Christmas Gift Giving

I spent yesterday at the local Botanical Gardens taking photos of the flowers and trees to make into cards for my 91 year old Grandmother for her Christmas present.

Here are just some of those photos for your viewing pleasure:

Home Made Christmas Gift................

Inspired by this picture - I decided to make "Ice Cream Sundae Making Kits" for the children that I give gifts to at Christmas.

They are 3 nephews and 1 niece along with 4 boy second cousins and  2 girl second cousins (My cousins kids!)

So thats 10 children that I need to give a christmas gift too and of which I like to "make" them something special each year.  Now two of them are under 1 so they didn't keep a kit as such just part of it.





Past gifts have been:
Family Summer Fun Buckets - Just add water! (water bombs, water guns, etc)
Individual Treasure Boxes for keeping speacial things in
Canvas with name and photo on it


So I had been storing collecting hoarding these tins  below and have wanted to use them for something as I couldn't bring myself to throw them out - I mean look at them - they have to be good for something! (there are more I am ashamed to say but not many more - LOL)

 

Ok so now that I knew what I wanted to do with them - they needed to be covered:
Thats when little people are brought in to help with the gluing!

Liam holding onto the tin while I apply the glue

Roughed up a bit

 

Held together waiting for the glue to dry

I also roughed them up a bit with sandpaper to help the glue and paper adhere together.

I  had already measured the tins before gluin and cut some black paper to wrap around the tins, they are slightly longer than the paper I had so I needed to add a little bit onto the end.

Double sided tape used to add the extra.

 

Once that was done I "banded" them all in different colours along with co-ordinating lids and attached a front label



All banded and waiting for the front label

I also used stickers to write there name on the lids.

Looking pretty

Close up of the label. - I am still on the look out for larger ice cream themed stickers to add to the label as I think therse are too small - not worried if I don't as I am sure the kids don't care.

 

Now to add the ingredients - This part took a while to decided exactly what I wanted to  put in and as I had already purchased different sized little containers so I needed to be able to use them up.

Pictured is 100's & 1000's, mini M&Ms, Baking jelly beans, Chocolate Hail, and some other sprinkles

I couldn't resist there cellophane bags and filled them up with mini marshmallows!

 





 Now every ice Cream Sundae needs a special bowl to be enjoyed in don't they:

This size one was for my cousins children and they are in this blue, green and a pink one.

These ones are for my nephews - all blue ones

 

The all also got a spoon with there name engraved on them

The larger dishes got the longer dessert spoons and the smaller ones just a normal teapsoon.

 

I then hunted thru my other stored collected hoarded items and located gift bags to put them in individually.

Here they are already and waiting for there label - JUST ADD ICE CREAM!!!!

 

The two littles are getting dishes and spoons and a little something extra since they are too small for the ice cream sundae toppings. - I hope to upload a photo soon of the extra gift - just finishing them off.

YUMMY!

Pinched from Chris's blog  (thanks Chris)

 

 

WOW Doesnt' this look Yummy

Just like Chris said

I think I am going to try to recreate this too!!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS

MERRY CHRISTMAS

TO YOU

HOPE YOU HAVE A FABULOUS DAY

STAY SAFE

Christmas Preparation......................DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



From Tumblr

Well as of 3pm today -all my christmas preparations and wrapping is done!

It feels great!

I spent the morning making chocolate covered pretzels

(not the ones pictures above but close!)

I must remember to start photographing what I do more!

All presents are wrapped and ready under the tree or

hiding waiting for tomrrow night!

All thats left is dinner tonight with the outlaws!

YAH!!!!!!!!

Holidays are nearly here..

Via Courage Hope Strength Website

I weighed in this morning......................

It is down but not by much but ya get that when TTOTM is near.

Busy weekend ahead

2 16th Birhtdays to go to (one boy and one girl)

Sons Cricket Game to attend

Hair Appointment

Xmas Exchange with BFF and her kids

Food Shopping

Santa Visiting

House Cleaning

Crafting - I hope

Oh the life I lead...........

Rain Rain Go Away!

Well the weather here in Auckland sucks at the moment!

The rain and wind are horrible - made for interesting car trip into work this morning!

Lucky its not overly cold with it!

So today I am rugged up nice and cozy at work and then off to play me some squash tonight!

The scales are also moving in the right direction!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh and after being inspired by Chris at Diet Coke Rocks - who has recently purchased two presents already for next christmas - so have I!

Woo hoo - feels great to be ahead for a change!

Christmas Shopping

Via - Gala Darling

I managed to get the last of my sons Santa presents yesterday - cricket pads and gloves for under 50.00 - very happy with that.

So that means - he is all finished - YAH!

Now to finish of my daughters "santa" presents and that is both of them done!

What do I have left to do?........................

Make 11 photo blocks for all of my Great Grandmothers grandchildren and a couple of adults!

Just need to get the wood cut up, painted and glue the photos on and all good to go!

December Already............

WOW the year has gone by fast and we are now in December!

I am about 85% completed on my Christmas presents, just the remainder of the kids "santa" ones to be done and to create 10 photo blocks and 2 snowglobes.

But I also wanted to tell you about what is happening over at Gala Darlings Blog..............................

Source - Gala Darling

Lots of giveaways for the month of December, so go check her out!

Update.............

Well life has been plodding along nicely with the following happening in my life:

Joined up a Womans in Squash Course - Loving it

Thinking of joining for three months

Went to a talk from a Naturopath and got some good weight loss pointers

Have created the 2011 Christmas Card - now to mass produce

Hubby is off to Fiji for 4 days this weekend

Christmas Shopping with My BFF on Friday

Summer Fun Buckets are nearly finished

Have got back into walking to work at least twice each week

Feeling a bit more in control on this weight loss path.

Loving that summer is on its way!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well it is nearly time to leave work for 6 days - Yay me!

So I would like to wish all those that read my little blog a Very Merry Christmas and I will be back on the 29th with lots of plans and stories from Christmas
I'll leave you with a picture of these cute marshmallow snowmen that I am going to make for the kids on Christmas day

I will locate the link (its at home) and update later.

Be safe!

Christmas Decorations

As previously promised here are some photos of my christmas decorations.

Christmas Wreath

Here is my Christmas Wreath!

Nice and feathery!