Spring bird houses

I stradle a line between the two: the frugal shopper and the quality sensitive mother. There are plenty of cheap toys out there that we could fill our house with—quite literally fill our house with—but we have always believed that quality was more important than quantity. I like a quality tactile experience. I love wood over plastic, rich colors and fabrics, things with a heavy heirloom feel. I like what buying quality means for our environment and loathe the consequences of buying cheaply and buying much. But then I'm drawn to things like the dollar section at our Joann's craft store. Small, paintable, wood birdhouses, a dollar each, and color palettes for the same, and the joy I know they will bring not only to my son but also to the family members he desires to gift them to, are completely irrestistible.

There were multiple days of planning and painting. There were specific recipients in mind. We had a (wishing for) spring dinner party, and they were our bright decorations. There were smiles of pleasure at the simple gifts. They matched the flowers he picked out, or really the flowers matched the little houses. They were worth far more than the $7 spent, and I think that's what makes the expenditure worth it. A $100 item better be worth every penny, but a $1 item better worth oh so much more.