ezi-gifts-galore

2010 - already one month old - news about my kids theme party site

2010-01-30T20:44:00.005+02:00

I think I have mentioned quite a few times on this blog how time can fly... especially during the times that I did not post regularly...

Today, 30th January 2010, it is exactly 1 year and 11 days since I wrote my goodbye post here with a promise to give you the link to my new site about working from home opportunities!

As we know all too well, life leads us on strange and different paths and I ended up with a site where I provide information on planning kids theme parties. This site gives ideas about different themes for kids parties, party planning with check lists (and this one is really so true, no list, no successful party!), party activities and games, crafts, party snacks... whatever you will need to plan a cool party for your kid's birthday.

So be sure to bookmark kids-theme-parties and visit often to see what is on the menu.

I realised as this new site progressed, that many of the things I posted about here on ezi-gifts-galore could also be used when you plan a party for your kid, just as the recipes on my edible gifts blog and many of the projects I posted on Mia's kids stuff blog are appropriate for kids party planning.

So I think my new kids-theme-parties site is a combination of my first three blogs and the information I provided here and there.

I hope you will visit kids theme parties often and leave comments, ideas and also share the things you did to make your kid's theme party an unforgettable experience.

And remember to have fun when you plan your kid's theme party!!!

A Goodbye Post

2009-01-18T22:30:00.005+02:00

I have finally decided to stop blogging so there will be no new posts on this blog anymore. I will leave the blog open for a few months more and then take it "off the air" for good.

Many things have changed in my personal and financial circumstances during 2008 and I actually realised that I am not getting younger.

I had to decide what is important for me and one of these is my financial future. I will now use all the knowledge I gained from blogging to make a living from the internet.

I was always interested in affiliate and article marketing as an extra means of income and from now on I will concentrate on building a full time business online.

As soon as my new website is up and running, I will post a link to it here for those of you who are interensted to find out more about working from home.

A big thank you to everybody who has visited this blog since 2006. I hope you enjoyed the gift ideas and that you actually made some of the items I shared with you.

Ideas for last minute gifts

2008-12-22T22:21:00.008+02:00

If you are still in need of a few last minute stocking fillers, bookmarks and small fridge magnets cards are quick to make. I indulged my love of digital scrapbooking to make most of the bookmarks on the photo (I cannot remember all the artists whose designs I used but I give credit to all of them for their creativity and sharing of their talents, I will make a list of each and every one of them and post it soon).

I download many of my digital scrapbook material from Scrapbookflair where I also feature some of my scrapbook pages. The cute gingerbread man and rooster graphics were downloaded from Mardar's Stuff. She is a very talented designer, if you visit be sure to sign her guestbook and say thank you.

The fridge magnet cards on this photo were made with graphics I found on some of my card programs. I have a long list of quotes and the only problem when I made these cards were to find quotes to suit the graphics. These small cards can also be used as bookmarks or to keep in a purse or wallet or can even be attached to gifts.

Personalised Desk Calendar

2008-12-17T11:15:00.006+02:00

Personalised calendars are always welcome gifts and this desk calendar can be changed in so many ways to be just perfect for different members of the family.

If you have a graphics program on your computer you can draw the diagrams and add photos in place of the pressed flowers, add birthdays, anniversaries and many more. Read more...

You will find the diagrams at the end of this post.

If you do not have a calendar program on the computer you can download a basic 2009 template from the Microsoft Office Online site. This
template can be scaled down to the size you need, you can change the color and size of the fonts and even insert a picture or clipart.

To make the calendar:

Materials:

Date pad 13cm x 8,5 cm (any size can be used, simply adjust the size of pad)
Blue and white pastel paper
White cardboard
Pressed flowers
50cm x 0,5cm blue or colour of choice ribbon
Matt plastic film
White glue
scissors, hobby knife

To make:

Remove each page of date pad. Cut 12 pieces 9,5 cm x 14 cm blue paper. Glue date pages on to blue paper with 1 cm border (Diagram A)

Cut out piece of white paper 12cm x 20cm. Cut a 0,5cm wide border from blue paper and glue around white paper. Arrange flowers down sides and along lower edge, glue into place with white glue. (Diagram B)

Punch holes through date pages and flower card 1,5 cm from side edge and 1cm from top. (Diagram A)

Stand:

Cut white cardboard to size (Diagram C) Score on dotted lines. Punch out holes to match date pages. Fold into triangle and glue flap to inside of one long side of triangle. Glue flower card to front of stand and cover with plastic film. Thread ribbon through date pages and stand, tie inside stand.
To turn date pages to the back, loosen ribbon.

Diagrams for desk calendar: Click on image to open in new window, right-click and save to your computer.

There is an example of a one-page photo calendar on Mia's blog, another creative way to use photos and calendars for gifts and many a grandparent would appreciate a calendar with a collage of grandchildrens' photos.

Salt Dough Angels and other Christmas Gifts

2008-12-11T22:30:00.010+02:00

It has been a long time since I made anything from salt dough. Regular readers of this blog will know that it started out as a gift idea blog in 2006 and then turned into a salt dough blog for nearly 6 months.

I also subscribed to Google Alerts for updates on salt dough "happenings" at that time and it is amazing how many updates I have received recently, most of them dealing with salt dough. It seems there is a revival of this craft. The lovely ideas that mothers come up with to make Christmas decorations or to just teach their children the joy of being creative are wonderful. Read more...

My salt dough nativity figures have taken their place under the Christmas tree yet again. They have really survived so well for a long, long time. The secret of salt dough items is to seal it with two to three coats of clear varnish (more for bigger items). Make sure to seal the backs of the items as well.

A few months ago I started a Squidoo lens on how to make the salt dough nativity scene. You will find step by step photos and tips as well as the instructions for the stable. Be sure to take a look at the salt dough carriage I found on a web site one day. Salt dough is not only for kids!

My nativity scene figures survived the test of time, these cute little salt dough angels did not make it.

You can find the instructions for them and other salt dough nativity Christmas tree decorations on the Squidoo lens as well.

More craft and gift ideas:

There is a cute little doilie angel on Mia's blog and if you have trouble coming up with a gift for the men in your life, why don't you try the tomato and chilli relish on my edible gifts blog.

Have fun and remember, the best gifts are those that come from the heart!

Document Holders from Recycled Cereal Boxes

2008-12-07T09:32:00.008+02:00

Christmas is just around the corner and so it is really time for me to post one or two gift ideas again.

I always liked this document holder (one of my projects to be finished next year). As a result of my work, I am sometimes snowed under with different coloured cardboard, textured papers and copies of projects I have done for clients.

I always have to search for a specific paper or colour, so one of my new year resolutions is to recycle cereal boxes into useful document or stationery holders. They can be labeled and stacked on top of each other and I will be able to find things quicker. Read more...

There is still time to make a few of these for friends or family to keep important documents, photos or other keepsakes together. A beautiful gift that is inexpensive and will be treasured for many years to come.

To make the document holder, you will need:

Materials:

One sheet thick cardboard;
Printed gift-wrap;
Hobby knife;
Craft/paper glue or spray adhesive;
Ribbon 1cm x 50cm

Instructions:
(Click on image to open in a new window, right-click and save to your computer)

Draw box and folder to measurements of diagrams on to cardboard. Cut out, score along the broken lines. Bend sides upwards and glue flaps inside box. Cut two strips of gift-wrap 58cm x 12cm, join them along short edge. Glue the long strip right around sides of box allowing 2cm to extend below top and bottom. Slit extended paper at top and bottom corners. Fold the bottom extension under the box, glue down, fold top extension to inside, glue down.

Cut out folder from cardboard, score and bend along broken lines. Cut a piece of gift-wrap to same pattern, but again 2cm larger all around. Lay folder on the gift paper, glue down along center section. Fold the sides up, glue paper to each side. Fold extending edges of the gift-wrap to inside, glue down.

Cut a 1,5cm slit in center of each long edge of the folder about 0,5cm from the edge. Cut ribbon in half, thread through the slits and glue the ends down inside.

Cut a piece of gift-wrap 33cm x 23cm, glue to inside front of folder. Glue box to back of folder, placing it 1 cm from outside edge.

Another Birthday for My Blog

2008-10-14T23:02:00.006+02:00

Today this blog is 2 years old and sadly I could not fulfil the promise I made to myself a few months back to start blogging on a regular basis again.

Many times during the past few weeks I wanted to close it down all together but I love this blog!

Last year when I did not post anything for a very long time, I found that there were actually more visitors than in the months that I posted every few days.

Christmas is also just around the corner and there is always a chance that a new visitor may read the posts and find an interesting gift idea.

So for the moment my blog stays and hopefully I will blog again one day.

Lacy crocheted potpourri hearts

2008-08-29T14:43:00.008+01:00

I learned to crochet when I was about 24 years old and to this day, it remains one of my favourite crafts.

Unfortunately I do not do it very often anymore but when I find a pattern for small projects that can also be turned into lovely gifts, I just have to take out my yarn and crochet needle.

These crocheted hearts are quick and easy to make. Sew little sachets from scraps of fine net and fill with either bought potpourri or make your own.

If you always wanted to learn to crochet, but thought it was difficult, the Official Guide to Crochet is a downloadable e-book that will teach you all you need to know to get started on this wonderful craft. You can even sign up for a free e-mail course with lots of tips and advice. Read more...

I have to warn you, though. Once the crochet bug has bitten, it is difficult to get rid of it. I even took my first few projects to bed at night and crocheted until the early morning hours. Not a good thing to do in the early years of your marriage...lol

On to the crocheted hearts... I know the lilac Offray rosebuds do not look good with my color scheme, but they were put there solely to show you what Offray roses look like. ( I must admit I did not know they were called that).

I wanted to make my own Offray ribbon roses, but sadly it is a technique that I never managed to master in all the years. Adri, my daughter, is quite good in making these ribbon roses, but unfortunately she did not have time to make some for a step by step tutorial.

If you like to try your hand at making ribbon roses yourself, I have provided a link to the Offray website. You will find instructions for roses and quite a few other ribbon projects there.

For all you crochet fans, here is the pattern for the crocheted hearts:-

Materials:

25g ball No. 5 crochet yarn
2mm crochet hook
1m of 6mm wide satin ribbon
4 Offray rosebuds
2 pieces of fine net
13 x 13cm
sewing thread
small bag potpourri

Size: approx 13 x 12cm

Abbreviations: beg - beginning; ch - chain; dc - double crochet; rems - remains; rep- repeat; RS - right side; sp - space; ss - slip stictch; tr - treble. Work instructions in square brackets the number of times given.

To make:

Make 6 ch, ss into 1st ch to form a ring.
Foundation row: 3 ch, 12 tr in ring, turn.
1st row: 4 ch, miss 1st tr, (1 tr, 1 ch) in each tr, 1 tr in top of 3 ch, turn.
2nd row: 5 ch, miss 1st sp, (1 dc, 5 ch) in each sp to within last sp, (1 dc, 2 ch, 1 tr) in last sp, turn.
3rd row: (5 ch, 1 dc) in each 5 ch sp to within last sp, 2 ch, 1 tr in 3rd of 5ch, turn. Rep 3rd row until one 5 ch sp rems, turn.
Last row: 3 ch, 1 tr in 3rd of 5 ch, do not turn.

Edging:

1st round: 4 ch, 1 tr in last row end, 1 ch and 1 tr in same row end, (1ch, 1 tr) twice in each row end all round, working (1 ch, 1 tr) 3 times in 6 ch ring at centre top, ending 1 ch, ss in 3rd of 4ch.
2nd round: (5 ch, 1 dc) in each sp, ending 5 ch, ss in 1st sp. Rep last round once.
4th round: (5 ch, 1 dc) twice in each sp, ending 5 ch, ss in 1st sp. Fasten off.

To make up:

Cut off a 75cm length of ribbon and beg at centre top, thread through 1st row of edging. Tie ends of ribbon in a bow following diagram then cut a "V" shape in each end. Allowing 5mm for seam, cut out 2 pieces of net using template. Join pieces leaving an opening at top. Turn to RS. Sew net bag to crochet around 1st round of edging. Fill net bag with potpourri and join opening. With 25cm length of ribbon make a bow as before. Sew on rosebuds and bow as shown in photograph.

Heart template for potpourri:

Offray site for ribbon roses

Here's a free PDF download of the pattern. Leave a little love if you download, please.

The Gift of Being a Woman

2008-08-08T18:41:00.006+01:00

Every year for the past 50 years women in South Africa has celebrated the 9th of August as Women's Day. It has been declared a public holiday and although white women also take the chance to relax and try to coherce their menfolk into doing something nice for them, it is essentially a celebration amongst black women for "coming into existence" and being recognised for their role in the community to uplift poverty, violence against women and children, recognition for a woman's role in her house, family, community and government.

My blog is not a political blog, so I will refrain from political views and for those of you who are interested in the origin of this day, there are two links at the end of this post you can click on to read more about the history of this day and a few comments on whether women really celebrate this day.

My day and life will go on as usual...it is Saturday so I can sleep a little later than normal and then I will get up and do the usual things I do on a Saturday. If you read my profile, you will see that I am really addicted to my computer (and coffee...lol) so I will spend the day in front of the pc doing what I love to do, BUT deep in my heart I will join all the women in South Africa in celebrating this day and feeling proud that I am a WOMAN!

I do not or actually cannot write flowing verses about being a woman, (I am not a poet) but I know after all my years of living that a woman can change the world by her actions. We suffer, we cry, we become depressed, but we are always able to creep out of the deep, dark holes where we find ourselves many times in our lives. We are able to make a house into a home, we tell our children and husband/partner that we are not hungry when we see that there is not enough meat/food for everybody, we stay without new clothes when they need new ones, we sit up all night when they are ill, we look after our aged parents, grandchildren, people that help us in our homes when we have to work to make a living.

We belong to charities and other organisations, bake and make things to sell at church fetes, listen to our friend's problems, manage the finances and make do with what we have. We are there when our family needs us, we get angry and upset with them, we sometimes raise our voices because we are upset and because we love them, we fear for our own, our children's, our friends' future. However, we are levelheaded enough to realise that we cannot change the world overnight but we can make a difference in a person's life by showing empathy, love, tenderness...

On the other hand, women are not all about taking care of everyone, we have a sense of humour, we are silly, we are bitchy, we are fun, we are like children sometimes, we enjoy a good (naughty... I prefer to call it dry humour) joke, are intelligent, well-educated, know-it-all, goody-two-shoes, baby, daddy's girl, CEO's right hand, business executive...

Maybe Meredith Brooks has summed up the essence of a woman in this song of hers...

Whether you are living in South Africa or not, PLEASE celebrate the fact that you are a woman every day, often.

Link to the history of National Women's Day in South Africa
Link to "Is there anything to celebrate"?

Lastly, many thanks to the author of the lovely poem, I received it by e-mail so do not know where it originated from, but it is beautiful.

Matchbox Magic

2008-08-05T08:15:00.006+01:00

Matchboxes can be turned into elegant gifts when grouped in intriguing shapes and smartly covered. It is also a good way to use up odd scraps of fabrics to make inexpensive, yet personal gifts... perfect for friends who like to go camping yet pretty enough to form part of the decor when placed near a fireplace or stove in the kitchen.

How to make matchbox gifts:

Group two, three or four boxes on a piece of stiff cardboard (see diagrams). When you are satisfied with the arrangement, draw round the outline of the grouped boxes making sure they do not move.
Read more...

Use scissors or a craft knife to cut out the shape. Place the shape on another piece of cardboard, draw around it and cut out a second piece.

Using a small amount of adhesive, stick each piece of cardboard to the wrong side of the fabric and cut out, leaving 1,5 cm surplus fabric all round. Mitre the corners and clip into the angles. (Diagram 2) Fold the excess fabric over and glue it down to the cardboard.

Cut 6cm length of ribbon for each drawer. Fold the ribbon in half lengthways and glue cut ends inside the boxes so that a looped end protrudes - see photo. Replace the matches in the boxes.

Glue the matchboxes into position on the wrong side of one piece of covered cardboard. Glue the second piece of covered cardboard on top and press down firmly. Leave the boxes under a weight until quite dry.

Take care to leave matches out of reach of young children.

Dainty Trinket Boxes for your Dressing Table

2008-07-24T17:14:00.004+01:00

These liffte boxes are the perfect gifts for women of all ages and are sure to be treasured for many years.

They measure about 5cm across but it is easy to make them larger to suit your taste and needs.

Materials

Medium-weight cardboard; giftwrap; hobby knife; Bostik; plain-coloured paper; contrasting giftwrap (optional); piese of ribbon, (optional)

Draw patterns for base and lid on to cardboard. Score along dotted lines, cut along solid lines. Bend sides of base up, glue flaps inside. Cut a strip of giftwrap 32cm x 5cm. Glue giftwrap to sides, leaving an extension at top and bottom. Slit extensions at corners, fold and glue down underneath and inside box. Cut a piece of giftwrap 2cm larger around lid. Glue lid to this paper, slit at corners, fold extensions under, glue down. Cut a piece of giftwrap 4,5cm x 5cm, attach lid to base with this strip (see Diagram). Line box and lid with giftwrap or plain-coloured paper. A piece of contrasting paper may be glued around edge of lid to decorate. Attach ribbon to front of lid if desired.

