Christmas Gift Ideas

Three GREAT gift Ideas....

I have to admit I was reading a blog and stole two of these ideas. I will be making these next year for sure. What an awesome idea. This year I gave most of my family and friends 1000ml love bottles. They are eco-friendly glass bottles:

I wrapped them all in festive cellophane wrap and added a holiday decoration or two.

The idea for love bottle was born when a nutrition consultant in San Francisco looked at the emotional and physical health of our country and wondered what she could do to improve it. Because water is our most fundamental need, improving its quality became the obvious answer. Water in a great looking, earth-friendly bottle supercharged with a little love seemed the perfect answer to helping many people in a simple and easy way. The next thing she knew she was starting a company.

http://www.lovebottle.net/index.asp

If you love the "Love" bottles please email me: meg.neil@gmail.com and I can set you up with a blogger's deal. :)

The two ideas that I am stealing from a blog I visit quite frequently ( A Grateful Life):

Homemade Granola

Muesli/Granola Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups rolled oats (optionally use bob red mill's gluten free organic)
1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds
1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup raw sliced almonds
1/4 cup raw chopped pecans or walnuts
1/4 cup dried shredded coconut
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 tbsp extra virgin coconut oil
1/3 cup organic clover honey
**3/4 to 1 cup dried fruit of choice (my muesli used 1/4 cup dried blueberries, 1/4 cup dried fuji apple, 1/4 cup dried persimmon, and 1/8 cup candied ginger)

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Mix first 8 ingredients (all dry ingredients EXCLUDING **the additional dried fruits of choice) in a medium to large mixing bowl. In a small saucepan combine the coconut oil and clover honey. Set saucepan over low heat and stir until coconut oil is completely melted into the honey. Pour the contents of saucepan over the dry mixture and stir to coat well. Lightly coat a shallow baking dish with oil (i sprayed lightly with an olive oil mister). Spread your granola/muesli mixture over the baking sheet and place in middle of oven, keeping heat at 300 degrees. Bake approximately 15 to 20 minutes or just until golden brown and lightly crispy, making sure to stir contents occasionally while baking (light browning = tasty / dark brown and burning = no good). Remove baking dish from oven and allow to cool completely. Once cooled, transfer the granola/muesli into a mixing bowl and add the remaining dried fruits of choice. Stir well and store in an airtight glass container.

LOVE IT!!!!! You can even add some personal touches. Micheal's craft store becomes my home away from home during the holidays. Ribbon, glitter, galore!

Last but not least and my favorite.... aside from the Love Bottles:

Lantern Lights:

*Take a piece of the 3 ft rope at one end and loosely wrap it around the jar mouth, just above the bottom lip.

*Gently tie it in a half knot (same as the first step in tying your shoes) leaving about two inches on either end of the strings coming off the knot.

*Snip the remainder of the roping from the end still attached to the other few feet of rope. This extra long roping you've just snipped will be the hanger.

*Create an upside down U shape with this long roping by weaving either end of it UNDER the rope you gently tied around the lip (both ends need to be directly across from one another so that it hangs balanced). Leave both ends of this rope long enough to hang down lower than the jar.

*Now tighten the rope around the lip really good and knot it again (so it's now in a full knot)

*Make sure the U shape (hanger) is as long as you'd like it and that it will hang balanced. take the rope hanging down on either side and simply knot it over itself and let the strings hang, or trim them up a bit.

*Insert a tea candle. Hang and light.

I can't take credit for the last two but I will be making both of these next year as my gifts. Sorry family that I am spoiling but aren't you excited!!!! :)