http://www.frugalvillage.com/2008/07/25/prepare-for-spending-less/ Sat, 21 Nov 2009 03:22:58 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 http://www.frugalvillage.com/2008/07/25/prepare-for-spending-less/comment-page-1/#comment-24632 Sara Noel Mon, 13 Oct 2008 04:15:29 +0000 http://www.frugalvillage.com/?p=300#comment-24632 In a previous post, I mentioned homemade compound butters and flavored cream cheeses to give as gifts. I love receiving food gifts around the holidays. My forums have tons of homemade gift ideas. (crafts, baking, mixes, etc.)I love chocolate dipped marshmallows. In fact, I might add them to our family holiday baking list this year. Thanks for the remidner. I think my kids would get a kick out of the name. haha Can dip Oreo cookies in melted chocolate, too. Umm, maybe with a name change. hahaha In a previous post, I mentioned homemade compound butters and flavored cream cheeses to give as gifts. I love receiving food gifts around the holidays. My forums have tons of homemade gift ideas. (crafts, baking, mixes, etc.)I love chocolate dipped marshmallows. In fact, I might add them to our family holiday baking list this year. Thanks for the remidner. I think my kids would get a kick out of the name. haha Can dip Oreo cookies in melted chocolate, too. Umm, maybe with a name change. hahaha

]]> http://www.frugalvillage.com/2008/07/25/prepare-for-spending-less/comment-page-1/#comment-24629 LC Mon, 13 Oct 2008 03:47:41 +0000 http://www.frugalvillage.com/?p=300#comment-24629 Instead of expensive gift giving why not make a special treat for gift giving? Not only the traditional cookie baking but how about planning now to give special treats instead? Try collecting (or buying) jelly jars and whip up some home made jams,jellies and spreads? Bake bread or muffins to go along with them. Put them in a beautiful basket that can be purchased at the dollar store! How about making your own cheese spread with a box of fancy crackers? Again put the spread in a decorated jar and put the jar and crackers in a basket? Why not paint and decorate a large box and make cookies, spreads, breads and other treats such as fudge and rice crispie treats (you can use food coloring, candies ect and shape them anyway you like you can even make lollipops out of them and give them as gifts!) Once you have your box of home made goodies nestled into the box you can tuck sprigs of evergreen between the goodies for an even more eye-pleasing appeal! Don't forget to scour the dollar store for fancy mugs and you can make your own small bags of coffee by adding flavorings such as butter rum, cinnamon, and even chocolate flavoring to the coffee grinds. Start by looking on the internet for some home made gifts and don't be afraid to try the ideas! Last year at our office gift exchange I made Snow Man Poop! Just a marshmallow dipped in chocolate and sprinkles. This was the biggest hit! Everyone LOVED it! Instead of expensive gift giving why not make a special treat for gift giving? Not only the traditional cookie baking but how about planning now to give special treats instead? Try collecting (or buying) jelly jars and whip up some home made jams,jellies and spreads? Bake bread or muffins to go along with them. Put them in a beautiful basket that can be purchased at the dollar store! How about making your own cheese spread with a box of fancy crackers? Again put the spread in a decorated
jar and put the jar and crackers in a basket?
Why not paint and decorate a large box and make cookies, spreads, breads and other treats such as fudge and rice crispie treats (you can use food coloring, candies ect and shape them anyway you like you can even make lollipops out of them and give them as gifts!) Once you have your box of home made goodies nestled into the box you can tuck sprigs of evergreen between the goodies for an even more eye-pleasing appeal!
Don’t forget to scour the dollar store for fancy mugs and you can make your own small bags of coffee by adding flavorings such as butter rum, cinnamon, and even chocolate flavoring to the coffee grinds.
Start by looking on the internet for some home made gifts and don’t be afraid to try the ideas! Last year at our office gift exchange I made Snow Man Poop! Just a marshmallow dipped in chocolate and sprinkles. This was the biggest hit! Everyone LOVED it!

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