51 replies to this topic

[Philbe]

This is soooo fun! I'm currently working on a basket for a couple friend of ours. They have a c-class that they travel alot in, and she was looking for a set of 4 place mats. I found a set of 4 at a yard sale for $1.00 , and yep...I'm up to my basket-loving stuff! Knowing how she loves a "different cup every morning" for her coffee, I found a couple of cuties in my cup collection, have the place mats folded and pulled to make a "fan" and have added the cups with a bag of coffee from my "food saver collection" (enough coffee for 2 pots) and then I'll probably add some other little goodies for both of them. They're planning to have us to dinner at their lovely farm, and I plan to come armed with "their basket". Yippee!!! Cost of "their basket"...$1 for the mats. The rest has come from my collections and storage items.

[Philbe]

Put together another one of my "gift baskets" for a friend today and boy was she surprised! Used a silk scarf as basket liner, put in 2 matching tea cups and 2 packs of green tea. Then added a small jar of dehydrated orange slices and a packet of peppermint foot rub that was given to me as a sample at a festival. Created my card from my pc with directions to have a relaxing cup of tea with a floating orange slice and then she and her husband could give each other a foot rub. Bonding!? LOL (I love these animated graphics!)

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[Pixie]

A gift idea I got from Jo, (and expaned on a little) is if you ave young nieces or nephews that are far away that you and other family members dont see very often, make a photo album with family pictures in it for the kid to look at. You can include names and pictures of things each family member likes. That way they are familliar with your face and the rest of the families faces. You can use bright colours and scrapbooking stuff to make these, just make them durable to stand up to a kids rough handling.

So if cousin lars likes horses, his picture would have a horse on the same page. Or if he loved doughnuts a picture of that, or the page could be his or her favourite colour.

[Katz25]

I'm working on some Prayer Shawls for a few of my friends that really are having some problems. I won't wait until Christmas because I feel they need them now. I hope they turn out pretty, but anyway they're done with love and prayers.

[Philbe]

Vacume sealing 1# bags of powdered sugar (I received a 50# bag!) and re-sealing them into one huge mylar bag...but, I'm going to save back a few of the 1# bags and put them into one of my "gift baskets" along with a bag of instant hot chocolate, a sealed bag of instant coffee, a sealed bag of powdered milk, and my recipe for home made capacinno. I'll also pick up some of the microwave hot cups from WM to go along with it, and a homemade card from my pc. Didn't get any Thanksgiving baskets made...maybe next year!? Now...back to re-packaging the powdered sugar!

[Andrea]

Cinnamon Spice Craft Dough

* 1 cup apple sauce
* 1 cup cinnamon
* 1 teaspoon nutmeg
* 1 teaspoon cloves

Mix until the dough has the consistency of play dough, adding more apple sauce or cinnamon as needed. (Incidentally, I buy cinnamon at the dollar store for 50 cents a bottle.) Roll flat, dusting counter and rolling pin with cinnamon if dough sticks. Cut out shapes with knife or cookie cutter. Use a toothpick to make a hole for hanging. Dry at room temperature for 5-7 days, turning over at the end of the third day to ensure even drying. They dry even quicker in a food dryer, and give your house a wonderful smell!


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Cool idea! I just found a large jar of expired applesauce in the back of the cupboard! These will look really cute on my baskets filled with homemade jam!

[Jeepers]

Ohhh, I'll bet they smell wonderful!

[Philbe]

Astounded! When leaving Big Lots this weekend (searching for antlers for Abby...smile) and after checking out, I saw 1/2 gallon jars with pretty gingham wrapped over the canning lids, and then the rings were screwed down over that...how pretty! And they were full of Christmas candies. I've done put that on my to-do list for Christmas gifts!

[Andrea]

^{Philbe, I do this with my jams. I get various colors of cheap fabric from Wal-Mart, cut them out into circles, put them over the lid and then loosely screw down the band. I put an assortment into dollar store baskets, wrap it up with cellophane and ribbon and I have a pretty little gift basket for very little $$$.}

[Philbe]

Thanks Andrea...I've done baskets for years, but love the idea of doing jars...so quick and very economical (since we're on a fixed income)! Love it!

[Philbe]

Was the recipent of 3 nice bags of beautiful red delicious apples yesterday so 2 bags went onto the big dehydrator, and having a little left over, I made some spiced apples. Put them into a jar (like we've discussed here), vacume sealed them with my food saver and then put a bright orange piece of cloth I had over that, and tightened the ring over it...for who? We're going to a birthday celebration Saturday at the Moose for a friend of ours, and he's a batchelor. I think he'll enjoy that for a gift!

[Philbe]

Easter is coming up so I'm planning to make up several 1/2 pint jars full of a tropical-type Grop mix, vacume seal & tie a $Tree ribbon around the ring and stick a bow on top...I got a bow maker for Christmas that a friend made out of a 2x4 so will try my hand at making my own gift bows. I'll buy several rolls of ribbon from $Tree so I'll have it on hand for any holiday/gift event.