Clutter Free Gifts

I am having a hate-hate relationship with clutter right now. My mom is coming for the holidays. She is an amazing super mom lady and she always does the cooking and cleaning and many other helpful things when she comes to visit. This leaves me free to do things that she can't necessarily do, like catch up on some homschooling with the kids or decluttering. So, I am hoping to get a lot of decluttering done during the holidays. My mom and I go out and buy our Christmas presents ourselves that we plan for the other person to give us. That way we get something we need/want, and not something that will just clutter up our lives and not really have a use. I'm sorry if that doesn't sound Christmas-y to you, but we really enjoy Christmas this way.

If I do get a "surprise" gift, I hope that it is something that can be used up (christmas baking, nut tray, my favorite products, fruit basket, free babysitting, etc) and won't create clutter in my life.

Today I came across an article from Simple Organic listing 5 Clutter-Free Gifts to Give This Christmas

I would not mind if I did not get any Christmas gifts at all (gifts are not my Love Language), but as long as I am getting some, I sure would much prefer the clutter-free kind they are talking about. I wouldn't even mind socks - in fact Bamboo socks are on my "list". Smile.

Paper "Pinecone" Christmas craft

Canadian Living Paper Pinecone craft

Materials:

• Tracing paper
• Medium-weight decorative craft paper, such as solid colour or patterned scrapbooking paper
• Card stock or recycled greeting cards (for pattern templates)
• 26-gauge wire
• Sharp-tipped craft scissors (such as Fiskars No. 5 Micro-Tip craft scissors)
• Glass beads
• White craft glue
• Sewing needle or straight pin

Directions:

1. Print out, then photocopy or trace pattern pieces A, B, C and D onto piece of tracing paper; using craft scissors, cut out. Pattern pieces here

2. Trace pattern pieces onto card stock or recycled greeting card to make reusable pattern templates; cut out.

3. Trace pattern pieces onto decorative paper to make number specified; cut out.

4. With sewing needle, pierce holes in centre of pattern pieces B, C and D.

5. Cut piece of wire approx 30 cm (12 inches) long.

6. Glue one end of the wire between the two A pieces (see photo); let dry.

7. From the opposite end, thread two beads along wire to bottom. Thread wire through remaining pieces in the following order: B, C, D, D, C, threading two or three beads onto wire between each pattern piece.

8. Finish the pinecone by threading three or four beads on top of piece C.

9. Wrap the remaining length of wire around a pencil to create a spiral; bend end of wire into a hook to hang on Christmas tree.

Tip: Add a bit of curve to your pinecone by slightly bending each "petal" of the pattern pieces around your finger to give a more realistic look.