budgetsmartgirl

Archive for December, 2011|Monthly archive page


Fashion and Beauty Tips for 2012

In Dale's Blogs on December 21, 2011 at 6:09 pm

 Here are some make-up and fashion tips from Dale-

2012 Skincare Secrets for Radiant Healthy Skin

 Remember the maintenance free skin we had as kids? Women spend time and money on skin products throughout their lives and I’d like to share a few of my favorite blemish blasting secrets that truly work. When you feel better about your skin, it boosts self-confidence and your makeup actually goes on smoother. I’ve always had sensitive skin prone to breakouts so I’ve learned a lot about skin care in the last 10 years. I’d like to share a few tips below.

 If you have a big event like a wedding, party or dance that you’re preparing to enjoy, feeling a painful pimple coming on is the worst! If your blemish isn’t too bad and you don’t scar easily, take the regular route using a topical product and makeup to cover it. If the pimple is going to be a conversation stopper, or at least you feel it will, and might last for at least a week it’s time for more action if possible. Make an appointment with your dermatologist asap. In less than 10 seconds, he can inject it with a tiny dose of Cortisone which immediately reduces the redness, eliminates the pain and makes it practically disappear in a day or two.

 My second skincare tip if you’re thinking about joining a gym in January is to splurge a little on a better gym to pamper your skin and save money on facials. Plus, if you love your new gym, you’ll go more. Make sure to check your city for a gym that has a steam room and sauna. Go in the steam room for 20 minutes, relax, and then use your little Clarisonic Mia or any gadget similar to exfoliate when you get out. You’ll be surprised how great your skin feels and looks. Also, steam rooms are built for pure relaxation without any outside tech distractions unless you want them to get drenched. You’re winding down at the end of the day and letting every pore on your body breath. The best part is it’s all included for free with your gym membership so steam as much as your skin wants.

 My last 2012 skincare tip is if you’ve been meaning to see a dermatologist, make the time. Most insurance companies cover a dermatologist, but it never hurts to check even if you don’t have insurance. I highly recommend it and do your research and ask around to find a good one.

 Fashion-

Don’t let the Chilly Weather Deter you from Finding Red Hot Savings

Christmas is only a few days away and after it’s over, all the holiday sales begin. This is when you can grab winter trends you’ve had your eye on for a fraction of the price. Prices will be slashed in no time, meaning you can bundle up at a bargain price. Here’s my top winter trends:

Faux Fur: This has been my favorite winter trend the past few years and I keep wondering if it will go out of style, but it hasn’t. Its popularity is ‘faux’s’ added benefit besides saving furry little animals, it can never go extinct. Faux fur is cozy, luxurious and adds an undeniable glam factor to any outfit. In my opinion, it should only be worn during fall and not a day later than the final day of winter. There are also so many different styles you can buy, if you’re not comfortable looking like a baby Grizzly bear in a burly faux fur coat. Try a faux fur shawl, a cropped jacket, a coat with a fur lined hood, a scarf or the most popular and easy to wear option, a faux fur vest. I prefer brown, black, or light neutral tones.

When you’re hitting the sales, don’t forget to check the shoe section. Over-the-knee boots or most winter boots you’ve had your eye on will be discounted within weeks. A great boot is a winter must have.

My third favorite winter trend is leather. Leather has been a popular style whether it’s a dress, like the chic cut-out number Nicole Richie wore recently, or leather skirts and leggings. Faux leather leggings have been selling like hot cakes at H&M where some are priced at under $20. From the moment you slither into them, you’ll feel chic and trendy. You can pair them with a top as simple as a stylish basic T or a longer sweater if you’re feeling overexposed. Leather sheath dresses are a big fall and winter trend and you can experiment with bold colors as well. Check out stars like Blake Lively who stunned in a citrus dress this fall. Charlize Theron was red hot in her simple leather cherry colored dress she wore at the NYC premiere of her new movie “Young Adult.”

After the holiday festivities are a wrap, these three winter trends are a prime targets for markdowns as the stores begin to stock spring items despite the fact it’s only January.

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Really Last Minute Gifts for the Budget Smart Girl

In Budget Smart Girl's Guide on December 20, 2011 at 3:59 pm

 I thought I’d round off this year’s articles with some ideas for last minute gifts. Also some odds and ends I stumbled upon in the last few days. Dale will be sharing her tips and advice with you later this week. I’ll be taking a break next week while I work on updating the site and getting organized and will return with new posts on January 3rd, 2012. Big news is I’m taking part in a free two week business course for Budget Smart Girl and it will be featured on Yahoo. Not sure what day but I’ll keep you posted.

