Holidays

Holidays — Comments Off
21
Jun 11

10 Ways to Beat the After-Christmas Blues

Christmas is an emotional storm, and next comes Valentine抯, so take a break. Move from emotion to thinking and action.

1.Start planning a Valentine抯 Party, or Martin Luther King Party. If you were running a day late and a dollar behind for Christmas, learn from it. Budget and start sooner, but have the fun of another 損arty?on the horizon. NB: Planning is a cerebral activity, i.e., neocortex.
2.Get active ?add an extra hour to your daily workout. This creates physical energy, clears the mind, and flushes out toxic emotions.
3.Clean your house till it shines, and do the work yourself. This is a tradition for New Year抯 in many cultures, symbolic of getting rid of bad stuff and making room for new stuff. Buy a special floor cleaning product. Sweep toward the doors, or vacuum, then remove the bag and carry it out to the garbage. Out! Out! Clean the furniture with something like Murphy抯 oil, a soap and water-based product, not oil. Then clean the floors with the special cleaning product.
4.Clean the yard, shovel away dirty snow, clean the gutters, wash the windows, rake the leaves. It will be time to plant the daffodils and prune the roses before you know it.
5.Take a vacation. Go somewhere warm like a cruise to the Caribbean. The sun will do wonders for an attitude adjustment, as well as SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder). At home, get outside more, sit in the sunlight in your house for half an hour a day.
6.Hunker down and last it out ?read good books, curl up by the fire, sleep, don抰 fight it. It抯 a hibernating time anyway. Get massages. Take naps.
7.Start a new project at work ?it will give everyone a lift. Focus on thinking, not feeling.
8.Kickstart your brain by taking a new course. If you抮e an extravert, go to community ed classes. If you抮e an introvert, enjoy yourself online and take teleclasses or get a Teaching Company course (www.susandunn.cc/learn_EQ.htm) for a special treat. You can listen to the tapes in the car, or while jogging.
9. Change your diet dramatically. Do a juice fast, or something very cleansing and healthy within the constraints of your physical condition. Get that sugar and alcohol out of your system and replace it with vitamins and minerals. Don抰 forget your vitamin C and a good neutraceutical like DefenseBuilder or Get Well Soon Dietary Supplement from http://www.susandunn.myarbonne.com . you must keep your immune system up, considering bird flu as well. If you live in Texas, this is peak allergy time. Watch your diet ?it抯 cumulative ?the pollen PLUS what you eat. Get you抮e A/C ducts cleaned.
10.Get rid of 搒tuff.? Grab a garbage bag and fill it with stuff. Put the bags in the garage or barn. Then clean the garage or barn, and get rid of it all. (Nice to donate to charity of course).

Holidays — Comments Off
18
Jun 11

Here’s to a Happy Easter Day 2009 Without All the Stress

Who needs it, the stress of family and friends coming over for Easter, they all expect a fantastic Easter center piece, gorgeous Easter gift baskets for all the guests, an Easter egg hunt for all the kids, not to mention the turkey dinner with all the trimmings. I thought vacations were supposed to be restful times for getting together with those who we love. Well they can be, with just a little bit of planning and preparation you too can have a stress free and happy Easter day in 2009.

It would be so easy to become overwhelmed if you actually sat down and thought about all that you have to get ready for the festivities. So the first thing you must do is not let it get all on top of you. You may think this is easier said than done, but not really.

The Easter day will never be perfect, the sooner you embrace this idea, the sooner you can relax a little. Once you come to terms with the fact that something may go wrong that is completely out of your control so there is nothing you can do about it, your stress levels will permeate out of your shoulders and into the ethos.

Remember, your goal is to make it a happy Easter day 2009 for everyone not a perfect Easter day. What does this mean? Well it means no matter what does go wrong, it is how you react to it that will dictate the success of your Easter festivities, not the actual event itself.

Running around over stressing about the tiniest of medial events will be enough ruin your Easter day, and the rest of your family as they will be able to pick up on your uneasiness. All you can really do to give you and everyone else a happy Easter day 2009 is make sure that the big tasks are taken care of…how do you do this?

