Our homemade trufflesMy frugal nature comes in part from my creativity. Even as far back as I remember as a child I looked at idea's and products and set out to make my own version.
From attempting to sew doll and Barbie clothing by age 7 and 8 to making my own personalized stationary and envelopes in 7th grade to use when I mailed my many pen-pals, to sewing my own clothes in high school (including my interview outfit for a pageant I was in when I was 16) and later, even made the artwork to hang on our bedroom walls. Although I loved to be creative, let's be honest... most of my creative idea's as an adult came from necessity. No money.
Giving a gift of food became a staple for me because even as a busy Mom with three children under the age of five, I had more time than money. I couldn't afford $10 for a teacher's gift for the kindergarten teacher but I could make and present food gifts which always seemed to be greatly appreciated. When we couldn't afford Father's Day gifts I made the Grandpa's each loaves of Apple Banana Bread and gave them in package I decorated like a man's dress shirt with a tie out of pieces of wallpaper and stationary.
The packaging idea I usedto package banana bread for my father
and my father-in-law
A gift of goodies means you cared enough to take the time to make them, and sometimes, especially in this tough economic downswing, many of us have more time than money - even if we're short on both!
My annual and traditional Valentine's Day cookies Imake for my family and friends (baked 12 dozen last night
as a matter of fact!)
Tea cup cookies I made one year as a gift.
