Gift Guide for Anyone (Under $20!)

Today marks the final installment of my Gift Guide series. [Don't forget to check out my Women's Gift Guide & Men's Gift Guide for gift ideas under $100!] Money can be tight around Christmas though, so it's nice to have a few more budget friendly options to give. I think these would make great gifts on their own, but if you really want to spruce it up, add some pretty wrapping and maybe some homemade goodies! Because when it comes to gift giving, it's the thought that counts.

1. Christmas Throw - Walmart $4.96 - I bought this for a Secret Santa gift and paired it with a mug & a candle. It was a nice little gift, and those blankets are lovely! I got one as a gift a couple years back, and it is the softest, most festive blanket I own.

2. Christmas Movie - Best Buy $9.99 - Really any movie serves as a great gift, but a Christmas movie is even better! Also, they are usually on sale this time of year, so you can get a great price for them. Just make sure it's one they don't already have!

3. Mason Jar Mugs - Kmart $9.99 - I still think mugs are one of those gifts you can't go wrong with. Fill them up with some candy, and you're good to go! I love these mason jar mugs, and this comes in a set of 4! You can't beat that price.

4. SNOW! - Amazon $11.66 - If you live somewhere where it doesn't really snow, like me, this is a fun gift to give. You may make a mess, but it'll be a ton of fun to play with! Insta-snow... no shoveling required.

5. Phone Case - Urban Outfitters $16 - You can never really have too many phone cases. The good thing about these is that there's one for everyone out there. A funny one, a pretty one, a festive one - the options are endless.

6. Board Game - Toys R Us $16.09 - Board games are always a good gift. Whether it's Apples to Apples, Cranium, Cards Against Humanity, etc., it's always a nice gift to receive. Plus, once you're all done opening presents, you can pop in a movie and get to playing!

7. Calendars - Barnes & Noble $17.99 - Christmastime is the perfect time to give a calendar as a gift. And again, there's one for everyone! So, you can certainly find the perfect calendar for someone.

8. Onesies - Target $20 - Everyone loves a good onesie. I think this is one of my favorite gifts out of all 3 of the gift guides. It's a Santa suit that you can wear to bed! How awesome is that?!

9. Scratch Map - Uncommon Goods $20 - This is a great gift for someone who loves to travel. It's a fun way to record where you've been, and it's also quite satisfying to mark off another place. My best friend has one of these & it looks so cool hung up on her wall.

Well that wraps up these Christmas Gift Guides (teehee, wraps)! I hope these have been somewhat helpful. I'm a bit sad that they're over with, but now I have to go out shopping myself! Have a wonderful day!

CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN: 9 DAYS of BLOGGING!

DIY: Christmas Pocket Tee

I am so excited to share today's DIY project! For some reason people love t-shirts with pockets. I'm not exactly sure why a pocket makes a t-shirt 10x better, but it does, and I love it. So, if you have a little bit of time and a few products, this is a really easy, inexpensive gift to make for Christmas! I'm really happy with how these turned out. Here's the step by step process of how I made these.

Step 1: Gather your supplies. You will need: blank t-shirts, fabric, scissors, pins, rulers, and preferably a sewing machine.

Step 2: Cut out squares of fabric as well as a template for your pocket. You can print one or trace it for yourself. This will help to fold your pocket.

Step 3: Wait for your dog to move out of the way. Really, she insists on sitting right where I need to be.

Step 4: Use the template to help fold the fabric into the form of a pocket square. Then, pin the fabric into place.

Step 5: Sew along the upper part of the pocket.

Step 6: Pin your pocket square onto the t-shirt (as seen above) to prepare it for the sewing machine. It also really helps to have a pocket t-shirt or button down shirt next to you so you can position the square onto the t-shirt in the right place. Do not pin the top of the pocket!

Step 7: Sew the square onto the shirt. It would be possible to sew this by hand, but using a machine is a bit more practical. My mom graciously helped me during this part, because although I can sew, it would've taken me ages. (Thanks, mom!)

Voila! Now all you have to do is wrap these up & you have the perfect Christmas present! It takes a bit of extra time, but I think the result is worth it. My friends really liked this present, & now my mom even wants one for herself!

COUNTDOWN: 10 DAYS of BLOGGING!

(WHAT? 10!)

Home for Christmas

Sorry today's post is going up so late! I've been traveling home most of the day, and it is so good to be back. Finals week was just exhausting, so now I can finally relax and fully enjoy the Christmas season. Don't forget, I'm blogging everyday until Christmas! So come back everyday for more Christmas goodness!

COUNTDOWN: 11 DAYS of BLOGGING!

❄ December Ipsy Bag! ❄

Happy Saturday to you! I'm actually headed out to go camping today, but I wanted to go ahead and share this month's Ipsy Bag with you guys! This is my 4th bag so far, and so far I've been very impressed with the subscription. You can see more about Ipsy on their website here. Be sure to watch my video below to hear my thoughts on all of the products! You can also go subscribe to my YouTube channel if you'd like! Just click here.

See you guys tomorrow! Enjoy your weekend!

COUNTDOWN: 12 DAYS of BLOGGING!

Blessings

One more project and I am done with this semester of college. It is such a relief. Tomorrow I'm headed to go camping with a few of my friends & then I'm headed home for the break! This past week has been a crazy one, and I am ready to relax and enjoy the rest of the Christmas season. Today I wanted to do something a little different for today's post. There's so many things in my life I have to be grateful for, and since we're so close to Christmas, I thought I'd share a few with you.

1. My friends. I have some of the most supportive, hilarious, wonderful people in my life and I couldn't live without them. Amanda turned 20 this week, and although I couldn't be there with her this week, we'll certainly celebrate once we're both back at home. We've been friends for 14 years, and I'm so thankful for our friendship.

2. My job. I work a few hours a week in a small office, and although most of the time I just sort of sit there, it's a great place to work. I do dread going sometimes, but honestly it's a really great place to be.

3. My mom. This past week I had a conversation with one of my friends about life & problems & all kinds of stuff that's happened in the past. It just reminded me of what a loving, strong, independent woman my mom is. I can't wait to see her on Sunday.

4. My bed. I had to throw a silly one in here. Really though, after dealing with finals all week there has been nothing nicer than hopping into bed and getting some rest. And after 2 all nighters, I've definitely needed it.

5. Christmas. This time of the year makes me so incredibly happy. A lot of the times we can get caught up in the stresses and the parties and everything that come with the holiday season, but it's important to remember why we're celebrating. I never want to lose sight of that.

Let me know something you're thankful for! Thanks so much for reading, I hope you all have a wonderful weekend.

 COUNTDOWN: 13 DAYS of CHRISTMAS!

image via Pinterest