Making the most of what you have.

Last week I had a few days at the farm. It was lovely. Being spring everything is flowering and the paddocks are still green and beautiful. Mum's garden if full of native and wildflowers.

As far as flowers go I should have been born in England. I love Roses, Canterbury Bells, Hollyhocks and the list goes on! But there I was and I had an abundance of native flowers to help myself to.

So I used what I had. I knew I could give bunches of flowers away and they would be loved. Lucy was going to her husbands Nana's and she could give a bunch to Nana. I could give some to Kath in the nursing home... so out I went with the snippers and gathered. In no time I head heaps and I was loving the sunshine, the birds, exploring the garden and the bush around the house.

As I put them together I remembered at home I had wide red velvet ribbon that I could add to these.

There is something about playing with flowers too... it is very uplifting. I loved it.

Every time I walked inside for more string or something birds would land on the flowers and start eating them! 

Next I picked Bay Leaves and Rosemary. I tied these up with rustic twine ready to hang in the kitchen. Lucy's Mother in Law is a wonderful cook and we made a bunch up for her. So nice to give! 

And fresh produce with no chemicals or sprays. Home grown organic things.

It is such a happy and abundant feeling to pick and gather what you have or what you come across and work out what can I do with this?

Nan was a wonderful florist. I don't think she ever bought anything. She used what she came across, had in her garden or gathered. And won Royal Adelaide Show ribbons every year for years on end!

Next I went walking and gathered gum nuts and pinecones. The gum nuts I will show you later in the week. They are for free Christmas Parcel decorations, instead of buying bows or things like that. And the pinecones are going onto Christmas wreaths and I'm making decorations and garlands. All will be practically free. 

Then I gathered more pinecones for our fireplace.

Then I slept well from a beautiful day in the sunshine and just being surrounded by Blue Wrens and happiness. And the evening spent crocheting while Mum knitted!

What do you have in the garden or maybe is in the garden of family members or friends that you could use in the kitchen, make into gifts or gather for your vases? Sometimes we can be blind to whats around us as we are so used to it! 

Today I've been gathering in my own garden at home. Yesterday my daughter was in an accident. We were all very lucky she is bruised and sore but not seriously hurt. I went to bed thanking God over and over last night.

So I have gathered these and popping around to her place in a minute...

It is so nice to feel surrounded by so much abundance. The rose bushes are covered in buds so I know later in the week I can pick more and give some to someone else and have a vase full in the house. 

It doesn't have to cost anything to give. I am amazed at what I could gather and give and use as well... I picked parsley and mint too in the last couple of days end used both. And I have crafts to do with my pinecones and gum nuts. 

Have a wonderful week! xxx

News from Laine!

Today I am handing over the blog to Laine. What an exciting day! If you had told me this would happen I wouldn't have believed you!

This is a testimony to "you never know what God's plan is!" Next week I am going to show you how Helen made all of Laine's past letters into books as a gift for Laine, myself and our friend Kaye who was responsible for saving all these letters to a memory stick so they were never lost. They are a treasure. Having a little read I realised the vast amount of work in them and the content give me all this material that I read for many years and yet now at a different time in my life it is all new. I am going to get myself a note book and treat the letters as a Bible Study and make a project of it throughout 2015. I will start this year but I can see I have a year of Bible study I could do with these letters. I can't wait!

If you followed Laine's Letters you are in for a treat! If you never knew of Laine's Letters you are still in for a big treat!

So over to Laine...

Dear Sisters,

Hi! It is so wonderful to be able to connect with you all on Annabel’s blog, and so kind of her to let me write a letter to you all as my new blog is being set up for some time next year, God willing. I know many of you might not know who I am, so let me introduce myself first. My name is Laine. I have been married to my Love for 33 years now. Art and I have five children and four grandchildren. We are so thankful for each and every one of them, and for our beautiful daughters-in-law and son-in-law. I still can’t believe I am a grandmother sometimes, it is all just too rich. ~Smile~ My four older children are all grown up, ranging from 31 years of age to 21 years of age. But our youngest is only 5 years old as we adopted her from China four years ago. We waited almost six years for her, so there was quite a lot of excitement in the house when we got the call that we were matched with our little Lucy. About the same time that we were matched, we learned that our two older sons and their wives were each going to have a baby! So I became a grandmother soon after the time that I became a mother again. Rich, rich, rich! Not only that, but they all live next door to me or very close by. And now there are four grandchildren. Lucy loves playing with each and every one of them. The grandkids’ ages range from 3 years old down to 9 months. Am I busy? Yes! The best kind of busy. ~Smile~

I was facing the empty nest, and the LORD refilled my nest!

