15 Must Have Holiday Baking Ingredients and Supplies

/

 


  1. Apple Pie Spice – you can purchase it in the spice aisle or make your own, it’s super easy and less expensive
  2. Peppermint – Extract, Candy, Chips and Candy Canes
  3. Cream of Tartar – it’s best to buy fresh each year for the best looking and tasting meringues
  4. Nuts – walnuts and pecans are what I typically use in Holiday Baking
  5. Almond Bark – available in the baking aisle in chocolate and white chocolate, it works best for candy making
  6. Coloring – my favorite for the Fall and Thanksgiving Season is Copper
  7. Pumpkin Pie Spice - you can purchase it in the spice aisle or make your own
  8. Sprinkles – a baker can never have enough sprinkles
  9. Extracts – Vanilla and Almond are most popular, you may also want Peppermint
  10. Lollipop Sticks – great for cupcake toppers as well as candy making
  11. Recycled Containers – now is the time to start saving your containers to cover with scrapbook paper and use for gift giving
  12. Foil Bread Pans – I love the mini bread pans for gift giving
  13. Take-out Boxes – Again, great for gift giving or even sending home leftovers with guests
  14. Glass Jars - Great for giving hot cocoa mix, teas etc.
  15. Plastic Treat Bags – Perfect for school treats

Love this? Get Our FREE Deals Newsletter, sign up here.

15 Homemade Gift Basket Ideas

/

This holiday season, treat your friends and family to homemade gift baskets! I usually make a few gift baskets every Christmas. They are always a hit!

And here's a tip: To save money on basket fillers, stock up on items throughout the year when there is a great sale, coupon or clearance. I recommend checking out Target, CVS and Walgreens for great clearance items.

You could create:

  • Pampered Spa (Twirly towel, bath mitts, cozy slippers, eye pillow, luffa sponge, body sugar scrubs, bath salts & bubble bath, shower gel, bath bombs, candles)
  • Chocolate Lovers (Chocolate of every kind and in every shape, nuts, gourmet coffee)
  • Coffee Lovers (Gourmet or flavored coffees, flavored sugars, cinnamon sticks, two coffee mugs, demi spoons & a coffee table book about coffee)
  • Homemade Specialty Treats (Flavored sugars, extracts, flavored vinegars)
  • Gourmet (Pickled peppers, gourmet cheese, deli crackers, fruit, wine, smoked oysters, olives, pickled asparagus, deli meat sticks)
  • Tea Buddy (Gourmet teas, flavored sugars, cinnamon sticks, tea cozy, two pretty tea cups and saucers, homemade cookies/baking, homemade jam, small potted houseplant)
  • Pet Lovers (Personalized pet dish, pet toys, pet treats, hair brush, pet shampoo–see the Rachel Ray video above)
  • Gardeners (Gardening gloves, gardening book, garden journal, small hand tools, handmade seed packets, garden clogs)
  • Bookworm (Books, bookmarks, gourmet coffee or tea, snacks, online bookstore gift card)
  • Productivity Guru (Moleskin notebook, index cards, post it notes, post it flags, expensive pen, book on productivity tips)
  • Welcome Baby (Baby blanket, washcloths, socks, rattle, toys, sleepers, check out the diaper cake for more ideas)
  • Crafty (Expensive scissors, rotary cutter blades, needle case, pin cushion, spools of good quality thread, glue sticks, needle threaders, box of pins, sewing machine needles, fat quarters, craft store gift card, craft magazine or book)
  • Movie Lovers (DVDs, popcorn, popcorn seasonings, bottles of water or pop, chocolate bars, licorice, movie rental coupons)
  • Christmas (Poinsettia plant, homemade cookies, tarts, baking, Christmas tree ornaments, Christmas music CD, neatly handwritten Christmas poem or prayer–scroll or framed, pine, peppermint or cranberry scented candle, box of chocolates, candy canes, mix of nuts and nutcracker, Christmas crackers, angel figurine, paper snowflakes, mini-stockings filled with candy, fireplace firestarters, hot cocoa mix with mugs, small prayer or blessings book)

Source:Tipnut.com

133 Fun Stocking Stuffers

/

Here are 133 fun and affordable stocking stuffer ideas for everyone!

