Sunday, December 16, 2012

Advent Conspiracy Christmas...

To start off I have decided I am NOT a blogger... I have tried and failed at writing a blog post at least once a week so now it will just be a when-I-have-time-to-type-something-up-Blog!


Now that that's out of the way on to the actual blog post:



Advent Conspiracy is an awesome thing my church participates in and it basically revolves around spending less and giving more... more of your time, more of yourself, more money to charities, etc.

Find out more here: adventconspiracy.org

Keeping in this theme I decided not to  buy a bunch of decorations for Christmas not only to save money, but also because we won't be in our actual home for Christmas. We might have a box of decorations in my Father-in-law's garage, but he is in Cali and we are in Boston and I still wanted a little decorations put up.

(Also, these pictures are not the best quality and taken on my phone... but, like I said, I am NOT a blogger haha)


Below is how we are displaying our cards this year. I love it because it is a dollar store garland, clothespins from the dollar store, and of course Christmas cards from our friends and family... 
Total Cost: Less than $2


This is our Christmas Tree... made from our traced hands and lights and ornaments simply taped. This was a fun spur-of-the-moment project that we made on Thanksgiving day. Traced hands were going to be turkeys... all well I like this better.
Total Cost: $0 had the paper and for some reason one strand of lights

The stockings were free from my Kmart Decorate it Forward challenge. The ornament I had made from artscow.com and I think I paid around $3.
Total Cost: $3


This is a banner I made from some printed letters cut up and laminated.
Total Cost: $0


Lillian and I had fun... ok, I had fun... making these snowflakes last week and Lillian helped me tape them to the window.
Total Cost: $0


This is a snowflake I made using clothespins and a hot glue gun. SOOO easy and I saw people selling these for $5... I will make one for you for $1! 
Total Cost: Less than $1


Finally, on our table is this: a glass vase filled with sparkly ornaments. (Picture not taken on our table because it is awesomely messy.)
Total Cost: $2 


...and finally this is a picture of Lillian and the husband helping me put the final touches on our Christmas presents we gave to some friends. I made organic coconut butter, put them in cute little mason jars, added a tag, chocolate square, and topped it all off with a bow. I wanted to make something healthy, yummy, not too expensive, and put it all in something reusable.
Total Cost: Around $25 for 10! 


I think we did pretty good and I am already thinking of what to do for next year :)