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Make Fun Candy-Free Easter Baskets Your Kids Will Love!

March 14, 2021 by Laura Leave a Comment

This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

Here’s how I’m putting together candy-free Easter baskets that I know our kids will love!

Why candy-free? Well besides the obvious answer that candy isn’t good for us, I’m actually filling our baskets with fun practical items that I want our kids to have. I have no doubt that they will love what’s in their baskets! And don’t worry. They’ll still get plenty of sugar on Easter Sunday, and yes, even candy.

It’s hard to get all five littles in one picture!

Holidays at our house are so much fun right now! We’ve currently got five little ones in our home, plus Malachi (16) and we’ll have a houseful of college students join us for Easter dinner and an Easter egg hunt after church. It’s tradition. Hopefully, all of our older boys can join us for the day (and their girlfriends too!).

With five little ones though? Boy am I having fun putting together Easter baskets! Instead of filling individual baskets for every single kid, I’m just putting together two: a girl basket and a boy basket. And now let’s all pause a moment to reflect on this:

LAURA IS PUTTING TOGETHER A GIRL BASKET!

Yes. And also, for the first time in my mom-life, I bought Easter dresses and Easter bonnets. Was it fun? Oh was it fun!!

(You want to see the dresses and bonnets? Oh. Thank you for asking. For Baby Sister, someone gave us a dress similar to this one but with navy blue and daisy panties. So I got this dress for our 5-year old girl so that they’ll coordinate. Baby Girl’s bonnet is this one. Be still my heart. Big Sister will wear the yellow hat in this set.)

I’ve always had fun dressing all of our boys, and I still do! But right now I also get to dress little girls and fix their hair. You can bet there’s a lot of pink, a lot of bows, a lot of sparkle, and a lot of ruffles involved. :) :) :)

So back to the candy-free Easter baskets.

There were several items our kids needed, so I found fun versions of these items (like toothbrushes featuring their favorite characters) and put them into the baskets. We go through lots of bubbles (the toddlers ask for them daily!) so of course, our baskets include bottles of bubbles.

Sky’s the limit on little items we can include in Easter baskets that will be fun and useful for the kids. Here are some ideas:

  • These fun Index Card Books (Use the code heavenly15 to get 15% off your order!)
  • Sunglasses (Look at these 3-pack options!)
  • Hair Accessories (Sparkle. Bows. I’m a gonner.)
  • Fingernail Polish (Did I tell you that Justus – age 21 – has learned how to put fingernail polish on his little sisters?! He practiced first on his girlfriend. Mom sheds a tear…)
  • Hot Wheels (We’ve pretty much acquired new toy cars for the past 23 Easters.)
  • Bubbles (We can never have too many bubbles.)
  • Balloons (I can’t make myself link to them at Amazon when they cost three times more there compared to picking some up at the store next time you go.)
  • Fun Straws (Did you know smoothies taste better to kids when sipped through a straw? True story. These change colors and are reusable.)
  • Sidewalk Chalk (I think you can get them cheaper at Walmart?)
  • Umbrella (So many fun color choices here!)
  • Sandals (Some of these have bows. Stop me from buying them all.)
  • Lip Balm
  • Toothbrush (This package is a fun one!)
  • Toothpaste (We’re digging this kind right now.)
  • Nightlight (This one changes colors?!)
  • Flashlight (If I get this package, everyone gets one!)
  • Wrist Watch (Our 5 and 7 year olds feel so grown up when they wear a watch. And I never have to wonder what time it is because they tell me every two minutes.)
  • Fun Socks (There are lots of fun selections here!)
  • Card Games

Side Note: This year I purchased baskets that can be used year-round in the boys/girls’ rooms. I paid more for them than I would have paid for a simple Eastery-looking basket. But it was worth it because we’ll use these baskets to hold odds and ends in their rooms instead of having to store them away to only use on Easter each year.

Here’s a wonderfully fun selection of decorative/practical baskets you might like!

