Halloween Hybrid Goodies!

It was worth the wait - the halloween kit is adorable and was so much fun to scrap with! (Nevermind that I haven't made it to bed before 1 am two nights in a row...) I am also VERY excited to say that something I made is being sold on Miss Mint's website! I made the template for the Halloween Treat Bags, Miss Mint provided the papers and we both agreed they are so easy to put together, we're going to offer them for each holiday. Click here to see the Hybrid Template Set

Here are some of the bags I made with the new papers:

Below is a little thank you gift for our next door neighbors:

And this is a candy bar wrapper for a jumbo Mr. Goodbar I made using Miss Mint's Custom Candy Templates:

WHEW! Now I need to sort through the dozens of pumpkin carving, petting zoo & halloween party pictures I took and post them next! LOL! Well, after I clean up the mess in the kitchen from making caramel apples this afternoon. ;)

P.S. I know why Miss Mint was a bit late with the halloween kit - she was distracted by the STUNNING fall kit she's assembled! It's almost done and wow, it's going to be a new best seller.

Halloween Kit Coming!

My time stamp isn't wrong, this post really was written at nearly 1 am. I love launch nights! LOL! Here is a teensy sneak peek Miss Mint posted on the forum of the halloween papers:

The full kit is due out sometime before Halloween day AND it will be on sale this weekend because it's Digi Scrap Day!

Be sure to keep a special look out for the new hybrid product Miss Mint and I designed. It's my first one being sold on the site and I am sooooo excited!

Teacher's Gifts

I've already talked to a few local friends and it seems everyone needs cute, unique yet reasonably priced teachers gifts for Chirstmas this year. I was hunting high and low for something I can order in bulk, add vinyl lettering to and sell to parents to fill with candy and wrap for teachers. But my hunt ended when I got the brilliant idea to google what kind of gifts teachers really want to recieve and found out they don't want any more junk. (Who would, right?!! LOL!)

First, let me list for you what the top requests for teacher's gifts - as given by teachers themselves - were for this year: (Any teachers that are reading along please feel free to comment and add to this!)

• A heartfelt card of how that teacher has helped or inspired your child in a specific way
• Something the child was involved in creating or wrapping
• Gift Cards to 1) Starbucks 2) Staples/Nearest Office Supply Store 3) Amazon 4) Barnes & Noble 5) Target
• School Supplies they use frequently (Yes! They would enjoy a pack of bright colored dry erase markers or a nice pair of scissors!)
• Books, supplies or equipment for the class room
• Specialty chocolates, candies, teas, coffees & foods they wouldn't buy for themselves
• Personalized/custom stationary, note cards, etc. for all the notes they have to write (bonus if they are hand made)
• ANY kind of home baked items!

What wasn't on the list (and the teachers politely requested "No More Please"):

• Coffee mugs (get the Starbucks style tumblers & customize the insert instead),
• Teddy bears, plush toys, etc. unless the teacher specifically collects them
• Perfumes, lotions & bubble bath (opt for classroom hand sanitizer instead)
• Expensive, flamboyant gifts (most school districts dissuade teachers from accepting gifts valued at over $50)

So as I was brainstorming it kind of came to me that people want their gift to stand out, which is why the pratical items teachers really want are often not given. I was also remebering how impossibly shy I was as a child and how I hoped the outside of the gift said everything it needed to so I wouldn't have to answer a lot of questions while she was opening it. I also recall being a junior in high school and giving one of my favorite teachers a tin full of a gourmet nut mix (with these divine candied pecans) which she loved snacking on so much, she not only gave me a thank you note before christmas break but she mailed one to my mother as well! Then it occured to me how these ideas could all come together. Give the item the teacher wants or if it is food, opt for something from a gourmet boutique, then spend a little extra time and money with creative wrapping and presentation. Your child will have something beautiful to give the teacher and she'll love that it's not another teddy bear!

To illustrate my point, I have snagged some photos from a popular paper crafting website that show how stunning you can wrap a simple bag of candy:

Any of these would probably send the recipient squeeling with delight to the teacher's lounge! Talk about standing out - imagine how beautiful this style of "scrapped wrapping" would look sitting next to other regular boxes and bags. And why stop at candy? A bundle of white chalk in a clear cellophane bag with a tag would be just as appreciated.

Tay's Teacher Gift "Kits":

Since celophane bags tend to come in packs of 50 (49 more than you need) and it does take a substantial amount of ribbon and scrap supplies to complete this type of wrapping job, I'm offering 'Creative Presentations' this year along with a few completely ready gifts for last minute emergencies. (You wouldn't believe how many calls I get. I'm the emergency gift headquarters! And yes, I gift wrap.)

