Gifts for Friends

Hooking up with Craftomaniac Monday, Making the World Cuter and Skip to My Lou,  Nifty Thrifty Tuesday's, All Things Merry and Brite - Show and Tell Wednesday - links in my side bar.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I found this wonderful idea on  Creations from My Heart  I thought they were so unique and beautiful that I thought I would do it for my friends.  Here is a step by step of how to do it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I filled up the cans half way with leftover batting and then in the top half I  put the cut the floral foam and stuffed it in. Then I added the pine - cheap way to do this is to buy a garland and cut it up. I put about 6 pieces around the back and side.      

                                                                  

 I bought a bunch of poinsettias at a garage sale for 25 cents and used them in these cans.  I put 3 per can.

 Then I added the embellishments.  I cut up some floral picks, some wire stars and circled some metallic pipe cleaners and put them all in.  I added the ribbon to the can and the back to hang it and this is what I it looks like all finished.

 Here it is wrapped in cellophane and ready to give to my special friends. 

I also added a thought that said.  "These Christmas cans are like our friendship - bound together with love."   I added instructions to hang them over any door knob.

 Here is a picture of the white ones I did.

I made these pot pourrie jars for our neighbors and other friends.
I saved salsa jars and then added cute labels and decorated the top with all my odd's and ends Christmas greenery. I added a few drops of pine, cinamon and cloves and they smell heavenly! 
The next picture shows it wrapped in cellophane ready to be delivered.  Recipes for the pot pourie at the end of this post.

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Frugal idea: For apple juice, cranberry juice, herbs and spices that are outdated, don’’t throw out––just add to your simmering pot.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 sticksWhole 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 sticks5 star anise1 orange peel
Recipe #6 - Whole cloves1 tsp nutmeg
Recipe #7 - Peel from a whole orange Whole cloves2 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 cloves1 cinnamon stick 1 tsp vanilla
Recipe #12 - 1 cup dried lavender1 tsp anise 1 TBS nutmeg 1 TBS whole cloves1 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.

A crock of simmering potpourri spices
Put this mixture into an earthenware or painted crock. 1/3 cup simmered in a saucepan of water will scent the house with the deliciously spicy aromas associated with the holidays 4 oranges 4 tangerines 4 lemons 24 3 inch cinnamon sticks broken into 1 inch lengths1/4 cup whole cloves 1/4 cup juniper berries 2 tsp nutmeg Remove the peeling from the fruits with a vegetable peeler and place on a baking sheet. Place the baking sheet in a 200F oven for 10 minutes, then turn off and leave overnight. (in a turned off gas oven overnight or until dried). Combine all the ingredients in an airtight container. Makes about 1 1/2 cups .An Edible Christmas 1992 Irena Chalmers

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Gift Pot Pourri - 1 jar5 min 5 min prep 2 to 4 Tbsp. Whole cloves (or leave them out if you wish) 2 to 4 cinnamon sticks 4 bay leaves1/2 orange, sliced 1/2 lemon, sliced Add orange and lemon slices to dry mixture of spices. Put in a small sauce pan with 4 cups of water. Simmer on low to release the fragrance.

TO GIVE AS A GIFT: put ingredients in a decorative jar .Add enough water to fill jar. Add a few drops of red food coloring. Close securely and give with a small gift tag explaining how to use it. Store in refrigerator when not in use, to prevent molding. Can be simmered over and over again!