Easter Baskets for Big Kids

I don’t always fill a basket for our adult/college age/teen kids. But when I do, it’s filled with things like:

  • Gum
  • Mints
  • Toothbrush
  • Toothpaste
  • Body Wash
  • Soap
  • Headbands for sports (Malachi likes this kind.)
  • Coffee (We love supporting Purple Door Coffee!)
  • Popcorn
  • Beef jerky
  • Other favorite snacks
  • Gift cards to use on outings with friends
  • Pens
  • Kitchen gadgets (because most of my big kids have their own kitchens now)
  • Flashlights
  • Decks of cards

So far, I haven’t filled a teen/adult girl Easter basket. ;) If and when I get to, I’m thinking I would add things like:

  • All of the above
  • Earrings
  • Lip Gloss
  • Hairbrush
  • Hair accessories
  • Necklace
  • Cute notebook and pen set (These are fantastic!)
  • Fingernail polish
  • Journal (These are my favorite!)

You all can help me out with adding to this list. And all the others too. :)

And what about Jesus?

For many weeks leading up to this holiday, we’ve been excitedly talking with the kids about the reason we celebrate Easter. I love how teaching our kids reminds us adults of the Truth: Jesus defeated death!! We are in Him so we get to stand in this victory with Him! Satan was defeated that day, once and for all. Praise God, we can live forever with Jesus!

I praise God for Easter and other holidays and events that give us an opportunity to reflect on the goodness God has provided for us all. His plans are perfect. He thought of everything. We get to celebrate this and live this daily!

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Make Valentine’s Day Special for Your Kids!

January 31, 2021 by Bethany Lotulelei Leave a Comment

This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

Do you celebrate Valentine’s Day? This year, I thought it would be fun to make it extra special for our kiddos! One mom shared with me that she really enjoys celebrating by decorating the house the night before, and serving her kids a special breakfast! That got my mind to turning on other ways to make this holiday extra special as a family.

How to Make Valentine's Day Special For Your Kids

Here are a few fun ideas…

How to Make Valentine’s Day Special For Your Kids

1.Make a Special Breakfast

Surprise your kids on Valentine’s Day with a special red or pink breakfast!

Nothing says Valentine’s Day more than pink and red yummy treats! Want to put some fun Valentine meals and treats on the table this year – but want to keep the food real and avoid food coloring? There are many real food options for a fun, Valentine’s Day themed breakfast! There are plenty of food that exists that is red without any help from artificial colors.
There’s also chocolate, which isn’t red, but is a huge part of any Valentine’s Day celebration (at least in our house).

Here are 29 great recipes for you that can be turned into Valentine’s Day goodies for your family!

2. Color Valentine’s Day Cards with your kiddos!

One of my favorite crafts is creating Valentine’s Day cards for your kids to give away to friends and family!

Grab this FREE Simple Print-and-Color version of our Valentine’s Day cards, and set out all the markers and crayons for them! Even more fun? Grab some glitter glue or stickers!

3. Make some heart-shaped snacks to give away

Bring your kids into the kitchen, and let them help you create some heart-shaped snacks to gift to others! Whether you choose to make heart-shaped donuts, pretzels, or brownies it will be a fun memory for your kids! Drop each goodie individually in a ziplock bag, tape on a note, and give them out to friends. Here are some ideas for heart-shaped treats you can make.

4. Make “You’re the Bomb” crafts

This is the most fun craft to make with little boys!! Pink hearts and sparkly flowers don’t quite cut it with little boys. But, tell the boys they get to make little bombs for their Valentines this year? You’ll get all sorts of help! Find the tutorial here!

5. Host a mystery dinner for your family!

Is there anything more fun than a mystery-themed dinner? Plan a special meal for your family, complete with clues! Here’s how our family did it one year!

6. Print out a free pre-K Activity Packet!

This Pre-K Activity Packet is FUN and free for you to download to use with the little ones in your life. Gain free access to this here.

7. Make Peanut Butter Truffles

Why? Because any occasion is a good occasion to whip up some Peanut Butter Truffles. Oh my, these treats, are SO delicious.

