Top Gifts for Girls

This year there are so many awesome gift options that the hardest part of making Christmas wishes come true is deciding on what to buy! I have been busy as one of Santa's elves testing out some of the hottest toys and I have found some super fun ones! I am so excited to present these fun toys to you in my top picks for girls gift guide!

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1) LeapFrog Epic Academy Edition Kids Tablet
This was my top pick for Harper this year because she really wants to use my ipad all of the time, but I worry about some of the things she wants to watch and play. The ads that pop up on so many of the games. This tablet is completely perfect for her, right out of the box. It has 20 learning games installed for family friendly entertainment, it also has a free trial of Leapfrog academy included. This offers kids a great chance to learn a variety of subjects anywhere they may go. The search feature is super safe, which I love. I no longer have to worry about my 4 year old landing on inappropriate youtube videos!

Retailing for under $120, this is a tablet that will grow with Harper. Ideal for ages 3 to 9, this is a colorful and durable tablet for kids that helps them learn and play all in one. A great feature is that as your child is ready to explore new android apps, you can add them to this tablet. That was a deciding factor for me as it will allow her to use the tablet with some of the other toys she will receive on Christmas morning!

2) Dance Code Belle
This is such a fun way to introduce your daughters to coding! They can create dances for Belle, and she will show them her moves! Control her from the app, press her necklace, or hold her hand for different ways to play with Dance Code Belle.

Coding seems like it would be hard, but girls as young as 5 can get in on the action by drawing the steps out, or a simple dot to dot style of coding. This is a great way to introduce a concept that may play a big role in her later life through an irresistible option!

Retailing for under $100 you can find this gorgeous Belle doll exclusively on Amazon this holiday season.

3) Baby Alive Sweet Tears Baby Doll
If your little girl loves babies this is the ultimate doll for her! Not only is it really adorable, but it also gives kids hands on tasks to make baby happy and smiling again! Your little one can play caregiver to a very interactive doll that smiles, giggles and even cries real tears!

The Sweet Tears Baby Alive comes with so much more than just a doll! She comes with everything you need to nurse her back to health when she is ill, feed her a snack, or brush her hair. One of my favorite features is that this doll isn't just for little girls. With a simple flip of a switch you can take your interactive doll from mommy to daddy mode for fun for little boys. Sweet Tears Baby Alive can make 35 phrases and sounds as an added bonus!

Retailing for under $50 this is a super fun gift option for little ones that love dolls!

4)  Play Doh Letters and Language Set
This is such a fun way to combine play and learning! The set has 26 letter stamps, 6 cans of play doh, a stylus, a roller, a mat  and a guide book for a complete letter learning experience.

One of the reasons we love play doh is it is such a wonderful tool for fine motor skill development. Harp has been playing with the classic dough since she was about a year old, and has developed so many crucial skills for life with the squishy dough in her hands, including using scissors. As we are learning all about the alphabet and making a lot effort on letter recognition in her preschool years this is a set that will bring her so much more than fun on Christmas day. It will help her build on a solid foundation of early learning with a favorite play time staple.

Retailing for under $20 this is a gift I recommend to anyone shopping for an early learner!

5) Go Go Smart Friends Shimmering Seashell Castle
This fun playset is perfect for little ones that like mermaids! The sandcastle features 3 points that when Pearl the mermaid is placed will produce fun sounds and phrases. The set includes friends for Pearl the mermaid to make playtime an epic underwater adventure.

Retailing at under $40 this is a great V tech toy for dramatic play and discovery. I love dramatic play tools for Harp so this was a natural choice. She will play with this in so many ways and I know she will introduce Pearl and the underwater friends to a lot of other toys.

This set features so much more than just a cute house. There is a vanity, a slide, a carrousel and so many more fun features to make this an exciting choice for little ones!

6) Hape Toys City Cafe Play Kitchen
This is a seriously adorable little kitchen. I love that it is wooden, because it looks so much more realistic than the heavy plastic varieties. It is compact enough for small space play, but in that tiny space it packs a lot of fun!

Featuring everything your little one needs to cook up a great time, the City Cafe Play Kitchen is one of my favorite gift ideas this year. As I mentioned above, I love to encourage dramatic play in my preschooler. With something as simple as a cute little kitchen, she can learn in so many ways!

