2021 Gift Guide for Adults

Check out my gift guide for KIDS here.

If you're like me, you love finding a really great gift guide full of really great ideas that will make your shopping really easy this year! But finding such a guide can be pretty frustrating.... because a lot of lists like this don't actually have anything on them that I want to buy. I don't want a list of trendy ideas that sound cool but aren't truly practical or useful. I don't want to give gifts that will be clutter by January. 

That's what inspired my 2021 list. It's full of things that we truly love and use on a regular basis. You can choose anything on this list and know that it's tried-and-true. Hopefully it's helpful and you'll find some great gifts for everyone on your list!

1. Wingspan Game  /  2. Cozy Minimalist Home Book  /  3. My Favorite Sweater  / 4. A Tin of Tea  / 5. Chicago Cutlery Knife / 6. Good Mixing Bowls / 7. Cast Iron Pan / 8. Mesh WiFi / 9. Insulated Travel mug (small / large / straw cup) / 10. Art Prints (tree rings print / vintage painting print) / 11. Wool Socks  /  12. The Best Notebook  /  13. History Books (Washington: a Life / 1776)  /  14. The Perfect Mug  /  15. Gift Card  /  16. A Plant  /  17. Laptop Stand  /  18. Keepsake Ornament  /  19. Bluetooth Speaker  /  20. A Good Puzzle  /  21. Outdoor Blanket  /  22. Handheld Espresso Maker  /   23. A Custom Necklace  /  24. 7 Wonders Duel Game  /  25. Kreg Jig  /  26. A Good Drill   /  27. Compound Miter Saw 

2021 Gift Guide for Kids

There are a lot of gift guides floating around out there - but how do you know which suggestions are really good? So for this year's gift guide, I'm sharing our tried and true favorites. The things my kids truly love and use daily. Hopefully it will help you find the perfect gifts your kids will love! And since I only have experience with boys, I asked my sister (who has two girls) for input as well (there were several items that overlapped both of our families!). So you should be able to find something for everyone! 

1. Mega Wedges    2. Kozy Couch    3. Kingdomino Game   4. Roller Blades   5. Picasso Tiles   6. Floor Puzzle   7. Wingfeather Books   8. Perler Beads (and boards)   9. Bow and Arrow   10. Legos (or Lego Friends)   11. Schleich Animals   12. Pirate Jewels   13. KiwiCrate Moon Darts   14. Dollhouse   15. Brush Markers   16. Disney Frozen 2 Pop Adventures

 

My minimalist heart looks at this list and thinks, "man, that's a lot of toys," but keep in mind that we really do limit the amount of toys we actually give each year. So while this is a big snapshot of the toys we have, I would never plan on getting so many things in one year. We try to stick to the four gift rule: something they want, something they need, something to wear, and something to read. Which means one toy-type item per kid. Because managing too much stuff isn't fun for anyone. Here are some favorites from every category:

---- "Want" Gifts ----

Gifts to Get Them Moving

We have a house full of boys, which means a house full of energy! So gifts that involve big movement have been a huge it at our house. One of the best gifts we ever gave them was building a rockwall with monkey bars in the playroom (you can find our free plans to build your own here). Since then we've added a couple play couches and a pair of mega wedges and it has transformed our playroom into a building/climbing/fort-making wonder land. 5/5 stars would 100% recommend both of these items. We also have a few large flat bed sheets just for fort-making. We also love gifts that encourage outdoor play. We've gotten hours of play in the driveway from roller blades (don't forget helmets and knee pads), but they also love scooters and bikes. They also love making stick forts in the backyard, which is so much better when they have weapons to defend their territory - especially this bow and arrow, this other bow and arrow (definitely recommend one of these for each kid!), and a few good swords.

Gifts for Creative Building

Our boys also love to build! Our legos and picasso tiles are both used daily. If I had to list a top two toys in our house, those would be it. Instead buying a new building toy for Christmas, I would just buy more legos and picasso tiles to add to their collection for making bigger builds. They love them that much. Right now my boys are really into minecraft legos, but my sister says her girls prefer the lego friends sets. Kozy couch is also worth mentioning again for kids who love to build!

Gifts for Artists and Creators 

Our boys also get a big kick out of making things, and their preferred medium is perler beads! They've been using them for years and haven't tired of them yet - because there's always something new to make! We started with kits but now we just buy big packs of colored beads and plain boards and they make up their own patterns, or we'll print patterns off google (usually for 3D minecraft characters right now). This year their grandma is surprising them with the mini perler beads they have been begging for. For little artists, both my kids and my sister's kids love brush markers, and my older boys have had a lot of fun with these portable watercolor kits! In the past we've done KiwiCrate subscriptions (or just bought single boxes without the subscription) and they've loved everyone so far. This year I'm eyeing this Moon Darts Box and this Wrap Rockets Box. They have tons of options for different ages!