I love how easy these are to make, and that the only sugar in them is what is already in the chocolate chips!

How do you celebrate? Share in the comments below!

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Christmas Make-Ahead Breakfast Ideas

December 16, 2020 by Bethany Lotulelei Leave a Comment

This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

I love baking, but who wants to spend all day in the kitchen when there’s hot chocolate to sip, family memories to make, and stockings to open? I am all about doing the work days earlier so you have a stress-free, peaceful holiday with your family. That’s why I put together this list of Christmas make-ahead breakfast ideas, to encourage you to get that baking done ahead of time so you have more time with your family.

Just in case you, too, are looking for ways to spend less time in the kitchen this holiday season, here are a few of our favorite tried and true Christmas make-ahead breakfast ideas!

Christmas Make-Ahead Breakfast Ideas

Mix and Match Christmas Make-Ahead Breakfast Ideas

1.Make-Ahead Pumpkin Donuts

We can mix up the pumpkin donuts, roll out the dough, cut the shapes, then freeze the uncooked dough on parchment paper or silicone mat-lined cookie sheets. We transfer the frozen dough into freezer bags, then any time we want fresh donuts (and when would we notwant fresh donuts?), we can grab some out of the freezer and fry them up fresh to eat while sipping a cup of coffee, tea, or hot chocolate!

2. Yogurt Parfait Bar

Simply purchase the ingredients beforehand, make the granola or other add-ins a few days beforehand, chop up the fruit the day before, and you are set!

Here are some of my favorite toppings:

  • Containers of your family’s favorite yogurt
  • Stevia, maple syrup, or honey if you haven’t already sweetened the yogurt
  • A variety of fresh berries or peaches (make the process faster in the morning by cutting the fruit ahead of time)
  • Dried fruit options
  • Coconut Flakes
  • Cinnamon Sugar Pecans or other nuts or seeds your family enjoys
  • Dark Chocolate Almond Granola, Regular Granola, or Grape Nuts Cereal

3. Make-Ahead Muffins

I have to know:  Is this “freezing muffin batter” a brand new idea to you, or have you tried it before?  Once I tried this and learned how well it worked, I went on a muffin freezing frenzy (as confessed above). I now have Chocolate Chocolate Chip Muffin batter, Blueberry Muffin batter, Chocolate Chip Muffin batter (recipe in Kids in the Kitchen eBook), and Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Muffin batter in my freezers. What a time saver!

Looking for a few new recipes to try for Christmas morning? Check out this list of 23 Muffin recipes!

4. Frozen Yogurt Cups

This recipe is easy enough for your kiddos to make! Invite them into the kitchen, and whip these up together!

5. Homemade Poptarts


I love to make these poptarts and freeze them before I bake them. On a day I declare to be a Poptart Morning, I pull a few out and bake enough for each person to have a couple with our eggs and fruit. So good!

6. Giant Breakfast Cookies

Make the dough ahead of time, scoop the cookies out unto cookie sheets, freeze the cookie dough balls, and you’re set! Hot breakfast cookies on Christmas morning! Serve with fruit, and bacon (of course).

7. Biscuits with Sausage Gravy

Biscuits and gravy is one of my favorite special breakfasts. Make your biscuits ahead of time, and pop them in the freezer then make your gravy the day before, and heat it up in the morning. Easy peasy!

8. Cinnamon Rolls

I couldn’t make a list of Christmas breakfasts without including Cinnamon Rolls! These are deliciously easy, and mostly low in sugar! They kind of resemble those frozen orange rolls you can buy in the freezer section – except that these have a little bit of nutritional value and not nearly as much sugar, so we can all rejoice.

What is your favorite breakfast to make for Christmas morning?

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12 Christmas Cookie Recipes

December 13, 2020 by Bethany Lotulelei Leave a Comment

This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

Is there anything better than a plate full of Christmas cookies? This is a great time of year to spend a Saturday making several different types of cookies, wrapping them up, and gifting them to your friends, family or neighbors!

