SPECIAL: Cranford Gifts For Mother's Day

For those who still haven't gotten Mom her gift yet, there's still time to find something for her in one of the shops in downtown Cranford.

At Periwinkle's this week, owner Elaine Moffett busily arranged colorful hats and textured, fringed scarves on displays.

"We try to make it easy for the fathers to find gifts," she said. "Tomorrow, the store will be filled with fathers and kids trying to find the one thing Mom will love."

No Mother's Day would be complete without a cake, so I checked out the artfully drawn cakes at the Buttery Bake Shoppe on Eastman, the scent of fresh baked goods wafting through the store.

Next stop on Eastman, Dovetails, to look for treasures buried in the deep recesses of the antique shop. While you do need to search, since the shelves are dense with quirky odds and ends, the unique items make this a store worth exploring.

A popular idea for Mother's Day is a gift certificate from It's all About "ME" Salon & Day Spa on North Avenue East, where the customers had only glowing things to say about being pampered and primped. 

"Can't beat it," said one lady wrapped in a towel, eyes covered with cotton balls.  "Very relaxing."

At Martin Jewelers on North Avenue, West, I perused the sparkling jewels and colorful figurines to find gift ideas. Tennis bracelets, beautifully crafted brooches, diamond earrings... truly a place to find your inner bling.

There's still one day left to find that perfect gift for the moms in your life, and downtown Cranford is just the place to find it.