Crafts and Gifts
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Please submit YOUR crafts and gifts to post and share!
Here are some simple and inexpensive ideas to get you started...

Peaches 'N Cream Bath Salts

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Materials and Supplies for Peaches and Cream Bath Salts:

12 tall jelly (12-ounce) canning jars with lid and rings

2 4-pound cartons Epsom Salts (approximately 16 cups)
4 pounds sea salt or Kosher salt (approximately 6 cups)
1/2 teaspoon glycerin, divided
12 to 15 drops peach essential oil
12 to 15 drops orange food color

2 pieces cardstock (for tags)


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Instructions:

Wash, rinse and dry canning jars.

Empty one carton Epsom Salts into large mixing bowl or batter bowl. Add 3 cups sea salt, stir well. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon glycerin and 6 to 8 drops essential oil. Mix well.

In second large mixing bowl, empty one carton Epsom Salts, and add 3 cups sea salt. Stir well. Add 1/4 teaspoon glycerin, 6 to 8 drops essential oil, and food color. Stir until completely blended. Color should be even.

CEO tip: use a heavy-duty stand mixer (such as Kitchenaid-brand) to mix bath salts easily. Set mixer to lowest setting and mix until color is even--but don't try this with hand mixers or smaller stand mixers!

Holding canning jars at an angle, layer salts in jars, alternating white and colored mixtures.

Print three copies of Peaches 'n Cream Bath Salts gift tag. These can be found on the "Printables and More" page.

Cut gift tags apart and attach to jars. Tags may be trimmed and placed beneath canning jar rings, tied on with ribbon, or taped to gift jars.

CEO tip: decorative canning jar lids add presentation punch for a small price! Try red or green gingham lids for Candy Cane Bath Salts, while Peach lids add a designer touch to Peaches 'n Cream Bath Salts. Find decorative canning jar lids in the canning section of the supermarket.

This recipe makes 12 12-ounce gift jars, plus a bonus of 3 to 4 cups extra bath salts. Package them in small plastic zipper craft bags for easy stocking stuffers!

Makes 12 gift jars.

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   Cucumber Face Mask
To make a simple, inexpensive, yet very cooling and soothing face mask, you will need:

1 Cucumber
1 6 oz plain yogurt

Puree the cucumber in the blender (reserve two slices of cucumber for your eyes), mix with the
plain yogurt.

Spred on your face, lie down and relax for 10 minutes with the two reserved cucumber slices
placed on your closed eyes.

Wash off, rinse, and proceed with having a
GREAT DAY :-)

Chocolate Coffee Spoons:

Simple and sweet, Chocolate Coffee Spoons are an easy gift to make for the coffee lovers on your list!

Each recipe makes 35 to 45 flavored spoons, at a cost ranging from approximately for basic spoons, up to for more deluxe versions

Follow the basic recipe, then flavor and decorate using our recipe variations--or create your own!

Basic Chocolate Coffee Spoon Recipe

Buy Your Gifts Pre-made:

Tea Bag Bath Infusions
In the May 2002 issue of Martha Stewart Living, there is an idea for "Tea Ball Bath infusions".
You can make your own with a cotton tea bag (with drawstring top to reuse), some shredded fragranced soap, oatmeal, and sea salts or epsom salts. From there, you can add herbs such as dried lavender, rosemary, mint, whatever soothes your soul.
Toss the bag into your bath, use like a wash cloth, or hang it from your shower head and let the water seep through to soothe your skin.

If you don't have the time, the resources for the cotton tea bags (most health food stores will have these) or just prefer to buy them ready made and give away, they are available at a 20% discount at Grandma Roxie's Simple Things. Normally selling for
$1.25, on sale now, just in time for Mother's Day,
for a measly $1.00 each.

Buy Bath Tea Bags - Click Here

For the Chocolate Lover on Your Gift List
Materials and Supplies:
2 cups (12 ounce package) chocolate chips, white chocolate chips or candy melts

35 to 45 heavy-duty plastic spoons

2 teaspoons solid shortening (optional)

2 large cookie sheets or jelly roll pans

waxed paper

heat-proof glass measuring cups


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Instructions:
Cover cookie sheets with waxed paper.
Place one cup of chocolate chips or candy melts in heat-proof measuring cup. A smaller, deeper cup gives best results.
Microwave chocolate chips or candy melts at 50% power for 1 minute. Remove cup and stir. Continue microwaving at 50% power, stirring every 30 seconds, until chocolate is melted and smooth. DO NOT over-heat chocolate.
To thin chocolate, add 1 teaspoon solid shortening per cup of chocolate chips. Stir gently.
Dip plastic spoons in melted chocolate to cover the bowl of the spoon.
Remove excess chocolate by tapping tip gently against the side of the measuring cup.
If chocolate thickens, return to the microwave for 30 seconds at 50% power, stir gently.
Repeat with second cup of chocolate chips or candy melts.
Cool thoroughly before wrapping individually.
Makes 35 to 45 chocolate coffee spoons.

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Submit Your Ideas NOW.. simply send me an email :-)
secretsis@earthlink.net


Secret Sister Society 2002