Make it Monday // Last Minute DIY Holiday Gift Guide

We've only got 7 days until Christmas, Hanukkah is in full gear, and Kwanza is starting soon.  Not to mention we've got Yule or the Winter Solstice on the 21st and I'm sure I'm missing other solar & seasonal festivals that are going on around this time of year.  Today I wanted to share with you some last minute gifts you can put together for some of the rad gals (and guys) in your life.

this post contains affiliate links, please read my full disclosure here.

Whether you need stocking stuffers or just a small gift for friends, check out the gift guides below for some easy. last minute ideas.

The Planner Girl

These little gifts make the perfect individual stocking stuffers or blend them all together to create a gift set!  Get the cut file for the Happy Planner tabs here, make washi bobbins or portable washi storage here & here, then digitize your hand writing to cut with your Cricut Explore here!  Looking for more planner DIYs?  Click here!

The Essential Oil Enthusiast

Whether the recipient is on a spiritual journey or just plain into scents that smell amazing, handmade gifts for the essential oil enthusiast are sure to excite!  Create a special mala necklace for your loved one to help them focus on their intentions and meditate.  Learn how to make and use a mala here.  Create a nice, soothing bath salt with your favorite blends of essential oils.  Throw in a crystal or two and you've got a great gift set.  Find the DIY here.  Crystals and essential oils go together like holly & jolly.  Make this howlite and lava bead bracelet so that your loved one can diffuse their favorite blend all day long.

The Handmade Aficionado 

If your best friend, sister, mom, or aunt loves any & everything handmade consider getting creative with these three gifts.  Create this mixed metal pennant necklace with some simple jewelry making tools.  Crochet a quick boho inspired bag with scrap yarn - only 3 granny squares are needed!  Got some more scrap yarn?  Whip up some easy coasters using a large crochet hook to make the project go faster.

The Memory Keeper

Journalers and scrapbookers love new paper products to play with!  Spruce up a store bought notebook with a fabric spine.  Create a custom travelers notebook from cover to accessories using your Cricut Explore.  Make a mini spiral bound journal using your Cinch and a few leftover journaling cards.

Quick, creative, and super easy gifts.....now you've just gotta wrap them.  Happy holidays everyone and don't forget to use Ebates when doing your holiday shopping!  You'll get cash back to spend!  Sign up here.

xoxo, Moe

ps. Check out more gift guides here.

Hooray for the Holidays // Print your Holiday Cards with Minted

Last weekend Zach and I packed it up and headed to his parents' house in Michigan to take photos for our first ever official holiday card.  We've been talking about do a card off and on for like the entire time we've been together...but it always seems to be too much work, so we just don't do it.

this post contains affiliate links, please see my full disclosure here.

This year though, Zach was gung-ho so I thought I'd better ride that wave while I have it!  We set up a tripod (on a chair!) and found a gorgeous spot in his parents' backyard under this beautiful pair of trees whose leaves were bright yellow.  I used my iPhone (you all know I use my iPhone for everything) to take the pictures and my Apple Watch as the shutter release.  Three quick poses & about 50 + shots later, we were done in about 45 minutes.  I was so surprised!  The phone + watch combination made it super easy to shoot.  I didn't have to set a timer, run over, click, run back to see if we got the shot.  I could compose the shot right on the face of my Apple Watch, tap to adjust the focus and brightness, then use the 3 second timer to shoot a burst of about 10 photos at a time.  Easy, peasy.

Now....all I have to do is decide on the card!

Enter Minted!

I love Minted because of the uniqueness of their card collections.  Of course they don't just do cards - see more posts about Minted's offering here - but that's what we're focusing on today.  They have HUNDREDS of card styles with great colorful touches and the most popular trends.  Choose a die cut shape for a fun touch, hand lettering if you're creative, or tartan if you're down for traditional.

