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holidays

DIY Holiday Cuticle Oil Tins

 

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Is there anything more lavish than a good tin of cuticle oil? The way it feels on the nails is second to none. You may also not know how super simple it is to make your own all natural version at home, but what’s even better is that cuticle oil tins make for a fun and frugal stocking stuffer or last minute holiday gifts as well. 

I always like to give away DIY cuticle oil each holiday season as I can make them not only in advance but for under three dollars I can prepare a dozen tins and give the gift of being pampered to in my life that needs it the most!

This is also an awesome zero waste project as the tins themselves are made from recycled Altoids boxes. This project is just a win-win all around.

Here’s how you can make your own giftable DIY All-Natural Cuticle Oil Tins too:

 

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Isn’t that super simple to make? Now if you are considering giving cuticle oil tins this holiday season be sure to also give your recipient an orange stick, file, in a small pouch, for a holiday manicure kit, to go along with your tins as well. Also, be sure to pin the above instruction for reference later while making these awesome cuticle oil tins! 

 

Here’s to the holidays,

niki-name-design

DIY Crochet Cowl Neck Scarf

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There’s nothing that epitomizes Fall fashion more to me than a cozy crochet cowl neck scarf. Cowl neck scarves are amazing in that they look great on all body types and can be styled in endless ways making them an essential go-to cold weather accessory for everyone, especially those with capsule wardrobes!

The only drawback to these rocking scarves? They often come with very uncozy price tags. So today I’ll be sharing with you a super simple pattern to help be your most stylish self this fall and winter, with your very own chunky crochet cowl! 

You can crank out a few up in any of your favorite colors to help cheer up an otherwise cold, rainy or snowy day. Also, cowls make fun and frugal holiday gifts! Consider making several to stock your gift closet with this holiday season!

The best part? Each cowl is a true one-skein project and can be made in just under two hours. Don’t you just adore quick crafting projects? 

 

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This cowl pattern is perfect in its simplicity, as the piece is worked back and forth in rows and whip stitched together at the end, turning it into an crochet infinity scarf.  Also worth noting, this scarf is very long and is meant to be wrapped 2-3 times around the neck to create a bulky look.

For the pattern, I used Caron One Pound Yarn in Sunflower. I purchased my yarn for $2.94 using a half-off JoAnn Fabrics mobile coupon. This skein gave me enough yarn to make three cowls, making this a truly affordable project at only $1.00 a cowl!

You might want to also consider going through your yarn stash and seeing what leftover project skeins you may already have on hand to create this cowl as well. Keeping in mind that any bulky acrylic yarn will work for this project, keeping in mind that for this project you’ll need about 350 yards in total.

Here’s what you will need to get this project started:

 

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-1 Skein Carson 1-Pound Chunky Yarn in Sunflower
-Size 9.0mm crochet hook
-Scissors
-Yarn or upholstery needle

 

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7″ wide x 76″ inches long.

 

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HDC: Half Double Crochet
Ch: Chain

 

 

 

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So I hope you will enjoy trying your hand at making your own cowl neck scarf. Be sure to pin the pattern instructions above for easy reference while making your own scarf, and if you do try your hand at making your own, be sure to tag me on Instagram or Twitter to let me see how awesome it looks!

Also for those looking to purchase their own pre-made cowl they are also currently available in my ETSY shop. Enjoy your crocheting! 

 

Here’s to the holidays,

niki-name-design

10 Freezer Meals to Give as Holiday Gifts

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Believe it or not, home cooked freezer meals make for a fun and frugal holiday gifts for nearly everyone on your list. Gifting freezer meals shouldn’t be given only to new parents, new neighbors, and the bereaved. Truly anyone would enjoy a homemade meal prepared with love. Especially from you. 

While I once associated the holiday season as a time to buy and receive gifts, generally believing that receiving goods from my own holiday wish list would make me happier. In reality, my life was already cluttered with a myriad of unnecessary things. What I truly needed in my life wasn’t anything material, but simply the love and friendship of family and friends during the holiday season. 

This was especially true several years ago when our neighbors, out the blue, gifted us a smoked ribs and trimmings dinner. Our neighbors wanted to bless our family. They just wanted to be good neighbors.

It was through that crazy, brave, generous act of kindness that leads me to rethink my views on my own holiday gift-giving habits and the overall mass consumerism of the modern holiday season. 

