WebProNews

Tag: Mothers Day

  • Here’s Bing’s Mother’s Day Guide For Marketers

    Here’s Bing’s Mother’s Day Guide For Marketers

    Bing is sharing some Mother’s Day search insights to help advertisers better plan for the holiday, which will be here in just over three weeks, meaning shopping time is from now and until then.

    According to Microsoft’s search team, Mother’s Day mobile searches grew by more than a third from 2014 to 2015. Mother’s Day searches begin in April, but users are most active seven days before the holiday.

    The top searches, according to Bing, are for generic “gifts” (43%), flowers (31%), jewelry (13%), cards (7%), and chocolate or other foods (6%).

    Product ads via Bing Shopping campaigns saw “across the board increases” the week of Mothers Day with jewelry showing the biggest percentage gains.

    “Insights gained from Bing Ads give advertisers the tools they need to decide when to increase the intensity of their Mother’s Day campaigns and across which devices,” said Bing Global Marketing Manager Frances Donegan-Ryan. “This helps ensure to ensure their campaigns are having the most impact while delivering the best value.”

    “Data from Bing Ads also help shed light on some of the differences between Bing and Google audiences ­– including the fact Bing users are more likely to have spent money on jewelry, greeting cards or flowers in the last six months,” a spokesperson for Bing tells us. “This data is essential for advertisers looking to optimize their approach to a Bing Ads campaign over a one-size-fits-all approach.”

    Bing Network’s market share is at close to a third in the U.S. Here’s a a Slideshare presentation Bing is sharing with additional Mother’s Day findings.

  • Jennifer Aniston and Hubby Justin Theroux Walk First Red Carpet Together Since Tying the Knot

    Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux wed in a secret ceremony on August 5th, and on Saturday–nearly two months after their wedding–the two walked their first red carpet together since becoming husband and wife.

    It was at the Austin premiere of The Leftovers–the HBO hit show in which Justin Theroux stars–that Jen and Justin made their red carpet debut.

    The couple was color-coordinated for the event, with Jennifer Aniston wearing a black jumpsuit with matching black heels, and Justin Theroux in a black shirt with white shirt and skinny black tie. The two have been busy since getting married. He has spent considerable time in Austin filming The Leftovers. Jennifer Aniston has been in Atlanta working on her upcoming film, Mother’s Day.

    Jen and Justin were together in early September in Austin, where friend Sandra Bullock lives. In fact, the newlyweds enjoyed a double date with Bullock and her photographer beau Bryan Randall.

    Sandra Bullock brought Randall–with whom she is now reportedly living–to Justin Theroux and Jennifer Aniston’s wedding.

    Red carpet events are huge in the lives of Hollywood celebrities, so Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux no doubt loved celebrating their first together as a married couple.

    Surely in the coming months and years they will walk down many, many more.

  • Jennifer Aniston Set To Costar With Julia Roberts, Kate Hudson In New Film

    Jennifer Aniston has signed on to do a movie with fellow female powerhouses Julia Roberts and Kate Hudson.

    The film, called Mother’s Day and starring Jennifer Aniston, will be directed by Gary Marshall and will follow along the same lines as his other holiday-themed films, Valentine’s Day and New Year’s Eve.

    Mother’s Day already looks to be a blockbuster with Jennifer Aniston, Julia Roberts, and Kate Hudson onboard. But, if the rumors are true about Jason Sudeikis joining the cast, it will really be great.

    Jennifer Aniston’s role in the movie is unclear, but she likely won’t be playing a mother of anyone older than 20.

    #jenniferaniston

    A photo posted by Jennifer Aniston (@jenniferjaniston) on

    As the years go by, Jennifer Aniston, 46, appears ageless, but she recently said that she doesn’t mind ageing.

    Jennifer Aniston said, “You know I think if you take care of your skin and you eat well, I think ageing is amazing because you gain wisdom for every year lived. Ageing is wonderful!”

    Perhaps Jennifer Aniston isn’t just staying fit and healthy for herself. She insists that she is doing it for other women, as well.

    💗💗💗💗

    A photo posted by Jennifer Aniston (@jenniferjaniston) on

    She said, “We’re going to feel good about ourselves if we see another woman who is 50 and rocking it. If society is telling you to sit it out after 40, you diminish yourself. Believe what you feel. If you feel crappy about yourself, it’s going to show.”

    Well, Jennifer Aniston definitely doesn’t feel crappy about herself, that’s for sure.

    What do you think about Jennifer Aniston starring alongside Julia Roberts and Kate Hudson in Mother’s Day?

  • Vicki Gunvalson: Her Mother Dies And Bravo Airs Her Breakdown On Mother’s Day In ‘RHOC’ Trailer

    Losing a loved one is a pain that never goes away, but imagine if you have to relive that moment with the rest of the world watching?

