How to Give Gifts on a Budget

My friend Rachel and I were discussing recently how expensive gift giving can be if you are on a budget. Over the years, I have learned a few tricks that have saved me a dollar or two while still being able to provide fun, unique gifts for friends and family. Giving is one of my "love languages" so it's important to me, even when times are tough. Sometimes, it's necessary to drop a pretty penny for a special occasion, but often times, you can give a thoughtful present that doesn't break the bank.

Here are my nuggets of knowledge to help you get started with giving while sticking to your budget:

Have a gift box

I would be a hopeless case if I didn’t have my gift basket. Anytime I spy the perfect gift for a particular someone, or even a generalized little goody at a great price, I purchase it and stick it in my gift basket until an event arises.  Use any good-sized basket or sturdy box to stockpile small items in advance.

Support local

I love purchasing small items from my local farmers markets to give to special people in my life. Purchasing knitted dishcloths or a jar of gourmet jam or hot sauce supports local makers and pairs beautifully with another little gem for a just-right sized gift for a friend. Christmas fairs and local shops are terrific as well, but keep your budget in mind.

Don’t forget the Big Box

A few of my favourite big-box stores, like Chapters and Winners, have terrific clearance sections. Chapters is one of my favourite sources for deliciously scented candles and honestly, I can really only afford them when they are on sale. Winners is a great place to find smaller items, like paper straws and stationary. When you find a bargain, stock up! Chances are, you have family friends in different circles that won’t realize that they are receiving the same set of cloth napkins or lovely mug as another friend.

Support charities or causes

Often, you’re asked or inclined to purchase items in support of a charity or cause. It’s the perfect opportunity to pick up a gift or two. Recently, I’ve purchased gifts for new babies in my life and my niece’s birthday from an Instagram auction in support of a baby girl and her mama that needed the extra funds. I get to donate money that I had set aside for gift-giving to support a terrific cause and still get the gifts that I needed. Double whammy!

Make it yourself

A handmade gift is my favourite gift to give or receive. I don’t often have the extra time to make something with my own hands. Once in a while, when I have a spare moment or two, I love to create a few handmade items or cards to add to my gift-giving stash.

Always be on the lookout

When I travel, I love to keep my eyes open in local stores and markets for small souvenirs that would make a great gift. By purchasing items while traveling, it satisfies my urge to shop while keeping it practical.  Another bonus: it’s an awesome way to support the local economy in the locale that you are visiting.

I hope that these tips and suggestions can help even one of you to feel less daunted by gift giving. Giving and receiving gifts is often our way of showing that we love someone, so it's important that we don't feel drained by the process. Let me know if you have any tricks that you would like to share in the comments!

It's a Smoothie Kinda Morning : Tips and Tricks

Almost every morning that I spend at home, I make myself a smoothie. I've never really documented the process, but I thought I might share a few tips with you...

When I'm not pregnant, I'm lactose-intolerant, so I used to skip any dairy elements in my smoothies. This pregnancy has made me able to drink milk and consume dairy products without any nasty consequences, which has been really exciting! While growing up, my dad worked on a dairy farm, so I had fresh cow's milk daily. My milk allergy developed a few years ago, after I started consuming pasteurized dairy products. Interesting, eh? I've been using yogurt regularly in my smoothies for those great little probiotics.

I like to start with a base of either orange juice or coconut milk. I've tried soy and almond milk in the past, but I'm only a fan when it's a combination of the two, not individually. Both have textures and flavours that I have to be in the mood for. During the summer, my coworkers and I would make a huge batch of smoothies and we blended soy milk and almond milk for the base. Delicious!

I then add whatever type of yogurt we have to my liquid base. Dan is the yogurt consumer in our house - I only have it in smoothies. He loves blueberry greek yogurt, so that's my typical choice, too. Once in a while, I'll splurge and buy some coconut greek yogurt for my smoothies, but not very often. Sage, our dog, always comes running when he hears me open the yogurt container. After I add several heaping spoonfuls to my smoothie, he has whatever's left on the spoon, hehe. Don't worry, it gets rinsed and washed right away :)

Since this past summer, I've been adding hemp protein and fibre powder to my smoothies. The bright green powder only has a slight taste (if you add in the perfect quantity) and it's easy to get used to. I used to add ground flax seed and/or wheat germ, but I've gotten out of the habit. Any extra source of added fibre that you can sneak into your diet is a plus in my books!

