Personal Birthday Gift Ideas

We've all been there. And by 'there' I mean a week or so before someone's birthday with NO idea what to get them because they have everything already and you don't just want to grab another bottle of lotion, Almond Rocas, picture frame, pack of stationery, DVD, or t-shirt because they have tons of those too and really how special are those kinds of gifts all the time? This cluelessness occurs most for me in regards to my parents for a couple of reasons.

1. there are 3 times a year to give them something (Birthdays, Christmas, Mother's/Father's Day) and

B. they really do have everything!

So this year was no different. UNTIL, I hatched a great on-the-spot idea. My mom wanted to do the Color Run for her birthday so that was kinda all our gifts to her. But I wanted to still get her a little something.

I already had a pack of red crayons that I had gotten during one of my many school-supply-shopping adventures. Then when my college roommates was visiting and we went to the farmer's market, I saw this adorable red pot turned into a pin-cushion/sewing container. Somehow I just knew I had to get it for my mom. It was too cute, it was red, and it was about sewing.

(Insert important sidenote to mention that my mom's favorite color is red and she loves sewing.)

So now I had crayons and a pin-cushion container. I suddenly decided I would get her a bunch of small, inexpensive items that were red and some of her favorite things. My friend and I headed to WalMart and the gift giving shopping began (among craft supply shopping for our girl's weekend of course). It was really fun and kind of a challenge to find things that were red, and her favorite, and small, and inexpensive. But I think I did pretty good.

I bought a bag of M&M's and picked out all the red ones. (Which incidentally means I ate all the other colors).

 I just love the cupcake liners!

I used the buttons, an 8x10 canvas, and various forms of glue dots (Zots, Double Stick Tape, Zig Pen, etc. basically because I kept running out of whatever I used) to make this:

Then I got on my Silhouette Cameo and made a red heart-shaped card. I even found a red gift bag in our stash and a box with a red lid for the canvas!

Finally, I wrote her a song on my hour drive to her house. I used the tune "Favorite Things" from Sound of Music and inserted my mom's favorite things include free shipping, sewing, chocolate, chai, etc. It had 4 verses I think and then a chorus. It was fun to write and my mom loved it! I gave her the lyrics to keep and she took a video on her phone. And no, I'm not going to post the video. :)

My dad had no idea about my all-red plan when he ordered his gifts for my mom and yet somehow he followed the same theme! He got her a red case for her iPhone and red Wonder Clips. The only non-red thing she got was The Purple Thang, which is okay because the name alone is cool enough to justify it not being red in all-red birthday.

All in all I spent $24. It was really fun and even though some of the items were pretty trivial, the fact that they were red and represented her favorite things made it personal and special.

Who do you know that is hard to buy gifts for? Have you ever done a color theme to your gifts? Do you think you would try this idea? If you do, I'd love to hear about it!

Wedding Decor now used as Home Decor

My birthday was just about a month ago, and one of the gifts my parents gave me was the rustic windows I had used as decor at my wedding (see picture below).

I borrowed these wonderful old windows from some friends at church. One of my friends wrote on the panes with a glass marker the significant dates of our love story. After the wedding, these windows along with some other rustic items we borrowed were returned to these friends. I found out on my birthday that a short while after the wedding, he contacted my mom asking if I was interested in having the windows to keep. My mom answered saying that I would love to have them (she was SO right...have you SEEN all the great rustic window decor possibilities on Pinterest???). So my mom got them from him and they gave them to me for my birthday. It was such a great surprise and I am looking forward to all the crafting possibilities with them in the future.

Thankfully, he had not erased the writing off the windows and there were no smudges. We decided for the time being (aka while we are still in our rental) that we will keep the writing on the panes and hang the windows as decor. Later, when we have our own house, I will erase and use the windows in various ways.

So then my husband and I set about to hand them, which included a trip to Home Depot (I love that store!)

We got some rope (rustic look for hanging) and eye-hooks.

Nate measured and screwed 2 holes on the top of each window and then we put the eye hooks in.

He searched for a good while for studs in the wall (this house is crazy...our landlord built it and it has many, umm...special, qualities) and then screwed holes.

Then came the fidgeting and finagling to get the frames the same height and level on the wall.

I love looking up there and remembering those great memories.

I think they fill that huge white space on the wall very nicely!

Have you used any decor from another event (such as a wedding) as decor for your home?

Crunchy Leaves

I love the sound of stepping on them! It's just magical and how can you not smile and be happy when the sky is blue, the trees are flame-colored and every step sounds like you just ate a potato chip? :D I'm not sure how much longer the nice fall weather is going to last, but I'm very thankful for all that we have had and every colorful leaf that has brightened those days with its color and crunch.

I had a wonderful pre-birthday weekend. My parents came over and we had a great time catching up. It was nice to have a break from school and be with my family and some good family friends that I have known practically my whole life. Good food, good conversation, and some wonderful presents including a new camera that has a touch screen! (which I discovered on accident lol)

After my parents left, I walked around Green Lake with my bff in the beautiful sunshine.

How can you top that weekend? Well you can't, which is why I have to go back to homework tonight, classes, and studying for my West-E this Saturday. :P BUT I do have a birthday this week and no school the following day so there will be room for some fun times.