1. Low Sugar Frosted Christmas Cookies

Some might say that Christmas desserts are treats that should not be messed with. Perhaps whole wheat flour does not belong in a Christmas cookie. Maybe “low sugar” should not be included in a Christmas cookie title. It’s a treat, right? Can’t we just leave it well enough alone?

Sure.

But the more I experiment with cutting down the sweetener in my baked goods, the more I’m discovering that treats still taste like treats even with the sugar cut in half or more!

Try these cookies, you won’t even miss the sugar!

2. Christmas Spice Cookies

I LOVE the way these cookies make my house smell! Spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves they are oh so tasty!

3. Homemade Peppernuts

These tiny, old-fashioned cookies are one of my favorite holiday treats! They’re great to package up in small bags to give as Christmas time gifts to coworkers and neighbors.

4. Sweet and Simple Cranberry Cookies

I’m not a big fan of raisins in my cookies. But adding dried cranberries to this simple butter cookie? Well, that takes them up a notch without adding any effort.

5. Low Sugar Pumpkin Spice Roll-Out Cookies

While I’ve shared that I just can’t get behind Pumpkin Spice Coffee (typing it actually makes me shudder just a little bit), I most certainly enjoy making many Pumpkin Spice treats this time of year – to eat while I drink my (plain, non-pumpkin-spice) coffee. If my house smells of nothing but Pumpkin Spice from now until Christmas, there will be much joy in the holiday season.

6. Easy Low Sugar Almond Melt-Away Cookies

These lightly sweetened cookies taste amazing with a steamy cup of coffee or a cold glass of milk. Ah, life’s simple pleasures. :)

7. Sweet and Simple Butter Cookies

The combination of butter and sugar in this recipe makes for a perfectly sweet and rich cookie that melts in your mouth. Don’t worry though. The ratio of butter to sugar is such that these are only lightly sweet, but deliciously buttery. I’d still consider these a dessert, but I think they fit in the “low sugar treat” category.

8. Reindeer Cuties

These simple cookies are a hit. Fun to make…fun to eat. I like that they are made with honey and whole wheat. And they really don’t take much time at all.

9. Orange Cream Cheese Cut-Outs

These are one of my favorite Christmas cookies. And this recipe makes a lot of them…which is why it’s a good idea to have lots of people in mind to share them with!!  Because having them just sitting around the house screaming at me to come eat them is a bad idea.

I’d like to give in to the notion that since they have orange juice in them, they’re good for me and just packed with vitamin C.  Oh, if only.

10. Chocolate Snowballs

I like that these aren’t super rich or heavy…just kind of like a little bite of chocolate cake.

11. Cream Cheese Cookie Cut Outs

The cookies have cream cheese in them and the frosting is made with cream cheese. Let’s just say these cookies are soft, rich, and I have to work hard to keep myself out of them.

12. Whole Wheat Gingerbread Men

A Christmas classic! Your kids will love helping you make these sweet, Whole Wheat Gingerbread Men!

Your turn to share! What’s your all-time favorite Christmas cookie?

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Easy and Inexpensive Stocking Stuffers

December 9, 2020 by Bethany Lotulelei 8 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

Perhaps you’ve gotten the majority of your shopping done for Christmas, but you still need a few small gifts for stockings? I’ve got you covered! Today I am sharing a list of my absolute favorite easy and inexpensive stocking stuffers!

Can you let you in on a little secret? Stocking stuffers are my favorite thing to make or buy. There is something about a stocking stuffer that’s so much fun! Throughout the years, I’ve discovered many ideas for fun stocking stuffers including homemade goodies, purchased trinkets, and other fun gift ideas!

When we were kids, our parents always put a pomegranate in the toe of every stocking. So we would open every little gift, and then fish out our pomegranate. We never purchased pomegranates any other time of year, and even now, whenever I eat a pomegranate it makes me feel like it is Christmas day!

Side note: if you, as the mom, love stuffing your family’s stockings, but yours always seems kinda empty, might I suggest you stuff a friend’s stocking, and she stuffs yours? Laura’s done this for years! She shares all the details here!