And now to some of my favorite last minute gifts when both time and money are in short supply-

Breads and Cakes

Instead of wrapping them in foil or cling wrap, buy an inexpensive tea towel, wrap it around the bread and tie the ends into a bow. If you’re not in the mood for baking, one option is to parcel up the dry ingredients, add instructions, and a list of other ingredients the recipient will need, and place everything in a disposable baking pan. This also works for brownies and muffins.

Gift Certificates

 Try giving an invitation to afternoon tea at your house complete with tea sandwiches, scones etc. Breakfast in Bed, a nice gift for your spouse, or a Get out of Making Dinner card for someone who’s been under the weather, or maybe for someone who’s been looking after an ailing family member or just needs cheering up.

Mittens, Mugs and Cocoa

Give a cocoa mix along with a pair of mittens, you can also opt for dry soup mixes, or go with mittens, mix and a mug. And why not put a packet of cocoa mix instead the mittens?

A Good Book

One of my favorite ways to pass a lazy Saturday afternoon during the winter is to curl up with a good book and something warm like a mug of tea. If you’re going to give someone a gift card from a bookstore, or just a book, why not include a box of tea, or even coffee. And don’t forget electronic books too. They’re lower in price and you can buy them at the very last minute so no waiting for delivery.

Cookies

Everyone loves sampling holiday cookies, but try to think of novel ways to pack them. Maybe an old lunchbox, a Chinese restaurant takeaway box, and if you have a lot of cookies to give to one family, a pizza box… just make sure it’s free of pizza sauce! Some of these items you might even have sitting around the house.

Indoor Garden

My local supermarket has been selling pots of herbs for around $2.50, ones like basil and cilantro. I thought about buying a few and putting them in baskets for myself during the winter. And what a great gift for someone who loves to cook. It also cheers up the kitchen on a long winter’s day.

Things I Stumbled Upon-

I found this one on the Yahoo UK site, seems mother and grandmother knew best-

http://uk.lifestyle.yahoo.com/blogs/by-you-by-sainsburys/kitchen-secrets-mother-grandmother-told-160250278.html

Ways to Dress Up Soup

Some of these sound like great ideas-

http://shine.yahoo.com/shine-food/12-easy-ways-dress-tomato-soup-180400572.html

A Lump of Coal

I hope no one’s getting a lump of coal this year but these look like something fun to put in the stocking-

http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/chocolate-coal-lumps/129bbf39-319c-461b-b8bb-ffa7f862c97a?ESRC=16333&WT.ac=RedHotHoliday2011_Landing_110711

And finally Ways to Save On Everything…you’ll probably find at least one idea to put into action in the New Year-

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/spend-less-on-everything.html

I’d like to wish you the happiest of Holidays and A Prosperous and Money Saving New Year. Thank You for Reading Budget Smart Girl.

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It’s Meatless Monday-Roasted Veggie Shepherd’s Pie

In Meatless Mondays on December 19, 2011 at 4:08 pm

One of my favorite comfort foods is Shepherd’s pie. Sometimes I make it with tofu but the other day I thought about trying a roasted veggie version. Best thing about this is it’s the ideal way to use up leftover vegetables and other items that might be sitting in the fridge and pantry. You don’t have to roast the vegetables for this but I think it makes the flavor more intense and worth it.

3 carrots, peeled and chopped

About one cup of chopped celery

2 medium sized onions, chopped

8 ounces of mushrooms, sliced. I used baby bellas because they were on sale

Place the vegetables in a roasting pan and coat them with oil and some salt and pepper and roast them in a 375 degree oven for about 30 minutes or until they carmelized. Stir them in the pan a couple of times during cooking.

While the vegetables are roasting make the mashed potatoes for the topping. About one pound of potatoes should be enough, although I didn’t have quite enough to cover all the vegetables. I added about a 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese when I mashed them because I think it compliments the vegetables. Set aside when ready.

When the roasted veggies are almost done

Heat together in a saucepan, 1 14 ounce can of diced tomatoes and about 2 cups of stock.

Bring to a simmer and add the roasted vegetables and also about 2 tablespoons of tomato paste, salt, pepper and some onion powder.

