Gift Guide Day 7

I have fallen in love with today's gift. I didn't make it to give I actually made it for myself and it just looks amazing sitting on my dresser and I'm really impressed with how well it came out.



Perfect for any woman on your gift list from 6 to 60 and yet another customisable project.

It's a photo frame jewellery holder.



Mine is basically an earring stand as I don't wear any other jewellery but if you make it bigger it would hold necklaces and bangles too with the addition of a few small tacs to use as hangers.

This will not cost a lot at all. We already know from Wednesday's post, gift guide day 6, that Kmart have huge frames for $9, so the smaller ones are even cheaper. The one I used I picked up at the Reject shop about twelve months ago for $2. It's the perfect size for my earring collection.

Besides the frame you will need a piece of fabric, some ribbon, and a hot glue gun.



I know it looks like I made mine Christmassy, well ok I did, but as I love christmas and snow this will not get old throughout the year. In fact I have a feeling it will help me through the 11 months immediately following December.



For your recipient pick a neutral fabric unless you really know their personality.

For the ribbon I've used ricrac, I'd recommend something strong so nothing satin, it has to be strong enough to support the weight of earrings and other jewellery.

Remove the glass, you won't be needing it for this project, and cut your fabric to the right size for your frame. You need about an inch on each side to stick down.

Then do just that. Wrap the board like a present sticking each side as you go.


Once the glue has dried, it takes only a minute or so to be cool enough to work with, lay your ribbon strips across the frame and place the board in place.



You don't want the ribbon pulled tight but you don't want it too loose either. Have a play around with it before you stick the ends down. I needed mine loose enough to get an earring backing behind as I only wear studs. Hooks from dangly earrings will not need it as loose.

Once you're happy with the length use the hot glue gun to stick the ends to the back of the board.

If you're not happy with the back looking as it does you can neaten it up by placing a strip of fabric around each edge to cover the ribbon ends.

That's it you're done, easy as pie.



With this budget friendly gift you could even add a pair of earrings as part of the present.

I used to keep my earrings in a pile in a basket, now they're all out where I can see them and I love it.

NB: you can see a tiny sample of my Joap collection to the right there as well



Have fun but be careful as glue from a hot glue gun lives up to its name, trust me.

Skye



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Drum Roll Please....

The lucky winner of the Joap competition is....

Denise Hickam Dixon.

Congratulations Denise you now have to choose between the Rainbow Sugar Collection or the Christmas Treats Collection.
Please PM Jo through the Joap facebook page to discuss your choice.

Thank you to everyone who entered and thank you for continuing to show Jo loads of support as she follows her passion.

Don't forget the Epic Christmas stocking is on tonight from 9pm NSW time, 6pm WA time.

Gift Guide Day 6

So far we've had two gifts that could easily be gifted to men. I'm bringing attention to this because it truly is quite hard to find handmade gifts geared towards the rougher sex.

Today's gift brings the number up to three though like the gum drops and send a hug it transcends gender and age.

In a way it's not completely handmade either but it is Budget Friendly so it made the cut.

Framed Prints.




The great thing about framed prints is that it's a completely customisable gift that can be created to meet any personality.

They are super simple, I know I've been saying that a fair bit but well it's true.

First you need to pick a saying that fits the person you'll be gifting it too. The Batman saying will be sent as part of my Brother-in-laws present. If I were to send it to a friend I might choose something like 'don't let anyone dull your sparkle' or if I were to make one for Miss Four I might choose something magical and dreamy like this....


Once you've chosen your saying hop on the computer and type it up. Now I am not talented when it comes to designing with technology but you don't need to be. Add a little colour and a simple image and you're all set. You can google search for any image, border, decorative aspect. For a more personal touch you can add a photo of you and the recipient.



When you're happy with how your print looks print it. If you've got a colour printer save money and do it at home, it will be behind glass in a frame so you don't need a glossy photo finish. If however you don't have a printer shops like Kmart and Big W have photo labs with single prints from very reasonable prices.

I picked up a frame from Kmart. An 8x10 - which is the image size, the actual frame is huge - for $9.

