Fun Gifts to Make - Easy on the Budget - Fun to Receive!

IN THIS ISSUE:

BATH SALTS 

APPLESAUCE-CINNAMON ORNAMENTS

SALT CERAMIC ORNAMENTS

CAKE CANDLES

CAKE CANDLES WITH PICTURES ON THE SIDES

TEACUP CANDLES

FRAGRANT SOAP BALLS

FINGERPAINT

PINECONE FIRE STARTERS

SAWDUST CUPCAKE FIRE STARTERS

HEATING PAD OR FOOT WARMER

HOT PADS WITH AROMA

CITRUS AND SPICE POTPOURRI

POTPOURRI SPICE MIX

BUTTON EARRINGS

GLASS BEADED BRACELETS

BEANBAGS

SCOOPS OF HUGS AND KISSES

CANDY TRAIN ENGINE

SPICED WALNUTS

FIVE BEAN SOUP IN A JAR

FRIENDSHIP SOUP MIX IN A JAR

CAPPUCCINO MIX

HOT CHOCOLATE MIX

PEANUT BUTTER SUET

DOG BISCUIT MIX IN A JAR

FUN GIFTS TO MAKE ~ EASY ON THE BUDGET ~ GREAT TO RECEIVE!

by Lois Breneman, © 2003, Revised 2010, Heart to Heart

When you give a handmade gift, made with your own hands and mind, you are giving a part of yourself, and I find people especially love to receive something using your own natural talents, whatever they may be.  If you are skilled in woodworking, ceramics, poetry, writing, calligraphy, photography, music, painting, cooking, organizing, gardening, crafts, sewing, knitting or crocheting, use your talents in gift-giving.  Some gifts could be given in the form of a coupon to do later, according to the desires of the person receiving the gift. 

Check on the Internet or go to the library and search out more ideas.  Think about some sewing and craft items you could make "assembly line style" for a number of family members and friends - something more than one person would enjoy.  There are countless Christmas ornaments you and your family could make together to give to friends and neighbors. 

Handmade gifts are not only fun to make with other family members, but the person receiving the gift often also feels the love that has gone into the making.  Young children as well as older, and even young adult children will love making these gifts with you!  At various times I have helped my grown children make gifts to give to their friends, and we've both had such fun doing it together!  Why not invite your daughters and daughters-in-law to enjoy a day with you making some gifts to divide up or just to help them?  Or do the same with your grandchildren!  You can do the same with a good friend or your mother.  This can be a wonderful bonding time!  Of course, baking cookies, bread or making candy are great gift ideas, but you don't want to start those too early. 

Hopefully you will find some other creative ideas below that you may want to give a try this year.  Most are very easy to do!  We still have several months to plan and prepare, and starting now will make life easier, more peaceful and enjoyable for our families.  Have fun!

BATH SALTS

Pour a half gallon container of Epsom salts into a large bowl.  Save time and money by making a whole basin full and giving the same gift to many on your Christmas list.  These are nice to have on hand all year round as nice spur-of-the-moment gifts too.  For each half gallon of salts, add about 8 drops of food coloring and enough potpourri oil to give it a nice fragrance.  One year my daughter and I had fun making a basin full of "Pink Vanilla Bath Salts,"  as well as a beautiful turquoise or teal green, by using blue and green.  Use more blue for turquoise, or more green for teal. 

Stir up the three ingredients until mixed very well - two large slotted spoons seemed to work best for us.  Spoon the bath salts into pretty glass containers, using an unslotted spoon, and attach a label.  I found glass jars shaped like Christmas trees at the dollar store and used light green bath salts in those.  There were also locked canning jars, corked jars, pretty fat jars with locked lids and others.  They all looked so pretty when filled with bath salts.  There were also round glass jars with scalloped rims, without lids, which we covered with cellophane, secured with a rubberband, and tied a ribbon around to cover the rubberband, and added a label. 

For layered rainbow colors in a single jar, mix the white Epsom salts and scent together.  Then divide into several bowls and add various colors in layers - pink in one bowl, blue, green, peach, purple, yellow in other bowls.  Mix each color well and carefully pour into jars using a funnel, layering the different colors evenly for a beautiful effect!

Rubber stamped labels with instructions to "Use 1/4 cup per bathtub" complete this lovely gift.  An animal lying back, looking relaxed, is a good rubber stamp for a label with a "Relaxation" message.  I also used a "To Do List" label for several labels, writing "This is a time to lay aside your To Do List and relax!"  This is a great gift for a woman who just had a baby, maybe with a young child on the label.  I have a rubber stamp of a cute curly headed little girl bending over a tub which makes an appropriate label with a message that moms sometimes need a break.  The scripture verse, Matthew 11:28 is another great idea for a label - "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest."  A perfect scripture to meditate on while soaking!

APPLESAUCE-CINNAMON ORNAMENTS

Pour equal amounts of applesauce and ground cinnamon into a bowl and mix well into a dough. Roll out and use cookie cutters to cut stars, gingerbread men, etc.  Insert a small hook from the jewelry department of a craft store into top of each ornament (or a paper clip or ornament hanger will do).  Let dry on wax paper for a few days, turning over every morning and night. When dry (3-5 days depending on temperature and humidity), use white craft paint to add "frosting" accents. These make great ornaments and should have a scent even next Christmas, if you store them in plastic zip lock bags.  After many years when they lose their scent, cinnamon oil can be rubbed over them to perk up the fragrance.

SALT CERAMICS ORNAMENTS
Ingredients: 1 cup salt, 1/2 cup cornstarch, 3/4 cup water and food coloring.  

Mix well and heat until mixture thickens.  Roll into ball and chill.  When cold, roll out mixture about 1/4" or a tiny bit thinner.  Cut into cookie cutter shapes.  Place on wax paper-lined cookie sheets.  Decorate with glitter, beads, sequins, poster paints, nail polish, old jewelry, felt, another color of ceramic dough or any scraps.  Be sure to make tiny holes with a large needle for hanging or insert a paper clip while wet.  These make wonderful Christmas ornaments that last for years if packed away carefully in a cool, dry place.  I have some ornaments that I made which will soon hang on our tree for the 43rd year - still in great condition!  My favorites are gingerbread men, hobby horses, Christmas trees, angels, sleighs, bells.  A candy cane can be made by twisting two "snakes" together with the colors already mixed into the dough. The pastel colors in mine didn't even fade.   An ornament is nice to give to friends.  Everyone loves an unexpected gift!  A box of these handmade ornaments makes a nice wedding gift, since most newlyweds don't have ornaments when they get married.   




CAKE CANDLES
You can make beautiful candles in your kitchen!  Buy several 1 # boxes of paraffin in the canning section of your grocery store (about $1.39).


Each candle will take all four slabs of paraffin in a 1# box, plus some extra melted paraffin.

*Melt several 1/4 # slabs of paraffin in a double boiler.  A large coffee can of paraffin immersed in a pan of hot water on a medium burner will work fine and the wax will not ruin your pan.

*Use a small amount of melted paraffin, to "glue" the four 1/4 # slabs together, with a candle wick in the center - at least 2 inches above the top.  You'll need this to hold on to while you apply the paraffin.

*If you want a colorful candle, add a crayon to the hot paraffin.  White, periwinkle blue and light green are some colors our family has tried.  They are all pretty, especially the periwinkle.

*Using an electric mixer, beat the melted paraffin until it sets up and turns a lighter color.*Using a rubber spatula or a table knife, apply the paraffin to the sides of the candle (work quickly - before it hardens), while you hold onto the wick and tip the candle to the side.  If the paraffin does harden in the bowl, simply reheat it and beat it with the mixer again.

*Apply the paraffin to the top.

*While still wet, tip candle over, holding onto the wick and sprinkle with clear glitter.  Beautiful!

*Put candle in freezer for a few hours or more before burning, and it will burn more slowly.




CAKE CANDLES WITH PICTURES ON THE SIDES
*For a lovely variation of the candle above, find four coordinating pictures from old cards.  Make candles for Christmas, anniversaries, birthdays, Valentine's Day, you name it!  Adhere pictures of your children, husband or friends on candles for a great personalized gifts!

*As soon as you have glued the four slabs and candle wick together, trim the four pictures to fit each side.  A picture the thickness of card stock or lighter works well, but be sure nothing is on the back, because it will show through as the candle burns.

*Using whipped paraffin. apply around the edges of the pictures and on the top with knife.

*Apply glitter on the wet paraffin.

*The pictures will glow when the candle it lit!

*Use either Christmas cards or all occasion cards, if you want to use the candle all year round.

*This is a great gift idea and can also be made to decorate your own home.

*Older children can help and younger ones can watch.  This is a project that needs your undivided attention, so you might have your husband or a friend supervise younger children as they watch or play elsewhere, since hot wax is involved.


