Saturday, December 4, 2010

Easy Christmas Crafts

Here are 2 great activities you can do with your children or grandchildren to teach them about the gift of giving this Christmas season!

Candy Cane Bath Salts
Ingredients:


12 tall jelly (12-ounce) canning jars with lid and rings (you can get jars or different shaped bottles at thrift stores. This is an empty Patron tequila bottle:)

2 Carton Epsom salts, 4 pound (approximately 16 cups)

4 Pound sea salt or kosher salt (approximately 6 cups)

1 Teaspoon glycerin, divided

12 Drop peppermint essential oil

12 Drop red food color

2 pieces card stock (for tags)
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Isn't the red Santa bag adorable? I bought them last year for 90% off at the end of the season. At the time I didn't know what I would use them for but for 40cents a piece I knew they would get used for something. Watch for these kind of things at the end of Christmas when everything goes on clearance.


Instructions:

1. Wash, rinse and dry canning jars. Make sure they are dry.

2. Empty one carton Epsom Salts into large mixing bowl or batter bowl. Add 3 cups sea salt, stir well. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon glycerin and 6 to 8 drops essential oil. Mix well.

3. In second large mixing bowl, empty one carton Epsom Salts, and add 3 cups sea salt. Stir well. Add 1/4 teaspoon glycerin, 6 to 8 drops essential oil, and food color. Stir until completely blended. Color should be even.

CEO's tip: use a heavy-duty stand mixer (such as Kitchenaid-brand) to mix bath salts easily. Set mixer to lowest setting and mix until color is even--but don't try this with hand mixers or smaller stand mixers!

4. Holding canning jars at an angle, layer salts in jars, alternating white and colored mixtures. For narrow mouth jars like mine: I used a funnel and then tapped the bottle on the counter to get the salts to settle evenly.

Notes: You can download the gift tags at
http://christmas.organizedhome.com/recipes/gifts-in-a-jar/candy-cane-bath-salts
Print two copies of the Candy Cane Bath Salts gift tag.

Cut gift tags apart and attach to jars. Tags may be trimmed and placed beneath canning jar rings, tied on with ribbon, or taped to gift jars.

CEO's Tip: decorative canning jar lids add presentation punch for a small price! Try red or green gingham lids for Candy Cane Bath Salts.

This recipe makes 12 12-ounce gift jars, plus a bonus of 3 to 4 cups extra bath salts. Package them in small plastic zipper craft bags for easy stocking stuffers! Or you can cut the recipe in half to make 6 jars. Give one to grandma, a co-worker, or friend! Merry Christmas!



Simple Pumpkin Spice Mini-Loaves


This recipe was taken off of the internet at greenlitebites.com She has a cute video of her and her toddler son making these mini loaves:)
1 box Duncan Hines Spice Cake Mix 

2 egg whites
1 15 oz can of pumpkin
 1 tbsp quick oats (optional – used for decoration)
Non-stick cooking spray

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees

Whisk the egg whites and pumpkin. Stir in the cake mix and blend until just moistened.

Spray 4 mini-loaf pans with non-stick cooking spray. Evenly distribute the cake batter into the pans, just about half way.

Sprinkle the tops with quick oats and bake for about 40 minutes.
Discount stores like Big Lots or the 99Cent store sells  great ways to package your breads. Let your children help pick them out and then deliver them to neighbors and friends!