Gifts for Creative Play

We love toys that allow lots of options for creative play. Toys that can't be used for multiple things are often toys that will be used the most! Our kids love having animals and little guys they can use in dollhouses, jungles, under the table, and even in the tub! All of our kids like schliech animals, my boys love the imaginext action figures, any my sisters kids love playmobil characters with changeable clothes and the disney pop characters. This last one is super random, but has been one of our most played with toys - fake jewels. Whether they're looking for treasure, bartering in their "shops," or stocking their forts, these jewels get daily play in some way! My sister also recommends collecting a few velveeta cheese boxes (they use them as barbie cars, dollhouse rooms, treasure boxes, cooking pans... just about anything!).

Puzzles + Games

Every year we also put a family gift under the tree that we can all enjoy together like a puzzle or game. Some of our favorite family games lately are King Domino (we're gifting this to a few people this year!), Sushi Go Party, Bohnanza, Dice City, Monopoly Deal, Ticket to Ride, Wingspan, Sequence, and Blockus. Our smaller boys really love this Under the Sea Seek and Find floor puzzle and their alphabet puzzle, and this Lego Minifig Puzzle was a favorite for our big boys!

---- "Need" Gifts ----

This is a really broad category that can be literally anything your kids need (or that would be super handy for them to have). It's a great chance to replace worn out items, invest in quality items that will last for years, or find things that will make their life a little easier. This could include anything like: new shoes, noise cancelling headphones, a sleeping bag, a duffle bag, rain boots, a bank, etc.

---- "Wear" Gifts ----

This one's pretty self-explanatory - if they can wear it, it counts! A new hoodie, cardigans for church, warm boots, a ball cap for their favorite team, cozy pajamas, minecraft tshirts, even a fun costume for dress-up. We got our six year old the cutest hat and jacket at Walmart this year. (And yes, I have no problem bundling a couple things together like a hat + jacket that for this category!)

---- "Read" Gifts ----

Last by definitely not least, the "read" gifts. Probably my favorite category. We love good books and we love reading together, so every year I bundle together several good books for each of the boys. I match the reading level of our older boys so they can read to themselves at bedtime, and stick to picture books or read-alouds for the younger boys. I also add a couple books for the whole family under the tree that we we will read aloud together. My favorite resource for finding new books for them is Read Aloud Revival. Sara has put all kinds of hand book lists together, and she pre-reads everything to make sure they are totally clean and child-appropriate (which seems harder and harder to find these days!). For my boys, I usually just pick a new book from her Books Boys Love list and so far they have loved every one. She also has a list of Books Girls love, favorite picture books, and more! I recently discovered Good Book Mom who does similar book suggestions and got my 8-year-old the Last Firehawk series she reviewed. He read almost a book a day! There are so many good books on those lists, but here are a few of our absolute favorites so far: Wingfeather Saga (probably our #1 pick!), Growly Series, Green Ember Series (on sale right now!), My Father's Dragon Series, Edge of Extinction (gifted this to my 9-year-old last Christmas and he said they are the best books he's ever read!), The Hobbit (this illustrated version is the bomb), How to Train Your Dragon Series (the audio book version read by David Tennant is amazing - we were able to get it through our library!), The Sign of the Beaver, Seven Silly Eaters, If I Built a House, The Big Honey Hunt (our youngest loves these older Berenstain Bears books!), The Complete Brambly Hedge, Tales that Tell the Truth, Ramona Quimby age 8, Mervin the Sloth, Don't Push the Button, The Ark the Reed and the Fire Cloud, The Giant Jam Sandwich, The Cook and the King, and The Alfie Out of Doors Book. I guess I better stop there. So much for "just a few." Did I mention this is my favorite gift category? 

I hope this guide gives you a great starting point as you look for gifts for all the kids on your Christmas list! I'm hoping to share another guide soon with give ideas for adults, and a quick guide for stocking stuffers. So stay tuned!

Want more ideas? Check out my minimalist gift guide for kids! And you can browse all my past gift guides here.

What would you add to this list? What are your favorite tried-and-true gifts for kids??

homeMAKER - new to my Etsy shop!

My Etsy shop is looking totally different these days, and I don't think I've ever loved it more!

I don't have a lot of time for stocking handmade items right now because I'm knee deep in all the goodness (and hardness) of homemaking. But that got me thinking - I'm a homemaker in the traditional sense of the word, but I'm also a literal homeMAKER because I love all the DIY magic that turns this house into our home. There's something wonderful about creating and nurturing a home for our family in any and every way. And I think it's something that's not celebrated nearly enough!