This was a great option to pair with our Hape toys play food that we have been collecting over the years. Retailing for under $100, this is a gift that will bring years of learning through play.

7) Hape Toys Mighty Echo Microphone
This was another great choice for dramatic play. My kids have always wanted to get their hands on a microphone and with this choice it is possible without damaging eardrums or sanity levels.

This microphone has amazingly good sound quality for a battery free toy! I think it is a fun way to encourage kids to sing and again, engage in dramatic play. This makes a great gift for kids 12 months and up.

This would make a great stocking stuffer or gift exchange option as well.

8) Voice Activated BB8 
If your little girl looks up to Rey, then the natural choice is the Voice Activated BB8 from Hammacher Schlemmer. This is such a fun toy! Standing at about 19" tall this cute little robot is ready for adventure! The Star Wars character can be controlled using an included 40' range remote or set to an interactive mode that responds to voice commands such as “Come here”, “Where’s Rey?”, and “Stand guard!” Complete with lights and sounds from the BB8 we all know and love, this is a one of a kind toy that will make Christmas dreams come true as she sets out on an adventure with her new interactive friend. Retailing at under $230 this is the perfect gift for Star Wars fan girls of all ages. Not only is the BB8 droid adorable but he is so interactive! his moods are funtastic and the sounds are completely realistic. Also, check out kids advent calendars on Kidsco for more inspiration for various toys.

I would love to hear what your favorite gift options for girls are this year!

Mini Mickey Mouse Jingle Bell Ornaments

As soon as a hint of winter is in the air the kids and I start to clamor for Christmas. We want to decorate, bake and shop! And we want to do it now! This year we started asking Adam about getting our tree ready in October. He knows us too well and he reminded me that we did this with Halloween and by the time it rolled around we were so over that holiday already.

This year we got our early Christmas fix by making a lot of fun ornaments! There is nothing like giving or receiving a kid made ornament, and these are especially fantastic because they are Mickey Mouse themed!

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 These are so easy and economical that you can make a dozen of these for $3. To make mini Mickey Mouse Jingle Bell Ornaments you will need:

2 sizes of jingle bells; You will need 2 smaller and one larger bell per ornament
Super Glue
Thin ribbon

Instructions:
Begin by threading a 6" section of thin ribbon thru the loop on the larger of your bells.
Tie a double knot in the end to keep it secure.
Next, glue one of the smaller jingle bells onto the side of the larger bell.

 Now glue the other bell onto the other side.
Allow to dry.

I loved these mini sized Mickey Mouse Jingle Bell Ornaments! They were really fun to make and display and we will absolutely be sharing these with friends this Christmas!

We used hot glue to begin this project because the kids can handle the glue gun, I added a bead of superglue to hold these securely. You can use school glue or hot glue, but I recommend the drop of superglue as a precaution. These are so cute that little hands are going to want to grab and shake them!

Reclaimed Farmhouse Joy Sign

This farmhouse joy sign was made entirely from reclaimed materials to add a festive touch to your home.

I have been making a ton of things with pallets. From creepy Halloween signs, wooden black cats and even some fun pallet Christmas trees that I am going to share with you soon. I knew exactly what I wanted to make the last time I tore apart some pallets. Rustic and charming farmhouse holiday signs.

These reclaimed farmhouse joy signs are so easy to make.  They add a festive touch to your space or are perfect for gifting. Plus, they are so budget friendly you can make dozens for a dollar!

This is a really easy project. Gather some supplies, finding inspiration in trash.

Supplies for one sign

One pallet board section

One pop tab

One screw

One penny nail

Glue

One Christmas Bauble

Paint

Paint Brush

Screwdriver

Hammer

I cut one pallet board into 4 smaller boards, just big enough to proclaim my message, Joy.

I pulled tabs off of empty soda cans for my method of hanging.

Line up the soda tab so that it is even with the board. 

Place the screw in the small hole and tighten.

In the center of the other side of the board, place the penny nail. Drive it in half way.

Paint the board in the color of your choice. 

After the board is dry, place a Christmas bauble over the nail. Add a bead of glue to secure and allow to dry.

Use stencils, or with another color of paint, freehand  your letters J and Y. Allow to dry.

Now you can display your Joy sign, or share it with a friend this holiday season.

