Cute gifts for under 50 cents?!?

Every year my gift list seems to grow.  Teachers, friends, neighbors, co-workers, mailman, the lady I wave to that walks her dog every day!  I love giving gifts, it's my love language, but my income doesn't necessarily match my desire for lavish gift-giving!  :0)  So I plan ahead and do what I can, hit after Christmas sales, shop year round, and now scour pinterest for cute, cheap, gift ideas to show people I care without going into debt.  Here is an idea I saw in a magazine years ago that I am using for some of those on my gift list this year.  (Hopefully none of them see this before I give them out)   When I averaged out the cost, it came to about 45 cents a piece.

Here are the materials you will need:

Clear or pearl-like ornaments

White or colored paper shred

Your choice of ribbon

Letter stickers

Here is a closer shot of the letter stickers I chose, this was after I made them so some letters are missing.  I loved the black against the white shred.

Directions are simple.  Stuff the shred into the ornament, stick on the letter and tie with a ribbon for hanging.  Easy and cute!

And where to I keep all these ornaments until I give them out??

On a cupcake stand of course!  :0)

Happy gifting!!

I'm getting a vision.....

I have always loved to decorate my home.  No matter if it was my dorm room in college, the small two bedroom apartment my husband and I started out in, or the home we now share with our two kids.  There is something about decorating that makes things feel complete to me.  The process of coming up with an idea and then seeing it through to fruition is challenging and fun.  It is definitely something I wouldn't mind doing for a living.  My friend Kim asked me if I would like to come to her home and start the process of organizing and possibly some decorating as well.  Decorating and organizing for someone other than myself or my mom is something I have never tried and I am super excited to see how everything turns out.  We decided the first thing we would work on would be her mantel for Christmas.  We took a trip to Hobby Lobby (LOVE)  and a few hours later had her Christmas mantel all ready for the season. 

Thanks Kim for giving me the oppurtunity to do this - I had a blast!



Packin' up the magic

It is my typical routine to put up Christmas in one day and also take it down the same way.  I started doing it that way when the kids were little, usually starting after they went to bed and staying up into the wee hours of the morning finishing it all up.  I call it hard working, my husband calls it OCD.  Whatever the case, that's how I roll.....until this year.
Maybe it was the new house or maybe I was more busy than usual but it took me a few days to put it all up - we didn't have ornaments on the tree for a week!  Very unlike me.  But AFTER Christmas has been even worse.  Yes, we didn't get home until the night after and then I was sick for two days but even when I was feeling better, NO desire to put it up.  My husband even made a comment about the fact that I had not taken down anything.  I told him maybe I was mellowing and maturing and not putting time limits on myself.  He just laughed - whatever that means. 
At any rate, I finally started the process yesterday.  I always take pictures first so I can remember where I put things for next year (not that I won't change it up) And I really try to pack it up in a way that will make it the easiest to unpack next year.  One way I do so is to label the totes that everything goes in.

I have a chart that I keep in my Christmas binder that says, for example, a1 - Living Room Christmas Tree

Of course then I have a2, a3, a4, etc.

I like packing things by room or tree.

I also keep all my Christmas wrapping materials together as well.  Paper, bags, tags, ribbon.  The last few years I have color coordinated the gifts.  It looks so cute when the all match under the tree.

I would like to say I'm done and everything is packed up and organized and ready for next year....but I'm not.  Let's just say I have a lot of work to do tomorrow!

Sending out some treats

I realize it is after Christmas and I am only now posting about this BUT  I find some of these things at garage sales during the summer so better late than never right?  Anyway, here are some of the goodies our friends and neighbors received from us this year.

I think how you wrap a gift is almost as cool as the gift itself.  The candy striped box held some great Pampermint foot stuff from Arbonne....yummy!!  The candle was purchased in a set at Sam's early in the season which made them $5 a piece!  Add a tag and 1/2 price ornament from Hobby Lobby and you're good to go!

 I got this cutie container at a garage sale for like 50 cents.  I'm telling you, I find Christmas containers like this all through the summer and I have a tub I keep in my garage where I put them all until I need them.  They always come in handy, especially if you need a quick gift.  Throw in some cookies or fudge and you're set!  Plus they cost practically nothing.

 Tins from Target Dollar Spot - can't beat it!

I should mention I added the words to these on my own.

 So I tried chocolate dipped pretzels this year.  They were so easy and kinda fun to make.  I chopped up some walnuts, candy canes and used some festive sprinkles as well. 

Well there you have it, some cute ideas that say Merry Christmas without costing you a fortune!

HO HO HO...

Merry Christmas Kevin Durant!!  From some of your biggest fans!

Pretty lights and warm fires

I decorated my first Christmas mantel and I must say I'm pretty happy with it.  I received the picture last year as a gift from my mom so this was the first time I got to hang it up.  It reminds me daily of the real reason for this season we are in.  Of course the pictures do not show me putting the garland up only to realize I forgot the lights. Taking it down and doing it all over, adding the extras, lights, ribbon.  Trying to hang the picture with wire then reading the sticker that says DO NOT HANG WITH WIRE.   Well guess what?  I hung it with wire.  I'm waiting for the day it comes crashing down.  Keep your fingers crossed. 

In the daytime...

 In the night time...

Close ups of the garland

I got the bells at a garage sale of all places and the stocking holders half off at Hobby Lobby

Here's a closer shot of the picture.  I love it!

It reminds me of the movie 'Nativity Story'

Well I'm going to go snuggle up around the fire!!

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree

I LOVE decorating for Christmas.  So my decorations have been up for a couple weeks including the tree but minus the ornaments.  These days finding a night when we are all home long enough to do something is getting rare.  But we did it!  I love watching the kids go through their ornaments from years past and telling stories about mine from childhood.  Ahh Christmas memories!  So here's a peek at my tree.  I'm linking up with this cute blog!

More Christmasy fun to come!!