Handmade Holidays: Christmas Stove-top Potpourri + Free Printable

Happy Monday!  Can you believe that Christmas is this week?  I can't!  It doesn't help that we've had incredibly mild temperatures and no snow on the ground.  In fact, we've only had one snowfall so far this year and the snow only lasted a couple of days before it warmed up and melted. I'm not complaining - dry roads and above average temps are OK by me!

I made a batch of Christmas Stove-top Potpourri this weekend to hand out to family and friends.  I think they make a great last minute gift for neighbors, work friends, and hostess gifts.  Also, who wouldn't enjoy a house filled with the scents of Christmas!

Because of our mild temps, my rosemary plant in the garden is still going strong!  It's actually huge.  I was able to pick a large amount of sprigs to use for the stove-top potpourri.  Hard to believe for the end of December!

Supplies:

- Quart size mason jars

- 2 cinnamon sticks

- 3 bay leaves

- 1 tablespoon dried orange peel

- 1 tablespoon whole cloves

- 1 tablespoon whole allspice berries

- 1-2 sprigs of fresh rosemary

- 1 cup fresh cranberries

- 1 lemon

- 1 clementine or orange (an orange might be hard to fit in the jars, so I used clementines)

- Ribbon

- Labels ( PRINT HERE )

Please note - the amounts listed above are what I added to one jar.  Multiply the amount by the number of jars you'd like to make.

Add the bay leaves, cinnamon sticks, orange peel, cloves, allspice berries, followed by the rosemary, cranberries, and finally, the citrus fruit.

Close up the jars and add a decorative ribbon and labels.

Have a very Merry Christmas!

Handmade Holidays. . .Honey Vanilla Marshmallows

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Have you noticed that everyone is talking about and making homemade marshmallows this year?  Darby made them.  Joy the Baker made them.  Smitten Kitchen has made them.  They seem to be quite the trend and it is one trend I wasn't about to miss out on.

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{ The recipe I followed was mostly from Joy the Baker, with a little of Smitten Kitchen mixed in; click on the links above to see their original recipes }

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Ingredients:

- 1/2 cup cornstarch

- 1/2 cup powdered sugar

- 1 cup cold water

- (3) 1/4-ounce packages unflavored gelatin

- 1-1/2 cups sugar

- 1/4 cup honey

- 2/3 cup light corn syrup

- 1/4 teaspoon salt

- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

- half of a vanilla bean; seeds scraped out

.In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and powdered sugar. Coat a 9×13 baking pan (metal or glass) with non-stick cooking spray.  Dust pan with small amount of powdered sugar and cornstarch mixture. Set both aside.

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Pour 1/2 cup cold water into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Pour the gelatin packs over the water and let sit for about 10 minutes.

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In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring sugar, honey, corn syrup, salt, and remaining cold water to a boil. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Attach a candy thermometer the the side of the pan and bring mixture up to 240 degrees F (labeled as "soft-ball" on thermometer). Don't stir - just watch the pan carefully to make sure mixture doesn't boil over!

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When the sugar is heated to 240 degrees, turn on the mixer with the gelatin and water on to low speed. Carefully pour the hot sugar mixture in to the mixer bowl. Be careful not to pour the mixture onto the whisk - you don't want the hot mixture to splatter. Gradually increase the speed of the mixer until you have added all of the hot sugar mixture. Beat on high for several minutes until a thick, fluffy, white marshmallow batter has formed (about 8 to 9 minutes).  I'm sure you could also use a hand mixer for this - you just will be holding the mixer for a while!

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Pour in the vanilla extract and vanilla bean and beat for another 2 minutes.

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Spread the marshmallow mixture into prepared pan. I tried using a spatula to smooth out the mixture but found that it was too sticky and made more of a mess.  I ended up just shaking the pan around a bit to level out the mixture. Top marshmallow with small amount (about 1/4 c.) corn starch and powdered sugar mixture and let set and rest, uncovered, for at least 4 hours, or overnight.

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After marshmallow has set, run a knife all along the edge of the pan to loosen marshmallow, and turn out on to a cutting board dusted with powdered sugar.

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Use a pizza cutter to cut the marshmallows.  Spray the pizza cutter with non-stick cooking spray so that it doesn't stick.

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As you cut, toss the marshmallows with remaining corn starch and powdered sugar mixture.  This helps the marshmallows not to stick.  Trust me, they will be sticky!

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I ended up with 90 or so 1" marshmallow cubes.  Marshmallows will keep in an airtight container for up to two weeks.

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I made this gift tag on my computer:

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I divided the marshmallows up among treat bags that I found at Michael's.

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Add ribbon and a tag and you're all set for gift giving!  Who wouldn't enjoy a few homemade marshmallows to top hot chocolate?

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For me, making things is definitely the best way to find the Joy in Christmas. 

I designed a free printable tag.  Click HERE to download and use for your own gifts.

Handmade Holidays. . .Felt Wine Sleeve

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A few weeks ago I was browsing through a magazine and saw these cute wine felt gift bags.  I thought it was a great idea and decided to make my own.  I really like how they turned out! 

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If you would rather not sew and are interested in purchasing the original version I saw in the magazine, click here.

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Supplies:

- felt (if you use sheets from the craft store, you will need two per bag)

- button, or button cover kit and fabric scrap

- contrasting thread

- scissors or rotary cutter and straight edge

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Cut the following pieces:

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{Note that the pieces labeled 3" x 8" in the photo are actually 2-1/2" wide.  I tried that size first before deciding that 3" x 8" was the right size}

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Use a rotary cutter or scissors to cut pieces to size.

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For the 4" circle I found a mug that was 4" wide and traced it onto the felt.

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At this point, decide if you want to add a monogram or another decorative feature to your bag.  In my first version, I didn't add anything.  But in the other versions I did.  To add an monogram, print out a letter on your computer and trace on to fabric and cut out.  Stitch your letter to the bag or use Pellon Wonder Under and and iron on to one piece of the 6" x 8" felt.

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Next, pin the two 6" x 8" pieces together (RIGHT sides out; you want to see the seams) and sew along the two edges.

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Next, pin on the bottom and sew.

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Now your bag looks like this:

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Take the two 3" x 8" strips and pin together.  Sew along three sides.  You do not need to sew the fourth edge because you will be sewing that to the back of your sleeve.

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After sewing around three edges:

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Now you need to cut out the area that will fit through the top of the wine bottle.  The opening should be 2-1/2" long x 1-1/2" wide.  I used a roll of tape to trace the half circle on each end.  Start the half circle 2" from the top of the rectangle (the top is the edge that you didn't sew along).

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Cut out the area you just drew.

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And sew along the edges.

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Almost finished!

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Pin the rectangle to the back of your bag and sew.  Make sure to only sew to the back of the bag and not through both layers!

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{In the next version that I made, I sewed the rectangle on to the 6" x 8" piece of felt before I sewed the front and back together and it was much easier.  Does that make sense?}

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Use a fabric covered button kit to cover your button.  Put a wine bottle in the bag and determine where your button hole and button should be sewn.  Cut the button hole and sew edges on your sewing machine.  You could also use a button hole function on your machine but I thought it was easier to just sew with a straight stitch.  Sew button to bag.

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That's it!

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I ended up using Wonder Under to iron on a "n" to the front of the bag.

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Here are a few photos of the wine sleeves I made:

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Aren't these cute?  I think it's an easy way to dress up a bottle of wine.  And inexpensive too.  I think I made each one of these for about $1.00 each!
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Linking to:

Just a Girl: Handmade Holidays