Easter Treats

Just an extremely quick quickie post today, showing you what I made for my workmates for Easter.  I wanted to photograph it nicely and make things look all prettified and classy…but that didn’t happen, so here’s a picture of the little baggies I made, sitting
un-artistically on a colleague’s desk.

I bundled up little bags of chocolate-covered peanuts (“Bunny Poo”) and some Easter eggs (“Bum Buts” – an Aussie slang term for eggs), made up a little label and bunged it all together in a white paper bag.  Not fancy, but I think it was cute enough.

Hope you have a delightful Easter weekend, regardless of your religion and beliefs.
I, for one, am just looking forward to some days off and time at home.  It’s supposed to be a bit cool and murky, weather-wise, so time spent snuggled up inside sounds good to me, even if I am bemoaning the start of the colder weather and already wishing it was Summer again.  Hopefully I will get some crafting done and just chill, de-stress and rest.  I foresee some sleeping-in in my very near future ie tomorrow, most likely.

Eat lots of chocolate for me!

🙂

Clay Tags

I have been cleaning and tidying all day today due to having yet another rent inspection tomorrow.  I was hoping to be tidied up before today but, with the Christmas festivities and then New Year and my general procrastination, I didn’t get really stuck in until today.  I have to go back to work tomorrow (sigh) as well so it’s kind of a double-whammy of getting-my-act-together-ness.

Whilst tidying up, it is a general habit of mine to get distracted by anything and everything.  Mostly, I get distracted by my own stuff.  I find things I had forgotten about – unfinished projects, supplies I never put away, bits and pieces that are supposed to be part of something but never made it that far.  Today I found, amongst other things, these clay tags I had been making MONTHS ago to put on Christmas presents.

They’re just made from air-dry clay, rolled out fairly thick (to prevent breakage), pierced with a skewer, allowed to dry out and then stamped on with various phrases and sentiments.  Easy-peasy.  Now if only I had remembered to use them 🙂

Worried that I will forget them again, I put one of them on the outside of the basket I have stowed them in – as a visual clue to what’s inside.  There’s not telling if that will actually help me remember…I could stamp “do the dishes” on my forehead and I probably wouldn’t remember to do them, so there’s no guaranteeing this will help me in this instance either.  But here’s hoping, I guess.

So, I am aching and tired and over the whole cleaning scenario.  I even weeded the garden and did ironing today (!) so my body is basically going “what the hell???”  and hurting left, right and centre.  My feet are confused, due to me being on them all day, too.  Being tidy – it’s not good for you.  I think it is actually a health hazard 🙂

Hope you’ve had a productive day x

Gift-Giving When You Don’t Know What to Give

I like buying presents.  Truly, I am one of those people who actually likes to give more than receive.  It’s not even a non-selfish thing.  I LOVE buying presents.  It’s fun and you get to make someone else happy and let them know you’re important to you.  What can be better than that?  Plus, it usually means you get to go shopping.  Which is always a good thing.  And it’s GUILT-FREE shopping because you’re not spending the money on yourself.  So it doesn’t actually count as spending!  Woo!

But some people have everything.  And you think “Ugh, what can I get this person who has everything and doesn’t need another mug/vase/notebook/photo frame?”  It’s quite the conundrum.

Never fear, I am here to help you.  After many years researching (ie shopping) I have found that the best things to get people are the things are actually kind of mundane.  But they’re the things that we all need and use from time to time and often don’t have, right when we need them.  There’s also lots of stuff we need but can’t be bothered buying for ourselves because we’d rather buy shoes or cupcakes or something.

So, here are some handy ideas for the next time you’re stumped for a gift.
Put some thought into it and a little bit of heart too.