“He makes the barren woman to keep house, and to be a joyful mother of children. Praise the LORD!” Psalm 113:9

I am not barren, and I know this verse has a deeper meaning (Isaiah 54:1), but I sure do pray through this verse that the LORD will help me to keep house and to be a joyful mother of children. 

Because “He makes...”

I can’t do it, but He can!

“He makes...”

Two of my favorite Words in the Bible.

“And the LORD make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you. “ 1 Thessalonians 3:12

“Whereunto I also labor striving according to His working, which works in me mightily.” Colossians 1:29

Right before we were going to get Lucy from China, I was diagnosed with having Interstitial Cystitis. I have learned that anything with an “itis” at the end is not going to be pleasant or easy. I have had this condition for over four years now, and I can attest that it has not been easy. I still marvel that I made it to China given the condition that I was in. But...

“He makes...”

Unfortunately, I got worse for quite a long time before I got better. Plus I had a new baby. Also my poor daughters-in-law, who were living close by me, were so sick with their pregnancies. And my little Lucy had digestive issues, which I had to unravel, causing her to not be able to sleep through the night the first full year she was with us. She would awake crying and writhing in pain almost every night, and sometimes more than once a night. Needless to say, it was an exhaustive year. But Lucy is doing fabulous now through much prayer and nutritional perseverance. She cannot tolerate any soy, can have limited dairy, and occasional gluten. It is just so wonderful to see her thrive! I started teaching her kindergarten 7 weeks ago. God is so good! He has again got us through some very tough times.

“For it is God which works in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure.” Phillippians 2:13

It took me longer to get well. In fact, it’s only been in the last four months that I have felt many days as though I had nothing wrong with me. Of course, I do have to be very careful with my diet. But had I not been diagnosed with Interstitial Cystitis, I wouldn’t have learned how to help Lucy. And also my daughter Abbie. My sweet daughter, Abbie, started showing signs of Interstitial Cystitis three weeks before her marriage almost three years ago. We have suffered together, and we have worked hard together to get well. We are both doing so much better. Thanks be to God our Father! And in the process, we both say we have learned so much about eating healthier than we would have ever had, had we not been so ill.

“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28

And I love, love, love God.

And I am called to His purpose.

So...

“He makes...”

Yes, He makes!

Love,

Laine

Dear Sisters,

It’s been busy in my house recently. I have been enjoying so many things. We are at the end of summer, but it is still hot here! We are expecting some hot days this weekend. Then, maybe, we can start fall. Yeah!

1~ Art likes to eat as soon as he walks in the door, so believe it or not, we eat dinner at 3:30 p.m. every day. I have his meal ready pretty much the moment he walks in. He loves it! Today we are having chicken, which I know he will love. I made him chili last night, and even though it was a warm day, he was really happy to have chili. I had to make it after I heard Abbie had made it for her husband the day before. I love getting recipe ideas from my kids.

2~ I love to do one “weird” thing a day. This is something that I have noticed that needs to be done, like cleaning a lamp shade or wiping down a wall. Something like that. It usually only takes me a very short time, but it keeps up the housekeeping in a pleasant sort of way.

3~ I learned a cool way to cut Lucy’s long hair. I just put her hair into two pigtails with the hair band right under each ear. Then I comb the ends nice and flat on each side in front. Trim straight across the bottom of each pigtail evenly. Then take out the pigtails and trim up evenly at the back. It kind of forms a pretty scoop shape on the ends of her hair that I love. Plus it is so fast!

4~ I have learned that when I get a bottle of glass cleaner in my hand to just start cleaning everything that requires glass cleaner. I do even my car windows while I have that bottle in my hand!