Bring this to a boil then turn it down to a simmer. I added some seasoned flour mixed with water to thicken it and then let it reduce down for about five minutes. I also had some leftover peas that I added.

Pour this into a baking dish you’ve sprayed with cooking spray and then top with the mashed potatoes and sprinkle with more Parmesan cheese and I also like a sprinkling of smoked paprika too.

Heat this in the oven for about 15 minutes or until the vegetable mixture is bubbling and the potatoes are slightly browned.

You can get about eight servings out of this recipe.

It’s Meatless Monday will be back January 9th, 2012

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Georgine Saves In December

In Georgine Saves Blogs on December 16, 2011 at 1:58 pm

Here is Georgine’s December post..lots of great stuff-

The shopping frenzy has begun! Keep your cool and save some money too.

First of all, Friday, December 16 will be FREE Shipping Day on the Internet so be sure to mark your calendar! With that said, there are lots of great specials to be found. If a computer is on your list there will be discounts up to the last minute. Be sure you don’t pay full price because there is lots of competition so you’ll get a good deal. Of course, toys are on everyone’s list. Be sure to compare prices and remember, if you see a hot toy, buy it, because many stores will match competitor’s prices. So if you see it cheaper later on, you can get a price adjustment.

Radio Shack has lots of toys under $10.00 and many ship FREE! But shop early to get the best selections. Lots of kitchen appliances are offering special deals and some even have rebates making your savings greater. These Kitchen Aid mixers are not only discounted at Amazon.com and ship FREE but are sweeter because of a mail-in rebate.

Speaking of Amazon.com I’m sure everyone knows they offer FREE shipping on orders $25.00 or more, but did you know there is a site Amazon Filler Item that will give you suggestions of items to add to your cart if your total is less than $25.00? These suggestions are for the exact amount you are short so you don’t really have to spend a lot more to get your order shipped FREE.

Whether you are decorating indoors or outside, hardware is also a must this time of year! Look for discounts at home stores and of course don’t forget the day after Christmas! Almost EVERYTHING will be half price.

Speaking of 12-26, it’s a great time to stock up on your greeting cards and wrapping paper for next year. Most stores will have their Christmas stock 50% off. Look for cute decorations and hostess gifts too. Next year when you get a last-minute invitation you will be so happy you have these. Grab paper plates, cups, and napkins too. Remember, solid colors can be used all year long.

 Baking supplies should still be lower in price so be sure to use coupons and those cookies and cakes will taste even better. This is a very hectic month, but somehow we will get through it. And even though you may be exhausted, when the big day comes when you realize how much you saved as opposed to how much you could have spent, you will be very satisfied.

Happy holidays to all

www.georginesaves.com

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Easy Holiday Appetizers

In Budget Smart Cook on December 15, 2011 at 6:07 pm

WordPress whose site this blog appears on tells me this will be my 575th post! Thank you to everyone who’s been reading this since post number one. Here’s to the next 575.

Easy Appetizers

One thing I love about the holidays is the chance to make some appetizers or finger foods that can be made ahead of time and pulled out of the fridge or freezer when company stops by or you’re in need of a snack. Two things I always rely on are filo pastry and cream cheese.

First up is a cream cheese spread that I use on crackers or cucumber slices. Leftovers, if there are any, make the perfect spread for sandwiches…great with leftover turkey. I’ve even spread it on toast for breakfast.

Mediterranean Herbal Cream Cheese Spread

(Makes ½ cup)

 4 oz. cream cheese, regular or low-fat

2 tablespoons chopped sun-dried tomatoes in oil

1 tablespoon chopped oregano

1 tablespoon chopped thyme

 Remove the cream cheese from the refrigerator about 15 minutes before you plan to make this spread.

 Place the cream cheese in a bowl and stir in sun-dried tomatoes, then mix in the oregano and thyme. You can also add some of the oil from the sun-dried tomatoes to thin it out and boost the flavor.

 Put the spread back into the refrigerator, but take it out again about 5-10 minutes before you eat it so it spreads more easily.

Filo Cups

One thing that goes on sale at this time of year are the packages of filo pastry shells. The box in the photo cost around $2.50 for 15 shells. Best thing is the neutral taste that can be combined with both sweet and savory fillings. If you can find them making your own is easy too-

4 sheets frozen filo dough, thawed

2 tablespoons unsalted butter or low-fat spread, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place one sheet of the filo dough on the countertop or cutting board and brush with some of the melted spread/butter. Top with another sheet, brush with spread/butter and continue with the other two sheets, making sure you brush the top sheet with the butter/spread.

