Happy birthday to the best mom, friend, person I know… thank you for all you do and for always being there for me. I’m so lucky to have such a strong and gorgeous role model in my life. I love you!
Scrounging for some last minute present ideas?! Forgot one of your coworkers? Need a gift for your gardener? Look no further! I love the DIY approach to holiday gift giving and often find it best to make a little artisan or gourmet treat…
Last year I made homemade vanilla and while it does take a little planning (or at least waiting on the recipient’s end – it takes 3 months to really ferment) it is SO worth it.
This year I went with an infused simple syrup route. I made my famous (to myself) Ginger Simple Syrup, and attached a homemade ginger ale recipe for the 21 and younger crowd and a Ginger Bourbon Fizz recipe for those that like to imbibe!
Super simple (aside from the sticky mess that your kitchen is bound to fall victim to) and so delicious! Plus infused syrups are now like $12-15 a bottle at the store nowadays… and you easily can whip these up (bottles and all) for around $3!
Other quick/less involved gift ideas:
- wine (BevMo $0.05 wine sale!)
- gift cards (Starbucks, Jamba, iTunes)
- candles (I’m telling you… by them on sale when you see them!!!)
- books (I love a great cookbook or coffee table book – Costco has great ones with CRAZY markdowns)
- a beautiful frame with a picture of you and gift recipient (girls love pictures)
What are some other quick and easy gift ideas!?
We’ve all experienced the red wine spill on your gorgeous silk blouse, spaghetti dripping on your white tee… but by the time you’ve figured out how to treat it, it’s soaked in a ruined your outfit! Well look no further – memorize this chart and be ready to defend yourself against any holiday cocktail party mishaps!
*with dry clean only items, try to contain the stain from spreading by absorbing liquid with a clean cloth or sprinkling with cornstarch (brush away powder of absorption). Take to a dry cleaner as soon a possible.
Tip: If you are accident prone – think about packing a travel sized bottle of diluted detergent in your purse… never hurts to plan ahead 🙂