Anyone who gives me Mother’s Day goodies knows that something for the kitchen is a sure bet. For moms who have to think a minute about what they’d like, here are some ideas to slip into your gift givers’ heads. One of these offerings even comes with a Janis Joplin quote.

Ink

I have met other grown women who go nuts for school supplies. Sakura of America can feed their colorful, metallic, 3-D Glaze and Souffle pens just right for making graduation gift tags, Mother’s Day cards and school’s-out summer projects.

I spread white paper on a table for guests and watched adults have a blast inking it up and raving over the bold and glitter colors, including fluorescent Gelly Roll pens. Inked-in gold and silver stickers end up looking like stained glass butterflies and flowers you can stick on your cell phone. College students will grab the IDenti Pen for marking personal items from laundry supplies to golf balls. Scrap bookers will love ultra-fine point archival pens and the Manga Drawing kit has a built-in audience.

Note to family: I’m keeping Sakura pens in my special KVLU mug and nobody better mess with them.

Shape-up shoes

Words can’t describe how odd Shape Up Shoes look. But I’ll try to express how clever and effective I find them. They remind me of a built-up thong a disco geisha might wear. The half soles make your legs keep balance so that wearing them 30 minutes a day can help increase leg strength, lengthen muscles, burn calories, reduce lower back pain and promote circulation. There are more benefits than there are colors, and you can get Shape Up boots and clogs, too, from 877-71-SHAPE. Sure my family made fun of me when I put them on. Then they wanted to try them on for themselves. I did feel like a got an extra workout while cleaning the house.

Your second act

A quote from Port Arthur’s Janis Joplin offers inspiration in “Staging Your Comeback: A Complete Beauty Revival for Women Over 45. He says women in this age group are in their Second Act. Here’s that Joplin quote:

“Don’t compromise yourself; you’re all you’ve got.” — Janis Joplin

Women of all ages and one man I showed were all amazed at before and after photos of women in this book by Christopher Hopkins, known as The Makeover Guy. Small changes in style can make huge changes in attitude.

Here are some tips women of any age can use on minimizing the waist area: