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I'm Nicole. I am a wife, mother, shop owner on Mackinac Island, and lover of handmade. The little things and little moments inspire me. Follow me on my blog as I write about shop news, my travels, island life and motherhood.
Nicole
xo.

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little luxuries

We’ve been talking a lot about Mother’s Day gifts! Today we’re sharing my favorite Mother’s Day gifts to give! 

I recently saw these Tea Drops and LOVED them! They are individually wrapped and perfect to add to a cute gift! Just open the bag and drop in the hot water. If you aren’t sure what flavor of tea they like, Tea Drops are perfect because you can just give them one of each! 

Have you ever seen a Tea Mug? These are NEW this season and we love them for the avid tea drinker! The side of the mug has a cute little tea bag holder. Paired with the Tea Drops, you will have the perfect gift for your Mom! 

The perfect Michigan made Artisan Caramels that were made exclusively for Little Luxuries! These caramels are a delicious sweet treat and are the perfect addition to any present!

Have you tried the amazing Hanover’s Michigan Mints? These delicious chocolates are made in my hometown of St. John’s, Michigan! I love the Michigan Cherry and Mint Chocolates! We have a variety of milk chocolate and dark chocolate - if you want to add these to a present, you won’t regret it! 

The cutest gift for Mom or grandma is the Kitchen Buddy Spatula. What an adorable pairing - one large spatula with handy, dandy measuring table on the back, paired with it's mini-me! These are great gifts for the avid baker, mom and child cookie baking tag team, the always entertaining hostess, and / or anyone who has a kitchen!

I’ve mentioned tea a lot, but we know the Moms out there love their coffee!! Our Lake Charlevoix Coffee is back in stock! This is locally made in Northern Michigan by an awesome company and we love selling this- and you love drinking it!

 

A PERFECT gift for Mom and Grandma: Beth Mueller and it’s back in stock! We have so many mugs, plates, trays and more in for the new season. This makes a great gift for Mom. It’s classic, yet reminds her of her best summer days on Mackinac. 

My favorite part of any gift is our signature line, Mackinac Bath and Body! Goat’s Milk Hand Lotion, Body Butter, Bar Soap, Room Spray and Body Spray are all included in four different scents. We already have them packaged in a gift box ready to go, if that’s easier for you!

If none of the options above interest you for Mom, shoot us an email! We’d love to help you pick out the perfect gift to send to Mom this year.

 

Xo,

Nicole 

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Grab Donuts from Cannon Ball: Cannon Ball is located at British Landing and is the halfway point when you are biking around the island. If you want to get a donut from Cannon Ball, be sure to get there early before they sell out!
Taste Caramel Apples from Sander’s: Don’t you remember growing up and eating tasty caramel apples? Relive those fall memories on Mackinac by visiting Sander’s for a delicious caramel covered apple!
Take a walk down Main Street to look at Halloween decor: This is one of our favorite things to do as a family! Take a walk from the Island House Hotel to Windemere Point looking at all the spooky decor!
Eat Lunch at Fort Mackinac’s Tea Room: The Tea Room is run by the Grand Hotel, so the food in delicious and the view of the leaves changing is spectacular!
Carve a pumpkin: We can’t wait to carve the pumpkins that will decorate the front doors at the shop! Stay tuned to see what the staff comes up with!
Hike to Fort Holmes: Many people never make it up to Fort Holmes, but the views from the top are incredible and it’s a lovely walk up there. On your fall stay, make time to head up there!
Visit Fort Mackinac: If you haven’t visited the Fort on past visits, do it this fall! It will be less crowded and you’ll learn so much history about Mackinac Island!
Jump in a Pile of Leaves: Look around Mackinac Island for a fun pile of leaves to jump in! You’ll probably be able to find a pile to jump in on your hike up to Fort Holmes.
 
Grab a Warm Drink from Lucky Bean: You already know my favorite drink is a Vanilla Chai Latte with Almond Milk! What is your go - to fall drink? 
 
Take an art class at Watercolor Cafe: Be sure to check out what fun art classes are happening this fall at Watercolor Cafe! 
 
Get the Best Apples from Friske Orchards, Found at Doud’s Market: We love Friske Orchards in Northern Michigan and we are proud to carry their fresh apples every fall! 
 
Pick up your favorite bottle of Witch’s Brew Wine at Little Luxuries: It is our secret wine blend enhanced with cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and other natural spices that makes this a crowd pleaser and favorite of Leelanau Cellars' fans. Perfect for entertaining, this wine will explode with intense flavor when served warm but can also be served chilled as an ingredient in sangria.
Is there anything you would add to your fall bucket list of things you really want to do on the Island? Be sure to let us know!
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A summer day at the lake is the perfect way to spend a day off of work! Every summer, we take Sunday’s as our family day. This summer, we’ve been stealing away to my parent’s cottage on a small lake in Michigan for the perfect summer time with the boys, my parents and my brothers!
When we were there a few weeks ago, I realized that somehow I forgot my bathing suit! (Mom Brain!) My mom actually had a spare bathing suit she convinced me to try - it fit perfectly! The fun part is, it was her suit from the 1970s, but it was still in great condition and the style was so classic no one would ever know it was some 50 years old! Now, it’s my go-to summer suit when we are swimming at the cottage! So fun to see what has gone out of style come right back in!
Nicole Doud
While we were at the cottage this past weekend, my mom made one of everyone’s favorite recipes: Blueberry Muffins! We grew up with these muffins and now the boys love to eat them! My mouth is watering just thinking about them filled with fresh Michigan blueberries!
Ingredients:
1/2 rolled oats
1/2 cup orange juice (or water)
1 1/2 cups all purpose or unbleached flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup cooking oil
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 cup fresh blueberries
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 F.
Prepare muffin tin with either grease or baking cup liners.
In a large bowl, combine rolled oats and orange juice; stir well.
Add flour, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder, salt, baking soda, coining oil and egg.
Mix together.
Stir in blueberries
Spoon into muffin tin, filling 2/3 full.
Blend 2 tablespoons sugar and cinnamon, sprinkle over the batter.
Bake for 18 - 22 minutes, until golden brown.
Makes 12 muffins.
MMM! I can’t wait for you to try this recipe and to hear if you liked it or not! Also, tell me, do you and your mom share any pieces of clothing that have gone in and out of style?
Xo,
Nicole

