{not so} lofty goals

For the past couple of years, my goal for Christmas shopping has been to buy mostly locally made or thrifted items for those on my list.  Not that I have a list.  Oh no, that would require more organizational skills than I possess.  I do, however, have a mental list.  Which is sketchy, I'll be the first to admit.  So here's hoping I'm not forgetting anyone this year!

Anyway, back to my goals for gift giving.  This year, I am determined to stick one hundred percent to my personal goal of making or buying secondhand or handmade items.  This means no shopping at the mall or Target.  This also means I am still wracking my brain for what to get/make my bosses!  {Please toss any ideas my way.}

Here is what I gave to my Switch girls.  {Switch is the youth program that I volunteer with at my church.}  See these cuff bracelets?



I made these out of toilet paper rolls plus scrapbook paper/tissue paper/ribbon/random stuff and Mod Podge.  My sis Amber made a few of the ones in the photo above.  Thanks, sis!  My friend B also joined us in the bracelet-making process, but all of hers looked way better than mine, so I didn't take a pic of them. ;)

Actually, I took photos of the whole cuff-making process, but I can't seem to locate those files anywhere at the moment.  Oh well.  Here are my girls {proudly?} displaying their bracelets.



Man, I love them!  {The girls, not the bracelets. :) I mean, I liked the bracelets, but I super-love my girls!!!}

Hope you are all having a good week and haven't lost sight of the joy and real meaning of the holiday season, in the midst of the shopping craziness. :)

~abi~