I apologize that this is going to be a very looonnngg post. It will be linked to our next VCB television appearance and they wanted pictures and instructions for everything we are going to show. I love to give non-traditional gifts to everyone on my list. My grand kids are at the age where gift cards are their preferred present but sometimes I even like to shake that up. Gifts from your heart are always the best.
I don't know about you but the older I get the less things I need or want even though I'm known in my family as the queen of stuff.. With that in mind we have tried to come up with gifts that aren't just things to set on the shelf.
1 I always need several small gifts for teachers, secret Santa or coworkers. Of course I look to VCB first. This year we have a beautiful combo of our luxury body wash and a shower puff in a pretty bag with a bow and gift tag $10.00. All you need to do is sign and deliver.
2 Another great buy, as a stocking stuffer, hostess gift or small thank you is our organza bag filled with our 1oz body butter and lip balm. For only $4.00 you can order them for every lady on your list
3 Another great buy is our decorative bag with 4oz. body butter and lip balm $5.00 each
4. Add a gift certificate to a Christmas card for your favorite lady Women love to be pampered. Give a gift certificate to their favorite beauty salon. Our favorite salon is BLISS ON SIXTH, 516 6TH STREET, CHARLESTON, IL 217-345-0305Pamper them with a facial @$27.00 or a manicure @$18.00. You can call and do everything over the phone.Check the salon out on face book.
5 Let Vintage Cottage Beauty build the perfect gift basket or bag for you. You pick out the products and we do everything else. We can deliver the gift to you or ship them direct to where they need to be. We are only a phone call or an email away. Check out our mistletoes foot care basket @ $10.00 Another great idea for a special lady from young to adult is a luxury basket with a 4oz body butter, 8oz sugar scrub and solid lotion for $20.00.
6 Everyone needs note cards and these Garden Cards for the Cure benefit breast cancer research. Finding gifts that give twice are a wonderful gift for that someone on your list that has everything. The cards are beautiful enough to be framed. You can find them at gardencardsforthecure.com
7 Cone trees You see these every where this year. They are usually high priced but you can make a forest for just pennies.
You need poster board, heavy tape, paper or fabric to cover and bling to decorate
Cut a strip of poster board 2" wide and the length of your board. Measure and make small holes at the lengths you want your trees to be clear up to 28" Poke a hole at each measurement in the center of the strip and using a push pin at one end and poke the tip of the pencil at the hole for the size tree you want. Hold tight but do not bend your compass and draw a quarter circle for each tree you want. On the biggest trees you will have some poster left over at the side, just leave it. Cut very carefully along your arc this will be the base of your tree. Now if you are really smart you will make a paper pattern of these to use again and to use for your covering. You can choose wall paper, book pages, sheet music, tissue, napkins, decoupage or medium weight fabric. Roll into a cone shape and tape. This takes a little work the first time but gets really easy after a couple. Cover you cone then decorate however you would like.
This would be a great gift for someone who doesn't want to go to the trouble to set up a tree. It would also be a great center[piece for friends or family.
Depending on what you use to cover your trees your cost is $1.00-$10.00 per tree. These will store well wrapped in tissue and then in a box or bag.
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| the secret lifts for the trees glass, vase and candlestick |
8 Coupon book As I mentioned above time and things to make life simpler are so important for parents, friends and the elderly. Make them a coupon book. Check out Kodak.com for their printable book or make your own. Mount each coupon on card stock, hook them together with binder rings and tie with a pretty ribbon. Some services you could offer are free babysitting for new parents, home cooked meals for friends and family and my personal favorite; a promise of time working in the garden in the spring. Also include plenty of free hug and kiss coupons too. Make sure your recipient redeems the coupons and you need to follow through.
9 Ddecoupaged plate If you love to cook like I do go ahead and make goodies, make something unusual and try to present it in a fun way. You need clear glass plates mine came from the dollar store, pretty tissue paper or napkins and Mod Podge. Clean your plate and remove the label. Brush a coat of Mod Podge on the back of the plate and press the paper face down on the plate. Brush on a layer of Mod Podge and let the plate dry. Don't worry about the wrinkles and if you tear the paper just patch it with another piece. Let dry, trim off the overhanging part and add 2-3 more coats of Mod Podge. When everything is dry use a nail file to light sand around the edges of the plate to finish. Layer on your goodies, wrap in plastic and add a bow. Your recipient will have a beautiful keepsake for the next Christmas or encourage them to re gift it to someone on their list. If you do this with less seasonal papers it can be hung on the wall all year round. Of course you can wipe off the face of the plate but do not put it in water. Your cost about $2.00 for the plate, paper and Mod Podge, plus whatever you put on it.