Failing to Plan

It may seem like a waste of time to some when there is so much other stuff to concern yourself with this Easter. But planning out your Easter celebrations is the strongest weapon you have to make it a happy Easter day 2009 for everyone you’ve invited. You are only human, I would be impossible to plan for every eventuality this Easter. For example, you can’t plan for that gridlocked traffic that will make your Uncle Frank late because of a jack-knifed semi on highway 101. So only worry about that which you are in control of.

Get your pen and paper out as this is where we start to take action. You need to make a list separated into 2 columns: things to buy, and things to do – this will make up your master list. On the things to buy column you will include things like the turkey, potatoes etc, and in the things to do column you will items like: call Uncle Frank to see if Aunt Helen can make it as she hasn’t been well. Then you will make a separate to do list of things you need to do or buy on that actual day. These things will be taken from your master list.

Don’t be the Ester bunny martyr…your sister offered to help last week, so take some items off your master list and give them to her to do. Also, get your kids, partner, and friends to help. Worried that you wont have enough potatoes, ask your mom to bring some over with her.

The more people that muck in this year, the more likely you are to have a happy Easter day in 2009 as your stress levels will be reduced, meaning so will everyone else’s.

Two heads are better than one, so get 5 of your family and friends involved and you’ll be laughing. So kick back with a glass of wine and your sharpie and paper, and actually enjoy planning your Easter this year.

Holidays — Comments Off
17
Jun 11

Star Wars Halloween Costumes Everyone Can Enjoy

The Halloween season is a great time to indulge yourself in all manner of outrageous costumes. For movie and science fiction fans, the traditional ghosts, vampires and monsters won’t cut it in terms of Halloween costumes. many science fiction movie fans will be turning to the idea of Star Wars Halloween costumes for this year’s fun and games. The attraction of Star Wars costumes is huge right across fandom, and there are countless great costumes for both adults and kids to enjoy! Star Wars characters are a great idea at Halloween, and fans can show off their allegiance to the Force or the dark Side! Whether fans want to dress as Jedi, Sith, Droids or any of the other legendary characters from the Star Wars movies, TV series or expanded universe, there is a costume to suit them.

A great way to improve these costumes at Halloween is to get a basic costume from a trusted retailer online or in a regular store and then customize them yourself. You could add fake ‘battle damage’, insignia, extra accessories, prop replicas and more to your costume for that extra bit of authenticity and originality. Star Wars Halloween costumes are a superb starting point to let your creativity shine.

The choice of related costumes that are available really is staggering when you think about it. Both adults and children can choose from most of the main and secondary characters from their favourite movies. Some of the most popular characters for Star Wars Halloween costumes include Darth Vader, Boba Fett, Darth Maul, Obi Wan Kenobi, Jango Fett, Yoda and many more.

How about staging a Star Wars themed Halloween party? That way you can invite all of your friends and family to come dressed as Stormtroopers, Clone Troopers, Jedi knights and Sith Lords! A word of warning though- no Gungans. You don’t want to fall victim to a frenzied lightsaber attack the second you arrive! For a group of kids, how about dressing all of them as Ewoks, Jawas or even young Jedi Padawans! With the right Star Wars Halloween costumes and accessories, you’re able to make the Halloween celebrations become a thing of legend, even in a galaxy far, far away!

Holidays — Comments Off
17
Jun 11

Tips on How to Get Through the Holiday Season Without Gaining Weight and Catching Colds and the Flu

Here are some tips on how to get through the Holiday Season without gaining too much weight, getting cold and flu and feeling overstressed.

These tips will be helpful if you feel already exhausted, with no energy at all, if you feel you clothes already tighter , and cravings stronger .

1. Start your day with a glass of water (at least), or with a glass of warm water with juice of ?lemon. This simple drink will help detoxify liver and colon as well as suppress appetite. As for me, I take a glass of warm water with 1 tbsp organic apple-cider vinegar and ?tsp organic honey.

2. Try to eat as much high-fiber foods as you can (regular bowel movements are an important mechanism for removing toxins from your body and loosing some weigh t) such as fresh fruits, raw green leafy vegetables (kale, collard greens, dandelion greens, spinach, arugula), whole-grain oatmeal, barley, asparagus, beans, cabbage, carrots, garlic, kale, sweet potatoes, cranberries, prunes.

Also consume plenty of foods that are high in pectin , such as apples carrots, beets, cabbage, citrus fruits.