5~ I twisted my ankle this week. It is all swollen and painful. I put ice on it right away. Then I alternated ice and heat. I also smashed up a comfrey leaf and wrapped that around it with a bit of plastic wrap to help reduce the swelling. I also kept it elevated and rested it. Lucy kept rotating my ice packs for me. It is finally feeling better after four days. Yeah!

6~ Lucy is 5 years old now. She helps me so much. She makes her bed every day, and she tidies her room. She separates her clothes in piles to be put away. She puts the trash can liner into the empty trash can for me in the kitchen. She cleans up her toys and books for school. She cleans up her little messes. She helps me with the dishes. She loves to stir anything I am preparing to bake. And if I am having a difficult day with my health, she will pat my arm and say, “It will be okay, Mama.”

7~ I cook completely different now than the way I used to cook. I have had to learn how to change in my cooking to help my body heal, but I really love our new foods. Here is something I made for us last month. It was such a big hit that I had to make it again for Abbie, and she was swooning while eating it.

Mango Ice Cream

Half a bag of frozen mangoes

Process in the food processor while adding a little cream or milk (I used cashew cream as I can’t have dairy presently) and keep adding a little cream or milk here and there until you have the consistency of ice cream while processing. Enjoy right away! My daughter-in-law did this last night with strawberries, and it worked fabulously! 

8~ We still live in the same house that we’ve lived in for 28 years now. I love living in this old house. It has so many wonderful memories. Sometimes when you live in a house so long, you think the rooms have to be set up the way they always are, because they have always been set up that way. Well, Mel and Abbie helped me convert one of my rooms into a den! I would have never thought it possible, because this had always been the play room of sorts. The place the kids’ stuff went, and where the kids played piano or the boys worked out on their weights. But with the girls’ help we changed that this summer, and now I have a lovely den. It still surprises me when I go in there!

9~ Because my diet has changed so much, I reorganized my baking center. I took down all the canisters of my flours, and I have replaced them with nuts and other items that I use more frequently now. The whole baking cupboard looks so different. But it is so helpful now in my new diet.

10~ I started Lucy in Kindergarten seven weeks ago. I am back to homeschooling! It’s been quite awhile since Gabe was in school, but I am finding it’s like riding a bike. As I teach Lucy to read, it’s all coming back to me. When I want her to say the “ear” sound, I tug on her ear and other little things like that. I am really enjoying Kindergarten...again!

I hope you all have such a lovely day!

Love,

Laine

What a happy day. It is a beautiful Spring day here. We have blossoms on our trees and all my pansies and violas are smiling and looking so cheerful. I had a wonderful few days at the farm with my Mum and Dad. Mum cooked up a storm for us and Dad is always so good to us and generous to us all. He adores Chloe and Lucy. He doesn't want us to leave when we are getting ready to come home! I collected wildflowers and herbs but I will show you all the things I got up to in the next few days!

Here we have a long weekend. I have so many projects ready to get stuck into!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Please leave your comments for Laine as I will make sure she sees them.

Lots of love.xxx

For more Laine's Letters... the Wayback Machine is mysteriously showing the letters again (after this not working and sending us all into a panic!)

http://web.archive.org/web/20130721005103/http://lainesletters.com/letters.html

Simple crochet edgings and things you can make over with them.

Recently I posted about elevating simple things with braids and trims as an easy way to make gifts.  It's fast and very pretty to add a little row of trim around the edge of a tea towel or along the edge of a pillowcase... lots of easy projects.

Braids, ribbons and trims are gorgeous but mostly are going to cost more than my preferred edging which is to crochet an edge myself around whatever I am working on. 

This is very easy. If you can crochet at all you can do this. You need to know how to chain, single crochet and double crochet. If you don't know these three stitches ask someone to show you or go to You Tube and look on learn to crochet tutorials. Find a teacher you like and understand. You can learn these in an afternoon of evening and then practice them a little bit. Otherwise if you know these three stitches you are set!

This is so useful. It makes lovely gifts and things for your home. Plus it is fun to do!

Some possibilities are edging on hand towels and face washers...  

This makes lovely gifts and is quick and easy.

Edging on tea towels/kitchen towels... this is really pretty.

A soft cotton edging on hankies or muslin face cloths (below) or muslin baby wraps... 

Around the edge of pillowcases. I made these pillowcases from old sheets and the hydrangea ones I made my daughter as hydrangeas are her favourite flowers...