So most of my shop is now dedicated to all of the home-MAKERS out there! Whether you're building your own furniture, working to make your home more functional, creating a warm and beautiful living space for your family, cooking up a wholesome meal (or tasty dessert) for the people you care about, establishing the environment of love and gentleness you want your little ones to grow up in, or doing any of the countless other things you tirelessly do to care for your family and the home you share with them, YOU are doing the hard and holy work of truly making your home. 

You can grab one of the items below to you rock your role as a homeMAKER, or use them as gifts for the other inspiring homeMAKERs in your life! You can jump to a certain item below, or check out the whole homeMAKER section. And keep scrolling for a few other fun items available in my shop!

homeMAKER:

thsirt / hat / mug

These are my faves, but I also have the homeMAKER print available on several other products like stickers, tote bags, and aprons, and more. Check out the entire homeMAKER line!

Still Good:

Friendly reminder: it doesn't have to be perfect to be GOOD. This is one of my favorite quotes in homemaking - whether we're talking about sharpie on the wall, ordering pizza after dinner gets burnt, or living in a rental that's definitely not your dream home. Things don't have to be perfect (they won't be most of the time) to be good! This mug is perfect for those hard days when we can all use a little reminder.

mug

Sign Language:

Last but not least, I have a few fun designs featuring my sign language print! I do offer a free poster print download that you can use to make your own poster, but if you want an easier option my shop now stocks several sizes of poster prints. And you can even get the sign language alphabet printed on a mug or tshirt!

tshirt / mug / posters

Note: All these items are original designs made by myself and my sister, RBH Studio (check out her shop, too!), but we use a third party company to print and ship everything so we can still fulfill orders during this busy season of life. It feels like a perfect balance for my little shop right now. :) 

Thanks for checking out the shops, and happy homemaking!

DIY Magnolia-Style Throw Pillow Tutorials

For the first 12 years of keeping my own home, I was constantly on the lookout for the perfect throw pillows. You know what they always say, right?

"Throw pillows are the best way to add personality and color to your living room!" 

"You can change your pillows to totally change the space!"

But I went through a dozen different living room pillows over the years, and every time I felt like I was buying "the closest thing I can find" and never quiiiite exactly what I was looking for. Because I thought I couldn't find exactly what I was looking for. Like I was some pillow conundrum and the pillows I wanted just didn't exist. It was frustrating. Frustrating because all the pillows I tried never really felt right. And frustrating because I would spend money on new pillows only to find I didn't like them any better. But it turns out I just didn't know what I was looking for. These pillows were full of personality, but the personality I was trying to force into my living room wasn't my own.

See this couch? This finally feels like Georgia's couch. 

Turns out I needed to learn a few important things about myself so I could make better pillow choices:

1. I. like. plain. I think the main reason I was never happy with all my patterned pillows is because it turns out I just don't really like patterns. Or colors. I like things plain and simple. It's embarrassing how long it took me to learn this about myself. But it's amazing how much more peace I can create for myself in my home now that I've tuned into it.
2. Texture is so much more important than colors and patterns to me. It adds all the interest I crave in the simple, muted tones I love.  
3. Pillow covers are way cheaper than investing in new pillows every time I change my mind (and they're super easy to make with any fabric I like). I invested in several FJADRAR down pillow inserts from Ikea (only $6 each!) and I've never looked back! It's super easy to switch in Christmas pillow covers without using any storage space for whole pillows.

Now that I know what I like and why I like it, I understand better why I'm so drawn to the Magnolia Market pillows. They use neutral colors with a truckload of texture to keep things interesting. But those prices... oh man... I just can't. We have four boys to feed here, folks. Which is what led me on my original hunt for similar pillows at affordable prices.

You can check oy my original list of affordable Magnolia-style throw pillows here.

You can find all the pillows on my couch on that list (spoiler: that super-textured one on the right was under $8 for the cover!). At the end of that list, I kind of brushed over a few options to make your own DIY pillow cases that have a Magnolia-eque vibe, but now seems like the perfect time to revisit that and share a few of my favorite DIY pillow cover tutorials! I mean, most of us are cooped up right now anyway and making things is a great way to beat the Quarantine Blues.

Before we start, most of these tutorials call for a basic, blank pillow cover that you'll basically be decorating in various ways. I love Ikea's VIGDIS pillow covers (that's what's on my couch and they're only $8 each!) but if you don't have an Ikea nearby, these pillow covers on Amazon look pretty similar for $10 each (but be warned - I haven't purchased these and can't vouch for their quality). You can also make your own pillow covers really easily with my pillow cover tutorial.
Have fun!

