I love shopping at thrift stores! They have the best books, stuff you won't find anywhere else ... and other neat things, too.
I found this really cool recipe and tried a "test bar" for myself. It is GREAT! I am wrapping a couple of bars in cellophane and placing in a little gift basket with an apple and cinnamon candle (from dollar store) and giving as gifts. (Oh, you can use any mold, I used some candy molds I had.) Ingredients 4 ounces unscented glycerin soap bars 10 drops cinnamon oil (made my own-recipe below; you can buy it though if you like) cinnamon sticks 1 drop red food coloring (optional) Directions -Using a heavy saucepan, melt the soap over low heat until it is liquid. -Remove pan from heat. -Stir in cinnamon oil and food coloring. -Place small cinnamon stick(s) in center of mold. -Pour soap into a mold and let it set for 3 hours. -Unmold and enjoy. Cinnamon Oil 2 c pure olive oil (other oil would probably work) 1/2 ground cinnamon Heat oil until very hot. Add cinnamon, lower heat and simmer for 10 min. Line mesh strainer with coffee filter and place sterilized car under it. Allow to drip through. Done!
You know we are all into making our own detergent well, that gave me an idea. We could recycle our mayonnaise jars. Fill them with the homemade dishwasher detergent and add a ribbon and a piece of decorative paper with the directions and recipe in case they want to make more. I was also thinking that I bet the $ store has some measure spoons and you could tie one of them to the ribbon also.
I bake cookies and buy the decorative tins at Target. They are 1.00 each. I also make banana bread and put it in a decorative bag. For my parents I have bought a photo album and put pictures of everyone in it. A few years ago I bought a knifty knitter at Michaels and started making scarfs/hat sets for people. I have absolutely no talent at actual knitting and the knifty knitter was easy and fun to do while watching TV.
I am making up themed baskets. I a BIG couponer and managed to get most of this for free or super cheap but even without a coupon its pretty inexpensive. One that I am doing is Movie Night, it will have a bag of popcorn, a BB card good for 1 rental, 2 Liter soda, and some candy. I will put it in a basket and wrap that in celophane. I have other themes like A Day at the Spa, Spring Cleaning (different cleaning supplies I have gotten super cheap/free), Candles and so on...
Marshmallow guns - does anyone have a link with instructions? Our money is way past tight this year so I'm crocheting doll baby blankets for my dgds. I had just enough left over that I did a small bracelet out of yarn, also.
Speaking of PVC! My dad bought some PVC and cut it up, making rolling pins for my sisters and I. Then he attached a dish towel and oven mit to it with ribbon and a bow. The towel and mit were from the dollar store. So all together, it made for cheap but great gifts. I am telling you, to this day I have never used a rolling pin that works as great as the PVC pipe. LOL
they have/had instructions on Dec 16. Video too I think. http://www.homeschoolfreebie.wholesomechildhood.com/
I just searched online and came up with alot of them. Some of them were on utube also. We made all the nieces and nephews them for Christmas. For some adults we made the plastic bag holders. The type made from material with elastic on top and bottom and you stuff the bags in.