Other possibilities are an edging along the top sheet of your bed or of guest sheets. An edge worked around a throw rug or shawl...  An inexpensive project is a piece of polar fleece as a rug and work a lovely edge around this. Or make a table cloth as a gift and napkins and work pretty edges around them. This looks just beautiful.

Just now I have been working around tea towels as a gift...

and frilly edges around pillowcases...

Now I am not much of a teacher as I cannot read patterns! (you have been warned) But I will try to teach you simple edges and these are the two I use the most. Alternatively try You Tube and find edges you like and learn a few easy ones. It will be such a handy thing to learn. 

In most of these projects I have used cotton thread and in either 4 or 8 ply. For more delicate projects you can get fine cotton in balls, I get DMC cottons from Spotlight. There are no rules! A thicker yarn will give a chunkier result a finer yarn a delicate result. Crochet needles come in all sizes... you will need a very fine needle and then a medium one as well. I have used... a size one hook for the first round to get through tough cottons etc and a size four for most of my edges crochet and on towels this will go through the first round quite easily as well.

Some fabrics are easier to work with than others. Mostly towels are easy as the fabric is soft to get your needle through on the first row that goes through the material.

So a small crochet needle will go through this fabric. But on cottons often a small needle just wont go through! Then you need a super fine needle for this first foundation row. So try a needle out on your fabric and see whats needed.

Whatever you are working on this first row forms the foundation. You might want to work all around something like a face washer or just do one edge like a hand towel, thats up to you.

This is for my frilly edgings as seen above. Your first row looks like this...

With a very fine crochet hook I have gone through the fabric every 8 millimetres or so and then worked one chain then gone in again to the fabric. I usually make the stitch about 1 cm deep. You need to stretch the stitch out so the fabric will sit flat... not bunch up which it will do if you don't allow that stitch to have enough yarn to sit flat. I go carefully the first stitches to get that right and check the fabric is going to sit flat under that stitch. Then you are off! 

An alternative to this is to work a row of blanket stitch with a darning needle around your project to form that first row. It looks almost the same. Another alternative is to use something sharp to go along and make the holes for your foundation row... ie a skewer or large needle then see if you can get your crochet hook through them and work your first row. 

The second row looks like this...

This row I have worked a row of double crochet into the foundation row. I work one dc into each stitch below it. 

The next row looks like this...

This is where the frill starts to form. This row I do three chain and then a double crochet into the stitch below, then three chain and skip one stitch below and into the next stitch below... 3 chain, skip a stitch below and into the next and repeat right along... this makes a row of little bridges....

Then the last row...

Ok this row you are working to make petals into the arches of the last row. Into each arch you do one single crochet, 5 double crochets then one single crochet. This makes a petal. Then repeat right along. 

This gives you the frilly edge pictured on my frilly things above.

For a simple flat edge like on my face washers or muslin or the blue pillowcases... 

Just do the foundation row. The the next row do single crochets into four stitches in a row below... then do five double crochets into ONE stitch below. So you are going along 1,2,3,4 singles which makes a row of four then all those dc into one stitch makes an arch of stitches, then 1,2,3,4 single crochet and repeat. This gives you an up and down pattern that is pretty. And thats it, it is all done in two rows. If you will look at the wash cloths you will see it and hopefully understand what I mean!

Working around a wash cloth is a good way to try it. Often things like towels etc might have a border worked into them and other things light have a hem or seam. These are often handy as a guide to a straight line to work along.  I sort of assess each thing as I go. The tea towels I am working on now have about a 1 cm hem... so I work my first row just along that hem on the side of it that is only one layer of material. You do not want to try and work through multiple layers of fabrics. Have a look and work out what is going to be easy on what you are working on.

I find small projects like these really handy, I can take them anywhere with me. They are really economical. And in a lovely linen store I saw a set of six napkins with pretty edgings that were tied up in a bundle with ribbon. The set was $80. What a perfect gift! Sewing up some napkins from some vintage cotton sheets or some gingham would be so quick and easy then crochet around them. You have gone from a bit of inexpensive fabric and a couple of balls of cotton to a beautiful gift! This is an upcoming project for me. I love table cloths and napkins! Nothing makes a table look prettier! 

