and a cute candle holder? We offer these at
our Homestead Originals General Store
( www.HomesteadOriginals.com).
Need a few more ideas? How about a
pound of favorite nuts or candy, a sample
of your child’s artwork in a frame, or a
pound of favorite coffee? (I love that
one!) What about homemade soaps and a
handcrafted washcloth, teas and a
teacup, disposable camera and a frame,
pretty stationery and pen, recipe cards
and a blank recipe book, a board game, a
hand-sewn apron, napkins and napkin
rings, or hand-knitted slippers (my
grandmother used to make these for us
and we loved them!). How about a magazine subscription to The Old
Schoolhouse® Magazine for all your
homeschooling family members and
friends? With a little thought and ingenuity on your part, you can come up with
your own custom ideas.
Wrap your special gift frugally too.
Have the children take old paper grocery
bags, turn them inside out, and decorate
them with their artwork: rubber stamping,
coloring, or nothing at all. Tie them up with
pretty ribbon and you’re set! Use inexpensive cellophane wrap for gift baskets, or
make your own handmade gift bags.
When it comes to cards for whatever the
occasion, it is both fun and frugal to make
your own, and this could be a great home-school/family project. (Have you priced
store-bought cards recently? Yikes!)
Homemade gifts are always special.
Take time to really think about what would
especially delight the recipient; demonstrate genuine thoughtfulness. You are
limited only by your imagination. Give
frugal yet heartfelt gifts—with bunches of
love!
Lisa Barthuly is wife to Marc and Mama to
four blessings! They live a lifestyle of
learning in the foothills of Mount Rainier on
their little homestead, with Shalom the Great
Pyr, some Nubian goats, a flock of “
chicklettes,” and lots of wild critters. They run
Homestead Originals (www.Homestead
Originals.com), where they specialize in All
Natural Soy Candles and other goodies for
the homestead and those in it! Come on by
and visit our blog for great ideas, tips, freebies, and contests too!