging, but nothing looked quite right in the orange ribbon section. This retro-tropical pineapple ribbon from a fabric store jumped right out at me, and it looked amazing on these white towels. Alternately, feel free to use towels and ribbon (or any trim will do) in whatever colors would go with the recipient's bathroom.

WHAT TO INCLUDE IN YOUR GIFT BASKET

Lotions, Soaps, Body Washes - Treat Mom (or grandmas, step moms, aunts, friends, really anyone special) to something that will nourish their skin and smell delicious.

Something Tasty and Sweet - I opted to include a delicious chocolate bar that was dark chocolate infused with oranges, because I thought that would pair perfectly with the scent of these body products.

Something Hand Made Or Personalized - like I mentioned, I embellished these cute cloths and think they really added a very personal touch to this gift basket.

Fresh Flowers - I opted for local wildflowers from our property, but feel free to purchase a bouquet that coordinates in color or scent with the other gifts items.

And For The Basket - Feel free to use a basket or container that the recipient can use again and again, and will always think of you when she uses it. This wooden crate was perfect to reiterate the Earthy and adorable look of the gifts inside. I also used colorful tissue paper in the bottom of the basket to secure items inside, and also help raise the bottles up to different heights for visual interest.

As soon as I received these goodies, I tested them out. I wanted to make sure I was gifting my Mom good products, of course. First, I tried the Le Petit Marseillais™ Orange Blossom Extra Gentle Hand Soap. Gentle it was! I definitely do not use a lot of scented products, but this line contains such light, refreshing scents that I was instantly intrigued. I am also pretty particular about hand soap, because I love when my hands feel extra clean, and grease free, and this worked super well. It left just a light scent of orange blossom, and I loved it.

Next. I tried out the Le Petit Marseillais™ Shea Butter, Sweet Almond & Argan Oil Nourishing Body Milk Lotion. I have also had less than appealing results with Milk Lotions in the past, because they can sometimes feel a bit "watery", but this one is definitely different than anything I've tried in the past. I am currently in Arizona, so my skin has been extra dry from the arid climate. Well, this lotion is my new best friend! It also has that light, fresh orange blossom scent (a very realistic floral aroma), and moisturizes extremely well. I did not have to reapply until the next day! And, the pump style bottle is very easy to use. So happy with this lotion.

Lastly, I used the Le Petit Marseillais™ Orange Blossom Extra Gentle Shower Crème Body Wash during my shower the following morning, and this has the best lather and foaming qualities of any body wash I've ever used! Again, it contained that light, fresh scent that I love, and cleansed very well. It was definitely gentle, as the name implies, and I felt extremely clean and also moisturized after the shower. There appear to be no harsh ingredients in these products, making me so happy that I found out about them. 

Overall, I am extremely happy with this line of products, and I know you and whoever you choose to gift them to, will also adore the whole line of simple, breezy, and uncomplicated products by Le Petit Marseillais™. 

I am so fortunate to be spending some time in Arizona, and was able to source some orange blossoms in the neighborhood. Everything here in the desert is kissed by sunshine pretty much every day, so I understand the attraction to and importance of such ingredients. These orange blossoms smell better than I could even describe in words, and these Le Petit Marseillais™ products capture the essence in a very perfect way. 

What are your favorite items to include in gift baskets and gift for Mother's Day?

Change Your Home, Change Your Life with Color: What's Your Color Story? (Moll Anderson Book Launch) And Sea Glass Drink Recipe

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #LiveColor #WhatsYourcolorStory #RevivingTurquoise #CollectiveBias

What's your favorite color?

What's Your Favorite color? I had the chance to explore my favorite color family, turquoise, in this post, inspired by an amazing new book, that will be available at Target soon called, Change Change Your Home, Change Your Life with Color: What's Your Color Story? by Moll Anderson. Get Your Copy On March 14th!

Have you ever heard that, whatever color you tend to gravitate towards, and love to surround yourself with can positively impact not just our surroundings, but our mood, behavior, and emotions?

The book will be available to the public on March 14, 2017. Moll Anderson is an insightful author, designer, and philanthropist (among many other things), and as I read through her book, I was taken back to my days in college as an art and design major. Color Theory was one of my very favorite topics, and I am so fortunate to be able to use my keen eye for color and design in my daily work as a blogger, curator, and photographer. I am so excited to share the news that I will be posting a Before and After style post of my room on March 16th. It needed a pop of color, and it looks absolutely incredible. Can't wait to show you the end result soon.

