Who Doesn't Love A Homemade Gift

Who doesn't love a homemade gift? OK so maybe some people would prefer a gift card, but to me homemade gifts are special! I love receiving a gift knowing that someone took the time and effort to think of me.

I know many of you are like me and are on a tight budget for Christmas. You not only have your families to think of but you also have your kid's teachers, your friends and coworkers. If you have a tight budget this Christmas, a homemade gift is a perfect solution. You are not only saving money, you are also giving a gift that someone will cherish for years to come.

Finding things that inspire you is the first step in creating a homemade gift. Find inspiration on your favorite websites or in magazines. Look at these sites and find something that sparks your interest. I love looking at something and saying "I can do that".

As I was looking at one of my favorite shops online I found these mason jar snow globes. Not only are these little beauties totally cute, but they are also very easy to make. On the stores website they are anywhere from $25-$38. I am going to show you how to make them for under $8.

The first thing you will need is some cute little knick-knacks. I found these adorable glitter ornaments and glitter trees in the Christmas section of Walmart for under $2 each.

Other Things You'll Need:

. Mason Jars - I got many different sizes of mason jars at Hobby Lobby for 50% off

. Fake Snow - Dollar Tree

. Glue Sicks - Dollar Tree

Take your knick-knacks and hot glue them to the lid of your mason jar.

Next take your fake snow and put a thin layer on the bottom of the jar

Take your lid with the hot glued knick-knacks and screw it onto the top of your jar.

Turn your jar upside down, shake well and...viola! You have a mason jar snow globe that costs you less than $8 to make.

Here are some other snow globes I made with knick-knacks from Wal-Mart. These globes make great gifts for your friends and family and every time they pull them out to decorate for Christmas they will think of you!

I hope you found some creative inspiration in this post. Next time you see something you love in one of your favorite magazines or websites don't be afraid to recreate it. You never know, it might turn out better then you could have ever imagined!

Enjoy!

My Maiden Voyage

Ok so most of my friends and a lot of my family have been in the blogging hemisphere for awhile. I've really never been one to write down my feeling or my likes and dislikes and share them with mostly total strangers. I was really kind of turned off by the whole blogging trend all together. And then I started reading two blogs that really inspired me; Nie Nie Dialogues and Rockstar Diaries.

I found myself going back on a daily basis wanting to know what was going on in these peoples lives. It was like a drug. Every time I would go back I would feel a connection with these people and there struggles. Then I realized what was so intriguing about these people I had come to admire and want to emulate. They got me! I liked hearing about someone else's kids sticking things down the toilet or refusing to put there shoes on and wanting to read the same book nine times in a row. Or decorating for Christmas or planning their new nursery.

So I got to thinking what could I blog about that would be of some interest and would also show my talents. I decided it probably wouldn't be the inspirational content I was finding in these other blogs that I admired. I don't have the time or the eloquent talent to express myself fully on a daily basis. So I decided to blog about my passion for making jewelry, coming up with crafts and projects on a budget and my everyday whims.

"When we engage in what we are naturally suited to do, our work takes on the quality of play and it is play that stimulates creativity." - Linda Naiman