Did I also mention how awesome those ribs were? Every last part of that meal was savory and delicious. Even more important was the break it gave me that night. Not only was it nourishment for our bodies, but it was solace for my soul. And my holiday budget, too. That meal was given during a time when my family had first started working our way out of debt, so being blessed with a meal meant we would have more resources and ingredients to allocate back into our menu plan in the days and weeks ahead.

That meal also inspired me to come up with ways that I could pass my neighbor’s act of kindness onto others. While I was not really into the idea of cooking and delivering hot meals to friends and family for all of December, I did enjoy the thought of giving others freezer meals that they could prepare on their own schedule during the holiday season. So the idea of gift giving freezer ready meals was born!

For me, freezer cooking was a great way to save time, economize, and give the gift of great eats to those on my gift list all in one fell swoop.

It also goes without saying that you need to put the same amount of love into giftable freezer meals as you would any other gift. Consider buying inexpensive reusable dishes for your meals. Or consider gifting mason jars of soup. To do this, simply fill quart mason jars with soup up to the fill line (the etched glass line under the ring of the jar), freeze your jars until set, and then add rings, seals, fabric, and decorations as needed!

When it comes to gifting freezer meals make sure that dinner isn’t the only meal you consider. Quick, healthy breakfasts and lunches are invaluable to anyone who works a busy job or odd hours. Also, should you meal pair perfectly with bread or salad on the side, be sure to include that into your gift as well.

Moreover, never underestimate the comforting power of a good dessert. Is there anything more loving than a plate of warm banana nut muffins or chocolate cake? Consider making large batches of a favorite holiday cookie, cake, or dessert for those on your list this year! 

Be sure to also remember that presentation matters. People taste their food first with their eyes! Tie a bow on each package. Add parchment paper and striped bakers twine to a jar. Consider putting food together in a small wooden crate, lined with a festive napkin, and coordinate it all together with a bow. 

Now if you are ready to try your hand at giving a few freezer ready meals this holiday season here are a few recipe ideas (including some serious throwbacks from my early days of blogging) to get you started:

 

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Crock Pot Pork Loin with Cranberries recipe

 

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Cinco de Mayo Chicken Mole

 

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Harvest Crockpot Apple Butter

 

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Ms. Carol’s Pineapple Upside Down Cake

 

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Pumpkin Macaroni and Cheese

 

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Freezer Cooking Baked Spaghetti, Lasagna Roll-Ups, and Chicken Parmesan 

 

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Blueberry Freezer Jam

 

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Blueberry Butter Pecan Pancakes

 

So savvy savers, remember that when you give the gift of holiday freezer meals what you are really gifting others is time, comfort, good health, nourishment, and a moment of a much-needed break from the stressors of life.

More importantly, you are giving the gift of love. A freeze-it-forward kind of movement, if you will. And that’s always something worth sharing. 

Now it is your turn! Are planning to gift a meal? How do you do it and what tips have you learned that you might be able to share with others? Please share them in the comments below. 

 

Here’s to the holidays,
 niki-name-design

How Minimalism Helped Me Clean Our Shed

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When it comes to cleaning, there always seems to be a bit of a hassle involved. Cleaning out a shed is no exception. For when a shed is really messy, it can not only be difficult to decide the best way to organize your space, but may over time, infringe on your ability to complete projects, quickly attend to household emergency repairs, put up holiday decor, or to seasonally garden and landscape your home’s outdoor property. 

Even as a minimalist, my home’s shed was one of the hardest spaces in my home to organize. You see, by nature, I’m a saver, and my shed is where I logically thought to store all of the items I envisioned needing to keep our home in good repair. I felt that every extra hose, cable, bolt, nut, and screw, while not being used presently, would be used in the near future. In the attempt to be become a good steward of my home, I abused the purpose of my shed, a building intended to store only what my home needed at present, into an out of sight, out of mind wasteland for holiday decor, gardening gadgets, and building materials far past their prime. 

Though there were many times I walked into the shed and put it into my good intentions memory bank to clean and organize this space, rarely did this manifest into action. While I could easily blame time, circumstance, and familiar obligations for my lack of shed cleanliness, the truth remains: I did not clean out my shed because I was okay with allowing this area of my home to become a catchall for items and projects that no longer reflected my family’s lifestyle or added value to my life. That I didn’t want to be confronted by all of the items I had accumulated over the past six years, in hopes of impressing others or to emulate the talents and aspirations of others successes on Pinterest I had once admired.

