Giving Handmade Gifts

Part of living on a budget is exercising restraint when it comes to gift giving. Of course this holiday season I would have loved to have spent a bunch of money on friends and family, but that just wasn't in the cards this year. And probably not next year either. But that's okay! I'm totally not gonna sweat it, because making gifts this year turned out to be a really wonderful experience and one that I want to make a tradition from here on out. I love the idea of ornaments as gifts -- they are fun to make and pack a big punch of love and memories in a tiny package. Plus, I got to watch a whole lot of Little House on the Prairie while I worked on them!

I based my ornaments off a pattern by chez sucre chez and only changed the date and the finishing. I decided instead of tiny hoops that I would stuff them and add ribbon and a gingham back. I'm really happy with how they turned out and I think the recipients enjoyed them too. This year was a bit of a learning experience, but I am so ready to do it again. I've already designed a pattern that is my own for next year and I have every intention to begin them earlier to avoid a mad dash in December.

How about you? Do you enjoy hand making gifts or do you find it too labor intensive? Did you make anyone anything this holiday season? 

Thrifted Finds as of Late

Our apartment here in Denmark is still pretty bare, but coming along. Our larger furniture items and basics came from Ikea, and we are slowly filling in the space with vintage and other colorful thrifted finds. So far, we have found a lot of needlework pieces as you can see. Hopefully the next few months will yield a few more furniture pieces and perhaps a painting or two!

Good Reads

I have always loved magazines. The glossiness... the advertising... the layouts! I love it all! In the past, I have had the tendency to save favorites, but with my latest moving endeavor, toting magazines from home to home is no longer an option.* Magazines are also really expensive without a subscription. Enter online magazines! Many are free, take up no physical space, and are just as gorgeous as their printed counterparts. Here are some of my favorites featuring fashion, interiors, crafts and photography! Click on each to take you to the mag! 


I still love the ephemeral feel of an actual paper magazine, but until I get settled in Denmark, these will have to satiate! Do you have any favorite online magazines to share?

*I am kind of sad to get rid of my issues of the now-defunct, Domino! Maybe a few of those will have to go into storage?