Consumable Stocking Stuffer Ideas for Everybody

  • A pomegranate
  • A small jar of homemade Vanilla Extract
  • A jar of Homemade Ranch Dressing Mix
  • A jar of Homemade Italian Dressing Mix
  • Annie’s Mac and Cheese box
  • Juicy Juice 100% juice
  • Pack of Gum
  • Honey Peanut Bars
  • A Can of Black Olives
  • A Favorite Candy
  • A few Chocolate Cookies in a pretty bag
  • Packets of Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix
  • Cereal Bars
  • A bag of granola
  • A Small Jar of their Favorite Jelly
  • Sunflower Seeds
  • Chocolate Crunch Bars
  • Beef Jerky
  • Fruit
  • Peanut Butter Honey Rice Krispie Treats
  • Fruit Leather

Stocking Stuffer Ideas for Kids

  • A homemade gift certificate for an Experience Gift
  • Veggie Tales DVDs
  • Card games like Blink, Old Maid, Skip-Bo…
  • Regular decks of cards
  • Mittens or gloves, hats, scarves, ear muffs
  • Socks
  • Fun bandaids
  • CDs
  • Books
  • Hair clips and such for little girls (although I have no experience in this area!!)
  • School supplies

Stocking Stuffer Ideas for Women

  • Good quality pens
  • A Butter is My Love Language Shirt
  • Small (and pretty) note pads
  • Kitchen Towels
  • Earrings
  • Lotion Bars from MadeOn – this stuff works miracles on my dry skin!
  • Wooden Spoons and other Kitchen Utensils
  • Warm Fuzzy Slipper Socks
  • Flexi-Clip from Lilla Rose – because they’re beautiful and SO easy to use and inexpensive and pretty and…
  • Chapstick holder for a keychain
  • Sunglasses
  • A nice hat or gloves
  • A pretty scarf

Stocking Stuffer Ideas for Men

  • A new tie
  • A nice pair of socks
  • Good quality beef jerky
  • A back scratcher
  • A grill scraper
  • A magnetic wrist band to catch screws and nails
  • This neat pen tool
  • A pack of cards
  • A fun brain teaser
  • A bag of good quality coffee
  • A head massager

Your turn to share! What is one of your favorite stocking stuffer ideas?

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The Best Gift Ideas for Men

December 6, 2020 by Bethany Lotulelei 8 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

Once again, Bethany (my assistant) comes through for us with this awesome list of gift ideas for men!!

The men in my life are notoriously difficult to find presents for Christmas. I don’t know what it is, but every year I struggle to nail down the perfect gift for them! So this year, I decided to make a list of the best gift ideas for men that I’ve used over the years, or found while I was doing a bit of online shopping, to share with all of you!

Take a look through this list, pop a few items in your cart, and you are set!

The Best Gift Ideas for Men

$10 and Under

  • Magnetic Wrist Band Cuff
  • 11 Tools in 1 (pocket size)
  • Carhartt Boot Socks (very warm!)
  • iPhone Charger Keychain (so handy!)
  • Papa Bear T-shirt
  • A Head Massager
  • I’d Rather Be Fishing Socks (for the fisherman in your life!)
  • Warm Thermal Touchscreen Gloves
  • 4-in-1 Pen Tool (pretty nifty!)
  • Telescoping Back Scratcher

$20 and Under

  • Long Cotton Plaid Scarf
  • A Leather Money Clip
  • Bluetooth Beanie (for the runner!)
  • This Beard Grooming Kit
  • A Tactical Pen and Self Defense Tool
  • Vincent Van Gogh Guitar Picks (for the musician)
  • Double Wall Coffee Mug
  • A bottle of this Gourmet Hot Sauce
  • 100% Grass Fed Beef Sticks (yum!)
  • A Thermal Neck Warmer

$50 and Under

  • Neck and Back Massager
  • A Dartboard and Darts
  • A Survival Gear Set
  • Men’s Moccasin Memory Foam Slippers
  • Backyard Golf Cornhole Game (looks like fun!)
  • Exotic Game Sausage Sticks (including venison, wild boar, and elk)
  • Columbia Fleece Jacket
  • Wood Phone Docking Station and Organizer
  • Smokehouse Grilling Spice Set
  • Acupressure Foot Massage Slippers
  • YETI Insulated Tumbler

The Weirdest Gifts I Found

I don’t know what to tell you about these, except they made me laugh!