TEACUP CANDLES
Do you have some teacups and saucers, as I do, that came with your set of dishes that you never use?  If you're like me, you like the coffee mugs, rather than the cups and saucers that come with most sets of dishes.  Slowly pour hot melted wax into a pretty teacup with a candle wick,  I save odds and ends of leftover candles for this purpose.  Add some crayon to provide the amount of color you want and invest in a small amount of fragrant oils for candle making.  A very easy way to melt wax is by using the large Pfaltzgraff candle warmers!  If you have a jar candle that is pretty much used up, melt that in the warmer, and add bits and pieces of other candles, as long as they are similar. 

Melting old tapered candles and adding crayon and scented oils will produce great candles.  For a wick, these can be purchased at craft stores or you could trim an old tapered candle and stick the shortened candle to the bottom of the cup before pouring melted wax.  As the wax hardens, you will probably need to pour a little more wax into the center where it shrinks down.  This is a creative way to use up extra cups and saucers that you don't need and get the most out of your old candles.  Most of all, it turns into a very special gift!


FRAGRANT SOAP BALLS
You will need: Ivory Snow Flakes ~ Perfume or scented oil ~ Food coloring

If you can't find Ivory Flakes, make your own, by shaving Ivory soap bars, and putting those in the food processor.  You won't have flakes, but the pulverized Ivory bar will work fine.  Moisten soap flakes with water to the consistency of very stiff dough.  Divide into several bowls if making a large quantity, so you can make a variety of scents and colors.  Shape about 2 tablespoons of mixture into balls.  Place on wax paper to harden for several days, turning each day.  Wrap in colorful cellophane and tie with a ribbon to give as gifts.  Arrange in a small box or in a small basket, lined with colorful tissue paper.




BATH BALLS
2 cups salt                                               
1/2 cup baking soda                              
1/2 cup cornstarch                                 
2 Tbsp. light oil
1 tsp. Vitamin E oil
2 eggs
25 drops fragrance oil

Preheat oven to 250 degrees.  Mix all ingredients together.  Using a teaspoon of the dough, gently roll it into a 1-inch ball.  Continue this method, placing balls on an ungreased cookie sheet.  If desired, you can decorate balls with whole cloves or rose balls.  Bake the balls for about 10 minutes until they are lightly browned - do not over bake.  Allow the balls to cool completely.  To use: Drop 1 or 2 balls into a warm bath and allow to dissolve.  Note:  If you give these balls as a gift, be sure to list all ingredients in case of allergies, as well as instructions on how to use them.


FINGERPAINT
1/2 cup cornstarch
1 cup cold water
1 pkg. (envelope) unflavored gelatin 
2 cups boiling water
food coloring or poster paint
In saucepan mix cornstarch with 3/4 cup cold water to form a smooth paste.  Soak gelatin in remaining 1/4 cup cup cold water and set aside.  Pour boiling water slowly over cornstarch mixture, while stirring.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture boils and is clear.  Remove from heat and stir in gelatin.  Cool and divide mixture into separate batches, placing each in small containers with screw-on lids.  Add coloring/paint.  Refrigerate to store.  Paint is transparent, strong and durable with a high gloss finish.  This paint will work well on wet or dry paper.




PINECONE FIRE STARTERS
Melt paraffin or old candles in a metal coffee can placed in a pan of hot water on the stove.  If color is desired, add old crayons.  Add a few drops of scented oil such as cinnamon, cloves or orange.  You could also use actual spices or grated orange zest instead of oil.  Dip each pinecone into the melted wax.  You can do that by tying a candlewick or heavy crochet thread to the top of each pinecone to make it easier to dip into the melted wax.  Allow the wax to harden, while holding or resting it on wax paper between dips.  For gift-giving, arrange pinecones in a basket with a note of instructions.  Add 2-3 pinecone fire starters to kindling wood when starting a fire in the fireplace.  Light the wicks.


Another version of this gift is to dip pinecones into melted wax several times, without the wicks, using tongs.  My one adult son and I gathered pinecones and made these one year over Thanksgiving vacation.  He used the nicer ones on his Christmas tree branches and they looked really good!




SAWDUST CUPCAKE FIRE STARTERS
Fill muffin tins with cupcake liners.  Fill each with sawdust.  If your husband doesn't do woodwork, anyone who does would be thrilled to give you as much sawdust as you can use.  Melt old candles in a double boiler or in a candle warmer.  A small amount of candle fragrance would give off a nice aroma.  Carefully pour melted wax into each cupcake liner, by pouring into a measuring cup with a spout first.  Allow to dry thoroughly and remove from muffin tins.  Package into cellophane bags to give as gifts, with instructions attached -- "Fire Starters - Toss one or two fore starters into fireplace with kindling wood to help ignite a good fire."  Add the name of the fragrance used - "Cinnamon Fire Starters."




HEATING PAD OR FOOT WARMER
This is great to warm cold feet when going to bed or to sooth tight neck or shoulder muscles.
1/2 yard cotton flannel
1 Tbsp. whole cloves
4 cups uncooked rice


Cut the flannel into a 14"x18" rectangle.  Fold with right sides together, so the rectangle measures 7"x18".  Sew around edges, leaving an opening for turning.  Fill with rice and cloves.
Hand sew the opening shut.  For gift-giving, include instructions:  "To use as a heating pad, microwave for 1/2 minutes on High.




HOT PADS WITH AROMA

Using similar directions as above, make square, round or oval hot pads.  When setting a hot dish on the pad, it will give off a pleasant aroma.  I used cotton fabric, with a double layer of white fleece as extra padding, then sewed around, leaving a 3-4" opening, turned right-side-out, poured rice between the two layers of fleece, added some potpourri oil and hand sewed the opening shut.

CITRUS AND SPICE POTPOURRI

Pee; 4 oranges and 4 lemons, leaving the white pith on the fruit.  Process the pieces of rind in a food processor until quite small.  Spread peel on a large tray to dry.  Combine 1/2 cup whole cloves, 1/2 cup whole allspice, 10 broken cinnamon sticks, and 10 crumbled bay leaves.  In a large bowl combine spices with the citrus rind.  For even more fragrance, add a few drops of cinnamon, orange or clove oil to perk up the potpourri.  Store in airtight container.  To use:  Display in a pretty open dish or put 1 tablespoon of potpourri into a potpourri pot with hot water.  Great fragrance!  If you don't have a potpourri pot, just simmer on the stove in a small pot.

For a more simple version, try this recipe.  For a small gift, make a Citrus and Spice Potpourri, using orange rinds (chopped finely in food processor), whole cloves, and clove, lemon, tangerine and orange oils.  After drying it, wrap a tablespoon or two of potpourri in red cellophane, fold in the edges and staple them.  Staple a Christmas greeting to each one.  This can also be added to hand delivered cards.  Print out labels such as this:

Citrus and Spice Potpourri

Place contents in 1/2  to 1 cup water

and simmer in a small pan on the stove 

 or in a simmering potpourri pot.

 Merry Christmas!

 from Steve and Suzie

        John 3:16

POTPOURRI SPICE MIX

(A loving little gift to include with cards or to give neighbors)

Contents of package:

1-3 teaspoons of each spice ~ cloves, ginger, nutmeg and cinnamon

Directions: Simmer 1 teaspoon of contents in a potpourri pot or in a small saucepan on the stove, along with about 1 teaspoon cooking oil and a cup of water.  Continue adding water as it evaporates.

(Note: Spices bought in bulk at a natural foods co-op cost as little as a tenth the amount as in a grocery store.) 

BUTTON EARRINGS

Select appropriate buttons with a shank from a fabric store that would make pretty earrings.  There are so many beautiful buttons that work for this project, even ones that look like ceremic.  Remove the shanks with pliers.  Purchase earring backs from a fabric or craft store.  Glue the earrings onto buttons with jewelry glue.

GLASS BEADED BRACELETS

Check in a craft store for glass beads to make bracelets.  Cut a section of a clear or black elastic longer than you think you will need to fit around your wrist, so you can tie knots when finished.  Choose beads that are similar in color or a mixture of various colors, with metal separators in between.  Thread glass beads and metal separators onto the strand of elastic and tie the ends with a double square knot.  Trim ends of elastic.

Earrings made from glass beads are another fun way of making  jewelry to give as gifts or to wear yourself.  You can find an instruction book at a craft store to get started.  

BEANBAGS

Children love tossing beanbags and they are so easy to make!  This is a great stocking stuffer.  Simply cut a circle from a scrap of pretty fabric - about 4 1/2 " in diameter.  There are also so many choices of children's fabrics available.  Sew a 1/4" seam around the edge, leaving an opening to turn the fabric and fill it with small dried beans or rice.  Hand sew the opening shut.

SCOOPS OF HUGS AND KISSES

Fill washed laundry scoops with wrapped candy hugs and kisses.  Wrap plastic wrap around the scoop and gather it around the handle, tying with a pretty ribbon.  Attach a note saying, "Hugs and Kisses from me to you!"

