Frugal gift inspiration | Cactus |

Sometimes the best gifts are the ones you make yourself, they are usually that little bit unique and the thought and effort definitely outweighs the expenditure for me.

I am a big fan of all things natural and a lover of tiny plants, so when I saw this little cactus in B&Q for £4 I couldn't resist.

For me what lets this item down is the boring terracotta pot, we are currently in the throws of decorating our lounge so have purchased some tester pots,but they are something we usually have dotted around the house. So what better idea than to paint the pot a more appropriate colour.

This couldn't have been more simple and the cactus isn't actually planted in the decorative pot meaning I was able to remove the plant for painting, making it even easier!

So, here is the finished look, I love it and it took about 10 minutes to complete so all in all this is a really cheap, easy and satisfying project and it makes for a great little gift.

My little cactus now fits in beautifully with my other miniature plants!

Cookie x

Handmade gifts - Wedding

What do you buy for someone you haven't seen for a while? Some who has everything? Someone who you've only recently met? Or someone that you've known for years..?

If you know exactly what to buy as a wedding gift for all of the above, then well done, you must be full of great ideas!

For me the gifts that I like the look of are those that are folky and somewhat hand made/ finished, check www.notonthehighstreet.com there is so much great inspiration on there.

Something that I think is valuable is time, and this part of the gift that I have given on some occasions, anyone can buy a voucher or even choose a gift and purchase it, however I believe that making something is a little more special. It shows that you care enough to go the extra mile and invest your time and attention in something that you hope your friend will love.

So, I have made the below item twice, for 2 good friends of mine and really hope that they liked them. The frame was a really good find. The first one (white one) was the perfect size to accommodate my cross stitch fabric, the other one however needed  little work, good job I'm living with a joiner who was able to assist in making the frame deep enough to house the fabric.

The cross stitch is the part that takes the time, but its great because you can be really creative or you can keep it simple, you can play around with the colours and design depending on who the gift is intended for. This doesn't have to be a wedding gift, you don't have to write Mr. & Mrs. you would use initials, or even just symbols, whatever means something to the intended recipient.

What I love about hand crafted items is that you have pretty much total control, also its individual, someone else wont have given the exact same gift because each one is individual

They are ideal for on the mantelpiece or decoration anywhere in the home.

What do you think? Do you ever give handcrafted gifts? How do you feel about receiving them? I know everyone is different, some may think I am doing this purely to be cheap, however if you take into account my time, effort and materials its not cheap and your always told that 'it's the though that counts', I'd definitely be interested in your opinion. - Please comment below!

Cookie x