Frugal Living

Meaningful, Inexpensive Christmas Gift Ideas (for those of us who aren’t very crafty)

November 29, 2011

Do you remember my DaySpring giveaway earlier this month? I love their home decor, cards, Live Life to the Full collection, and just about everything else in their store. So does my mother --- when we visited her at Thanksgiving, I was tickled when the UPS man came to her door carrying DaySpring boxes. What can I say? They are beautiful, useful, and make great gifts; just keep your eyes open for a big sale!

I was browsing through their clearance section today and thought you might be interested in a few Christmas items that would make beautiful, meaningful, inexpensive gifts.

This "Jesus is the gift" apron is adorable, and 50% off, making it only $9.99:

The matching potholder set is reduced to $4.99:

And these gift tags, printed with John 3:16, would make a wonderful finishing touch to any gift, especially something simple and homemade (perhaps my blueberry jam?)...

Click here to visit the DaySpring store, then shop through their links marked "sale" and "clearance." Try entering the code SUPER30 to get an additional 30% off your order!

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Organic Quinoa, Coconut Oil, and more

November 23, 2011

Last week, I posted about the online store Vitacost. Did you sign up yet? It's free, and you can get some great deals right now.

If you are new to Vitacost, you will get a $10 coupon code if you sign up right now, and then get additional $10 codes for referring friends to sign-up, too. All the details are listed on their site. They sell a wide range of products, including healthy snacks (Kashi, too!), baby items, household items, Burt's Bees, and more.

***If you are looking for items to add to your pantry, they have Arrowhead Mills Organic Quinoa for $4.61, Nutiva Coconut Oil for $8.64, and Mrs. Meyers geranium or basil pump hand soaps for only $3.94.***

Use your $10 credit and get these products at little or no cost to you other than reasonable shipping charges, if applicable. Refer your friends and get more credits to shop with. I think this is a great way to stock up on pantry items or Christmas gifts!

Click here to get your $10 credit, refer friends, and shop.

(FYI: Shipping is a flat rate of $4.99 in the continental U.S. regardless of what you purchase. If you happen to spend more than $49, your order ships free. Details are on their site.)

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DIY: Adorable Felt Monster/Shark/Lion Mittens

November 22, 2011

Looking for a unique, inexpensive handmade gift idea? These simple felt mitten monsters are sure to be a big hit with children! Just use basic fleece mittens as your base and embellish with felt pieces using the patterns and directions here. You can choose between three pattern variations: monster, shark, or lion.

Are you having a DIY Christmas? What are your ideas?

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DIY: Homemade Spice Mixes & Free Printable Labels

November 21, 2011

MommySavers shares several easy recipes for homemade spice mixes and seasoning blends; what a great gift idea, especially when you buy the spices in bulk, package the mixes in glass jelly jars, and attach the printable labels found on the Martha Stewart site. While you're there, check out all the useful printables... ones for freezer bags, recipe cards, and more!

Are you planning a DIY Christmas? What are your ideas?

*Update 11/23: It appears the MommySavers link to the seasoning blends is down; instead, you can find great recipes for homemade seasoning blends at the Simple Mom site, here.

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Filed Under: DIY Gifts, Frugal Living 4 Comments

Simple and Meaningful Thanksgiving Decor Ideas

November 14, 2011

We've hosted Thanksgiving at our home several times, but isn't it nice to get some new ideas each year?

I just love a beautifully - and thoughtfully - decorated table!

Here are a few decor ideas that you may enjoy, too:

Country Living has a sentimental and elegant idea for decorating your table with family photos. I'd like to see them in pretty frames. Aren't you so very thankful for your family? What a simple, frugal, and lovely way to make the day special ~

Pear cookies double as a placeholder / name plate ~

Another idea is to merely tie an autumn leaf around glass votives ~

What about Martha Stewart's idea for "leaves of thanksgiving"... wouldn't it be nice to have each family member write down a thing or two that they are thankful for this year, then arrange all of the leaves in a collage as a keepsake? Each year you could set the previous years' collages out for the family to reminisce and peruse ~

And, for dinnerware, I love the contrast of this decorated plate against the gold plate and charger. I already have gold plates (and chargers), so I will be keeping my eyes open for beautiful salad plates for layering ~

What are your ideas for this Thanksgiving? Have you found decor inspiration anywhere?

[this is an edited post from our archives]

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