CANDY TRAIN ENGINE

A fun favor or ornament!  Glue a roll of ring-shaped candy such as Lifesavers to a wide side of a package of gum.  Glue 4 round peppermint candies to the bottom against the gum pack for wheels.  Make a loop of narrow ribbon and glue the ends to the top of one end of the candy roll.

Glue a caramel on top of the ribbon ends for the engineer's cab.  To the other end of the candy roll. glue a chocolate kiss for the smoke stack and another kiss on the same end of the package of gum for a plow in front.  Remove the tag from the second kiss.

 SPICED WALNUTS

1 pound (4 cups) walnut halves or larger pieces

2 Tbsp. olive oil

2 1/2 tsp. chili powder

2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1/2 tsp. onion powder

1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper

1/4-1/2 tsp. coarse salt

In a 3 1/2 or 4 quart slow cooker, combine all the ingredients except the salt.  Stir to mix well.  Cook, uncooked, on the high heat setting about 2 hours or until the nuts are toasted.  Stir in the salt.  Let cool.  Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 6 weeks.  Serve at room temperature.  Makes 4 cups.

FIVE BEAN SOUP IN A JAR

(Layer the dried beans in a jar and tie the recipe to the top)

1/2 cup dried black beans

1/2 cup small red chili beans

1/3 cup dried Great Northern beans

1/3 cup dried cranberry beans

1/3 cup dried pinto beans

1 Tbsp. olive oil

2 large onions, coarsely chopped

6 garlic cloves, minced

2 carrots, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise

2 cups chopped ripe tomatoes or canned crushed tomatoes

1/2 cup finely chopped fresh basil (1/4 cup dried)

1 tsp. salt

Soak beans overnight in large bowl, with water covering the beans by 3 inches.  Drain, rinse, and set beans aside.  In a large Dutch oven or casserole, heat oil over medium-low heat.  Add onions and garlic.  Cook, stirring frequently, about 7 minutes or until softened.  Stir in carrots and cook, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes or until tender.  Stir in tomatoes and basil, and cook 3 minutes.  Add 8 cups water and beans.  Bring to a boil over medium heat, skimming off any foam that rises to the surface.  Reduce heat, partially cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally - about 1 1/2 hours or until beans are tender.  Stir salt into soup and ladle into soup bowls.  Serves 6.

FRIENDSHIP SOUP MIX IN A JAR

1/2 cup dry split peas

1/3 cup beef bouillon - low sodium

1/4 cup pearl barley

1/2 cup dry lentils

1/4 cup dried minced onion

2 tsp. Italian seasoning

1/2 cup uncooked long grain brown rice

1/2 cup alphabet macaroni

Additional ingredients:

1 pound lean ground beef

3 quarts water

1 can diced tomatoes - (28 oz.), undrained

In a 1 1/2 pint or 1 quart jar, layer the first seven ingredients in the order listed.  Put the macaroni in a small baggie and put on top.  If the ingredients do not come right up to the top of the jar, place a crumpled piece of plastic wrap on top of the last layer to keep layers from shifting.  Seal tightly.  Yield: 1 batch.  Store in a cool, dry place until ready to use.

To give as a gift, decorate jar as desired and attach the following directions:

To prepare soup, carefully remove macaroni from top of jar and set aside.  In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, brown beef and drain.  Add water, tomatoes and soup mix, then bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and cover with lid.  Simmer 45 minutes.  Add the reserved macaroni and cover.  Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until macaroni, peas, lentils and barley are tender.  16 servings.

CAPPUCCINO MIX

3 1/2 cups dry milk

2 1/2 cups sugar

1 1/2 cups instant coffee

1/2 cup cocoa (such as Hershey's)

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 large jar non-fat dairy creamer

Mix all ingredients and package in a jar.

Include directions:

Use 2 or more tablespoons of mix per 8 oz. cup of hot water.

Additional sweetener may be desired.

HOT CHOCOLATE MIX

6 oz. jar powdered cream

2 lb. box instant chocolate flavored drink

8 quart pkg. non-fat dry milk

1/2 cup confectioner's sugar

1 (10-16 oz.) pkg. miniature marshmallows.

Combine all ingredients.  Stir well until blended.  Include directions when giving as a gift.

Directions:

Use 1/4 cup of mix per cup of hot water

For a "Triple Chocolate Drink," ~ Combine 1 ripe banana

with 1 cup milk in blender.  Dissolve 3/4 cup chocolate mix

in 2 cups boiling water.  Add banana/milk mixture.

Top with whipped cream and cinnamon stick.

PEANUT BUTTER SUET

Wrens, nuthatches, tufted titmice, chickadees, woodpeckers, mocking birds, and catbirds especially love peanut butter suet!  Peanut butter and fat are good cold weather treats for birds because they need extra fat in their diet to keep their tiny bodies warm.  Peanut butter is perfectly safe for birds ans they will not choke on it.  You can mix up your own mixture to save a lot of money though.  Mix shortening and peanut butter together.  Add flour and/or cornmeal, until it is easy to form into blocks to fit into a suet feeder.  You can even use cornmeal or flour that has become buggy, and the least expensive shortening and peanut butter will do just fine.  I wrap the blocks in plastic wrap and put several in the waxed liners that I save from cereal boxes.  They can be stored at room temperature for a few months, although they will keep even longer if refrigerated or frozen.  Do not add any water or it will become hard as a rock.  Guess how I know that? 

I will warm you that raccoons and bears dearly love suet too.  They come at night, reach right into the feeder and dig it out!  Then in the morning you may see greasy little raccoon prints everywhere.  So I asked my husband if he'd build a wire cage surrounding our suet feeder, extending the space between the suet and the outside of the cage, with the wire bent to create spaces large enough for the smaller birds to go inside and feast.  This works real well, and neither raccoons nor squirrels can touch it now!

DOG BISCUIT MIX IN A JAR

1 cup unbleached flour                               

1 cup whole wheat flour                              

1/2 yellow cornmeal                                   

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 cup instant nonfat dry milk powder

1 tsp. brown sugar or white sugar

pinch of salt

Combine all ingredients.  Pour into a 1 quart, wide-mouth canning jar.  Close jar tightly.  Tie a dob biscuit cookie cutter and instruction card around the top of the jar with a ribbon:

Preheat oven to 250 degrees.  Place contents of jar in a medium sized bowl.  Add one egg, 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese, 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, 1/4-1/2 cup hot chicken broth, beef broth or very hot water.  Make a very heavy, but not sticky dough.  Add more flour or water, a little at a time until the right consistency is formed.  Turn dough onto a floured table and knead 8 to 10 times until elastic.  Let dough rest for 5 minutes before rolling dough to a thickness of 1/2 inch.  Cut with a dog bone shaped cookie cutter.  Place cookies close together, since they will not spread.  Bake for 1 hour in the center of the oven, rotating the cookie sheet 180 degrees.  Bake for another 30 minutes.  Cool on the pan for a minute before transferring to a wire rack or counter top to cool completely.

Hopefully these ideas will give you a start for handmade gifts to make and give all year round!

Miscellaneous Home Decorating Tips for Bedrooms / Budget Tips

by Lois Breneman, © 2005, Heart to Heart 

 

Summer is a time when you might want to get your children's input and help in sprucing up or redecorating their bedrooms.  Even if you decide not to change the whole bedroom, you may want to incorporate at least one of these ideas into your children's bedrooms.   Below are a few tips to consider.   A good starting point is to discuss some ideas with your children and if they are old enough, let them be part of the planning and decorating.

 

A Beanbag Chair is extremely easy to make, with only three different pattern pieces. They make great gifts for kids - from toddlers up to and including college kids and married kids!  Years ago I traced the three different pattern pieces from a large beanbag chair by simply laying newspaper (taped together) over it.   It consists of 6 identical panels with a long heavy duty zipper, and 2 round ends.  After sewing together, fill it with foam peanuts used for packing. 

 

Room Darkening Shades will make it so much easier to sleep during daylight hours, as well as at night when children need to go to bed before dark.  Even grownups can sleep better with darkening shades when bright lights from the neighbors are shining all night long.

 

Pretty Fabric Glued onto Shades will brighten up and add so much color to a bedroom.

 

Decorator Fabrics Can Be Glued to Walls, using liquid starch.  It's easily removed and it doesn't damage the walls. Allow time to wash the walls when it's time to move out. The fabric can be reused as well.  You can do just a panel for decoration or do a whole wall as if it was wallpaper.  Solid or printed vinyls can also be held on the wall with push pins, though I wouldn't advise push pins be used if you have very young children who might pull one out and put into their mouths. 

 

Paint Odor - A small paint bucket of water in room will help to dissipate the paint odor.  Never use a large bucket of water, in case a small child might fall into it.  Adding a little vanilla extract to the paint will also help and will not change the color.

 

A High Built-in Shelf around part of or all four bedroom walls, about a foot below the ceiling, is great to hold special dolls, trucks, stuffed animals, pictures, trophies, etc., and show a display your child's personality. 

