5 Gift Ideas Under $25

Gifts for Everyone! by fleur-d-elise featuring home decor

You know what drives me nuts? When magazines and websites are like "Are you on a budget? We've got gift ideas under $100!" Excuse me, but what kind of "budget" are you guys working with? Like, maybe, I'll spend more on my mom than anyone else, but there is no way everyone in my life is getting a $95 clutch for Christmas. Lets be real, my budget is more like $20. $25 tops.

I'm lucky to have a lot of amazing people in my life that I want to buy presents for (all the time), but I've got to be realistic. Sometimes it takes a little more creativity, but you really can find nice things for less than $25. Here are a few of my picks. Cool fact: they are all either made here in Seattle or are sold by local companies!

1. Grey Pom Beanie from Zumiez $19.95. Who doesn't love a new hat? How cute would it be to buy the whole family matching hats and then force everyone to take a holiday photo together? Holiday sap at its finest.

2. Big Dipper Wax Works Candle. These candles are made from pure beeswax and are poured just miles from my house. My favorite scent is "Enlightenment" and is a combination of peppermint & bergamot oils. It's a light, happy scent. The pillars range from $13 to $33, or, at just $3.75, a votive would make a nice stocking stuffer.

3. Brush Stripe Tea Towel by Such Sweet Tierney $18. These 100% cotton tea towels are hand-printed here in Seattle. They would make the perfect hostess gift, or use it to wrap up the Holiday baked goods you bring to your favorite neighbors!

4. Theo Chocolate Holiday Bars $4. The local drug store here sometimes has these on sale for $1.99, so I stock up. Even at $4, these are an affordable and delicious way to let someone know you appreciate them.

5. Moon Phases Calendar from Moorea Seal $22. This calendar is kinda metal; kinda hippy. Perfect for all the cool people in your life. It's from one of Seattle's coolest new stores, Moorea Seal. It's like all my favorite Pinterest boards in one store.

Speaking of which, Moorea Seal has a Pin-to-Win going on. Create a wishlist pinboard and you could win a $250 to spend on awesome stuff!

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Glitter Giveaway: Win Earrings from Anjolee

Anjolee wants to make your holidays even brighter by sending one lucky reader a pair of beautiful gem drop earrings! 

The winner will receive sparkly cubic zirconiums set in sterling silver. If you're interested in the real bling, Anjolee offers diamond drop earrings in several stunning styles and sizes. You can also choose the size, quality and color of your stone!

Here's how to enter:

1. Like the Anjolee FB page (required)

2. Like the Fleur d'Elise FB page (required)

3. For extra points you can tweet about it!
(Open to US residents only. Sorry!)

UPDATE: Make sure you're using the Rafflecopter widget to enter the giveaway! I won't be able to track your entries if you don't!
a Rafflecopter giveaway


Good luck!
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DIY: Valentine's Day

I love this holiday. It's always a wonderful excuse to buy candy for people, make cards, and just generally shower loved ones with little gifts and affection.

I've been pretty busy this time around, and have V-Day plans that extend into the weekend!

I made a card for my husband and bought him some chocolate covered marshmallows at Trader Joe's. I'll also make a dinner of some sort, but have yet to decide on the menu.

I've been cleaning and crafting all week in preparation for a small tea party I'm hosting on Saturday. It will only be the second time I've invited more than 4 people over to my apartment for this sort of thing. We didn't have a couch for a while, so it was hard to sit too many guests. Well, now I've got a couch and a clean apartment, so bring it on! 

Here's an easy DIY decorating idea:

I used vintage magazines, wrapping paper, and flocked vinyl to create various hearts. Then I just simply taped them to the wall above where I'll be setting up the tea. They're so cute, I'm tempted to leave them up forever...

Cupcakes and Mexican wedding cakes are in the works, and I may also make this biscuit recipe from last year. I attempted to make hard candy jewels for favors, but my goodness, is candy making tricky! Not sure I have the energy to try a 5th batch :-/

Well, hope you all have a wonderful day full of romance and chocolate!