Today is the last day of the month, I don't know how the month went so fast! I use this day to see how I did on all the things I hoped to do and plan a little bit for what I want to achieve in October. October is Christmas cake making month amongst other things!

As the year is flying by it's also time to get busy on Christmas presents and save save save by spreading things out. This has helped me so much over the last few years. And it has made Christmas so much better, with out the stress of too much to do and too many expenses. 

I had a wonderful September, I hope you did too! xxx

Christmas cards and tags and other money saving ideas!

This week I went on with card making. I have already used several of the cards I pictured in my last post. Today one went to the old lady in the nursing home Kath. She keeps them all and has them dotted around her room so they live on! This makes me really happy, that they are special to her as she is to me. It only takes such a little thing to make someones day a little bit sweeter.

Each post currently is adding on to my ebook... ways to save so much money this Christmas (and all Christmases from now on!) by getting started early and identifying both your own abilities and talents as well as gifts that are suited to the people you are giving to. 

This can be found on my blog page and in my Facebook shop.If you have face book following Bluebirds there you will often get little updates and funny photos that I pop on when I have a few minutes! Also on face book we can chat!

This week I went on with cards and got onto Christmas cards and gift tags. Now I am working on gift bags, boxes and ribbons which I will post next week.

Making your own cards can be very inexpensive. I get my blank cards from cheap shops, here we have Cheap as Chips and Browse and Save but I think most larger towns have some kind of cheap shop.

Each year I have a theme... that also saves money as I can use the same things over and over.

My stamps I have had several years and bought on ETSY. They are wonderful. So much choice! And I always use glitter and glitter glue!

When the girls were little I would set them up on a table with all kinds of supplies and let them loose. In school holidays this would keep them busy for several days and it was wonderful. Lots of crafts really helped establish "being busy at home" and they were so content and happy. I have always saved every bit of ribbon, trim, interesting things and then added glue, glitter, cards and so on. 

I find tags really useful. I notice even tiny tags in the shops are at least $1 each.

Just making these cards did a lot for my Christmas Spirit. It helped me get into the mood! As I make them I am thinking of who will get which card... and I make loads of spares. I think Christmas time is the perfect time to write people thank you/appreciation letters....

I have a lot of friends who I mail. The problem is postage so I am always thinking of gifts that will fit into an envelope. The trouble is I want to give presents to everyone... at least making things I can to some extent send something little to all the people I want to. I am making little note books that will fit into these cards and be flat enough to post this way... I'll post pictures of them next week I hope!

When using glitter it is helpful to work over a tray of some kind... it confines the glitter somewhat and you can scoop up the left overs and re use them. You will always end up with glitter around the place but these accidents are happy ones to me... I don't mind them!

If I make enough cards I usually wrap some in cellophane bags, in sets of six or so and tie them up with ribbon. A set of cards you have made make a really good gift and save someone else a lot of money too. This is a really thoughtful gift. The pink cards I posted last gave me a few sets for gifts. Then I just add a pretty pen or even some stamps and present them in a pretty way. At least I know it is a really useful gift and they look pretty. I love stationary so all of this fills my stationary cravings somewhat!

Browsing cards online, on Pinterest, in the stationary shop can give you ideas. Choose a style you love or a colour scheme you like or possibly choose these from the supplies you might have on hand. Often it will take me a while to come up with one card I really like. Then I'm right, I will go on and make heaps.

Gathering a few supplies and recycling lots of things gives us materials to go on and make other things as well... ribbons, boxes, gift bags, gift wrap... we will get to those coming up!

Have a wonderful weekend. Keep your eyes out for pretty things that can be used. I mentioned to save or rescue an old Christmas tree for something I have coming up... add to that an old or cheap hoola hoop and pine cones and gum nuts! There are so many things to make for next to nothing that just now are featured in home ware stores and gift shops for a fortune!  Well, we can do better than that!

xxx

Pretty cards from scraps.

It has been an all over the place week! In the "normal" moments I have been making some cards using up a lot of little scraps left over from sewing projects. I keep every little left over bit of lace, braid etc and they are so good when you make up some cards.

