Christmas Eve tomorrow (yay!) so here are a few last-minute heartmade ideas. Well, very nearly last-minute. They’ll all take less than an hour and some take only-a-few-minutes!
Five-Minute Gifts
If you have the ingredients, these will take just a few minutes to make. The ingredients aren’t difficult to source, though I appreciate you might not want to go shopping for them right now! But they are very simple things and you may well have them to hand. If not, the recipes are adaptable and you can easily substitute other ingredients.
(Click on the highlighted titles and it will take you to a previous post where you’ll find that heartmade project, with further details and images. If you have any queries, or I can help in any way, please leave a comment here.)
A recipe for Lavender Bath Salts and a lovely Christmas Bath Boost.
You’ll need sea salt, Epsom salts, dried lavender and lavender essential oil (though you could substitute other dried flowers or herbs and essential oils.) Note: This needs to be kept in a cool dark place for a week before use.
In complete contrast, the bath boost is made with fresh ingredients and should be used within 24 hours! Although, you could, of course adapt the recipe and use dry ingredients. You will need some citrus fruit and fresh spices, plus a small piece of muslin or similar fine fabric and a ribbon (or piece of twine or raffia, etc.) to tie the piece of fabric.
Christmas Oatmeal Bath Milk ~ You will need oatmeal, dried milk, an orange and some Dried Christmas spices. And a jar, or piece of fine fabric.
Hot Chocolate Kit ~ A mug and ingredients to make a delicious hot chocolate.
Mulled Wine Kit ~ I haven’t already listed a heartmade project post for this, but put together your ingredients in the same way as for the Hot Chocolate Kit above, including some Christmas spices (choose from whole or ground cinnamon sticks, cloves, nutmeg, ginger, black pepper, allspice, star anise and citrus fruits (whole and fresh, or sliced and dried for a while in a low oven) plus some sugar or honey. Add a mini grater if you are using whole nutmeg.
Denim Bracelet ~ You can do this with any fabric, you just need a torn strip and a few large beads.
Fifteen-To-Thirty-Minute Gifts
Lavender Woollen Heart ~ Made from an old woolly jumper and some wool for sewing. You can stuff these with dried lavender, other dried flowers or herbs, Christmas spices or pot pourri, if you like.
Tealight Votives ~ A small jar and some paper or fabric is all you need to create a pretty votive.
Citrus Pommander ~ Made from an orange (or other citrus fruit), a piece of ribbon and some whole cloves, this is a delicious project to make; your hands and the room you work in will smell of Christmas!
Silver Paperclip Bookmark ~ A piece of silver (or other) wire is all you need; you could recycle an old clothes hanger. You can embellish with thin wire or thread and tiny beads, if you like.
Peppermint Creams ~ (These do take less than half an hour, though you will have to leave them to harden for a while.) Egg whites, a lemon, icing sugar and peppermint essence are the very simple ingerdients for these delicious, pretty treats.
Less-Than-An-Hour Gifts
Lemon Curd ~ Homemade lemon curd is entirely scrumptious and so very easy to make. All you need are eggs, butter, lemons and sugar.
Bookmark/Cuff ~ Recycle the cuff of an old shirt.
Christmas Cookies ~ My wonderful Dad’s yummy and oh-so-adaptable cookies. Quick and easy, all you need are sugar, flour, butter, golden syrup and oats, along with your own choice of additions.
Christmas Flapjack ~ Simple, adaptable recipe.
Shortbread ~ (This will take an hour and then you will need a little extra time for cooling.)
All Wrapped Up With Love
And here are a few ideas for making a simple gift extra special:
Make your own wrapping paper
Use plain paper (brown parcel paper or lining paper are ideal) and decorate with paint, gold pens or glue and glitter. Try cutting a Christmas shape into a potato or sponge and printing your design. You could also cut out Christmas pictures from old wrapping paper or cards and make a collage.
Wrap with a broad ribbon, several lengths of thin ribbon, string or twine or raffia. Or make a strip and a bow from your paper.
Use fabric instead of paper
Thin cotton is great for this, tie the fabric corners together in a knot, or wrap with co-ordinating or contrasting ribbon or a torn strip of fabric.
Use fine fabrics such as silk or organza and layer them for different effects.
Tie or glue on some fabric or dried flowers, or some Christmas greenery.
Recycle a jar, tin, box or basket
Decorate with paper or fabric and ribbons, wire and beads, flowers, spices, scraps of fabric, whatever you have to hand!.
Make your own gift tags.
Make some co-ordinating gift tags by gluing some paper or fabric onto a piece of thick card and then cutting out shapes. A simple square or circle is fine, or a heart, or you could make them Christmas shapes.
Use a mixture of fabric and paper for a simple, textured effect.
What you write on a label is as important as how it looks. A lovely friend of mine writes short personal, really heart-warming notes on her gift tags, which mean more than any gift she could wrap up! :O)