• Greeting Cards – Nearly everybody needs these at some time or another.  Buy a selection of birthday, thank you, thinking-of-you etc cards and bundle them up in a nice box or basket.  You can get really nice cards for $1 or $2 or, better still, make some yourself.  It will save the recipient time and money, which is never a bad thing.  Remember to buy cards for each gender as well, or more uni-sex ones if you can find them.
• Wrapping paper – Same deal as greeting cards.  Find some inexpensive sheets of paper and bundle them up in a pretty package with some accompanying ribbons, stickers, or other trim so they can gussy up their gifts.  Wrapping paper is always the thing you forget to buy when you have to give someone a gift.  Save them the trouble.  Again, it’s a good idea to go with designs that will suit any gender.  Stripes are good, as are spots and geometric shapes.
• Tea Towels – Yes, it sounds dull, but how often do any of us treat ourselves to a nice new tea-towel?  I don’t know about you, but I have a drawer full of grotty old tea-towels that really should be made into dusters now.  I never get myself new ones.  In fact, I “save” any really pretty ones I have because I don’t want to get them dirty.  Duh.  But if I had more decent ones, maybe I would use the ones I have.  Buy a set of pretty-but-practical towels in cheerful colours or in tones that match the gift recipient’s kitchen.  You can tie them up with a ribbon and pop a wooden spoon or other utensil in as well, just to add to the theme.
• Cruelty-Free – OK, stay with me on this one.  Finding cruelty-free products can be tricky.  If you’re someone who, like me, will NOT use products you know are tested on animals or brands you just aren’t sure about because they never display it on their packaging, having a trusty list to go buy is VERY handy.  Do some research, look at websites such as Choose Cruelty Free (Australia) or PETA and compile a list of suitable brands (write them in a nice notebook or type them up and laminate in a purse-sized format) for a vegan or animal-loving friend.  Add a couple of items from the companies you’ve listed.  If your intended recipient isn’t in to makeup or hair, you can do the same sort of concept with cleaning products, skin care etc.  It’s a thoughtful, helpful gift that will save them time in the shops, especially if they’re new to the whole cruelty-free world.  It will show that you validate and support their beliefs and that you care about them enough to take the time to make a truly unique and heartfelt gift.
• Donate on Their Behalf – I know some people think this is a crappy gift, but it really can be a nice thought if you choose your charity wisely.  Some people really want to give, but don’t have the funds to do so.  You can purchase gift  donations to everything from charities that support women’s rights, to organisations that provide sporting goods to children in poorer countries.  Give the gift of clean water or employment opportunities, educational supplies, mosquito nets, livestock or just a good old cash donation.  Make your gift count.  What do you give someone who has everything?  You give them a gift that will help someone who has next to nothing.
• Recipe & Baked Goods – So you make the world’s best brownies? (well, I think mine are pretty good as it happens…) and your friend loves them?  Whip up a batch and while you’re at it, type up the recipe and have it laminated. The recipient gets the yummy goodies AND your secret recipe, which is pretty awesome.  Present the goods in a nice container and it’s win-win all round.
• Mix CD – Now, I have talked about my fondness and sentimentality over the good old mix tape, so it’s no secret I love this somewhat daggy gift.  There is nothing more personal than sharing your favourite music with someone.  It’s like letting them in to the inner sanctum of your life.  Maybe.  But this can be a really neat gift.  I actually made one for my brother a couple of years ago, with a bunch of songs that we loved as kids, mostly one-hit wonders that don’t get played much nowadays.  He thought it was the best gift ever.  Bringing back memories is as important as making new ones.  It’s important to make the song-list one that the recipient would like, not just a selection of tunes you’re crazy about.  Make it personal to them – maybe songs from the year they were born or the year they graduated high school.  You get extra points for giving it a cool, handmade cover.  Make it old school, baby!

So, there you are.  Just a few suggestions that might help you out next time in you’re in a quandary about what to get someone.  I think the secret is always to make the gift very personal, very individual to the person you’re giving it to. Make it look like you put some thought into it – not just grabbed the first thing you saw on the sales rack or next to the counter when you were buying your groceries.  It’s not hard to do and doesn’t need to be expensive.  You can buy a box of chocolates for someone, but arranging them in a pretty jar tied with ribbon and a lovely handmade tag makes it special.  It’s all in the presentation, people!

Now, go buy me something! And make it awesome! (Kidding).

Have a lovely week everybody 🙂