Click on the diagram to open in a new window, right-click and save to your computer.

Notes from the Universe - Daily Inspiration

2008-06-29T19:39:00.008+01:00

I cleaned out my inbox tonight.......(the sent items as well as deleted items folders too!) Sometimes I am quite good and do it once a week, sometimes I am too busy and just leave the e-mails there and then it takes ages to go through it again and save the important ones. Luckily my Internet provider has come up with a new spam filter last week, so I do not have to feel guilty anymore if I do not buy blue or red or pink or orange pills from these guys, (and girls too), who come up with the most ridiculous and sometimes quite offensive subject lines for these offers.

Tonight I want to share with you one of my favourite kind of e-mails I receive five days a week. I have a special folder on my computer where I save every single one. Notes from the Universe have been my daily "pill" ever since I subscribed to it early in 2007. They lift my spirit when I am down and many times it seems as if the "Universe" truly knows what is going on in my head and in my life.... Read more...

Here are a few examples of notes I received this month:
The biggest misconception people have about the past, Elsie, is thinking it can detract from the rest of their lives.
It can't!
The past only ever makes more stuff possible.
Tallyho,
The Universe
And while some might then argue that a different past could make possible a "better" future, Elsie, I would gently remind them that they cannot yet see all that I can see, and would beg to disagree.
Did you know there are planets "out there" with intelligent life, where if, suddenly, one of "their own" began demonstrating your brand of emotional courage and grit, Elsie, they'd be in all the tabloids, receive lucrative endorsements, and have their own talk show?
Yeah, you're one tough cookie -
The Universe
You really are out of this world, Elsie....
Always keep in mind, Elsie, that no matter what has happened, you did the very best you could.
And so did those who may have let you down.
Love,
The Universe
Elsie, no wonder we're so crazy about you.
Often, Elsie, you don't know what you can do until you do it; what you can be until you become it; or what you can have until you have it.
But hey, that never stopped you before!
Arriba, arriba, undulay, undulay -
The Universe
You're doing so well for yourself, Elsie, just hope you give yourself all the credit.
Dang, Elsie, just because you're a supernatural, unstoppable, manifesting machine, doesn't mean you can't ask for help. A lot of help. And fully expect to receive it.
That was part of "the deal" -
The Universe
The other part of the deal, Elsie, was that you'd be totally outrageous in the kitchen. I'd say we're on a roll.
Now wouldn't YOU also like to receive such awesome inspirational notes every day? On "TUT's Adventure Club" you will find discussion forums, wonderful humour, inspirational books and CD's, you can even send e-cards with daily inspirational notes and most of all, find food for your soul.

If you wonder........ NO! This is not a PayPerPost or any other paid review...lol.

These notes are really a highlight of my day and I wanted to share it with you for some time now, so even if you do not join, just go and have a look at the site. I am sure you will sign up as well.

To quote Mike Dooley, creator of these notes: "thoughts become things," dreams do come true, and all things remain forever possible"!

A Gift from Adri to You

2008-06-25T14:38:00.005+01:00

This is how the finished envelopes for hand delivery and mailing look like. You can see the lovely texture of the paper on this photo. The recipients' names were printed on vellum and silver butterflies were used for the final touch.

Adri kindly gave me permission to share the template of the fairy wing envelope with you.

You will also find the template of this butterfly wing envelope as well as a blank flower envelope template in the pdf. file.If you have trouble colouring and personalising this template, please send me an e-mail (button in the sidebar) and I will explain how you can extract it from the pdf. file. I hope you will enjoy using these envelopes.

Credit for the lovely graphic on the vellum goes to a very talented designer, Nicole Kaltenecker. Thank you so much for the generous sharing of your lovely designs!

A Week of Creativity

2008-06-23T19:17:00.010+01:00

The last few days were full of the colour purple! It had nothing to do with movies or bad days, but everything with hours in front of the computer, trying to come up with a few creative ideas for a small card (and envelopes) that would serve as a reminder of my daughter's wedding date in October.

I was looking for ideas for wedding invitation cards one night and found a lovely idea for small "save this date" cards on a wedding site. These cards are send out about 4 - 6 months before the wedding, complete with a small magnetic tape at the back, so family and friends can stick it to the fridge and I am sure it will not be easy to forget the wedding date if they are reminded of it every time they open the fridge. Read more...

Adri's wedding theme will be fairies and the primary colours will be lilac and silver. I eventually managed to get the colour of the cards the exact shade that she wants on the computer but somehow my printer decided that it was not impressed with these colours and refused to print the original colours.

I also spend quite some time re-designing the small envelope. I had the template for many, many years, but did not like the original butterfly wings. After more searching on the internet, I found some colouring book templates for wings, but had to play around with the colours again and afterwards spend quite a few hours with the outer envelope's design too.

I tried a few "wing" side-flaps, but in the end used another envelope template I had on the computer. The lovely textured card that I was going to use for these envelopes did not really need any other designs. On Saturday afternoon everything "came together" eventually and the actual printing started in earnest.

Printing all these cards and envelopes was the easy part! It really took hours to cut out the small envelopes. The bigger envelopes were cut out with craft scissors and as many of you probably know, it can sometimes be quite tricky to use them.

However, I am quite satisfied with the end products and they will all be mailed tomorrow. Tonight and maybe in the next few days I will have to come up with yet another idea for the actual wedding invitations, luckily there are still a few weeks before they have to go out. Oh yes, I should really take some time in between to try and finish the lavender wands/wedding favours.

Recycle Soap Slivers into Bathroom Gifts

2008-06-16T21:03:00.014+01:00

As promised a few days ago, here are the instructions for turning all those slivers of soap into new bars or balls or any other shape you desire.

When I first started to do this many years ago, I melted the soap in a pot on the stove. However, if you do not constantly keep an eye on it, it can really burn quite quickly. Low heat is essential if you are going to use this method. Read more...

Another method that you can follow is to simply put the grated soap in a bowl and add boiling water/liquid, stirring with a wooden spoon until the mixture becomes creamy.

Store all the soap slivers in a glass jar or other container until you have enough to make new soap bars. Keep the container sealed so that the the slivers do not dry out.

Break into chunks and grate it into a container. Fill a pot about 3/4 full with the grated soap, add about 100ml water/liquid of choice to the pot, adding more if necessary.

Over low heat stir gently with a wooden spoon until the soap begins to melt down. You can add more water if necessary, but the soap should not be runny. Stir occasionally until the mixture becomes thick and creamy. Remove from the stove and let cool for a few minutes. You can now add your essential oils and/or other ingredients. Pour into molds of choice, cover with a cloth and leave to harden for 2-3 weeks.

Tip: Use rosewater, cucumber juice ( press out liquid from a cucumber and use the same amount of liquid) or even herbal teas in place of plain water.

To make herbal teas: simmer 20g of any herb of choice (try chamomile, lime blossom, lavender, peppermint or calendula) in 100ml water for 20 minutes, uncovered. Strain and leave to cool, bring to the boil again before pouring over the grated soap.

You can add dried flowers like lavender blossoms, rose petals, fresh or dried herbs (rosemary, marjoram) to the mixture.

Try adding honey, glycerine, lemon juice, fine oats, poppy seeds or even cornmeal to the mixture. There are really no hard or fast rules to soap recycling, although you should not mix glycerine soap with other soap, also try to use the same kinds of soap together. One good thing to remember, though, write down what you add to the soap mixture... if you finish with a soap that you really like, you will have the "recipe" for a next time.

Idea: If you like to make personal soap gifts but do not have any slivers, you can use a new bar of soap.

Here is a quick and easy method for aromatic soap balls

2 bars (2 x 250g) unscented white toilet soap
275 ml rose water
10 drops clove oil
qaurter cup fresh lavender flowers, crushed lightly
quarter cup dried rose petals
30 ml dried marjoram leaves

Finely grate the toilet soap and put into a large glass bowl. Heat 250 ml of the rosewater until it starts to boil and pour over the grated soap. Stir the mixture with a wooden spoon until it becomes creamy, set aside for 10 minutes. Lightly knead the mixture until you have a smooth white paste. Add the oil, lavender, rose and marjoram leaves. set aside for another 10 minutes. Shape the mixture into balls (about 12), cover with cling wrap and leave in a warm place for 2 hours. Wet your hands with rose water, and roll the balls in the palms of your hands until they are smooth and shiny. Cover with clingwrap and leave for another 24 hours to dry.

What makes a DAD?

2008-06-14T20:36:00.004+01:00

I found this lovely poem today and thought I should share it with you. It reminded me of my father and although he is not with us anymore, he still lives in our hearts.

Cool Gifts for Father's Day

2008-06-11T19:33:00.012+01:00

Make these unusual wine coolers from materials that would normally find their way to the trash-can. The cork cooler is a great project for younger kids, but they will need some supervision and help in cutting the corks. You only need a handful of corks, ask at local restaurants or pubs if you do not have any in the house.

You also need:
An empty coffee can or any other empty container to fit wine bottle; pliers, a sharp knife and breadboard for cutting the cork, some re-usable adhesive as well as adhesive glue. Read more...

To make the wine cooler:
Remove the top of the can completely and pinch in any sharp edges with pliers.

Remove the label and clean thoroughly.

Cut the corks into slivers crosswise and lengthwise to make different shapes.

Use adhesive to stick the cork shapes to the can until you are satisfied with the pattern.

Remove the cork shapes a few at a time and glue down with adhesive glue until the entire surface is covered.

Leave to dry completely.

Add crushed ice to keep wine cold during dinner.

Oh yes, do not forget to buy a bottle of wine!!!

Bath Scrub for Fathers

2008-06-09T14:44:00.006+01:00

I will post the recycled soap sliver instructions at a later date. Since it takes about 10 to 14 days for the soap to harden, you will not really be able to make it as a Father's Day gift.

Maybe a bath scrub does not fall into every man's category as a perfect gift, however, once he realises the benefits of using a bath scrub, you will be asked to make it every few weeks.

A bath/body scrub helps to remove dead skin cells and stimulates the blood supply to the skin leaving it clean and soft while the combination of the aromatic orange and grapefruit peel as well as the oils, help with relaxation. Read more...

Bath scrubs are especially good in the dark, cold months when our bodies never see the sun.

You will need the following:

2 tbsp fine orange rind
2 tbsp grapefruit rind
2 tbsp oats
3 tbsp ground almonds
lavender flowers and rose petals
5 drops wood essential oil
5 drops flower essential oil
6 tbsp sweet-almond oil

Grate the rind of the oranges with the finest side of a grater. Grate the grapefruit rind with the roughest side of a grater. Mix together the dry ingredients. Add the almond oil, one tablespoon at a time, and blend to a crumbly paste. Stir in the essential oils. Store in a glass jar. The scrub should be used within two weeks.

Tip: How to use the scrub:- Rub over the body, paying particular attention to areas of hard, dry skin such as the knees, ankles and elbows. Remove the residue before showering or bathing.

Idea: From a scrub to a rub: Another great idea for a Father's Day gift can be found on my edible gifts blog.

Age Activated Attention Deficit Disorder

2008-06-06T17:43:00.009+01:00

I have been trying to sit down at the computer to write the instructions for turning those small pieces of left-over soap bars into new ones for the last three days, but simply could not finish it. All the photos are in a folder and there are two or three variations on the basic recipe, but the most important part will have to wait yet another day or so.

Yesterday morning I sat down and started on it but I just could not put it into words that would make sense to you. Then Mia (granddaughter of two and a few months) needed attention (can such a small girl really keep you so busy???) and after we looked at the flowers and enjoyed the winter sun, I switched on the kettle to make yet another hot cup of coffee (when did I start to enjoy cold coffee?...lol),- sometimes I can boil water three or four times and never get to actually making the coffee. Read more...

Then the phone rang and I had to go and collect the lavender that I need to make lavender bottles/wands for Adri's (my daughter) wedding. I did not expect such a big box full of lavender stalks , so it took me nearly the whole day to sort the ones that could be used and tying the others into bundles. In between I tried all kinds of small arrangements and sometimes just sat and thought about ways to use the left-over stalks, and so the hours slipped by....

According to herbalists and aroma therapists, lavender is supposed to calm your nerves and aid in peaceful sleep. Well, all I can say, after working with lavender for nearly six hours, I was sooooooooo tired and sleepy, I actually went to bed at 9pm!!! Can we believe these experts in the lavender field, or does it have something to do with the fact that it is winter in South Africa and temperatures have dropped considerably over the past two days.

Or worse still, is old age finally creeping up on me?? I received this "info" in an e-mail a while ago and it is really an apt description of many of my days, especially the searching for my reading glasses!!!
-
A.A.A.D.D. - AGE ACTIVATED ATTENTION DEFICIT DISORDER

This is supposedly how it manifests itself;

I decide to water my garden. As I turn on the hose I look over at my car and decide it needs washing.

As I start towards the garage I notice mail on the table that I'd collected from the letter box earlier. I decided to go through the mail before I wash the car.

I lay my car keys on the table, open the bills and put the junk mail in the recycling bin and notice that it is full. So I put all the bills back on the table and take out the rubbish first.

But then I think, since I'm going to be near the post box when I take the rubbish out I may as well write out the cheques for the bills and get them posted.

I take my cheque book off the table and notice there's only one cheque left. My new cheque book is in the desk drawer so I go over to my desk and find the can of Coke I'd been drinking earlier. I'm going to write out my cheques but first I need to move the can so I don't accidentally knock it over. The Coke is getting warm so I decide to put it in the fridge.

As I head towards the kitchen with the Coke, a vase of flowers on the worktop catches my eye --they need water. I put the coke on the worktop and find my reading glasses that I'd been searching for the day before. I set the glasses back down and fill a container with water. I suddenly spot the TV remote control has been left on the kitchen table.

I realise that when we watch TV tonight I'll be looking for the remote control but won't be able to remember that it's on the kitchen table. So I decide to put it back by the TV where it belongs; but first I'll water the flowers. I pour some water in the vase but some spills on the floor...so I put the remote control back on the table while I wipe up the spill.

Then I head back down the hall trying to remember what I was planning to do.

At the end of the day:

· the garden's not watered
· the car isn't washed
· the bill's aren't paid
· there's a warm can of coke sitting on the worktop
· the flowers don't have enough water
· the bill's haven't been paid
· the recycling bin is still full
· I can't find my glasses
· I can't find the remote control
· and I can't remember what I did with the car keys.

Then when I try to figure out why nothing got done today I'm really baffled because I know I was busy all day, and I'm really tired.

Don't laugh...if this isn't you yet, your day is coming.

A new beginning in blogland

2008-06-03T12:48:00.008+01:00

Ok, I am back and hopefully this time I will stay without disappearing again for weeks and months on end. A big thank you to all who visit my blog even though I do not post regularly and a bigger thank you for those of you who come back often.

Many things have happened in the past few months, but I will not bore you with the details. Like the popular e-mail/image of lemons - "when life hands you lemons, turn it into lemonade" my life was for a while also not sweet and easy-going, but every day I manage to make another batch of lemonade and maybe soon it will be the best on the block? In a way I am not a fan of soft drinks, so I would much rather turn these lemons into lemon curd , just love the stuff, lol! Read more...

On the 19th of this month, it will be 2 years since my father passed away from prostrate cancer and many times, especially over the past few months, I have missed his advice and logical approach to life so much. He has taught me that life is not easy but you take each day in your stride and you never ever give up on life and people.

Thanks to his teachings as well as the support of my family and also my dear friend KH, I can face life again and find pleasure in small things, too. My granddaughter Mia has also in her way managed to take my mind off many problems. Read my newest post of her imaginary friends on her blog.

Since June is also the month in which we celebrate Father's Day (did I not use the same words last year??) I came up with a few ideas and in my next post I will show you how to recycle soap into useful gifts.

With our warm, sunny winter's days, the butterflies are having quite a lovely time on the flowers. A link to some of my photos are in the sidebar. A good reminder of nature never giving up!

Romantic Table Gifts for Valentine's Day

2008-02-11T00:08:00.001+02:00

Tonight's post is short and sweet! Not really a gift, but a nice way to shed a little light on your Valentine's dinner. These tea candle holders are quite easy to make once you have mastered the folding technique and you can use different kinds of paper to make it. The red holder is made from normal 80g paper and the other one from a lovely thick textured hand-made paper.

You can download the folding instructions here or from the link I have provided in the sidebar.

To add another romantic touch to the table, you can make "heart menu serviette rings". The post and link to instructions are on my edible gifts blog.

From Humble Eggs Arise Treasured Gifts

2008-02-06T21:39:00.000+02:00

Here is another great recycling idea. Use eggshells to turn empty containers into unusual gifts. Old tins, bottles, empty jars and lids make great objects for this simple eggshell mosaic.

