Blog Update!
For those of you not following me on Facebook, as of the Summer of 2019 I've moved to Central WA, to a tiny mountain town of less than 1,000 people.

I will be covering my exploits here in the Cascades, as I try to further reduce my impact on the environment. With the same attitude, just at a higher altitude!

Sunday, December 7, 2008

Crunchy's holiday gift basket

Okay, since I'm actually busy this weekend trying to squeeze in making all the handmade things that will go into the holiday gift baskets I'm giving away for Christmas (nothing like waiting until the last minute!), I don't have time to write a super thoughtful post for today.

So, instead, I'm going to tell you what's going into the gift baskets. I'm including links for how to make the items yourself if you want to know how I'm doing them:

1. Peppermint bark
2. Spiced nuts
3. Homemade, dried pasta (if I have time)
4. White chocolate raspberry jam with coffee liqueur

5. Candy cane sugar scrub
6. PiƱa colada whipped body butter
7. Silk lavender eye mask

I had so much lavender that I dried from the garden over the summer that I really wanted to make something to give away. I'm not sure if I'll get around to making the sleepy eyes on them, but it's a cute idea.

I'm trying to go for a mix of things that will appeal to both genders (food for the guys and pampering for the gals). I still have a few things left over from last year (like microwaveable rice bags and bath scrubbies that I knit) that will go into gift bags for those who didn't get them last year.

I'll also be including a cheat sheet with the gifts to explain how to use certain items and include ingredients instead of trying to write individual tags for them. Call me lazy, but I think it will be easier and I can spend my energy on the gifts themselves instead.

By the way, for the Candy cane sugar scrub I ended up doing colored layers rather than a swirl since it was much easier that way.

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

first! :-) i'm so impressed with everything you're making. i can't wait to see how to make these things, and then hope i have time to actually do so! Happy holidays, Crunchy! :)

Anonymous said...

I haven't planned out my holiday gift baskets yet but my friends and family are used to "new years baskets" by now :) I've done strictly food in years paste but I like the idea of adding one or two other items to mix it up.

Kimberly said...

I love the body butter recipe. I'm going to have to go find some shea butter this week!
What scents have you tried? I've got lavendar and peppermint oils on hand. What do you mix for the Pina Colada?

Unknown said...

Wow, these are great!

Anonymous said...

oooo....I wish I was on your list. It is sure to be a hit!

Sharlene said...

How do you make the body butter pina colada flavored?

Anonymous said...

It's good to know that someone has their homemade holiday gift giving together.

Question: I followed the homemade pasta link, but the instructions are for pasta that you cook immediately. How do you dry the pasta?

Oh yeah, and be sure to label which items are "for body application" or "for consumption". I can imagine wayward family members adding the candy cane sugar scrub to their coffee or spreading the body butter on their toast-- though I bet they actually taste pretty good.

Crunchy Chicken said...

Kimberly and Sharlene - I have a Pina Colada fragrance oil that I bought from a soap making supplies store.

Marimoy said...

Where do you get all this time?!?!?

Anonymous said...

Where did you get your pattern for knitted body scrubbers? I knitted 3 washcloths for my husband for Christmas this year but would like to know more about what you did. I'm thinking of making bath salts for my daughters - found a recipe on line that uses Epsom salts and a drop of scented oils.

Lisa Nelsen-Woods said...

Oh thank you! I want to make a sugar scrub for stocking stuffers and your peppermint scrub is so much better than what I planned on doing. Besides, it's an excuse to buy candy canes!

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the great ideas for making items for my gift baskets. I especially love the candy cane sugar scrub!

Anonymous said...

Great ideas of making gift baskets.Thanks there and I would like to wish beforehand a very Happy Christmas n New year eve.

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