4 More food, hey it's Christmas. Find a pretty container at a thrift store or rummage sale(I look for this kind of thing all year) Add these delicious butter mints, wrap and give.
Butter mints:
4 1/2C powdered sugar
1 stick butter softened
2T milk
2tsp peppermint extract
food color if wanted
few drops of water if necessary
Mix everything together until it forms a ball. Add water a couple of drops at a time until a smooth ball forms. Break into 3 pieces and roll into a long snake, cut into 1/2-3/4' pieces. Let dry on cookie sheets at least 24 hours then seal in air tight containers. These freeze great, a nice bonus when you are on goodies overload. Put in your pretty dish wrap and give. My cost $3.50, $2.00 for the dish and $1.50 for the mints and I really didn't use the whole batch.
11 Give an experience This can be adapted to any age give tickets for a game, play, trip, massage, facial. Print up an invitation and put it in a pretty frame. It will give them something to open and they can use the frame later.
12 Ornament Use clear glass balls and decorate with paint or glitter. Pour in 2-3 shades of paint and swirl to cover drain and let dry. For glitter balls dilute glue with water 50/50 swirl to cover glass then pour in glitter and shake to cover. Tie a pretty bow and if your really feeling festive add a little gift tied to the bow. Diamonds would work.
Cost $2.00 or less plus the cost of your extra tie on.
13 Snowman hat centerpiece You need a round tray from the dollar store and a large food or coffee can. Glue together with the top open (I always use E600)then spray with black paint. Let dry then decorate the brim of the hat with greens, ribbon, berries or snowflakes. You can add greens and pine cones, cookies, a candle or a pretty plant.
14 Planted bulbs People love to watch things grow, especially if they grow very quickly. Buy paper whites in the fall. Pot up in a pretty container with gravel. Give with the instructions to add water and watch them take off. Cost $5.00 or less depending on the pot you use of course find your pots at thrift stores or rummage sales.
15 Scarf
I thrifted this fabric for $3.00 dollars but keep an eye on remnant bins and sales. You will need 2 1/2yds light weight fabric, at least 44" wide. If you want fringe on the ends pull a couple of threads to see if it will fringe easily. Fold the fabric in half length wise and cut in two vertically. You will now have two pieces 90" long and 22-28" wide. Fold right sides together and pin along the side and the ends if you aren't doing fringe. Sew together, be sure to leave a few inches open for turning, turn, press and hand stitch opening. If you are going to fringe start and stop your sewing about 1 1/2" from each end. Stitch, turn press. Use a pin to help pull the threads loose one at a time to form fringe. For the fringe it is important to have your ends very straight before sewing. Cost $1.50 for fabric. Even if you spend $5.00-$6.00 dollars per yard for fabric you will get two scarves, one to give, one for you.
16 Give your heart We once had an elderly neighbor who loved Christmas but with no family around to help her get out all the boxes and lights, she had decided to forget Christmas decorating when she moved next door to us. That year on Thanksgiving weekend our family showed up at her door with a fresh greenery swag and completely decked her halls. The weekend after Christmas we returned again to take everything down and put it away until the next year. My sons were three when we started this tradition and we continued every year until she could no longer live in her home. My boys were in their early twenties by them. We talk about her often and how much fun we had, all it cost us was time. I know it meant the world to her. She would call her family as soon as we showed up and made sure she took tons of pictures. After she passed away everyone of her children and grandchildren made a point of telling us how much she enjoyed having us make Christmas for her. She was an important part of our lives for many years and although she would argue, I know we got much more out of the experience than she did. What can you do for someone alone?
I hope we have given some ideas for your Christmas gifts. Buy local if you can, think out side the box and know that thoughtfulness beats spending tons of money any day. If you don't think so ask one of your kids to name three things Santa brought them last year, or better still ask an adult. If you have questions on about anything in this post please don't hesitate to contact us. vintagecottagebeauty.com, facebook/vintage cottage beauty or email us at
tete1951@gmail.com or
kcartwright@consolidated.net.
HAVE A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS Be sure to tell your family and friends how much they mean to you. Remember the true reason for the season and know that the best things in life are not things.
