The gift-giving holidays are just around the corner and I know the recession has not made purchasing gifts easy. I recently saw an article in Real Simple for homemade gifts and I just loved a lot of the money saving ideas to show loved ones on your list you care. The reason these ideas stood out is… let’s face it, as much as we all appreciate the effort of someone slaving away in the kitchen to give us 1,000 calories worth of baked goods we all secretly would rather not have all that temptation laying around. I’m sure our friends feel the same way. So here are some calorie-free homemade gift ideas.
Sassy Chick
Fizzing Bath BombBath Bombs are fun and easy to make and when dropped into a warm tub create a effervescent fizz releasing relaxing bath salts and natural oil into your tub. You can change their bathing effect just by using a few different ingredients. For an energizing bomb use a few drops of peppermint oil or for a relaxing soak try lavender oil.
Ingredients
1 cup baking soda
1 cup cup citric acid powder
1 /2 cup corn starch
1 /2 cup light oil (almond, sunflower, etc.)
5-6 drops peppermint or lavender essential oil
2-3 drops food coloring (optional)
Plastic molds such as muffin cups, ice cube trays, candy mold or measuring cups
Directions
Mix together all ingredients until you have a crumbly dough. Form into balls or press into plastic molds. Let sit for a few hours to dry and harden, gently tap the mold to release the bath bomb. Continue to air dry. To use: Drop one bath bomb into a warm tub. Yield: 20 ounces, approximately 6 bath bombs.
Recipe From Natural Beauty at Home by Janice Cox (Henry Holt and Company) for more recipes and ideas visit her website at http://www.janicecox.com/
Photo: Julie Hasson: Everyday Dish
Morning, Noon, and Night Bath Salts
Makes: 3 gifts Total time: 35 minutes (includes 15 minutes drying time)
What You Need
Glass jars (such as the 4-ounce Glass Cork-Top Bottles; $3.50 each, containerstore.com)
salts (one salt per bottle; 5-pound bags range from $11 to $25 at saltworks.us, and kosher and Epsom salts are available at supermarkets)
essential oils (available at escentialonline.com or a health-food store)
3 one-gallon plastic resealable bags
measuring cup
small funnel
watercolor paper
watercolor paint and brush
ruler
scissors
metallic pen (such as the Sakura Metallic Pen-Touch Calligrapher Medium Point Pen; $3, dickblick.com)
metallic cord.
What to Do
For a stimulating “morning” concoction, use Himalayan salts (which are reputed to have detoxifying qualities) that have been scented with an energizing citrus oil like neroli or petitgrain. For “noon,” use Epsom salts and a warming oil, like rosemary (which is nice for muscles after a run or any kind of exercise). For relaxing “night” salts, use any kosher sea salt, combined with a teaspoon of powdered milk, which can soften skin, and soothing clary-sage or chamomile oil.
Pour 5 ounces of each salt into a resealable bag (this is a great gift to make in multiples, so double or triple the amounts as desired). To each, add 8 to 12 drops of essential oil (depending on whether you want a subtle or slightly stronger fragrance). Gently shake to mix the contents. With the funnel, pour the salt into a container almost to the top; wash and thoroughly dry the funnel between salts to keep the scents separate and moisture out of the jars. Seal the jars.
Choose a hue to reflect each time of day and paint a sheet of paper in each color (you’ll have enough paper for several labels). Let dry for 10 minutes.
Cut 1-by-3-inch labels. Mark each with the metallic pen, and tie them to the bottles with the metallic cord.
Makes: 1 gift Total time: 20 minutes (once you have collected and color-copied your memorabilia)
What You Need
Unlined journal (such as the Moleskine soft-cover pocket plain 80-page notebook, $11, moleskineus.com)
recipe cards (the more sauce-splattered, the better)
wine or Champagne labels
photos from family meals
adhesive (such as Tombow Mono Permanent Adhesive, $5, dickblick.com)
photo corners
ruler
shimmery alphabet stickers (available at crafts stores)
ribbon
What to Do
Color-copy all recipe cards, photos, and labels if you want to preserve the originals or make more than one gift book.