I think I'm deciding on these three cards, the last one even features gold foil! :

 Noted Holiday Card

 Very Merry Moment

Lots of Dots Holiday Card

You can choose from a Holiday theme or get specific with religious touches, traditional Christmas or Hanukkah, or even send a Thanksgiving card.  Whatever happiness you're wishing your friends and family this year Minted has you covered.  

And don't forget you can enjoy up to 15% OFF + FREE SHIPPING on holiday cards! 

Do you send holiday cards?  What style do you like the most?

xoxo, Moe

Wednesday Decor // Cozy + Happy Holidays

There hasn't been a serious Wednesday Decor post on the blog in ages...but since it's the holidays it is high time to bust one out.  I am loving the coziness of the last few months of the year.  Once we get out of the holiday season though (January - March), I'm ready for the cold weather to be over!  October - December is the most wonderful time of the year, honestly.  And if it weren't for the holidays, I don't know if I could make it through the winter!  

Here are my six must haves for cozy, wintry decor:

find this set on Polyvore here.

this post contains affiliate links, please read my full disclosure here.

Mistletoe Candle

This is the scent of the season for me.  I have a candle in every room.  It is so pine-y and so Christmas-y that I can't just have one.  This is the only scent I consistently burn and would burn it all year round too!

Tart/Candle Warmer

Since I like to have this candle in every room, I have assorted candle warmers so that I can have a house filled with scent, but isn't on fire.  You can find these any old place for $20 or less (here is one on Amazon).  Some come with dishes and some come with just the flat surface for the candle.  I find it's better to use a candle near the end of it's life for the most scent throw.  (Or tarts, of course).

Cozy Throws

Crochet throw, fleece throw, tartan throw, any throw...give them all to me.  If I'm not walking around I'm under a blanket on the couch.  Bonus points if it is a heated blanket.  Oh yea.

Comfy Slippers

I can not stand when my feet are cold.  I can not stand when my feet are hot.  And that's why I like slippers over socks.  Socks are way too hard to take off when I suddenly decide my feet are too hot.  Slippers are extremely easy to slip on when I decide my feet are too cold.  Bonus points if they are cute as hell!

Christmas Decor

Our Christmas decor fits in 4 total boxes...one of which is the tree.  And I like it that way.  Not only is there not too much to store but everything is important.  Everything was chosen with care.  I will however continue to collect Christmas ornaments until my tree topples over.  My favorite decor items are the Miley Cyrus Wrecking Ball ornament, the Kim K 'break the internet' ornament, & the Gnome Gnativity set.  

Crochet Stockings

I know this is part of the decor part above but I'm keeping this separate because I crocheted our Christmas stockings.  We don't have a fireplace so they hang off the bookshelf.  The way they look on our bookshelf next to the tree just gives me all the feels!

These are just a few of my favorite (Christmas) things.  I honestly love this time of year.  Everyone thinks it is so hectic and stressful but I just see it as full of cheer.  Even when I worked retail - I didn't like working Christmas eve - but I also liked all the Christmas decor, all the last minute shoppers, etc.  No one was ever overly ridiculous to me, it was a pleasant experience.  Around this time of year I am always a little more patient and a little more helpful.  But it is my favorite time.

What are your holiday decor favorites?  Anything you put up or pull out year after year?

xoxo, Moe

Favorite Places for Custom Holiday Cards // Zazzle & Minted

Now that Thanksgiving is officially over and we can now freely admit that our trees are up (and have been up for about 2 weeks), it's time to start on the holiday cards you know you should send out each year.  I have to say - this year is the year to send them.

this post contains affiliate links, please read my full disclosure here.

all images are used from minted.com and zazzle.com

There are two places I highly recommend ordering your holiday cards from - Minted and Zazzle.  And don't forget this weekend is prime savings time (details below!)