In the mood for more creative projects?
Check out some of my favorites here:
Ribbon Tree OrnamentsBarbie Serving TrayButton Tree Ornaments

Easy Popcorn Gift Idea

This cute idea dresses up an economical treat like microwave popcorn and makes it gift worthy!

There are so many people that make our lives extra special, from the volunteers at school to the bus driver; the delivery people to the trash company. There are so many great community helpers that we want to say thank you to around the holidays that fitting them all into our budget can be tricky.

This year we decided to dress up some everyday snacks and share them with our nice list, and we had a ton of fun creating these treats!

The first one we want to share with you came together so easily!

I cut a stack of simple tree shapes on green cardstock with my Silhouette portrait.

Next, I took a sharpie and included a handwritten message:

"Have a pop-sitively wonderful Christmas"

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I next punched a hole in the tree and threaded Christmas ribbon {about 18 inches worth} through the hole then tied the popcorn to the card.

We shared these with a handful of community helpers in our lives. We loved gifting this simple token because it cost less than 40 cents to make, and allowed us to show appreciation and spread holiday cheer on a budget.

As the holidays approach we will be sharing a few fun and affordable gift ideas with you! If you have ideas please be sure to share them in a comment, as we love to make cute and inexpensive gifts!

You might also like this DIY Christmas Ornament Collection.

Design Your Own Play Doh Ornaments

Kids of all ages are sure to love this Design Your Own Play Doh Ornaments project. It is perfect for holiday crafting and turns out so cute everyone will love to display these!

I am crazy for all things play doh, so naturally I had to make something for Christmas from my favorite craft material. These ornaments are so easy! They will have you saying, who knew you could not only draw on play doh but you can bake it too?!

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These easy ornaments give kids a chance to design their own addition to the Christmas tree! Made with basic supplies this is the perfect project to do with the kids for minimal mess this holiday. 

You can make your own white play doh, like in my super soft play dough recipe, just leave the food color out, or to make this activity really easy during a generally already packed holiday season, just buy cans of white play doh.

To make these design your own play doh ornaments you will need
Supplies
white play doh
washable markers
cookie cutters
bakers twine
A pen or stick to poke a hole with

Directions

Roll the play doh out to be about 1/8" thick.

With your cookie cutter of choice cut shapes of doh.

Poke a hole in each ornament so that it can be hung after completion. I used an ink pen to make my holes.

Use washable markers to draw on the designs.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes.

Allow to cool.

Thread bakers twine through the hole and display on your tree.

Find all of my Christmas crafts here
Reader favorites include:
Button Tree Ornaments
Mickey Mouse Jingle Bell Ornaments

Easy and Budget Friendly Christmas Treat Ideas

Christmas is near, and if spreading holiday cheer on a budget is on your to do list, you are in the right place!

I have an incredibly cute and easy Christmas treat idea to share with you. You can either draw these or print the text, whichever is easiest for you.

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This was so easy! We grabbed a few Kind bars and came up with a fun saying, and bam, we had a treat to share with friends and community helpers!

We used Kind bars because they are delicious and they are a nice change of pace from the standard cookies or candy!

This was a great gift option for my family because we spent under $1.25 per treat and were able to spread healthy holiday cheer to the special people in our lives!

You might also enjoy this Easy Popcorn Gift idea.

15 Advent Calendars for Kids

When I was a kid, one of my favorite parts of the holidays was the little advent calendar my grandma always had for me. I only got to see her on weekends, so when I would get to her house, I would get to open several windows at once, for a few little treats!

Looking back on it, the calendar was as basic as it could get. The squares of chocolate were small. But, it was the fact that someone thought of me and picked up an advent that had a picture she knew I would love on it, and she kept it for me, on the odd days I came over.

Now I am a mom and I always have an advent for my kids. They love the little ceremony and surprise that awaits them. If you are like me, and maybe don't have the time to create an elaborate advent, check out these ideas from Amazon. This post contains affiliate links, so if you make a purchase, I will earn a small advertising fee.

