Holiday Consumerism

The Holiday shopping season has officially begun and while I'd love to be all punk rock and not participate in the Holiday consumerism the pressures of society and the heartbreak and judgement of my loved ones prevents me from doing so...I guess I'm not that punk rock after all.

Also we're in a recession and despite what our governments may say I really don't think we've seen the end or even the worst of it, so spending loads of money on getting your little brother a new PSP for Christmas may not exactly be viable, never fear I am an expert on giving amazing, heartfelt, cheap presents (because I am a student putting myself through school).

Here are my suggestions dearest interwebs do with them what you will but I must say the feedback I've gotten has been 100% positive!



The Mixed Tape or CD
I love making mixed tapes, love, love, LOVE making mixed tapes...errr I mean CDs, haven't made a mixed tape since 1999...Mixed CDs are no longer only for your l'amour toujour, non, it can be for anyone! Either for that person whose musical taste is questionable and you want to introduce them to greener pastures or for a friendship that you think, deserves a soundtrack. To make it even more personal create a original CD cover ( I usually do collages) and add liner notes.

Value For Your Buck: If you're going to do this make sure you do it for multiple people as blank CDs and CD covers do not come in single packs. Also shop at places like Zellers ( I don't endorse the W) they have the same brands as Best Buy or Future Shop but lower prices

Baked Goods
Who doesn't love cupcakes or chocolate chip cookies or gingerbread men? The thing with bakes goods is all about the presentation, once you've baked your cookies hit up the dollar store and buy some cellophane and ribbon to dress up your gingerbread men, add a cheesy poem or funny rhyming couplet and you're good to go!

Value For Your Buck: This may not be the best idea if your intended receiver is vegan/gluten free/fat free/etc since those ingredients do cost more



Books
BOOKS! Books are a great gift idea, you can give your favourite cousin your favourite book or introduce reading to your best friend whose reading consists of the mazes in the back of a cheerio box. Books are relatively inexpensive, I once got my friend a Yoga Book for women, fully illustrated, over 300 hundred pages, for less than $30, amazing, non?

Value For Your Buck: Do your research. Know the intended receiver. Know the book(more or less). My friend Amanda and I have decided that our presents to each other are only going to be books and we send each other book lists, after that we have to choose from that list what we will give to each other, so its kind of a surprise but more importantly, neither of us would have wasted our money on books that don't interest us.



Make Your Own Soap
Why should you be spending a gagillion dollars on the body shop and bath and body works when you can make your own soaps and lotions. You can decide whether your soaps and lotions will be nothing but a nice smell or if they actually have exfoliates/moisturizers/nutrients. You can decide the shape, colour, and purpose of your products. Teach Soap is a great resource if you're going to make your own soap.
Value for Your Buck: Once again making your own soap is the kind of present best done if you you want to gift multiple people, maybe you could also give them a mixed CD as well ;)


IKEA
This is totally not a cop out, ok? IKEA has so many great thing for low prices. A friend just moved into a new apartment? How about some new dinner plates! Your Dad gets cold while watching tv (and you don't believe in snuggies)? then buy him a throw! Your daughter needs a night light? Then buy her a star shaped light to put in her room! Have an aunt you never know what to get? Get her some $10 silver candle sticks!

Value for Your Buck: If you're like me then you LOVE IKEA. When you go in there, have a game plan and stick to it or else you'll be finding reasons why you need that weird shaped paper lamp that only costs $20.

Happy shopping dear interwebs!

I want I want I want

Currently in employment limbo right now. My regular season job is on a two week summer break. My summer job has been suspended care of, the city of Toronto inside and outside workers' strike. So no money has been coming in for about two months and the money I do have I cannot touch because I have to pay for school in a couple of weeks.


I just had a girls weekend with Celeste, we stayed at a swank downtown hotel, ate out, and went clubbing which included alcohol, taxi fares, cover charges, and tips. Needless to say this past weekend I spent more money than I should have.

So most of the money I do have is in lock down, I only have several hundred dollars to spend until my regular job kicks in (that is if I get the shifts) and I'm saving the remainder of my credit card balance for when I have to buy books for school. So why oh, why did I visit the American Eagle's site today and see things that so desperately want?

Like this prep school blazer


That would look super cute with his sweetheart striped dress



Or shipping is free, for these awesome skinny jeans



Which would look good with this purple striped shirt


Or paired with this military inspired jacket



Accessorized by these kick ass boots from Chinese Laundry



Why do I do this to myself? *sigh* now I'm going to cry myself to sleep. Peace!

Beauty*2

I was getting ready for work the other day. It was cold. Its Canada. Whatever. So when I was slipping on my track pants from high school I realized that I don't remember the last time I wore jeans. Its been like MONTHS. On my way to work I have to travel by the ttc and its just easier and more comfortable to wear track pants because they're easy to put on and take off(I wear a uniform. Its a suit), and I'm only travelling 15 minutes at odd hours of the day so really who's going to see me?

So yea I'm totally that girl that has a full face of make-up, hair did and in track pants, AND?

But you know what's even scarier, I don't even remember the last time I went shopping...for clothes. Maybe December, for Christmas but other than that NOTHING. Last year I would go to Eaton's Centre once a week and pick up something from H&M or The Gap or any other store I could stand to be in for more than 5 minutes. I would put real thought into what I was wearing what kind of 'look' I was going for; did I want to be the comfy uni student in uggs, track pants, and a golf shirt or did I want to be cool indie rock girl with my black jeans, converse, printed tee and pearls...towards then end I mostly did the former.

But now I'm forever in track pants and plain t-shirts. Even when I see my friends I break out my 'fancy track pants' that are black and fitted (ooo)...yea we don't really go anywhere just chill at someone's house or go to the movies or make coffee runs, whatever its not that serious.

So my point is I am such a schlep now! I don't even know how to dress! I need to go shopping and buy new outfits and pump money into the econmy BUT I am also moving out in the very near future so its not like I can blow $500 in a matter of hours like the old days.

I guess I'm going to be little miss frumpy for the next little while :(