Unexpected guest heading to the family table? Need a gift fast, but would prefer to make rather than buy? Well, here a some last minute DIY gifts that will be warmly received without taking up too much of your time.
Scented candles
I made the ones in the pictures from soy wax, but the same effect can be achieved by using a combination of beeswax and coconut oil (which is what I used when I first dabbled in candle making.) As the finished item is not going to be used on the skin, you can use ordinary beeswax from your local hardware store and coconut oil from the supermarket.
I used a combination of two parts beeswax to one part coconut oil, with approximately 3ml of fragrance oil to produce a decent sized teacup candle. Both beeswax and soy wax burn without creating smoke, which makes them ideal gifts! For more information, check out this excellent tutorial from Claire K
Hot Pocket Snood
If you have some scrap fabric and a couple of hours spare, check out my latest 'Instructable' to make this 'hidden compartment' snood. I guarantee it will be well appreciated if you live in a cold climate!
Bath Teas (again!)
If you're totally up against the clock with no time to sew, or wait for a candle to set, then these easy bath teas are the answer. You may remember my post from the last festive season about using Martha Stewart's techniques to create simple toiletries; well, this is a return to one of those projects, but an easier version.
All you need for this gift is a jar, some scraps of cotton and some herbal tea. You literally cut some squares of cotton, put two or three teaspoons of herbal tea in the centre and tie them up! I used a combination of chamomile, lavender, sage and lemon verbena (equal parts of each) which should help to promote relaxation.
I had some decal paper lying around from a previous project, so I used that to add a bit of decoration, but all you really need to do is tie a ribbon around it. Voila!
Good Yule everyone!