 

Tie the Theme Together with a Quilt and Painted Pictures to Frame - Paint pictures by copying simple pictures from coloring books or the wall border you are using.  Recently my daughter painted and framed pictures of a train, car, airplane and tractor, copied from the border in her two year old son's new bedroom to help tie the theme together.  My grandson loves anything with a motor and last month he was so thrilled to sit on his Uncle Paul's green John Deere tractor - with the engine running!  He's still talking about his Great Uncle Paul!   Soon I will be making him a bed quilt, using one or more of those favorite little boy designs, to help emphasize the theme of his room.

 

Favorite Story Books - Decorate your child's room using illustrations from children's books. Combine them in a collage, then mat and frame them.  If you don't want to cut up books for this project, have color copies made.  Front covers of several of your child's favorite books, such as "The Poky Little Puppy" make a great display on the wall. 

 

Baby Cards - When our daughter was a baby, I made a collage from cutouts using many of her baby cards, arranging them onto a large posterboard, and gluing pink lace around the edge.  It hung on her wall for quite a few years, as a reminder of those who were very glad she was born.  You could do the same with your older child's birthday cards.  For a boy, use a wide grosgrain ribbon, rather than lace.

 

Custom Borders - Postcards can be used to emphasize a specific theme!   Soak the postcards first in plain water to remove the pictures from the backing, since they are too heavy to remain on the wall with wallpaper paste.  Cut out and position your postcards to make an exciting and customized border.  Wallpaper paste will finish the job!

 

 

Enjoy these three home decorating articles by the Budget Decorator, Kathleen Wilson! 

 

5 TIPS FOR PRESCHOOLERS' BEDROOMS ON A BUDGET
by Kathleen Wilson - The Budget Decorator - Used by permission

Decorating on a budget can always be a challenge, but nowhere do our hearts yearn to provide a beautiful room as much as when it comes to our little ones. There are some great ideas you can do today, to punch up your preschooler's room, and keep the costs as little as they are!

1. Paint the room a wonderful, dreamy color. Soothing pool blues, apple greens, and soft yellows are great for a young one's restful spot. Make the colors too bright, and you will affect their ability to rest well as the colors will be too stimulating. Make them too pale pastel, and young ones have a hard time even registering them as colors!  You can pick up a gallon of quality paint from your discount store for less than $10, which should cover the average bedroom, and make a quick and dramatic change in just a couple of hours.  I recommend Dutch Boy paints for kids' rooms, as they are almost odorless.

2. Get craft foam from the craft store in varying colors, and cut out shapes according to your room's theme. The foam comes in sheets kind of like thick paper, cuts quite easily with scissors, and is brightly colored like a box of crayons! For instance, if your child loves trains and planes, cut out trains and planes! Learning to read? The alphabet! Trace from simple coloring books if you like. Now glue these shapes on the walls in a border or all over pattern. Quick, dramatic, cheap … and they will love it! (Can't glue? Use double sided tape!)

3. Pick up some cheap frames from the dollar shop, remove the glass for safety, and place pictures of your family, beloved pet, or even their own drawings right in their special place! It provides them with comfort when they are alone, and teaches them to value those close to them.

4. Keep an eye out for a low coffee table at yard sales. (Or maybe you have one in the garage?) Pick one up and paint it to match the room. This makes a great art table for kids …you would be surprised at how much time kids will spend being creative if only they had the materials available to them when the creative urge strikes! Cover empty wipe containers with contact paper, and keep full of washable crayons and chalk. Lay out paper for them each morning, and be ready for the masterpieces! 

5. Finally, make a little book corner for your little one. Even if they aren't reading yet, every small child should have the opportunity to spend time with books, and reliving the stories you read to them over and over! Place plastic crates on their side as bookshelves they can easily reach, and give them a soft spot to cuddle up, either with pillows on their bed, or a little beanbag chair in the corner. Yard sales are great places to pick up colorful books for just few pennies. And above all, find time to read to them each day in their special spot!

Just a few quick projects can enliven your kids imagination for years to come!

Kathy Wilson is an author, columnist, and editor of The Budget Decorator. For hundreds of free budget decorating ideas, and to sign up for her free online newsletter and free ebook, visit her at http://www.TheBudgetDecorator.com.

 

 

FANTASY ROOMS FOR KIDS UNDER $50
by Kathleen Wilson - Making memories for your kids - Used by permission

Decorating kids rooms on a budget can be challenging, to say the least. However, there are plenty of ways to create that dream domain for your little (or big) one, without sacrificing the college fund.

My first suggestion when decorating for children is don't do it without them. So many parents decorate for the way they envision the perfect room, only to have it backfire on them during the unveiling. Let the child become part of the process, and they will not only love the room they helped to create, but also they will have learned some valuable life tools as a bonus.

The next step is to organize. Kids are much more likely to keep their rooms picked up if there is a little bit of order. Cardboard boxes covered with contact paper, fabric drawstring bags made from scrap fabric, and zipper style bags (not with babies or toddlers) can all go a long way toward keeping things in their place. It's also not a bad idea to label drawers and storage areas for the little ones. It helps them to remember what goes where. If they are too young for reading, draw pictures. 

To start the decorating process, the first thing to do is to come up with a theme. Even if it is just a color scheme (although with kids, it seldom is), it gives you a blueprint.  Remember to ask for your children's ideas here. Give them your guidelines, and then let their imaginations flow. You can then narrow it down to two selections, and help them decide which is best. Some great themes for kids' rooms include garden, jungle, space, cowboy, trucks and trains, fairies,  teddies, favorite animal, letters and numbers, cityscape, farmyard. Okay, I could be here all day. You get the idea, try to use your child's natural personality to direct you.

How to do this all on a budget? Apply your chosen theme, then try these ideas:

1. Paint. If you can't afford to or don't want to paint the whole room, add a colorful painted border, use foam stamps to stamp a theme design, or stencil around windows and doorways. Painted murals are the way to a fantasy room on a budget. Huge impact, and they are much easier than you think! You can buy stencils or patterns online, or use a coloring book to copy designs onto the wall with pencil, then paint with craft paint. Think kid here. It doesn't have to be Divinci!

2. Add depth to your wall design. This gives a fantasy feel to the room. Use contact paper or craft foam cutouts, paint a simple mural over the wall, tack felt flowers in your "garden," decoupage computer cutouts onto the wall. Cut out a fairy castle out of plywood (or cardboard or foam core), paint, and create a headboard. Use ribbon and glue or tacks to create a chair rail. Glue hot wheels to the wall end to end all the way around the room. Just use your  imagination! Use chalkboard paint and a box of colored chalk to inspire their artistic side. Use magnetic paint and create "game boards" around the room, pick up magnetic alphabets to play hangman, or glue magnetic strips to checkers to make game pieces. You get the idea.

3. If you can't afford to buy new bedding for the whole room, consider using sheets to make some pretty easy changes. Flat sheets can be purchased at discount stores for just a few dollars in several great colors, and can be used to easily create duvets for existing comforters, simple curtains, and custom pillowcases. If you don't sew, you can use iron on fusible tape. Purchase the heavy-duty variety. Leave one end open to insert the old comforter, then secure with Velcro, or sew ribbon to each side and tie closed. Forget paying $20 a piece for pillow shams, they are easy to make for just $1 or $2.

4. Finally, add some personal touches. Make a simple throw pillow with their name in fabric marker, create a sign for them to hang on their door, or simply pick up some dollar shop frames and let them hold family memories close to their heart.

A word about teen rooms. This is one of the most common questions I hear from parents, "How do I decorate a teen's room?" The answer is simple. However they want within reason.  I still feel parents should place conditions on how a room is decorated. It is your house, after all. For instance, my rule was no black walls. (And no permanent anything without approval!) But the fact of the matter is that teens either want a very adult room or a room that is totally not what any adult would want. And they won't be happy with anything less. So, within reason, let them call the shots. Just make sure you can close the door when company arrives.

5. Organize. You don't have to buy expensive storage cubes for your kids' rooms. Covered boxes, sewn drawstring bags from extra material, even an old suitcase under the bed make good storage. A wall of simple metal-strip utility shelving (they sell it in white, as well) can accommodate a large amount of stuff, especially for the older kids, and is relatively cheap at home improvement stores. I save old baby-wipe containers to store crayons, hot wheels, and that endless supply of useless toys from the fast food joints! You can cover them with contact paper. Try labeling what goes where, even for the older kids, so there is no arguing about what "putting it away" really means! Sturdy cardboard boxes covered with contact paper, fabric, or giftwrap from the dollar shop can be set on their sides, stacked and even attached together to make cubbies.

Finally, remember that you are making memories for your kids, not the neighbors. Bedrooms should be very personal affairs, so let your child feel his/her hearts desire in their special place, and not have to worry about what people will say if it's not the Barbie or Hot Wheels room like the kid down the street. Enjoy yourself, and give them the fantasy room of their dreams with your heart, not your wallet.

