New Year's Centerpiece

Here is a quick and easy centerpiece you and the kids can make to ring in the new year. The supplies are so versatile that you probably have them already on hand! These would make a nice little gift for grandparents, aunts and uncles as well.

Materials Needed:
Card stock or craft foam

18 or 20 gauge wire OR pipe cleaners

Styrofoam, or clay

Paper crinkle, Easter grass or shredded paper

Small container

Markers or dimensional paints

Scissors

Decorative wire or floral picks (optional)

Step 1: Trace your kids hands onto card stock or craft foam and cut them out.

Step 2: Using a marker or paints, write your New Year's messages on both sides of the cut-outs. Be sure to include the child's name on the hand print as well.

Step 3: Cut one piece of wire (or use one pipe cleaner) about 12 inches long for each hand print.

Step 4: Cut enough foam (or use clay) to fill the container you are using. Stick one end of the wire or pipe cleaner into the foam or clay. Place some paper crinkle around the base of the wires on top of the foam.

Step 5: Twist a spiral into the top end of the wire or pipe cleaner. Use the spiral to hold the cut out hand prints.

Step 6: adjust wires as necessary and embellish with decorative wire or floral picks if desired.

Other ideas: When you are finished with this centerpiece, you could replace the hand prints with photos. You could also put magnets on the back of the hand prints and use them on your fridge.

Heather is a wife, mom,
school cafeteria worker,
councilwoman and babysitter from Ohio.
She also blogs at Its All for the Best
and The Fat Bottomed Girl.

Merry Christmas

Wishing you a blessed holiday full of peace, joy and love.

Image Credit: Free Vintage Christmas Images

Carnival #95

The 95th edition of the Make it from Scratch carnival can be found at Adventures in the 100 Acres Wood. Lot of ideas there for last minute holiday baking, wrapping, homemade gifts, and more. Enjoy the carnival this week!

Christmas Spirit Award

Thank you to Omah's Helping Hands for awarding Make it from Scratch the 2008 Christmas Spirit Award.

Part of receiving this award is to list your five favorite things about Christmas.

1) I love reading the Christmas story together as a family Christmas morning.

2) One of my favorite traditions is attending a candle light Christmas Eve service. 

3) The look on the children's faces as they open up their presents, but

4) Even better than that, is watching them as others open the presents that were made or picked by the kids. I think they get more excited about the gifts they give than the ones they receive.

5) Time spent with extended family. 

Another part of receiving this award is passing it along to others. I am only taking a moment this morning to pass this award on to one other blog. It isn't that I think this is the only blog out there worthy of the award, but this is a blog I've been meaning to highlight for some time. This seems like the perfect opportunity to do so. 

Christmas 

This blog recently was started by a mom I know through our homeschool co-op group. It is entirely devoted to Christmas, the true story and the origin behind our traditions. Her latest post 1st Corinthians 13, Christmas Style is particularly poignant for those of who get caught up in the busyness of this season. 

A Merry Christmas to you!

A Christmas Craft Break

I am taking a Christmas break from posting a craft here. I hope you all have a wonderful and blessed Christmas.

Be sure to visit next Saturday when I'll be back with a cool New Year's Craft!

Thanks for reading!

Heather

Heather is a wife, mom,
school cafeteria worker,
councilwoman and babysitter from Ohio.
She also blogs at Its All for the Best
and The Fat Bottomed Girl.

Edible Gifts: Putting it all together

I've been sharing ideas for edible presents. Edible presents are wonderful for those on your list who are hard to shop for, or seem to have everything. Most people enjoy homemade treats. They are delicious and consumable, so they don't just sit around gathering dust.

We are coming down to the wire for Christmas gifts this year. One week to go. Now that you've invested your time to create these homemade gifts, it is time to put it all together to create a pretty gift. You don't have to be artsy or crafty; believe me I am not, that is Heather's speciality, a few very simple touches can complete the look of your tasty gifts.

Many of the gifts we have talked about will come in a jar, like the pickled jalapenos pictured.  Use canning jars, or check out the selection of different shaped jars at the thrift store, dollar store, or at the craft store. 

There are so many ways to finish a jar. A mason type jar with a lid and ring can be decorated by simply cutting a circle of cloth with pinking shears. Place a the material over the lid and secure with the ring. Some other interesting ideas have been shared recently in the Make it from Scratch carnivals. See how Leigh decorated her lids with glitter, or the way  Happy Campers used scrap book paper to top their lids. 

You also will probably want to include a tag of some sort. The pickled peppers are self explanatory, so a simple square of card stock stamped with a holiday greeting will suffice. It is tied on with ribbon through a hole punched in the corner. 

If this were a gift mix, like hot chocolate mix, I would label what the mix was and be sure to include instructions. With items that are perhaps a bit unfamiliar to the recipient, like hot pepper jam, I include a list of suggested uses for the item. The tags can be handwritten or printed out and glued to card stock. 

Labels could also be printed out a stuck right to the jars. This does look really nice, but I never do it this way. The reason I don't is completely a practical one. I like to reuse jars, and getting the stickers off is a pain. See? I am practical to the core. 

Other gifts like cookies or candy can be placed in a tin, plastic container, on a tray, in a plastic bag, or in a basket. The chocolate covered pretzels pictured are in small plastic bags purchased from the craft store. Simply place the items in the bag and tie off with ribbon. These were gifts that my husband gave to his clients. 

If you want to make a larger gift with a variety of treats, place several of these bags into a basket filled with shredded colored paper, and put a big bow on the basket. Cellophane can also be purchased at crafts stores. This can be used to wrap a cookie or bread tray. Again just add ribbon, a bow and a card to complete. 

Your imagination is the limit when putting together your edible gifts. Here I've shown you a few simple and easy things that anyone (including myself!) can do. I'd love to hear your ideas and tips too!

Ideas for edible gifts:

This season's bounty; Next season's gifts

Quick Breads

For Coffee Lovers

Chocolate Covered Gifts

Christmas Cookies

Carnival #94

This week you will find the carnival at 11th Heaven's Homemaking Haven. There are some fantastic submissions this week, and our hostess has drawn us in with pictures of these fabulous creations. It is hard to pick only a few to highlight. Be sure to check the complete carnival out!

Crystallized ginger and syrup
I love the taste of ginger. One simple procedure produces two great ginger products. This is something I will be trying!

Beaded Eggs
Wow these are beautiful!

Chocolate Chip Peppermint Biscotti
Biscotti is on my baking list to be gifted with some cocoa and coffee mixes, but I am having a hard time deciding what kind of biscotti to make. This has been added to the realm of possibilities.

Enjoy the carnival! Next week I will be hosting at my family blog, Adventures in the 100 Acre Woods. Hope to see you there!