Recent non-Christmas gifts

There have been a lot of gifts leaving the house lately, which is good for de-cluttering efforts. It is my goal this year to de-stash things like gifts, wrapping supplies, etc. Every gift I give has to use some element from my stash.

Too often I am caught up in the moment when I see something that would make a good gift. Like these mesh bags

found at Michaels before Christmas -- I loved how they shimmered! So I bought several, and then ordered cheap E.L.F. makeup kits to fill them (plus a Stila lip gloss). These were thank yous for the women who put together my work baby shower. The shower was so cute and entirely too elaborate for a second baby (trying to get somebody in the office to download the pics for me to share), but we love any excuse for a party! Super cute gift and relatively inexpensive, but no help with de-stash.

For two of the same women who brought us meals twice per week after baby Everett was born, I put together a little tea thank you gift. The only "reuse" items were the decadent rock candy stir sticks that I had been gifted for Christmas. I was enjoying them so much, I wanted to share some with my two tea loving pals.  I sadly even bought the tea, though -- versus using leaves I had on hand -- because I wanted the tea packets to match the mugs (purchased from Cost Plus).

For a 6-year-old, I put together a science kit. This was so much fun! I love how the generic packaging of the Wal-Mart items look. I wish I had planned ahead better and bought a bigger container from the dollar store. I did this one last minute, but I did hastily pull together some items on hand, like rubber bands, a CD, etc.

For another 6-year-old, a flower making kit I had bought just because I thought it was cute was adorned with a crocheted flower from a set from Ikea also purchased randomly on a whim (other flowers from the set used here).

For a 4-year-old, Hank's girlfriend Natasha, a cute swimsuit and cover up from Gymboree (purchased using credit from baby gifts returned, so technically reuse, right?) was packaged with tissue paper I have had just about forever and a unicorn looking lollipop the kid picked out at the zoo gift store, but promptly forgot about (per his m.o.)

So kind of a mix of new and old, but will try hard to look at what I have first, and then only buy pieces to supplement. One thing I have a lot of is baby stuff -- hope lots of friends and family have little ones this year!!

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Favorite of the day: Nothing earth shattering

Working on: 1st birthday prep for one of those elaborate work parties!