 

For the Little Kids: 

1. Playdoh
2. Bubble bath
3. Bathtub crayons
4. Pacifier
5. Cute socks
6. Baby/Tot photo book
7. Dum Dum lollipops (not for the youngest kids!)
8. Bubbles
9. Character band-aids
10. Board book
11. Character spoon and fork set
12. Character kids cup (Target “dollar spot” often has these)

For the Older Kids:

13. Noise maker (shakers, tambourine, maracas, whistle)
14. Mini box of sugar cereal
15. Stickers – especially scratch n’ sniff stickers
16. Pez
17. Tape
18. Chinese paper yo-yo
19. Candy necklace
20. Stretchy bugs/critters
21. Silly straws
22. Glow sticks
23. Astronaut Ice cream
24. Lip gloss/lipstick
25. Mini nail polish
26. Fruit snacks
27. McDonald’s gift card
28. Matchbox cars
29. Slap bracelets
30. Kazoo
31. Crayola Model Magic packs
32. Lego or Playmobil mini figures
33. Food shaped erasers
34. Glow in the dark stars and planets
35. Heat bags
36. Dress up jewelry
37. Earrings
38. Travel game
39. Webkinz or other small stuffed animal
40. Fancy scissors
41. Silly socks
42. Box of crayons
43. Coloring Book
44. Silly putty
45. Can of silly string
46. Animal sponge capsules
47. Expandable t-shirt, towel or washcloth
48. Glue sticks
49. Markers
50. Watercolor paints
51. Origami paper
52. Disposable camera
53. Rearview spy glasses
54. Smencils-scented pencils

Teen Gifts:

55. Earbuds
56. USB Flash drive
57. iTunes gift card
58. Stretchy book covers
59. Diary with invisible ink pen
60. Cell phone cover
61. Embroidery thread for friendship bracelets
62. Beef jerky
63. Gift card to bowling alley or skating rink
64. Makeup
65. Funky pens
66. Gel pens and black paper
67. Perfume
68. Nail polish in funky colors
69. Manicure pen
70. Lanyard for keys
71. Keychain
72. Wallet

Mom Gifts:

73. Coffee shop gift card
74. Nail polish
75. Scented hand lotion
76. Scented hand sanitizer
77. Camera memory card
78. Costume jewelry (earrings)
79. Gift card for a pedicure
80. Keychain charms of kids with initials
81. Package of decorative buttons (for crafting)
82. Knitting needles or crochet hooks
83. Crochet or knitting pattern book
84. Fancy hand soaps (particularly from Bath & Body Works!)
85. Seeds
86. Scrapbooking ribbons, tags, embellishments, etc.
87. Fancy cupcake liners
88. Beaded bookmark
89. Fancy scissors
90. Scrapbook paper
91. Gourmet coffee
92. Specialty tea
93. Ped Egg or pumice stone
94. Votive candles
95. Icing tips/bags
96. Mascara
97. Box of dollar store note cards
98. Chocolates

Dad Gifts:

99. Coffee shop gift card
100. Drill bits
101. Tool keyring
102. Mini flashlight
103. Gift card to bowling alley
104. Wallet
105. Tape measure
106. USB flash drive
107. Picture hanging hardware
108. Nails & screws
109. 3M hooks
110. Car charger for cell phone
111. Beef jerky
112. Car wash gift card
113. Golf tees
114. Golf balls
115. Pocket Farkle

Practical Gifts:

116. Barrettes / pony tail holders
117. Comb
118. Calculator
119. Book light
120. Pencil sharpener
121. Deodorant
122. Toothbrush
123. Kids toothpaste
124. Dental floss

For Anyone:

125. Favorite candy bar
126. Snack packages (cheese crackers, cookies, etc.)
127. Hand Sanitizer
128. Gum
129. Sudoku book
130. Christmas ornament
131. Hand and foot warming packs
132. Slipper socks
133. Hot chocolate packets

 

Nutella Hot Chocolate

/

Perfect for Nutella fans!

 


Ingredients:

  • 1-2 tablespoon Nutella
  • 1 cup water

Place the Nutella and water in a sauce pan.  Heat on medium stirring until the Nutella is dissolved.  Bring to a boil. Pour into your favorite mug and top with whipped cream and chocolate shavings or marshmallows.

Variations:

Microwave method:
Pour water/milk into microwavable cup and heat for 2 min.  Add Nutella and microwave for another minute. (Ezara mentioned below that if you have a higher power microwave these times are a bit high; try heating the water for 1 minute, add the Nutella and heat for another 40s). Stir and serve.

Make it creamier:
Replace all or part of the water with milk/cream.  Stir/whisk constantly while heating. Froth up the milk if you have a frother.

Make it more chocolaty:
Add 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder.

Make it spicier:
Add a pinch (or more) of cayenne pepper and/or a teaspoon of cinnamon.

Make it more caffeinated:
Add a 1/2-1 teaspoon instant espresso powder or replace some of the water with brewed espresso.

 

Source: Instructables.com


Love this? Get Our FREE Deals Newsletter, sign up here.

Disney: Wedding Freebies

/

 

Did you know that if you send Mickey and Minnie Mouse an invitation to your wedding they’ll send you back an autographed photo and a ‘Just Married’ button? Also, if you send Cinderella and Prince Charming an invitation, you’ll get an autographed congratulatory certificate.

Here are the addresses:

Micky & Minnie / The Walt Disney Company / 500 South Buena Vista Street / Burbank, California 91521 

Cinderella and Prince Charming / P.O. Box 1000 / Lake Buena Vista, Florida 32830