Minted

this card features real foil detail!  Find it here

Minted is an A+ place to order anything from, in all honesty.  This site offers artwork, notebooks (and planners!), holiday cards, wedding invites, and much more (like, look at this fabric!) all created from quality artwork and customized by you.  This amazing online market places sources talented artists to create works for you to purchase as designed or customize yourself.  The curated works on the site are truly inspiring and breathtaking.  The images appeal to a vintage meets modern aesthetic while offering a wide variety of designs.

this card features silver foil!  Find it here.

An interesting part of the site is that the artwork and designs featured aren't just curated by the site itself, but by the consumer.  Artists submit their works and the consumers of the site rank and vote on each design.  Minted then curates the most popular designs for customization and print.  Each designer can upload to their design shop and have Minted fulfillment process turn the design into a reality.

find this design in assorted colors here.

When it comes to Holiday cards, the designs are limitless.  Choose from a modern postcard to a chic letterpress and wow your relatives with your custom creation.    You can even get free printing of addresses on the envelopes!

Right now, they've extended their Black Friday pricing - 20% off holiday cards & gifts $150+, 15% off no min. Code: BF2015, exp 11/29 (see details here)

Zazzle

A broad market place for all things custom, Zazzle offers countless products to be customized countless ways.  From acrylic trays (see a DIY here) to custom flasks, to wedding invitations (check out the wedding suites offered in the Five Sixteenths shop here.), to holiday cards, Zazzle is a market place for anyone any everyone with a creative bug.  Catering to a wide variety of aesthetics, the endless products on Zazzle allow for any Plain 'Ol Joe to Design Team Suzie to create and sell their creations.

Through Zazzle's fulfillment process anyone can post a design for sale - meaning that the variety is clearly endless.  Choose from post cards, folded cards, die cut cards, matching postage, and envelopes - there are combos galore.  Feel like you have what it takes to design your own card?  Use your favorite design machine (or even PicMonkey!) to create a design 100% custom to you!  Zazzle's fulfillment process will bring your dream into reality!

find this design here.

I love the new die cut cards feature.  The different shapes make your holiday cards (or any cards or invitations) very unique.  Creating a one of a kind holiday memory to send to your friends and family.

Right now Zazzle has an assortment of sales going on, including 50% off site wide!  Details are here.

So, if you haven't yet decided on your holiday cards this year, I urge you to fiddle around with both of these sites to find the one design that makes you feel merry and bright.  And, like I mentioned above...don't forget that it is sales time!! Not only are both sites having AWESOME sales, Zazzle has 10% cash back through Ebates!  So if you haven't signed up for Ebates - an awesome, no joke way of earning cash back on your online purchases - do so here!

Hope you had a wonderful holiday with your friends and family, and I can't wait to get started on the Christmas posts!

xoxo, Moe

Small Holiday 2013 Gift Guide

Well, I'm on the Gift Guide Train this year & there is still a little bit more time to get your gifts squared away for this year's holidays.  Personally, I can't wait to go home - that's the only real gift I want this year, to head home for the holidays.  But if you're looking to give or get a little more than that, take a peak below:

Yarn and Fabric from Craftsy

Moda Jelly Roll in Vin Du Jour //  Schanchenmayr Bravo Yarn

If you're giving the DIY sewing or craft kit from this post this Christmas, throw in some wonderful yarn and/or fabric from Craftsy!  Guess what?  They are on sale!  Yarn is up to 80% off & fabric is up to 65% off from 12/13-12/16.  Snag a class as a gift as well!  Be sure to order by 12/16 though (sale open to US residents only)

Modcloth Gifts for Him or for Her

Look & Sea Telescope Set // Style Me Vintage: Hair

Check out the Modcloth Gift Guide for all things awesome this holiday season.  If you know someone who's into unique things, Modcloth is the one stop shop for clothes, trinkets, accessories, & home decor.  Don't forget to check out the shipping deadlines here.

Etsy Gift Cards

Etsy is a great handmade market place & even better, you can give Etsy gift cards good a thousands of Etsy shops!  The recipient can spend the gift card on any handmade or vintage item he or she chooses!

