Tag: DIY

Christmas Is All about Giving

Carrie1 Comment

IMG_0152Take a look back to the early 90’s.  These were the days when it was exciting to get a toaster oven for Christmas.  We now find ourselves in the 21st century when it is exciting to get the latest version of the iPad.  Thanks to the recession and life, most of us cannot afford to give our friends such lavish gifts.  Instead of searching around TJ Maxx to buy something luxurious for your friend at a bargain basement price that you can afford, give them something that will make a lasting impression.  Nothing says you care like something homemade.  I decided this year that I would make an assortment of cookies and other treats to share with my close friends.  You can make cupcake platterss, cookie trays, gift baskets.  Don’t forget that you can even have small dinner parties for your friends to enjoy your homemade delights.  I can guarantee that they all will appreciate the time you have put into your creations.  My grandmother always told me that the greatest gift you can give is your time.  Hope you all have a wonderful holiday season.  Make sure you step back and take time to enjoy it yourself!

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These are lemon cream cheese frosted vanilla cupcakes topped with a ginger molasses cookie.IMG_0214
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This is a picture of my dining room all decked out with Christmas. ‘Tis the season.

Candlestick Maker

Sadie2 Comments

I’ve had some extra mason jars hanging around my house that I’ve been meaning to use for something.  Last weekend I came up with a great idea: candles.  I decided it would be cute to make some candles in the small mason jars that I could use primarily outside to decorate the dinner table.

With this thought in mind I made a quick trip to Michael’s and made some amateur choices about wax, colors, and scents.  I am definitely a candle making novice, but I think it was pretty easy to make choices among the various choices of wax and accoutrements.  I basically just read a lot of labels and picked a pretty standard wax for container candles, plus some floral scents, wicks, and a color.

To get started I chopped up about half of the four pound block of wax and started heating up a little water on the stove in the bottom of a double boiler.  I dropped the chopped up wax into the top of the double boiler and watched it melt down.

Once it was melted I added the directed amount of scent and color so my candles would be purple and smell like gardenias.  While the scent and color were mixing into the wax I microwaved the mason jars for a minute to warm them up.  The label on the wax suggested that the containers should be warmed up without using water. The microwave was the perfect option.  Apparently if the containers aren’t warm, then the wax will shrink away from the sides as it cools.

Finally, I poured the wax into the jars and positioned the wicks as best I could.  Then all that was left was to wait for them to cool!

They didn’t turn out perfect because the centers sank a little, but I love them and I think they will be a great addition to my outdoor decor!