Homemade Stenciled Woodsy Gifts

It's the most wonderful time of the year.  The season of bloggers gathering together to showcase talents, twenty to be exact, on this tour of Christmas ideas.

There'll be table-scapes for hosting, porches and decks for boasting, with two gift wrap ideas to be had.

Christmas mantels are glowing, and I will be showing three homemade woodsy gifts out in the snow.

All the links at the bottom, so you can click on 'em, more ideas than your brain can now stow.  It's the most wonderful time of the year.......

It's ok if you're rolling your eyes at my song parody, I never claimed to be a lyricist, only that there would be occasional silliness.

FlyOver America at the Mall Of America

Last weekend we set out on an adventure to explore some sights in our own neck of the Twin Cities woods.

Since I'm not native to Minnesota, and even after 30+ years living here, there is still a lot of uncharted territory and places to visit right in my own backyard, and within an hour driving distance.

We don't paint and build every waking hour around here, we do take time to play, and when I find something away from DIY that I think my readers will enjoy I share it.

One of the places that is not uncharted territory is the Mall Of America.  When it first opened its approximately 600 doors, we went there often to shop. My daughters went for the clothes, my sons everything else.

Thrifty Holiday Decorating Ideas

When it comes to Christmas decorating I lean toward the tradition of what I've always done.  I only see those decorations once a year so I like to use them every December.

Sure my tastes may change or I see something at the store or on Pinterest that I think would be a nice addition to what I have, but I certainly don't want to go out and buy new decorations every year.  Our memories are caught up in the familiarity of the season, and the decorations I have always used set the scene for that.

To change up the look it can be as simple as using what I have in different areas or give something a new look without adding cost to my wallet.

November's Thrifty Style Team has a holiday theme, and I'm offering up 7 decorating tips to frugally turn your home into a place that says Christmas is coming.  From easy instant atmosphere and reusing what you have, to making it yourself for simple DIY.

It doesn't have to be expensive to change up your holiday home, but it might take an investment.  What do I mean by investment?  Well for example seasonal pillows.......

White Ikea Bin Turned Dog Food Container

I'm a fan of the bins at Ikea.

I've had a bunch of Ikea galvanized tubs for 15+ years that I bought for toys, and those are still keeping the Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head parts corralled.

When we had large dogs -as in Great Dane and Rhodesian Ridgeback size- we kept a full size trash can in the garage filled with their kibble.  The local chipmunks appreciated that and their offspring are probably still eating from the stash of dog food that their ancestors hoarded.

The previous spoiled puggle had a wooden half barrel bin that he knew how to open, and it wasn't quite big enough for a 20+ pound bag of dry dog food.  So when the girlfriend of #3 son wanted to go to Ikea it was perfect timing to pick up a new dog food bin for Honest Abe the 8 month old ranch dog.