It's a new year, a new start. Hopefully, that includes this blog! The holidays have taken their toll on my schedule and ability to keep up with recipes, tips, and sharing my life with my few but appreciated followers!
If you're like me, the holidays are always exciting but a little stressful. The past few years, the holidays have provided a bit of financial stress, especially last year when we really couldn't afford to fly to visit my family in Ohio and couldn't justify breaking our "no credit card" rule and breaking the budget. This year, we had planned ahead by purchasing our tickets well in advance (try March with our tax refund!) and thinking ahead about budget-friendly gifts. Luckily, my second job provided me with the opportunity to give lia sophia jewelry to the women in my family, but I also took up a summer hobby, crocheting. My mother taught me how to crochet this summer, so I took up the challenge of crocheting scarves for my family members!
My original intent was to crochet a scarf for each of the 10 family members on my side (well, 11 if you include my husband) and 5 for my husband's side. I guess I got a little ahead of myself! I started off strong, but took a little hiatus in the Fall when I started back to work. Besides my own scarf, which I finished over the summer, I have made 9 to date and owe 2 more to family members (one is my mom!), plus even have a request for another one from my sister-in-law! I haven't tried anything fancy yet, such as hats or gloves, but I may try different patterns for scarves or even get adventurous by trying an afghan!
All in all, each scarf costs about $3-$9, depending on how many skeins of yarn I needed for each (thickness of yarn and length in the skein makes a big difference!). So a great cost-friendly idea for future holidays! I also went to a few holiday craft bazaars in December and saw lots of original ideas for handmade items. So, if you're like me and the holiday takes a big chunk out of the budget, try something homemade!
(More recipes and other insights to come soon, I promise!!)