After my session of sewing braids and trims on to tea towels I had a lot of lovely snippets left. Mostly this lot are cards for letters and notes or birthdays but a few with angels could be also used at Christmas I think.

I just love the luxury of a box full of pretty cards. When ever I go away I take this with me, with pens and stamps, and write letters, more than I get written when I am at home.

From home it's so easy to email or message someone. Either way when I feel under the weather or tired nothing cheers me up like writing to someone. I think it is a bit like diary writing. Writing helps you think about things and the over all picture as you work on how to put things into words. I have always felt if you have a problem after writing it down it can seem clearer and so does what to do. So letters to friends are really sharing whats going on and letters from them I feel are the same. The words you write down often sum up whats going on and how you are feeling at the time. Well, it's lovely to take the time for letter writing and beautiful for your friendships.

I've noticed lots of people tend to save cards and letters as if they are treasures. That says something about them. I still look in the newsagents and check the prices of the cards I think are lovely and often they are around the ten dollar mark which I just think is so expensive. And surely the dozen cards I made yesterday isn't worth $120! But I know the cards were $2 for 6 and beyond that I used things I had on hand and had saved up. That's quite a difference in price!

So many people are lonely, housebound, in nursing homes... so many people do kind and wonderful things everyday and no one thanks them, so many are unwell or in hospital.... there are a lot of opportunities to send cards. If every week we sent a card to someone randomly to thank them, cheer them up or encourage them it would make such a difference. 

Later today I'll get back to making some more and onto my Christmas ones (which I have started but no photos yet!)

This part of my day is really lovely and quiet and good fun.

Meanwhile I have food to shop for and errands to run and all the usual stuff. 

I hope you are having a good week. The little things we do count and they all add up, whether its little savings, little attacks on messy spots in the house, a few minutes gardening, a little kindness. It all counts. It's is amazing how lots of little things end up being something big! Be encouraged that your efforts mean something. You would be surprised who notices and who will remember even a little thing you might do today.xxx

How to make powder puffs and luxury body powder (gifts and for yourself!)

This is my third post that is an extension of my E book "How to make ALL of your Christmas presents". Week by week I'm trying to get through lots of projects to make upcoming Birthdays and Christmas just wonderful but within my budget.
This craft post is an answer to a lovely letter I had asking me how do I make the powders to go with the powder puffs I showed in the E book (and earlier in the blog as well).

Well, I love powder. And powder puffs. If you know someone loves powder as I do then this is a lovely gift to make.

Firstly the powder puffs. This started when I saw in a department store beautiful full luxurious Hollywood style powder puffs for over $50 each! They were GORGEOUS but wow! I also looked on Etsy and found equally stunning ones and in all kinds of pretty colours and was in love! But I thought I could make them and it turned out to be very easy.

Start by buying some beautiful fur material in your fabric store. I would not do this on line as the feel of it is important. So I go along feeling the ones in the colours I like! You want it to feel lovely and soft. This is usually sold as fabric to make soft toys. The sky is the limit. I considered doing leopard print ones or ruby red... but typically I ended up with soft pastels. I made them quite large, around the size of my hand if I spread my fingers out as far as I can.

Make them by tracing a circle on the non fluffy side a centimetre or so larger than the finished product will be. I traced around a small plate. Make as if you are making a little pillow, sew fluffy sides inside, leave a gap and turn inside out. Then by hand you will sew up the little gap. I decided they needed filling... you could use soft toy filler, I used quilt backing about 3 cm thick. This just makes them seem plump and luxurious. I cut these a little smaller than my fur circles and slid these in before I sewed them up. Once sewn up you need to make a bow for the top of each one. You could do contrasting or matching ribbons. The important thing is to have luxurious and lush looking ribbon and form a lovely bow then stitch this on going right through the whole powder puff. I found when I turned the powder puff around the right way I needed to release some of the fur caught in the stitches to re fluff it. I used a needle to gently free some fluff. Some spots I trimmed with scissors until I was happy with the shape and how they looked. Just fiddle around until it looks full and fluffy.

These look really pretty, soft, feminine and lovely on your dressing table.
I ended up making a heap as most were for gifts. 

