The little birds...

If you watch little birds you will see they are busy and happy! Using whatever they can find they create the most gorgeous little nest.
I would be the little bird with some glittery thread in her nest!
We can be like this. Happily working away with the things that are available to us to create a beautiful and happy home.
All the while with a little song in our heart.

Banner by Free Pretty Things for You.

Tuesday 16 May 2017

The Christmas Challenge. Using resources as gifts.

Following on from Monday we are having a look at gift making using what we have.  This could be any resource we might have from the garden to a tree full of lemons that your neighbour might let you pick!

I am always on the look out! I have a basket, plastic bags, scissors, string etc in the car always just in case I see something I can gather.  Ever hopeful I have heavy duty secateurs in the glove box.

This is a case of what do you have access to that could be an asset to your gift giving?
Well, I have roses and in the last few years have been using them for more and more things.
In summer I collected baskets of petals like this almost every evening...



My first goal is to enjoy them inside as well as in the garden.  Then to use the petals in lots of ways. I
use them to decorate cakes,  make sugared rose buds and dried rose buds to decorate all kinds of things.  Last summer I made face and body scrub with rose petals and this was just lovely!




Before next summer I am trying to come up with more things I can make with roses. They are one of my most abundant resources.

Mum has two types of Lavender in her garden.


This is another possibility for me as I can pick as much as I like.  I've made gifts and am planning more as I found Jes has a whole list of things to do with Lavender here.

At the farm I can also gather Bay Leaves and Rosemary and pot up Rosemary plants.  Another resource!



I have given Bay Leaves as gifts and made wreaths for kitchen gifts (and my own kitchen)



Some things like these turn out to be great for my own pantry and for gift giving. Bonus!

I also gather flowers and make posies. Remember the little old fashioned posies? They are back! The local trendy florist sells them in little jars. Many are quite tiny with a little row of lambs ear around the outside. They are somehow very sweet as if from a small child.  Flowers are a beautiful gift!



You do not have to have flower arranging skills to give flowers.  I notice that casual bunches wrapped in brown paper looks fabulous and I can do that!
I remember Mimi talking about making bouquets of lush greenery. You don't even need flowers! This is true... florists sell spectacular leaves also, coincidentally, at spectacular prices. Actually they sell sticks at incredible prices as well! I saw a bunch of sticks for $60. I wondered if I had a temperature but it was true!
I also have pretty much unlimited access to things like gum nuts, seed pods and things like that. Also pinecones. 

Chloe has resources including figs and now eggs!  I saw this idea which I thought was beautiful...  make a lovely label to present your farm eggs as a stylish gift!   I am thinking Fiona will like this as well... Chloe's could have some of her chickens names like Thelma!


A label to use on your home grown produce is just so nice!  You could apply the same idea to your homemade bread, cakes, preserves, anything!  This has made me realise I could print a label for farm honey and this would be a good gift.

Another idea I saw that I just loved was this business that sells herbs for chickens!


Once again the labelling is gorgeous!  I have so many herbs in the garden I could do this! And I have friends who love their chickens!   Also I love the name of this business!  

I seem to grow Parsley in industrial quantities and I use a lot of it. It just occurred to me to look up "things to do with Parsley" and I found things I had never thought of!   So now I think I will make some of the chicken herbal mix and dry some to include in kitchen gift baskets.

I am just trying to get us all thinking of what we might have access to and how we could use these things in our gift giving.  Just like Rachel did with those olives!  You never know what you might come across today or tomorrow!  Opportunities are everywhere!
The other thing is maybe you have something but have never thought of it as potential gifts.  This is where Pinterest and the internet come in. Search "things to make with...."  or "how to use..." and be amazed by possibilities you never thought of!  Also check out the value of things.  This can build up your confidence... i.e.  knowing that a handmade loaf of sourdough bread is $8 here I feel I can include this in a gift if I present it nicely.  Knowing that a pot of several kinds of kitchen herbs is sold for $25 at the florist I think of that as a good gift too.  Pinching their idea to wrap it all in brown paper and string as it looks so lovely helps as well!  The local gourmet deli and their presentation and prices gives me a lot more confidence that I can give a pie or cake as a present.  

Living in all different parts of the world we are going to have great diversity in what our resources are!  It is interesting!  Being aware of our assets could potentially boost our budgets quite a bit!
We might see possibilities we didn't see before!

I hope your week is going well!  We have rain and I have been cooking.  There is bathroom progress. I already have a lot to report on Friday.  If I get my skates on I will have more to report!
I really wanted to have a good Vicky Challenge this week and gain some ground!  So far so good!  Remember lots of little bits add up to more than you think! xxx






33 comments:

  1. Annabel and lovely Bluebirds,
    Ooo, I was just reminded of another gift idea from roses: make beads and necklaces from rose petals! Google "rose petal beads" and you will find instructions. Love, Teresa

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    1. Dear Teresa, What an amazing idea! I thought I had never heard to this but then I remember hearing of rose petal rosary beads. Ok I am going to look into this! It is right up my alley! Thanks so much! With love Annabel.xxx

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  2. Some great ideas here, Annabel. I love the egg label, that is just gorgeous! And chicky herbs is so cute!