But the issues of my shed grew much deeper than simply a messy shed. I knew that my examining my shed, I would have to examine myself as well. That I didn’t want to delve deeper into understanding why I would spend thousands of dollars on countless gadgets and cords each year when my shed was already overrun with a myriad of these same unused items already.  I didn’t want to reflect on the fact that for every misstep in my life, business, and marriage, I bought new, unused holiday decor to mask my unhappiness in other areas of my life. Why would have known that such a small space could contain so much, figuratively or otherwise? This past weekend I finally dug deep and spent two days peeling back the layers of my shed’s overgrowth, in more ways than one. 

So, here are a few things I learned while cleaning out my shed, as a minimalist:

Start with a resolution of change: When I made this seasonal resolution earlier last week to clean out my shed, it was initially processed as a way to expand my minimalism post on my blog. Another check on the old editorial calendar, if you will. But the closer the day came to actually cleaning out my shed, the more excuses as to not completing this task began to creep up. I had to make a resolution to not simply organize my space this year, in hopes of just making it through another holiday season, but to create long-lasting progress for everyone in my family. This wasn’t simply a Halloween through Christmas decluttering project, this needed to be a dedicated block of time for reducing the items we owned as a family, just like the de-owning we completed on the inside rooms of our home. 

Create boundaries: I married my best friend. A man who takes pleasure in providing not just my needs, but my overall wants as well. And it is because of his desire to be a giver, that my husband has never liked to say no to any requests I made for holiday decor, gardening tools, and even for power tools I suggested he buy not only for his own projects but for my collective inspiration du jour. Your’s truly, on the other hand, was never willing to put a spending or spatial limit on my whimsical wants lists and often went to the store with the knowledge that no matter what new fangled item I could amass, my shed could accommodate it’s long-term storage needs.

So for this reason in year’s past, my husband and I would purchase new storage bins to accommodate all of my growing collections of holiday decor each and every Black Friday. The downside? Not only was this a passive-aggressive was for me to spend frivolously and emotionally manipulate my husband into buying me expensive craft store finds while I professed the need to daily live on a budget, but our shed contained dozens of tubs of plastic, overpriced holiday decor, of which most never saw the light of day. This was simply wasteful consumption, and we were not happier by any means as a result. 

So, this past weekend my husband and I went through our holiday decor. I made a lot of due apologies to my husband, and my husband vowed to financially keep me more accountable for my holiday decor accumulation and spending. We each then made a pact to keep only the items that truly sparked joy, could not be replaced, and helped us celebrate the holidays each year. We also made a rule to only decorate for Harvest and Holiday moving forward. No longer would decorate for Halloween, Easter, Valentine’s Day, Saint Patrick’s day, Mardi Gras, Cinco de Mayo, Spring, Thanksgiving, and the like. Decor would be limited the holidays that brought us the most joy as a family. Decor would be limited to the places that its presence would bring us the most enjoyment, on our mantle, entry area, and front porch. 

Another new change?  No longer would we place holiday lights along the length of our roof this December, in hopes of mimicking our neighbors, or to be featured in our local newspaper. Instead, our lights will reflect a more simple, more dignified porch-scape. This change will help us to lower our power consumption, be more tailored to our tastes, and would not express the desires of our neighbors and passersby, but what we as a family wanted to see during this and future holiday seasons. This small change will help us to be able to take minutes rather than hours to put up, take down, and store holiday decor this coming season. 

My husband and I also made a pact to keep all of these items confined to four large, sustainable bamboo wooden trunks, and to not purchase any new holiday decor, even if it is on sale after the holidays, for three years. We hope that this time will help us truly dig deeper and see with each passing season what items we treasure and what items we can donate to others. We created holiday spending and accumulation boundaries. We believe that this boundary will help us economically, emotionally, and environmentally more conscious as well. 

Understanding that organizing my shed only caused more clutter: Normally when doing a massive cleaning of a shed, the first thing you would typically do is to find all the things you can throw away, and then reorganizing the remaining items. The idea that future cleaning and organizing endeavors will go more smoothly if you’ve gotten rid of a few things you don’t need today. This past weekend we decided to take clearing out our shed t the next level. 

