2013 Stocking Stuffers

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Oh Screwdrivers and Stethoscopes, how I’ve neglected thee.

I haven’t abandoned my little blog, I promise.  Life has just gotten in the way.  Weddings.  Jobs.  Holidays.  Repeat. I promise I will have some great posts coming up on the things I have been up to, but in the meantime, let’s discuss 2013 stocking stuffers.

Here are some affordable little stuffers sure to make Santa do a double take:

For the fashionista:

Polka Dot Winter Tights- $9.80

In the cold of winter (last I checked it felt like -9 degrees) you can’t exactly go bare-legged.  Solution:  adorbs tights.

Anatomical Snog me mints- $2.81

Okay not exactly fashion, but I just love things that come in little packages. Plus I love all things Brit. And nice breath isn’t a bad quality either.

For the techie:

Ilovehandles  iPhonePost It Case- $7.95

I love this.  How often do you need a piece of scratch paper, and don’t have one?  For me that’s basically every day.  Note to self: stop taking so many notes. Note to self: get an iphone.

Eye-Fi Wireless SD Cards-$49 and up

So these guys are a little more expensive, but where they lack in affordability, they make up in awesomeness.  I don’t know about you, but I have pictures on my camera’s memory card dating back to 2008.  I love toting my camera to events, but never seem to manage to upload the pictures to my computer.  The solution: the Eye-Fi series, which wirelessly transfers photos from your digital camera directly  to your iPad, iPhone, Kindle, Computer, etc.

For the foodie:

Sriracha Candy Canes- $7.99

I haven’t been too fond of candy canes ever since that time I got the “stomach flu” after consuming them in bulk (Yes, I realize there is no such thing as “stomach flu” and yes I realize consumption of candy canes and gastroenteritis are generally unrelated).  HOWEVER, I might consider nomming on one or two of these strange yet intriguing candies!

Pluck Egg Yolk Separator- $12.99

I’m not sure if this is just an elaborate turkey baster or what.  But either way, I know for sure I always end up picking pieces of egg shell out of my cake batter because I have no idea how to separate egg yolks from the whites.  Enter the Egg Yolk Separator.  You’re welcome.

For the athlete:

Chicago Skyline White Sox Knit Hat- $20

Okay, so this is a shameless selfish suggestion, since this hat represents two of the things I hold dearest to my heart:  Chicago and the White Sox.  This hat is perfect for the days you want to exercise outdoors, but don’t want bright red painful Rudolph ears (you know what I’m talking about!?  Or is it just me…)

Contigo Autoseal Kangaroo Water Bottle-$12

So I ALWAYS have the dilemma of what to bring to workout.  My keys? I really don’t want to be locked out of my apartment, but I don’t want to carry the stupid things around.  Same goes for my ID and Credit Card. You just never know when you are going to need spontaneous retail therapy. 

The Contigo water bottle solves all of my problems.  And hydrates me, which is especially important when I’m out of breath and wheezing because I haven’t been to the gym in a month….but that is a whole different problem…..

 So there you have it...now get to stuffing!

{DIY Gift Wrap} Part 1: Wine Bottle Wrapping (FREE!)

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Happy Valentine’s Day lovelies! I hope you have amazing plans and are spending your day/night with that special someone.  I also hope you got said special someone a little token of appreciation.  Me…ermm…I haven’t gotten poor Nishy anything yet…but I still have a few hours before date night and I work in a mall.  So, fear not Sean, you will have a perfectly wrapped token of my love in T minus 4 hours.

Speaking of perfectly wrapped…are you wrapping illiterate? If so, today’s tutorial will be of use.  I love gift wrapping.  There is nothing quite like a gift that is wrapped with all of the bells and whistles.  Let’s face it: no one likes getting a gift that is wrapped in a plastic bag; it gives you the impression that the giver didn’t put much thought or effort into the gift (ahem DAD).  So to help all of you lazy ol gift wrappers out, over the next few posts I'll be highlighting some of my fave wrapping tutorials : )

Today's tutorial:  the Wine Bottle Wrap

I feel like I'm cheating with this post since it's so simple, but rather than pay $4.99 for a gift bag, just customize the brown paper bag you get for free with the purchase of wine/alcohol.  I used stamps, tissue paper, and curling ribbon.  Easy peasy (and FREE, so feel free to spring for the $$$$ wine, instead of the boone's farm...)

Enjoy your romantic night ya'll!  Check back later for more gift wrapping ideas : )

{25 Days of Christmas} 9 Budget Friendly DIY Gift Ideas

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I already mentioned one thrifty Christmas gift idea, with my hot cocoa post, but what are some other Christmas gift ideas for when you’re on a tight budget and want to be creative?  I can’t post all of my ideas since some people haven’t gotten their presents from me yet.  But, below are some of my favorite gift ideas for the DIYer with a small wallet and a little free time: 

Top Row (Left to Right):

Brooklyn Limestone's Key Plate / Design Mom's Monogrammed Mugs / Wit & Whistle's Garden Markers

Center Row (Left to Right):

Sweater Sleeve Wine Warmer / Idea Room's Peppermint Scrub / Sunset's Bread in a Bottle

Bottom Row (Left to Right)

Martha Stewarts Teacup Candles / Kelli Murray's Clay Ornaments / Self Promotion :) Braided Scarf

Do you have any DIY gifts you would like to share?  Feel free to email me if you do, I would love to share on my blog!

{25 Days of Christmas} DIY Hot Cocoa Gifts

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Oh man, the 17^th day of Christmas almost never was!  I was so busy shopping today I ALMOST forgot about my blog post.  But don’t worry.  I remembered. 

What’s the best thing to come home to after a long day of Christmas shopping (aside from a glass of champagne and a spa treatment)?  A nice warm mug of hot chocolate.  Hot chocolate is not only the perfect winter treat, but also makes a great gift or stocking stuffer.

Behold an amazing recipe for hot chocolate, courtesy of Alton Brown (cayenne pepper, who knew??)

Ingredients

• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 cup cocoa (Dutch-process preferred)
• 2 1/2 cups powdered milk
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper, or more to taste
• Hot water

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and incorporate evenly. In a small pot, heat 4 to 6 cups of water.

Fill your mug half full with the mixture and pour in hot water. Stir to combine. Seal the rest in an airtight container, keeps indefinitely in the pantry. This also works great with warm milk.

And here is a little packaging inspiration:

Top Row: S'mores Cocoa Cone / Hot Cocoa in a Can (get the can for $1 at Target!)

Bottom Row: Peppermint Stick Cocoa / DIY Bride Hot Cocoa

Be sure to check back daily for holiday inspiration!  As a special treat to my readers, I'm offering a 10% discount in my Etsy store with the discount HOLIDAY10.