    Believe it or not, I've just started making necklaces with a dandelion wish inside. We were out walking and saw one, so I thought I would use it. I had to guard my dandelion very carefully to get it home safely - my son tried really hard to blow it! I can post a photo if you like, I'm just working on editing some to upload to another site.
    xx Fiona

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    1. Dear Fiona, Yes I would love to see your dandelion necklaces! If you send me a photo Ill show it in show and tell and link back to your blog. They sound stunning! this is very interesting! So many natural things are so beautiful and could be used in jewellery somehow. Thanks so much, with love, Annabel.xxx

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  3. As per usual lots of fabulous ideas of home made made with the abundance of love gifts using things that nature provides on our door step. Can't wait to see your Vicky Challenge. You have given me heaps of ideas now to build up my present chest. Thank you gorgeous one.

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    1. Dear Janine,
      Thank you! Ive already had some suggestions that I never thought of especially for my roses. We just have to keep our eyes open to possibilities. Im glad you have ideas and hope to see in show and tell! :) With lots of love, Annabel.xxx

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  4. Hi Annabel,
    Just before I read this post I had been in the garden and had pruned my grapevine back. It's only a juvenile vine so there wasn't a lot of long prunings. I took what there was and I made a wreath from them.
    In my ideas book I wrote a list of the different gifts I could make from what I have inside and outside. Barb W's comment on Monday about bromeliad pups has got me working on repotting some of mine. These will be well established and a good size to give as gifts at Christmas. I've been putting aside vanilla, lemon and mint extracts and I've been drying oregano, basil, parsley, mint and chilli. I am currently drying rosella and lemon balm to make into a tea blend. All simple and easy to make up into a kitchen hamper.
    A great post and one that has my brain ticking over.
    Life is good.

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    1. Dear Jane!
      Your kitchen extracts, dried herbs and teas sound absolutely beautiful!
      Enjoy it all!
      Regards,
      Rachel

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    2. Dear Jane, The grapevine is a great resource! I love wreaths! They then have a lot of potential uses. Potting up plants is a great idea. A browse in the nursery and a look at prices is an education... all these things are amazingly expensive. With your garden being so productive you have a lot of gift supplies... and the sour dough bread as well. Because you and Bluey can basically make anything there are a lot of options! Oh and I just remembered you have shells and corks! And your sewing! You've got a lot of options! And its fun.... taking a basic thing and turning it into something useful or beautiful! I like the idea of tea blends... Many thanks! With love Annabel.xxx

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  5. Have you tried making rose petal cordial and rose petal jam? As for parsley, chopped with garlic and mixed with olive oil, makes a beautiful topping for fish. My mum used to give away small jars it to anyone who complimented it during a meal she prepared !

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    1. Dear Allegra!
      What a beautiful gesture with your Mum's parsley and garlic oil!
      Rose produce sounds very beautiful, too!! These are stories that stand out!!
      Regards,
      Rachel

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    2. Dear Allegra,
      I think I should try rose petal jam. And the parsley recipe to go with fish... I have written that down! Andy comes home with fish and this is so easy by the sounds of it and flavours he would like. Thank you for that! With love, Annabel.xxx

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  6. Well, Annabel and Beautiful Bluebirds!!

    I am finding that this is yet another of my favourite posts! Ha ha!! Those roses are so very beautiful, just like their owner!!

    I had never, ever seen Chickie herbs before! I agree -- CUTE! Ha ha!!

    I'm not sure what else to add. .... I know that, if short on lemons, some of us have access to bush lemons, also! Basically, whatever we can learn to use around us becomes fair game for gift giving! I still like Vicky's concept of homemade soup and French bread!

    With warm regards,
    Rachel Holt

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  7. I love that you are always prepared to gather! Best way to be that's for sure. Your roses are beautiful!

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    1. Dear Vicky, Over the years I have come home with whole car loads of flowers, fruit and more! Once I found trees with white flowers that dried, I have huge vases of them for several years. It was amazing! Its kind of exciting as you just never know! Many thanks! With love, Annabel.xxx

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  8. Dear Annabel,
    I love the concept of using one's available resources for the creation of gifts. Your roses are always stunning!
    Love and hugs,
    Glenda

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    1. Thank you Glenda! I love that nature provides so many beautiful things. We are blessed with abundance really. I like thinking of ways to use things! With lots of love, Annabel.xxx

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  9. Great post! Labels do so much! This is the way I was able to give gifts these last few years as we set up our farm (and had little funds to worth it). So much to do with lavender, fruits and vegetables. As you mentioned sourdough is an excellent gift too! Thanks for sharing our lavender link too. Love, JES

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    1. Dear Jes,
      I made the lavender sachets from your printable already. They turned out really well! It is good to have new ideas. Cooking and produce are wonderful gifts. I think everyone loves them! Many thanks, love Annabel.xxx

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  10. Annabel, I love to read your posts. Your writing sounds like a conversation. You even have your own "voice" in my head! Anyway, great post and I am really looking forward to everyone's ideas in the comments!