Experiment with diffent colours by adding textile dye to the grout, dyeing the eggshells before glueing them onto the articles, create "pictures" by grouping the eggshells, use tinted or coloured varnish. As always with a new craft/idea like this one, start with small articles like baby food jars or even just the lid of a bottle or other container until you are comfortable with it.
Read more...

You will need:

bottles, lids, coaster, etc
eggshells
suitable adhesive (eg. clear adhesive for glass, wood glue for wood, epoxy resin for metal)
powder grout
water-based paint
small spatula(or flat ice-cream stick)
damp cloth
toothpicks
sandpaper
varnish
paint brush

Clean the article you wish to mosaic. Lightly sand the surface to roughen.

To make:

Break the eggshells into smaller pieces. Working in small sections, apply adhesive to the surface you wish to mosaic. Arrange the shell pieces over the area, flattening them with your fingers. Roll the tootpick over the glued eggshell to crush into smaller pieces, then gently ease them apart to form a pattern. Cover the whole area and leave to dry.

(I found that it was easier to apply adhesive to the inside of a piece of eggshell before placing it onto the article, then flatten the eggshell with my fingers to crush into smaller pieces, and gently ease the pieces apart with my fingers to form a pattern.) You will have much more control over the actual moving around of the eggshell pieces on the article and also obtain interesting "break-down" patterns. Fill the empty gaps with all the tiny pieces of eggshells that break off during this process.

In a small yoghurt or other container, mix a small amount of grouting powder with water to a smooth paste. Add a blob of PVA adhesive( wood glue) and mix in well.

Gently smooth the grout mixture over the eggshell pieces, making sure all gaps are filled. Carefully wipe off excess grout and leave to dry. (I also found that it is easier to first let the grout dry a little before wiping off the excess. The amount of grout you need to fill the gaps are not thick enough to withstand the dampness of the cloth. It tends to disappear between the gaps and you are left with "empty" gaps.)

Another way to solve this problem is to apply more than one coat of grout, but do not make the grout mixture too thick. Rather apply thin coats of grout, let it dry for a few minutes, wipe off excess and apply another coat, then leave to dry thoroughly.

Lightly sand the surface to remove excess grout. Wipe the surface with a damp cloth to remove grout dust. Continue sanding until the surface is smooth.

Apply two coats of varnish, allowing each coat to dry thorougly.

Tips:

To loosen the inner membrane from the eggshell, boil shell in water for a few minutes. Pull off any remaining membrane once the shells have cooled.

To preserve the eggs for later use, pour the yolk and white into a container, place a piece of cling film directly on to the egg to keep air out, and refrigerate. The eggs should be used within two to three days. (This is such an interesting project, let the kids make scrambled eggs for dinner while you are turning empty jars into masterpieces!)

Idea: Use tinted varnish to stain grout and eggshells. Dye the eggshells before using it.

Click on the link for examples of beautiful eggshell mosaic.

Lavender Bottles - Gifts from Yesteryear

2008-01-22T22:06:00.000+02:00

I found the instructions for these lovely lavender bottles many years ago in a magazine.

Whenever I went through my craft folders, I always thought that I should really make them one day. That day finally arrived yesterday when I had a little time to spare. Read more...

Unfortunately I could not make more than two of the lavender bottles as I only have one lavender bush growing in the garden. I already picked some stalks a few weeks ago, but did not have time to make the bottles then, so they dried out completely and I could not use them. (I will use them to fill some sachets now.)

Tips before you start:

I did not wait for the stalks to dry out overnight and become limp as mentioned in the instructions, but I think it is not really so important to do it if you are careful when folding them back.

You can bind the flower heads with a piece of yarn before you start the weaving process. The flowers tend to "pop" through the stalks. I also tried to space the stalks evenly around the flower heads, it makes the weaving a little easier. However, you can always move them into place once you start to weave the ribbon.

(Click on the photos to open in a new window for a better view)

This is what you will need to make these lovely lavender gifts:

Long stalks of lavender (spring and summer are the best time for picking)

1,25m x 10mm wide ribbon in colours of choice; bodkin or safety pin for threading, scissors and elastic band, project glue, (lavender oil, small cotton-wool balls, tweezers, - (optional)

1. Cut about 13 lavender stalks, as long as possible, tie together underneath the flowers. Leave overnight to let the stalks dry and become limp.

2. Fold stalks back over flowers and secure with elastic band.

3. Thread the bodkin/safety pin with ribbon, insert through centre of bundle from bottom to top. Weave ribbon over and under stalks, from top to bottom for a basketwork effect.

Tie ends into a neat bow, secure with one or two dabs of glue if desire. Trim the stalks, so that they are all the same length.

Idea: Roll two tiny balls of cotton wool. Using tweezers, dip cotton wool into lavender oil and insert into centre of the lavender bottle. When the fragrance fades, you can just replace the oil-soaked cotton wool.

Recycled Gifts from old Belts

2008-01-17T22:58:00.000+02:00

Tonight's post is again about recycling things for your own use or for an unusual gift.

I've been doing some serious "spring-cleaning" during the past few days and found this lovely belt in a wardrobe. It is really too pretty to throw away but also not in a good enough condition to wear anymore. Read more...

As you can see on the photo, it now holds my collection of earrings. Neat and tidy and easy to find (and match) with other jewelry.

You can give new life to any old belt with some glue and spray paint or a fabric cover. Punch more holes along the length of the belt if necessary. Beads, puff- or glitter paint/glue can be used to decorate it further. Give free rein to your imagination and turn old things into pretty, useful gifts.

Idea: Buy one or two pairs of earrings or make it yourself if you are going to use it as a gift.

Tip: Make your own puff paint by mixing powdered chalk and wood glue.

New Year Resolutions and New Links

2008-01-13T20:50:00.000+02:00

I am not a person who makes New Year's resolutions. At my age I have learned that most of these resolutions are made on New Year's Eve while you are making a toast to the new year and by the next morning most of them have already been forgotten. If you are one of the people who can stick to a resolution and see it through, congratulations! For those who feel guilty about not being able to keep to your resolutions,I want to share the following with you: Read more...

While I was searching for some "wise words" for my editor's column for the third editon of "Design Marketing", (my advertising brochure that I started in November) I found these wise words on the internet:

"New Year is all about creating time frames. Basically, it provides a full-stop and a capital letter: an ending and a new beginning. You have a chance to look back over the past year, see what worked about your life and what didn't, and determine to start afresh. Some New Year's resolutions may feel like a sentence, because that's exactly what they are. But the thing is, it doesn't really matter if you see them through to the end of the year or not – what's important is the
exercise of re-evaluation you go through; the process of looking back over your life and deciding how you want it to continue".

I like this approach more than just a resolution to lose weight or stop smoking or whatever it is people decide to do in the new year, not that there is anything wrong with these.

However, one of my decisions that I am determined to see through in the new year is to blog more even if I have to do it in the middle of the night again as I have done before I stopped in July last year.

Today I have put new links in the sidebar to download the gift box templates again. I have also uploaded two versions for the flower gift box. Hopefully this new site will not delete my files if no downloads are done during any given month because I am going to post a few more gift box ideas in the coming months.

I also provided links to my photo albums (see sidebar) on facebook. I had a visit from JoAnn from Netherland and after looking at her beautiful photographs, I thought about starting a photo blog but it is so much easier to upload my photos into an album. Since facebook is such a popular "playground" for the whole internet community, I will keep it there. Just a short note... I am not a gardener! (although many of the flowers are growing in my garden) and I do not take photos of flowers only, lol. I have been playing around with macro shots during the past few months and the flowers were good subjects.

So, decisions, resolutions, re-evaluations and new links..... may they all be successful in 2008.

My New Year's Wish to You

2007-12-31T01:24:00.000+02:00

Merry Christmas

2007-12-24T01:04:00.001+02:00

So it is Christmas again. Thank you all for visiting my blog during the past year and I am sorry that I was not able to give a few more gift ideas, but my business picked up so much during the last few weeks. I also had a lovely long visit from my dear friend from Germany again, so time really caught up with me. So for this year, may you all enjoy a lovely time and I will do my best to be back with new things in the new year. Stay well and happy.

The Christmas spirit isn't just about
being happy and merry and bright...

It's also about finding
hope and comfort
and a sense of peace...
and those are the feelings
I'm wishing for you this year.

Sweet Gifts from the Garden

2007-11-17T07:33:00.000+02:00

I have never before posted any food recipes on this blog. Although I do have an edible gifts blog, I have decided that this will be my main blog from now on.

In my previous post I mentioned a recipe I had for many years but could never use before. The recipe is actually for rose jam. Maybe many of you have made this many times before, but as I never had roses in my garden until this year, I decided to preserve the beauty of the roses in this simple and easy way.

The end results are spectacular and perfect for a special gift. Read more...

Ingredients:

* 500 ml (2 cups) white sugar
* 190 ml cup water
* 30 ml lemon juice
* 500 ml (2 cups) fresh rose petals, loosely packed

**Use roses that have not been sprayed with insecticides.

Prepare rose petals by washing thoroughly in cold water and cutting off white parts to eliminate bitterness. Put into a bowl and sprinkle with 15ml sugar. Add 30ml lemon juice.

Slowly heat 500ml sugar and 190ml water in a saucepan until sugar has dissolved and mixture starts to boil. Boil rapidly for 5 minutes, add the rose petals and simmer for 10 minutes or until syrup has thickened. Stir a few times. Rose petals must be covered with the syrup.

Remove from heat. Add 15-30ml lemon juice to the mixture and stir again. This is my favourite part of the cooking process, just watch how the colour of the rose petals "bursts" into the syrup!! Let cool for a few hours or overnight. The rose petals absorb syrup during this standing time and become soft and translucent. It also enables you to see if the syrup is the desired thickness. If you would like a slightly thicker jam/jelly, return to stove and cook for a few more minutes. The syrup should coat the back of a spoon.

Remove from heat, leave to cool slightly and spoon into sterilised** jars. Seal when jam is completely cold. Store in a dark, cool place. Yields about 900g jam, enough to fill about 5 small baby food jars.
** See instructions to sterilise jars in the sidebar of my ezi-edible-gifts blog

TIPS:

You only need 4-6 large open roses (about 500ml) for this recipe. Discard damaged petals or snip off the damaged parts of petals. You can use less petals, but not more. I used too many petals in my red rose jam and the end result was a very "stiff" jam. You should be able to see the rose petals "float" in the syrup.

Use roses with a strong fragrance, you must be able to taste the rose flavour. Different coloured and scented roses will produce different coloured and flavoured jams/jellies. Red for red jam, pink for pink jam, yellow and/or white for a honey coloured jam. You can also mix different coloured petals for unusual colours.

Remember to cut off the small white or yellow parts at the bottom end of the rose petals. Apparently these small parts give off a bitter taste if rose petals are used in cooking or baking.

If petals are very big, tear it into smaller pieces.

If you want to cook jam but do not have enough rose petals, store the ones you have in a sealed plastic container for up to a week and add new petals until you have enough.

If you like a stronger rose flavor, replace 125ml water with 125ml rosewater (available at pharmacies or health food stores) or make an infusion with the rose petals on hand. Simply heat the water and rose petals gently for about 30 minutes to extract the colour and fragrance, remove the petals and put them aside. Add the sugar to the water and proceed as described above.

I also captured the beauty of the roses and some other flowers in my garden on camera, so if you like to have a look at my photos, just click on the links.

Experiencing the Gift of Goodwill

2007-11-07T22:23:00.000+02:00

My first 1000 advertising brochures have been distributed in the shops during the past few days and I thought I should show you a photo of it.

If I look at the photo it is hard to believe that there are really 1 000 brochures lying on the floor and it does not show the actual work going into it. 4 000 printouts, 2 000 pages folded in half and put together to eventually turn into 8 page brochures. I think the worst part was to bind each brochure with just one staple to keep it together. Read more...

5 hours, 1 000 staples, quite a few cups of coffee and a very stiff wrist and shoulder later, the "first edition" of Design Marketing was finally finished.

It felt good!!! What felt even better was the positive reaction I received from the community. It made all the many hours and hard work I have put into these brochures, worth the while.

I even had complaints from a few business owners because their businesses were not featured in the first edition. Sounds good !!! Nothing like a little competitive jealousy between business owners....

In a day or two I will start with new advertisements and if all goes well, the second edition will hit the streets in two weeks time.

In between I also had quite a lot of other designing (certificates, bookmarks, invitation cards, etc.) to do, so it has been quite a busy few weeks, but I am not complaining. Maybe after years of struggling, people are finally beginning to notice my skills and I can start to breathe easier knowing that all the years of learning and teaching myself to be "computer literate", has not been in vain.

I also did something else which I wanted to do for many, many years but never really had the chance to do, due to a lack of materials. However, in order to find out what it was, you will have to read my next post. It will also be the beginning of a few new gift ideas in time for Christmas.

A Good Life is A Gift in Itself

2007-10-27T12:42:00.000+02:00

Ok, I am 53 year old as of one hour and 30 minutes ago........... started this post "ages" ago.... but here goes....for the original version before I started talking to my dear friend KH from Germany-( he has been such a pillar of support through the last two years, sweet man)

In a few minutes I will be a whopping 53 years old..........
For me not such a bad age to be, but when I think back to my young(er) years, people of this age were ANCIENT!!!!.... and here I am too, in young eyes practically over the wall, one foot in the grave, uggghhhhhhhhhh, look at her..... Read more...

It is not really so bad!!! At least when you reach this age, you know (or are supposed to know) who you are, what you have done wrong and right in your life, are a grandparent to one or more lovely? grandchildren (maybe we are blind to their faults?..but we do love them a lot more than we loved our kids at that age, come on, admit it!!)have made peace with your wrinkles, grey hair- is that a color??, cellulite (when you are a woman.... why is it that men never have cellulite or worry about it???) and numerous other regrets but the important thing at this age is to realise and treasure the fact that you are still alive and that you are not really old.

Age is all in the mind... you can be old at twenty, you can be young at a hundred.

I have learned over the past few years that you have to feel good about yourself, no matter how many hardships you encounter in your life, POSITIVE thinking is the ONLY thing that will get you out of your troubles- I had my fill of bad/sad/devastating times in my life too and maybe life still have a few surprises in store for me.

You have to believe in yourself, in life, in the goodness of other people and above all, you have to believe that there is a power greater than yourself who has created life and all things on earth. When you are down in the dumps, (and now I am talking in general, I do not want to go in detail about really serious issues.... I will need a book for this.... )

What I actually want to say/share with you, old(er) age is not bad, it is all in the mind and there are so many small pleasures to enjoy in life when you feel "old" and down.....

I can remember when my children were small and my ex-husband and I/we went through terrible times, I used to tell my children when they left for school in the mornings to look at the gardens they passed along the way and appreciate the beauty of the flowers/plants and listen to the songs of the birds and realise that life is beautiful just because they were ALIVE!!!

So, to all of you who read this post, celebrate life whether you are one month old or a hundred years old. LIFE is precious, enjoy it, no matter how difficult and hopeless it may seem in this moment, you ARE precious and magnificent and beautiful and look to the beauty around you. ENJOY IT!!!

Hmmmm and to myself......... happy birthday, old gal.... if you are good, you are good, if you are better, YOU ARE THE BEST!!!

BELIEVE IN YOURSELF........... YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL!!!

Happy Birthday, Blog!

2007-10-14T14:43:00.000+02:00

Today is the official birthday of this blog, even though I have not posted anything since the 31st of July.

I can still remember my feelings of uncertainty and finally elation after my first post was published and then the total "take-over" of my life by this blog.

What started out as a general gift blog suddenly turned into a salt dough gift blog and for many months I spend hours making new batches of salt dough and tried to come up with new gift ideas from salt dough. Read more...

There were quite a few times that I suffered from salt dough block and finally I decided to post other gift ideas as well. I still have to finish the Easter basket and have decided to give it a go sometime during this week. I have had a batch of salt dough in my fridge for nearly four months now and every time I open the fridge I can hear it "calling" to me.

Hopefully it will still be usable and then I will really be able to vouch for the actual time that salt dough can be kept in the fridge.

My business has also been going well over the last few weeks but not as good as I hoped it would be. However, life sometimes takes us on strange paths and through the typing of a two-page CV for a young, unemployed guy, I have now branched out into advertising/marketing and my first 12 page marketing brochure will be distributed at the end of the week.

If I can find enough companies interested in advertising their services, I will eventually be able to build a very profitable business which I will be able to run even when I am old and grey (not that that is so far in the future....)

There are also a few other perks to this marketing service because it will be good advertising for my business and I have also decided to turn my salt dough posts into a book and sell it as well.

As a result of the time and attention I will have to give to the new venture, I have decided to postpone blogging for yet a few months more.

A BIG THANK YOU to everyone who has visited (and left comments) my blog in the last few weeks as well as the last year. I hope you have found lots of good ideas for gifts here.

PS> I will put a new link to the templates for the gift boxes as soon as I have found a new hosting site for it.

Listen to your Heart and Survive!!

2007-07-31T00:45:00.000+01:00

There will be no new posts for the next few weeks.