Paw Patrol Advent
Hatchimals Holiday Advent
Barbie Careers Advent Calendar
Mega Bloks TMNT Advent
Playmobil Advent
Play Doh Christmas Advent
Grinch Advent Calendar
Hot Wheels Advent
Crayola Christmas Countdown
Disney Tsum Tsum Advent
Lego City Advent
VTech Smart Animals Advent
Thomas and Friends Advent Calendar 
Funko Harry Potter Advent
Olaf's Adventure Christmas Countdown Calendar 

If you find a great advent calendar on Amazon, I hope you will leave me a comment so I can add it to my list!

Stocking Stuffers for Adults

Grown ups like stockings on Christmas morning too! If you are looking for some unique ideas to help spread Christmas cheer, check out this list of awesome stocking stuffer for adults ideas!

This list contains items sent to me for inclusion and or affiliate links.

Paint It Decorating Pens are a great stocking stuffer for anyone who likes to get crafty and creative. These pens are easy to fill with any acrylic paint for mess free paint projects on wood, canvas, acrylic, glass and more. Get them online for about $20.

Touch Up Paint Pens are a great stocking stuffer for anyone who is doing some DIY projects at their house. Touch up little areas with ease, and know the paint you fll the pen with will stay fresh for years.
Get them from Slobproof for about $10.

Tweexy is a stocking stuffer must have for girls, tweens, teens and ladies who love to paint their nails. This lets you wear your polish without spills for easy at home manicures. Get it and a great glass file from Tweexy. The tweexy is $10, while the file is $8.

Beesential lip balms are perfect for stuffing stocings and giving the gift of healthy lips this winter. Get a 5 pack online of some amazing good flavors. Give them all to someone special with a tin, or split them up among a few stockings for a great gift at under $13.

Add an Amogha Collections Gift bracelet to a stocking and see a face light up. These are delicate, dainty and perfect for daily wear, or as an eye catching accessory on a special night out. Made with a real pressed flower with gemstones, any lady will love it. Get it from amazon for about $37.

Unique, handmade and full of heart, a Luc and Bell bracelet is as unique as can be and add a great touch to any outfit. I love these as a stocking stuffer for their heartfelt message. Get them from Etsy for $15.

Biofit 360 offers a variety of supplements to make anyone calmer, sleeping better and feeling less pain. Add tinctures, gummies, balms and drops to a stocking for a well balanced holiday season with fewer medications needed. Prices vary from $22 to $90.

In this political climate, all one can do is smile. Grab a deck of cards from Sweet and Sour Politics and give your favorite political person a one of a kind gift. From Sweet and Sour Politics. Get it on their website or from amazon for about $13.

Stuff the stocking of your favorite home repair person with a handy little wall repair kit from Slob Proof. This kit has everything you need to repair imperfections in walls. It was made by a mom so you know it works too! Get it for  about $20 from the website.

Add organic skincare to the stocking of someone special with Moon Mag. Specially designed to eliminate pain in minutes, this brand gets rave reviews for performance and quality. Order from the moonmag website. Prices start around $10 and they offer so much more than just effective pain relief.

Hair ties are always a safe bet for a stocking stuffer. This tin has 25 classic black ones with a bit of snark. At about $9, this is a great filler gift for any lady with long hair. Get it from Cricket Co or in select stores.

If you want to stuff a stocking with awesome for an ambitious woman this holiday season, get her a set of statement cards right away. She will adore getting to share her statement with her other empowered friends all year long. Cards are $5 each and can be found online.

Give the gift of organized everything with Packbands. These are perfect for saving space on trips, or getting things together around the house, the easy way. Add a pack to a stocking this holiday season for easy organization. Prices start at about $20. Order them online.

Make peeling boiled eggs a breeze by adding the Negg to a stocking this Christmas. This is a handy tool for the kitchen that takes the work out of getting the shell off of boiled eggs. Order it online or from amazon for about $15.

Make self care an easy and pain free process with the Kaire tool crystal sculpting tool. This is great for reducing cellulite, while sculpting the face. Get it online for $165 and avoid all of the nips, tucks and procedures that you might pursue to get a useful appearance.

A good night cream is a great way to stuff a stocking this holiday season. Block Island Organics makes a really effective option for about $30 that is packed with great ingredients that keep the skin healthy and free of harmful chemicals. Find it online for fuss free skin care.

Find all of my holiday gift guides here.