Cut the sheets into 12 squares. Take a muffin pan and mold each stack into each of the cups…you’ll get some overlap at the top, but don’t worry because it makes them look more decorative. Bake for about five minutes or until lightly golden brown. Let them cool on a wire rack before you fill them.

They can be made a couple of days in advance too.

Filling suggestions

One of the fillings that always seem to get people coming back for more is curried chicken salad. (This is also a good filling for sandwiches and stuffed tomatoes too).

  • 2 cups chopped cooked chicken
  • ¾ cup mayonnaise
  • 1 tablespoon curry powder, your choice of mild or hot
  • ¼ cup chopped celery,
  • ¼ cup chopped toasted cashews
  • ½ cup chopped seedless red grapes.

Simply mix everything together and let it sit in the fridge for about an hour, more if you have time. The combination also works well with tuna too, just leave out the grapes.

I’ve also had success with using the filo cups for mini quiches. And another quick idea is to take a flavored cream cheese, like onion or salmon, whip it until it’s light and airy and put the mixture into a pastry bag and pipe the mixture into the cups. Maybe top with a pitted olive or a toasted nut like a pecan.

More Cream Cheese Combos

This year I thought I’d try to come up with some more good holiday combination using cream cheese which is on sale just about everywhere right now. One idea is to combine it with chopped dried cranberries and some candied orange peel. If you want it sweet, try adding honey or confectioner’s sugar. I thought these would be good rolled into balls and then rolled in chopped pecans and served on cocktail sticks.

One other sweet combination I’m going to try is adding honey or confectioner’s sugar, cocoa powder (or even melted chocolate) and chopped crystalized ginger.

And a savory treat. Blue cheese always seems to add some pizzazz to just about everything so combining it with cream cheese sounds like a winner. I’m thinking this would even make a great topping for baked potatoes for a quick meal post holidays.

More Holiday Links to Check out 

People have been sending me all sorts of great holiday links to pass along to you so before I forget here they are-

More Gifts to Make

This one from Gourmet-

http://www.gourmet.com/food/gourmetlive/2011/121411/craft-fare-diy-gifts

And check out www.education.com. If you’re a parent you’ll find a ton of good stuff not only for the holidays with things like crafts and printable cards, but a winter activities book you can download too.

Christmas Dinner

If you’re still not sure what to cook December 25th, All You has some suggestions

http://www.allyou.com/food/celebrations/christmas-menu-00411000073690/?xid=recipe-121511

Wrap the Green Way

And if you’re still looking for ideas for gift wrapping this year, try this one-

http://www.naturalhomeandgarden.com/diy-projects/wrap-it-green-alternative-gift-wrapping-ideas.aspx

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These Are Almost Free…

In Budget Smart Girl's Guide on December 14, 2011 at 6:49 pm

I received this the other day and thought I’d post it on the site because it has some great tips for gift wrapping and storage ideas we can all use post holidays. Best of all other than buying a can of Pringles, it’s free!

Did you know that there are many ways to reuse the empty Pringles container around the holidays after you’ve eaten all the crisps? Here are just a few ideas:

Ornament Storage: The unique tube shape makes each can the perfect storage container for ornaments. Just stuff the bottom with a few pieces of tissue or newspaper and then stack the ornaments inside, placing a layer of paper between each one.

Unique Gift Box: Wrap the can in wrapping paper and it becomes the perfect gift box for homemade cookies, breads or other hard-to-wrap gifts. Decorate with personalized stickers, ribbon, glitter and tulle to make it stand out under the tree. 

 Gift Wrap in a Jiffy: Store ribbon, tape and scissors inside each can to insure you have everything you need to finish wrapping that gift. No more searching for the scissors and tape after you’ve gotten that wrapping paper perfect!

Dinner Center Piece: Garnish the outside of the can and add festive decoration; a great kid’s arts and craft project. For a more personalized craft, fill each decorated can with homemade treats and candy and use to mark place settings for dinner guests.

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A Budget Smart Girl’s Guide to Last Minute Gifts…and gifts for those stockings!

