Our 22+ Favorite Finds and Buys of the Year!

Updated: May 7, 2023

From the books we couldn't put down to must-have makeup, here are the finds that made our year a little extra special!

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Whether you're looking for a new favorite book or want a to try our favorite lipgloss and chocolates, keep scrolling for future wishlist additions and books to go on those TBR lists!

Well, another year is over and a new one's just beginning, so we thought it would be the perfect time for a little round-up of our favorite finds and the best buys we made this past year!

Read on for our top reads, buys and favorites from this past year!

Our 22+ Favorite Finds and Buys of the Year!

by Jan Brett

Cozy in Love is a sweet story by Jan Brett that is an absolutely perfect picture book for wintertime, or anytime, of year!

Gentle musk ox, Cozy, is upset after he thinks his crush, lovely lady ox Loftie, will never notice him!

One of our very favorite parts to this gorgeous book is the secondary story happening on the sides of Jan Brett's brilliant images!

We adored Cozy's story of finding strength in unexpected places, and the arctic landscape is brought to life through the vivid art and wonderful storytelling!

Looking for another fabulous Jan Brett title? There are many to choose from! Check out our post on another fave, The Mermaid!

We absolutely adore these glittery watercolors and all the lovely hues that this gift-y set includes!

From light pinks to pops of blue, 48 stunning water colors are packed in a metal tin great for both transportation and organization! Love to get creative with different kinds of art? These watercolors are the perfect way to enjoy an afternoon or weekend!

3. Ecos Laundry Liquidless Sheets

We've been using these Ecos Laundry sheets for about 8 months now and love them! They work! We chose the unscented and are completely happy with the results!

If you're new to the laundry sheet game, you can either put them in the laundry tub before adding clothes or rip them up and put them in the dispenser. I have done both and have had equally clean results!

I typically rip them up and put them in the dispenser because I often forget to put the sheet in before the clothes!

Either way Ecos Laundry Sheets get a big thumbs up from us!

by Fiona Watt

Indulge in a little Nutcracker magic and a lot of fun music and illustrations with this stunning, gift-worthy adaptation of the classic ballet!

Budding ballerinas and younger audience members alike will adore illustrator Fiona Watt's Nutcracker, which includes buttons you can press to hear Tchaikovsky's iconic music as you read!

We gifted this book to a little cousin who is toddler-age, and she loved it!

5. Chocolate

If you're looking for a chocolate bar to feel good about, here it is! We discovered the Hu Chocolate Bars this year and they quickly became a fave!

In addition to being organic and Fair Trade, vegan and paleo chocolate lovers will enjoy them as well! Non-GMO and gluten-free are two more reasons to give these delectable chocolate brand a try!

Looking for some mouthwatering chocolate recipes to enjoy? Try our some of our fave chocolate recipes:

6. Audrey Hepburn: The Illustrated World of a Fashion Icon

Filled with gorgeous illustrations and the incredible story of this Hollywood starlet, Audrey Hepburn: The Illustrated World of a Fashion Icon by Megan Hess is an absolute feast for the eyes!

All those who love Audrey and her films will delight in the beauty of Megan Hess's depictions of the icon's fashion, life and films.

Each page incorporates the Tiffany Blue hue in homage to Breakfast at Tiffany's, and the art makes this beautiful book a must-buy for fans of Miss Hepburn!

7. Fitbit

Whether you're trying to get fit or maintain healthy habits, these are the Fitbits that have helped keep us on track!

The app is super easy if you want to use it (April does for calories/food tracking)!

There are many fitness trackers out there to choose from and we both love the Fitbit Inspire! It is a little smaller and also has all the features we were looking for and more!

8. The Best Hot Water Bottle

Hot Water Bottles are a classic way to keep cozy, and this one is upgraded to look cute too!

These Hot Water Bottles are essential if you live somewhere cold, are going somewhere cold, or are warding off chilly weather by the beach

A handy little cover keeps you from getting too toasty and a little pocket will keep hands from getting frosty!

The Final Gambit by Jennifer Lynn Barnes is the final installment in the #1 New York Times Best-Selling Trilogy, The Inheritance Games!

Avery Grams is the heiress to a fortune of eccentric billionaire, Tobais Hawthorne, and the games, danger, romance and intrigue that come with it!

The stakes are higher than ever as Avery and the Hawthorne brothers rush to uncover secrets, see through the lies and solve riddles in The Final Gambit!

This Instax Smartphone Printer is the ultimate treat-yourself gift if you enjoy printing photos but don't want to wait and order them!

Whether you adore photography or just love the look of a retro Polaroid style picture this Instax Smartphone Printer is a so much fun! I (Cenzia) got this as a birthday gift and it has quickly become a much loved printer for someone who's very slow at printing out any pics!

11. The Eufy Robot Vacuum - aka 'Dorota' from Gossip Girl!

We love this Eufy Robot Vacuum so much we wrote a post featuring this fabulous vacuum-whom we've named, Dorota!