    Vicki Gunvalson of the Real Housewives of Orange County experienced just that when Bravo released the trailer for season 10 of the series.

    The trailer started out as with a lot of drama and bitching going on. One scene showed Gunvalson lamenting that she’s “being nailed to the cross like Jesus was” while in another she’s facing off against newest Housewife Meghan King Edmonds.

    But the trailer’s final scene shows the usually cool and collected Gunvalson falling to the floor in hysterics after receiving a phone call.

    It turned out to be the phone call that each one of us dreads receiving – the call that would inform us a love one has passed away.

    The RHOC star was filming when she received the news that her beloved mother died in her sleep, the pain and shock causing her to break down.

    The sad event happened earlier in the year, with the 53-year-old herself announcing on Instagram last February 4 that her “amazing, beautiful and strong mother passed on and is now with the love of her life my father in heaven.”

    If using footage of someone breaking down because their parent just died wasn’t tasteless enough, Bravo released the trailer on Mother’s Day.

    Fans of the show called out the channel for its rude and heartless move, and even Gunvalson weighed in.

    “It’s the most terrible thing to have to re-live again… Especially on Mother’s Day,” the heartbroken reality star tweeted.

    Aside from that totally insensitive segment, Gunvalson is also up in arms over allegations that her on-again, off-again boyfriend Brook Ayers’ cancer diagnosis is a sham.

    “It’s nothing short of disgusting,” she told a fan after the Bravo trailer was aired.

    The trailer for RHOC season 10 still continues to be aired on the NBC/ Universal-owned network.

  • Here’s What’s New On Netflix (Plus Mother’s Day Picks)

    Here’s What’s New On Netflix (Plus Mother’s Day Picks)

    As you know, content comes and goes on Netflix. Each week, we’re bringing you a list of titles that you’ll be able to stream in the U.S. in the coming days. As always, dates are subject to change.

    Along with the list of upcoming titles, Netflix sent along its picks for Mother’s Day this week, which are already available. We’ll start with those.

    Netflix’s recommendations for Mother’s Day streaming:

    20 Feet from Stardom (2013)

    Darlene Love, Merry Clayton, Lisa Fischer, Táta Vega, Claudia Lennear, Judith Hill

    Winner of the 2014 Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature, this film takes a look at the world of backup vocalists and the legends they support.

    A Room with a View (1986)

    Helena Bonham Carter, Julian Sands, Daniel Day-Lewis, Maggie Smith, Judi Dench, Denholm Elliott

    In this adaptation of E.M. Forster’s novel, Lucy travels to Florence with her chaperone in tow. There, she falls for a fellow countryman’s moody son.

    A Walk on the Moon (1999)

    Diane Lane, Liev Schreiber, Anna Paquin, Tovah Feldshuh, Bobby Boriello, Star Jasper

    The summer that brings a man to the moon and free love to a small farm near Woodstock shakes up the safe, happy life of a vacationing housewife.

    Amelie (2001)

    Audrey Tautou, Mathieu Kassovitz, Rufus, Lorella Cravotta, Serge Merlin, Jamel Debbouze

    When impish Amélie finds a long-hidden trove of toys behind a baseboard in her apartment, she’s inspired to return the items to their original owner.

    Call the Midwife: Seasons 1-3

    This period drama set in impoverished East London in the 1950s follows a newly qualified midwife and her colleagues at a nursing convent.

    Forrest Gump (1994)

    Tom Hanks, Robin Wright, Gary Sinise, Mykelti Williamson, Sally Field, Rebecca Williams

    Forrest Gump, a friendly, simpleminded man, finds himself in the middle of nearly every major event of the 1960s and ’70s.

    Scandal: Seasons 1-3

    A powerful team of Washington, D.C. lawyers makes scandals disappear while handling government crises and coping with problems of their own.

    Steel Magnolias (2012)

    Queen Latifah, Tory Kittles, Condola Rashad, Alfre Woodard, Phylicia Rashad, Lance Gross

    In this contemporary re-imagining of the beloved classic film, Steel Magnolias chronicles the extraordinary friendship of six remarkable Southern women, there for each other through life’s triumphs and tragedies.

    Terms of Endearment (1983)

    Shirley MacLaine, Debra Winger, Jack Nicholson, Danny DeVito, Jeff Daniels, John Lithgow

    A widow and her daughter support each other through relationships with various men over the years –and deal with heartbreaking tragedy.

    The Cider House Rules (1999)

    Jane Alexander, Kathy Baker, Michael Caine, Kieran Culkin, Delroy Lindo, Kate Nelligan

    A protégé to a physician who runs an orphanage sets off to see the world, but reality soon intrudes on his youthful idealism and moral certitude.