  • 71-Inch Burrito Blanket
  • Chopstick Light Sabers
  • Dinosaur Taco Holder
  • Hot Dog and Bun Toaster
  • Wearable Fleece Blanket

Looking for some additional ideas? Check out the last few year’s guides as well!

  • Huge List of Books That Make Great Gifts
  • Gifts For Men
  • 65+ Gift Ideas for Men

Do you have any additional gift ideas? Share in the comments below!

 

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The Ultimate Christmas Gift Guide for Women

December 1, 2020 by Bethany Lotulelei 4 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

It’s here: the Ultimate Christmas Gift Guide for Women. (Huge thanks to my assistant Bethany for putting this together for us!!)

I created this list of tried and true gift ideas to help take the stress out of your Christmas shopping. There’s nothing worse than standing in the aisles of Wal-Mart the week before Christmas, desperately trying to find something for everyone on your list. Even typing that scenario makes me sweat a little. I’ve had Christmases where I procrastinate my shopping until the last minute, and years where I’ve gotten it done ahead of time, and I can tell you: I vastly prefer getting it done early!

Just in case you, too, are hoping to cross your shopping off the list in November this year, here is my very best ideas for your mom, sister, and bestie!

You might, also, want to send this list to your hubby. He might appreciate a few suggestions as well. And if there is something in particular you love on this list, give the guy a little head’s up. ;-)

The Ultimate Gift Guide for Women

10 Gifts for Women Under $10

  • This beautiful Prayer Journal
  • A Stainless Steel Water Bottle
  • Pretty Rubber Spatulas (these bright-colored spatulas are my favorite! I like to slip one in each stocking.)
  • Burt’s Bees Essential Gift Set
  • Clip On Reading Light
  • Linen Apron
  • A Starbucks Gift Card
  • This beautiful Pashmina Scarf
  • A set of 6 Luxury Facial Masks
  • These Cozy Slipper Socks

15 Gifts for Women Under $30

  • Pioneer Woman Cookbook Holder
  • Vanilla Bean Soy Candle
  • A Birthstone Necklace for moms
  • Boy Mama Baseball Cap
  • Heavenly Homemakers’ Simple Real Food Recipes Cookbook
  • A lovely Wall Mounted Jewelry Organizer
  • Fleece Lined Gloves
  • Women’s Memory Foam Slippers
  • Bluetooth Earbuds (to listen to music or podcasts, these are a great price right now!)
  • *Just Published!* Heavenly Homemakers’ High Five Recipes Cookbook
  • Fleece Sherpa Blanket (so many fun colors!)
  • Leather Leaf Earrings (Joanna Gaines style)
  • A Grandkids Photo Frame (soo sweet!)
  • This beautiful 3/4 sleeve Robe
  • Stacking Sterling Silver Rings for moms

10 Gifts for Women Under $50

  • A garden stool with a tool bag
  • This Whirley-Pop Popcorn Maker
  • A luxurious Back Massager (this looks wonderful!)
  • A Chemex Coffee Maker
  • A Triple Insulated Coffee Mug
  • Cedar Bird Feeder for the avid bird watcher
  • This beautiful Journaling Bible
  • A Fiddle Leaf Fig Tree for the plant enthusiast!
  • This fun Record Player
  • A Milk Steamer for Lattes

10 $75+ Gifts for Women (when you want to splurge!)

  • Instant Pot (you know I LOVE mine!)
  • A Kindle Paperwhite (for the reader)
  • A 3-Month Gourmet Coffee Subscription Box
  • I bet she’d love a Blendtec Mixer (here’s my review of the Blendtec!)
  • This pretty (and useful) Dutch Oven
  • Kitchen Aid Mixer (so many great colors!)
  • This Ice Cream Maker (no ice needed!)
  • Under Armour Leggings (for the athlete)
  • An Espresso Maker (for the woman who loves her coffee)
  • A Self-Care Subscription Box

I hope you found something for your loved one on this list!