In the summer months, I love to purchase flats of fresh local berries and freeze them for the winter. Once I run out of my own stock of local berries, I purchase frozen bags of Canadian fruit from one of our favourite grocery stores. One local company offers a 1kg bag of Nova Scotian blueberries for a reasonable price, which is really handy. I like to watch the sales and stock up when the berries are a little cheaper. My favourite berries for smoothies are blueberries (yay for antioxidants!), raspberries, and strawberries.

I typically use a combination of fresh and frozen fruits. I'm not a huge fan of bananas, since they overwhelm all of the other flavours, but if we have bananas that are barely ripe in the house, I'll add half of one to my smoothie. I always like to check the fridge for any fruit that's not at it's prime - you can get away with slightly over-ripe fruits in liquid form more than while snacking. For example, this morning I spotted some grapes that we've been munching on for a couple of weeks. I added any plump ones to my smoothie and tossed the shrively-looking ones. I often add unsweetened applesauce (the individual portioned ones are perfect!) or a bit of fresh or canned pineapple if we have any leftovers. Also, when we have baby spinach in, I love to add a handful of leaves as well. You don't even notice the flavour unless you add too much, and then it tastes a little bit like dirt :)

Dan bought a Magic Bullet for me several years ago, and it's been going strong ever since. It's the perfect size for a smoothie for one, or if we're having a smoothie with our supper, I often split one with Dan. Last year, there was a bag filled with extra Bullet cups at the thrift store, so I purchased them to add to our collection. As long as you rinse your cup as soon as you finish your drink, they're easy to clean. Don't let them sit for any length of time though - the grooves can be a bugger to wash!

I hope that you found some handy smoothie making tips from my past experience. It's a quick and delicious way to get a healthy amount of fruit and veggies into your diet. If you add a cute straw, it helps, too :) Let me know if you have any smoothie tricks or favourite combinations. I'd love to hear from you!

Happy Wednesday!

February: Getting Inspired

Ever feel as though all of your creative juices have been sucked out of your bones and you've plunged head-first into a rut? You're not alone. I'm considering this post to be my official push in the right direction, with all of you right there beside me. February has the tendency to be a long (even though it's short) dreary month and I'm determined to stay inspired.

Looking for some tips or prompts to get inspired? These tips aren't brand-new or groundbreaking, but we can always use a little reminder now and again. Here are a few to get started:

• Turn off the computer. Now. Getting outside, cracking open a book, baking or painting are some great ways to let your mind go. Being sucked into the internet does nothing but make us feel droopy. I know all about it.
• Start looking at the details. The colourful pencils, the grid of floor tiles, the fibers of your favourite sweater. There's much to be said about enjoying the little things in life.
• Try something new. Are you a runner? Try a spinning class. Do you like to scrapbook? Try drawing instead. Sometimes exercising your brain (or body) in a new way is the best way to love what you do and who you've become.
• Organize. Feeling as though you can't face your supplies and mediums? Try reorganizing! Rearrange your rooms, tidy your desk, put pencils in mason jars, move your treadmill. A fresh look might be all it takes to get the juices flowing.
• Let it go. Maybe those creative sparks aren't happening for a reason. Perhaps it's time to move on. Don't feel enthused about an avoidable project? Drop it. Your time might be better used elsewhere. If the task is unavoidable, try bringing in a friend. They might have a take on it that you've never considered before.

I have a few school assignments that I'm dreading, along with several house-related tasks that aren't appealing, either. February is my chance to look at everything in a new light - re-evaluating my goals and biting off each task in tiny chunks. Let me know if you're working on anything new this month. I'd love to hear how you stay inspired!

Happy Tuesday!

Tips 'n' Tricks: Icing 101

I decided to make some cupcakes on Saturday to bring to our church on Sunday. There's a tea after the remembrance meeting every Sunday morning, and I hadn't brought anything in... ahem... a very long time. I usually have lots of baking ingredients on hand, but I wanted to do something a little different. So... I started with a chocolate cake mix.