 

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It’s time to introduce to you the Little Luxuries’ ladies of 2020! I asked them to tell you their favorite product and / or their summer goal! 

Allison is from Bay City, Michigan! Her favorite product is at the Artists Market of Mackinac Island: Peach Tree Lane. These necklaces are dainty and the perfect addition to any outfit! When asked about her summer bucket list / goal while living on the island she said: “Everything! I wanna explore as many of the trails as I can!"

We’re SO excited to have Hannah back this year working at The Artists Market of Mackinac Island! Hannah is from East Lansing, Michigan. She loves the Barn Social signs at The Artists Market. Fun Fact: These signs are made in Michigan! Her goal for this summer is to live slow and spend every moment possible outside. 

Meet Marea, who is back for her second summer at Canvas and Paddle! If you stop into Canvas and Paddle, Marea will be there to greet you with a smile! Marea is from Rogers City, MI. She loves all the vintage products that can be found in the Canvas and Paddle shop. Her goal while working at the shop this summer is to meet someone from every state! 

Amber, from Cadillac, Michigan, is here for her first summer on Mackinac Island! The Must Have Must Get Jewelry line is her favorite product at Little Luxuries! It’s cute, simple, and she likes the popularity of them. Her goal for the summer is to be able to ride the grand hill all the way through, try every restaurant on the island, kayak to the light house!” 

If you’ve been visiting Little Luxuries for a few years, you’ll recognize Tiffany’s smiling face, as she is back for her 3rd year! During the off season, she lives in Alma, Michigan. Her favorite products can be found at the Artists Market of Mackinac Island, Eclectic Bead Jewelry. Her goal for the summer is to learn as much as possible and have fun!

We’re so excited to have Gabi back for her second year! Gabi is from Ashland, Ohio. If you stop into the shops, ask Gabi which fudge shop is her favorite. Her goal for the summer is to collect as many coffee mugs as possible from all the shops on Mackinac Island! Gabi loves the silverware rings from The Artists Market of Mackinac! 

Meet Bry, who is back for her 3rd summer on Mackinac Island! Her favorite products are the candles from Milk Reclamation Barn. They are new this season and caught her eye immediately on her first day back in the shop! She love the idea of repurposing a glass milk bottle into a yummy smelling candle! As for her summer goal: "I hope to go on a sunrise kayak tour with Great Turtle Kayaks. This has been something that has been on my bucket list every summer and it’s about time I get out on the water!"

Meet Irena, who is a full time resident of Mackinac Island! Her favorite part about living on Mackinac Island is the no car rule! She loves to ride her bike around the island every chance she gets! If you ask her what her favorite food on the island is, she won't tell you fudge- but rather all the ice cream! Stop in to Little Luxuries to meet Irena- she'll bring a smile to your face and have a great recommendation for what to buy!

Little Luxuries is open every day, 9:30 AM - 10 PM. Stop in to meet these lovely Little Luxuries' ladies and to shop for your favorite goodies! 

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Today on the blog I’m sharing some of my summer essentials for myself and the boys!

I recently purchased two tops that I love from Target. They are the perfect shirt for summer in the shop - cool and breezy and a good price!

Women's Bubble Elbow Sleeve Blouse - Universal Thread™

Nicole Doud

Women's Plaid Short Sleeve Collared Button-Front Shirt - Universal Thread™ Red

Recently, I bought a pepper plant from the Magnolia Line at Target! It’s the perfect addition to any room in the house! 

Faux Pepper Plant - Hearth & Hand™ with Magnolia

The boys LOVE this new 2-1 shampoo / body wash that I got them! It’s toxin free (which makes me happy!) and, tear free and smells great! Plus, it’s called Fresh Monster! What little boy doesn’t love that?!

Fresh Monster Shampoo & Body Wash Ocean Splash

I’m a bath girl, I LOVE soaking in the tub! These 24 bath bombs from Amazon have 6 different scents. They are organic and natural and I bet that you’ll love them as much as I do! The boys are just as excited about them as I am AND they keep our skin extra soft!

 

This is my favorite laundry detergent! The garden - fresh scent isn’t too strong and I love that it’s a plant based solution. 

Nicole Doud

Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day Liquid Laundry Detergent, Cruelty Free and Biodegradable Formula, Honeysuckle Scent, 64 oz

The boys are out in the sunshine everyday, almost all day! This sunscreen is great for the boys - the best part is - it’s water resistant and is easy to apply. 

Alba Botanica Tropical Fruit Kids SPF 45 Sunscreen, 4 oz

 

These are our current summer essentials! Tell me, what are your summer essentials? 

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