celebrate

This weekend was insanely full of celebrating. I had two engagement parties, multiple birthdays, and a few miscellaneous occasions to prepare special somethings for. As a girl on a budget, I favor sweet gifts with more thought put into them than flash. This often means getting crafty, whipping something up in the kitchen, or shopping at unconventional places. It was slightly overwhelming trying to get everything done on time, but in the end, I was happy with what I came up with and grateful to have so many reasons to celebrate. Here are a few of my favorite inexpensive ways to show someone you care:

1. Fresh flowers are my favorite gift to receive and to give. I prefer breezy bouquets of one type of bloom, available at most grocery stores. I like to give them in a simple glass container with a ribbon or some colorful tissue paper tied around it. Flowers are so fun for a gift- because they aren't really a necessity, they immediately make an occasion (or ordinary Tuesday!) feel special.

 {fuschia anemones}

2. Crafty cards are a fun way to personalize your greetings. They make a lovely first impression when attached to a gift or can stand on their own for occasions where a gift is not warranted. I picked up most of the supplies for these cards at Michael's craft stores. They have a great selection of blank greeting cards, rubber stamps, mini stamp pads, and rub-on appliqués for only $1 each- amazingly cheap and a great resource for crafters, hobbyists, or teachers.

 {homemade cards}

3. Freshly-made baked goods are perfect for birthdays and special occasions where a gift might be too much, but you do not want the occasion to go unnoticed. I made these for a Nutella-loving friend's birthday that we had celebrated previously- I didn't want her to feel like her actual birthday wasn't special! With so many amazing recipes on the internet (I found the cookies below on the blog Erica's Sweet Tooth, previously mentioned here), all it takes is a little searching to find a treat that is practically tailor-made for a friend.

{peanut butter nutella swirl cookies}