In hopes of creating a more minimal and cathartic shed space, we removed every item from our shed. Each item was placed in out carport, and all organizational items, bins, totes, and baskets were removed and immediately taken to donation. Without the crutch of plastic totes to help us organize our belongings, we could no longer shuffle items, or organize them. e painstakingly went through each and every item, and within a few hours over half was taken away to donations as well. All remaining items were placed on hooks on the walls, placed in the four wooden trunks, separated by holiday, or openly stored for immediate use. Items that needed repair were repaired and made ready for use as well. It was so freeing to no longer see walls upon walls of plastic storage bins. I also gained another bit of perspective, organizing, especially with

As we painstakingly went through each and every item, we began to see how by removing the access we could clearly start to see all of the better more lasting investments we had purchased for our home. We were more prepared for home ownership than we had previously thought. At this point, all remaining items were placed on hooks on the walls, placed in the four wooden trunks, separated by holiday, or openly stored for immediate use. Items that needed repair were repaired and made ready for use as well. It was so freeing to no longer see walls upon walls of plastic storage bins. I also gained another bit of perspective, organizing, especially with plastic totes and bins, is simply a fancier term for hoarding. 

Safety should be maintained: When we started sorting through our shed we started to notice how many chemicals we owned as a family. From spray paints to varnishes, our shed has slowly over time turned into a nuclear power station. So one of the first things we did was figure out what chemicals we no longer needed, pulled them to the side, boxed them up, and went online to see what agencies would help us properly dispose of these unneeded and dangerous agents in our shed. Everything from expired cleaners, old paint, and dried up liquid items were removed. Cleaning out our shed made our home a lot safer for this coming season and on. 

Recycle first: In many homes, sheds are where recyclables that may have piled up. From newspapers kept for painting projects and fire pit starters, to plastic bins and jugs, all of these items should be recycled when no longer in usage. 

Make everything within reach: One of our big projects this past weekend was to make everything within our shed accessible for immediate use. So once everything that needed to be discarded was removed, we started to place items we knew we needed to keep back into our shed in an orderly manner. We placed items we needed for this coming season on lower shelves, and items from the next gardening season on higher shelves. We made sure to only use shelves my husband could reach without having to access a ladder. Accessibility also meant ease of use, so these same shelves new mason jars for housing bird seed, grass seed, and plant food. And when it came time to place our tools back in our shed, we placed small, galvanized metal hooks all along a single wall and hung each tool. Hidden tools are unused tools. We sought to create more usefulness in our shed. Each tool in our shed is now used or is a necessity item in our home shed. Should we need a specialty tool for a future project, we will borrow or rent tools instead. 

So, in just nine and a half short hours later, our shed was transformed from an emotional and economic deluge into a minimal, useful space. I can only imagine how much nicer the holiday season will feel when we will no longer face tripping over anything in the shed. But what I know to be true right now is that cleaning our my shed helped me grow as a person and be a more responsible steward to our home, a better wife, a strong person, and a more savvy saver in the process.

But with all of this said, what does this mean for you? With the gardening season soon at an end and the holiday season being just around the corner, this is a great time to not only clean out your shed before the chaos of the holiday’s but to help bless other families with as well. And the best part? By minimizing your shed’s possessions, come next spring, you won’t have any excuses to get your gardening and Spring cleaning started early. You’ll be more than ready. You can create a more prepared home today, cost-free. 

So, savvy savers? Do you have any plans for decluttering projects this coming season? I’d love to hear about it below.

Here’s to more minimal sheds,

niki-name-design

 

What I’ve been loving in March

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Ah, March…

The month of March end this Thursday. From warmer spring weather to a myriad of holidays, March is always such a great month for myself and my family. As we leave behind cold winter weather for warmer Spring days ahead, I just wanted to take pause and reflect back on why March was a month of blessings for my family and myself. So, here’s a list of the top 12 things that I’ve been loving this month. 

what weve been up to...
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March is the month when Mother Nature bursts forth into full technicolor bloom. Here at home our crocuses, hyacinths, wisterias, and daffodils are already blooming. Soon they will be joined by tulips, hyacinths, jasmine, lilacs, and crepe myrtles. The streets of my small hometown will soon be lined with blooming pear trees and azaleas. Mississippi is coming alive with bees, blooms, and the best of what this season has to offer! 

We Dr. Seuss’ birthday was celebrated on March 2nd. We attended our local country library to hear a live reading  of “The Cat in the Hat” and many other beloved Seussical children’s books as part of the Read Across America birthday celebration. This rally was amazing, and truly brought to life Dr. Seuss’ mission to making literacy fundamental and fun for children across this nation. 

