Recently my sister-in-law came over to my house with some kid books, DVDs, and toys she wanted to sell online and at garage sales. I was thankful that she gave me first dibs on her stuff! After I picked out several items, I gave my sister-in-law 2 options: I could pay her for the items and keep them that day. She could keep the toys and give those them to my kids for Christmas this year. She picked the Christmas option and rightly so! Her shopping is done, it didn't cost her anything, and she knows it is stuff my kids will like because I hand picked the items. Do you have friends or family that could give the gift of … [Read more...]
5 More Easy, Clever, & Cheap Neighbor Gift Ideas
I am love with easy, clever, and cheap neighbor gifts especially if they include a simple play on words. I'm a sucker for puns. I just can't help myself. Last year we gave our neighbors a box of muffin mix with the note "You're getting muffin for Christmas!" It was affordable and adorable. I got the idea for this neighbor gift from Janet of Today's Fabulous Finds. She has a fantastic list of 15 gift ideas that are all under $2. More Easy, Clever, and Cheap Neighbor Gift Ideas 1) Michelle, from A Little Tipsy, came up with this clever neighbor gift idea. "We tissue a Merry Christmas" note with a box of tissues, which is … [Read more...]
61 “Crunchy Mama” Approved Gifts for Kids
When I became a mom, I had no idea how hard it would be to come up with birthday and Christmas gift ideas for my kids. At times I struggle trying to think of what my husband and I want to give them, let alone a whole wish list to hand out to grandparents, aunts, and uncles! I'm thankful that our families hand out wish lists. It is nice to offer some ideas of things our kids need. Plus, as a green and crunchy mama, it is great to suggest gifts that I am excited about and toys that I can trust to be safe. I prefer that my kids have toys that are made of safe materials and that encourage real, creative play. Some toys seem to take away … [Read more...]
5 Easy Christmas Decorating Tips
Today's guest post and giveaway comes from my real life friend, Sarah. Sarah runs an amazing home decor blog called Church Street Designs. She has a knack for decorating that I simply do not have. Sarah also sells hand painted signs in her Church Street Designs etsy shop. It is a privilege to have her share some of her Christmas decorating secrets. Plus she is giving away one of her beautiful signs. Lucky you! 5 Easy Christmas Decorating Tips We all want a touch of "magic" when it comes to decorating our house for Christmas. We all page through the Better Homes and Gardens magazines or scroll through countless blogs of perfect, … [Read more...]
Frugal Photo Friday: Save Money with a “Gift Box”
Welcome to Frugal Photo Friday! This month I am partnering with Crystal, from Money Saving Mom. Each Friday we are sharing pictures of simple ways that we save money. This week I'm sharing how having a "gift box" saves money. Hidden away in a closet is this fabulous box of fun. It is a collection of items just waiting to fill a Christmas stocking, go in an Easter basket, or get wrapped up in fun birthday paper. I save money on gifts by setting aside items I get at a discount and saving them in my "gift box" until the next big celebration. Here are 6 ways I've filled my box with discounted gifts: Book Sales - Every year my … [Read more...]
10 Religious Easter Basket Ideas
This post contains affiliate links. Chocolate bunnies and jelly beans are great, but the reason we celebrate Easter in my house is because of Jesus! If you are looking for something with a religious theme to add to your Easter baskets along with the peeps, this is the post for you. 10 Religious Easter Basket Ideas: 1. Bible - You can find Bibles appropriate for any age. In our house we own and love Baby's First Bible. It is a board book with 2-3 sentence versions of popular bible stories and a few bible verses. Recently we were gifted The Jesus Storybook Bible and l-o-v-e it!! This is an amazing way to read the Bible … [Read more...]