Decrease in funds = Increase in creativity

This past year has been a real budget cruncher for us and I know it has been for a lot of people we know as well. I am thankful everyday that God supplies our needs. One of my favorite quotes is (and I don't know who said it ) "Happiness is wanting what you have....not having what you want."  In the past I have been known to go a bit overboard at Christmas time, especially with our children and grandchildren. But limited cash means that I have had to really be more creative this year. And you know what? It's totally been fun! I love the way I've had to figure out how to get something done in a different way. My intention with these pillowcases was to take them out and have them professionally embroidered with the boys' names. But that is not in the budget right now. So then I thought I'd just give them the pillowcases without names.....but where is the fun in that? I remembered that I had tracing paper from waaaaaaaay back in my high school Home Ec class. I dug up my old sewing chest and at the bottom was this old package of tracing paper. It says $1.00 JC Penney on it. (Does anyone besides me remember when JC Penny still had a fabric department?) I wasn't sure it would still be any good, but it worked OK for this project! I found a font I liked on the computer and printed out the boys' names and then taped the name tags on the pillowcases where I wanted them, slipped some tracing paper between the printed names and the fabric and transferred it over. Then I used some DMC floss in co-ordinating colors and chain-stitched their names. (here's a tutorial on the chain stitch)  I love the way it looks! I even like it better than what the embroidery shop would have done! What has this economy caused you to do differently this Christmas to really stretch your creativity? I'd love to hear what you've come up with!