In Budget Smart Girl's Guide on December 13, 2011 at 7:53 pm

Only two weeks to go until Christmas and if you still need some items for last minute gifts or even to slip into the stocking, here are some I came up with and some I found on the Internet

Mini Books

 

I love these tiny books and have a whole collection of them, every topic from afternoon tea to flowers. Most of them are found in bookstores but I have seen some in dollar stores too-

Food Gifts

I’ve been making my own cheese bread and purchased some bread flour from the King Arthur company. The product is great so I thought I’d check out their Web site. I’m glad I did because it has lots of recipes I’m dying to try for the holidays and they sell items online too. Right now everything ships for just $3. I think that offer is good until December 16th. Check out some of their clearance items here, cookie and cake mixes to give or to keep for yourself-http://www.kingarthurflour.com/shop/sale

Gifts That Pay For Themselves

I can’t think of a better gift than one that saves you money. Here is an article I found on the Web last week-http://shopping.yahoo.com/articles/yshoppingarticles/755/gifts-that-give-back/

Spa Products and Labels

And here is a link to yet more DIY spa items and labels. I saw this one mentioned yesterday and bookmarked it to check out their other topics when I have time-

http://blonde-designs.squarespace.com/blonde-designs-blog/2009/11/5/holiday-gift-crafts.html

Something for the Birds

During the winter I always feed the birds at least once a week and thought I’d try some of the homemade bird treats mentioned here. Also a great gift to make for the bird lover on your list-

http://www.tailsinc.com/2011/12/diy-treats-for-your-birdie-friends/

Something for the Stocking

A couple of weeks ago I stocked up on ELF cosmetics when everything was 50% off which means products like these were just 50 cents each. I can’t think of a better item for a stocking-

www.eyeslipsface.com

And last but not least

If you’re out of time and out of money one thing that never fails is the homemade gift certificate. Maybe it’s the promise of making dinner one night, babysitting for a friend, mowing the lawn next summer…here is a site I found that offers free templates to make your own.

http://www.giftango.com/gift-certificate-templates.asp

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It’s Meatless Monday-Vegetable and Chickpea Curry

In Meatless Mondays on December 12, 2011 at 7:59 pm

I thought this week I’d try someone else’s vegetarian recipe and share it with you along with my results.

Sometimes I find the best meatless recipes on the Internet. On Saturday I was browsing and saw this article, here’s the link-http://shine.yahoo.com/essen-trinken/5-healthy-slow-cooker-recipes-213300581.html

I noticed one was for a meatless dish, Vegetable and Chickpea Curry and thought it looked worth checking out. Best thing was most I had most of the ingredients sitting in the pantry or freezer. Only things I changed were-

I used frozen spinach instead of fresh

Red pepper instead of green

Red pepper flakes instead of the chile pepper

I left out the potato because I didn’t have any.

I also had some leftover rice I served with the curry

Don’t skip cooking the onion and carrots before you add them to the slow cooker because it adds a nice touch, as does adding the curry powder at this stage. I deglaced the pan with some more of the coconut milk to make sure all the flavorings went into the slow cooker.

This recipe makes a lot and I’m freezing what’s leftover. It was tasty and very satisfying on a winter’s day. Best thing is it’s very budget friendly.

Here’s the recipe if you want to try it on a Meatless Monday-

http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/vegetable-chickpea-curry-10000000701091/

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‘Tis the Season of Giving – Extreme Couponing Makes it Cheaper

In Blogsy by Marcia Layton Turner on December 9, 2011 at 3:16 pm

Here is Marcia’s December blog-

Extreme couponing can yield big savings on groceries you buy every week. But in December, your extreme couponing skills can help make the holidays brighter for others, by allowing you to buy more for much less. So when you’re shopping for gifts and stocking up on products for your own pantry, consider using your couponing skills to help others. It’s a great way to share the spirit of the season, and it won’t cost you much at all.

 Some of the great deals you can find this month include:

 Food

Keep saving, sorting, and using all those coupons on sale items at your local grocery, discount, and drug stores, but instead of storing everything in your pantry, consider donating a portion of your haul to a local food bank. You could even pay to have more of specific coupons clipped, at sites like http://www.thecouponclippers.com/ and http://www.ebay.com/, so that you can stock your cupboards and someone else’s, too. Baking ingredients are always on sale in December, so buy all you can of low-cost flour, sugar, and chocolate morsels that you’ll use in the next few months.