If you make a smaller print the frame will be cheaper, it all depends on your personal preference.


Have fun creating your prints, they're sure to be a hit.

Skye



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Gift Guide Day 5

I have the best in laws!

There is a point to this so bare with me while I boast about getting lucky in the in law department.

My Mother-in-law is fantastic. I love her to bits and before you say " I'd love my Mother-in-law too if she lived half a world away" just let me say I'd love her just as much if she lived next door. This woman is strong, beautiful inside and out and the epitome of the type of mum I want to be. Her kids love her and respect her and love spending time with her.
My Father-in-law is pretty awesome too. He's a bit rough around the edges but old age has mellowed him and he's fantastic with all his grandkids and great for a debate as he has harsh opinions on everything.

One of the many reasons why I love them is because they light up at the cheesiest of sentiments from my kids. They don't need material possessions but give them a drawing Miss Four spent all morning working on and they're over the moon.

As soon as I saw today's gift I just knew it was perfect for Nana and Grandad in England.

The most expensive part of this gift is postage but if you fold it up small and send it as a letter you're looking at another gift for under $4 but one that has so much heart in it.

Send a hug.



It's quite common here in Australia to have loved ones who are too far away for daily hugs. We either live on opposite sides of the country, or even if we are in the same state it's possible family and friends are still an eight hour drive away, or we have family deployed serving our country or as we've migrated we have family in all corners of the world.

Tell me not one of those situations applies to you....

This seemingly simple gift can send all the love you hold for your near and dear and bring a smile to their face.

We'll be sending it to a few people in the UK and I'm expecting photos of hugs being had :)

Now don't just think this is for kids as adults too can create their own hug. Instead of drawing you can fill the space with words. Song lyrics, poems, jokes...anything your recipient will appreciate.

It's super easy to do.

Get yourself a roll of paper, or a large sheet of cardboard, I picked up my roll of brown paper from Kmart for $3. It's a twenty meter roll - that's a lot of hugs you can send!

Have your child, or whoever this hug is from, lay down on the paper with their arms out stretched. Try and get them to stay still.



Miss Four moved the first time and it resulted in a super large head.



Decorate your hug however you wish. My kids drew on theirs but as I mentioned above you can fill it with words or if you want to get extra creative you could fill it with a photo collage.

Cut it out and you've got yourself one hug ready to send.

Keep in mind the saying 'it's the thought that counts'. Sending a hug to someone far away is overwhelmingly thoughtful. Letting them know that even though you're apart you still think of them, love them and wish them well - all that is conveyed via a hug - is the best gift you could give.

Skye




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Gift Guide Day 4

Today's gift idea comes in tied for first place on my list of favourite body products (hint: the other one is Joap but I'm guessing you all knew that - don't forget her epic Christmas stocking is this Thursday).



I fell in love with Sugar scrubs when a close friend made some for me a few years ago. I was over the moon with how smooth my skin was after using it and as soon as I finished off the batch from my friend I ordered supplies to make more going so far as to buy a 5 litre tub of coconut oil.

It is such a simple product yet shops will charge you an arm and a leg for it. Containing only three ingredients it makes much more sense to make your own.

Despite its simplicity it is guaranteed to be a hit with any woman you gift it too. It's one of those luxury items that you don't usually buy for yourself if you're on a budget.

Part of what makes sugar scrubs amazing is the many different 'scents' you can create and not all of them require essential or fragrance oils.

Gingerbread sugar scrub uses spices from the kitchen, coffee sugar scrub is exactly as it says just coffee grounds, vanilla is vanilla extract - not essence - the options go on....lime, lemon, all citrus really. All invigorating and all found in your grocery store. And all can be found in a quick Google or Pinterest search!

If you do wish to choose a scent not food related essential oils and fragrance oils are what you need. I know a few of my local $2 type stores stock essential oils but there are a tonne of sites where you can browse through fragrance oils to cover almost anything. Honestly I've seen fresh cut grass, bacon and dirt. Though they have much nicer and sugar scrub friendly scents as well for example you can get nearly any name brand perfume scent my favourites being Angel by Thierry Mugler and Island Kiss by Escada.

