Outside the snow is falling...

The snow will soon be falling and I am just getting myself in the mood for a chilly weekend! Tomorrow is the Home for the Holidays event in downtown Winchester and the square will be filled hustle and bustle during "A Dickens' Christmas"! I will be at The Cashmere Cat from 3-5pm, so come in and say hello! We'll have refreshments and lots of items for you to browse. So, in honor of the Christmas spirit, I wanted to take the time to share with you some homemade gift ideas that are sure to put a smile on ones face and not break the bank!




Homemade Candle


Do you have leftover wax from a burnt-out candle or some broken crayons? Don't throw it out! Melt left over wax, crayons, etc. in a double boiler and pour into a cardboard or heavy card stock container (half-n-half cartons work well) in your desired shape and add wick! Let cool and remove (typically cut) container. Voila! You may add scented oils or such to make them smell extra good. Don't want a candle? Use broken crayons and follow the same steps, but pour them into lined-muffin tins. When cool, you have large, new colored crayons! This beats the new $30 crayon maker!

Recipe Collection

Take a few of your favorite recipes and write them out by hand or make copies on festive paper. Add them to a recipe box, recipe scrapbook, etc. and gift them to the ones you love.


Creative Floral Arrangements

Floral pieces during the Christmas season can be so expensive and limited! Look at your local grocery or super-store for a bouquet of fresh flowers or potted plant. Dress the plant up with ribbons, tinsel or small ornaments within or on the planter. Opted for loose flowers...choose a clear container and cut flowers to size (don't forget to cut on an angle) and add to vase. Now you can add that extra special touch...float cranberries in the container with the flowers, color the water with gel food coloring (if you have white flowers, they will turn colors) or add slices of fruit! Keep your flowers fresh longer by adding a teaspoon of bleach to the water!

Enjoy and make something special this season :)