After reading that others had affectionately given fun names to their robot vacuum cleaners, we had to do the same! We just finished streaming the last episode of Gossip Girl and knew Dorota (the super fun maid at Blair Waldorf's residence) was the perfect choice!

Read all about this fabulous Robovac in our post, Save Time and Get a Clean House + Books Starring Maids and Housekeepers or see if it's still on sale here!

We absolutely adored creating more printables for our Etsy shop this year, and one of the exclusive printables that we made for the My Kidz Bookshelf Etsy shop was this cute for the Winter Wonderland I-Spy printable!

Whether you have a kiddo who loves to play this popular game on road trips or are looking for a fun party activity, this adorable Winter Wonderland I-Spy is perfect!

The daughter blogger (Me, Cenzia!) of My Kidz Bookshelf is a bit of a huge Swiftie and this is my favorite edition of all Taylor's Midnights CDs! (The Midnights album has 4 different editions each featuring unique cover art and pics).

The teal CD and artistic liner notes of this version stole my heart and make this a fun edition to any T. S. fan's collection!

14. Abby's Picks for Pups

Abby is our dog - and weighing in at 14 pounds, she's small but has plenty of attitude!

Our little rescue pup has some faves that have made the list too! If you have a pup, take a look at some of these picks that Abby has given her paw of approval!

Newman's Own dog treats like these Chicken Sticks with Sweet Potato and Jerky are always on hand in our house!

To help clean her teeth, we like these Ocean Chews Cod Skins from The Honest Kitchen, and Ark Naturals Brushless Toothpaste treats that are super helpful because Abby is not very cooperative with a toothbrush!

This DogBuddy Pooper Scooper comes in two sizes and four colors and is absolutely the best for dog walks! With a dog leash clip, bag dispenser, and an expandable back, the DogBuddy Pooper Scooper is truly an essential item for neighborhood walks!

These compostable dog bags fit in the DogBuddy and are thick enough to do the job well and don't add to the plastic problem!

With more than 82,000 five-star reviews, buyers agree that the affordable, glam and cruelty-free beauty brand NYX's Butter Gloss is a must-have!

Fabulously tinted, NYX Butter Gloss comes in a great selection of colors that will steal your heart on a budget! Fun names and decadent hues make this lip product great for every age, from teens on up!

With a color for everyone, (there are currently 30+ options available!) this lipgloss can also be a great gift idea!

16. iPad

Looking for a tech-y gift or way to read on the go? This perfectly sized iPad was a birthday gift to the father/husband of our blogging duo this past year and was a 100% win!

These iPads offer those who like to read on a device a chance to do so with a larger screen, and also is great for watching movies, Duolingo, indulging in retail therapy or taking on road trips!

Cute, cuddly and offering hours of play, the Calico Critters have been a staple for us, and then for gifting, for a very long time! These fun animal families are as fuzzy as they are fun, and each family set is guaranteed be a hit!

We gifted a family to a little relative earlier this year and she absolutely loves them!

With houses, furniture and occupations, each Calico Critter play set is a fabulous gift for the kiddo who loves animals, dollhouses and dreaming up fun stories for these miniature furry friends!

We love Sheila Turnage titles, and when Island of Spies came out, it was an automatic addition to the Christmas wishlist!

During World War II, a trio of friends find themselves caught in a bevy of mysteries big and small. Chock full of fantastic characters, fun and intrigue,

Island of Spies by Sheila Turnage is sure to delight aspiring detectives or anyone who loves a good mystery!

If you're looking for a little self-care item these hair massager brushes are a fab hairbrush and massager all in one!

Small enough so you won't mind adding it to your hair routine, but with plenty of relaxing benefits, this scalp massaging hairbrush will instantly add some spa vibes to your day!

We all love a great mystery, and the Queen of mystery title will always and forever belong to Agatha Christie!

From unsolvable puzzles to beloved sleuths and endless lists of suspects, each mystery is absolutely astounding!

I was super excited to receive a few of her 'Tommy and Tuppence' mysteries for Christmas, along with the standalone classic, The Crooked House.

Well, we can't have a post about our favorite finds without a mention to our favorite mini waffle maker of all time! From waffles to other, more creative uses, this little maker is amazing

We can't get enough of these mini Dash appliances, and they are definitely great for gifting as well! This Dash Mini Waffle Maker is the best!

This little Mid-century Modern looking waste basket was our favorite addition to our household decor!

It just is so darn adorable and makes our bathroom look more put together, fun and a teensy bit upscale!

The best part? It is definitely affordable! Their customer service is also excellent! I had an issue with the lid a couple months in and they were quick to resolve! Read more about it here!

There you have it! 22+ of our Favorite Finds and Best Buys of the 2022!

Be sure to PIN this post so you can return to it later for more inspiration!

Know a shopping enthusiast or someone who might love one of the items on our list? We would love it if you'd share!

Tag us @mykidzbookshelf with your favorite book or any other find from this post you decide to buy!

Happy Shopping!

April & Cenzia

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