3. Wash your hands – 80% of dangerous germs will be eliminated. And don’t touch your face: germs enter you through your face (eyes, nose and mouth). Some adults touch their faces more than 100 times, and kids…

4. Take a break from protein, dairy products, fat and sweets , and try to eat more: soups, such as Pumpkin, Mushroom Pumpkin Soup, Butternut Squash Soup, Fennel Soup, etc; grains, such as brown rice, millet, quinoa, buckwheat (especially good for weigh loss) and seasonal vegetables.

5. Drink more water, and teas with nettles, ginger, clover, dandelion, burdock root.

6. Use detoxifying spices such as turmeric, coriander, cumin, fennel, rosemary, oregano, ginger.

7. Have omega-3 foods daily (walnuts, flax seed oil or freshly ground flax seeds, salmon)

8. Between meals have healthy snacks (walnuts, raisins, almonds, prunes, figs, carrots, celery, etc.)

9. Get some exercises – at least take a walk before and/or after your meal.

10. Take time to reduce stress and relax: listen to music, enjoy nature, spend some quality time with your friend, dance, or maybe have some extra sleep .

I always remind my clients also to breathe, smile and be happy no matter what if we want to feel and look fabulous.

Holidays — Comments Off
16
Jun 11

Last Minute Gifts You Make Yourself

It seems like no matter how early you do Christmas shopping, there are always those unforeseen instances when you need something quick. It happens to me all the time, that is why I start planning for the unexpected early in the spring. I pick cat tails and pussy willows in the spring before they turn to fluff and save them. Later on I pick everlastings and dry them. They are tiny white flowers that grow about 12-inches high and they dry well. I tie them together and hang them upside down.

I dry delphiniums the same way. I pick tansy, strawflowers, daisies, black eyed susans and any kind of wildflower that I can dry. In the late summer I pick my hydrangeas and dry them. I gather pine cones and winterberry in the fall along with bittersweet, red brush and princess pine. I add all this to my stash of dried chili peppers and bay leaves. Next I make a trip to the supermarket for fresh garlic bulbs and bay leaves.

Now all I have to do is create useful wreaths or swags from the edible things. The white garlic, red chili peppers and green bay leaves make a beautiful wreath to hang in the kitchen for use. I arrange them different ways and they are the colors of the season. Every person who cooks will appreciate this.

I make center pieces from the red winterberry, green princess pine and the white hydrangeas. They last forever. I glue a few pine cones on and add a red candle and it is done. I also make country scenes inside a picture frame to hang on the wall. I use all the different dried flowers, herbs and weeds to create a picture. All I need is a glue gun and my goofy imagination.

Pussy willows, cat tails, hydrangeas and delphiniums make an interesting combination for a dried arrangement. I made one for myself 5 years ago and it looks the same today as it did then. I spray everything with hair spray after it is dried. I think that makes them last. Make something for yourself like I did before giving it away. I make different arrangements every year for any occasion and myself.

Holidays — Comments Off
14
Jun 11

Valentine Presents For an Office Working Man

Are you still struggling to think of a present for the man in your life? Whether it is a Valentine present for him, or a something for his birthday or Father’s Day on behalf of the children, it is easy to find yourself struggling for ideas. You may have thought through all of his hobbies and interests, and come up with nothing fresh. But have you thought about something related to his work?

It is true that he may not want to be reminded of work, if he hates his job and wants to get away. On the other hand, if he works in an office, the more he hates it the more he may want something warm to remind him of you, home, and the family. Even if he is a top executive, he well want to have things around that both help remind him of you, and at the same time help some way in his job. One thing that is always true for men and women, office workers do like to create their own little space, even if it is in a giant office block. So why not help him personalize his office space with his Valentine, or other, present?

What sort of gift could you buy him for the office? After all, you never have even been to his office. In fact, you may never have been inside any office. The nearest you may have got could have been a counter at a bank, or a till in a supermarket, never going behind the “Private” sign shielding the office workers from the customers (or vice versa.).

Ideas For Office Related Presents

There are numerous presents that you can get for the office working man in your life. It is a good idea to choose those that you can have personalized, either at point of purchase or have embroidered, embossed or engraved locally. Here a just a few possible ideas:

1. Is he well dressed at work, with a sharp well pressed suit, shirt and tie? Top quality clothing for his executive lifestyle? Then personalized cufflinks are an old but still elegant and popular choice for men’s personalized gifts.

