Christmas Ideas........Let's Share!

With times being a little tighter for most folks this year, I thought we might all share some favorite "budget" ideas for Christmas whether it be decorating, gifts, or food. I spent several hours the other night poking around some craft sites and this one was my favorite: http://tipnut.com

I found several relatively inexpensive but cute ideas worth printing out and am looking forward to trying them. The ideas are located on the right hand side.

Anybody else got any good ideas?

 

Cool! Thanks for sharing! :lol:

 

the frugal living part is dandy too!

 

what a great website - I've already signed up and printed two projects - I've been trying to figure out how to store my ribbons that I use for scrapbooking and cardmaking - can't wait to give it a try

 

I'm about to clean some coffee pots!

How To Clean A Coffee Pot

If your coffee pot is looking a little grungy lately, here’s an easy way to clean it:

• Fill the coffee tank with 6 cups of vinegar, then top up the tank with water. Turn on the coffee pot as you would when making coffee (minus the coffee grounds). The machine will heat the vinegar and water as it enters the pot. This is for a 12 cup coffee machine, if yours is a different size, just use 50/50 vinegar and water.
• Once the pot is full, pour the hot vinegar and water back in the tank and run through the process again.
• Dump the hot vinegar and water then scrub the pot inside and out in hot soapy water. There should be no signs of brown coffee film at this point.
• Next add plain water in the coffee tank and turn on the machine. The hot water will run through and rinse out the vinegar. I do this step twice using fresh water for the second rinse cycle.

The vinegar not only helps clean the coffee pot, but also flushes out any buildup in the tank and tubes.
Clean your coffee pot regularly with this method and you’ll prolong the life of the machine as well as keep the pot sparkling.
If the pot is especially coated in film or coffee has accidentally been burned in it, fill the pot with vinegar and leave overnight. In the morning dump the vinegar in a clean pail and wash the pot in hot soapy water. If there are still some stubborn brown film stains, fill the pot with the saved vinegar and soak overnight again. Repeat the process until the coffee pot is sparkling clean again.
If you have a coffee thermos or carafe, fill it with 50/50 hot water and vinegar and allow to soak overnight. This helps remove the coffee film inside as well.

 

And this has got to be my all time fav. I'm a smell person.

Fragrant Home: 13 Simmering Pot Recipes

This is a lovely way to make your home smell warm and inviting. Just fill a pot with water, add your favorite ingredients and simmer all day. This also helps humidify the home a bit.
The recipes below are just guidelines, you can use different amounts and mix up ingredients as you like. Experiment to find your favorite smells.
Save: orange, lemon and lime peels, apple skins (dry them out first before storing in a container)
Frugal idea: For apple juice, cranberry juice, herbs and spices that are outdated, don’t throw out–just add to your simmering pot
You can refrigerate your simmering recipe and reuse daily for up to one week. Just keep adding water as needed.
Directions: Fill a saucepan with water and bring to a boil. Add the ingredients from your favorite recipe, boil for a few minutes, then turn the heat down to simmer all day. Top up water as needed.
Caution: Set your timer for 30 minutes so you remember to top up with water. You don’t want the pot burning dry. Do not leave the house with this left heating on the stove.
Simmering Pot Potpourri Recipes
Recipe #1
Cinnamon sticks
Apple peels
Orange rinds
Whole cloves
Recipe #2
Apple juice
Cinnamon sticks
Whole cloves
Recipe #3
Vanilla (a few drops)
Orange peels
Recipe #4 - Christmas Potpourri Simmering Pot
3 sprigs evergreen or handful pine needles
2 cinnamon sticks
2 TBS whole cloves
2 bay leaves
2 pieces orange rind
2 pieces lemon rind
Recipe #5
2 TBS whole cloves
2 cinnamon sticks
5 star anise
1 orange peel
Recipe #6
Whole cloves
1 tsp nutmeg
Recipe #7
Peel from a whole orange
Whole cloves
2 Cinnamon sticks
Recipe #8
5 bay leaves
1 TBS whole cloves
2 sticks cinnamon
Recipe #9
Peel from 1 lemon
Peel from 1 orange
2 bay leaves
3 cinnamon sticks
2 TBS whole cloves
Recipe #10
1/8 cup cloves
1/8 cup allspice
2 cinnamon sticks
Recipe #11
6 whole cloves
1 cinnamon stick
1 tsp vanilla
Recipe #12
1 cup dried lavender
1 tsp anise
1 TBS nutmeg
1 TBS whole cloves
1 Cinnamon stick
Recipe #13
2 sticks cinnamon
Peel from one lemon
Fresh rosemary
Whole cloves
For the Oven:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Take a piece of tinfoil (a few inches wide), pour a teaspoon of vanilla on top and place the foil in the oven. Turn off oven and prop the door open a bit.
Fill a loaf pan with water and your favorite recipe from above. Set in oven on high heat until it starts filling your home with lovely smells. Turn off oven, then prop the door open.
To Encourage Appetites:
Make fresh bread or fry up an onion or set an onion in the oven to heat. The smell will make everyone good and hungry at meal time

 

I'm glad ya'll are enjoying the site as much as I did!

 

Yeah....thanks KDC!! I haven't gotten a darn thing done today at work yet and boss lady just walked in!! :twisted:

 

Sorry! :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

KDC, vista print has cards FREE! :mrgreen:

 

Yep, yep!

 

Not really an idea just an FYI if you are already in the Christmas mood, TBS has christmas shows on already

 

Now where is Redneck Rich when you need him. I bet he's got some good tips on saving $ at Christmas.

 

Not Christmas related, but this is my favorite tip of the night. LOL

http://tipnut.com/pancake-dispenser/

 

One thing you could make for Christmas gifts is Vanilla sugar. Order some vanilla beans off of ebay (I got 25 beans for $7) and then split them down the middle, add them to sugar in a sealed container. Shake twice a day for at least a week. You get yummy sugar to add to your coffee or whatever else.

You can also split the beans and add them to cheap vodka and let it sit for at least 4 months and you end up with pure vanilla extract.

Put either of these in cute little containers you can get for a few $$'s at the containerstore.com and you have a good gift!

K

 

I like the vanilla sugar idea!

I made some of the dish towels you can fasten to your oven door last night out of a pot holder and a matching dish towel. Turned out very cute and inexpensive. I also made some key chain lanyards, I will try to post pics later on, they are easy and very customizable for the recipient. That idea came from a friend of mine. I may try to sell some of those on ebay. :mrgreen:

 

I had a coworker tell me how to make this 2 ingredient fudge. Just melt a bag of chocolate chips and stir in chocolate frosting and nuts if desired. Refrigerate and that is it. She also did peanut butter chips w/ choc. frosting, the all choc. recipe with toffee chips, cream cheese and choc. chips with and without toffee, etc. I thought it would be neat to make a few different kinds and put them in one of those little tins. Also considered doing the all choc. recipe with crushed candy canes?

 

Speaking of fudge, I once had some a co-worker brought in made with Velveeta. I kid you not! You couldn't tell, and it was delicious. :mrgreen:

 

Another easy fudge recipe: Microwave a can of sweet condensed milk with a dash of vanilla in a bowl, add 1 bag of choc chips (heat a little more if needed), then chill ........delicious!! :lol: Y'all are making me hungry :?

 

KDC,

Can you post the instructions or pics of the potholder/towel thingy? Are they online?

Last year we gave away cookie mix in mason jars.