Compile the memorabilia by time period, holiday, or any other theme that inspires you.
Affix the items horizontally in the journal. Use photo corners for pictures and recipe cards and adhesive for labels and clippings.
Stick a title on the front of the journal with alphabet stickers (using a ruler helps), and finish off with a ribbon.
Fabric-Mounted Family Photo
Makes: 1 giftTotal time: 10 minutes (plus 10 minutes drying time)
What You Need
a great picture
a brightly colored frame (use an 8-by-10-inch frame for a 5-by-7-inch shot, or a 5-by-7-inch frame for a 4-by-6-inch shot)
textured but thin fabric (a remnant from a sewing store is perfect, as long as it is a couple of inches bigger than the frame)
scissors
fabric glue
archival photo tape
What to Do
Upload a few photos (so you have some choice) to a site that produces great-quality prints, like adorama.com. Order copies in black-and-white or color on matte paper, which has a sophisticated look.
To make the mounting, cut the fabric slightly larger than the cardboard backing of the frame.
Apply glue to the edges of the backing and wrap the fabric tautly around each side. Press firmly. Dry under a heavy book for about 10 minutes.
Using a ruler, center the photo, then secure it with photo tape. Carefully slip the mounted picture into the frame.
Monogrammed JournalMakes: 1 giftTotal time: 15 minutes
What You Need
Hardback journal
set of alphabet stamps
stamp pad
rubber band
large binder clip
acid-free paper
ruler
pencil
adhesive, such as Tombow Mono Permanent Adhesive
What to Do
Use a rubber band to secure 3 letter stamps together in monogram order. Practice stamping on a piece of scrap paper.
Open the journal covers flat on the table. With the clip, clamp all the pages together. Stamp the edges of the stacked pages one side at a time, moving the clip as needed.
To make endpapers, fold a piece of acid-free paper in half, lay it inside the existing front cover, and trim to fit. Do the same for the inside back cover.
Draw light horizontal (or, for a looser motif, diagonal) lines across the paper. Stamp along the lines and let dry for 15 minutes. Erase the pencil marks.
Apply adhesive to the existing endpaper, including the spine. Place the stamped paper on top. Press gently. Repeat for the inside back cover.
Sugar-Bowl CandlesMakes: 2 gifts Total time: 25 minutes
What You Need
2 flea-market sugar bowls
1 1-pound bag of soy wax
microwave-safe container with pouring spout
dye
candle-fragrance oil
scissors
wicking
wick tabs
wood skewers or chopsticks
What to Do
Follow the instructions on the soy-wax package for heating the wax and adding dye and fragrance.
Cut the wicking so that it’s about three inches taller than the bowl.
Thread the wicking through a wick tab and knot it at one end. Slide the wick tab down to the knot. Dip the wick tab into the melted wax to coat, then press down firmly in the center of the bowl to make it adhere.
Tie the loose end of the wicking to a skewer (so that it won’t get caught in the wax), then rest the skewer across the lip of the bowl. Repeat the wick-tab process for the second bowl.
Slowly pour the wax into the bowls and allow it to harden.
Cut the wicks right below the skewers; they should stick up about a quarter inch from the wax.
Infused VodkaMakes: 2 gifts (1 liter in all) Total time: 5 minutes (plus 1 week for infusing)
1 liter vodka
flavorings, such as 1½ cups fresh pineapple chunks, 4 vanilla beans, or 3 halved and seeded jalapeños
glass bottles with tight seals
Divide the vodka and desired flavorings among the bottles.
How to Package Your Gift
Divide the vodka among glass bottles with tight seals. Try the Twenty-Ounce Spice Bottles ($10 each), Fishs Eddy, 201-420-8828.
Tie a ribbon around the neck of each and attach a gift tag.
Makes: 1 gift Total time: 15 minutes (plus 1½ hours drying time)
3 glass bud vases of different shapes
gold-leaf kit
scissors
2 small, soft paintbrushes
Dip a paintbrush in the adhesive (from the gold-leaf kit) and paint loose, slightly irregular upward strokes to cover the outer rims of the vases. Set aside for an hour while the adhesive becomes tacky (it will turn clear).