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    1. Dear Sarah, That is a lovely compliment. I started out just talking to friends that I knew... now I am just talking to more friends! I will tell you something funny.... Vicky and I have been talking online for ages and in my head I had a voice and image of her. Then I got a good photo of her and knew what she looked like. I guess the same for her. At Christmas I rang her up! But she didn't answer! I left her a voice mail! Well she says she kept listening to the voice mail as I sounded so different and an Aussie accent etc lol! Now I have heard her voice on a video clip! It is funny what we imagine... although Vicky sounds a bit like I expected!
      I hope your week has gone well! With much love, Annabel.xxx

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    2. That is funny. I will admit that in my head you don't have an Australian accent, because I am not sure what that would sound like except for Crocodile Dundee, and you certainly wouldn't sound like him!

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    3. Oh, and we are all going to want you to call us now and leave us a voicemail! Haha

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    4. Sarah... that is so funny! xxx

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  11. Dear Annabel,
    So many wonderful ideas! The chickie herbs are so cute. I love the idea of making labels for our gifts. Not being especially computer savy, is there an app for doing this? One year I used my grandmother's recipes and typed them out and made little cookbooks for gifts. Blessings, cookie

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    1. Dear Cookie,
      Just about anything you want has a free printable label. Be specific i.e. "free strawberry jam printable labels" then in google select "images" school through and try links to the pictures that appeal. You will find lovely free printables. BUT with your painting I would paint a little label to your hearts desire and either colour photo copy it in multiples on to sticky paper or card stock or whatever... or print them out on your printer. You would then have custom Cookie labels! They would be AMAZING! Now Ive suggested this I just want to see them! Wow... this has a lot of possibilities! Good luck! With love Annabel.xxx

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  12. Annabel,
    Your flowers are always gorgeous! You have shown some awesome examples I love the chicken items. My ladies are very spoiled you know. Haha!
    I will have to be thinking on what else I could use?
    P.S. I still have that message on my machine!
    XOXO
    Vicky

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    1. Dear Vicky,
      I thought you would like the chicken ideas!
      Oh really! haha! I didnt think of that! I assumed I was deleted! hahaha!
      That is funny! I saved your message too and have watched it lots of times! It was so nice to get that! With lots of love, Annabel.xxx

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  13. Great post! When we first moved here (Midwest) from Cali, I gave all my food to the family. So, we had to start from scratch. Having moved in Oct., Christmas was close. I bought all my herbs & seasoning at the club store in those huge containers. Since I knew I'd never use them all, I found recipes to put together soup, dip, & seasoning packets and made everyone up packets of things. I used all the stuff I had bought already so all it cost me was an order of cellophane bags. I printed up the recipes (a few for each packet) and attached them with ribbon. Not only were they really cute & tasty (husband was happy to taste-test everything ahead of time!), they cost nearly nothing to ship! That was a really fun gift.

    It's been so long since I've been to a wedding, I thought I'd share what I did for all the ones I attended when I was younger and poorer! Now, I'm older and poor lol. When the wedding was nearly over, I'd always ask the brides mom for some of the roses & greenery to keep. I'd take them home, tear them apart to dry on top of my fridge. Then, I'd buy a plastic potpourri heart container at the craft store, & put all the dried flora inside. I'd put a little bow/décor at the top for hanging, & give it to them on their first anniversary. I try to use some ribbon from their reception. Sometimes their names are on it! My best friend was sooo disappointed that she didn't get one (she'd seen the others), but she had giant Asiatic lilies. They didn't dry well....they molded!!! I know that her husband is planning to get her 25 roses for their 25th anniversary so I'm going to ask him to steal me some of it before they toss them. She'll get her heart 25 yrs. late. If you can believe it, I still have her plastic heart!!!

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    1. oops your reply is below! Sorry Debby! xxx

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  14. Dear Debby, It would be so hard to move and have to start again with your pantry! I love your idea with the cellophane bags and the seasonings!
    I laughed about your now older and poor comment! The wedding flower idea is lovely! What a great idea! And so is the anniversary roses idea! 25 years was a while to wait for this opportunity! I bet she will be thrilled!
    Lovely ideas Debby! Thanks for sharing, with love, Annabel.xxx

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  15. Oh my goodness, your photos are always so beautiful, Annabel! What a great idea with the herbs for chickens. It truly amazes me how resourceful everyone is, I'm learning to open my eyes and look around me to see what possibilities there are!

    I can't wait to see your completed bathroom, Annabel, I know it's going to be gorgeous!

    Jeanette

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  16. All of these were just lovely ideas. My children would appreciate some of these ideas.

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