Ipsy Subscription

Ipsy has to be my favorite subscription box.  Why do I like it more than Birchbox? Well first, you get full size products or at lease deluxe samples (no foil packets) every time.  For $10 a month with free shipping in the US, you can't beat that!  So if you know a beauty lover, sign up here.

Vintage or Thrifted Gift

Mentioned a few gifts in this post & I still stand behind them.  I love the idea of giving something hand assembled.  You've taken the time to really curate something for someone in a way you know they'll love.  If you know a thrifter they'll love you for it!

Happy Holidays!

xoxo, Moe

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Trend Tuesday // Valentine's Day Gifts

I've never done a little gift guide before...at least I don't think so....so this is going to be fun!!!  There may or may not be some things I want included in here.  Because the best way to my heart is a handbag, I've included a lot of them!

Kyla Necklace from Shabby Apple // Rosebud Salve // Heart Button Earrings from Rachel O's // Modcloth's Parlor Pretty Bag // Upwardly Mobile Bag in Pink // Lulu's Friday Night Lights Bag // Handshake it Up Gloves from Modcloth // Ghirardelli Valentine's Chocolate Squares

Starfleet Cadets Print from Mich Palmer on Society6 // Mr Beer Home Brewing Kit // Reusable Silicone Bottle Caps // Wake Up Call iPhone Dock (not just for boys! I have this one in brown) // I Love Bacon Book // Pixel Heart Mug

I love Valentine's Day!  I also believe the best way to a man's heart is bacon.

How will you celebrate Valentine's Day this year?

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Promise I've Not Forgotten You

Hello!! I'm here in Virginia sitting on my parent's couch watching House Hunters International.  I'm excited for this week of holiday shenanigans!

I promise I've not forgotten to blog, I'm just taking a break for a little while.  I''m going to be thinking about where to take this blog in 2013.  Five Sixteenths has always had sort of a direction meaning that I blog about the same sort of things but I really admire blogs that take, what I see, a more professional approach to blogging.  Yes, this blog is used to promote my interests but I've always used it as a way to connect with others & I don't want it to seem steril by moving in a new direction.

I still plan on blogging about my everyday life, because I like to do it! Seeing the cool things that others do is the main reason I read blogs so I don't want to move away from sharing my own life.  I guess I'm looking to define lifestyle blog more.  We'll see.  The main goal for next year is to decide on a blog design...for goodness sake I have changed it like 4 times this year & every time I've said it was final!

I'm ready to focus on content, so a simple design is what I have in mind.  I am moving towards taking out the color all together.  Simple Black & White.  I've already moved the Five Sixteenths Studio site into that sort of deal & I want an all over seamless design.  Something where you can transition between all of them & feel as if you're under the same brand.  I'm also working on launching the Five One Six shop on Storenvy.  I had a blast designing that shop & I think that design maybe what's in store for the blog.  I'm just ready to take Five Sixteenths into a more professional direction so I'm taking this week to focus on family, let go a bit, & see what maybe pops up and how I can implement it into the future.  I just love blogging & all that goes with it!  I'll be adding more things to the design shop - landing page designs, printable calendars, etc & working on creating invitation designs for purchase on zazzle. 

I wish you a Happy Holiday!  If you'd like to catch up with me, follow me on instagram & twitter, @fivesixteenths!

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The Most Wonderful Season of All

Cody says no it isn't.

Why not check out Katie of Muddy Pup Pottery's blog.

Can you guess who the muddy pup is?

(photo stolen from Katie's instagram!)

Happy Holidays!

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Sum Up Sunday - Part 2 // Welcome 2012

2011 was a great big year for me.

