Making Fun

A blog about making life more magical and meaningful

special gifts

Give Intentionally, Investing in Women

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Intentional spending and gift-giving are about being thoughtful and purposeful in how we choose to invest our time, money, and resources. The holidays are a great opportunity to make each gift not only a token of appreciation but also an opportunity to make a positive impact.

For this mini-gift guide I’m focusing on gifts that not only bring joy to the recipient but also invest in women. By supporting women-owned businesses and choosing gifts that empower women, we can contribute to a brighter future for women entrepreneurs, athletes, artists, and leaders.

Whether it’s snagging a jersey from your favorite women’s sports team, savoring handcrafted foods by talented women chefs, or indulging in self-care with luxurious beauty products, this guide has something for everyone on your list. Let’s celebrate the power of intentional gifting and show our support for women in meaningful ways.

Join me in shopping with purpose this season—because when we invest in women, we uplift communities and inspire change.

1. Gifts that Keep on Giving. Empower women through financial support or investment in professional development.

  • Stocks in Women-Led Companies or Leadership funds. This is a great opportunity to give a stock portfolio. It’s a gift that grows in value, and is a powerful way to say: I believe in you and your future.
  • Investment in Professional Development: Perhaps you know someone who would benefit from an investment like the Theater of Public Speaking, or a membership to the Ellevate Network or Athena Alliance.
  • Other ideas: Stories written by and for women. Memoirs by inspiring women leaders, or great advice for any leader like in Flux by April Rinne. Or maybe it’s fiction from my friend and bad-ass lady boss Cat Patrick.

2. Self-Care and Beauty Gifts. Women-owned brands focusing on beauty and wellness.

  • Megababe: Unique, practical products for everyday comfort for both women and men!
  • Savor Beauty: Organic, small-batch skincare with a luxurious feel, inspired by Korean beauty rituals. The travel kit of the full routine is a great option to get someone started. I am also a huge fan of the Savor Beauty Planner as my go-to calendar.
  • Other Ideas: Women-founded wellness journals, spa kits, or beauty subscription boxes.

3. Culinary Delights. Gifts that satisfy food lovers while supporting women entrepreneurs.

  • Girl Meets Dirt: Handcrafted, heirloom-inspired jams and preserves from a woman-led company in the Pacific Northwest. If you love cheese like I do, you need these jams!
  • Legally Addictive Foods: Sweet-and-savory snacks like “Crack Cookies,” combining chocolate, toffee, and crackers. OMG, try the seasonal combinations!
  • Other Ideas: Women-owned coffee roasters, cookbooks by female chefs, or artisanal food subscriptions. There are a ton of women-owned businesses to support in this QuickBooks gift guide.

4. Retail Therapy. Unique, handmade items by women artisans, support women-owned retail shops, support women athletes by purchasing their merchandise.

  • Amazing merch from the sheroes behind Glamaholic Lifestyle, Lola y Tula, Modern Picnic, MxT 2510 or Saysh with women, and women’s issues in mind.
  • Your Local Teams: Shop jerseys or buy tickets for women’s professional soccer or basketball teams. Tickets to a match are a great idea to add to your coupon book!
  • Other Ideas: Jewelry, pottery, or custom artwork created by women creators on platforms like Etsy.

5. Personalized Coupon Book. The charm of a coupon book lies in its versatility and thoughtfulness. It’s a gift that says, I see you. I know what will bring you joy.

I still think the handmade coupon book gift is pure genius. The beauty of a coupon book is that it shifts the focus from stuff to experiences—from material possessions to shared moments and thoughtful gestures. Plus, they’re especially great when you’re working on a short timeline, you can create a memorable gift without the stress of shopping or shipping.

Fuel the Sheconomy!

Thank you for taking the time to explore these gift ideas. Here’s to a season of giving that uplifts, empowers, and celebrates women everywhere. Happy gifting!

Make Your Kid’s Halloween Costume

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This year I’ll make my daughters’ 7th Halloween costume (who knows what number I am on for myself). I’m a total Halloween nerd and costumes are a big deal in my family, but for anyone, it’s a great excuse to make. And costumes are one of the few articles of clothing that are forgiving of mistakes.

Here are my top 5 reasons to make your kid’s costume:

  1. Say “I love you” with flair. Investing your time to make something is a precious gift that says, ‘I care about you.’ Homemade and handmade things are worth so much more than things you can buy.
  2. Up with confidence, down with consumerism. Making things reminds us that we don’t have to buy everything or rely on others to do things for us. Making inspires confidence and develops independence.
  3. Make magic. Making gives us an outlet to be creative and put our own twist on things. It represents our individuality and uniqueness and allows us to connect with others in special ways.
  4. It’s fun.  Creation inspires imagination. In many forms, it is often play. And, for all of the reasons above. Bonus: what you make will be more comfortable than what you can buy at the store and potentially is something they can wear more than once.
  5. You can do it together. Assuming your kiddo is old enough, it’s really fun to enlist their help to decide on what to be, what colors to choose, and special touches. The one time I don’t mind my kiddo bragging is when she is beaming and telling people that she and her mommy made her costume.

If you’ve never done it before, or out of creative ideas, check out my shop for creature patterns and kits.

Showing how much you care, building confidence, having an outlet to be creative, having fun, and spending precious creative time with those you love – you can’t buy that anywhere. But you can make it!

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