    The Hours (2002)

    Meryl Streep, Julianne Moore, Nicole Kidman, Ed Harris, Toni Collette, Claire Danes

    This gripping drama follows the parallel lives of three women: writer Virginia Woolf, an unsatisfied 1950s housewife and a modern-day book editor.

    The Kids are All Right (2010)

    Julianne Moore, Annette Bening, Mark Ruffalo, Mia Wasikowska, Josh Hutcherson, Yaya DaCosta

    The children of same-sex parents become curious about the identity of their sperm-donor dad and set out to make him part of their family unit.

    New on Netflix:

    Available on 05/09:

    The Liberator (2013)

    Édgar Ramírez, María Valverde, Erich Wildpret, Iwan Rheon, Juana Acosta, Alejandro Furth

    Édgar Ramírez stars as 19th-century revolutionary Simón Bolívar in this epic chronicle of the charismatic leader’s personal evolution.

    Available on 05/12:

    Fruitvale Station (2013)

    Melonie Diaz, Octavia Spencer, Kevin Durand, Chad Michael Murray, Michael B. Jordan, Ahna O’Reilly

    This dramatic rendering of a real-life tragedy recounts the final hours of Oscar Grant, shot by San Francisco transit police on New Year’s Day, 2009.

    Magical Universe (2013)

    Al Carbee, Jeremy Workman

    Documentarian Jeremy Workman trains an intriguing lens on endearing 88-year-old Al Carbee, whospends each day constructing and photographing intricate dioramas featuring an American icon: the Barbie doll.

    Available on 05/13:

    The Identical (2014)

    Ashley Judd, Ray Liotta, Joe Pantoliano, Seth Green, Erin Cottrell, Danny Woodburn

    Separated at birth, musically gifted twin brothers take very different paths, until the pop star and his struggling sibling finally collide.

    Available on 5/14:

    American Restoration (new collection)

    Artist and restoration expert Rick Dale works with his family members and quirky employees to rejuvenate antique pieces that have lost their luster.

    Counting Cars (new collection)

    Danny Koker and his crew at the Las Vegas-based Count’s Kustoms use their talents to restore and customize a wide range of cars and motorcycles.

    Dance Moms (new collection)

    A group of young dancers’ mothers spar with each other and no-nonsense teacher and studio owner Abby Lee Miller in this drama-filled reality show.

    Duck Dynasty (new collection)

    Follow the ups and downs of life for the Robertsons, who created a business empire in the Louisiana bayou with their line of duck calls and decoys.

    Hoarders (new collection)

    This reality series reveals the lives of extreme hoarders, following their progress as they get help for their disorder and have their homes cleaned.

    Modern Marvels (new collection)

    Blending facts with humor, this series explores history-changing technology, from wonders of construction and war machinery to everyday power tools.

    The Universe (new collection)

    Using CGI graphics, data and interviews with scientists, this series explores questions and topics about our solar system and beyond.

    When Calls the Heart: Season 1

    Leaving behind her upper-crust East Coast roots, a woman journeys west in the early 1900s to become a teacher in a small Colorado mining community.

    Available on 05/15:

    Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown: Season 4

    This CNN original series has chef Anthony Bourdain traveling to extraordinary locations around the globe to sample a variety of local cuisines.

    Bite Size (2014)

    Alexandra Wright

    Exploring the roots of America’s obesity epidemic, four kids make lifestyle changes that will set patterns for healthy living for years to come.

    Cyber-Seniors (2014)

    With the help of teenage tutors, a group of senior citizens learns how to navigate the Internet — and discovers some hidden talents of their own.

    Dawg Fight (2015)

    In a crime-plagued neighborhood near Miami, brutal, bare-knuckled backyard fights give young men a chance to earn money — and self-respect.

    Give Me Shelter (2014)

    Give Me Shelter is a documentary to raise awareness for important animal issues around the world. This film uncovers the most prevalent issues in the animal world through the eyes of individuals dedicating their lives to them daily.

    Grand Hotel: Season 3

    To learn the truth about his sister’s mysterious disappearance, a young man infiltrates a hotel in the guise of a footman and begins an investigation.

    Granite Flats: Season 1-3

    Almost a year after Hershel Jenkins was released from jail, mystery is still a permanent resident in Granite Flats, Colorado. From small concerns plaguing the citizens of the small town to ongoing FBI investigations, Arthur, Timmy, and Madeline are eager to put their developing detective skills to the test.

    See more recently added titles here. You can also get a preview of more titles coming this month here.

    Image via YouTube

  • Groupon Offers $25,000 Stand-In For Sons On Mother’s Day

    Oh, that Groupon.

    The company just announced that for $25,000, it will send one of its employees to your mother’s house in your place on Mother’s Day.