In January I bought my first car (paid, registered, & insured all by myself), applied for jobs, worried about moving out.  Created a Tights Challenge (which I may repeat this February!) & switched to just blogging on Five Sixteenths, & participated in 30 Days of Lists I finally (after 5 years) graduated from college with a BFA, spent a week at home with my parents, then packed a suitcase & headed to sleep on a couch for about a month.  I started a job, started a second job, quit my second job, started a new job, quit my first job, had another interview for another job.  Experienced my first earth quake  Helped plan, make things for, & attend my best friend's wedding.  Found a pretty cool guy to hold my hand & do stuff with.  And had a pretty banging awesome New Year's Eve!

Happy 2012 everyone, I hope this year you get a step closer to who you want to become!  I know I have a whole load of goals I'd like to accomplish.

Have a great rest of the weekend, let me know if you need any ginger ale or gatorade because I stocked up at the grocery this morning!

To You & Yours // Happy Holidays

In an hour or so I'll be sitting down to enjoy a yummy home cooked meal made by my aunt and gramma. Each year we have Christmas dinner on Christmas eve and settle in to wait for Santa. Tonight will be filled with yummy desserts, laughter, and excitement for Christmas morning.

To you and yours, I wish a happy holiday. I'll be posting loads of things in the coming week, too!

Happy Christmas!!

Fan Fridays // Holiday Season

I am so excited the holidays are growing near!! I love Christmas time, it is one of my favorite times of the year. I've mentioned that about 231684 times on this blog this month alone!

Any holiday that involves glitter makes the holiday even better.  Glitter goes with any holiday, but Halloween & Christmas take the cake. Any decor, ornaments, wrapping paper, or even gift that has glitter makes me squeal. I am sure if you covered a dollar store something-or-other in glitter & gave it to me as a present, I would cherish it.  Glitter = Awesome.

So this Fan Friday I am hearting all the glitter that is this Holiday Season:

this awesome glitter house that reminds me of my Grandparents' home around the holidays

be sure to click through to see the awesome tutorial!

If life ever hands you accidentally broken glass ornaments, turn them into glitter!

Read the story here & check out the great tutorial!

I've always loved this great take on glitter ornaments in non-traditional colors for Christmas.

Peep the tutorial here

Glitter just gets me going! I'd put it on everything if they'd let me.  My room mate complained after I showed him his gifts (along with everyone else's) were wrapped in glitter paper.  He didn't want to get gold flecks all over his nice boy stuff.

I also had to try to figure out my student loans this morning....talk about a hassle.  And I thought the studying & projects were the hardest part about college.  I was wrong, it's the fact that one company sells your loans to another company and now you have 203857203 companies you have to pay so they don't take your first born child!  Gah! Hopefully I will have a few small ones paid off soon....but I'll be feeding Uncle Same some dough for quite a while.

Hope you enjoy your weekend!

Do you have the glitter bug?  Or do you just hate the stuff?

Tempted Tuesdays // A Few of my Favorite Rings

If there is one piece of jewelry I can't get enough of, it's rings.  I love gaudy costume & cocktail rings to classic & vintage pieces.  New or old, I love 'em!  Rings are my jewelry of choice because I can see them while wearing them.  They sure are sparkling & great to look at.  Its a shame to wast something cute on a place you can't see!

So, if Santa wants to bring me one of these I'd wear it every day!

A few of my Favorite Rings by fivesixteenthsblog featuring gold rings

Clockwise from the left: Amethyst, Blue Topaz (my birthstone), Emerald, Fire Topaz, Citrine, Opal

I already have a Fire Topaz ring, necklace & earring set my mother gave to me a few Christmas' ago.  I wear the ring nearly everyday.  My new obsession is Opal! My sister is born in October which Opal is the birthstone & I've always loved hers..  It's so pretty the way it reflects the light! This stone is supposed to bring good luck.  I don't like my birthstone too much but some rings just make the stone look gorgeous.

I am also fond of the art deco style of the Citrine ring.  I had a ring that was lost a while ago that had a sort of art deco feel.  I am still on the hunt for a close replacement.