Sadly my copy/typing/design/photo editing business which I run from home has been going downhill at an alarming rate and as it is the ONLY income I have, I now have to concentrate on finding new clients/contracts by launching an extensive personal marketing campaign which will take up a considerable amount of my time. Read more...

Luckily it is that time of the year when the schools need photographers for their yearly photos as well as certificates for graduation ceremonies. Theunissen, my home town in the Free State Province of South Africa, is also celebrating its centennial anniversary during September, and so there are lots of opportunities to market my business, but it also means that I will be away from home some days to attend meetings and photo shoots as well as editing and layout of brochures and other marketing materials, which in turn means that I will not be able to make/bake/show gifts/ideas as often as I would like and publish new posts.

Rather than posting only once or twice a week as has been the case in the past few weeks, I have decided to stop blogging altogether for some time. I love blogging and my blogs have become a part of my life, but in every life there comes a time when you have to weigh your options and decide what is important and in this time the "survival" factor is outweighing everything else.

I read the following a few weeks ago: - "Listen to your heart, it will tell you what to do." Presently my heart tells me to take care of my business AND income (to provide for my future) and when it has stabilised, I will take up blogging again.

I still have so much to share with you and the satisfaction I derive from this sharing, gives me a lot of pleasure, so be assured..........

I will be back!!!

A Gift to Write A Thousand Words

2007-07-25T18:26:00.000+01:00

Give a distinctive character to handwritten documents and letters by using a quill. Add it to your scented notepaper and ink to make a gift worth writing about.

Quills have been used for writing since the 6th century. Swan and crow feathers were the most desirable for this purpose, but goose feathers were the most often used. Any large tail or wing feather which has been moulted (shed naturally) and has an undamaged base is suitable. Read more...

You can tell if a feather is complete and undamaged because the base will have a hollow centre at the tip.

To make a quill you will need an extremely sharp knife or razor and a board for cutting.

Hold the feather firmly and place it on the board face downwards. Slice through the central shaft to the tip. Next, cut off the end to produce a flat tip.Turn the feather over and make a small cut 6mm long down the centre of the pointed nib to ensure that the ink flows properly.

It may feel strange to write with a quill. Modern pens have a continuous flow of ink whereas quills must be continually dipped and the excess removed by stroking the tip against the neck of the bottle when you withdraw it.

The pen must be moved sideways on the paper before making a vertical line to encourage the flow of ink. The mark which will be made when drawn from top right to bottom left on a page will be a thin line; from top left to bottom right it will be a thick line. This and the natural serif, or flourish mark made by a sideways beginning, provide fascinating possibilities for script writing and give a highly individual character to letters.

Romantic Gifts from the Past

2007-07-23T21:51:00.000+01:00

In this electronic age, it is rare to write or receive a handwritten letter. In days gone by, perfumed note paper and scented ink were used by the lady of the house to write letters to family and friends.

Let's revive this practice and at the same time, always have a romantic gift at hand. Read more...

Buy good quality writing paper or use your computer to print sheets of writing paper and envelopes. Card programs usually have lots of examples of these.

Place the paper and envelopes in a large plastic bag with a sachet of prepared pot-pourri to perfume it, for two to three weeks. Alternatively, you could place a small sachet of pot-pourri inside a box of store bought note paper.

To scent ink, you simply add a few drops of oil of lavender, rosemary or lemon verbena into a bottle of ink. Stir it and replace the cap tightly.

Idea: Make perfumed book markers from coloured card, glue pressed flowers or leaves on and place with the paper and envelopes in the plastic bag.

Tip: Make your own scented water by adding fresh herbs like rosemary, lavender, rose or lemon verbena leaves to water and simmer for 30 minutes to one hour or until the water is fragrant. Add 20 ml of the scented water to 50 ml of ink.

Citrus Scented Gift

2007-07-18T21:52:00.000+01:00

As I have given you some information and methods to make pot-pourri, it is only fair to provide you with a few tried and trusted recipes as well.

I am lucky enough to have a lemon tree in my garden which provides lemons the whole year through. My mother loves oranges and naartjies/tangerines, especially in winter and so at present I really have enough citrus peel to dry and store to make lovely citrus potpourri throughout the year. Read more...

Ingredients

100ml mixed orange, lemon and grapefruit peel
30ml orris root powder
20ml grated orange and lemon peel
30ml dried lavender leaves
30ml dried rosemary leaves
5ml cinnamon powder as well as broken pieces of cinnamon stick
5ml coarse salt
2,5ml ground nutmeg
5ml whole cloves
5ml coriander seeds
4 drops neroli oil
2 drops bergamot oil
2 drops lemon oil

Mix all the powdered ingredients together in a bowl, add drops of oil and rub between the fingers to distribute the oil evenly.

Add rest of ingredients and mix thoroughly with your hands. Store in an airtight container for 4-6 weeks. Shake the contents regularly.

Place your potpourri in an attractive bowl and decorate with dried orange, lemon and grapefruit slices, eucalyptus leaves and bark, berries and other interesting seeds and pods.

Tip: Add a few handfuls of wood shavings, for example, pine, cedar, and sandalwood, to the mixture. Wood shavings absorb the fragrance of essential oils very well and the fragrance of your pot-pourri will last longer.

How to Make Pot-Pourri to use as Gifts

2007-07-15T21:41:00.000+01:00

Pot-pourri can be fun to make and if you regularly gather and dry flowers, leaves, citrus fruit and berries you will always have a gift in times of need.

In my previous two posts I have given instructions to dry citrus fruit and make fixatives from citrus peel. Read more...

Tonight I want to give you a general method to make pot-pourri because the biggest part of the fun of making pot-pourri is in inventing your own mixtures and to use whatever flowers and plant materials you have in the garden and then add spices and oils to it to create your own version. There are no strict rules, however. You may blend two or three ingredients with a fixative or as many as you like.

To make a good pot-pourri, you should look for texture and colour as well as fragrance. Always save a few whole flowers to scatter on top of pot-pourri when you have made it.

Pick roses/flowers and leaves on a warm, dry day. If blooms are dewy, they will rot instead of drying. Separate rose petals and spread flower heads on a newspaper- lined tray to dry in a well-ventilated, warm place, away from direct sunlight for about two weeks.

Whole rosebuds can be gathered and left to dry separately or you can hang them upside down in bunches of five roses with leaves intact in a warm airy place. Herbs and lavender can be cut and hung upside down from the ceiling in small bunches to dry. Dried flowers should feel papery and firm, not limp or damp.

Store dried leaves and flowers in an airtight container like carton boxes or glass containers. It is best to keep flowers groups separate. They will keep well like this in a cool place until you are ready to use them.

To make the pot-pourri - combine all the dry ingredients of choice in a large bowl. Then add the fixatives, orris root powder, herbs and spices to "hold" the perfume. Lastly add the essential or pot-pourri oils. Mix thoroughly by hand.

Place handfuls of the mixture at a time in an airtight container, sprinkling with salt between layers to remove any moisture. Seal and leave for four to six weeks. This length of time will ensure that it has matured and will hold its perfume.

Now you are ready to use your dried ingredients to make lovely gifts.

Idea: Wrap pot-pourri in tissue paper, twist and secure with raffia and decorate with dried statice and lavender. The fragrance released through the tissue paper is great for keeping lingerie drawers smelling fresh and lovely.

Idea: Make baskets and holders from salt dough for unusual gifts.

Tip: When your pot-pourri loses its fragrance, return it to a sealed container and add more essential oils. Leave sealed for a couple of weeks, shaking container occasionally. Keep fragile flowers and other decorative materials separate.

Fixatives for your Gift Decorations

2007-07-12T22:59:00.000+01:00

Fixatives are important ingredients in pot-pourri. They retain the fragrance of essential oils, fragrant herbs and spices. Pot-pourri without fixatives loses its fragrance very quickly. Most fixatives are aromatic in themselves and besides adding to the fragrance of potpourri, they fix the scent of other fragrances used. Read more...

It is advisable to use at least two fixatives in any mixture of pot-pourri. Orris root powder and gum bensoin, are most commonly used. Cinnamon, (ground or broken sticks), nutmeg, cumin, coriander, cloves, vanilla pod, chamomile flowers, dried patchouli and myrtle leaves can also be used as fixatives. Coarse sea salt and dried citrus peel act as preservatives.

To make your own citrus-peel fixatives, finely peel skin of citrus fruit such as oranges, lemons and naartjies, excluding pith. Cut up and spread in a warming drawer to dry out completely. Using a liquidizer, chop up dried peel to a powder. Store the powder in a sealed glass jar.

Essential oils are another fixative that is vital for adding depth and intensity of fragrance to pot-pourri mixtures. These oils are extracted from different kinds of plant material, like flowers, fruits, barks, leaves, resins and roots.

Essential oils are highly concentrated and should be used very carefully. They should never be taken internally or be used directly on the skin. They can be diluted in a carrier oil for massage or a few drops can be added to a bath. Read my post Sweet Smelling Gifts 2 for more information on the uses of essential oils.

Keep essential oils away from varnished wood and other fine surfaces, as drops of oil will stain. They should also be kept away from naked flame and never be stored in plastic bottles. Keep them in the glass bottles in which they were purchased. Store in a cool place with the cap tightly fixed, out of sight and reach of children and animals.

Always use a dropper when adding oil and use it sparingly, one drop at a time, as too much can upset the delicate balance of pot-pourri fragrance.

Pot-pourri oils

These differ from essential oils in that they are used only for their fragrance. They have no therapeutic qualities. Never use them on your skin or in the bath. However, to add fragrance to the final rinsing water when washing bed linen, tablecloths or underwear, simply add a few drops of your favourite fragrance. Freshen up your kitchen surfaces and tiles by adding a few drops to the water when wiping these surfaces.

As with essential oils, use only good quality, undiluted pot-potpourri oil. If you use these oils instead of essential oils in recipes for pot-pourri, you may need to adjust the quantities. Your nose will be your best guide; overly strong fragrance can irritate the senses.

Gift decorations from Nature

2007-07-11T01:01:00.000+01:00

Winter time in South Africa (and other parts of the Southern Hemisphere) is sometimes filled with the sound of sniffing, sneezing and coughing and after days or weeks of feeling low and listless, winter blues can really get a hold of you if you are not careful. Read more...

Vitamin C is essential during these times and with oranges, lemons, tangerines and even grapefruit, you can have your daily allowance of this essential vitamin and also use the time to be creative by drying these fruits to use as decorations on gift packages or to make citrus potpourri and scented spice rings.

To dry citrus fruit, cut them into slices. Sprinkle the slices with orris root powder (available from health stores and pharmacies). Place on a baking tray and dry in the warming drawer of the stove or in a cool oven (60 degrees Celsius). Check frequently, occasionally turning the slices.

Dry grated citrus peel, (mixed with orris root powder) in the same manner by spreading out on a baking sheet. Roll thin strips of citrus peel in orris root powder before drying. Lavender and rosemary can also be dried in the warming drawer.

Berries, leaves and pods are laid on newspaper; turn them over regularly or tie them together in a bunch and hang upside down in a dry place.

Store all dried materials in a airtight container for later use.

100 Posts and A Few Months Older

2007-07-03T22:04:00.001+01:00

On Sunday night I published my 100th post since I started blogging in October last year. By normal blogging standards, maybe not something to boast about and I would love to be able to publish new gift ideas and articles everyday, but alas, my days do not always have enough hours in them.

In between running a business from home during the day, taking care of my mother and many times of my granddaughter Mia, going for driving lessons and also managing my other two blogs, my days sometimes do not have enough hours in them.

Imagine my delight when Ruth over at Me, My Life and My Garden, presented me with the Rocking Girl Blogger Award as well as The Thinking Blogger award in June. What a nice gift to receive from such a busy blogger who is and have been an inspiration for me and many other bloggers over the last few months. Thank you, Ruth!!

So now this "old" girl thinks she will rock and blog for a very long time still.

"Musical" Gifts

2007-07-01T17:39:00.000+01:00

Many of you have maybe seen bowls made from old vinyl records. During May when my friend, Karl Heinz from Germany and I visited the small town of Clarens, we were amazed to see these bowls in so many different shapes and in so many of the small craft shops.One of the shops also had handbags made from two "LP" records with holes punched around the edges from where an intricate crocheted piece was fastened to form the sides of the bag. Read more...

On our return home, we decided to try and make a bowl ourselves. I could not find any instructions in my craft magazines and after surfing the net for a few minutes, I found two kinds of methods to make the bowls.

In the first one you use boiling water to soften the edges of the record and then quickly bend it into desired shapes. I had some trouble with this method. The record softened on contact with the boiling water, but hardened up again as soon as it was taken out of the water and before I could even start shaping it. I do believe that with a little more practice, it could work very well and if you only want to make one or two bowls, it is a good method.

The second method of softening the record in the oven, worked excellently and once we managed to complete the first bowl, we enjoyed it so much that Adri (my daughter) decided to make some as well and in the end we had six bowls. The only drawback in making the bowls, was the decision of which records to use. Although it is years since I last listened to any of them, they all have special meaning and memories of good times in my life. Luckily I have many of the songs on my computer and on CD's, so the bowl-making session began with a good old "Rock and Roll from the 50's" album.

The bowls shown here were made by Karl Heinz and are now in his apartment in Germany.

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Clean the record with dishwashing liquid and water and dry well but take care not to damage the label on the record.

Use a little cooking oil and lightly oil one side of the record. Center the oiled side of the record over an inverted oven proof glass bowl and place in the preheated oven for two to three minutes. The record will soften, droop and form four pleats. Use a pot holder to remove the glass bowl and record from the oven. Place on a heat resistant surface and using your fingers, shape more pleats or turn the edges inwards or outwards. You have to work fairly quickly as the record is workable for about 30 seconds before it hardens up again.

However, if you are not satisfied with the way your bowl looks, just place it back onto the glass bowl and return to the oven for another two to three minutes and reshape the pleats. You can even put it onto a baking tray and after some minutes, the record will wilt into the original flat form and then you can start from scratch. Leave the finished bowl to cool completely.

Use different sized glass bowls and even glasses to shape your bowls. They can be big and shallow or deep and narrow. If you like, you can decorate it further with glitter glue or puff paint.

Tip: Look for old records at flea markets if you do not want to use your own.

Warning: Do not let children do this on their own. The records and glass bowls are very hot and should be handled with care.

Handy Gifts from Empty Cans

2007-06-25T21:07:00.001+01:00

Turn empty coffee cans into handy gifts that can be used to store anything from cookies to rice and sugar. It also looks great on a shelf or in a child's room to store crayons and other small toys.

You will need:

Empty coffee can
Nail varnish remover
Wire for handles
Corrugated cardboard
Paper serviettes
Modge Podge glue/sealant
Glue gun and glue
Craft knife and scissors
Soft paint brush

Remove the label, allow can to soak in warm soapy water. Wash thoroughly, use nail varnish remover to dislodge any traces of stubborn glue. Allow to dry completely. Read more...

Pierce holes through opposite sides of can, just below rim. Cut wire and wind around a wooden dowel, pull it off gently. Hook wire through the holes to form handle. Use flat nosed pliers to press the ends of the wire flat.

Using a craft knife, cut corrugated board to required size. For a 750g can you will need a 20cm x 44cm piece of cardboard which will leave you with an overlap of 5 cm.

Separate the layers of the serviette. Cut picture or motifs from the serviette. Position onto cardboard. Use a soft brush and gently apply Modge Podge over a small surface at a time until serviette is completely covered and sticks to the cardboard. Carefully smooth bubbles that may appear on the surface with your fingers or a soft cloth.

Leave to dry completely and apply two more coats of Modge Podge with a drying period between each coat. When dry, position cardboard around can. Use a glue gun to glue the edges together.

Flower Gift Boxes

2007-06-20T21:15:00.000+01:00

A few months ago I showed you a photo of small gift boxes that you can make yourself. I have put a link in the sidebar to download templates for the pillow and origami boxes and many of you have downloaded these templates.

Here is another gift box that is also quite easy to make and really looks pretty with the "petals" forming a flower when it is closed. Read more...

The red box was printed on size A4 cardboard, cut out and glued to gift paper. I printed the diagram for the bigger one on plain paper and took it to a copy shop to enlarge it on size A3 cardboard. I used a piece of thick hand-made paper to make this box.

Score the dotted lines with a craft knife or fold along the edge of a ruler for neat, sharp edges. Glue the flaps to the inside of the box, leave to dry and then fold the "petals" in to the center to close the box.

This can be quite tricky if you do it the first time, but it gets easier with practice.

Three years ago I used the hand-made paper box for a 21st birthday gift. Inside was 21 small cards with pictures and quotes, one for every year. It seemed such a "small, simple" gift but the receiver was really impressed with it.

To download the PDF template file for this box, click on the image of the gift boxes in the sidebar. You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to open and print the diagram. If you do not have it on your computer, you can download it for free.

Whilst surfing the net some weeks ago, I found the Card-i-gami site. If you like to make your own cards and boxes, you will find many ideas for beautiful flowers similar to the top of my gift box.