1. This tutorial from Lily Ardor shows you how to make a faux mudcloth cover with a fabric marker!
2. This pillow inspired by the Hearth and Hand collection is my hands-down favorite in the lineup! A few simple stitches totally elevates a pillow cover to a new level. You can find the tutorial at Jones Design Company.
3. These DIY tassel pillows by Rachel Schultz are adorable. You can play up the colors for a kids room, or keep it more neutral for a living room. Or not. If you love color, go for it! And if you love the tassels, you might also want to check out these yarn pom pom pillow covers.
4. This pompom pillow by Almost Makes Awesome is a beautiful, understated way to add texture to a plain pillow cover. But be warned - those pompoms are glued on so it probably can't be washed. 
5. Any crochet lovers in the crowd? This faux-mudcloth pillow cover is actually crocheted! I don't know if I have the patience for it, but I love it! You can find the tutorial at Make and Do Crew.
6. This pillow cover is actually made out of one of the cheap woven throw rugs from Five Below! It gives this pillow a wonderful texture (my fave!) and you don't need to buy a base pillow case for this one! The tutorial is at Little House of Four, and she also has a tutorial for some cute tea towel pillow covers. 
7. You can paint a pillow cover with fabric paint!
8. You guys know I love macrame, right? And it's totally making a comeback! This macrame pillow cover by Emily Faith is a great way to add a little macrame texture to your space. There are dozens of tutorials for other styles on youtube!

I'll leave you with these two things. First, a boy pretending to be a book:

And second, a reminder from good old C. S. Lewis about finding peace in difficult times:

What's your throw pillow style? Do you like things plain and neutral like me, or do you go for something a little more exciting? And here's the big one - how long did it take you to find your style? 30 years? Anyone? Just me?

Shop Small Gift Guides (under $30!)

Supporting small businesses and makers is a great way to tackle Christmas shopping while making a positive impact. It's something we've been trying to move toward for the last few years. But along the way I've stumbled across a few challenges and I'm wondering if you have the same struggles? So today I'm going to try to help guide you through them and share my 2019 Shop Small Gift Guides {for women, men, and kids}!

The two biggest challenges I've found in "shopping small" are budget and local availability.

The availability issue is becoming increasing easy to side-step, thanks to sites like etsy that bring hundreds of handmade shops right into our own living rooms. If you live in a rural area without local shops, this is a great option! If you live in an area that does offer local options, however, you should check them out! There are some really friendly people out there running the cutest little shops! For today, I'll be sharing a bunch of Etsy options that should knock this issue out of the park.

Now about that budget question. I know we all have different Christmas budgets and we do our best with what we have. I also know it can be tough to find local or handmade gifts that fit into smaller budgets. But I've got two tricks to try to help you over that hurdle today, too.

1. All the options in my gift guides today are $30 or less. And I know, for some of you even that can be too much. I get that and I don't ever encourage going in to debt for Christmas gifts. It's not worth it. If you don't have that much to spend, don't sweat it. This is a zero judgment post. I just want to share the best options I can find and you are welcome to do whatever you want with the information. And just to be clear, we will be doing plenty of not-small shopping this season, as well. Looking at you, Legos. At the MLH house, we're all about those baby steps, folks.
2. Sometimes it helps to rethink our priorities. This is a seed I've been watering for the last few years as I ask myself "What do we really want to bring into our home, and what values do we want to instill in our boys?" Do we really want to fill our home with a mountain of cheap plastic crap that will end up broken and in the trash? Do we want to create the feeling of such over-abundance that our kids stop feeling grateful for all the good things we have? Or... would we rather take that Christmas budget and invest it a little differently? Instead of a mountain of cheap gifts, buy fewer gifts that are meaningful and higher quality. Instead of a bunch of plastic, invest in sustainable wooden toys and gifts whenever possible. Instead of over-crowding and cluttering our home, give fewer toys and less junk we just don't need.

So today I'm making it a little easier for you to take that first step by rounding up a few of my favorite gift ideas that are all available on Etsy and that are all under $30. Ready to shop small?

Our Treasure Shelf {and other thrifty finds}

You know I love a good thrifty find and I love seeing the great deals you guys find, too! If you follow me on Instagram, you already saw my sister's amazing haul from a few weeks ago:

She got all these things for $0.90 total! Two embroidered pillowcases, a child-size embroidered tablecloth, three vases, a crochet doll blanket, and a vintage accordion coat rack! I couldn't believe it!

My own thrifting has been put on hold during our spending freeze (yep, it's still going while we pay off some debts and save for some future dreams!) but I do have a few thrift store goodies from last fall that I never shared. So here's your thrifty inspiration for today!