Same old, same old, right? Wrong. These chocolate cupcakes are adult friendly: they are topped with a chocolate mocha icing. Mmm, mmm. What kid likes coffee? Not a single one that I know. Wondering how to make a mocha icing? I'm going to share my top secret tip with you.

Always have instant coffee on hand.

I don't drink coffee, but the instant stuff sure comes in handy. I have a little jar of it tucked into my cupboard for times exactly like these. To create the chocolate mocha icing, all I did was replaced the liquid in my regular chocolate icing recipe with extra strong coffee. I used (about) 1.5 tsp of instant coffee granules to 2 tbsp of water. Mix them up in a little mug or bowl, then add to your icing. Easy breezy!

I piped the icing on the cupcakes using a star tip, and topped each one with a tiny piece of chocolate. I had a semi-sweet chocolate bar hanging around, so I chopped the last two pieces into enough squares to top my batch of cupcakes. Resourceful? I should say so! :)

That's my latest kitchen trick for you! Are you itching for a cupcake now? 

I know I am!

xo

Company's Coming!

I don't know about you, but when I find out that we're about to have visitors, I panic a little inside. No matter what condition our place is in, I always get a little nervous. 

To keep myself sane, I have a little house clean-up routine 

that gets our place presentable in a jiffy. 

I thought that I'd share my routine with you today -
maybe it will help you out of a jam!

The pretty entrance at Mom and Dad's house

Here we go!

- Phone rings... we have a half hour to work with.

- I check my beverage supply... take out frozen juice, fill up the kettle, etc.

- Head to the bathroom... take out my handy cleaning wipes.
Do the sink, edge of toilet, and doorhandle. I clean the mirror, scrub the toilet,

and make sure that the shower curtain is pulled over. Done. Light a candle.

 - If there are any dirty dishes, do 'em up quick. Any dried, put them away.

Wipe down the counter and stove, sweep the floor. Done.

- Quick check of the bedroom. Take the towels off the door 

(yes, we reuse our towels... how else do you keep from doing a million loads of laundry?!) 

and make check to make sure the bed is made. No clothes on the floor. Done.

- Next room: living room. Wipe down the side tables, make sure the coasters are clean. 

Fluff the pillows, sweep the floor. If there's time, clean the mirror. Done. Light a candle.

Ahhhh. There. The house is neat as a pin. There's no deep cleaning involved, but your place will appear to be sparkling. Don't you feel a little less stressed?

I also have a rule - a self-made rule. No candle burning unless the room is clean. That keeps me from feeling grungy... like the candle is attempting to cover up the mess or something. Candle equals cleanliness.

Nothing better than a good clean house to welcome visitors into.

Bring on the company!

Tips and Tricks

 

I've brainstormed up a new batch of "Tips 'n' Tricks" for you -
feel free to add your favourite ones in the comments!

Save butter or margarine packaging to grease your baking pans.

Freeze peeled bananas for smoothies and muffins.

Add any last bits of veggies to rice for an instant meal.

Make ice cubes out of juice so you don't dilute your drink.

Heat lemon peels or slices in water in your microwave for a quick fresh burst.

Simmer cinnamon and apple peelings on the stove for a festive scent.

Happy Tuesday!

Tips and Tricks: Vanilla Extract

It's time for a new feature: Tips and Tricks. I love coming across little baking and cooking techniques and facts that help me in my kitchen endeavors. Knowing that you probably feel the same makes me want to share!

At work, we got two different types of vanilla extract in: Madagascar and Tahitian. I am getting low on my own artificial vanilla here at home and thought I'd splurge and get some of the "real stuff". But - which one is my best bet? I put both bottles on hold and came home to find out...

Essentially, Madagascar vanilla is the most commonly used vanilla because of it's full-bodied flavour. Tahitian vanilla is more rare and more delicate. It's better suited to fruit desserts or cream or custard bases that require little baking or heating. Madagascar beans are sweeter, and tahitian beans are fruitier.

Since I use vanilla primarily in baking cookies, cakes, and other desserts, Madagascar vanilla is the way for me to go. If it were summer, or if I was big on lighter flavours and textures, I would definitely try the Tahitian. At work, they are both the same price, so there is no reflection of the Tahitian beans being rare. Whichever type of vanilla you choose, I'm sure you won't go wrong. It's one of my favourite flavours and scents!

Hope your Wednesday is lovely!