Last Minute Christmas Gifts (On the Cheap)

If you're anything like me EVERY Christmas, you are scrambling for some last minute easy and affordable gifts. I get it. I'm not quite sure why I do this to myself, but it happens every year. I'm pretty sure most people would qualify me as a procrastinator. I think I'm super busy, but if I'm honest, I think the real issue is that I don't prioritize my time well. Yup, that's it. Time management. Whatever, the "label" if you are looking for a few last minute gifts for under $5.00 (which I love) then look no further... run, don't walk, to the Dollar Tree.

I found this cute jar at the Dollar Tree along with gift bags, wrapping paper and tissue paper. Throw those into the mix with your friends', teachers' or co-workers' favorites and you have yourself gifts galore. My youngest has a teacher that loves fruits and nuts. Toss them into a jar with a handmade gift tag (cardboard from an Amazon box) and you have yourself a gift for about $4.00. Add some rainbow loom bracelets on tissue box card stock and you have gifts for everyone in the class (or office). WIN!

Want to add a little more zing? You guys, I found this awesome red baking dish at the Dollar Tree and it looks like it came straight out of Anthropologie. For realz. Add some fruity tea (which my oldest's teacher just happens to love) along with some of favorite colors on the tips of wooden cooking spoons and you have yourself a gift that looks like a million bucks for mere pocket change. Seriously, I think this give cost me $5.00, max.

Spoons - $2.00 at the grocery store. Painter's tape - on hand. Acrylic paint - on hand. Just tape the spoons off wherever you want the color to stop. And then paint with your friend's favorite colors.

I put bulldog clips on the ends of the spoons so that I could paint them and allow them to dry while painting the next spoon...

After you paint the handles of each spoon with acrylic paint and allow them to dry, apply a coat or two of Modge Podge. (I used matte finish for this gift.)

Allow the spoons to dry and then tie with a ribbon. I used red here because Jude's teacher's favorite color is red. (Clearly.) Once the gifts are all tied up, slip them into a gift bag (I just reuse gift bags that have been given to me - bonus of having a December birthday) and you are good to go. Gifts galore for well under $10.00. 

What are your tips and tricks for great gifts that don't break the bank? xo

Christmas Gift Tag DIY

Being iced in for four days will drive any momma to craft, right? I can't even begin to tell you how many cardboard crafts are hung throughout my house right now. (I'm a little bit frazzled and cross-eyed after four days of icemaggedon!) I'll be sharing pics and details with you over the remainder of the week. One of the corrugated crafts is this diamond gift tag gem of a DIY. I'm over at Mom Edit with the details. It's easy, fun, inexpensive and your littles can help. xo

Paper Gifts for A Dollar - Not Kidding.

Hello. My name is Brooke and I'm a Target, Dollar Spot addict. It's not my fault really. They put those isles right there in the front of the store. And they sing to me with their alluring siren's song. What's worse... I have to go by them in order to get into the store. Dang it. Those Target folks are genius.

If you have a few paper lovers on your Christmas gift list, be sure to stop here. They have really cute stuff right now - for a DOLLAR. Like the playing Camping Cards above. I die. Not into cards? How about notebooks or sticky note pads for the friend who has to write everything down? So cute.

Have a little one on your list that loves to color? Take a look at these adorable color creations from Crayola (not in the Dollar Spot, but still $1.00). They would make a great stocking stuffer.

And what about all those gifts that need gift tags for the much needed "To" and "From" details? Why not buy a scrapbook notepad for $2.99 and get 15-30 gift tags out of one notepad? Seriously - Genius.

Inside the notebooks lie a vast array of beautiful prints for gift tags and card making...

I know. You've gotta go... Target is calling. Me too. xo

Around the House: Gifted Goodness

On the inside of my left wrist reads "Lola" in cursive. Lola was my grandmother on my Dad's side. For Christmas/Birthday, my sweet Dad gifted me my grandmother's old TV and record playing console. Yes, she still works. I know, amazeballs! However, she does crackle and weighs about 200 tons. Now the question becomes, refurbish or just have it as a statement piece.

What would you do? Shell out the cash to make her sing like a siren once again or leave her alone and just let her be a pretty conversation piece? xo

The Gift of Empowering Others

Oh baby it's Friday and I'm gonna give you the opportunity to give and receive! Twice. Bam!

First up, my sweet friend Christie, from Compass In My Heart, is offering a BOGO deal thru her Ekubo Ministries. Provide sustainable jobs to men and women so that they can generate income and provide for their families. That sounds a lot better than giving Target more market-share huh? Besides, look at how stunning their products are...

I can't think of a better way to give a gift and receive the joy of knowing you are helping others. Hello heart of Christmas.

