Christmas shopping for family and friends can be fun if you're creating projects and giving the gift of homemade. The compliments are thoughtful and you are proud of the hours spent knitting/sewing/painting/building that special one-of-a-kind present. But if you're anything like me, it's usually followed with ... "I wish I was as crafty as you."

Today, we're going to drive creativity with gifts that keep on giving. Below is a selection of my favorite gifts that can turn the most uncoordinated bestie into a crafter wannabe (even if it's just this one project). 

home: natural materials for a light fall decor

Get out your pumpkin spice candles, heavy blankets and flannel shirts because it's fall and time to decorate mantels and front porches. Holiday decoration always falls into the "don't spend too much money and just figure it out" category unless it gives me serious value and I can probably use it for multiple seasons/holidays/parties! And with the less-is-more inspiration, I focused on what we already had and one new purchase to pull off a simple and natural mantel.

travel: 2 days in luxembourg

Introducing a new blog section - travel. A lot of thought has gone into this new area on the blog: I'm not a travel writer and my goal isn't to drop everything and travel the world to blog (but ohemgee that would be amazing). What this section IS is about inexpensive shortcuts to doing it all, and inspiration that will keep you focused on a well-lived life. That should include travel and growing as you see more of the world (even if that means the town over). And no one does inexpensive travel with shortcuts like this lady! Enjoy the first post.

Today, I'm sharing a recent trip to a little known country with a language all its own, but worth a stop if you are nearby. Luxembourg was the last stop of a recent trip that included Ireland and Amsterdam, and really an afterthought as I was mapping it out. Ultimately, I'm thrilled that we made it to this site and packed everything into less than 48 hours.

craft: favorite IHB fall projects

It's amazing to think that this blog has been in operation for 8 years, even if I have been dwindling down in posts over the years. The most exciting thing to do is see my crafting evolve over the years and how much my blogging style has changed. Overall, fall is really the most exciting time to start decorating / crafting because it's the beginning of a festive season: Halloween > Fall > Winter > Christmas > a fresh start with a New Year!

To also get you as excited as I am for cooler weather (and I have a few fun things to share in the coming weeks), I rounded up my favorite fall crafts over the years. Even if you're not the crafting type, my projects really are easy and can be done in a short time. And you deserve to strengthen that creative muscle.

organize: easy lake day essentials

For the first time in years, I'm looking forward to some serious downtime this summer. Snowpeak Retreat makes it easy to want to be hiking, on the lake and taking afternoon naps. We have a longer than usual fourth of July break, and dedicated weekends with friends in the sun! So I'm thinking long and hard about planning for easy days by the water, and want to share some of my favorite items* for being just that -- easy days!

craft: free fourth of july printable

The important thing about creativity is to always try something new, challenge yourself and learn a new skill. I’ve been thinking about creating downloadable digital files for my Etsy shop, but don't have the experience of original digital designs (that people will pay money for!). Since I have the drive and creativity, today’s project takes one of my watercolors and challenges me to utilize my digital skills to create a unique design.

home: easy open shelves - a success story

You probably grabbed a glimpse of the open shelves we added to Snowpeak Retreat with the kitchen update, but this easy DIY project wasn't as straightforward as it looks. Let me run through the challenges and win of this project, and inspire you to just do it yourself in the first place (learn your lessons from this lady).