Homemade Gifts

Share the love & save money this Christmas by making home made gifts. Making a loved one a gift can be so much more meaningful. It can allow you to get creative and while it often takes more effort the end result is much more satisfying.

Homemade Christmas Ornaments

To create your own Christmas Tree Decorations follow the below recipe:

4 cups all purpose flour
1 cup salt
1 1/2 cups warm water

Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Once combined knead until it created a firm, smooth dough. Roll the dough out and cut into desired shapes (we recommend using Christmas shaped cookie cutters). Use a straw to poke a hole through the top for hanging purposes. Bake at 150°C until dried out, this will take approximately 1 hour.

Once they are completely cool you can use acrylic paint to decorate. Once the paint has dried thread a piece of twine or string through the hole at the top to hang.

These make great gifts as you can personalise them for the recipient or you can have fun making them for your own tree!

Homemade Gift Boxes

A homemade gift box, basket or crate is a great idea when you want to create a thoughtful personalised gift. Below a few ideas of what you could put in them.

Bath or Shower Gift Box

These can be filled with a range of shower or bath goodies. Some ideas to fill this sort of gift box include bath bombs, shower gel, soaps, exfoliating scrubs, moisturiser, towel or a candle.

Sweet Treats Foodie Gift Box

Food filled gift boxes are great as they can be tailored to the recipients personal taste. For someone with a sweet tooth we recommend filling with some of the following: Wine, Chocolates, Cupcakes, Fruit Tea, Fresh Seasonal Fruit or Christmas Treats such as Christmas Tarts or Biscuits.

Savory Foodie Gift Box

For a foodie with a more savory palate we suggest a mix of the following: Craft Beer, Chips, Crackers, Beef Jerky, Fresh Cheese, Chutney or Hot Sauce.

These look great given in a small wooden crate or in a decorated gift box.

Homemade Soaps

Homemade soaps make a great Christmas gift. Try one of the below recipes or get inventive and create your own unique combination of zest, essential oils and other exfoliats such as coconut, rock salt or oatmeal.

Grapefruit & Lavender Soap

Ingredients

2 cups Shea Butter Soap Base, cubed
1-2 tablespoons fresh lavender
15-20 drops lavender essential oil
zest of 1 grapefruit

Method

Place the soap base in a microwave safe container and microwave at 30 second intervals until completely melted.
Once the soap base in melted stir in grapefruit zest, fresh lavender and the essential oil. Make sure that the zest & lavender is evenly distributed.
Pour into the soap molds and allow to harden for 2-3 hours, this recipe should make approximately 4 bars of soap depending on the size of the mold. Once hardened take out of the mold and wrap in wax paper.

Tip: The bigger the pieces of grapefruit zest the more the soap will act as an exfoliant.

Coconut + Mint Soap

Ingredients

2 cups Shea Butter Soap Base, cubed
3 tablespoons coconut flakes
8-10 chopped fresh sage leaves
15-20 drops peppermint essential oil

Method

Place the soap base in a microwave safe container and microwave at 30 second intervals until completely melted.
Once the soap base in melted stir in coconut flakes, sage leaves and the essential oil. Make sure that the sage and coconut is evenly distributed.
Pour into the soap molds and allow to harden for 2-3 hours, this recipe should make approximately 4 bars of soap depending on the size of the mold. Once hardened take out of the mold and wrap in wax paper.

Tips for making homemade soap

Any heat resistant container can function as a soap mold.
If using baking dish/tupperware as a soap mold you may need to spray with cooking oil or use a liner to ensure soap doesn’t stick to pan.