Another giving opportunity is thru my friend Stacy. Her foster daughter Sango is a finalist in the Dr. Pepper $100,000 tuition giveaway. What makes Sango stand out among thousands? Her incredible story:  Sango's family fled war-torn Congo 8 years ago. They lived in a refugee camp in Tanzania for 7 years. Her native language is Kibembe, but she also speaks Swahili and learned English upon coming to America. At just 18 years of age she goes to school, works part time and helps her family of 10 by taking care of her 5 younger siblings, cooking and cleaning when her parents were at work.  And if that's not enough, Sango volunteers with Refugee Resources Inc., where she enjoys participating in Reading Circle-- a time where refugee children get to practice their reading and English.  If she gets this scholarship, she will be the first in her family to go to a university.  

Here's a short video with beautiful Sango...

Good grief, at 18 I was consumed with boys, fashion and partying. She has more drive in her pinky than I do in my whole body!  Girls like Sango inspire me beyond words. Voting starts today. I'll be back soon with a link that will allow you to cast a daily vote for Sango. Will you help her do the one thing that millions of teenagers take for granted daily? Education can change a life and generations to come.

The link: (FINALLY) http://www.drpeppertuition.com/home (vote for Sango - Social Worker)

Thank you so much for reading today and every day. You guys are the shiz! xo

Fabulous Finds Friday: A Week's Worth of Loot

You guys this series is gonna get real boring if I'm the only one sharing fab finds. Are you trying to subtly tell me that you prefer my weekly challenges? If so, lemme know. I can accomodate. I'm easy like Sunday mornin'. But since I did score some amazing things this week, I thought I'd go ahead and share. I went to an estate sale down the street from my bestie's and boom - scored major. I spent all of two dollars and got 7 postcards to create my own version of this, 8 coasters that might need a little dressing up and a McCoy vase for the MIL.

But no matter how good the deal, gifted fab finds are the best! Yes they're free, but the best part about them is that you know someone was thinking of you. That makes my heart warm. I have two of the very best MILs in all the world. Here's what they gave me this week...

Gold bangles, gold and green ring, lace clutch and and in yo' face red ring. I also got a rockin' set of earrings that I'll have to share later, couldn't get a good pic of them while wearing. They know me don't they?  I'm addicted to accessories and they are very well aware of my many weaknesses.

My last and probably most fave find of the week is a blog. I don't know why I haven't stumbled across it before, but it's lovely. Rarely do I read a blog that makes me smile (each and every 20 pages I've viewed thus far) and feel just overcome with joy. As I read Andrew+Carissa and looked at their images (both artists with amazing talent that share their gifts with Kinfolk mag and others) I can't explain what happened. My mood was elevated, I got all happy weepy at times and pride swelled within me as I thought of my motherhood journey. When my littles came in from playing with their PapaDude, I just ate them up with kisses and hugs - so happy that God chose me to be their mom. I have zero idea how one blog accomplishes all that, but Andrew+Carissa did. I am smitten and insanely inspired.

How about you? Is there a blog out there that moves you? Happy Weekend homies. Make it a joyful one. xo

Grey Skies Blue

Y'all know the last thing I want be is a pusher. You know...this is cool, you should buy it, kind of thing. But, I recently stumbled upon this little Texas lady that creates all sorts of cute goodies for her etsy shop, Grey Skies Blue. Like really cute personalized goodies that make great gifts for any and every occasion. And Ok, I didn't really stumble upon her, my dear friend Mindi told me about her because they live in the same building. Say what? How do I not know this girl? I gotta fix that ASAP.

state shaped chalk boards - i die.

state to state coffee mugs - gotta get

gender reveal party pins - seriously? i'm dying over here. why didn't i think of this?

gender reveal cupcake toppers - that's it...i'm dead.

How can it get cuter and more awesome than all of that? How about a Christmas in July sale where you get 20% off everything! What the? Yeah, I know... she's rad. Katie - I must meet you! NOW!

When I was pregnant with my first, we kept it a secret until the shower. How about you? Did you tell or wait for a reveal? xo

Established...

***

My friend's sweet daughter Hannah got married a few weeks back and it was the sweetest little country flavored wedding I've attended. I've gotten to know Hannah's style pretty well over the years; she's a lot like her Dad, Texas artist Jon Flaming. If it's a touch country or patina, with a story attached to it...it's a win. I knew right away that I wanted to make Hannah and Preston a pillow for their new house that commemorated their special day.

Hagaman, est. 2012

Well, one thing led to another and one of her wedding attendees saw the pillow and asked me to make a couple for her as gifts...

I love making these special little gifts to commemorate wedding dates. So fun. Ohhh...how cool would it be to do this for a newborn?  Wouldn't one of these pillows look amazing in this nursery?

nursery via ...

So cool! Dang, this might be enough to make me want to have another baby...  If we're friends and you're expecting, you now know what you'll be receiving at your shower. xo

Mother's Day Goodies

Looking for that perfect gift for Mom? Pure and Noble's added some cute and affordable goodies to the shop!  Here's a peek!

Now go get your sweet Mom a little something special. At only $15.00 each, you could pick up one for yourself too. xo