2. If he is always taking a lot of phone calls, a set of personalized note pads could be a want and pleasant reminder of you. There is no need to restrict yourself to notepads though. Top quality personalized writing paper with matching envelopes can come in handy too for those special personal letters and messages he may need to send to special clients. In today’s computerized world, personal letters stand out. He could also use them to praise staff who have done something particularly well.

3. A new personalized watch, or even a smart desk clock, can go down very well at the office. A variation would be a countdown timer. After all, they are well used in the kitchen for efficient working, and his own time management at the office can benefit from the use of a timer. He can set it for limiting the time spent on a particular task, thus improving his efficiency. This is a practical present for him that will also serve as a reminder of your love.

4. Does he travel a lot on business? If so, then a personalized wash bag may well be appreciated, or even personalized luggage?

5. Does his briefcase look tatty? That is not good for his image, but a smart new one is, especially if it has your personal message on it.

6. Most happily married men like to have some photographs of the family around the office. Try gathering together the best recent pictures of you, and the children if any, and have them set in a beautiful frame, with your personal message displayed. If you do have children, then why not let them add a message too.

Holidays — Comments Off
10
Jun 11

Christmas Games Make Kids Busy During Christmas Holidays

Sparkling lights, jingling bells, crowded markets, busy parents and excited children are the signs of coming Christmas. Parents seem to be the the most busy category on the eve because they have to keep their kids busy in order to make all arrangements for the Christmas. This article will provide you with the tips to keep kids involved in healthy activities.

The simplest way to keep them busy is to get them involved in an activity of their interest. What could be the most interesting activity for the kids? I think kids get excited while playing games. But taking them to some amusement park or play ground can cost you lot of time. What if you make your drawing room a play ground for them? Here is the list of the activities that can change your drawing room to a play ground to make your kids busy. Following are three best ways to keep them busy:

1. Playing word puzzle games can prove to be very constructive and brain storming activity. These games can keep them busy for the hours. Printable worksheets of puzzle games can easily be made available from the market.

2. Writing wish letters to Santa is another desirable and fun activity for the kids. There are many enjoyable ways which can keep kids engaged in writing these letters for the hours. You can provide colorful and fun templates to the kids for sending invitations of Christmas parties, writing stories and food recipes about Christmas.

3. Christmas math worksheets can improve math skills of the kids. This activity during Christmas holidays provide knowledge along with fun.

Above are the few activities if given to kids will solve the problem of keeping them busy. If you want more information on the subject, you can visit the site mentioned below.

Holidays — Comments Off
9
Jun 11

What Was the Most Gratifying Gift You Ever Gave Someone?

We decided to conduct a quick, random survey of people we know or came in contact with on a given day, “What was the most gratifying gift you ever gave someone?”

A car was the answer we heard a few times, with a trend noted that husbands like to buy cars for their wives and parents like to buy their children’s first car. We promised our survey participants anonymity, so remember these are not their real names but these are their stories.

Robert told the story of how he shopped and shopped and shopped with his oldest daughter at the end of her senior year in high school for just the right car, but in the end, they couldn’t make a deal for her dream Mustang. She went home convinced she’d have to wait till they had more time to shop. He and his wife secretly purchased the car and left it parked in a far out spot in a nearby supermarket parking lot the Saturday before their daughter’s high school graduation. They then insisted on a family grocery shopping trip, which she objected to but finally conceded so they’d quit nagging her about how they wouldn’t get to do this many more times because she’d be gone away to college. They parked by the Mustang and the daughter indeed noticed it and commented, “Some lucky person got a car like I want.” With that, her dad handed her the keys and said, “Sure did.” Robert said that was a moment in time he hopes he never forgets. No doubt the biggest hug of his life.

Nell, shared a very recent example of gratification from giving. She lives next door to an older couple who still work to make ends meet and have never done much traveling. They are like second parents to her because her parts live in a distant city. About a year ago, she told the neighbor lady that if she’d quit smoking for a year they’d take a cruise to celebrate as her gift for perseverance and determination. This past October 8th at 7:00 A.M., Nell’s doorbell rang and it was the neighbor in her bathrobe and slippers saying, “I’m smoke-free for a year; when are we taking that cruise?” They took a cruise to the Bahamas in early December and had a ball. Nell says she’s never felt so wonderful about giving something to another person.