    “We recognize that it’s difficult for everyone to make it home for Mother’s Day,” a spokesperson for the company tells us in an email. “As a result, we’re offering the ultimate Mother’s Day experience called ‘A Mother’s Love is Priceless’ where for just $25,000 a perfect child stand-in, who is really a twenty-six year old adult male, will travel to Mom and spend the day with her.”

    “Johnny Cadillac, the perfect child, will do all of the things that she has always lovingly nagged you to do such as eat five full servings of vegetables (at once), rinse dishes before placing them in the dishwasher, wear pants and even be nice to your sister,” the spokesperson adds.

    This is classic Groupon. If you thought the company’s silly sense of humor went out the door with previous CEO Andrew Mason, you were obviously mistaken.

    Can’t Make It Home for Mother’s Day? Groupon Will Send the Perfect Child in Your Place for $25,000 from Groupon on Vimeo.

    “While you can’t really put a price tag on hanging out with Mom on Mother’s Day, we think we’ve found the next best solution,” says Cadillac in the press release “I’m incredibly skilled at all of the things Mom has always asked you to do––even though you and I both know they’re for your own good.”

    Here’s what the entire “A Mother’s Love is Priceless” experience includes, according to the company:

    • One Groupon employee to fill in for you with your mom on Mother’s Day
    • 16 hours of enthusiastic obedience as your Groupon proxy dotes on your mother and completes common household chores
    • Airfare for your Groupon proxy to travel to your mother’s home (valid only in the continental U.S.)
    • A $5,000 shopping spree for Mom at her favorite local stores
    • A one-day stretch limo rental
    • House-cleaning services
    • A family photo
    • A catered, in-home family dinner for up to six people, including centerpieces, candelabras, linens and food

    This all appears to be an attempt to remind consumers that Groupon has actual legitimate deals that might make ideal Mother’s Day gifts. You probably won’t have too hard a time finding those.

    Images via Businesswire

  • Chrissy Teigen’s Infamous Nude Instagram Photo Was Taken By Her Mother

    Chrissy Teigen has a pretty racy social media presence. After all, she’s a model and people expect her to show a little skin even when she’s not at work. What’s not expected is that her mother, Vilailuck, fully supports it.

    In an interview with People, Teigen revealed that her mother loves how open and frank she is on Twitter. The model will frequently make jokes about people on the Internet, talk about her sex life and say other things that you generally don’t expect to hear from someone in the public eye. Her mother is even her occasional partner in crime as she took the photo of Teigen posing nude on Instagram.

    “She took my naked spray-tan photo! The one that got me in trouble – she took that photo!,” said Teigen. The photo is no longer available on Instagram, but it’s still floating around the Internet if you really must find it.

    So, why does Teigen’s mother share her oftentimes crude and rude Twitter and Instagram posts. In a way, it seems to be liberating for her mother who is a 52-year-old Thai woman that feels she can’t say what she wants to. She finally can in some way through her daughter:

    “In Thai culture, there are lots of things that you’re not supposed to say. I really want to say them, but I can’t. But then when she does it, I’m like, ‘Oh my God, that’s what I want to say!’”

    What kind of Tweets is Teigen’s mother sharing with her own followers? Most of it is oftentimes hilarious stuff like this:

    Perhaps her best Tweet, however, was in response to Huffington Post calling her out for what they perceived was an ugly dress:

    With Tweets like these, some mothers would be embarrassed. Teigen is truly blessed to have a mother that not only accepts, but supports her in everything she does. On Mother’s Day, that’s about the best you can ask for.

    Image via chrissyteigen/Instagram

  • Mother’s Day Flowers Are Passe, Weird Gifts Are In

    When Mother’s Day comes around every year, it seems everyone has advice on what to do or give.

    This year, the consensus is in: flowers are boring.

    The internet has spoken: Vacations! Spas! Eating out! Do anything but just giving flowers! Fox business reported that moms wants spa treatments and nice meals more than flowers.

    ABC covered several companies offering freebies for moms tomorrow. Redbox will give you a whooping 50 cents off. Hooters will give you a free entree with any purchased drink. Go to a TCBY and get a frozen yogurt. The list is quite long.

    Chances are, if you go anywhere out on Mother’s Day, there will be some kind of deal to take advantage of. So either plan out your day before hand and check for deals online, or just ask when you get there. What manager isn’t going to give your mom a deal on Mother’s Day?

    Many shoppers like to wait until the last minute for the best deals. The Augusta Chronicle interviewed one shopper, Breanna Harris, who was looking for a gift on Friday: “She likes shirts, so I normally try to get her one of those. I got her shoes last year, so I was trying to get her something different this year.” Mother’s Day sales are expected to total $19.9 billion.

