Worth Making

Shopping for teenage girls at Christmas can be surprisingly hard. They know what they like. They know what’s trending. And they definitely know when something isn’t cool. As a mom of girls in this age range, I get a pretty good look at what they and their friends are actually carrying, wearing, talking about and asking for. So instead of filling this list with random things that happen to have “teen girl” in the product description, I wanted to put together gifts they would genuinely be excited to find under the tree. Want to Skip Straight to the Shopping? I pulled all of my favorite teen girl gift ideas together in one place to make Christmas shopping a little easier. You can find the full Teen Girl Christmas Gift List in my Amazon Storefront , with even more ideas than I included in this post. I’ll keep adding new finds as we get closer to Christmas, so be sure to check back! [ SHOP THE FULL TEEN GIRL GIFT LIST ON AMAZON → ] Whether you're looking for a small stocking stuffer, ...

Some projects don't really need a full tutorial—they're just a really good idea worth sharing . And these personalized water bottles are exactly that. I needed a gift that was useful, affordable, and easy to make for a group. I also wanted something that felt a little more special than handing everyone the exact same thing. The solution? Simple navy water bottles personalized with each person's name. They turned out so cute, and this is one of those projects that looks like you put in way more effort than you actually did. And the best part? You don't have to use these exact water bottles. This same idea works with all kinds of drinkware—water bottles, tumblers, cups, travel mugs, and more. Find a vessel you love, add a name, and you've got an easy personalized gift. An Easy Personalized Gift For this project, I started with simple navy water bottles and added each name vertically down the side using my Cricut and white permanent vinyl. That's it. No compl...

When I started planning flowers for our event, I knew I wanted arrangements that felt full and beautiful—but I also knew I didn't want to spend a fortune having them professionally made. I decided to order flowers in bulk and arrange them myself, and it ended up being so much easier than I expected . I made about six statement arrangements, all a little different, using vases I already had on hand. I am definitely not a florist, and I didn't take enough step-by-step photos to call this a true tutorial. But there were a few things I learned—and a few inexpensive supplies I ordered from Amazon—that made the entire process surprisingly easy. So, if you've ever thought about DIYing flowers for a party, shower, wedding, military ball, or other event, here's what worked for me. Where I Ordered My Flowers I ordered all of my flowers online from FiftyFlowers, and I had such a good experience. The ordering process was easy, and they even reached out to me about adjusting my shi...

Making your own cheer bows is easier than it looks! Once you get the basic fold down, you can make a simple cheer bow in just a few minutes. In the video below, I’ll show you exactly how I fold a basic cheer bow — including my favorite trick for getting the loops even every time: an old Cricut cutting mat. The grid lines make it so much easier to keep your folds consistent and create a bow that looks symmetrical without constantly measuring and adjusting. What You'll Need I keep a full list of my favorite bow-making supplies here: SHOP MY CHEER BOW SUPPLY LIST For this basic bow, you'll need: 3-inch grosgrain ribbon Old Cricut cutting mat or another gridded sticky mat Double-sided tape Small zip tie Hair tie Rhinestone adhesive or bow center embellishment Scissors Lighter How to Make a Simple Cheer Bow 1. Cut Your Ribbon Cut a 29-inch piece of 3-inch grosgrain ribbon . Find the center of the ribbon and place it along the center line of your Cricut mat. Worth Making Tip: Don...

Cheer season is officially here! My daughter is heading off to middle school cheer camp, and I wanted to send the girls with a little something to kick off the season. This year's team chose a plain backpack because it matches the high school cheer bags—a smart decision since they'll be able to use them for years (and let's be honest...cheer is expensive!). The plain backpacks were practical, but they could use a little personality, so I thought custom team bandanas would be the perfect addition. When I started shopping around, I found similar custom bandanas selling for   $10–15 each . With 22 girls on the team, that would have cost well over $200. I knew I could make something just as cute for a fraction of the price—and I was right. For less than   $3 per bandana , I created personalized gifts that looked professionally made, matched our team colors perfectly, and added a fun touch to each girl's backpack. Project Cost Bandana: Less than $1.00 each Glitter HTV: Appro...

Need cheer bows but don’t want to keep ordering (or waiting on team orders)? Here’s exactly what you need to make your own cheer bows at home—using simple supplies you can have delivered right to your door. Whether you’re making bows for spirit days, team gifts, or competitions, this is the easy, no-stress setup that actually works. 🎀 The Cheer Bow Starter Kit (Must-Have Supplies) If you’re starting from scratch, these are the core items you actually need to make a cheer bow. You can find them all easily at my Amazon Storefront here or individually, below.  🎀 Grosgrain Ribbon (The Base of Every Bow) This is what gives your bow structure and shape. I like ordering ribbon in bulk so I always have team colors ready to go. 👉 https://amzn.to/4bT68W0 ✨ Rhinestones (For That Cheer Sparkle) If you want your bows to stand out, this is it. You can keep it simple or go all out depending on the look you want. 👉 https://amzn.to/3O0aFNi 🎀 Hair Elastics (Strong + Secure Hold) These attach...

Let’s be honest—meal kits are supposed to save time… but somehow I’m still standing at the counter chopping for 30–45 minutes. If that sounds familiar, this is exactly what changed things for me. Instead of running back and forth across the kitchen grabbing oil, salt, butter, and whatever else I forgot—I created a one-stop prep setup that keeps everything I need right in front of me. And it has made a huge difference. Why this setup actually works This isn’t about having fancy kitchen tools—it’s about removing friction. When everything you need is in one place: You stop searching for things You stop walking back and forth You stay focused on cooking 👉 And dinner gets done way faster My One-Stop Prep Tray Setup Here’s exactly what lives on my tray (and why I’ll never go back): 🫒 Olive Oil Glass Dispenser 👉   https://amzn.to/4bRsuHB This is a   must . No more unscrewing lids or over-pouring. Just grab and drizzle. It’s faster, cleaner, and honestly makes cook...

There is something so satisfying about finding a furniture piece that looks good, works hard, and shows up at your doorstep without turning into a huge shopping project. As we’ve worked on making our home feel more pulled together, cozy, and functional, I’ve found myself coming back to the same kind of pieces over and over again: furniture that is easy to order, affordable for the look, and actually useful in real life . These are five of my favorite Amazon furniture finds that helped shape some of the spaces in our home. Each one brought something a little different — extra seating, storage, style, or that finishing touch that made a room feel complete. If you’re trying to furnish a space without spending hours shopping in person, these are the kinds of pieces that make home decorating feel much more doable. 1. Martha Stewart London Swivel Chair Shop the Martha Stewart London Swivel Chair A good accent chair can completely change the feel of a room, and this one did exactly that for u...