Which says a lot because Nell gives gifts to just about everyone she knows for every occasion from birthdays to Christmas. She knows what they like or collect and keeps her eyes tuned in all year as she shops stores, yard sales, and craft fairs for the perfect gift.

She’s also very generous with her parents having given them first-class airline tickets to Amsterdam for their 30th wedding anniversary. One year she flew her dad to Orlando, Florida, to see the Blackwatch-his favorite TV show. While he was in town, they also saw skating stars on ice and drove to Atlanta for a Nascar race-all a surprise to him.

Nell is a major source of gifting stories: She once bought an air boat for a boyfriend and put a lottery scratch-off ticket in a gift exchange that won $1,000.

Another survey participant, Lou, said one of her most memorable and delightful gifts were two huge stuffed animals she bought for her children when they were small. She’d always complained about stuffed animals taking up too much space but just felt compelled to buy these while shopping in a mall toy store one Christmas. As she walked through the mall struggling to carry the two heavy stuffed animals one under each arm, she got more smiles and comments than she’s ever encountered before or since. She just felt the Christmas spirit soar.

Another person we asked was Millie,an older shopper who vividly recalled the Christmas her oldest son got his first bicycle. His dad had convinced him that Santa just couldn’t fit a bike down the chimney. When he opened the door and saw that bike under the tree, he was the happiest kid she’s ever seen.

We love stories of joy and are glad we could find and share these with you.

Holidays — Comments Off
7
Jun 11

Trends in Christmas Photo Cards For 2008

The 2008 Christmas Season is fast approaching and many of you are thinking about what kind of Christmas card to send to your loved ones this year.燜irst of all, the importance of sending out a Christmas card cannot be overlooked.燭oday, families and friends are spread out all across the country due to job changes and the ease of national travel, so families and close friends do not get to see each other on a regular basis anymore.營n fact, the holiday season may be the only time during the year when you can catch up with them, and sending a photo Christmas card is a great way to not only show off your family, but to share well wishes with those who are close to you.

So what are the trends this year in Christmas photo cards?燱ell, in recent years companies like Wal-Mart and Walgreens have offered cheap Christmas photo card prints with a picture on one side and a generic greeting on the other.營’m sure all of you have received one of these rather generic Christmas photo card prints from someone in years past.燞owever, as these companies have fought over price, the quality of these Christmas photo cards has suffered tremendously and the photo materials are now so thin, the end product usually curls so much as to resemble a large potato chip.營f you’re in a really tight budget crunch and don’t have time to think about a quality Christmas photo card this year, this may be an option for you, but not one that we would recommend. ?/p>

The biggest Christmas photo card trend this year are photo cards that are printed on thick premium cardstock, but also double as a magnet.燨ne thing that my family always had a problem with was where to display the Christmas photo cards from our closest friends and family.燤om would always place the most important Christmas photo cards on the fridge, but had to cover them up with a bulky magnet to get them to stay put.燦ow, however, companies are starting to offer Christmas photo cards that come with their own magnets.燝one are the days where we had to tape them to the wall or put them in a pile on the counter.燦ow, we can place the Christmas photo card right on the fridge!?/p>

The great thing about the new technology is that the pricing for a magnetic Christmas photo card and a regular Christmas photo card are the same.燨ther trends for this year are a move away from clip art graphics and toward a more refined, crisp look for their Christmas photo cards.燗rtists are concerning themselves more with the use of color combinations and patterns in these Christmas photo cards, and less on the use of traditional images of Santa and the North Pole.燭he continued trend in Christmas photo card coloring appears to be the use of an espresso brown color coupled with a combination of blues, greens and reds.?/p>

Although espresso isn’t a typical Christmas card color, it is an inviting and warming color that works well with other colors, so we think this trend will continue on into 2009 as well. Whatever you decide to do this year for your Christmas photo card, make sure you don’t just “throw something out there” without any forethought.燭ake some time to get a quality photograph and consider sending out a special Christmas photo card that shows you care.燭his may be the only time you correspond with loved ones in awhile, so make it count!

Holidays — Comments Off
6
Jun 11

Creative Holiday Gift Ideas for the Person Who Has Everything!