Gifts for Pets

Fido wants a great gift this year too. If you aren't sure what to get your furry friend this Christmas, I have found some gifts that are sure to make tails wag or motors run at full speed.  My cats and dogs totally approve of each item on this list.

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Winter means it is dark before dinner time, but the dogs still need their nightly walks, and that can be dangerous! Keep yourself and your pets safe this year with a Headlight Harness and a reflective leash. These are awesome because they make you and your dog visible to traffic and it makes the walk a little safer as you can see your obstacles like ice and snow a little easier. Order online for about $60 and you can have these personalized too!

Sierra has some awesome dog toys this season! Make sure you check out their site, or look for some of their offerings in stores like TJ Maxx. We found a great assortment for our dogs that I know will have their tails wagging on Christmas morning! From treats, to toys and even stockings! I love that they had awesome pet gifts as low as about $8, and you can find so many great things from the Sierra site for the whole family!

If your pet likes to go on all of your errands and adventures, the Poco Pet lightweight carrier makes a great gift. Retailing at under $30, this little pouch folds up into a portable package. You can easily carry your small dog anywhere you want to go. Get it online.

The Bully Buddy from Bow Wow Labs is a great gift option for dogs who love to chew. This toy holds a bully stick in place to prevent choking and prolong the chew. Get a kit that is sized to suit your dog for under $40 from Bow Wow Labs.

If your dog has anxieties, cornbread hemp cbd is perfect for gifting this holiday season. This easy to give supplement is also great for hips and joint for a healthy and happy dog. Get it online for $35. My dogs are crazy about the corn dog flavor and how mellow it makes them feel, even when the kids would normally have them nervous.

Add a special touch to the mantle this year by giving your pet a stocking that looks like him.
My family is crazy about these adorable beagle stockings from Hearth Hounds. We love that they had a beagle hound for us. My beagle is gloating that he is more popular than his Mountain Cur sibling. They have a ton of breeds available, so make sure you order one from the website or Etsy. They retail for about $35.

Gerard Larriett makes an assortment of really nice smelling soy candles that pets and pet owners will appreciate. These are long lasting, pleasant smelling and help keep odors at bay while adding relaxing fragrances to the ambiance of the room. Order from Amazon or the Gerard Larriett website for about $14.

Saddlebox is the ideal subscription box for horse owners. Get a monthly assortment of goodies for your horse shipped right to your door. Includes treats, tools and things to make any horse super happy. Plus your purchase helps horses in need. Order online from Saddlebox.

K9 Cologne is a must have for pets this holiday season. They have some really great fragrances like this rich tobacco to keep your pooch smelling excellent this holiday season. I love this to keep the dog smell at bay after a snowy walk with Scout. Get it on Etsy for about $25 a bottle.

Huan makes keeping tabs on your pup easier. They have an assortment of covers for the Huan dog tag, which is super affordable. Get your tag and sleeve starting around $3 a month online at the Huan website.

Keep tabs on your four legged friends this holiday with the Wag! Tag. These are awesome and affordable gift ideas. Right now you can get a standard tag for FREE or an annual plan for about $50. Order online for the holidays.

Who says you only need to gift Fido once this holiday? Pure Earth Pets is one of my favorite gift ideas for pet people this year because it keeps the gifting going month to month with delicious treats and fun toys. Order online  from Pure Earth Pets with prices starting at $34.

A great leather leash is a must have for your pup this holiday. Get this very stylish option with a matching collar from Pediped this Christmas for future walks in style. Leashes start at $20 and collars are around $15. Order online at the Pediped website.

This foldable pet carrier has a unique design and makes taking your small dog or cat along for the holidays super simple. Get it from amazon for stress free travels.

If you have a senior dog on your shopping list, I highly recommend adding a carton of Bone Broth and a bag of bone broth treats from Brutus Broth. This is sure to be a hit with your pet, it softens food and adds a flavor dogs can't resist. Get a 2 pack of bone broth for about $20. Get it online.

If you have a dog, you know that a walk is the best thing ever for any dog. The sounds, the fresh air, and the smells! Oh those wonderful smells that entice the nose! Plus, a favorite human at the other end of the leash, let me tell you, on behalf of dogs everywhere, a walk is all their is! Give your walking buddy a little extra comfort this winter with a down filled dog coat. Scout, my bestie, highly recommend this one from Free Country for about $45.