Do you have any favorite gemstones? Are you a fan of a certain type of ring?

Tempted Tuesdays // Around the House

I don't need anything more for my house! I swear I don't! But if Santa wanted to bring me a few things he could bring me some of these things:

This rad Gnome Bottle opener

A lovely Terra Cotta Blue & White Mug

This lovely teapot

You know, because I need to fill up the already full shelves at my apartment!

Happy Tuesday!

Let the Count Down Begin // Christmas + Birthdays

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas around here at the Five Sixteenths household.  This past weekend, after we all got done with the Thanksgiving feasts, we put up the Christmas tree.  We drank some yummy hot cocoa with peppermint schnaps, listened to Christmas music, watched a few Holiday themed episodes of Futurama, & decorated the mess out of the apartment sized tree.  We assembled it with out directions, figuring that we could tell the length of the limbs rather easily.  Katie & Jason bought some bright LED lights (I feel like I need sunglasses to look at it!) & some other tinsel type decor.  We went at it while Zach sat doing hw, sipping on his drink, on the couch.

Yesterday, I took a trip to see if I could catch some left over Black Friday deals & today will be a day of catching some Cyber Monday deals.  I might splurge for myself & pick up some sweet stuff from the Honeybean shop run by miss Kaelah of Little Chief Honey Bee.

Since both mine & Zach's birthdays fall in December (a weird coincidence!) there is some extra shopping going on.  I've already gotten him a birthday gift but today I will probably buy him the Christmas part.  He wants a new head set with a mic & a black Xbox controller.  We'll see what deals Amazon will give me!

There are still a few things left to decorate.

Hope your Thanksgiving was amazing.

Are you ready for the Holidays?

Christmas & Snow

Opening the stockings Santa brought:

From left: Grandad, Dad, Gramma

That is a macramé xmas tree in the back ground.  My grandad made that.

Cool craftyness runs in the family

From left: Grandad's belly :), Rudy, Dad, Gramma, Sister, Mom, Brother

look at the stockings on the fire place.  Those are just for show, 

Santa brings our stockings up to the door in the living room where the Christmas tree is.

Don't you also love the wood paneling?

From left: Brother, Sister, Mom, Aunt & my other Aunt is hiding behind the lazy boy.

I was sitting at my grandad's computer to take the pictures of everyone opening present.

Also, the day after Christmas was a SNOW DAY!!!!

That is around a foot of snow there! I couldn't get to work, nor could my sister!

Can you believe it.  I am hoping I can get out tomorrow to go to work.  They closed loads of roads around us so I couldn't get from city to city to work.  

There is a video of the snow over at Cross My Hooks too!

Hope everyone's Xmas was delightful.  I am still stuffed!

PS. Don't forget to check out the link parties in the Side Bar or click here!

Free Holiday Printable Card

Oh, man....it's almost time to send out holiday cards.  I am excited but sheeze how time flies?!?!

I have made a cute little printable holiday card for you to send out to your loved ones this holiday season.  You can also include it as a gift tag or stocking stuffer.  Perfect for a little gift card too!

Ok, here it is:

click the image to enlarge

The theme for my holiday this year is all about handmade.  Which is why I love the hand drawn part of this card.  So cute!

Wouldn't it look great if your kids colored it? What the heck, go a head and grab a crayon too.

PS. Don't forget to check out the link parties in the Side Bar or click here!

Etsy Update: Handmade Holiday

Celebrate a handmade holiday this year with With Love, Crochet.

There are some cute hats, jewelry, & art in my shop.  I'd love it if one of my items sat under your tree for the holidays!

Here's the newest item:

Red & Green Hand Spun Tissue Paper Yarn!

This stuff is super neat & super strong!  Next week on Cross My Hooks Hooray for a Handmade Holiday video tutorial series you can learn how to use this as a gift bow!

PS. Don't forget to check out the link parties in the Side Bar or click here!