__________
Kathleen Wilson is an author, national columnist, and editor of The Budget Decorator. For more free decorating ideas on a budget, visit her at www.TheBudgetDecorator.com. Don't forget to sign up for her free email newsletter while you're there!
 

 

TEEN ROOMS ON THE CHEAP!
by Kathy Wilson - The Budget Decorator ~ Used by permission

How to decorate a teen's bedroom is one of the most common questions I receive. Especially for those on a budget, this can seem like a daunting task! Never fear, The Budget Decorator is here!

Teen rooms are different for kids' rooms in that they should be treated more like an adult space, but with a fun flair. Involve your child and come up with a theme that helps to express who they are. (NOT what you want for them!) Be sure to give the theme a name, even if it's something like "Modern Plush in Blue", or "Country Princess!" Whatever will give it life!

Let your teen choose their colors, but give them some guidance. Buy a decorating magazine, and have them choose a color theme out of the pages, or surf decorating sites on the Internet. That way, they feel they have chosen themselves, but you are assured you two have chosen a proven color scheme. 

Now, use these quick ideas for transforming your teen's room, on the cheap!

1. PAINT!!! Perhaps a teen's room is the most important room you could consider painting. Teens are very sensitive to color, and they are much more free with their sense of adventure. Use a bolder color on the wall behind the bed, and you have instant drama and a great focal point! (Teens LOVE instant gratification, the paint will be one of their favorite parts of the decorating project!) Cost of paint: around $12.

2.  Bedding. The bed is usually the focal point of the room, and a favorite hangout spot for teens to read, do their fingernails, talk on the phone.  So it definitely deserves some attention. An easy way to update bedding on a budget is to create covers for the old comforters. You can do this quite easily with two flat sheets the same bedding size as the comforter. Flat sheets are cheap, you can pick up twin size at your local discount store for less than $5! Sew the sheets wrong sides together on three sides, leaving one short side open. Turn right side out, then add Velcro, ribbons, or snaps to the inside of the short end. Insert the old comforter, and close! Easy, quick, and cheap! Throw pillows can easily be made out of flat sheets as well. Try using bright, funky colors on the bedding to make a real statement. Cost of four twin sheets for comforter cover and pillow? $20.

3. Windows. Light control and privacy can best be met in a teen's room with vinyl mini blinds. They are cheap, and easily replaceable. If an extra boost of color or softness is desired, add simple curtain panels over the blinds. Keep it simple here, fussiness is rarely a quality teens are looking for in their rooms. Remember those cheap sheets? These are great for sewing curtains because of their large size.  No piecing panels of fabric together. You also don't need to worry about quality of fabric as much as color. After all, the blinds are really providing the light control. Cost of sheets or blinds? Less than $10.

4. Accessories. Punch up a teen's room with some funky details to add drama and style. Pick up some cool (and maybe a little tacky) fringe or beading from the clearance table at the craft store, and glue around the bottom edge of the lampshade, the hems of the curtains, even onto shelf edging. Save all those free CD's from Aol and the like, and then turn them over to the clean side and glue to the frame of a mirror, or to cover a closet door. Glue together in an overlapping fashion to make faux frames for all your kids' inevitable posters. Pick up wooden letters from the craft store in their initials, or to create a significant word or phrase.  Then paint them one of the brighter accent colors of the room and hang over the bed, window, or doorway. Use old sports equipment picked up at a yard sale as curtain rods, hat racks, or magazine holders. Even hung on the wall as an art grouping, sports memorabilia can be meaningful for a sports buff. Total cost? Can be done for less than $15. 

5. Finally, personality. Inject your child's own special personality into his special place. Hang those ribbons and certificates, frame a few personal photos of family vacations, or find a shelf for those special stuffed animals they aren't quite ready to part with just yet. Use this opportunity to recognize your child's individual gifts, and celebrate them. Cost? Not a thing. As the commercial goes; Memories? Priceless.  

___________

Kathy Wilson is an author, columnist, and editor of The Budget Decorator. For hundreds of free budget decorating ideas, and to sign up for her free online newsletter and free ebook, visit her at http://www.TheBudgetDecorator.com.

 

Make Ahead Recipes for Holidays, Gifts for Teachers,

IN THIS ISSUE:

• MAKE-AHEAD RECIPES TO FREEZE FOR THE HOLIDAYS
• MAKE-AHEAD MASHED SWEET POTATOES
• MASHED POTATO CASSEROLE
• MY FAVORITE CRANBERRY RELISH
• FROZEN CRANBERRY SALAD
• FROZEN INDIVIDUAL CRANBERRY MOLDS
• PILGRIM HAT COOKIES FOR THANKSGIVING
• DRESSING or STUFFING
• CONFETTI CORN
• LET'S TALK TURKEY!
• GETTING A “JUMP” ON THE HOLIDAYS - THANKSGIVING AND CHRISTMAS
• HOW TO MAKE YOUR OWN CORN HUSK DOLLS
• BLESSING MIX
• THANKSGIVING SCRIPTURES AND A QUOTE
• 60 TEACHER APPRECIATION GIFT IDEAS
• OTHER CHRISTMAS TIDBITS
• MORE CHRISTMAS IDEAS

MAKE-AHEAD RECIPES TO FREEZE FOR THE HOLIDAYS: Tips on How Not to Spend Your Entire Holiday in the Kitchen - Start Cooking Now!

by Lois Breneman, Copyright 2003

Since we could all use extra hours around the holidays, any shortcuts we can apply in our kitchen will give us more time and energy to be used elsewhere - preferably with our families! Here are a few ways of trimming down our kitchen time and energy over Thanksgiving and Christmas.

MAKE-AHEAD MASHED SWEET POTATOES
Sweet potatoes can be cooked and mashed ahead of time, then frozen. We used to grow sweet potatoes in our garden and harvest several bushels at one time. That's when I learned to freeze them! Now when sweet potatoes are on sale, I like to stock up, because the prices fluctuate greatly. Autumn is when we find the best prices in the US. Bake the washed sweet potatoes in a Dutch oven or roaster pan with a small amount of water added for moisture. Bake at 350 F. for about an hour (check for tenderness). When cool enough to handle, peel, mash and freeze in freezer bags. It's as simple as that! I like to freeze sweet potatoes without salt or seasoning, so they can be used for sweet potato casseroles, bread, muffins and pies. Of course, freezing a casserole flavored with ingredients such as butter, salt, brown sugar (or sucanat), cinnamon or cranberries also works very well. It's wonderful to go to the freezer and take out a dish already prepared, except for thawing and heating! If you are able to freeze your casserole in the same dish you plan to set on the table, that saves even more time.

A last minute tip: Brown sugar or sucanat, from the health food store, placed around the outside edge of the casserole not only looks and tastes good, but it allows those who prefer not to have sugar to reach into the center for a scoop. Color and texture give the dish more appeal, so why not add chopped walnuts and/or dried cranberries, sprinkled around the edge or only in the center?

MASHED POTATO CASSEROLE

Five or ten pound bags of white potatoes are often "Buy One -- Get One Free," so in order to take advantage of these special prices, without them spoiling, you can cook, mash and freeze them for multiple casseroles to use later.

Sometimes I cook the potatoes and mash them, adding some of the cooking liquid, butter and salt - and freeze them in a casserole dish until needed. Before serving them, I thaw the potatoes, heat them in the microwave, add a little milk as I mix them up with a potato masher and they are ready to serve! They can also be held over in the oven, covered, until the rest of the meal is ready.

Or here is a delicious and convenient recipe from the More-With-Less Cookbook by Doris Janzen Longacre. If your family does not like spinach, try substituting grated carrots or other vegetables, although it is very good plain, with vegetables served on the side. If potatoes are the only vegetable your children will eat, try mashing a few cooked carrots or some sweet potato in with the white potatoes. When I've done this, my family thought I had added cheese. For extra nutrition and a yellow tint, an egg can also be added as the potatoes are whipped. A sprinkle of dried dill weed mixed into the potatoes as well as over the cheese before (or after) baking adds extra flavor and color.
 

Cook and mash:
3-4 large potatoes.
Add:
1/3 cup sour cream or plain yogurt
1 tsp. salt
dash of pepper
1/2 tsp. sugar (given in recipe, but certainly not necessary)
1/4 cup butter

Add just enough milk to bring to proper consistency and beat until fluffy.

Add:
1/8 tsp. dill seed
2 tsp. chives, chopped
1 cup cooked spinach, well drained, chopped (optional)

Place in greased casserole and top with 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese. May be made a day or two ahead and refrigerated, or make a double recipe and freeze half to add to a future oven meal. Or freeze now to use during the holidays!