To all Dads and Granddads

2007-06-16T21:41:00.000+01:00

Myspace Layouts

Candle Gifts to light up Father's Day

2007-06-13T22:19:00.001+01:00

"Put shells into a glass and add a wick. Melt candle gel and pour carefully over the shells. Leave to set and trim the wick".

This is not the instructions that I am giving to you to make gel candles like the ones shown in the photo, but I found this short and sweet instructions in a magazine a few weeks ago. Read more...

As I have some gel candles that were really not looking good anymore, I decided to remelt the gel and use tiny shells to make new candles.

I first tried to melt it in the microwave oven on a very slow heat but nothing happened and I was unsure if the plastic container would be able to withstand the heat of the melted gel, I transfered it to a saucepan and melted it on the stove. Lesson learned again: Never ever try to make candles when you cannot watch the gel or wax when it is melting and always melt wax over low heat.

I did a search last night for gel candles and found really good sites with clear instructions on every aspect of this craft. However, since gel (and wax candles) can also be good Father's Day gifts, I have decided to give you a link to David Fisher's instructions for a beer candle.
There are lots of ideas for different candles as well as recipes for shaving soap and soap making instructions. (Soap, candles and massage oil, enough to make him feel spoiled, don't you think?)

Please read the Gel Candle Safety article. The link can be found under "Other Gel Candle Making Tips" on the same page.

The Gift of Good Advice

2007-06-11T20:36:00.000+01:00

In my post of yesterday I gave a link to one of Peter Chen's blogs and used the word "here" as anchor text in the post. Peter commented on this:-"search engines uses the anchor text to figure out what the page you are linking to is all about, and "here" tells nothing".

Click on the Read More... option of my Father's Day Gifts and Massages post to read his comment at the end of the page. It also includes other interesting information about comments and a new search engine.

Blogging is really a never-ending learning process but when you receive advice from somebody who is always willing to share his knowledge with you and other bloggers, it is always an enjoyable experience.

Thank you, Peter.

Father's Day Gifts and Massages

2007-06-10T18:27:00.001+01:00

Only a few days more before Father's Day and sometimes it can be difficult to know what to buy or give to that special man in your life.

Socks, ties and hankies are really not a good idea, so I want to share this aromatherapy recipe for a fragrant massage oil.

The oil can be used to massage away travel fatigue, especially if he has to be on the road for long periods of time.

It is also a good remedy to soothe away the stresses and strains after a tough day at work. Read more...

Mix 2 drops each of the following essential oils:
Rosemary (increase vitality) ylang ylang (aids relaxation) and lemon (relieves mental exhaustion) in 20 ml of carrier oil, such as sweet almond or grapeseed.

Massage this oil into the face and the back of the neck during a journey and on arrival, pour a few drops into a warm bath and have a long soak.

Tip: Store the oil in a glass bottle with a screw cap and in a cool place, away from sunlight (never use plastic bottles for aromatherapy oils). Also use bottles that are dark in colour - amber, dark blue or dark green - quality oils are always sold in coloured bottles.

Carrier oils:

Carrier or base oils are oils used to dilute the concentrated essential oils, they help to slow down the evaporation of the essential oils and help absorb them into the skin. Carrier oils can include grapeseed, wheat germ-, canola-, safflower-, sunflower-, sesame-, sweet almond-, hazelnut-, walnut-, olive-, peanut-, soya-, avocado- and peanut oil.

Essential oils are highly concentrated extracts so keep away from the eyes and do not apply directly to the skin as it can cause skin irritations.

Tip: For more information about essential oils , please read my post Sweet smelling gifts 2

If you really feel that you have to give some handkerchiefs as a present, here is a good idea for the presentation, it is also such a "fun" post to read. If you are a regular reader of my blog, you will know that I have sometimes mentioned Peter who has helped me a lot since I started blogging in October 2006. He also have other blogs about environmental issues and very good advice there too. Enjoy this idea of his and if you do it, please leave a comment for him and maybe a photo of your hankie-card, too.

The Gift of A Good Friend and Family

2007-06-05T20:39:00.000+01:00

It has been a whole month since I have last posted anything on any of my three blogs.

Over the past few months, especially since March, I started to realise that I was physically and emotionally tired. Although I forced myself to get up every morning and keep busy the whole day, the one constant feeling I had was one of suppressed anger.

I know it sounds awful and in a way I really had nothing to be angry about, but to be truthful, I had a lot of responsibilities and sometimes it felt as if my whole family was depending on me and always expecting me to be there for them. I also realised that this deep seated anger was the beginning of a very bad depression and that, in itself, made the anger worse. Read more...

I have been able to "rescue" myself from severe bouts of depression a few years ago and slowly but surely I managed to drag myself out of it and became the person I am today and I really like myself. I am proud of the things that I have accomplished in the past few years.

However, since my father passed away in June 2006 and I also had to cope with some very personal problems that emotionally devastated me, the only way I could come to terms with it was to bury myself knee-deep in work. It became so bad that I actually felt guilty when I was not doing anything and I was really afraid to sit down or watch TV, as I would fall asleep after a few minutes.

The only thing I could do to combat this tiredness was to find something else to keep me busy with. So a vicious circle began and maybe it was inevitable that something would finally give way. For a few days I took some anti-depressants and swallowed multivitamins by the dozens but to no avail.

The day I had a really bad fall-out with a client, I realised that I should listen to my body and my mind and slow down. When a very good friend from Germany decided to visit South Africa again and invited me to travel with him for a few days, I immediately took him up on this offer. I owed it to myself to take time off from everybody and everything and to find peace in myself again.

What utter bliss to not be responsible for anything, even it if was only a few days. We spend some time in Clarens, a small town in the Free State, surrounded by the Rooiberge (Red Mountains) and part of the Maluti Mountains and also sometimes referred to as "The Switzerland of South Africa". Unfortunately the snow fell only after we left, but the peace and quiet I found in this town and also in the nearby Golden Gate National Park and parts of the Drakensberg mountains near the Lesotho border, were food for my soul.

I also gained valuable experience while driving through the mountain passes and by having a very patient driving instructor by my side. If you are wondering about this, I decided three months ago to start driving again after not touching the steering wheel of a car for nearly twenty years.

Tonight I can honestly say that I feel rested, so much so that I had to drag myself out of bed at 7 in the evening to write this... it is winter in South Africa and we have unusually cold weather. It has also been raining for most of the day ... and I am still in this thoroughly relaxed mood!!!

However, my blogs are calling and I am ready to go on with my life again. I have posted photos of Clarens and the surrounding areas so why don't you take some time to go on a tour yourself? Click on the link or the photo at the beginning of the post.

It is only fitting to end this post by thanking my brother, Hannes (and Pieter also) for taking care of my mother over the past three weeks, my brother Jackie and especially his wife, Elmarie, in Qatar as well as my daughter Adri, for convincing me that I do not need to feel guilty when I think about my own needs and last but not the least, my dear friend, Karl Heinz, who has really saved me from a deep depression, for always being there when I need to talk and for believing in me!

KH, congratulations on becoming an "oupa" for the first time and I know this little boy will bring you many joys and you will really be such a good grandfather.

Bathtime Gifts For Mother's Day

2007-05-06T21:53:00.000+01:00

Bath Bombs

There are still a few days left to make bath and beauty gifts for Mother's Day and these bath bombs are really so quick and easy to make.

You will need:

1 cup baking soda- (bicarbonate of soda)
125 ml (½ cup) citric acid (from a pharmacy)
125 ml (½ cup) corn starch
1/3 cup Epsom salts (optional)
(2½ tbsp) carrier oil like sunflower or sweet almond oil, avocado, apricot kernel or coconut
¾ tbsp water
½ to 2 tsp essential oils or fragrant oils
food colouring
¼ teaspoon borax (an emulsifier)
moulds available from craft shops
Read more...

Sieve dry ingredients. Add Epsom salts after sieving.
Combine wet ingredients and borax in a jar. Cover tightly and shake vigorously.

Mixing: Drizzle wet ingredients slowly into dry ingredients and blend thoroughly. If it fizzes, slow down. If you add other ingredients, such as herbs, Epsom salts or dried flowers, you may need to add a bit more almond oil. The mixture should just start to hold together when pressed in your hand, like fine, moist sand.

Shaping: Pack each side of the mould quickly, then throw some loose mixture on top and firmly press the halves together, (the mould shouldn't fit together completely). If you cannot find moulds, you can shape balls using your hands.

Unmoulding: After a few minutes unmould onto a baking sheet. Remove mould, one side at a time, taking of the top half of the mould first. You may need to tap the top gently once or twice. Turn the ball over and remove the other side. Do not twist the top of the mould - this can split the bomb. If the bombs won't keep shape, add a bit more oil (quarter teaspoon or less). Allow to dry for two to three days.

Tip: If the shape breaks when removing it from the mould, it could be too dry. Mist lightly with a water mister and reshape.

Epsom salts give a shine to the bombs and seem to make the fizzing action more vigorous.
Slice a plastic Christmas ornament in half to use as a mould.
When moulding the bombs, press a small gift into one half before you put the two sides together.

Customise your gifts with your choice of food colouring and essential oils:

Relaxing: Lavender essential oil with purple colouring- you can also add 1-2 teaspoons dried lavender flowers.
Also- clary, sage, camomile, ylang ylang, tangerine, rose, lemon verbena.

Refreshing: Peppermint and bergamot with green or blue colouring.

Uplifting: Neroli with orange colouring -
Also - rosemary, lemon, lime, jasmine, bergamot.

Fragrant: Rose essential oil, pink food colouring, and 1-2 teaspoons dried and crushed rose petals.

Antiseptic : Tea tree, eucalyptus, lavender, rosemary, rose.

Magnetic Beaded Gifts

2007-04-26T20:53:00.000+01:00

The necklaces or more correctly, bead wraps or strands, on the photos are by far my favourite pieces in my jewelry box.

The black beads are magnetic therapy beads which are used for magnetic pain relief. Click here to read more about magnetic therapy and to see examples of other bead wraps.

Please take note of the usage warning at the bottom of the web page- not everybody can wear magnetic beads!!! Read more...

The bead wraps can be worn as chokers, bracelets, anklets and necklaces because the magnetic attraction of the beads keep the strands in place and once you have made one of these, you will find many ways to wear and use them.

Here is a link to an online store where you can order the magnetic beads if you cannot buy them at your local bead shop and where will find more beading projects and even animated beading lessons.

More Beaded Gifts for Mother's Day

2007-04-25T21:48:00.000+01:00

A few years ago I saw a photo in a magazine of beaded balls that can be used for gift box decorations.
Imagine my delight when I found the instructions to make them on this site last year.

This site has become one of my favourite sites for beaded gifts and you can find lots of projects with instructions as well as beading techniques on this site including instructions for the beaded cross. You can browse the site either by clicking on the project links or you can browse the photo gallery. Read more...

One of the newest projects is necklaces made entirely from these beaded balls. The size of the balls will depend on the size of the beads you use. They can be worn on a chain on its own, as unusual clasps for bracelets, to decorate gift boxes, for keyring holders or Christmas tree decorations. Once you have managed to make the balls (and the cross) you will always have an idea for a gift for a special person.

If you are interested in beading, this site is definitely a "must visit" site. Enjoy!!

Beaded Gifts for Mother's Day

2007-04-18T21:59:00.000+01:00

Here is a photo of two of my favourite bracelets and earrings as well as a bracelet made with memory wire. The glass bead earrings were made by a friend of mine who suffers from severe bouts of depression.

Beading has helped her to stay busy during these times and she has turned this hobby into an extra income as well.

The green bracelet and earrings are based on the Spiral Rope technique. I always receive compliments when I wear my "Diamond" Tennis bracelet . I used the same technique to make the earrings.

I found the instructions for both these bracelets on the About.com website, one of my favourite websites on the internet.

There are free beading projects for jewelry of all kinds, tips and techniques and links to other beading sites. You can even subscribe to free e-mail beading lessons.

So click on the links to make lovely beaded gifts for Mother's Day and other special occasions.

A Gift with Shades of Autumn

2007-04-15T18:40:00.000+01:00

When I made the salt dough napkin rings for William's birthday party, I also made salt dough leaves which I wanted to attach to the napkin rings, but found that they were too big.

While looking through a magazine last week, I saw a picture of a mobile made from twigs and glass beads and the idea for this mobile was born.

Arrange dark-coloured twigs (I used twigs from an apricot tree) until they form a balanced shape and bind with raffia.

Use fish line to tie the leaves to the twigs.

Tip: Use a butterfly-shaped cookie cutter to make butterflies from rolled out salt dough. Paint in bright colours when baked and hang them from the twigs as well.

Scented Ropes for Mother's Day

2007-04-12T20:40:00.000+01:00

Perfumed or spice ropes are quick and easy to make and are very fragrant gifts for Mother's Day.

Use lavender or potpourri, pastel wool and fabrics, ribbons and lace and silk flowers for the perfumed ropes.

Thick natural coloured wool, macramé cord or thick rope combined with gingham or earthy, colour coordinated fabric bags filled with herbs and spices, trimmed with cinnamon sticks, bearded wheat, dried flowers, feathers and even porcupine quills can be used for the spice ropes. Read more...

Ropes:

1 Curtain ring (wooden or plastic)
30 x 1,5 metre lengths of coloured wool (the thicker the wool, the more luxurious)
3 lavender/ potpourri or herb/spices sachets (all the same colour or coordinated)
trimmings of choice
4 x 40 cm lengths of ribbon, 1 cm wide
3 rubber bands

Double the 30 pieces of wool, holding them firmly in the middle. Push doubled wool through the middle of the ring. Bring the doubled section back over the top of the ring and pull gently down until all wool is securely held at bottom of ring.
Divide wool into three equal parts (20 strands each) and plait. Secure at bottom with a rubber band, leaving a 5cm tail. Trim tail evenly. Lay the rope down and position the three sachets evenly down the rope. Place trimming/s on top of each sachet. Secure each sachet to the rope with ribbon by wrapping around the sachet and trimmings from the front to the back, tying securely in front and finishing with a bow.

Sachets:

Fabric scraps
30 cm gift ribbon
lavender
rubber bands
pinking shears

Measure out 15 cm squares on the the fabric scraps and cut out with pinking shears. Fill center of each square of fabric with one generous tablespoon of filling. Gather up fabric in your hand and secure with a rubber band. Gently pull up the points of the sachet. Trim with 30 cm of gift ribbon and curl ends.

Tip: When marking out squares of fabric, cut sandpaper to size and place face down on the fabric. Mark around it. It will not move.

Idea: Sachets filled with lavender make lovely gifts on their own. It can be used in wardrobes, drawers or in linen cupboards. Small baskets filled with these sachets lend a special touch to a guest bedroom or bathroom. Also good sellers at fund-raising events because they can be priced very low.

Gifts from the Rain Forests

2007-04-10T21:37:00.000+01:00

After I finished the braid from the salt dough which started to crack as soon as it was exposed to the air, (I also used it for the egg cups/nests), it reminded me of the thick vines growing in and around trees in rain forests. In my mind's eye I saw all those lovely exotic,vibrant flowers, pitcher plants/monkey cups and knew I had to try something similar with the left over dough. Read more...

Here is my own little piece of a rain forest.

The flowers were shaped from balls of dough which I flattened with my fingers until it was a thin circle. I then pinched the dough in the center on the underside of the circle and folded the dough circle until it resembled a flower. The excess dough was cut off with a pair of scissors.

The "pitcher plants" were also formed from balls of dough, flattened and then shaped around a scrunched up ball of kitchen paper towel. I poured a generous amount of potpourri oil onto the paper ball.

I realised that the "**pitcher plants" could also be used on their own as an aromatic gift to scent a drawer or wardrobe or it can be fastened to a wide satin ribbon to make a wall hanging.

**Although the pitcher plant or monkey cups found in rain forests are not at all sweet smelling and aromatic due to the fact that they are carnivorous plants, mainly eating insects, I decided to make mine aromatic. Everybody needs a little sweetness now and then.

Two weeks in the Real World

2007-04-09T21:03:00.000+01:00

It feels kind of strange sitting in front of my computer screen and back in blog land after two weeks without internet connection.

When my modem was struck by lightning on the 30th of March just as I was starting to upload a photo of the braid I made from the same batch of salt dough I used for the egg cups/nests, I had a moment of pure panic.

Since I started blogging in October 2006, being online everyday was part of my life and to suddenly being unable to connect to the internet, made me realise once again how quickly we can become addicted to the internet.

I had to wait a few days for the only computer shop in town to receive new stock only to find that there was something wrong with the new modem and I had to wait for the technician to come and solve the problem.

I resigned myself to the fact that there would be no internet for a few days and decided to use the time to catch up on some reading and I actually enjoyed watching a few movies on TV again, something that I have not done in many, many weeks.

Lesson to be learned from this:- There is life after internet!!!........ but I am glad to be back.