    Like Ellen, Humorist Bill Mann gave a list of unconventional gifts including Catfood-scented soap, Combination walk-in tub and washing machine, and a gag flower that squirts water. Perhaps most bizarre on the list is the “Aren’t you glad you had us kids?” calender:

    “This unique gift sure to lift Mom’s spirits features a photo of a different infertile couple for each month. Sure, you and your sibs may have made your hard-working Mom’s life a living hell at times (and maybe still do), but this ‘egg-citing’ gift will provide some much-needed, loving perspective for your long-suffering mother.”

    Hmm… Maybe flowers aren’t such a bad idea after all.

    Image via WikiMedia Commons

  • Mother’s Day Flowers Are Boring. Impress With These!

    I know this is a hard pill to swallow, but if you only ever give your mother flowers every Mother’s Day she’s sick of them. She won’t tell you she’s sick of them because she’s your mom.

    Mothers love you no matter how hard you fail at things like getting good Mother’s Day presents.

    And if this is a last minute scramble to get your mother flowers because you somehow forgot, be ashamed of yourself. You’re giving your mother the equivalent of last year’s unopened fruitcake!

    Regardless of the reason, the fact is that Mother’s Day flowers are old news. Everyone gets their mom flowers.

    Isn’t YOUR mom worth more than a stereotypical and often last minute present?

    Unless you put hundreds of dollars and very specific thoughts into that arrangement…come on now. You can do better.

    Here are some cool presents to get your mom that are NOT flowers:

    A Spa Day

    Mom works very hard to take care of everyone else, often neglecting herself. Moms should be pampered and appreciated more often than they are.

    Check around for Mothers Day deals at local spas.

    Take Her Out To Eat

    If a mom doesn’t see her kids very often, it can be a nice treat for her to be able to spend time with them.

    If you don’t want to sit around the house reminiscing, why not take mom out to eat? There are bound to be Mother’s Day deals at various restaurants, so keep your eyes peeled.

    If it’s your significant other that’s the mother in question, she’d probably still prefer an evening out to hastily-chosen daisies shoved in her face.

    Send Her On A Vacation

    If it’s within your budget to do so, consider sending mom on a vacation as a mother’s day gift. Perhaps a cruise to the Bahamas or a weekend in Paris. It could be a trip to Las Vegas or to a lovely bed and breakfast in the countryside.

    Tell her you are sending her on a vacation because you appreciate how hard she works and that she needs a break and prepare to be the favorite. Okay, she won’t say that you’re the favorite, but you are now.

    Do you have any awesome Mother’s Day presents to suggest? Comment below!

    Image via YouTube

  • Mariska Hargitay Looks Just Like Mom Jayne Mansfield

    It’s uncanny how much Mariska Hargitay looks like her mother, 1950s actress and sex-symbol Jayne Mansfield.

    It’s clear that Hargitay is missing her mother as Mother’s Day approaches. She’s always made a point of posting pics of her mom on Instagram, but a recent split photo on Instagram reveals just how much she looks like her late mother.

    She also posted a old snapshot of Mansfield posing in a sombrero with two small dogs wearing matching hats for Cinco de Mayo.

    Jayne Mansfield tragically died in a car accident when she was only 34 years old, while 3-year-old Hargitay slept in the back seat of the car.

    Hargitay said in a Redbook interview that she doesn’t remember the accident at all, but has acknowledged that it left mental scars. Those scars resurfaced when she faced her own mortality during a severe on-set accident that left her in a hospital bed facing many surgeries to repair a collapsed lung.

    “Losing my mother at such an early age is the scar of my soul. But I feel like it ultimately made me into the person I am today. I understand the journey of life. I had to go through what I did to be here,” said Hargitay.

    News that NBC renewed its contract for Law & Order: SVU was welcomed by diehard fans that feared the show would be canceled.

    However the show’s ratings have seen a jump in the ratings not seen since 2005.

    “We’re up 5 percent on the year. Modern Family is down and Criminal Minds is down, they’re still in the Top 10. But it’s a tough slot, up against two Top 10 shows, but we’re up and they’re down,” executive producer Warren Leight told E! News in April.

    “We’re up for the first time since 2005 and the critics are responding. You would like to think that counts, but then you get into the arcane—the complicated relationship Dick has had with the network. It’s like a very strange marriage that just goes on and on and on and sometimes nobody pays attention to the kids in the fight.”

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Mila Kunis Finally Speaks Out on Baby, Engagement

    Mila Kunis has finally broken her silence on her pregnancy and engagement to Ashton Kutcher.

    Appearing on The Ellen DeGeneres Show Friday for a Mother’s Day special, Kunis revealed that their news was hidden far longer than anyone imagined.

    “We were actually able to hide it for a very long time, yeah it’s amazing,” Kunis told DeGeneres.

    Still being predictably evasive, the That 70s Show actress wouldn’t reveal the due date or the baby’s gender.

    “Some time this year,” she said. “I promise you, it will be this year.”

    She did, however, share that her pregnancy cravings have been odd to say the least.