MY FAVORITE CRANBERRY RELISH 


1 bag (12 oz.) fresh cranberries, chopped finely
1 large can crushed pineapples, in its own juice, undrained
1 large jar natural applesauce (no sugar added)
zest from 1 orange
1 cup orange juice
Stevia to sweeten (very little is needed)


Chop washed and drained cranberries in a food processor, removing the soft and mushy ones first.  Add undrained pineapples, applesauce, zest, orange juice and stevia.  Refrigerate 1 to 2 days before serving, so the flavors and cranberry color has time to intensify.  The pineapples and applesauce will take on the cranberry color.

Since fresh cranberries are so seasonal, I like to stock up and freeze chopped cranberries, so we can enjoy this delicious and healthy recipe all year round.

FROZEN CRANBERRY SALAD
How easy can it get?

1 #2 can crushed pineapple in its own juice, drained
1 can whole cranberry sauce
1 cup sour cream (Whipped cream could be substituted for all or half of the sour cream.)Mix together and put in ice cube trays or in a 9x9 glass dish. Sprinkle chopped nuts on top. Freeze overnight. Cut into squares and serve as a salad with green lettuce beneath or serve as a dessert - maybe with a cookie on the side. 

FROZEN INDIVIDUAL CRANBERRY MOLDS

1 can whole cranberry sauce
1/2 cup sugar (Healthier - Splenda or NuStevia - use less)8 oz. crushed pineapple with juice, drained 1 cup chopped pecans
8 oz. sour cream (Whipped cream could be substituted for all or half of the sour cream.)Mix together all ingredients and freeze in muffin cups.

*Note: Small pieces of banana mixed in is delicious too! Either cranberry recipe is a great make-ahead salad or dessert for Thanksgiving or Christmas! Of course, either recipe can be frozen in a large mold, glass dish, muffin cups, custard cups or individual molds.

PILGRIM HAT COOKIES FOR THANKSGIVING

Using the best rolled gingerbread cookie recipe I've ever found (below), cut with round cookie cutters and bake, following the directions below. A time-saving tip would be to make enough gingerbread cookies in all kinds of shapes right now and freeze them. Then have the children help to decorate them with frosting closer to Christmas.

For Pilgrim hats, after the round circles have cooled, unwrap a small peanut butter cup and place one upside down in the center of each round cookie. Using store-bought frosting in a tube (or your own frosting), pipe a ring around the base of the peanut butter cup, "gluing" it onto the cookie. This can be a thick or a thin line, and it will automatically form the band of the hat! Lastly, pipe a square buckle from that line, upward onto the peanut butter cup to form the buckle. These can be made ahead, as well! You may want to bake the round cut-out cookies and freeze way ahead of time to simplify things even more, then have family members join in this fun decorating project. That's what I did this year, thinking my daughter would enjoy this!

When our children were young, my sister and two brothers got together for Thanksgiving and we moms organized fun art projects for the children. Those are priceless photographs, now that they are all grown! Well, enough reminiscing!  Here's the recipe!

The Best Gingerbread Cookies Ever!

Beat butter and sugar (sucanat) together.1 cup butter
1 1/2 cup or less brown sugar (or use sucanat)

Add and mix together:
1 egg
3 Tbsp. orange juice
4 tsp. grated orange rind

Add remaining ingredients:
3 cups flour
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. cloves
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
a dash of salt

Mix all ingredients well and chill dough for 3 hours. Roll 1/4" thick. Cut cookies in various shapes. Bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes. Do not overbake.

DRESSING or STUFFING

I like to make a large dishpan full of stuffing at Thanksgiving, so I can freeze the extra and completely skip the process for Christmas -- it's already done! I don't really use a recipe for this, but make it as my mother always did. Cube bread (whole wheat and white mixture) and let it dry out on a large tray for a day or so. Sometimes I dry it in a dishpan, stirring occasionally over a 2-3 day period. Melt butter, add chicken broth, beaten eggs, lots of cooked celery and onions (sometimes a small amount of grated carrots for color), salt, onion salt, pepper, poultry seasoning, and other dried herbs (parsley, Greek oregano, thyme, rosemary or tarragon, etc.). Stir well. Add enough bread crumbs for a slightly moist mixture. I bake it in greased dishes, (rather than in the bird) at 350º F. until golden brown on top. Don't overbake. The unbaked stuffing mixture will freeze great in containers or freezer bags to serve later.

Note: Anytime before Thanksgiving is the time to make this recipe and freeze for both Thanksgiving and Christmas or any other time you want to enjoy stuffing throughout the year.

 

CONFETTI CORN

If you want to save last minute meal preparation, cut a couple pats of butter into a microwavable casserole dish. Add finely chopped fresh or frozen green pepper, a jar of chopped pimientos (drained), dill weed and a bag of frozen corn. Cover and put the dish in the freezer. To make things even easier for us, some supermarkets sell bags of frozen chopped onion, red, green and yellow bell peppers. On the day you are ready to serve the corn, take the dish from the freezer, thaw and microwave as you normally microwave corn. Add salt to taste just before serving. To cook on top of the stove, add a small amount of water first. This is a quick, tasty and colorful dish -- yellow with red and green!

LET'S TALK TURKEY!

If using a frozen turkey or turkey breast, be sure to give it a couple days in the refrigerator for safe thawing. For a juicy turkey or turkey breast, place a grapefruit, orange or lemon inside the cavity prior to roasting. Pierce the fruit to prevent it from bursting, and simply cook it as usual. You are "guaranteed" a juicy bird each time and there will be no citrus or orange flavor in the turkey. I don't know how this works, but it does. You simply take the fruit and dispose of it after roasting. Obviously, you don't stuff this bird, but it works great to have a separate casserole dish of stuffing as a side dish. Several "Heart to Heart" ladies and I have tried this and we all agree that it works great! 

GETTING A “JUMP” ON THE HOLIDAYS - THANKSGIVING AND CHRISTMAS
by Lois Breneman, © 2003, Revised 2004, Heart to Heart

 

Most of us are not finished with our Christmas shopping, and don’t get stressed about that! I'm not finished either, but that's okay! But there are lots of other things we can do ahead of time to help get a “Jump” on the holidays.

Discuss with the family what they'd especially like to do for the holidays. Be sure to delegate some of the work to each family member, putting them in charge of specific projects. Plan your Thanksgiving and Christmas meals early. Look through recipes, write out your holiday menus now, make a grocery list and shop early for all except the perishable items. Buy a couple turkey breasts now while on sale for 88 cents a pound! 

Purchase basic ingredients such as unbleached flour, shortening, cooking oil, baking powder, baking soda, salt and chocolate chips when on sale, but don’t wait until the last minute. I remember one year how I needed unbleached flour for baking cookies and the shelf was bare! Buy it now! This will cut way down on your time, saving trips to the grocery store during your busiest time of the year. Spices such as ginger, cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg that are necessary for Thanksgiving and Christmas baking can be purchased in bulk at a health foods store to save as much as ten times the price in grocery stores. Use your savings to buy gifts. Rather than baking with sugar, try sucanat or honey from the health food store. 

Find a few holly or bayberry candles to get your family in the holiday spirit. Play your Christmas music while you bake cookies, cakes and pies now and freeze them for the holidays. All this will help get you and your family into the spirit and spur you on to finish the shopping and pull out the decorations too. I usually enjoy decorating the day after Thanksgiving, if at all possible, so we can enjoy everything longer. Don’t overdo the baking, though baking now for parties will save you time in the long run. A birthday cake for Jesus will freeze well, if baked ahead, but frost it after it is thawed. Let's not forget that it is Jesus' birthday that we are celebrating! 

Choose Christmas cards now – or use what you had already bought on sale last year. Type out all the names and addresses of those to whom you plan to send a Christmas card. Keep this list in a file to copy, paste and print. These names and addresses can be printed on mailing labels. Or they can simply be printed on white paper, cut out and glued onto envelopes with a glue stick. This can be done now. Sign the cards now, as well. Stickers, stamps and return address labels can be added now. Let the children help. There are so many rubber stamps available to dress up an envelope and that can also be done ahead of time! 

If you plan to send a newsy Christmas letter to friends and family whom you don’t see very often, work on a rough draft now. Get input from each family member on what to include. Then fine tune it and print it out! Make copies on colored paper. Use a rubber stamp with a Christmas theme. Fold the letter and tuck into the cards. Done! Now your cards will be ready to mail when the time comes. If you are waiting for a picture to include, fine, but the rest will be done, and your planning ahead will relieve a lot of pressure. 

You may want to find a new Christmas ornament to make together as a family project. Search for ideas now. Holiday magazines, the library, craft books and Michael’s are good places to find ideas. I've been giving each of my children a special Christmas ornament each year. They took their ornaments when they left home, but we still enjoy giving them a new one each year. 

Find an Angel Tree in the mall and shop early for the child to whom you choose to bring some Christmas joy. Find out if there is also a needy family who needs a meal or other help. Remember the single moms. 

As far as your gift list, write down all the names of those to whom you plan to give a gift. Check to see what gifts you already have on hand and continue from there. If you have time to make a gift that isn't too complicated, make it in multiples – assembly line style. Handmade gifts that are done well are always welcome, and you can save so much. Christian books, CD’s and tapes are a great gift idea too.