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It’s said that March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb. Yet again, Mother Nature didn’t disappoint this year as March saw a lot of weather extremes, from highs in the 70’s, lows in the 20’s, three tornado warnings, and even an afternoon where Daniel’s school dismissed early due to flash flood warnings. Oy!

Here in Dixie, Daylight Saving Time began on March 13th. And while we will have more sunlight,  more time this Summer to enjoy the great outdoors, loosing an hour of sleep was a bummer. One point of consolation, early morning sunrises that rival any beachscape I’ve ever seen. Waking up early to soak in the beauty of simple moments of solitude is something I’ve been really loving this month. 

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This month my family celebrated Saint Patrick’s Day simply at home with a feast of corned beef, cabbage, potatoes, and soda bread. There’s something to be said for the comfort that one pot dishes can bring to the soul. And not to be outdone by any corned beef and cabbage platter, my husband Daniel celebrated the day in his own way. He printed, colored, and rocked his very own Shamrock. This month I’ve really been loving my husband’s playful nature. 

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The first day of spring was celebrated with the Vernal Equinox on March 20th. On this day, day and night are equal everywhere, and I took this time to finish a few last minute ETSY shop orders, including this Easter Egg Wreath. Taking ordinary materials and turning them into something funky and fabulous is something I have been loving this month. Around this same time like many other Christians the world over, we celebrated Holy Week, Palm Sunday, Passover, and finally Easter Sunday, in a very quiet manner on March 27. We smoked hams, broke bread as a family, and spending time in fellowship with friends and neighbors. 

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Also this month my family and I were given the awesome opportunity to try out Airhead’s new birthday cake flavor taffy as part of their #airheadsepicbday 30th anniversary celebration, from February 29th thru June 29th of this year. Shockingly, the birthday cake flavor tastes just like fresh, homemade buttercream icing. Though I’m not a huge candy fan our crew loved them. This candy is surely not part of our journey into semi-crunchy nation, but you need a few fun departures every now and then! Be sure to checkout Airhead’s birthday bash inline, and enter for a chance to win $10,000 in cash and prizes as well.  

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And of course it wouldn’t be a proper change of season without switching out threads in my capsule wardrobe. This month marked a year from my first Spring capsule, and it was nice to see the progression of this current seasons capsule compared to my capsule a year ago. While I love everything about capsule wardrobes, my absolutely favorite part? The small teal polka dot boxes from Thredup that arrive when I need to replace a staple piece here and there. Yeah, I’m a fan of shopping from home, and with free return shipping it’s a no-brainer in my book! 

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And as a side note, I’m a brand ambassador for Bulu Box. And this past month I was given the opportunity to review the new Double Scoops products from Bulu Box. Let me just say, wow ladies. These. Are. Amazing.

As a skeptic when it comes to anything involving unmentionable innovations, this product surprised even me. These two scoops help keep your cones right where they belong, pun intended. They are an affordable, modest means to transform the way you can look and feel this season in thinner fabrics, dresses, and blouses. The best part? They are comfortable.

I tried the peach color, but they come in different shapes and colors, and are even waterproof. Yes—you can use them in a swimsuit. These scoops help ward off the effects of both motherhood and gravity in a simple, simple way. Each box even comes with tape so you can essentially use these with lower cut necklines as well.  To find out more about these scoops, click here

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And I didn’t want this month to end without again sharing that this past week, March 20th, was the tenth anniversary of National Puppy Day. Though I’m a pet-parent to several amazing fuzzies, my Sassy, our six-year-old Shih-Tzu, will always hold an extra special place in my heart. She was an adopted baby, and there is not a day that goes my when she has not been a blessing to my life. Even as a puppy, the day she chewed a foot long hole into my brand new jute dining room rug. I still loved her even then.

National Puppy Day is a reminder for our family to #adoptnotshop when it comes to pets. Every life is important, and my husband and I take the stewardship of our fuzzies very seriously. We believe in being good parents to children and pets, too! We have to look out for everyone in the kingdom, you know? 

 

what ive been reading...

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This past month I’ve been able to spend a good amount of time of my favorite hobby, reading. I was very honored to be asked to be a member of Ruth Sokup’s book launch team for her upcoming release, Unstuffed.

Do you feel your life, home, and office are stuffed to the brims with things, papers, and piles? Then you are in luck my friend! This book speaks to the need from all walks of life to slow down and evaluate ways to clear both our homes and lives of the unnecessary abundance of  cluttered that causes chaos, over-spending, time management conflicts, and feelings of being rundown in our minds, lives, and homes. 

