Holiday Gift Guide

It seems like all of the Christmas-related blog posts I've been reading start off with something involving window displays in New York City. I fear my life is not so glamorous, but today at Michael's they were playing Hanson's Snowed In and the store smelled like cinnamon. It was very Christmas-y! To be honest, I've been in the "Christmas spirit" for a few weeks now. Near the beginning of November I realized I had been in Regina for 9 weeks and would be home in 7, and I have been dreaming of Christmas ever since!

The last few weeks I've been thinking a lot about Christmas gifts, and decided to put together a little gift guide. If we're friends in real life, please don't read the rest of this post. There may be subtle gift-spoilers, and at the very least it'll take way some of the fun of gift giving. Also, please keep in mind that this is just my opinion, and in no way is a definitive gift guide. I'm just a weird broke girl who loves giving gifts to the people I love!


Shop craft sales //

If you’re looking for cute, unique, hand-made gifts this is the best bet. Christmas craft sales begin the second weekend of November and continue up until a week before Christmas. Don’t worry if you’ve missed some, there’s still a lot more to catch! I prefer smaller craft sales at churches and community halls, over larger ones with admission fees and hundreds of vendors, but that’s just me. Larger ones will likely be well-advertised, but you’ll have to look a bit harder for the smaller ones. If your city has a website for events that’s a great place to check, and be sure keep your eyes out for posters on community bulletin boards and small advertisements in weekly publications. Also, when talking to vendors, ask them if they’ll be at any other sales before Christmas. This is a great way to find out about upcoming craft sales! Be sure to take cash, and I find it helpful to check out all of the vendors once before I start shopping.


Make something yourself //

Easier said than done, right? Making gifts takes money, as well as time and skill. And for really practical people, it can be hard to decide what to make for them. Before I started doing pottery, it felt that everything I made was comparable to macaroni glued to paper. Pottery is really great to give as gifts (especially in high school when I had nearly unlimited access to clay, glazes, and a kiln) but I don’t have access to a studio right now so I have to be a bit more creative in my ideas. One of my favourite simple gift ideas are these cute coasters from A Beautiful Mess (I’m making a few sets myself). Even if you’re not interested in tree stump coasters, felt and embroidery thread is a good place to start (here’s proof!).


Don’t be afraid to shop second-hand //

I have no shame in shopping for gifts second-hand, but this might depend on who you’re shopping for. I would say that housewares and jewellery are always okay (just call it vintage!) but clothes would be very specific to the person. This year my sister said “you can buy me clothes, but only if they’re vintage or from Value Village.” Here’s a little story related to that… Last year I bought her three sweaters, one from a thrift store and two from a shop at the mall. The sweater from the thrift store was a beautiful vintage cream-coloured cardigan in perfect condition with beading at the top, but because it was thrifted I didn’t think it was a “proper” gift. I gave her the thrift-store sweater a few days before Christmas, and wrapped the other two sweaters and put them under the tree to be opened Christmas morning. My sister absolutely loved the thrifted cardigan, and she ended up returning the other two sweaters because she just didn’t like them. Later she told me I should’ve given her the thrifted sweater for Christmas. I’ll be sure not to make that mistake again! And really? As long as it’s in good condition, vintage dishware is the same whether you bought it at an antique store for $50 or a thrift store for $5.


Be practical //

If you’re shopping for a university student or someone else just moving out into their own place, don’t be afraid to get them something practical! There are some things that are helpful but not necessary in the kitchen (like muffin tins, for example) that could make a great gift for someone starting out on their own. This is probably a safer bet for people close to you, like a sibling or daughter *cough cough* and it would likely be much appreciated by the recipient. I think a gift basket with a cake pan, flour, sugar, spatula, and a few spices would be a wonderful gift for someone who likes to bake but doesn’t have the supplies yet. A spice rack would also be an awesome gift - spices make cooking much more fun but their price can make it a hard-to-justify purchase for someone on a student’s budget.


Have a few go-to gifts //

Whether you’re only buying gifts for people close to you, or buying gifts for acquaintances and coworkers, it’s always nice to have a few go-to gifts. When I’m shopping for other young, cool women my go to gift is usually jewellery, particularly necklaces or earrings. So when I’m shopping and perusing craft sales I’ll keep an eye out for necklaces, while still keeping my friends’ personal styles in mind. My second go-to gift would be a book. This is another gift where you can still personalize it based on the recipient’s tastes. You can buy someone a book you know they’ve been wanting to read, something from one of their favourite authors, something in a genre they like, or even a book you love and think they would too. If you’re shopping for a coworker, acquaintance, secret Santa, or another gift exchange, your go-to gift might be a bit broader. My choices for this would probably be a mug with a half-pound of coffee beans or Starbucks gift card, or lotion from Bath and Body Works. Whatever it is, having a go-to gift idea can make shopping for gifts a bit easier.


Try home-baked goods //

Baked goods, especially Christmas themed goodies, make an excellent gift for coworkers and friends. In this case, the gift aspect is all about context. Select a few cookies (like these candy cane ones), wrap them in festive cellophane, and tie it with a bow. If you’re good in the kitchen, you can’t go wrong with this one.


