Tired of giving gifts which add to the carbon footprint of your friends and families? Wanting to give a gift which uses the your time (not much of it) and talent (yes, you can be artistic and crafty)? Here is the answer to BOTH questions - easy, simple, handcrafted, green gifts! Remember, the more creative you let yourself be, the more unique the gift. ENJOY!!
Joy (Inspiration) Jar - Create a memorable gift by recycling a medium or large clear glass size jar, with a removable top. Fill it to the brim with colorful slips of paper containing all different types of inspirational messages. Where to find those snippets of inspiration? Here are some ideas:
- Cut out inspirational quotes and words from magazines.
- Cut and paste quotes from inspirational websites or quotation websites into a word processing document.
- Print your quotes on colorful sheets of scrap paper and cut them into small strips of paper.
Cut quotes from old calendars or recycle your chinese fortunes.
Once you have collected all your pieces of inspiration you can fold them into different sizes or you can roll them up! Place all the slips into the jar. Tie a recycled ribbon around it. Your Joy Jar is done!! Its a great way to spread JOY!
Debi’s DIY Helpful Hints:
Best Glass Jars: I like to recycle sauce and pickle jars.
To remove the labels from the jars, I used the methods listed on this site: hintshttp://gnowfglins.com/2009/04/18/how-to-remove-labels-from-glass-jars-and-plastic-containers/
Create a decorative lid: Wrap the lid by securing a scrap of cloth over the lid with a rubber band. My favorite rubber band to use - the ones from Whole Foods!!
I love to recycle ribbon, raffia, string or yarn, that I have collected and tie them over the top of the rubber band.
Sources for inspirational quotes -
http://www.quotegarden.com
http://www.brainyquote.com
http://www.thinkexist.com
2. CD “Notes” - Take an empty plastic CD case and remove the inside piece as well as any paper. Using plain, color or other paper you have accumulated, cut them to fit inside the plastic CD case. Use the template(s) to fill the plastic case with uniquely decorative notepaper. You can also use it as a guide, insert your own clip art, artwork or photos to create your own one of a kind notepaper.
Debi’s DIY helpful hints
Decorate the exterior of the CD case by gluing cutouts, affixing decorative stickers or hot gluing ribbons or other decorative accents.
3. Healthy Holiday Snacks - Prepare a healthy GORP (Good Old Raisins and Peanuts) or a delicious Snack Mix - There are all kinds of healthy mixes you can make and give in a decorated recycled glass jar. Be creative and make up your own mixes OR try out some of the following recipes. Grab a glue gun, recycled ribbons, scraps of cloth and other decorative trinkets and let that artsy crafty persona in you, create a uniquely gorgeous “green” jar, filled with a healthy snack!
Basic Recip
e for GORP1 cup of peanuts (salted or unsalted)
1 cup of raisins (regular or golden)
Mix well.
Adjust the quantities to your tastes OR increase the quantities to make several batches at once!
Variations on the basic GORP.
RAW GORP with raw peanuts and raisins and add sea salt to taste.
Roasted GORP - dry roast raw peanuts in a pan with sea salt to taste.
Basic Snack Mix
1 cup peanuts
1 cup raisins
1 cup candy coated chocolates
Mix well
Adjust the quantities to your tastes OR increase the quantities to make several batches at once!
Variations on the basic Snack Mix
Instead of raisins use dried cherries, blueberries, cranberries or goji berries
Instead of peanuts use cashes, almonds, pecans or walnuts
Instead of candy coated chocolates use dark chocolate chips or candy coated sunflower seeds
RAW Snack Mix - Mix raw nuts and unsweetened dried fruit add shredded unsweetened coconut (1 cup or more, according to your taste.) Add sea salt to taste
Organic Mix - use all organic ingredients for any of the snack mix recipes.
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