Once you have your scent picked out all you need to finish the scrub is coconut oil and white sugar...simple.

Today's photos will be of the coffee scrub I made.

Take 1 cup of white sugar
Half a cup of coffee
And three tablespoons of coconut oil


Mix together.



That's it, SO easy!

You can stick with mixing with a fork or spoon but I just got right in their with my hands. It ensured all the ingredients were thoroughly mixed together AND I got nice smooth hands for my effort.



If you're using an essential or fragrance oil start with two drops and work up. You can always add more but if you start out too strong there is nothing to do to fix it.

Be sure to add a list of ingredients to your sugar scrub container so your lucky recipient knows what's in it. I added a date made and a shelf life. Coconut oil has a shelf life of 12 months though I can guarantee the scrub won't last that long.
If using oils list all essential oils or just list 'fragrance oil' if it's not an essential.



I bought my tubs at the reject shop for $1.50 each, attempted to design my own labels but decided to go with a free printable I found at cincyshopper and printed them at home. The coconut oil was $8 for a jar. You could probably get five batches of sugar scrub, possibly more depending on how heaped your tablespoons are, from a jar of oil. The coffee I stole from the pantry - I'm positive The Husband hasn't noticed yet - but I think it was $6 and a bag of white sugar is $2.50 if I recall correctly.
So when you breakdown the cost this gift cost approximately $4 with enough ingredients left over to make four more.

At that price you can treat yourself as well.

Skye



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Constants and Competitions

It's that time of year again when everyone starts saying "wow, another year's almost over". For my family this past year has been a roller coaster and I'm one of those people saying "wow, how fast has this year gone?"

There have been some constants that I've come to depend upon during our roller coaster year. My incredibly supportive husband who is always able to make me smile, Sunday phone calls from my dad and a relaxing shower at the end of each day.

When you wake up each morning not knowing if it will be a good day or an "I just want to sail away to a deserted island" kind of day having some constants in your life are grounding.

I know my husband will always be there for me, I know dad is going to text every Sunday after lunch saying "is it ok to call?" And I know that the soap in my shower is of the best quality.

It's been hand made by someone who is completely passionate about what they do. The recipe was tried and tested for 12 months before it was used by anyone outside of the creators family and close friends. Each batch is tested to ensure it is of 100% quality, if it's not it's re made. Ingredients are sourced from only the best of suppliers. Late nights, early mornings and skipping lunches is how some days are run to get us the quality we know as Joap.

As a stay at home mum I see at least once a week a new mum start up a new business. A friend saying "check out my friends new business and show some support". Now I'm all for people following their dreams, but only if they are truly dreams and not a random light bulb moment from which they wish to make a fortune and the one way to tell is in how passionate they are about what they are doing.

You can not be passionate about making - and then selling - children's clothes if you only started sewing less than six months ago. Passion equates to quality and even the best of us need more than a few months to ensure we provide the finest quality product we can.

You can not be passionate about bath and body products if you have not spent months on end testing and re testing every batch you make before sending those products out into the community.

Passion is intense, compelling enthusiasm about something and I know that Jo from Joap is passionate about her products because she started out wanting to help others. She didn't go into it for herself to make a quick buck, she discovered her passion through the desire to help family. She continued with it for herself, her enthusiasm won her over and only then did she decide to start selling.

When you look for a new product from a work at home mum, look at all they've done, how long they've been doing it.

Look for the passion.

You always want the best quality from store bought items, don't lower your standards for hand made. Find the creator, the artist behind the business and see if their passion shows through. Once you've found that passion you know you've found a quality product.

Now on that note I have some exciting news. Jo has recently created a supremely fantastic 'Rainbow Sugar' collection and is giving you the chance to be the lucky Joap addict who gets to purchase it for only $1 (plus postage)

That's $35 off the RRP.



But don't fret if Rainbows aren't really your thing because if you're chosen as the lucky buyer you can choose between the Rainbow collection OR a fantastic Christmas Treats collection!