Fusion of Brain Cells and Salt Dough

2007-03-27T23:06:00.000+02:00

I am finally forming the chicken head for the Easter Basket in my head. I will however have to make a frame from cardboard to hold the head in place while baking it.

I have decided to discard my original idea of forming it around the front of the basket with two chickens on both sides. I will now "mount" it on the edge and hopefully it will stay in place nicely. Maybe I should also add some wood glue to the salt dough to make it stronger and I will also use scrunched up foil on the inside to make it lighter and then it will also not take so long to bake.

I made a few dyed eggs today for Mia's Blog and once the Easter Basket is finished, I will use it as a center piece for my dining table.

A Chicken for Easter

2007-03-25T20:43:00.000+02:00

A couple or more of these salt dough chickens will brighten up a kitchen wall or you can use them as a table decoration for your Easter breakfast.

They are made with balls of dough. Flatten and pinch the one side to from the tail and the other side to form the head and beak. Snip open the beak with a pair of scissors. Read more...

Use a flower-shaped pastry/cookie cutter to cut the combs from flattened balls of dough. Cut the flower shape in half, moisten and stick on top of the head. Roll two small balls of dough into tear shapes, moisten and stick underneath for the wattles.

The feet are small rolls of dough which are bunched together. Use a pair of scissors to snip the neck feathers of the black rooster.

Push paper clips cut in half into the dough before baking.

Source: Fun Dough - Brenda Porteous

This book has more than 100 salt dough projects and photos. It is one of two salt dough project books on my bookshelf and I have made quite a few of the items in previous years. Also see sidebar for more information on this book.

A Bonny Bunny Gift

2007-03-23T21:59:00.000+02:00

Maybe many of you have seen the cute bunny face cloth soap holders or even have received one as a gift on occasion. They are really easy and quick to make and at Easter time it is the perfect gift to give if you substitute the soap with Easter eggs. Kids love them.

I never knew that the folding technique falls under origami towel folding. I read a very interesting article the other night about towel origami. Apparently guests on cruise liners find a different shaped face cloth or towel on their beds/bunks every night, from lovely elegant swans to cheeky monkeys. Read more...

Here is a step by step guide to make two versions of the bunnies:-

White Bunny

One face cloth
one rubber band
about 15 cm ribbon
two small buttons for eyes(or use wiggly eyes)
one button for nose
wool, string or embroidery thread
cotton wool ball

Place face cloth flat on the table in front of you.
Tightly roll one corner to the center, hold in place while you roll the opposite corner to the center.

With the rolled side facing downwards, fold the face cloth in half.

Then fold back from corners end. Place the rubber band around this section to form the bunny's head.

Tie a ribbon over the rubber band. Sew or glue on the buttons for the eyes and nose. Thread whiskers through with a large needle. Glue on cotton-wool ball for tail.

Soap or chocolate bunny holder:-

Roll the face cloth as for the white bunny, put soap or egg in the center of the face cloth, bring ends together and tie a ribbon above the soap. Put a cotton wool ball between the two sides of the face cloth and tie another ribbon to form the face. Glue or sew buttons and whiskers.
(Use the photo as a guideline)

Finals in The Salt Dough Project

2007-03-21T22:05:00.000+02:00

Here is the photo of the finished salt dough project as I promised last week.

Suréne Kotzé has really outdone herself in painting the swimmer. She used acrylic paints for the body and silver glitter glue for the stripes on the "Speedo".

The arms and legs were painted with "my" version of coffee paint.

The floor of the swimming pool is a printed version of the South African flag, the orange and green of the salt dough towel is the colours of the South African national swimming team, blue cellophane was used for the water and she used different kinds of pasta to depict the outer edge of the swimming pool.

Suréne is eight years old and last year she went through to the finals in another craft competition.

Let's hope this year she will do it again. We're holding thumbs for you, Suréne!!

Nests full of Gifts

2007-03-17T22:02:00.000+02:00

As promised last night, here are photos of my egg cups, or rather egg nests made from salt dough.

I wanted to make napkin rings as well, but could not find a way to fold the dough around a cardboard roll without them sliding down. Read more...

Today I realised that the egg nests can also be used for napkin holders as you can see in the photo.

Simply open the napkins and roll it up from one corner, then fold in half and put it into the egg nests so that it resembles bunny ears.

Here is a close up of the nests. If you click on the photo to open it in a new page, you will see the "natural" cracks that I wrote about last night. I also used the tip of a cocktail stick to make marks on the dough so that it can resemble twigs.

The grass nests for the chicks were made from very, very thin pieces of dough rolls. I used a paint brush to moisten the nest and just laid the rolls onto the dough.

The chicks were made from two balls of dough and the wings smaller balls of dough pinched at the one side. The tip of a cocktail stick was used to make marks on the wings and also on the bigger chick.

Use this photo as a guideline to make the nests and the candle stick holder. Don't forget to moisten the edges of the salt dough with water before joining the rolls together.

I used three coats of strong black coffee to paint the nests and a cocoa solution to paint the chicks' nests. Seal with two coats of clear varnish or Modge Podge.

Tip: Use leaves or fresh herbs as further decoration and substitute the boiled eggs with chocolate eggs on Easter Sunday.

Idea: Use all the salt dough egg nests as napkin holders and serve the boiled eggs on freshly baked bread roll nests.

Last Sunday I provided a link on my ezi-edible-gifts blog to information about coffee and latte art and under the Coffee in Art section I saw the word "Arfé" which is the term artists use to describe the use of coffee in artwork. So for the past few months I have been "arfé-ing" without even knowing it!!

Cracks in the Salt Dough

2007-03-16T23:15:00.000+02:00

I have still not finished the egg basket made from salt dough although I have tried a few chicken heads but still cannot decide exactly how it should look. I have found during the past few months that it is sometimes good to leave a specific salt dough project unfinished for a while. After a few days of looking at it and doing it in my head, I eventually will know how it should look and then I just have to sit down and finish it.

I have made some egg cups and a plaited wall hanging and will show it to you later today.

I made a new batch of salt dough for the egg cups and to my horror the dough immediately began to dry out while I was still busy with the egg cups. I really do not know what went wrong, as I can remember telling my mother how strange it is that you can actually "feel" when the dough has been kneaded long enough.

After a while I realised to my amazement that the cracks were actually complimenting my designs and in the end I was really delighted with the results. It only goes to show that salt dough articles really take on a life of their own sometimes.

Easter Basket Salt Dough Project

2007-03-14T21:59:00.000+02:00

On the 4th of November 2006 I had a post about baskets made from salt dough. One of the tips that I gave was to use a cane basket as mold for the salt dough.

When I finished the swimmer on Monday, I decided to make an egg basket and used one of my cane baskets to see how the actual pattern of the cane would look on the dough. Here are the results. Read more...

The basket is not finished. I want to try to make a fat little chicken head from salt dough and attach it to the front part of the basket.

I think I will have to make a cardboard support again to hold the head during baking and then will attach it with glue to the basket.

I am not certain at this stage how it will look, but as always, I will post a photo of the finished basket here for you to see.

I was really surprised with the way the cane pattern came out on the salt dough.

Just remember to lightly oil the inside of the basket or spray it with a liberal coating of cooking spray before laying the rolled out dough into it.

Do not stretch the dough because it will crack during baking if it is too thin in places.

After baking, let the salt dough basket cool for about 10 minutes, then carefully remove it from the cane basket.

Salt Dough Craft Project

2007-03-12T22:54:00.000+02:00

I have been asked to help with a craft project for a national school competition. The learners have to use the image of a very popular glue stick called (Mr) Pritt as a sportsman.

This girl decided that her Mr. Pritt should be a swimming champion (backstroke). Here are photos of "our" unfinished salt dough project. At the moment it is in the oven and I will post a photo when the girl has finished painting it. Read more...

I originally used two empty toilet rolls and covered them with foil, as I have decided that to make the entire body from dough, would make the swimmer too heavy. When I measured it in the box that will serve as the swimming pool, the body was too long, so I used only one toilet roll.

Rolled out dough was used to cover the toilet roll.

I made foil "frames for the arms and legs to prevent the dough from sagging during baking.

The finished swimmer complete with Speedo and goggles.

The girl is going to complete the project before Friday and I have asked for photos to post here.

I really cannot wait to see the finished project.

Not the most elegant of swimmers, but hopefully he will receive a bronze medal for his efforts.

Starry Cinnamon Gifts

2007-03-11T19:32:00.000+02:00

This easy and aromatic gift can be made in no time at all and most probably you will find all the materials for it in your kitchen cupboard.

Attach a ribbon and small ring to the back with a glue gun so that it can be hanged up against the kitchen wall or make 4-5 of them and then make a mobile to hang from the kitchen ceiling. Read more...

You will need:

Whole cinnamon sticks
bay-leaves
cloves
star anise pods
a small (3cm diameter) cardboard circle (use empty cereal box to cut the circle from)
1 cm wide ribbon
dried gypsophila

To make:

Glue the bay leaves onto the circle. Glue the cinnamon sticks to form spokes. Glue cloves around the centre of the decoration, then glue the star anise pods in place. Glue a few sprigs of dried gypsophila to the decoration and leave to dry. When the decoration is completely dry, glue the ribbon to the back of the cardboard and cover the back of the cardboard with bayleaves.

Aromatic Spiral Gifts

2007-03-08T19:59:00.000+02:00

Tonight I want to give you another idea to use left over pieces of fabric. Even if you do not sew on a regular basis, these aromatic pot spirals are such good gifts that it is really worth it to buy some fabric to make them. Many times you can buy remnants of fabric from shops at very cheap prices. Read more...

You will need:

70 cm fabric/115 cm wide
Matching sewing thread
Rice
Potpourri oil of your choice

To Make:

Sprinkle rice with potpourri oil and allow to stand overnight.

Cut strips of fabric on the bias, 13cm wide, cutting enough to make a strip of 1,5 cm in length.

Join the strips on the bias. Fold the strip in half lengthwise with the right sides together. With a 1.5cm seam allowance sew all around the edge leaving a gap at the one end for turning out.

Trim the seam allowance, cut the corners diagonally and turn the strip to the right side. Fill the strip with the rice, taking care not to make it too firm.

Fold in the seam allowance at the open end and by hand neatly stitch closed. Roll the strip into a tight spiral, stitching by hand to secure as you go. Continue until the whole strip is done. Another way of securing the spiral is to use a glue gun, but keep the spiral in position until the glue has set.

Variation: Budgie seed or sand can also be used to fill the spiral. The bias strips can be cut longer, shorter or narrower for a bigger or smaller spiral.

Tip: If you do not want to make fabric spirals, buy sisal or hemp rope (6-8 cm in diameter) from craft or hobby shops and make the spirals from these.

While I was looking for instructions to show you how to cut fabric on the bias, I also found these very clear instructions for oven and finger mitts, so I thought I should provide this link as well if you want to try your hand at these.

Salt Dough(ing) is Good for your Health

2007-03-04T22:28:00.000+02:00

I never thought I would miss making salt dough items. For the past four months it was so much a part of my life to make them and post it here on my blog for you to see and hoping that you would also find pleasure in making them as gifts for friends and family members.

As I am busy at the moment with Mia's (my granddaughter) first birthday party goodies, I do not even have time to show you some other gifts to make, but I told my daughter this afternoon that I really have this urge to make salt dough items again. There are also quite a few ideas in my head for new things.

Who would have thought that 26 years after I have made a batch of salt dough for the very first time, (my son, then age 2, brought the recipe home from kindergarten)I would one day find so much pleasure in this activity. What has started out as just something to make and show as gift ideas on my blog, actually turned into something that I really enjoy.

"They" say it is good to keep your hands and brain busy when you start to grow old(er) and with all the thinking of what to make next, my brain is definitely getting its share of exercise. The kneading of the dough is good to keep the hands busy and supple and for me it is also really a very soothing activity.

So maybe salt "doughing" can be good for stress and your health.

A Gift to Hang on To

2007-03-01T22:12:00.000+02:00

We all have coat hangers with knitted or crochet covers in our wardrobes and I will admit that you find beautiful patterns for these, too.

Covered wire hangers, however, look lovely and make beautiful gifts.

A few years back I saw a picture of a covered wire hanger and as I was really into needlework at that time, I decided to use some of the left over fabric to make covers for my wire hangers. Read more...

You do not need a big piece of fabric and you can make quite a few of them in a day's time.

I usually stitch the top part of the cover with my sewing machine and then stitch the bottom part by hand. The fabric has to be stretched tightly over the hanger, so it is a little difficult to use the sewing machine for this. (You can do it, however.)

Here is a picture of the pattern I use for the covers. Put a wire hanger onto a piece of paper and draw around the hanger with a pencil. Allow for a seam of 2,5 cm before cutting it out. To cover the hook, cut out a straight piece of fabric about 25 cm long and 3 cm wide. Stitch the edges together and turn right side out.

With right sides facing, stitch the fabric from one bottom edge to the top, cut the thread and stitch the other side. Leave an opening to push the hook through. Baste a hem and slip cover over the hook onto the hanger. Pin the two hemmed edges together, then stitch them together. Slip the hook cover over the hook and use running stitch to gather the fabric to take up the fullness. Stitch the openings and also stitch the bottom of the hook cover to the top of the hanger cover.

Tip: If you want to stitch lace to the bottom edges, do it before you stitch the two pieces of fabric together.

Idea: Bind satin ribbon tightly around the hook instead of the fabric cover.

Idea: Use pastel colored fabric or unbleached calico and embroider flowers and leaves onto the fabric before making the covers.

Idea: Make small sachets, fill it with potpourri and attach to the finished hanger or even fill the cover with potpourri before you stitch the bottom edges together.

Tip: If you do not want to go to all this trouble, simply buy pretty beads with holes big enough to fit over the wire, carefully unwind the wire at the the hook, thread the beads to cover the hanger and wind the wire together again.

MIA - My Most Precious Gift

2007-03-01T02:38:00.000+02:00

She will be ONE YEAR OLD on the 6th of March 2007

Isn't she ADORABLE??????

Watch the sidebar for a link to a blog dedicated to her!!!!

A Gift for A Seamstress

2007-02-26T21:08:00.000+02:00

Tonight I want to show you how you can use a fir/pine cone and squares of fabric to make a very handy gift for your friends who are interested in needlework. Read more...

You will need:

6 cm squares of fabric4
polyester filling
fir cone, glue, thread

To make:

Place a small ball of polyester filling in center of each square. Drawing up ends, twist into a tight pod, wind cotton tightly round and tie. Cut tail to neaten. Push pod into a space in the fir cone.

Different-sized pods (vary stuffing) will be needed for some holes, particularly at the base, where the cone is tighter. Each pod is poked well down and packed tight to the next one. Secure pods near the top of the cone with a touch of glue.

Serviette Rings

2007-02-26T20:07:00.000+02:00

Here is a photo of the finished serviette rings. The tags were attached to the rings with silver thread and I used blue glitter glue to paint the W on the tags.

Unfortunately I could not use the 21 as the 2 fell to the ground and broke into pieces and I did not have time to make a new one.

I did not varnish the rings and tags. They can be painted in other colors at a later stage to be used for yet another party.

Happy 21st Birthday, William

2007-02-23T01:59:00.000+02:00

From Garden Tools to Napkin Rings

2007-02-22T22:24:00.000+02:00

I am busy with arrangements for my son in law's 21st birthday party on Saturday and I decided to make serviette rings from salt dough. I did not want big rings (made around empty foil covered toilet or other cardboard rolls) and I had this rather bright idea to use this garden tool as the pipe/handle was the perfect size and length to make 30 serviette rings. Read more...

The only problem was that it could not fit into the oven, but as you can see, I also solved this by placing the hoe onto two chairs and let the serviette rings air dry for about eight hours. At the moment they are in the oven and tomorrow I will use sandpaper to smooth the rough edges before spray painting them. I really do not have enough time to paint them individually and the spray paint will also seal the dough.

I made tiny tags that will also be spray painted and then attach them to the serviette rings. The Valentine's salt dough heart ornament inspired me to make a 21 out of salt dough to use as a decoration on the main table. I will post photos on Sunday to show you how it all turned out.

Tip: Cover the pipe with foil or lightly oil it before you fold the dough around it. I have recently discovered that baking spray also works very well to prevent dough from sticking to surfaces. I even spray some on my wooden roller (the salt in the dough has really done some damage to the wood) and on the egg lifter that I use to lift the dough items from the table when I put them into a baking tin. Also good to spray onto a knife when you cut the dough.

The frame/template for the 21

Gifts to Choose From

2007-02-18T21:30:00.000+02:00

With the very hot summer we have in South Africa this year, I find it hard sometimes to work in my office from 3 in the afternoon until nearly 6 in the evenings. The sun is shining through the window directly onto my computer and when I draw the curtains, all the hot air stays in the room. Open windows and fans do not always help and as today is Sunday and I do not have any customers, I switched off my computer and tried to do some work in the kitchen where it is actually a whole lot cooler in the afternoons.

My kitchen table has been taken over by paint, cookie cutters, cutting boards and all the odds and ends I have been using these past few months to make the salt dough items. It was definitely time to clear up the clutter and in the process I found a few things that I made but could not at the time decide in which category they should fall.

