thrifty tip {wrapping for less}
I haven’t officially starting the present-wrapping process yet, but earlier this week, I did wrap up one small box containing an ornament for an exchange I am going to this evening. I packaged up the box in a unique and fun way, using pages from an old book, and some twine that I had leftover from this project. I wanted to share my method with you, since it’s totally DIY and darling, not to mention very thrifty!
First of all, I would only recommend wrapping small gifts, as book pages aren’t very large. That being said, this would be a perfect wrapping solution for stocking stuffers! To spiff up my little box, I started by ripping three pages out of the book, and simply taping them together on the back, leaving the ragged edges exposed. I then carefully wrapped the box up in the pages. Be warned that old book pages can be brittle! I ripped my first set and had to start again. Next I cut a length of twine and twisted it around the box to add a little extra personality.
I love the look of this gift, and think this wrapping method might just have to be used again! It would certainly work for other occasions beyond Christmas. The best part? It didn’t cost me a dime!
thrifty tip {freebie thank you notes!}
Today I want to bring you a FIRST for this blog and for Emmy Lu Design Studio. This is something that is extremely friendly on your wallet, and in keeping with a couple of the themes that have come up this week, specifically gratefulness and pinecones! Random, I know. Today, I am bringing you a FREE download of this lovely pinecone-themed thank you note that I created. Download as many as you like, and use them over the Christmas season and beyond. This season seems to magnify the many things we have to be thankful for. So, if you have a moment, download this file, print it off and jot down a thank you note to someone who has blessed your life.
You may download the packaged PDFs files here. I hope you enjoy them, and I hope everyone has a great weekend!!
Thrifty Thursday {Get Snippy}
Now I’m not talking about being smart-alecky here… today’s Thrifty Thursday suggestion is meant to inspire you to grab a pair of scissors and learn to give snip some hair. Giving haircuts at home is much easier than you might be thinking. When I got married, my mother-in-law taught me how to cut my husbands hair (much like she had been doing for the past 20+ years). It didn’t take too long to acquire the skill, and pretty soon, I was snipping like a pro, and saving almost $500 bucks a year on cuts (my hubby likes to have his hair cut about every two weeks, and at around $20 for a cut at a salon, that’s a big old chunk o’ change!). All you need to get started is a good pair of shears, a cape (a towel or sheet works in a pinch), and a spray bottle. Happy snipping and clipping and saving!
Thrifty Thursday {Eat In!}
I know this seems fairly obvious, but everyone needs a reminder now and then, so here goes. Eating in a great save to save pennies (or actually, dollars). Now, I love to eat out. My husband and I love to find new places to try, and we are, to some small extent, “foodies”. So eating in is a bit of a discipline for us. But, it really helps us to keep more moolah in the bank account, so we have happily accepted a “one dinner and one lunch out per week” policy. Eating in has become a wonderful habit for us… we love cooking together, sitting around the dining room table and taking our time over a yummy meal that we made with our own hands. Bonus–it’s healthier and better for us!
(Pictured above.. whole wheat pancakes for dinner! Tasty and oh so easy.)
Thrifty Thursday {Line Dried Clothes}
Really, is there anything better than the fresh and clean smell of line dried clothes, sheets or towels? This is the time of year when the temps in Minnesota finally begin to climb, and the warmth of the sun reminds me that I need to re-string the clothes line between a couple trees in our backyard. Hanging laundry on the line is a great way to conserve on energy and money! It’s earth-friendly, and wallet-friendly too. For more tips on saving some bucks on your laundry routine, check out this post that I wrote a couple months back.
*Image courtesy of SilentGoddess on flickr
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