    “I’m very stereotypical,” she said of her cravings. “I eat sauerkraut all day long. … This is the worst craving to have because sauerkraut smells and so every time you open up a jar it just reeks in the whole kitchen. It’s not like ice cream where everything smells lovely.”

    DeGeneres teased her about her food cravings, saying that perhaps Kunis’ vinegar-based cravings might mean she’s having a boy, to which Kunis responded, “Interesting. Okay.”

    The Jupiter Ascending star also said that Ashton is in the process of learning Russian so that he can participate in speaking to their child in Kunis’ native tongue.

    “He’s been taking [Russian] classes for probably like six months now,” she said. “He does it twice a week. A woman comes to the house to give him lessons … it’s really, really great.”

    Kunis told DeGeneres she plans on a natural birth, but will be at a hospital in case of an emergency.

    “I’m gonna do it as all natural as I possibly can unless there’s an emergency or something that should wrong,” Kunis said.

    And by natural, the Black Swan actress means with no epidural.

    “I know, I’m crazy. I mean, I did this to myself I might as well do it right,” she said. “I wanted this. It’s not like no one made me do this.”

    According to Kunis, the couple was engaged much longer than the public ever knew and were able to enjoy betrothed bliss in private.

    “We were able to keep this private for two months — two months without anybody knowing,” she said of their engagement. “I think everybody assumed we’ve been engaged for so long that I was wearing the ring in public for two months and no photograph was ever…like nobody ever commented on a single photograph. It was amazing.”

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Rainbow Roses: Here’s How You Can Make Your Own

    Rainbow roses are expensive. If you go through a flower shop, you’re looking at $60 to $70 for a bouquet of multi-colored flowers. Unless you really want to impress somebody with your money, you can get the same results at home for far less money. After all, rainbow roses are easy (and fun) to make.

    So, how does one go about making their rose fabulous? First off, you’re going to want to buy some white roses. Starting with a blank palette will yield the best results. From there, you’re going to want to shorten the stem so that it fits properly in the glass you’ll be coloring the flower in and the vase that it will be stored in later.

    With that out of the way, it’s time to actually color the roses. You’ll first want to pick the four colors that you want the rose to take on and fill four glasses with colored water. After that, you will want to cut the stem vertically into four separate sections. Placing these four sections in separate glasses will allow each steam to absorb a different color and then transmit those four colors to the flower itself.

    At this point, it’s important to note that you don’t have to separate the stem into four sections. You can separate them it into any number of sections. I recommend going with four as it gives you a wide range of colors without weakening the stem too much. You could separate the stem into more sections, but you risk the stem breaking in half.

    After placing the sections in the glasses, you’ll want to leave the rose in the glasses for a few days. You’ll start to slowly notice the white rose is absorbing the colors that you placed the stem sections in. Now you have a pretty rose that you can store for Mother’s Day or any other occasion that calls for multi-colored flowers.

    If you need any more help, you can either consult this WikiHow guide or the below video tutorial. As you can see, it’s far cheaper than spending $70 at the florist and, dare I say, just a bit more fun. Heck, you can even turn it into a project with your kids to teach them how plants absorb water as the trick can be used with just about any white flower.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Kindles Are Super Cheap Right Now

    Kindles Are Super Cheap Right Now

    It looks like Amazon is running a Kindle promotion for Mother’s Day, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t snag one for yourself (or if you’re also a mother, treat yoself).

    For a limited time, your basic (ad-supported) Kindle model is only $49–meaning that Amazon has just knocked $20 off the normal price.

    Also, if you’re looking for a little more involved purchase, the Kindle Paperwhite has also been discounted $20 during the promotion. The Kindle Paperwhite with Wi-Fi is $99 for a limited time (limit of one per customer).

    Mother’s Day is Sunday May 11th, and if you have a mom who’s a voracious reader and has yet to jump on the e-reader bandwagon–this is about as cheap as you’re going to find a brand new Kindle.

    Image via Amazon, Twitter

  • Mother’s Day Gifts for the Mom Who Has It All

    As a mother of two, Lindsey Leland could make a list of things she would love to have, but when it came to buying something for her own mother, it was always a challenge.

    “She has everything – honestly – because she has the money to buy most of what she wants. Every year Mother’s Day gets here and I have no idea what to get her.”

    Lindsey isn’t alone. Children – often grown children – want to buy his or her mother something special, but they also don’t want to just walk into a store and pick up a prepackaged gift basket full of cheap body wash, a back scrubber, and a pair of moisturizing lotion socks. Besides, Mom probably already has that.

    Honestly, most mothers don’t really “need” anything for Mother’s Day. They just like to be remembered. But if you are itching to give her more than just a homemade card, here are some suggestions that could get you “Oh wow!” instead of “Well … that’s cute.”