Needless to say, the table has not been cleared but I have a few small gifts to show you. Read more...

The wooden clothes pegs can be used to keep notes together on your desk. Paint the pegs in bright colors, make small salt dough animals or flowers, paint as desired, seal with varnish and glue on top of one end of the pegs. They can also be used as fridge magnets if you glue magnets to the back. Cut a rectangle from rolled out dough, wide enough to glue 3 to 4 pegs on top, make two holes in the dough before baking. Paint and varnish after baking. Thread a piece of string through the holes and hang the rectangle on a hook above the kitchen sink to keep your dishtowels within easy reach.

The blue "thingie" was inspired by a picture for key rings holders I saw in a magazine. They were made from this soft, fluffy material, really cute and huggable. I attached two salt dough balls with a piece of cocktail stick and made "spaghetti" hair by grating the dough on the fine side of a grater. The balls were moistened with a little water and the hair was "glued" to the balls. This little thing kept looking at me over the past two months, just begging to be painted and so finally today, I decided to use a little more blue paint and different colored glitter glue to try and see if it would resemble a "bird of paradise". It still does not look as I have envisioned it when I started to make it, but at least I won't feel guilty any more.

The dancing lady key ring holder was cut from a template I printed on my computer. Do not forget to make holes or to insert a bended piece of wire into the salt dough before baking.

My daughter played around with salt dough in December while visiting me and she made a little holder by pressing a piece of dough into the muffin pan I use to mix my paints. She used a thinly rolled out piece of dough to make a wavy edge and cut small leaves from another piece of rolled out dough. It was left to air dry and it stood on the table these past few weeks. One day I picked it up and decided to paint the leaves as I had a little green paint left over from painting other leaves. Three weeks ago I painted the edge and last weekend she put some green glitter glue onto the leaves and attached the red butterfly. I realised it would make a nice candle stick holder and so another "not- knowing- what- to -do -with- it" salt dough item found its place in the gift arena.

Spicy Gifts

2007-02-17T13:01:00.000+02:00

If you are lucky enough to be able to gather pine cones, here is a nice way to turn them into a gift. The lovely tree on the photo grows in the backyard of the house where my parents lived while my father was still alive and the new tenants know that they must pick up the cones and bring it to me. This tree has yielded lovely big cones since December and I have baskets and bowls filled with them in nearly every room in my house. Read more...

Spiced cones

A selection of cones
A selection of bark, pine, eucalyptus, blue gum
15 ml orris root powder
30 ml ground cloves
15 ml ground cumin
15 ml ground cinnamon
15 ml ground nutmeg
5 drops sandalwood oil
3 drops clove oil
3 drops eucalyptus oil

In a bowl, blend all the spices and oils together by rubbing between the fingers. Place the cones and bark in a strong plastic bag, add the blended ingredients and seal the bag.

Leave the cones in the bag for at least 4 weeks, shaking the bag from time to time. Remove the cones and bark, shake off excess spices and place in a nice bowl or other suitable container. keep the remaining potpourri mixture in a sealed bag and just add new cones in the same way.

Place the cones near a source of heat to release the woody scents or place in front of a fireplace if you have one in your home, you can even throw the occasional cone onto the fire to release a burst of fragrance into the air.

A Weekly Salt Dough Gift

2007-02-15T20:49:00.000+02:00

I have provided a link in the sidebar for the origami and pillow box templates. Feel free to click on the image of the boxes and download the templates.It is in PDF and Word document format. I hope you will enjoy making the boxes.

If at any stage you have difficulty in understanding the folding instructions for the origami box, please send me an e-mail and I will send you a step by step photo guide.

I have also decided to move away from just salt dough gifts and give you more ideas for other gifts. On the 14th November I did a post about "salt dough for ever" or other gifts too but as I really had lots of ideas for salt dough gifts then, I carried on with it. Read more...

At the moment, however, I find that I have just too much to do during the day with my graphic designing and photo studio. I have also started to give computer classes again twice a week, so my days are very busy at the moment and sometimes it is difficult to find the time to make and paint the salt dough gifts, take photos and write the posts (run a household, too) and then only have time in the evenings to be on the Internet and post everything, visit blogs and find ways to make my blogs more interesting.

More and more lately I have found myself going to bed at nearly two o' clock at night and then up again at 7 in the mornings to open up my office. I really do not complain because I am totally in love with this thing called blogging and meeting so many nice people and being amazed at all the creativity and talent in the world.

For the moment it will just be easier to give you other gift ideas as well. I will still make salt dough items and put it here, but not as often as I have been doing.

Maybe at my age it is sometimes good to know when to take life a little easier and make sure that all the mirrors in the house still show their best faces in the mornings.

A Heart(y) Gift for all Occasions

2007-02-13T19:56:00.000+02:00

Here is my last contribution (for this year anyway) to Valentine's Day Gifts made from salt dough.

This heart was made in the same way as the heart box. I originally intended to use it for the box, but it was too big and this morning I had the idea to make a small flower arrangement and use the heart as a table decoration.

I used a small piece of oasis and wrapped it in foil to prevent the water from damaging the dough heart. Use a cocktail stick or needle to make holes for the flowers and leaves. Read more...

The dove/bird is part of my collection of doves.
Just as with the salt dough roses, they are so easy to make and good to use up the last piece of salt dough that is too small for anything else.
With a few of them in your scrap drawer, you will always have something to use as decoration for small gift boxes.

Here is a photo of the heart templates made from cardboard and foil.

Special Delivery to a Milkman

2007-02-12T20:58:00.000+02:00

When I saw the picture in one of my card programs, I just knew I had to make this romantic bull and post it here so that you can also make one.

According to Valentine Tradition, the receiver of the gift is not suppose to know who the gift is from and I will also not reveal the name of the person I had in mind when I made the bull, but I think he will know when he views my blog.

Typical of the male species, this bull was also full of bull (excuse the pun) when I started to paint him. He not only broke both legs, but also lost his head for a while. As if that was not enough, he managed to break the arm with the heart underneath it, but I rescued it before he could break my heart.

Maybe so much romance in the air at this time of the year, causes the male species to fall apart.

Use the photograph as a guideline to make your own special bull (or cow) for that special, special person in your life.

A Gift for Your Valentine

2007-02-12T00:27:00.000+02:00

Here are some of my latest salt dough items which you can still make as a Valentine's gift.

The serviette rings are really quick to make. Just roll out some salt dough, cut into strips and cut one end in the shape of a leaf, use the tip of a sharp knife to make the veins and fold around an empty toilet roll or cardboard roll covered with foil and lightly oiled. I painted some of the small roses I made last week from the bread-dough recipe and attached it with a dab of wood glue to the rings after I have painted and sealed the rings with two coats of Modge Podge.

Tip: You can also use small hearts as decoration. Read more...

The wine glass charms were not painted as I used aromatic dough and also added dried rose potpourri to the dough. Attach a small wire ring to the salt dough before baking and thread a ribbon through the rings or use memory wire (ring size) to thread a few beads and the hearts and then place the memory wire ring around the glass. This is a nice gift for your dinner guests to take home and also to know which glass is theirs during the party.

Tip: Make extra charms and use them to pretty up the candles on your table.

The red bowl was formed from a circle cut out of rolled out dough and shaped around a lightly oiled bottle. I then pinched the edges to give shape to the bowl. The cute dove/bird is just a ball of dough, shaped to form the head and beak, and then cut with a sharp knife to form the wings and tail. Flatten tail and wings slightly and use the tip of the knife to make lines. Glue the bird to the bowl after baking and painting. Use the bowl for some after dinner peppermint creams or cut a circle out of cellophane, gather the edges and tie with a pretty ribbon. Attach a salt dough tag to it and you have a very nice gift for someone special.

The heart shaped box took some time to make as I had to first make a frame from cardboard strips. I covered it with two layers of foil to make it sturdier and then molded the two salt dough strips around the frame. Moisten the edges with a little water and then use your fingers to smooth the dough and join the edges thoroughly. I had trouble during the baking process. The edges came apart and I had to make a paste from a small ball of dough to join them again.

The bottom and lid of the box were cut from rolled out dough after I have finished the frame to make sure that they would be the same size as the frame.

I made holes in the frame, because I wanted to thread raffia through the bottom and sides of the heart box, but the holes does not match, so I just glued the bottom to the heart. I also made two holes in the back of the lid and frame and another one in front. I threaded a gold cord through the holes at the back so that the lid can open. I also attached a small rose and made a loop from a piece of gold cord to loop over the rose.

I air dried the box for 24 hours before baking it, because I was really afraid that the dough would shrink in the oven and then maybe the heart frame would not fit onto the bottom or the lid would not fit on top. Sometimes the dough tend to shrink too much or curl up at the edges or in the middle and then separate pieces are difficult to join.

I painted the whole box with a very strong rooibos tea solution and applied three coats of Modge Podge to seal it. The red bird is made in the same way as the white one. Another small rose and two leaves were glued to the lid for a finishing touch.

Photo Gifts

2007-02-11T01:14:00.000+02:00

I am happy to say that I finished the other salt dough gifts for Valentine's Day and tomorrow I will take photos of it and then post it here so that you can still make some before the big love day.

I was really so busy during the past few days editing and changing backgrounds of old photos for two of my clients. The one lady is busy making a scrapbook as a gift for her son who is turning 21 in March, so I had to scan these very old photos, cut out the baby and make some changes to the other photos. Sometimes I know exactly what to do with such old photos, but this week I really had trouble editing it. At one stage I despeckled the photos so much, that it looked like something from outer space. Read more...

It actually looked quite good to me, but I knew that the mother would never be satisfied with such an alien baby, so I had to start from scratch again.

When I looked at these photos, it reminded me about the photos people submit on one of my favorite photo sites, Worth1000. This site always have theme competitions for photographers and Photoshop lovers. It is such fun and people submit amazing photos.

Since I take all my photos on this blog myself and photography is a hobby of mine, I thought I should share the photos on Worth1000 with you and have decided to give you a link to a different theme every week. You will also find a link to food photos on my recipe blog

With the terrible heat in South Africa at the moment, it is fitting to share "Melting 4" as the first theme. Just click on the link in the sidebar and I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

I will post the new salt dough items tomorrow night.

A Valentine's Gift for Mia

2007-02-07T20:31:00.000+02:00

Mobiles are part of my A-Z list of salt dough items and since I am busy with a few other Valentine's gifts, I thought I should try to make a heart mobile.

It turned out quite nicely and it will be my granddaughter Mia's first Valentine's gift. She has captured my heart completely, she is a little angel and a shining star on days that I feel down.

I did not initially make the mobile with her in mind, but to show you how salt dough can be used for mobiles. The big heart was cut from a template I printed on the computer. I used a cocktail stick to make holes into the big salt dough heart to hang the smaller heart strings from. Read more...

The smaller hearts were cut out with a heart-shaped cookie cutter and I carefully pushed cocktail sticks into them to make the holes. Be sure to oil the cocktail sticks before you insert it into the dough hearts and leave it in while baking. This will ensure that the dough do not shrink and close during the baking process to leave you with hearts with too small holes or no hole at all to thread them afterwards.

Bake the salt dough hearts until hard, take out of the oven, let it cool for a few seconds and remove the sticks. If the dough cools completely, it will shrink and you will not be able to remove the cocktail sticks. (I had to discard quite a few of the smaller hearts as a result of this.)

Paint the hearts in color of choice with acrylic paint and apply two to three coats of clear varnish. Take care not to clog the holes with the varnish. Decorate as desired. I used small star and flower beads I had for quite some time. The angel is made from Plaster of Paris. Apply wood glue to the back of the angel and just a dab to the beads and place randomly onto the big heart. I also decorated the back of the heart in the same way.Thread thin fishing line through the small hearts, make knots between each heart to keep it in place and tie securely to the holes in the big heart. I used a small plastic ring to hang the mobile.

I hanged the finished mobile on a hook in my kitchen window and went outside to see how it would look. The reflection of the clouds and trees were quite interesting and I just had to take a few pictures. This is my favorite one.

Little Boxes for Gifts

2007-02-04T14:06:00.000+02:00

Gift boxes in varying sizes always come in handy when you have a small gift like jewelry or hand made soap to give to someone.

The square boxes are all made from a square piece of paper or board and depending on the size of the folds, you can make a different sized box every time. Read more...

The design is based on origami - the art of folding paper into interesting objects. If you would like a copy of the instructions, please send me an e-mail and I will forward it to you. Just click on the blue button in the side-bar for my e-mail address. I will also send you the diagram for the pillow boxes.

The big box with the perfume bottle as well as the smaller one with the soap, are just as easy to make. If you can draw a circle and a square, you can make quite a few of them in no time at all.

Make six circles, score the lines with a craft knife and glue the semi-circle tabs of five circles together to form the box. The top circle is only glued on one side to form the lid. Punch a hole through the opposite tabs and and thread a ribbon through it.

This is a nice way to use old Christmas and other greeting cards and you can even glue photos of family and friends onto the sides for a very personal gift.

You can also draw the diagram on the computer, copy and paste it 5 times and then save it in a folder to quickly print it the next time you want to make one of these boxes. The circle for the small box is 7 cm in diameter with the square approximately 4.8 cm.

Gifts to Shed A little Light

2007-02-02T20:56:00.000+02:00

I always wanted to make candlestick holders from salt dough and as Valentine's Day is just around the corner, what better time than to try it now.

I used a heart template to cut out the red heart from basic salt dough and pressed the tea-candle into the dough. If you do not want the tea-candle to show, roll out the dough to desired thickness.

The tiny roses were made from b read-dough.
This dough holds it's shape very well and also dries quickly without having to be baked. It took me about 3 hours to make about 24 of these roses and by the time I finished the last one, the first was already dry. Read more...

The big rose holder was also made from bread-dough. I covered the bottom of a candle with foil, lightly oiled it and formed the rose petals around the candle. I worked the excess dough from each petal downwards and smoothed it with a little water to cover the bottom of the candle as well.

Every now and then I had to snip off some of the dough which accumulated at the end and smooth it again with a little water so as to ensure that the holder would eventually be able to stand without toppling over.

At one stage I thought that I would have to start from scratch, because I snipped off too much dough and the base of the holder was too thin. I used a small ball of dough, flattened it and shaped it around the bottom end of the candle and smoothed it with water over the bottom part of the holder.

Leave the candle inside the holder for about half and hour and then you can safely take it out and leave the holder to dry completely. Paint as desired.

You can make a base out of dough and then glue the rose holder on top of it. It is also advisable not to use too tall candles, because the holder does fall over.

Gifted Years???

2007-01-30T23:32:00.000+02:00

I just had a look at my Profile View to see if I could add or change some of the information there and to my utter amazement and horror, I saw that my age is shown as 250!!!!

I must admit, sometimes I do feel as old as that, but it also made me wonder if I have aged so much since I started blogging in October last year or if I already was so old at that time that I did not realise the mistake. Read more...

I think I will not change it. Maybe one day I will be famous for being the oldest blogger in the history of the internet.

Until I receive that award, I will take my multi-vitamins every morning and wash my face with rosewater to try to keep the wrinkles at bay.

Rosewater is used in many beauty products and if you make your own creams and lotions, you most probably buy rosewater from your pharmacy.

Rosewater can also be used in cooking and in cold drinks and to add to your aromatic salt dough.

It is quite easy to make and does not take as long as the fragrant oils I told you about in my previous post.

You will again need a fair amount of rose petals, insecticide free and thoroughly washed under running water to dispose of dust and insects. Choose roses with a strong fragrance, reds and pinks are good, snip off the white pieces on the petals as they tend to make the rosewater bitter.

Put rose petals in a saucepan, cover with water and simmer for an hour. Strain and discard the rose petals. Repeat the process until the water has a strong smell and taste.

Pour into sterilised jars or bottles, seal and when cool, store in fridge. It will keep well for about a week or two.

You can also add rubbing alcohol or vodka to the water to act as a preservative, but only if you are going to use it for beauty products, although the mixture of roses and vodka can make for some merry times.

If you do add alcohol, the ratio is half a cup of alcohol to one and a half cups of water.

Essential Gifts

2007-01-27T16:45:00.000+02:00

Although I still do not have any finished salt dough gift items to show you, I have been busy on my blog during the past few days.

After four months of blogging, I am slowly but surely beginning to understand the inner workings of a blog, hence the recipe for basic salt dough in the side bar. I have also provided links to other salt dough recipes I have posted from time to time and in doing so, I read my post about the aromatic dough and the different essential oils you can use to make it, again. Read more...

This morning I paid a quick visit to a client to discuss business cards for her hairdressing salon and noticed the lovely roses she has in her garden. She also has a lemon verbena bush next to her salon. I really love the clean citrus smell of this herb, so it was inevitable that I should come home with roses and lemon verbena leaves and flowers.

I also remembered while we were picking the roses, that I have a recipe to make fragrant oils, so if you are lucky enough to have roses or any other sweet scented flowers in your garden, why don't you try to make some.