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Make Easy Christmas Potpourri Gifts

November 25, 2020 by Laura Leave a Comment

This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

Need an easy homemade gift that is unique and inexpensive? These Easy Christmas Potpourri pouches are fun and simple!

I began making these a few years ago and love how fun and easy they are. The combination of ingredients is perfect for the holidays, and you can make several at once which is very inexpensive and perfect for gifting teachers, neighbors, church members – whoever you want!

Easy Christmas Potpourri Gifts

Make Easy Christmas Potpourri Gifts
 
Save Print
Author: Laura
Ingredients
  • ½ cup cranberries
  • 1 small orange
  • 3 Cinnamon Sticks (use the code “HOME” for a 15% discount!)
  • 1 Tablespoon Mulling Spice (use the code “HOME” for a 15% discount!)
  • 2 Tablespoons Star Anise
Instructions
  1. Place all ingredients in a bag. (I use bags like these.)
  2. Tie up with a ribbon and a gift tag, which can be downloaded and printed below.
3.5.3251

Download FREE Christmas Potpourri Pouch Gift Tags Here.

Christmas Potpourri Gift Tags

I get most of my ingredients for these at Olive Nation (free shipping if you spend $50 or more; 15% off any size order when you use the code: home).

Other fun things to make with cinnamon sticks

If you’re going to take advantage of that 15% discount I mentioned and grab cinnamon sticks from Olive Nation (I buy them in large quantity this time of year!), here are some other great ways to use them:

Make Cinnamon Extract. Get the details and directions here.

Buy a fun holiday candle and glue cinnamon sticks onto the jar for a fun and festive look! Get the details and directions here.

Make Cinnamon Pancake and Waffle Syrup. Get the details and directions here.

Purchase a small plant and glue cinnamon sticks around the pot. The example shown below is one I made in the summertime. But for a holiday gift, purchase a small poinsettia or another wintery plant. Tie with a red ribbon and you have a lovely gift! Get the details and directions here.

Make Crockpot Cranberry Apple Cider. This is always a hit with guests and so very easy to make!

Need another homemade gift idea?

Try making Homemade Vanilla Extract. EVERYONE loves receiving this gift!

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Start Making Vanilla Extract for Christmas Gifts!

July 5, 2020 by Laura 13 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

Now’s the time to start making Vanilla Extract for Christmas gifts!

Christmas in July is fun. :) Start a batch of homemade vanilla extract now and it will be ready just in time to bottle up and give as gifts this December!

Bottles of homemade vanilla are extremely awesome gifts! However, you need to start making it now because it takes 4-6 months for a big batch of vanilla to be strong and delicious.

How do you make vanilla extract?

It’s actually super easy, though the result will make you feel like you’ve made something gourmet! People love receiving this as a gift.

Find a thorough tutorial here to learn the specifics about making homemade vanilla. Or, if you’re feeling comfortable, simply follow this easy recipe:

How to Make Vanilla Extract

4.0 from 1 reviews
Start Making Vanilla Extract for Christmas Gifts!
 
Save Print
Author: Laura
Ingredients
  • 1.75 liters of inexpensive vodka
  • 25 Vanilla Beans enter code HOME for a 15% discount on Vanilla Beans through Olive Nation!!
Instructions
  1. Slice through each bean lengthwise, leaving about one inch at the top of each bean uncut so that it stays together.
  2. Place all of your cut Vanilla Beans into a half-gallon jar.
  3. Fill the jar with vodka.
  4. Secure the lid and put the jar in a dark place (like in the back of a cabinet).
  5. Allow it to sit and "extract" for 4-6 months.
  6. Every few weeks during extracting time, shake the jar to mix it up a bit.
3.5.3251

Once your vanilla as finished extracting 4-6 months from now:

Here’s how to finish and bottle up your homemade vanilla!