I'll be offering a few decorative plates with vinyl lettering (intended to display), delicious chocolates and glass candy jars with vinyl lettering, all delightfully wrapped and ready to give for $15 or less. (Including some adorable $3 candy items.)

In addition I'll also have a selection of celophane bags, coordinating ribbons & handmade tags for you to choose from if you'd like to wrap your own. I'll have pictures posted here before December so you can see just how adorable that Office Max gift card or bag of chocolate covered raisins can look!

Cheater, Cheater, Cheater!

Oh, the things I have come up with to save time or money and to still have all the little luxuries I want. We got on the topic of Bath & Body Works on our CT Forum and it reminded me that I should share some of my tricks here!

I'm a sucker for home fragrances. I love matching the scent of my house for each season or holiday. I already mentioned the Bath & Body Works Autumn Leaves room spray I'm currently using and my stockpile of The Perfect Christmas - Winter has begun! Here are some tricks to scent your whole house without going broke:

Room Sprays: They're not just for the air! I spritz door wreaths and silk flowers with them to help keep the house smelling delightful throughout the season. These items will hold the fragrance for a couple of days. If you have potpourri or those decorative balls made out of wicker, bark or other natural items, spray them, too. You can also spray a bowl of pinecones, strands of garland, hanging stockings and the christmas tree skirt to keep the whole house smelling magical! (Don't spray your tree if it has christmas lights - the spray is flammable!)

Sneaky Entry Way Trick: Lightly spray the backs of your christmas cards when you recieve them and display them near the front door. This will ensure that at least the entry will smell nice for unexpected visitors! Even better, tuck a bottle of spray behind the cards for "emergency" spritzes. ;)

Home Fragrance Oils: I stock up when Bath & Body Works has them on sale for $5 or less. In addition to using them in a warmer, I add them to the same-scented candles I buy to double the fragrance. It works very well!

Sneaky Votive Trick: Instead of throwing down for scented votives that I may not be able to use up, I make my own scented ones when I need them. Partially burn a regular, unscented votive and then dump out most of the melted wax. Place the votive in it's holder and immediately fill the now-empty center with home fragrance oil and re-light. Scatter throughout the house as you normally would. Add oil as needed while burning to maintain the fragrance. Use cinnamon oil in a tea light and place it inside Jack-O-Lanterns at your halloween party for a nice, pumpkin spice scent. Your friends will wonder why your cheap votives smell so good!

What Kind of Jack-O-Lantern are You?

How funny is this. An online quiz actually got something right! It just so happens I am going to be a pirate for halloween! LOL!

What Your Jack-o-Lantern Says

You are a gleeful, exuberant person. You enjoy a good party, and you even enjoy a good brawl. This Halloween, there is no question what you should be... a pirate! The candy you should give out: peanut butter cups

The Jack-o-Lantern Quiz

Ugh. I am not a peanut butter cup fan. We're handing out KitKats and little toy prizes. ;)

Goodbye Parmesan!

You'd never guess by the contents of my fridge but I am quite partial to gourmet cheeses. Gouda is my absolute favorite! And, despite how many packs of string cheese are in the crisper drawer right now, I have pretty good taste. Here's my newest find:



I was at the store two weeks ago, rushing to get my impatient, howling child one of the crossiont samples, when I passed by a new cheese display full of beautiful, crumble-textured wedges. The smell of the hard cheese was divine - something similar to parmesan - but this was much heavier in fragrance. I tried one of the samples and was blown away by the robust flavor. It was much better than any brand of parmesan I'd ever had. I flipped one of the wedges over to search for the name: Grana Padano. The $13.99 lb price barely swayed me but the thought of cooking a full italian dinner over the stove in the 88° heat left me pouting. I resolved to come back for it soon.

A cold front hit last night and when my dinner plans suddenly included a few more people, I added it to the grocery list. Just my luck, it was on sale this week! My Tomato & Grana chicken is in the oven with french bread waiting to be garneshed and toasted. It smells delicious! If your local store has it, you simply must try it!

Thank You. A Million Times Over!

Not all random acts of kindness should go unsung. And I owe someone (she knows who she is) a very big thank you. I'm in awe of her talents and so deeply appreciative of her generosity. You'll notice a difference but I must confess that it is her magic I have learned from - the credit isn't mine. Lots of love to those who live with me in a world of dreamy vibrance and work to re-create it's scenes for the enjoyment of all.