Tired of giving the same old-same old? Embarrassed to give out those impersonal department store gift certificates because you’re stumped and don’t know what to buy for the person who has everything? Well, here are some wonderful ideas for unique gifts; some unusual, some personal; something for everyone on your list!

Group two, three or more items (mix and match) and place in an interesting basket or unusual container to present your gifts, covering the container with colorful cellophane and topping it all off with a fancy ribbon and bow.

Purely Personal

- Scented candles, handmade soaps, bubble bath and a big fluffy bath towel.

- Fancy hair ties, hair clips, shower gel, shampoo and conditioner for the teenage girl

- A movie night basket with a video of DVD of a movie you know they don’t have, a box of microwave popcorn, candy and a movie guide book

- An interesting book or magazine (and a gift subscription), a tiny booklight, a cute mug and packets of hot chocolate with mini marshmallows, or a small bag of flavored gourmet coffee

- A cozy robe – one pocket containing envelopes of hot chocolate and the other, a small bag of mini-marshmallows.

- A spa day with a pair of comfy slippers and a big fluffy towel or robe

- A set of fancy beeswax candles and a brass candle snuffer

- A towel wrap, terry-cloth slippers, shower soap, shaving lotion and a fancy hair comb (or a special moustache comb for the moustached man!)

- A hot/cold pack (see how to make – www.whimsies-online.com/hotcoldpack.htm) with a box of soothing herbal teas and a whimsical mug

- Buy a variety of medium to large seashells and fill some of the shells with melted red wax and a few drops of cinnamon candle scent; and the rest of the shells with melted green wax and a few drops of pine candle scent; adding a short wick before the wax sets and you have an assortment of bath candles all ready for the holidays.

Holiday Bath Salts

2-1/3 cups of epsom salts

1/2 cup of sea salt

5 drops of peppermint scent

3 drops of red food coloring

Pour half of the first three ingredients into a bowl. Pour the other half of the ingredients into another bowl, adding the red food coloring only to the second bowl. Using a tall, clear bottle, layer contents of each bowl until all ingredients are used up (think red and white stripes). Close the bottle and tie with a festive ribbon and a couple of small candy canes.

- The Gift of Time: coupons for one night of baby-sitting, car washing, gardening, cleaning out the garage, walking the dog, re- arranging a closet, etc.

Hobbies and Sports Gifts

- Tickets to their favorite game and a sweatshirt or t-shirt imprinted with their favorite team logo

- Art supplies that they use often – sketch pads, paint in often- used colors, charcoal pencils, etc.

- Scrapbooking supplies, storage boxes to keep supplies in, rubber stamp set, embossing powder and heat gun

- Computer supplies: CDRW’s, blank CD cases, a furry Pet Virus novelty or a Virus Survival Kit just for fun (www.petvirus.com)

- For the aspiring writer (or student): folders, pencil case, binders and lined paper, fancy colorful pens, notebooks, personalized notes, a good thesaurus and dictionary, an agenda or diary, colorful post-it notes and a personalized CD coaster to hold their favorite mug of coffee (see how to make one – http://www.whimsies-online.com/cdcoasters.htm)

- For the young artist of craftsperson: a craft box with handle; colorful paper squares, set of scissors with different fancy blades, glue, felt in an assortment of colors, wiggly eyes, lengths of colorful wool, colored pipe cleaners

- For the person who love to bake: a set of cookie cutters in letter and number shapes, a pair of colorful oven mitts, a cute timer, a set of fancy cake tins, mixing bowls, cookbook on baking

- For the BBQ chef: BBQ apron, mitts, a set of large salt and pepper shakers, a BBQ brush, a BBQ recipe book

- A large interesting piece of pottery, kitchen utensils, a cookbook, a set of cute salt and pepper shakers, apron and potholder set

- A fancy flower pot with gardening tools, plant ties, garden gloves, a plant care guide and a kneeling pad.

Fancy Food Gifts

- Chocolate-dipped Spoons: buy heavy clear plastic spoons and dip them in melted chocolate, either all dark or all milk chocolate or let cool and re-dip in melted white chocolate but only halfway up the spoon bowl. Sprinkle with abit of cinnamon before the white chocolate dries for a variation. Let dry on wax paper. Wrap individually in colorful cellophane and tie with a curly ribbon. Add a couple of chocolate-coated spoons in a fancy mug along with packets of gourmet coffee.