All you need to do is complete the tasks in the rafflecopter entry form below and stay on the edge of your seat till Thursday lunch time when we will let the app randomly choose the lucky buyer.

I have to say I'm completely jealous as I can't enter but I wish you all luck, opportunities like this don't come along often.

Here is a quick word from the lovely Jo herself :
Thank you all for your support, to new and old customers. It's been a crazy year for Joap, and we've made it through. I appreciate all of your support, thank you!

This random draw opportunity is open to Australian Residents. International entrants are welcome but please be aware of postage costs. The lucky buyer will be announced on the blog on Thursday afternoon. Please remember I am in Perth therefore three hours behind eastern states - unless you're in Queensland in which case it's two - there will still be plenty of time between the notification and the opening of the Epic Christmas Stocking. The winner is to choose between the two packs on offer at a cost of $1 including postage of $13 Australia wide. The winner will be randomly selected via the Rafflecopter app. The winner has till midday Saturday 15.11.14 to claim their prize before it is redrawn. This giveaway is in no way sponsored, endorsed, administrated by, or associated with Facebook.

a Rafflecopter giveaway



Skye


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Gift Guide Day 3

It's a known fact that if a woman buys a ten pack of hair ties with in 24 hours there will be only one left.
No one really knows what happens to them though I've heard rumors of the hair tie monster who creeps into your room while you sleep to devour your new stash. He leaves you one lonesome hair tie because deep down he's completely evil and likes to lurk in the shadows and watch your reaction as you realise you have, in just one day, lost a whole pack of hair ties.

This anomaly doesn't only effect hair ties, no, bobby pins and clips are effected as well.
On our family trip to the UK in May I purchased a pack of 40 black hair clips to use in Miss Fours hair. I opened it on our first day in London and then when we got to our cottage a short three days later I had only four remaining. Apparently the hair tie monster felt like a holiday too and stowed away in our suitcase snacking on hair clips.

It also happened again just this past week. Miss Four requested a hair cut and after we left the salon we stopped to buy a new stash of clips, pins and ties. The monster must have been watching his weight as it took a week for us to lose all but two clips and one tie.

It's for that reason that I'm very happy I stumbled across today's DIY gift idea.

Firecracker hair ties.



In 20 minutes I had made four new and funky hair ties for Miss Four and I'm fairly confident that because they do not truly resemble your typical hair tie the monster won't find them. I'm up to the 24 hour mark but I'll keep you informed of their status.

They are simple to make, can be made with school colours, sport team colours, Gryffindor colours (shhhh, I am so making some for me) or just in fun and colourful prints and they will make a great stocking stuffer for girls of any age.

You will need:
Skinny elastic. I used 25cm for each tie. I made them a little long so I had plenty of room to make a knot.
Fabric of your choice. I raided my stash but if you don't have a fabric stash you can find fabric at op shops, Big W and of course Spotlight and Lincraft. I used half a fat quarter for each tie. 45cm x 25cm approx.
Old t-shirts would also do the trick especially if you're making them for school. Last year's uniform they no longer fit into can find a new home here.



They are really easy to make. Simply tie a knot in your 24cm piece of elastic creating a loop.

Take your piece of fabric and make snips at one centimetre increments then tear each strip off. If you prefer a neater finish you can cut each strip using scissors. I made both styles but I prefer the messy torn look.


Take each strip and tie it to your elastic loop. I only did a single knot. Miss Four has worn one to school today so I'll let you know if a double knot may be better but the single knot seemed to hold them in place.



Each tie has about 30 strips. The whole elastic loop wasn't covered but due to the style you won't see naked elastic once you tie it into your hair all you'll see is funky fabric swimming in your pony tail.



Other options for these ties include using shorter pieces of fabric if you'd like a neater look when sitting in the hair. Halve the length of the strips and they'll sit closer to the head. They'll still be funky just not so messy which may be better if being used for school and sports activities.
If you have pinking shears you can use them to cut your fabric strips. I don't mind the messy look but I know it's not for everyone. Cutting your fabric with pinking shears will take away the frayed edges and give them a nice finish.



Have fun creating some funky new hair ties for all the girls on your gift list.

Skye




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