 Beauty

Cosmetics are another product that is often on sale in December, so watch for great deals on lipsticks, nail polish, and blush. This week, you can find Revlon nail polish at Walgreen’s for $3.99, which generates a $3 Register Rewards to be used later. Final cost? Just $.99 for some quality nail polish. (I’m stocking up to donate some to teens at a local child services agency.) Rite Aid also has a $2.99 cosmetic gift set that generate $2 in UP Rewards to be used on a later visit.

 Toys

Stores like Target and Toys R Us issue their own massive catalog each November, which are jam-packed with coupons for toys. These are great and can yield huge savings, but when you can combine those store coupons with manufacturer coupons and rebates, you can get some toys for free. Also watch online coupon sites like http://www.coupons.com/, which generate toy coupons from time-to-time.

 Holiday decor

Of course, one of the biggest savings categories this month is holiday décor. You can find everything from wrapping paper to lights to Christmas trees on sale. And when you use coupons like the $5 off $10 at Hallmark (http://bit.ly/uh3Pik), you can stock up on ribbons, wrap, and bows cheaply.

 And if you’ve been invited to any holiday parties, you’ll want to take a look at the money-saving opportunities on wine or liquor, which is always a welcome hostess gift.

 Wine and Liquor

December is a great month to stock up on liquor, especially with the New Year right around the corner. But don’t pay full price – use rebates to cut your final cost. Here is one for $25 off bottles of Absolut Vodka, Malibu Rum, and several other brands: http://50.28.31.4/coupon.html. Walk around your local liquor store and watch for hang tags offering additional savings, too. In addition to dollars off bottles of wine, you’re likely to find rebates toward food, too.

 Happy saving!

 Marcia Layton Turner is an avid coupon clipper who saves thousands of dollars a year by using them. She is also the author of Extreme Couponer: Insider secrets to getting groceries for free.

 Here is a link to the Kindle edition available on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Extreme-Couponer-Insider-Groceries-ebook/dp/B005HMO7UU/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1314049255&sr=8-2

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Homemade Gifts for the Budget Minded

In Budget Smart Girl's Guide on December 8, 2011 at 3:57 pm

If you’re thinking about making a few homemade gifts this year…or just want to make something for yourself, here are some ideas and some sites I’ve stumbled upon-

Bath and Body Items

You know I’m a big fan of Woman’s World magazine and oftentimes they have ideas for making spa products at home. Check out the December 12th issue because they have lots of ideas like strawberry bath bombs. An added plus is you can e-mail the magazine and they’ll e-mail you some labels you can use on any of the homemade products.

More Homemade Spa Goodies

I saw this one last month and knew I had to bookmark it. Everything looks so good and something on my to do list for the New Year for myself-

http://www.gardeners.com/Spa-Gifts/7828,default,pg.html

Gift Wrap

For those of you remember me being featured a few years ago in the article about reusing items during the holidays you’ll know I keep gift bags every year. I can’t remember the last time I threw one away. However, if you want one that will last just about forever, check out this article about making your own-

http://www.naturalhomeandgarden.com/diy-projects/try-this-reusable-gift-bag.aspx

Gifts Made By Children

Kids love making crafts anytime of the year but especially during the holidays and here’s a site with plenty of good ideas-

www.C4K555.org

Place Setting Goodies

Here’s something I’ve been putting together for years and I place one on each person’s plate during a holiday meal. All it takes is some netting, some mini chocolate bars and twine. They’re also great for attaching to holiday cards or take home gifts for guests.

Homemade Hangers

I love padded hangers for sweaters and dresses but they can be pricey so I came up with my own. All you need are some wood or plastic hangers, some poly fill, leftover material…and if you want them to smell nice too, add some dried herbs, like lavendar. Anyone can make them. All you do is wrap the poly fill around the hanger with some of the herbs, then cut enough material to wrap around it and sew the sides together. Great as a gift or to keep yourself.

More Gift Ideas

And check out this article…yes, yours truly is mentioned with a soup recipe-

http://www.mint.com/blog/how-to/7-homemade-holiday-gifts-that-are-good-enough-to-eat-112011/

Food Gifts

Who doesn’t love to get something good to eat anytime of the year-

http://shine.yahoo.com/tistheseason/gifts-kitchen-224700092.html

More Goodies

Another one of my favorite magazines is All You and this link takes you to a selection of holiday treats like reindeer cookies…they all look fun to make!

http://www.allyou.com/food/celebrations/christmas-sweets-00411000070239/page16.html

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