You can also add abit of extract or liqueur or even cherry juice to flavor the chocolate before dipping.

For another variation on the chocolate-covered spoons, sprinkle the spoons with finely-crushed candy canes and let dry.

Drizzle melted white chocolate onto your dark chocolate-dipped spoons or drizzle dark chocolate onto your white chocolate-dipped spoons for a different look.

- Here’s a different twist to your favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe. Make up a batch, let cool and then dip them halfway into melted chocolate. For a variation, add a sprinkle of coconut or candy sprinkles before the chocolate coating dries.

- Here’s a way to use up those little plastic coffee creamer containers you’ve been saving. Check out this yummy recipe: Coffee Creamer Cherry Chocolates – http://www.whimsies-online.com/cherries.htm

- Breakfast Treat Basket: pour a box of pancake mix into a clean glass jar. Add the lid, cover the top of the jar with a square of pretty scrap fabric and tie on a colorful ribbon or raffia. Type the recipe from the pancake box and print it out onto cardstock to hole-punch and add to ribbon before tying the finishing bow.

Add small zip-lock bags of the following: chocolate chips, dried fruit including raisins, walnuts, almonds, pecans, coconut. One or more of these added to the pancake mix makes a unique treat! Include a bottle of pancake syrup and the gift is complete.

- Muffin Magic: add your favorite muffin recipe to a 1 or 2-quart mason jar or clear, fancy container. Decorate the jar with a square scrap of fabric and tie with a ribbon or raffia. Add your recipe to a printed card (make sure you adjust your recipe if you’ve cut the ingredients by half to fit the jar!). Include a muffin tin, a wooden spoon tied with a pretty bow, a bag of fancy paper muffin cups and a colorful oven mitt or two.

- Pasta Perfect: an assortment of clear glass jars filled with fancy pastas, a wooden spoon tied with a festive ribbon, a shaker of mixed Italian spices and another of grated parmesan or romano cheese

- Your Fortune: mix up a batch of Chinese fortune cookies (see recipe at www.whimsies-online.com/weddinggallery.htm) that you add your own printed fortunes or silly sayings to (think Confucious Say!). Place them in a colorful tin from the dollar store.

- Caffeine-fix: a set of small tins filled with an assortment of special hot cocoa mixes and/or flavored coffee using the following recipes. Create tags for each to describe each mix and the directions. (All cocoa recipes: add 1/3 cup of mix to 6 oz. hot water. All coffee recipes: add 1 heaping teaspoon, or more, to 6 oz. of hot water)

Basic Hot Cocoa Mix

1-1/4 cup dry milk

3/4 cup powdered coffee creamer

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

3/4 cup sugar

——————————————————————————–

Mexican Cocoa

Add 1 tablespoon of cinnamon to above mixture and a cinnamon stick to the tin when you tie on the recipe card.

——————————————————————————–

Cocoa-Malt

1/2 cup malted milk mix

1 cup instant cocoa mix

1/3 cup powdered coffee creamer

——————————————————————————–

Very Berry Cocoa

Mix one package of unsweetened Koolaide in a berry flavor to 3 cups of instant cocoa mix

——————————————————————————–

Coffee ‘n Spice

1 cup instant coffee

3/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon allspice or apple pie spice mix

1 cup sugar

——————————————————————————–

Mocha Magic

1 cup instant coffee

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 cup sugar

1 cup powdered coffee creamer

1/4 cup dry milk

——————————————————————————–

Toffee Coffee

Mix equal amounts of brown sugar, instant coffee and powdered coffee creamer

——————————————————————————–

Personalized Gifts

- An arrangement of family photos in a large frame – use nice gift wrap or other fancy paper as a background, or a collage of handmade papers from your art store.

- Any item personalized with the person’s name: a t-shirt with an interesting graphic along with their name; a personalized coffee mug; a picture of their favorite hobby or occupation in cartoon form with their name; a silly caricature made from their photo; a personalized BBQ apron.

——————————————————————————–

You’ll find a unique assortment of personalized cartoon pictures for any hobby, occupation or occasion and fun computer novelties including the Pet Computer Virus at:
http://www.whimsies-online.com. Be sure to pick up your free gift just for stopping by!

← Older Entries
Newer Entries →