As I said in the book, if you know something will suit a few of your family members or friends then it is quick and easy to make quite a few of one thing. Plus a spare or two for unexpected gifts. This just saves you time. And fabric like this is sold by a wide metre so you will get at least several from even the small amount you might buy. I think I bought 25 cms of white when I made these. These can be given as a gift on their own. You could spray them with perfume and wrap in cellophane or place in a gift box lined with tissue paper. I used cellophane bags and tied them up with a ribbon. Or you can go on and make up a box or container of power and give as a complete gift.

Now for the powder as Nanna Chel asked me how I make it. The first time I did this as a gift I had round boxes with lids. I lined each box with florists plastic wrap. Cellophane would do too. I filled them with my powder. Then I perfumed it then added the powder puff on top. (instructions for perfuming coming up...) I added the lid and tied them up with big bows. If you are going to do this it is easier to choose your containers first then make the powder puffs to fit than the other way around... I found out the hard way by making powder puffs and then having trouble getting boxes just the right size for them to sit on top inside with the powder!

This time I used glass containers I found in the op shop. This one was $2 and just right...

You could also use a tin or other suitable ceramic or glass container. For myself I use powder everyday so I use a crystal bowl (also from op shop) that I stuck to a stand which was a candle stick to make a pretty container... For instructions see my post on how to make your own Cake Stands.

For the powder itself... powder is inexpensive. It's the perfumed and specially packaged powder that is more costly but unscented powder is easy to buy in large containers for a few dollars. So buying something like that and scenting it myself is the easiest option. I choose a perfume I love and simply spray inside the container a few times, place the powder inside, re spray one or two sprays onto the powder (it will absorb) and also spray the powder puff once or twice. Then shut the lid and keep it closed. This works really well to scent the whole container of powder. You could do this using lavender oil or any floral oil. Because it is absorbent it holds the scent. If you know someone loves a certain scent then that is helpful. You know the samples you get at the department store of a tiny vial of perfume? These are enough to perfume a batch of powder. It doens't hurt to ask for these I have had luck many times!

You can also add shimmer or glitter. I have used shimmer powder that is sold as body shimmer and I have used very fine glitter. This is lovely for a little girl. The body shimmer is sold with powders and body products in many bigger beauty shops or even a natural coloured shimmer eyeshadow crushed up would work. You don't need much, just mix it in.

The next alternative is to use cornflour. it is natural, unscented... this will suit some people and it can also be scented.

Scented or plain powder has a lot of uses other than as body powder. Placed in a salt or pepper shaker or a sieve it can be used as bed powder. Fine hotels sprinkle the finest little bit of bed powder over your sheets. It perfumes them and feels heavenly and is considered a great luxury. It is too when you wish you changed the sheets and couldn't, this trick gives you fresh sheets for a night! If you have never experienced this then try it! You use the smallest amount and it feels gorgeous. A few times when I have been ill and dying to change the bed I have done this and it has made the bed feel fresh until I have been able to change it then next day.

Powder makes wonderful dry shampoo and can save you on a bad hair day.

Sprinkled over a mattress or carpet and rubbed in, powder can absorb odour and dampness and when vacuumed out it will have refreshed things that cannot be washed.

Placed inside sneakers or shoes it absorbs smells and dampness.

Rubbed into a grease mark it can absorb the oil and remove the mark.

This is a really inexpensive and luxury gift and really pretty and feminine. Now I am thinking I really want to look for powder blue and softest pink fur to make some more powder puffs and watch for more lovely containers for this. Powder adds a little bit of luxury to every day! 

I accept not everyone loves powder. My Nan did and I obviously do but it doesn't suit everyone. Thats ok, I have so many things lined up as gift ideas and plenty for men as well. I usually have to think harder on gifts for men. 

Thank you for all the letters about the trims and braids post! That one was so easy but effective and I got lovely mail responses! I really appreciate comments and mail. Thank you! Also for all the letters about the ebook and all the ideas it gave you. I love to hear the excitement of "I can do it!" especially from people who have felt that they are not very crafty.

This weekend I am starting on gift bags, cards, tags and decorations! If you could see my dining room table!  Using what I have in my collection of all kinds of left overs from craft projects over the last few years I am making all the cards and decorative things ready for December. I can't resist glitter so it will be everywhere! Doing this though, gets me in the mood for Christmas coming!

Have a lovely weekend! xxx