I must warn you, it takes about two to three weeks for the oil to obtain a strong scent, but why let the rose and flower petals go to waste when you can use them to lend a personal touch to gifts.

You will need oil and lots of fresh flower or rose petals. Do not use petals that has been sprayed with insecticides. Wash all petals under running water to disperse of dust and insects. Dry the petals on a paper towel.

Place the petals in a glass bowl and fill with enough oil to cover the petals. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and leave to stand for two days on a window sill where morning sunlight comes through.

Strain the oil through a sieve or cheesecloth and squeeze out all the oil from the petals.

Add fresh petals to the oil. Repeat this process about ten times or until the oil has a very strong fragrance. Decant the oil into pretty bottles and seal tightly. Ideally fragrant oils should be stored in dark glass bottles, but if kept in a dark, cool place, it will keep well for a few months.

Flowers: Roses, carnations, violets, lavender and geranium, blossoms from fruit trees.
Herbs: All the mint varieties, lemon verbena, lemon grass or even leaves from lemon and orange trees.
Oils: I use plain vegetable/sunflower oil, but olive, almond, avocado or pure cosmetic oil that can be bought from pharmacies, are ideal for these fragrant oils.

A Gift to be Thankful for

2007-01-24T23:53:00.000+02:00

I am glad to say that the block which has been keeping me from making new salt dough items, is slowly but surely beginning to disappear.

Ideas for new gifts made from salt dough, are running through my head and all I have to do now, is make a new batch or two of salt dough and start working. Read more...

I have posted the basic salt dough recipe in the side bar for your convenience. I realised on Sunday night that there is no link to the post in which the recipe first appeared and as this was only my second post on the blog, many new readers to this blog have no way of knowing where to find the recipe.

If you found a recipe for salt dough on the internet, you most probably would have noticed that most of the recipes use 2 cups of flour and 1 cup of salt. My recipe in the sidebar uses 2 cups of flour and 2 cups of salt, as this amount of salt gives a firm dough that holds its shape very well.

I sometimes find that the ratio of 2/1 gives a softer dough and items tend to sag during baking. However, you can experiment with the two recipes and decide which one is right for you.

I want to give you another dough recipe which I have also used on and off throughout the years. The dough is made from stale white bread and has a very fine texture, rather like clay. It does not have to be baked and it is ideal to use for small items like fruits and vegetables as well as flower/rose petals and leaves.

Use food coloring or colored acrylic paint to make coloured dough or paint as desired with craft or other acrylic paints of choice and seal with 2 coats of clear varnish or any other all purpose sealer.

To make the bread-dough:

Three slices stale, white bread with crusts removed
One tablespoons (12,5 ml) white wood glue
One teaspoon (5 ml) glycerine
Three drops lemon juice
One tablespoon (12,5 ml) white acrylic paint (gouache)

Method:

Crumb bread in a blender. Place the crumbs in a bowl and add
the remaining ingredients. Stir with a spoon until combined.
Knead dough thoroughly with hands until smooth, soft and lump free.

Cover dough with plastic wrap or keep in a plastic bag when not in
use. It can be stored in the refrigerator for several weeks when
wrapped in plastic and sealed in a plastic container.

Tip: Apply a little glycerine-based hand cream to your hands to prevent the dough sticking and for easier handling of the dough.

A Gift by any other Name

2007-01-20T22:45:00.000+02:00

I realised today that I am suffering from a severe bout of salt dough block! If authors can suffer from writer's block and bloggers from blogger block, maybe there is also something like salt dough block!

There are a few items on my table that still have to be painted, but to use a favorite saying of one of my family members: "They do not speak to me yet." Read more...

While I have been looking through my scrap folders for some inspiration, I found instructions for rose petal beads and although these do not really fall into the salt dough category, the rose petals are also made into a dough, rolled into small balls and dried to make jewelry.

I was unable to find the website where I first saw the recipe, but found similar instructions here. There were quite a few recipes where rose petals were added to salt dough, rather like my recipe for aromatic dough, but real rose petal beads are made only from rose petals.

I also found some interesting historical facts about them. These beads were used in the Middle Ages to make rosaries and even today rosaries are sometimes made from them. If you would like to make your own rosary or other prayer bead jewelry, instructions can be found here.

While you are making your rosaries, I will find the right color combinations to paint my salt dough items and show it here again soon.

Decorations for Gifts

2007-01-16T21:33:00.000+02:00

A gift given from the heart and decorated with love and care, can make a huge difference to both the giver and the receiver.

One of my first tips on this blog was about gift tags made from salt dough to decorate a gift or add a personal note to it.

So here are examples of gift tags and other decorations that you can make to decorate your gifts.

The lemons, oranges and lime were made from small balls of salt dough. Dip whole cloves into water and push them into the salt dough balls at one end. Read more...

Roll the salt dough balls over the fine edge of a grater to give texture.

Bend a thin piece of wire and insert at the other end if you want to thread string or raffia through them. (Remember to do it before the salt dough is baked.)

Roll out small balls of dough and cut into leaf shapes. Use a knife to make the markd on the leaves and make a hole with a straw.

I lightly oiled the lids of the bottles before covering them with rolled out salt dough. Do not stretch the salt dough when placing it over the lids. Use a sharp knife to neaten the edges.

The small gift tags were cut out with an empty mustard powder tin. You can, however, use a sharp or craft knife to cut out shapes as desired. I used a dough nut cutter for the round gift tag.

Paint the decorations as desired and seal with 2-3 coats of varnish. I like to use Modge Podge as it dries quickly and gives a clear finishing touch to salt dough items.

I used water colour paint for the fruit, pens for stained glass for the round gift tag and some glitter glue pens for Mia's gift tag. The strawberry picture was printed on a laser printer and then glued to the gift tag with Modge Podge. The small giraffe and silver hearts were also glued to the gift tags with Modge Podge and while the tag was still wet, I scattered green glitter over it.

I applied two coats of tea to the lids as well as 3 coats of Modge Podge. I do not know how well the salt dough decorations will keep in the fridge (the lemon curd should be kept in the fridge after the bottles have been opened), but I will report back about it.

Oh yes, you can find the recipe for the lemon curd as well as some interesting variations on my ezi-edible-gifts blog.

Tip: I used the round gift tag to decorate a box filled with potpourri. If you use the recipe for aromatic salt dough to make the round tag, it will really lend a special touch to this gift. Do not seal the tag if you do this.

An Exercise in Gif(t)giving

2007-01-10T21:18:00.000+02:00

These two plump girls can be a good gift to remind the receiver to keep to her New Year Resolution of exercising more this year.

They can either be used as key rings or wall hangings.

Use thick rolls of dough for the bodies. Shape the arms and legs from tapering rolls of dough. Read more...

Smaller balls of dough are used for the bosoms. The heads are also made from balls of dough. Use "spaghetti" made with a garlic press, sieve or grater for the hair.

Thinly rolled out dough, cut to shape, are used for the clothes,leg warmers and headband. Moisten the bodies and gently smooth the thinly rolled out dough over them. I pressed a crocheted doily onto the dough to give texture to the skirt.

Remember to moisten the dough before attaching the different body parts and clothes. Although it is not really necessary, I also prefer to use pieces of cocktail sticks inserted into the different body parts before attaching them to each other to ensure that the parts do not break off.

Insert wire or paper clips into the heads before baking. Bake the figures in an oven on low temperature - 75 to 100 degrees Celcius (170-190 grades Fahrenheit) - until completely dry, let cool and paint as desired. I used strong tea to obtain the flesh colour (about 3-4 coats) and my favourite strong sticky "coffee paint" was used for the hair of the dancing beauty.

Tip: To test if the dough is baked and hard, gently tap it with your fingers. If it sounds hollow, it is done. If not, the dough is still moist inside and should be baked for longer.

Charming Gifts

2007-01-06T13:42:00.000+02:00

These small lucky charms were so quick and easy to make and although they do not look like much on their own, they can be used for very special gifts.

I used tiny beads to decorate them, applied one coat of tea and sealed them with two coats of Modge Podge.Read more...

Cover empty match boxes with gift paper and place the charm on a bed of cotton wheel or stuffing.

Print or write a suitable verse on textured paper, roll it up and put it into the matchbox as well.

Tie a ribbon around the box and voila, one charming little gift for a special someone.

The schools in South Africa will begin next week and fund-raising projects will be in the order of the day again.

These charms are very popular amongst children in the ages of 7 - 10 years and can be sold to raise funds for various projects. Kids also enjoy making them and it can be lots of fun if they make up their own rhymes and poems to suit the charms.

The not-so-charming face can become a knight to ward of the spirits of nightmares.....

So come on, kids, send me a quote to put in his bed, please.

Achievement can be a Gift in itself

2007-01-06T02:16:00.000+02:00

A few weeks ago I tried to do expandable post summaries and tonight I have finally managed it - the sidebar is still where it is supposed to be and I did not delete my entire blog!!!
Not all of my posts are done, but I will be back tomorrow to finish it.

However, when I view my blog in Explorer, the "Read me..." text appears on the new page as well. Maybe one day all the differences in the search engines will be a thing of the past.

I will also be back with new salt dough items!!!

But till then, here are words to describe the feeling I have tonight:-

Beginning today I will learn something new; I will try something different;
I will savor all the various flavors life has to offer. I will change what I
can and the rest I will let go. I will strive to become the best me I can
possibly be.

The Colors of A Gift

2007-01-02T20:46:00.000+02:00

My tools for painting.

When you paint salt dough items, you often need lots of different colors. It is easier to mix just a small amount of paint rather than to buy a lot of different colored paints.Read more...

You only need the basic colors and I find these acrylic paints very good to paint with.

Interesting facts about color:

Primary colors: Blue, Red and Yellow
These 3 colors cannot be mixed by any combination of other colors.

Secondary colors: Green, Orange and Purple
These colors are formed by mixing the primary colors.

Tertiary colors: Blue-green, yellow-green, yellow-orange, red-orange, red-purple and blue-purple
When you mix a primary and secondary color, the hue is a two-word name.

I do not know what I would name some of the colors and hues that I have mixed since I started this blog, suffice to say there were some spectacular colors (and some that I could not use).

To read more about color, go here

The Gift of Believing

2006-12-31T14:21:00.000+02:00

A Gift to Soothe the Senses

2006-12-31T12:20:00.000+02:00

The potpourri holder was made by shaping rolled out salt dough over lightly oiled lids from empty baby food jars.Read more...

Make holes with a straw and use a cocktail stick to make patterns before baking the dough until completely dry in an oven at 75 - 100 degrees Celsius.

Let cool and remove from the lids. Paint as desired, seal with 4 to 6 coats of clear varnish, but take care not to clog the holes.

Put some potpourri into one of the dough lids and glue the two lids together. Let the glue dry completely, then glue a pretty ribbon around the potpourri holder.

Tip: I rubbed gold shimmer eyeshadow into the markings after I painted the lids and then just blew the eye shadow away. Some of it settled onto the whole lid and I liked the effect, so I did not wipe it off.

Gifts from Ancient Times

2006-12-29T01:43:00.000+02:00

I have been wondering for a few weeks now where the art of salt dough originated and how long it has been used to make gifts and ornaments.

I could not find any statistics, but apparently salt dough modeling is a very ancient craft. Dough models were used in religious ceremonies as gifts to the gods and to important people. It was also very popular in Europe and if I look at all the French websites which features salt dough crafts, it still is as popular now as in the old times. (Click on the new link I have in the sidebar to take a look at historical figures made from salt dough.) Read more...

I did find information about the commercial Play-Doh which also began as a dough made from flour and salt, but the creator of Play-Doh added a "secret" ingredient and his product is still as popular today as nearly fifty years ago.

During the 1970's there was a revival of salt dough crafting and every home had at least one article made from salt dough.

While I am on the subject of ancient times, here is my very old Dalmation doggie still sleeping after nearly ten years, a little bit rough around the edges but so much a part of my house.

I found the instructions for him, his mother and brothers in an article that featured a birthday cake for kids in 1996 when the movie 101 Dalmations was again very popular.

The puppies in the birthday cake article were made from marzipan paste.

If any of you know more about the origin and history of salt dough, please send me an e-mail (link in sidebar) and I will post the link to the site so that visitors who might be interested, can read about it.

A Gift of New Beginnings

2006-12-27T02:19:00.000+02:00

As the year is drawing to an end, I have begin to make new salt dough items, but they still have to be painted and photographed, and it is always a good idea to take some time off during the holiday season to recharge the "old batteries".

This poem from T.S. Elliot sums it up perfectly -

"For last year's words belong to last year's language,
And next year's words await another voice,
And to make an end, is to make a beginning."

Christmas Greetings for you all

2006-12-24T13:24:00.000+02:00

I have a special message for all - wanted to include it in this post, but the page is too narrow to display it, so please scroll down to the end of the page for the message.

To send similar cards to your family and friends, please feel free to click on the "Free E-cards" link in the sidebar.

Enjoy your Christmas!!!!!

A Gift to Light up your Life

2006-12-23T21:30:00.000+02:00

This tea candle holder is also another quick and easy to make gift.

Shape a rolled out piece of dough around a small glass or empty baby food jar, smooth the edges with water and cut out openings in the dough so the light of the tea candle can shine through it.Read more...

This holder was one of my very first items I made from salt dough and even after all these years, it is still in a good condition because I applied six coats of varnish.

I did not paint it but used a very fine brush to apply the lines on the holder. I used a craft knife to cut out rectangular pieces of dough, but you can also cut out circles, stars or any other shape you want from the dough.

Bake at a low temperature (75 to 100 degrees Celcius) until completely dry and then decorate as desired.

Potty Gifts for Plant Lovers

2006-12-20T21:11:00.000+02:00

These quick and easy salt dough gifts will draw attention to any pot plant in your home.

Shape a ball of dough to form a hollow in the center. Make an aluminium foil ball and flatten it to fit inside the hollow.Read more...

Make the body from a flattened out ball of dough and position it over the aluminium ball. Smooth the dough to cover the entire aluminium ball and make sure there are no gaps left between the body and the "bed".

Use small dough balls to form the arms and legs as well as the navels and eyes. Shape a larger ball of dough into a face of your choice.

Use a cocktail stick to give texture to the body. The frog was supposed to be a tortoise, but the mouth turned out a little wider than it was supposed to be and then it just begged for a little tongue, so tortoise turned to frog.

Bake in a low oven till completely dry. Paint as desired and seal with four to six coats of varnish. Let dry thoroughly between each coat of varnish.

Caution: Although the varnish will protect against wetness, take them out of the pots when you water the plants so as to prevent them from being damaged by the water.

A name for a Gift

2006-12-18T00:14:00.000+02:00

I received an e-mail from Victor and his brothers, Marno and Darius in Qatar. They suggested that the purple desktop helper should be named Spotty!! Thanks you three. Now I am waiting for your photos to see how yours will look.

If somebody else wants to suggest a name, why don't you leave a comment or click on the "Contact Me" link in the sidebar to send me an e-mail. I would also love to receive photos of the items you have made. Maybe I can begin a gallery to show your creations.

I did not realise when I started this blog that salt doughing is such a popular hobby. Did you know that the items are also sold on e-Bay? Click here for a peek.

Prickly Gifts for the Dining Table

2006-12-17T20:12:00.000+02:00

I finally managed to put back the sidebar by following Peter's advice. The expandable post summaries will also be tried again but for now I think it is time to show you some cocktail stick/toothpick holders.

When I first told you how to make a rose (see my post of 12 November- Boxes full of gifts) I did not realise that I would get hooked on roses, but it is really so quick and easy to make and only takes a small amount of dough.Read more...

So here is my rose holder. Attach the leaves to each other by moistening one side of a leaf with water or egg white , flatten the tip of the leaf and press it onto another leaf, repeat for the third leaf. Flatten and smooth the center of the three leaves, moisten with water again and position the rose on top of the leaves.

Insert cocktail sticks and leave them in the rose during baking. Take out a few minutes after the rose has been removed from the oven.

The hedgehog was not supposed to turn out so utterly ugly so if you do decide to make one, try to give it a friendlier look, please.

Just shape a ball of dough and attach very small balls of dough onto the body. Make holes with a cocktail stick and then insert a stick into each hole before baking.

Two small balls of dough form the eyes. I used a drop of paint from my stained glass pens to give a more realistic effect to the eyes.

Tip: Make your own puff paint by mixing wood glue and finely crushed chalk.

I love coffee...... drinking it and using it to paint salt dough items.

This time I made a really strong coffee "paint" by mixing a tablespoon of coffee granules with just a small amount of water. It was quite sticky but gave the effect that I wanted for this little pinch pot.

The pot was made by shaping a ball of dough around a scrunched up aluminium foil ball. A thinly rolled piece of dough was flattened to form a cord and placed around the pot. (Remember to moisten with water). The edges of the cord were snipped with a scissor.

Use the point of a cocktail stick to give texture to the pot.

Remove the aluminium ball while the pot is still warm after baking or else the dough will shrink as it cools and you will have some trouble removing it.