    1. A Gift Certificate
    We’re not talking about $10 off at Cracker Barrel. Get creative! Pick Mom up a gift certificate for a facial, a massage, or a pedicure. She might also enjoy a gift certificate to a book store. What about lessons for something she has always wanted to do like golf, ballroom dancing, or cooking (though this one may be tricky, hint hint). If she’s more of the adventurous type, get her a certificate for a hot air balloon ride, skydiving, or zip-lining. Or simply buy her a gift certificate for a cleaning service to come in and give her house the once-over (even though, again, this could be tricky…ahem).

    2. A Vacation
    Even if it’s just a night away at a bed and breakfast, it will be appreciated. Perhaps there’s a place that she has always wanted to go or a favorite talk show she’s always wanted to attend live. Send her there. Great travel deals can always be found on Groupon or another discount website.

    3. Netflix
    For the mother who enjoys watching television and movies, sign her up for Netflix or another flat rate DVD by mail service. For the tech savvy mom, Netflix can also provide on-demand Internet streaming media.

    4. A Magazine Subscription
    Is Mom into gardening? Crafts? Antiques? Buy her a magazine subscription. There are plenty of choices to choose from.

    5. A Monthly Delivery
    Flower of the month? Coffee of the month? Chocolate of the month? Wine of the month? Cigar of the month? You know your mother. What would she enjoy having delivered to her doorstep every day for the next year? (Personally, knowing the women in my life, I’d go with the wine.)

    6. Event Tickets
    Send her to the local philharmonic orchestra, musical festival, or purchase a season subscription to a local theatre. Many towns also have performance venues that include Broadway Live performances such as Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserables, and (gulp) Menopause the Musical. For the sports fan, try tickets to a local game or, better yet, season tickets to see her favorite team.

    7. A Charitable Donation
    Make a donation in Mom’s name to her favorite charity or organization. If she’s a giver herself, she will appreciate a gift that gives back to those who don’t have everything.

    8. Your Time
    Last, but not least. Taking Mom to lunch, to a movie, on a scenic carriage ride, on a tour … fill in the blank. Most mothers are going to appreciate their children taking time out for them. There is nothing more precious than that.

    Just don’t be this woman.

    Happy Mother’s Day everyone.

    Image via Thinkstock

  • Want To See Two Guys Go Through Labor Pains?

    The question of which hurts more (childbirth or a kick in the balls) continues to plague the curious, as it has for generations. Well, here a couple guys you might be able to ask.

    Labor Pain Simulation from Kensington on Vimeo.

    They say it was worse than they expected, with reactions like, “That was not good,” and, “It sucked.”

    But the real evidence is in the clear agony that they are feeling as it is happening. Having witnessed two childbirths firsthand, and now this video, I have to lean toward childbirth as the more painful scenario.

    [via reddit]

  • Maya Angelou Talks About Her Childhood on Mother’s Day

    It can be hard to accurately express feelings on Mother’s Day, and who better to take up the task than a poet?

    Maya Angelou has just released her seventh autobiography, titled Mom & Me & Mom. The book chronicles the author‘s memories of her mother and grandmother, who each helped to raise her at different points in her childhood.

    Angelou appeared this Sunday (Mother’s Day) on Face the Nation to speak about her mother, saying, “She and my father fell in love, or maybe in lust with each other. They were both really beautiful human beings and it was after World War I and my father was pompous and pretentious and had learned some French in France. And my mother was very beautiful and he was very handsome, and they fell in something together.”

    Angelou’s recollections, which can be heard in the video below, go on to become darker before she turns to the story of how she got her first job:

    (Image courtesy Adria Richards/Wikimedia Commons)

  • Hooters: Free Food on Mother’s Day

    Hooters: Free Food on Mother’s Day

    With their scantily-clad waitresses and focus on sports TV, Hooters restaurants aren’t normally thought of as the place to bring your mother. This Mother’s Day, however, the restaurant chain is encouraging moms to ditch the fancy restaurants for some free chicken wings.

    Hooters this week announced that on Mother’s Day 2013 mothers who bring their children to a Hooters can receive a free (up to $10) entree with the purchase of a drink. No coupon is needed, but each mom must be “accompanied by one or more of her offspring,” according to the Hooters website.

    “Kids of all ages are encouraged to invite their mothers to Hooters for special treatment on Mother’s Day,” said Dave Henninger, CMO of Hooters. “The free entrée deal is just one way for Hooters to show its appreciation for hard-working moms and to provide a relaxed atmosphere to enjoy a delicious meal with the family.”

    This isn’t the first time Hooters has offered a Mother’s Day deal. For Mother’s Day 2012 the restaurant offered moms 10 free boneless wings.

  • Twitter Mother’s Day Video Asks, “What The F*** Are You Doing?”

    Twitter has released a somewhat funny video for Mother’s Day.