For now, I wanted to give you a little sneak peek at her book, and share a cocktail recipe!

"Our feelings about color are deeply rooted and emotionally based on our personal lives, and the powerful effect of color is most evident in our homes, where it impacts our moods, behaviors, and emotions. Understanding why you love and dislike certain colors is key to exploring your own personal color story, opening you up to embracing the colors that will renew, revamp, and revitalize your home and life". - an excerpt from Anderson's book.

I also became incredibly inspired by the color coordinated photo collages throughout the book, so I made my own! Being near the turquoise ocean and seafoam everything in the Florida Keys recently, which inspired my color choices for this post as well. Here are some of the images I shot while there.

Above, you see one page from her book, which will show you what you can expect from each color section. I had so much fun browsing the book, and its sections are in rainbow order - even better! 

SEA GLASS COCKTAIL RECIPE

To make this delicious cocktail, mix pineapple juice, blue curacao, white rum, a bit of simple syrup, and pour over ice. Garnish with a few pineapple leaves and a splash of fresh lime. I thought this tasted incredible. Moll Anderson provides a cocktail in EVERY COLOR in her new book (even a Black Martini that features bleu cheese! And, a gorgeous hibiscus cocktail that looks out of this world good).

In addition to creating a number of delicious cocktails, here are just a few of Moll's achievements:

"Moll Anderson is an accomplished author, television and radio host, inspirational interior designer, life stylist, and advocate for women and children globally. 

Moll’s career has been filled with many professional achievements, including winning an Emmy for her work as an entertainment reporter; being chosen as one of Donna Karan’s Women Who Inspire; and as a three-time recipient of the Gracie Awards, twice (2013, 2014) for Outstanding Host Lifestyle program for The Moll Anderson Show and (2015) for Outstanding On-Air Talent: Lifestyle/Health Program, as a contributor on The Doctors – Stage 29 Productions. The Gracies™ recognize outstanding programing created by women and about women, as well as individuals who make exemplary contributions to the industry".

I am so honored to have been chosen to share this fun post about Moll's new book! What color will you decide to incorporate into your home and lifestyle next? Let me know in the comments below.

Treating With Nutrish Treats From Rachel Ray + Road Tripping With Dogs Tips

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #TreatingWithNutrish #NutrishPets #CollectiveBias

I found a new way to make my dogs behave better, haha! They absolutely LOVED these Rachael Ray™ Nutrish® Dog Treats. Our two beautiful dogs had such a fun time helping me with this post, and planning and packing for our next road trip. I am excited to share some tips on Road Tripping With Dogs (and a puppy)! Our 8 year old Chocolate Lab has traveled nearly 60,000+ miles with us, and our recent road trip from southern Illinois to the Florida Keys was our Chocolate Labradoodle's first big road trip ever. Bringing these treats along with us helps immensely! They will do whatever we want when we temp them with treats, so I was so happy to incorporate these NUTRISH treats into our travels. 

Visit the Social Hub, Here.
Get your coupon for $1.50 off the treats, Here.

HERE ARE THE AVAILABLE VARIETIES OF TREATS:

Rachael Ray™ Nutrish® Deli Cuts
Rachael Ray™ Nutrish® Meatloaf Morsels
Rachael Ray™ Nutrish® Pawsta
Rachael Ray™ Nutrish® Savory Roasters
Rachael Ray™ Nutrish® Burger Bites

WHAT TO PACK FOR YOUR ROAD TRIP WITH DOGS + A PUPPY:

1-2 Gallons of water

Dog Bed

Keep Collars on Dogs + Leashes Within Reach

Dog Treats

Dog Food In A Gallon Ziploc Bag 

Doggie Waste Bage

Dog Toys

Chewies Like Rawhides

I found these amazing treats at the Winn Dixie grocery store in Big Pine Key, FL. They had these two varieties, the Savory Roasters and the Deli Cuts. In fact, I've already gone back a second time to get more treats, the dogs love them SO much!!

Look for them where you purchase your family's groceries! 

NO artificial flavors or meat by-products!! This is extremely important to me.

Safely USA cooked with the world's best ingredients. 

Note: Rachael Ray™ Nutrish® Treats are intended for intermittent or supplemental feeding only. Please watch your dog to ensure Nutrish treats are thoroughly chewed before swallowing. Break into small pieces for smaller dogs.