A few other small ways to plan ahead (every little bit helps!):

*Make a list of goals for your family during this holiday season, along with how you can reach those goals. Keep things in perspective.

*If it's cold where you live, you may want to put out your snowmen and sled decorations early, even before Thanksgiving! 

*Cream cheese balls freeze well. That’s something you can do now for later, even as gifts! 

*If you don’t have an Advent Calendar to use with your children, make plans now.

*Be sure your bathrooms have extra toilet paper and hand towels available.

*Decide now which dishes you'd like to use for the special meals and make a note of it.

*I like to use an 8 1/2 x 11" piece of colored paper, folded in half, to write down my specific plans. Being a bright pretty color, I'm not as likely to loose it! ;-) 

These are just a few tips to help in planning ahead. I'm sure you can think of lots more! You can make this Thanksgiving and Christmas season a time of real thanksgiving and peaceful joy, rather than hurried, frazzled, stressful drudgery! Simplify by cutting out some things you think you just have to do! Make time to be thankful and remember that the only reason we have Christmas is because it's Jesus' birthday. "Jesus is the Reason for the Season!"

BLESSING MIX Thanks to Barb Campbell in Mississippi for this great Thanksgiving recipe! *Each ingredient in this snack mix symbolizes something associated with Thanksgiving. 2 cups Bugles brand corn snacks - shaped as a cornucopia, a horn of plenty. 2 cups pretzels - represent arms folded in thanks and prayer. 1 cup candy corn - during the first winter, the Pilgrims were each allotted only 5 kernels of corn per day because food was so scarce. (Corn nuts from a health food store are a good substitute) 1 cup dried fruits - Thanksgiving is the celebration of the harvest. 1 cup peanuts or sunflower seeds - seeds represent the potential of a bounteous harvest for the next season if they are planted and well tended. In a large bowl mix all ingredients together. Other ingredients such as dry cereals, candies, or marshmallows can also be added. Make this mix as a family and eat while discussing each ingredient and how it relates to Thanksgiving.

THANKSGIVING SCRIPTURES AND A QUOTE

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Jesus Christ. - Philippians 4:6-7

 

There are lots more scripture verses on being thankful and content than the ones below, but these will get you started as you discuss thankfulness with your children. 

Psm. 95:2 * Psm. 100:4 * Psm. 50:14 * 2 Cor. 9:15 * Eph. 5:20 * Phil. 4:11 * 1 Tim. 6:6-10 * Heb. 13:5

 

Remember ever; and always, that your country was founded...by the stern old Puritans who made the deck of the Mayflower an altar of the living God, and whose first act on touching the soil of the new world was to offer on bended knees thanksgiving to Almighty God.
~ Henry Wilson, 18th US Vice President under Ulysses S. Grant

60 TEACHER APPRECIATION GIFT IDEAS
by Lois Breneman, © 2006, Heart to Heart

 

It seems to have become more and more common for parents to be expected to give gifts to their children's teachers at school, so if you are at a loss for ideas. Hopefully these sixty suggestions will give you some creative ideas. Showing appreciation does not mean you have to go broke, however.

Of all these gift ideas, my favorite is number one - that of writing a heartfelt thank you note with a small gift. I'm sure this would be one of your child's teacher's favorite and most treasured gifts as well. I remember how after I wrote a thank you note to a kindergarten teacher at the end of the school year, she told me how she rarely ever got a thank you - in letter or word! That is terribly sad! And it doesn't cost anything except a little thought and time! Your child could even add a P.S. and we all know how that would be appreciated by a teacher! Even an additional thoughtful poem about children or teaching would be enjoyed by your child's teacher.

I might add that I believe most teachers already have quite enough coffee mugs, vases, hankies, key chains, decorations and trinkets with apples on them, especially if they have been teaching for several years. So unless you know the teacher collects apple trinkets, try not to give a gift that will end up at a yard sale or as a donation to charity.

Before giving chocolate, nuts or sugary sweets, find out if they are able to eat them. Some people are allergic to chocolate or nuts, are diabetic, trying to lose weight, or would just rather eat healthier foods. Perfumes are not a good gift, since many people are allergic to them or might not choose the scent you would. Hand lotions that are lightly scented or without scent would probably be fine in most cases. Of course, if you know your child's teacher's favorite perfume, then it would be a fine gift. When teachers were surveyed, most teachers said they did not consider gift certificates impersonal, but loved receiving them.

There are so many good people who serve us throughout the year, but are forgotten when it comes time for showing appreciation or giving gifts. How about the principal, secretaries, cafeteria staff, the teacher's aide, the P.E. teacher? Then there are the nursery workers, Sunday school teachers, the Awana leader, band leader, private piano teacher - and the list goes on! Parents can't possibly buy or make gifts for all of these people, unless you make something like identical inexpensive Christmas ornaments in assembly line fashion. Then it probably wouldn't break your budget.

I heard of one mother who wanted to do something special for people in volunteer positions, who are often completely overlooked when it comes time to give out thanks, such as Sunday School teachers or nursery workers at church. So each year she and her husband try to invite their children's Sunday School teachers and their families to dinner in their home to thank them for their hard work and dedication throughout the year. She said it never ceases to amaze her that she always hears comments like, "No one has ever done anything like this for me before and I've been teaching Sunday School for twelve years." If you can not invite them all to dinner, a nice "Thank You" note or card given at the holidays or the end of the school year would go a long way in showing your appreciation. They love sincere appreciation!

If dealing with such a large number of potential gift recipients is just too much to think about, but you still want to remember each one in some special way, think about donating a book to the school or church library in the names of all the people who have been part of your child's life this year. Then give each person a card telling them why they are so important to you and your child. Let them know of the book donation and how you hope this gift will help other children as they have helped your child.

It's the thought that counts. Showing appreciation to teachers should be an expression of our sincere thanks to the dedicated people who have given of themselves to our children or touched our lives in a positive way. Remember that gift giving is not a competition to see which child brings the most expensive gift for his teacher. Explain that to your children as well.

The following are suggestions for helpful and often inexpensive teacher appreciation gifts for "Teacher Appreciation Week," the holidays, or the end of the school year. If the cost for what you'd like to give is too high, get on the phone and find one or more other families to give an extra special gift as a joint effort. Most of these suggestions are not that expensive, especially the first one. 

1) A heartfelt thank you letter or handwritten card from the parent (and/or student), telling what you enjoyed about the year or how you appreciated the teacher's input into your child's life. This seems to be one of the best and most appreciated gift ideas, and could be given alone or with a small gift.

2) Gift certificate to a Christian book store

3) Nuts

4) Homemade fudge

5) Pencils printed with "Best Teacher in the World," the teacher's name or "Mrs. Dye's Class"

6) Decorated gingerbread men

7) Flavored coffee, hot chocolate or tea mixes.

8) An apron, possibly that you made.

9) A candle

10) Anything for the classroom: games, construction or other paper, books, rulers, masking tape, Scotch tape, rubber bands, things to decorate or theme objects.

11) Pot holders or placemats - plain or quilted (maybe start planning for next year)

12) Dried fruit

13) A gift certificate to a Bath store.

14) Shoebox sized plastic storage boxes for classroom supplies or home use.

15) Houseplant that you started and established earlier in the year or one you bought. Pothos is a good hardy plant that lives through most anything and does well even without a lot of light.

16) A homemade mix in a jar, where you layer the dry ingredients, and attach the recipe (Muffins, cookies, five bean soup, etc.)

17) Homemade Christmas cookie assortment

18) Chocolate dipped pretzels.

19) Chocolate anything, if you know they aren't allergic to chocolate

20) Painted glass ball Christmas ornament or another type ornament. These are fun for teachers to take out each year and remember students from years past. Write your child's name and the year on them, if possible.

21) Rubber stamps for class papers (100%!, Good Job!, Excellent!, Improvement!, etc.)

22) Rubber stamps for the teacher's own personal use

23) A gift certificate for a massage (several parents might join together for this)

24) Stationery or note cards

25) Postage stamps

26) Book about birds, flowers, houseplants, science experiments, riddles, jokes

27) Silk flower arrangement

28) Decorations for various holidays

29) Gift certificate to a school supply store

30) Pretty cardboard storage boxes. You could cover sturdy shoe boxes and lids with fabric, wallpaper or contact paper or buy some boxes at a craft store.

31) Home grown herbs and spices -- Children can help with this.

32) Fresh fruit basket, though it's best to give too many perishable gifts, in case they get more fruit than they can use.

33) A coupon for a main course, dessert or complete dinner - to be delivered in January or whenever you say. Then be sure to communicate with the teacher and deliver when the time comes.

34) Handmade gift tags for all year round - birthdays, anniversaries, Christmas. Punch a hole in one corner and add a few rolls of thin ribbon to tie on the tags.