Ruth offers readers practical tips and time-tested advice for finding joy in living lives less stuffed with joy-busting clutter. This book is divided into lessons. Each lesson walks you room-by-room, obstacle-by-obstacle through your home, allowing the reader to create a strategy and mindset for last cleaning, organizing, and living success. 

This quote, especially spoke to me:

“But here’s the truth: A busy life is not the same as a meaningful one.   Athletic, successful or talented children do not make us more important.  Activities, obligations, and commitments do not make us count.  If we’re looking for the answer to our frustrations, despair, and hopelessness in a full calendar, we will never find it there.  In fact, quite often, the fuller our calendars become, the emptier our hearts feel.”

The book also contains a fun, interactive quiz to help you determine how much is too much, when it comes to personal and business commitments, the daily drudge of “life clutter.”  A particular point of interest for me in this book was it’s chapter on friendships and interpersonal relationships. Though Ruth does not engage readers in the art of making friends (though I feel this would have added greatly to this book), she does speak of the necessity to seek friendships that will remain vital to your well-being. And in the reverse, knowing the best ways to ditch unhealthy, one-sided friendships in order to devote time to cultivating nurturing, lasting friendships instead.  

This book is a true, transparent look at how one can unclutter all aspects of your life. I highly recommend this book. If you’d like to read Unstuffed, it’s currently on pre-order at Amazon for $9.89, and will be released on April 5, 2016.

 
This month I was also given the opportunity to review I Want It All: Exchanging Your Average Life for Deeper Faith, Greater Power, and More Impactby Gwen Smith. 

The book intrigued in it’s simple but profound central question, “Do you struggle with sleepy faith syndrome?” If you are anything like me, the answer to this question may be an astounding yes. 

The author discusses with readers her views on how easy it can be easy to dismiss God’s plans with diminutive thoughts that ordinary women, women like ourselves, cannot make a huge difference in the body of Christ, manifesting in an  I can’t attitude to life.

The author gives readers a different, refreshing perspective. Stating that despite our personal shortcomings, God created each woman in the brethren of Christ to be equipped with the disposition, spirit, and ability to lead our families and communities towards lives of  abundant joy, courage, and influence. We can each create new, lasting seasons of gratitude and change in our own lives. We can each be mirrors of proactive social change too!

The author leaves readers with a central note, that one can have it all when you abandon your self-loathing for a live of grace-filled purpose and significance

I Want It All will ignite a fire in your heart to experience more faith and impact as you move forward in this next season of life, and was the perfect start to the Spring season of renewal in my own life as well. 
 
This has been one of my favorite Women’s Christian non-fiction books I’ve read thus far this year. If you’d like to check this book out, it’s currently available on Amazon for $9.99 shipped with Amazon Prime or $9.49 on Amazon Kindle.

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Lastly, I was also honored to be apart of the book tour for Sisi: An Empress on Her Own, by Allison Pataki.

This is a beautiful story. This book is woven full of drama, suspense, unrequited romances, and guilt. This book is also surprisingly based on the life story of Empress Elisabeth of Austria, or Sisi as she was known to those dear to her. Elizabeth the woman, lived a fascinatingly dangerous life fatally intermingled with the ill-fated Hasburg dynasty during its final decade of decline. Pataki beautifully illustrates the better half of Sisi’s life, giving readers a tender glimpse into the mentally uncertain life of the empress.

With each chapter the reader will hope for lasting solace and fortune for the often spoiled Sisi. As I read this book I found a great deal of empathy for Sisi, as I longingly wanted her to abandon family, title, duty for a life less forced exploitation. This book is no less than a saga of words, emotions, and song.

Pataki shows the corrupt, gritty details of royal life in a way that still leaves the sophistication and romanticized spledor this dynasty is known for with each forthcoming page. The fantasy of being a Hasburg, both the grandiose and the grotesque, remains unaltered all it’s splendor. Pataki is a stickler to historical detail, which makes reading this and any of her novels a highly enjoyable experience.

So, if your looking for a refreshing take on history, this is the book for you. Currently, this book is available on Amazon for $18.48 shipped with Amazon Prime, and $13.49 with Amazon Kindle for those who wish to pick it up this Spring. 

So, folks that’s what I’ve been loving this month in March. How has your month been for you? I’d love to hear about your moments, suggestions, and tidbits as well. 

