40 homemade gift ideas

it's that time of year again: christmas time. don't know about you, but my budget is tight this year, which means... homemade gifts! it also means that i am a couple months behind on planning, but there's still 2.5 weeks left to figure something out. :) those of you expecting gifts from me, keep your expectations low so i can exceed them.

want that homemade gift to say 'i made this with SO MUCH LOVE and lots of thought' and not also say 'it took me 2 minutes to put this together'? make something from the kitchen, and package it in style:

like this peppermint hot fudge sauce, a gift idea from the kitchn's 40 homemade gifts guide (photo also from the kitchn)

little surprises

so far, my birthday has been full of little surprises:

i walked into my room last night and there was a beautiful painting on my bed. one that i'd been wanting to buy for a while from andrea armstrong. i stood there for a couple minutes in a state of pleasant shock. i went to thank her (she was half asleep already),

then back in my room i realised there was also a box of truffles sitting on my desk. my 2nd favorite kind. (for some reasons whole foods isn't carrying my first favorite kind anymore. the caramel truffles of that brand)

i woke up this morning to a beautiful loaf of bread on the kitchen counter. it happened to be from my favorite bakery - a bread affair.

we made french toast with it. mmm....


a few hours later and i find my favorite kind of chips just lying on my bed with a food magazine.

i walk into the kitchen this afternoon and find a small chocolate mousse cake, dying to be eaten.

and to top it all off, my boyfriend came by with a bouquet of flowers and a poem.

it's been a lovely birthday so far.