Where to buy vanilla beans:

I always buy my vanilla beans from Olive Nation. I’ve tried other sources to “save money” but instead ended up wasting money because the quality of the beans from cheap sources was terrible!

Olive Nation beans are so, so good. I’ve used their beans for years. They love working with us here at Heavenly Homemakers so they offer us 15% off when we use the coupon code: home. Plus we get free shipping on orders over $50!

To make 1/2 gallon of Homemade Vanilla Extract you need:

  • 25 vanilla beans = $91 $50 after coupon code HOME
  • Shipping = FREE on orders over $50
  • 1.75 liter bottle of vodka = Approximately $11

Your total cost for 1/2 gallon of homemade vanilla extract will be about $61. This breaks down to $1.09/ounces which makes 4-ounces of vanilla cost $4.36

BONUS

You can save your beans after you make a batch of vanilla and reuse them to make a second batch!!

I put my used beans into a lesser amount of vodka to get more bang for my buck. So for instance, for the first round, I use 25 beans in 1.75 liters of vodka. Then for the second round, I use the same 25 beans soaked in half that amount of vodka (.88 liters). The result is still amazing and I just spent a few dollars for a quart of great vanilla extract!

Extra resources:

  • Read this post to learn how to finish and strain your vanilla after 4-6 months.
  • You can purchase dark amber bottles here.
  • Order personalized vanilla stickers for bottles and gifts here.
  • Get your beans here, and use the code HOME to get 15% off!

Go get your beans!

And yeah, go get your vodka. :) :) :)

Make yourself a delicious batch of vanilla extract and get ready for Christmas!

Heavenly Homemaker's Club Members: Access your homepage and all your fantastic resources here! Not a member yet? Please join us!

Get Your Focused Family Fun Easter Packet – Quarantine Edition

April 6, 2020 by Laura 5 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

Looking for a way to make Easter special at home this year? We put this Focused Family Fun Easter Packet together for our family and want to make it available to you too!

This year, with our houseful of kids (including two new foster sons who have very limited understanding of the Bible and who Jesus is), we wanted to make Easter a time of learning and of fun.

Since we are not able to leave the house, we came up with this way to make Easter an extra special day for everyone. Here’s hoping we’ll all have fun and learn more about Jesus and His resurection at the same time!

How our Hello Easter Focused Family Fun works:

  1. On Friday, we’ll read and share about Jesus’ crucifixion and death.
  2. On Sunday morning, our boys will wake up to nothing. Oh! But they’ll receive their first riddle/clue to help them know that something great is coming! (The details of this are all in the packet we’re giving you!)
  3. The first clue will lead them to a great big basket. Hmmm, an empty basket?? Well yes. It represents Jesus’ tomb. That was empty too. :)
  4. We’ll read from scripture about how Jesus’ friends discovered His empty grave. We’ll hand the kids the next clue so they can work together to figure out where their first gift is. This will lead to more scripture reading, more gifts, and more riddles and clues.
  5. Throughout this fun scavenger hunt, our boys will learn or re-learn the beauty of Jesus’ plan for salvation. We’ll take communion together. We’ll work together. We’ll have fun together. We’re praying that this will be a time of joy and learning for our kids!

Want to join the fun?

We put together a packet that shares more details about what you need if you’d like to put together a similar scavenger hunt for your family. It includes a full sample of riddles and clues that show you what we’re gifting our kids and where we’re hiding everything (shh, don’t tell!).

Obviously what we’re doing won’t work perfectly for your household – but we hope you use the sample we share and all of our riddles to give you lots of ideas for how you can adapt and make this work for your family!

Grab your free Focused Family Fun packet by signing up below. Watch for an email asking you to confirm that you want to receive this information. Then check your inbox again to see the packet come your way!

You’ll become a part of our wonderful Heavenly Homemakers community, something that brings us great honor.

Sign up to receive your Hello Easter Packet below:

Heavenly Homemaker's Club Members: Access your homepage and all your fantastic resources here! Not a member yet? Please join us!
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