Here’s to April,

niki

December No-Spend Month Challenge Day 15: Reusable Wax Gift Ideas!

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Hello, savvy savers! This morning, I wanted to blog share one of the many ways I have found to save a few dollars here and there one on the things I love most in my home this holiday season, and that is with wax candle melts!

Moreover, wax candle melts you have on hand can be revamped into holiday DIY gifts too!

So, you may be asking how can used wax be turned into holiday gifts. Well, if you are anything like me, you have probably tried a variety of wax melts and tarts! I have tried them all including Yankee Candle, Scentsy, and the like! Sadly, the smell of these melts dissipates rather quickly, and within days you are left with a small pool of wax! Most would throw this puddle of goo out, but for me, I seek to re-invent!

Some of the ways I do this is by:

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1) Re-constituting the wax.  As you know, pure beeswax, does not dissipate, but rather only loses its smell and can last for years. One rather economic and green way to re-constitute your wax melts, is to reconstitute the wax with essential oils.  I save my wax by carefully placing the leftover wax into a double-bagged zip-lock bag, and then storing the bag in a dry, cool place.

When I have accumulated several blocks of wax, say six or seven packs of wax, I will then reconstitute them by lining a crock-pot with a crock-pot liner, place the blocks on the low setting, and once they are liquefied, add several drops of essential oil; you can also use a neat trick by creating a double boiler out of glass candle jars, water, and sauce pans. Be sure to also save the original wax melt containers, and when my wax melts are no longer fragranced, I often put them carefully back into their original containers, rest the containers on trivets, and let them cool, before storing.

I even try to save on my essential oils, as I often accumulate survey points, turn them into Amazon.com gift cards, and use these gift cards to buy extras for around my home. Some of these extras are essential oils, such as the Now Foods Lavender Oil. I find that the essential oils often smell better, and cleaner, than that of my original waxes and melts as well; using this method drops the cost of each wax melt pack to $0.15 a pack, a nearly 98% savings.

You can also cool wax by placing the wax into ice trays and freezing, for more rapid results. Please note, I designate a silicone spatula for this project and store it as such, and do not use it for other food preparations.

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2) Make potpourri. Collect small pine cones or spruce cones, acorns, walnuts, or the like. Melt your wax very slowly in a double boiler, or in a crockpot lined with crockpot liners, set on low. Take turns dipping your items in the wax. Be sure to use these outdoors, as the  or simply drizzle the wax over certain items. This same idea can be used to make fire starters, with the addition of placing the items in cardboard egg cartons, and then drizzling wax over the items and sections of the carton. Be sure to use these outdoors, as the wax may catch fire.

3) Make holiday gifts. You can acquire cheap candy molds in various seasonal shapes, at your local arts and craft stores, and even at some larger stores from time to time after holidays; I generally buy silicone molds. Use the same method listed above for wax reconstitution, and then pour the wax into your candy molds, which should be placed on trivets, and let harden.

When the molds have hardened, you have cute wax chips which an be placed in tissue papers, sachet bags, or inexpensive holiday jars; these make great holiday hostess, teacher, and church-friends gifts as well! Also, be on the lookout for inexpensive holiday themed wax warmers at your local retailers, which often o as low as 90% off, and can be paired nicely with this cheap gift idea! This same idea can be used to make candles tarts or crayons as well! This is a staple in my gift closet arsenal!

4) Make candles. Using the same model as example one, you can reconstitute your wax, place it in inexpensive candle molds, and then drop wicks into your candle molds, and attach clothespins to the tops of the wicks to prevent wicks from falling into your cooling wax; note that candle molds are often cheaply obtainable at your local craft stores.  Beautiful older tins and tea cups also work well for this project as well!

So, today I challenge you all to see what wax you have available at home to make into fun, frugal holiday gifts too!

Here’s to saving,

niki-name-design

 

December No-Spend Month Day 3: Giving Local Experience Gifts!

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Good morning, savvy savers! For Day 3 of this months No-Spend Challenge, I’d like to share one of the ways I have found to cut back on my holiday spending, and that is with the gift of experience gifts for the kiddos!

