Dec 16 | Easy DIY, Holidays
Here’s one of my easy gifts I’ve been working on! I wanted something cute to put gift cards in since I’ll be giving a few gift cards this year. I came up with the felt mitten idea which can be hung on the Christmas tree as well! I had most of the supplies on hand already. Here’s how I did it:
Supplies:
- Felt piece (dollar store)
- Fabric snowflake (dollar store)
- Ric rac
- Christmas tree cut from a piece of fabric I had
- Sparkly button (from an old hair elastic)
- Needle & thread
- Ribbon (for the mitten to hang on the tree)
Basically, I just drew a mitten shape on a scrap piece of paper that was big enough to fit a gift card, then traced it onto the felt. Cut it out, then decorated the one side with whatever I could find around the house with fabric glue and thread! After the one side was decorated, I put the two mitten pieces together by hand stitching them together. You could use a sewing machine, but I liked the handmade look of the uneven stitches. That’s pretty much it! A gift card holder and an ornament in one!
Dec 5 | Easy DIY, Holiday Crafts, Holidays, Homemade Christmas Gifts
I thought you guys would like to see what my mom made for a few of her girlfriends for Christmas this year! They’re Holiday Simmering Packages! They’ll make any home smell wonderful, just like Christmas! (They’re not meant for drinking, but for simmering on the stove.) I think I’m even going to make up a few for my girlfriends!
For her recipe, my mom used her dehydrator to dry the oranges, lemons and apples, but you could also dry them in your oven or just use fresh peels!
-
3
Cinnamon Sticks
-
1-2
dry orange slices
-
1-2
dry lemon slices
-
1-2
dry apple slices
-
2
tsp.
whole cloves
-
1/4
tsp.
ground cloves
-
2
tsp.
whole spice
-
1/2
tsp.
ground nutmeg
-
1-2
crushed bay leaves
-
2
tsp.
dried mandarin orange peel
Place all the ingredients in a plastic bag.
Put a label on the bag with these instructions:
Place ingredients in a pot of water and simmer, adding more water as needed! Makes your house smell wonderful!
Dec 3 | Easy DIY, Holiday Recipes, Holidays
I have got the cutest holiday project for you today! It’s so simple too! I think they’d make a good project to do with kids. Maybe as a craft at a holiday party? Or maybe wrap them up to add a cute touch to a hot chocolate gift? Regardless of what you do with them, they’re awesome because they involve chocolate and peppermint! 🙂
Here’s how to make simple Candy Cane Reindeer:
INGREDIENTS:
DIRECTIONS:
- Line a cutting board or cookie sheet with wax paper.
- Heat chocolate candy chips by microwaving for 30 seconds stirring and repeating until melted.
- Take 2 candy canes and dip the bottoms (straight parts) in chocolate and shake off excess.
- Place together on wax paper so hooks of each go off in opposite directions.
- Place an unwrapped Hershey Kiss on the chocolate covered canes.
- Repeat for remaining canes.
- Using a toothpick, take a dab or melted chocolate and glue the red candy on top of the kiss as the nose.
- Using a toothpick, take a dab or melted chocolate and glue on the eyes.
- Take the white chocolate chip and place on wax paper and heat in microwave for 15 seconds.
- Take another toothpick and paint a white mouth on each reindeer.
Aren’t they cute? Are you going to give these Candy Cane Reindeer a try?
Related holiday recipes:
Nov 20 | Easy DIY
If you’ve got someone on your list who would love an apron, you should check out the huge list of apron patterns I have available on Simply Frugal! You’ll find free patterns for full aprons, half aprons and even kid sized aprons!
Nov 19 | Easy DIY, Holiday Crafts, Holidays, Homemade Christmas Gifts
These simple to make Hot Chocolate Ornaments are the perfect addition to any gift! Add one along with a mug and some extra hot chocolate. Or tie one to a gift bag. Or maybe you could add it to the tree at a party for the hostess to find at some point. The options are endless really.
Just as the gifting options are endless with these ornaments, there are also many ways to put these together.
This is what I used to make these particular hot chocolate ornaments:
- A pack of hot chocolate
- mini marshmallows
- candy cane (crushed)
- plastic ornament (a pack of four from Walmart)
Here’s how to make the ornaments:
- Start with a clean ornament, take the top off, then fill each ingredient into the ornament using a funnel.
- Add the hot chocolate mix, then the crushed candy cane, then the mini marshmallows.
- Put the top back on.
- Create a little label with instructions, then add it to the ornament.
- Make sure to deliver these standing upright, unless you want everything to be mixed up!
Here’s are some other items you could add to each ornament:
- sprinkles
- chocolate chips (or white chocolate, mint chips, peanut butter chips)
- different flavoured hot chocolate packs (rolo, mint, etc.)
- mini rolos
- Skor bits
I hope you enjoy making these Hot Chocolate Ornaments!
Nov 16 | Easy DIY, Holiday Crafts, Holidays, Homemade Christmas Gifts
After a hectic day, there is nothing as soothing as a long soak in the bath tub. Adding bath salts not only adds to the relaxing nature of baths by making the water smell delicious but by providing healing and soothing aspects to your skin!
Why not try this simple recipe for homemade bath salts to give away to the bath takers on your gift list! I’m sure they’ll love it!
-
2
cups
Epsom Salts
-
1
cup
Baking Soda
-
2-3
drops Essential Oils
Add the Epsom salts and baking soda to a bowl.
Stir to combine.
Add essential oils.
Let the bath salts dry overnight before adding to your jars.
If you want more than one scent, separate the salts into more than one bowl before adding the oils.
For my particular bath salts, I made one jar lavender scent and the other peppermint. The decorative jars I picked up at a local dollar store. As for the tags, I made them using a couple of paper punches my mom and I have in our craft supplies.