35) Devotional book, music tape or CD

36) A tape or CD from Focus on the Family www.focusonthefamily.org

37) Housecleaning - a joint gift of several families going together to cover the cost.

38) A list of cute kids' quotes, possibly made into a booklet

39) As you mix up cookie dough, mix a very large batch in a clean dishpan, and give some of the dough as gifts. Simply roll the unbaked dough into logs, wrap in several layers of plastic wrap, then in cellophane or gift wrap and tie at both ends. Keep chilled. Or if you freeze it, the dough will stay cold for several hours. I made the Best Ever Gingerbread Cookie recipe and gave the dough as gifts one year. Later it can be sliced and baked.

40) If you have an herb garden and have dried your herbs, a sampling of a few different herbs from your garden would be a very nice gift.

41) If you know of a more expensive item that your teacher is in need of, several families could go together to purchase that item as a joint gift. Give other parents a call and see if they might like to join you in that purchase.

42) Cloth napkins or paper ones (find out teacher's kitchen colors).

43) Kitchen towels - possibly with an embroidery design - made much quicker with the embroidery machines these days! (Find out kitchen colors)

44) A gift certificate to the grocery store. Now that's one everyone can use!

45) Stickers!

46) Gift certificate for a video rental.

47) Find out your teacher's hobbies, and purchase an item she could use, or give a gift certificate to a hobby store.

48) Popcorn and a flavored salt sampler.

49) Hand lotions with very light or no fragrance

50) Teachers are on their feet for long hours. Several families could go together to give her a foot massager.

51) At times teaching can be stressful. Several families could join in and give a hand held Homedics massager.

52) Homemade candies

53) Concert voucher (for 2)

54) Movie theater passes (for 2)

55) James Dobson's book, All About Boys - www.focusonthefamily.org  He is currently working on a similar book about girls!  (Note: The book came out in April, 2010!)

56) A snow globe nativity scene. You will find the best bargains after Christmas, so you might want put this on next year's gift list.

57) A small nativity scene for the schoolroom, her home, or both. Again after Christmas sales are best.

58) Have a small trophy or marble block made saying, "Best Teacher of the Year Award - According to Your Third Grade Class" Call the trophy store for prices. You might be surprised at how little one would cost.

59) Homemade quick breads (Cranberry-orange, date-nut bread, banana nut bread, etc.)

60) Homemade whole wheat-honey bread or homemade sticky buns! Yum!

OTHER CHRISTMAS TIDBITS
Quote ~ Jesus gave history a new beginning. In every land He is at home ... His birthday is kept across the world. His death-day has set a gallows against every city skyline. -- George Buttrick

 

Deer in the Yard ~ Karen Coughlin in Florida shared this interesting link - http://www.pelorian.com/deer.html

MORE CHRISTMAS IDEAS
By Carol Vega in Pennsylvania

Snow Scenes ~ Fun and simple craft for kids. Recycling too. You will need: Old Christmas Greeting Cards, White glue, small brush or Q-tips, salt (or glitter).

Select a card. Tear off the second page of the card. Have glue in a small cup or bowl. Have children use a small brush or Q-tip to brush the glue over certain parts of the scene that is printed on the card. Next sprinkle salt or glitter (or both) over the glued picture. This will make the pictures look snowy. Kids can hang these in their bedroom windows, give them away, write a note on the back for a new special card for someone or glue them onto a wrapped package for a special package decoration. (This is a great way to jazz up brown bag wrap or solid colored paper!)

Twig Snowflakes: A Kids' Craft for Outdoor Decorating ~ For ages 3 and up. You will need: Assorted twigs: broken into 3"to 5" pieces, 2" foam balls, Spray snow or white spray paint.

Gently stick enough twigs into each foam ball to cover it thoroughly. Parents: Take the snowflakes outside onto newspaper or an old plastic tablecloth and spray paint them white on all sides. Once dry, tie string to one twig and make a loop. Hang these on an outside evergreen tree. This sounds so simple but they really look great on a tree! And your child can say "I did that!"

Theme Gift Baskets ~ Some fun ways to give a bigger gift of both store-bought and home-made gifts is to make up a gift basket. You can get baskets all year round when on sale, find them at yard sales or thrift stores or re-use ones given to you that sit in your attic. You could also use a Christmas stocking to hold your gift instead of a basket!

Consider pairing:

• A scented candle and bubble bath (homemade bath salts, etc.), and CD or tape of relaxing music (The dollar store has these!)
• Cookie Recipe book, cookie cutters and cookie decorations
• Joke book and whoopee cushion (have your kids print up some little cards with their favorite jokes on them and tape these little cards all over the outside of the package or basket. Add the child's name below!)
• family video, cola, snacks, and popcorn
• Paperback book & box of cocoa (you could also add a homemade no-sew fleece blanket)
• Calendar, diary and nice pen.
• Young girl/Teen: Hair scrunchies. Fun hair accessories, hairbrush & kid's shampoo
• Bubble bath, fun- shaped bath soap or spray foam and a bath tub toy (for child)
• Art Basket: Coloring book, crayons, markers, watercolors, paint brushes and paper.
• Disposable camera or film and photo album
• Desk organizer full of paper clips, etc., calendar, and a bulletin. (Fill the calendar with family birthdays and events. Add a few fun photos and tacks to the bulletin board.)
• Coffee-lover: Nice large mug, coffee packets, or mixes, chocolate covered spoons, bag of mini marshmallows, a few candy canes. (Try the dessert coffee recipe below. Put it in a nice jar from the dollar store! Add a tag around the neck with the instructions for preparation!)

No-Sew Fleece Blanket ~ Choose polar fleece in cute patterns at a fabric or craft store. Baby blankets require about ¾ of a yard, you’ll want a yard or more for adults and older children. You can make a heavier blanket by layering two fabric panels or a lighter-weight blanket by using one layer only. Cut about 2" strips on the edges and tie them together to add fringe. They don't fray, even with washing.

Potpourri Topiaries ~ Easy to make, yet a very nice decoration and gift! You will need: Clay pot (any size), foam ball (approximately the same size as the width of the pot), Long twig (approx. 3 times the height of the container, Craft (tacky) glue or glue gun & glue. Bag of potpourri, Floral foam and Spanish moss.

Parent: Use a knife to slightly sharpen one end of the twig. Glue a piece of floral foam into the clay pot. Then glue the blunt end of the twig down into the foam. Place the foam ball onto the pointed end of the twig, allowing the twig point to pierce the ball. Remove and add some glue and replace the ball onto the twig. Glue some Spanish moss into the pot to cover the floral foam. Open the bag of potpourri and allow the child to glue pieces all over the ball, overlapping when necessary to cover the entire ball.

Make a festive bow from holiday ribbon and glue at the bottom of the ball. This can be left like this or if you hope for it to last longer, add a spray fixative or sealer onto the covered ball and the twig. If you still want the aroma of potpourri, you can add fragrance oil to the Spanish moss in the pot. Note: You could also use a plastic plant pot, but add some stones to the bottom before your plant foam for weight! This way it is not top-heavy!

Unique Holiday Towel Set ~ For a cute Christmas present for grandparents, an addition to a kitchen gift basket, or to decorate your own home, try this cute idea! Buy a plain white tea towel from the dollar store or other discount store. You can also make cloth napkins and potholders. To decorate, dip your child's foot in brown paint. Stamp it onto the towel for the reindeer's face. Next using tan (or yellow) paint use handprints for antlers. Thumbprints in red make great noses and the tips of pinky fingers dipped in black make the eyes. This idea would even work on a white sweatshirt if you used fabric paint. (Once dry, iron it to make it permanently set.)

Another Great Sweatshirt Decoration ~ Buy a solid, dark colored sweatshirt in the size of the gift recipient. Navy and royal blue, green, or black all work well. Gather together all your white buttons! You may need to buy a large bag of white buttons. Show your child how to lay out the buttons onto the sweatshirt to make a tree shape. Make a few trees in different sizes. Add a line of buttons along the bottom to make the snow-covered ground. You may also add your very smallest white buttons as snow falling by placing them here & there above and around the trees. To add the buttons, you will need a no-sew fabric glue. This makes it simple and safe for the kids. It would take too long to sew that many buttons! These look really neat when done.

Decorative Candles at a Fraction of the Cost ~ These are great gifts. Make a set of three different sizes to sit together or just add one to a gift basket! Buy plain solid colored fat pillar candles in different heights. I like them white but any color will work. You will also need buttons (all different sizes) but all the same color as the candle. Simply glue buttons, varying different sizes, onto the candle, starting at the bottom. Only glue them 1/3 to 1/2 the way up. The top line of buttons should be in a wave pattern or at different heights. (This looks better than stopping them all at the exact same level.) They look really nice and the glossier buttons catch the light of the candle and shimmer when the candle is burning. Make green candles with all green buttons and red candles with all red buttons. My favorite is all white candles with white buttons. Try it and see which you like best!