Around here we like to give experiences as gifts because we aren’t ‘stuff’ kind of people; I don’t like to stare things and beyond this, months after the season, As well, after having spent half of this year painstakingly going over and re-over the Kon’Mari cleaning method,  I can admittedly state that I am anti-clutter, and intend for my home to stay as such!  In fact, I often tell people when they ask what someone in our home would like for the holidays or birthdays, I graciously request that everyone be taken out on the town for an activity and to lunch.  I mean isn’t a quiet home a gift for me too?

What’s really nice about experience gifts, from my own personal experience, is that these gifts tend to cost at least half of what traditional gifts (especially toys) cost, will be remembered long after the experience is over, and often snowball into “traditional gifts,” where family members are encouraged to repetitively give the same experience gift each year, revealing them of the task of guessing what overpriced, underutilized gift someone in our family will want for the holidays! In any event, here’s a list of ideas that your kiddos, young and old, can’t break, fight over, and that will last longer than Christmas Day:

  •  Zoo pass: This time of year many zoos will slash the price of 2016 zoo passes by half or more, and since passes can be further discounted in packs of four or more, consider having several adults go in on the price to make each ticket affordable and reusable! 
  • Skating rink passes: Just like with Zoos packs of tickets, including those to sleep-ins will be reduced in price, and some even come with discounted food vouchers. 
  • Lessons (art, dance, karate, guitar, swim, etc.): Consider giving the gift of beginner lessons, in the amount of a month of lessons to various activities, to see just how interested the kiddos might be in an activity; this also applies to adult painting and dancing classes as well. The nice thing about this gift is that most centers offer two-complimentary lessons, which tacked onto your two remaining weeks of lessons, should score you a month pass on the cheap! Be sure to check out Groupon, Living Social, and Amazon Local which always have holiday deals on local activity events. 
  • Children’s museum pass: It goes without saying that the world is simply not as spectacular without art, natural science, or applied sciences. Why not give kiddos of all ages the opportunity to check these events out later on during the year. Consider buying Spring Break passes, which are always slashed in price during December, and storing the tickets away for a raining Spring day?  Also, Bank of America this month will be offering free tickets nationally to several museums, and so you can score free, digital tickets perfect for gift giving this holiday season!
  • Day Ski pass: Know someone with a penchant for the powdery crests of snow? Did you know that this time of year you can score a free kiddo ski pass, along with free lesson voucher, and often you can snag one for yourself as well? Be sure to pick one up now, and use these passes for the snowy days ahead in Winter, such as MLK Day! 
  • National Parks: Did you know that on every Federal Holiday the National Park Service allows free admittance to parks? Or if you are a Veteran or Active Military (thank you for your service, by the way), you can also score free passes as well? Consider giving the kiddos an IOU for later in the year for a park of your choice, which will give you many months to plan a trip on the cheap around your IOU. 
  • Aquarium pass: Like with zoo and museum passes, now if the time to look for deeply discounted aquarium passes for this coming summer. Look for prices well below half now! 
  • Free or Cheap Gift card for their favorite restaurant: Consider taking your favorite relative out for a meal! Restaurant.com always features December deals for local eateries, often hosting certificates as low as $5.00 for a $25.00 certificate (tax and gratuity not included). Also consider cashing out your Swagbucks and iBotta savings for gift cards to Starbucks; one of my favorite gift ideas if pairing free Starbucks gift cards with outings to look at lights for the kiddos on my holiday list. This gift gives parents much needed time to themselves, and gives the kiddos a break during the stressful holiday season from their parents too! 
  • Water park pass: Consider giving the kiddos, and yourself, a summer water park pass for up-to 75% in the month of December! Pair this gift with a few kitschy things from the dollar tree, like a lea, sunscreen, and flamingo toy, and summer tote bag, and you are set for a summer of fun on the cheap!
  • Summer Movie clubs: Calling all movie buff families! Consider giving the gift of summer movie club passes for the kiddos later in the year. Regal Movie Theaters around the country sell not just in May, but also in December, $1 Summer Movies passes, per film, for kids this summer for the blockbuster 2016 Summer season. This begins in May or June, depending upon the theater. As well, Cinemark theaters will be running one children’s movie per week (rated G or PG) for 10 weeks during the summer. Tickets are $1 per person per movie, but you can buy a bundle in advance and pay $5 for all 10 movies! That’s 50¢ a movie! Showtimes and movie titles will vary by theater, so consider buying summer movie packs for this kiddos in December! 

So, those are some of my favorite budget-friendly gifts for the kiddos of all ages this holiday season. If you also give such gifts I’d love to hear about it below.

Here’s to saving,

niki-name-design