    It starts out by giving you the impression that they want you to use Twitter for Mother’s Day, but then drops a dose of reality on you, asking, ‘What the f*** are you doing? Give your mom a call. #%!@, #$%!. Don’t look at me like that. You don’t need the Internet for everything.”


    In a blog post called, “Call Mom Maybe,” Twitter says, “Hopefully moms everywhere will enjoy breakfast in bed, a steady stream of thank-you’s and family fun. While moms are enjoying these and many other Mother’s Day traditions, it’s a safe bet they’ll also sneak a peek at Twitter. After all, moms (and moms-to-be) are doing everything from securing Twitter accounts for their babies to live-tweeting their C-sections to sharing funny motherhood experiences.”

    “But even as much as moms love Twitter, we know that mom loves you the most,” it adds.

    Yes, some moms will no doubt be tweeting on Mother’s Day, but I think the video makes a better point than the post. Give her a call. Or better yet, go see her.

  • Google Sets Up Mother’s Day Page To Suggest Gift Ideas And More

    Mother’s Day is quickly approaching. Do you have all the preparations ready to celebrate the most important woman in your life? If not, Google’s got your back.

    Google announced today that it has launched a special Mother’s Day page to help sons and daughters everywhere plan an extra special day for their mothers. The page includes a gift guide (with the obligatory link to Google Offers), a guide to local florists, and an offer to send a tech care package to help your technologically deficient mother get on the Internet so you can chat it up in a Google+ hangout.

    While it may reek of corporate shilling, Google is onto something here. You really should get your mother something nice on Sunday. That something nice can be as simple as a phone call (or a Google+ hangout) to tell her how much you really appreciate her.

    If you want to get more creative than a phone call or a hug, however, Google will be hosting a number of events this week to share some ideas. The first will be an AskMen sponsored Google+ hangout with the editors of Parenting.com. They will be suggesting “creative ideas” to make this Mother’s Day “a day your mom won’t forget.” Google has also set up a Mother’s Day Guide Google+ community for people to share ideas and stories with each other.

  • Old School Cigarette Ad: These Smokes Are Born Gentle, Just Like Your Newborn

    Unless you’re a crappy son/daughter/husband, you know that yesterday was Mother’s Day. The annual holiday allows us to honor the most important person in our young lives, and the first woman we ever truly loved, our mommas. It’s also a day for lucky children to thank the stars that their mothers didn’t screw them up – I mean, things were a lot different back in the 50s, 60s, and even the 70s and 80s.

    Case in point, this vintage ad touting the “gentleness” of some new cigarette packaging. “Proud mothers, please forgive us if we too feel something of the pride of a new parent,” it says. “For new Philip Morris, today’s Philip Morris, is delighting smokers everywhere. Enjoy the gentle pleasure, the fresh unfiltered flavor, of this new cigarette, born gentle, then refined to special gentleness in the making.”

    You know, because this new cig is born gentle and fresh, just like our new baby. And it’s totally cool to smoke around your baby, but also hold him oh so very tight to your smoke-filled clothes. Mmmmm….fresh:

    (image)

    As you can see, this ad ran in a 1956 edition of the Saturday Evening Post – an relic from a much different time. We’ve all seen Betty Draper puffing away both with and around child on Mad Men, but sometimes it’s hard for people my age to truly understand what motherhood was like 50 or 60 years ago. This vintage add perfectly captures one of the true oddities of past Americana – willful ignorance, questionable science, and manipulative advertising. None of those things are gone from today’s marketing landscape, but the consumer has evolved.

    A little.

    [via BoingBoing]

  • Gary Busey Shares Some Lovely Mother’s Day Ideas

    As a mom, I’m always excited when Mother’s Day rolls around. Not because I get presents (and sleep…let us not forget the sleep) and a day of adoration, but because I’m always touched by what my daughter and husband have in store for me. Homemade gifts are my favorite, especially now that my kiddo is almost four and is following in my artist footsteps. But the Jimmy John’s picnics–something my awesome husband cooked up a few years ago and have now become a tradition–are pretty boss too. If you don’t know what Jimmy John’s is, my heart breaks for you.

    A lot of folks usually have to rely on last-minute gift giving because A. they forget what day it is or B. they remember what day it is but have procrastinated to a profound degree and are now clogging the aisles of Wal-Mart looking for that item which says they are a loving child. And while she will probably be ecstatic at the prospect of a Tweety Bird t-shirt that says “#1 Mom”, there are a few other options available to you. Gary Busey was kind enough to share one of them with Jimmy Kimmel recently.

    Busey insists that one way to make your mother happy is to inject some chocolates with vodka, then proceeds to dance around with a mannequin before throwing it offstage. It’s a bizarre take on the holiday, but then, what else can we expect from Busey?

    Personally, my favorite Mother’s Day tips come from Mr. T.