I hope this little gift guide has sparked a few ideas for you! Are there any other points you’d add? Have you started buying Christmas gifts? I’m about half-way done - right now I’m working on some homemade gifts.

PS. I’m absolutely loving She & Him’s Christmas album. You should check it out if you get the chance (I’m listening to it right now on Grooveshark).

Olive You

Yesterday I received and adorable care package from one of my best friends (thanks!) and along with a mixed CD, candy, and other cute things was this belt. Getting things in the mail from swonderful friends warms my heart, and as soon as the warm fuzzies calmed down I tried the belt with a bunch of my skirts. It looks great with everything - it's definitely my new favourite accessory!



My height and skill at shrinking things in the dryer has turned this maxi skirt into more of a flood length. Actually I don't even know where a maxi skirt is supposed to hit you. This feels like it might be a bit short, but I don't really mind. I felt cute anyways!





Zellers sweater, Old Navy skirt, Payless flats, Penningtons belt, DIY bracelet, scarf from Winners

Your filthy room, your drama blues

First of, thank you all so much for your kind and supportive comments on my last post! This outfit is something I wore to class a few days ago. The only upside about living in residence is that most of the building on campus are connected, so I can often forgo boots and a coat. This black and white floral dress was a thrift store gem. I thought it would be too small (I'm awful at judging sizes just by looking) but it fit me perfectly. Success!









thrifted dress & cardigan, Payless flats, gifted necklace

Most of my outfit posts will be taken inside from now on. Winter has nearly set in, and as the snow hits the ground I feel much less comfortable setting up my tripod in public. I wish I had someone who could take photos for me (or even a yard where I'd feel comfortable setting up my tripod), but even so it's blizzarding as I write this. I had a hard time getting proper full body shots inside, but I think I've found the right location. My room is tiny (about 8x10 feet) and it is the only space I have to myself. However, I doubt you read my blog for the excellent photography (ha!), and hope you'll stay with me over this winter spent indoors.

Self-reflection

I've been having a hard time lately, and this accumulated into today's self-reflection. The following post is pretty personal and discusses mental health.

As the days get shorter I find myself getting exhausted. Sure... I wake up, go to class, talk to friends and peers, go to meetings and appointments, and do my homework. But as soon as I've fulfilled my responsibilities and get home I just want to curl up in bed and sleep until the next day - it doesn't matter if it's 9pm or 3pm. And this is the cause for a lot of self-bullying. Why are you stressed out? I say to myself You're not the only person to take a full course load and sit on a board of directors. Other people do all that and more. You don't even have a job! ...I sure know how to hit myself where it hurts. The idea that we are our own worst critics is tossed around a lot, and I've certainly found it to be true.

I am way too hard on myself. It's okay to have your own personal standards, but I should know not to compare myself with others. Not all abilities are the same. I'm constantly plagued by the notion that my mental health issues will render me useless, and I create ridiculously high standards for myself to try to combat that. I'm not being fair to myself.


Me three years ago (at age 16)

Three years ago I literally could not get out of bed. The entire concept of "responsibilities" would have filled me with panic. I had quit going to school entirely and was making the decision of should I drop out, or should I let them kick me out? Days bled into weeks and my memories can only be described as a blur of utter despair.

When this realization came to me this afternoon, my feeling of self-deprecation quickly faded. I was pleasantly surprised to realize the positive changes I've made since then. In fact, I'm astounded by how far I've come in the past three years! My mental health issues are still a part of my life, but the longer I've had to deal with them the better I've got it.

This post has been spontaneous and sincere, so I'd hate to end with something trite. Let me just say that I will try harder to recognize my successes, and be (much) less hard on myself. And, as always, if you ever need to support with regards to mental health issues, feel free to email me.

Weekend Wear

Here's what I wore yesterday, and today. That's what weekends are for, right? ...right? I'm in love with this sweater (so cozy!) and blazer. Layered together they're casual-chic and perfect for the current weather. Thank goodness for thrift stores!





Yesterday I went to an exhibition opening at an art gallery, checked out a new-to-me antique store, and took myself out for sushi. I honestly hadn't been to an opening reception before, and I felt very sophisticated sipping wine while looking at the art. The artist was there, but he was surrounded by others and I was a bit nervous to approach him and possibly interrupt someone else. I still need to work on my assertiveness!

Today I went to one of those huge Christmas craft sales. You know the ones that take up an entire events centre and have 500+ vendors? I hadn't been to a craft sale of such a large scale, but it was pretty cool. I didn't do much Christmas shopping (I'm a bit broke right now and a lot of the items were out of my price range anyway) but it was a lot of fun to look around. I plan on hitting up a few smaller craft sales near the end of the month, and hopefully I'll find some gifts there. Speaking of gifts, I was thinking about writing up a little post about gift giving - would any of you be interested in that?



thrifted men's sweater
thrifted plaid blazer
Penningtons pull-on skinny jeans
Naturalizer boots


Overall I had a really great weekend, and I hope you did too! What did you do over the weekend?