October 20, 2019 by Cynthia Ewer

It's ghoulish-good fun: a printable Halloween topper for Jiffy Pop® popcorn!

Add our free printable template to a package of Jiffy Pop® brand pop-in-pan popcorn for an inexpensive "popcorn topper" craft gift just right for the spooks and goblins on your gift list.

Paired with Witches Brew Halloween mix, it's perfect for Halloween BOO-ing, co-workers or classmate gifts. Read More >>

Three Tips for Smart Catalog / Internet Shopping

Gifts and Giving

October 16, 2019 by Cynthia Ewer

Planning for Christmas, catalog or online shopping has many advantages over the holiday mall scene.

No long lines. No sore feet. No staggering to the car, weighed down by parcels and shopping bags.

Shopping becomes a pleasure, conducted from a favorite chair. Phone in your selections (or place them from your computer), sit back, and wait for the UPS man. Ahhhhh! Read More >>

Witches Brew: Spooky Halloween Drink Mix

Halloween BOO

Halloween Gifts & Crafts

October 14, 2019 by Cynthia Ewer

It's simple and sweet, a Halloween treat: Witches' Brew!

Combining apple cider drink mix, Halloween candy treats and a free printable gift tag, Witches Brew is easy to make and give.

Use small black salsa bowls from the Dollar Store to make Witches Brew in a Cauldron, or use creative packet-folding and a licorice rope "broomstick" to make broom-shaped Witches Brew packets.

Add free printable gift tags or bag toppers to make an easy Halloween craft. Read More >>

Christmas Organizing Secret: Try A Tear File!

Get Organized

October 11, 2019 by Cynthia Ewer

Christmas magazines and catalogs are fabulous resources for seasonal decorating, gift ideas, and Christmas recipes—but en masse, they can become too much of a good thing.

When the piles avalanche from every side table, finding an article or a recipe that caught your eye a few weeks ago can be an impossible job.

How do you keep all that good information without being crushed by stacks or drowning in paper? Answer: a set of tear files. Read More >>

Halloween Treat: Make A Haunted Gingerbread House

Gingerbread Houses

Halloween Gifts & Crafts

October 10, 2019 by Cynthia Ewer

Gingerbread houses aren't just for Christmas anymore! Use our easy-build methods to create a Halloween Gingerbread House to brighten your autumn home or workplace.

Using melted bark coating or candy melts makes this craft simple enough for kids.

A black cat peeps from piles of pumpkins. Orange and black gumdrops light the path on Halloween night. Spiders creep and bats flap.

Don't miss our friendly ghosts! Read More >>

Pumpkin Poop: Recipe For Halloween Fun

Halloween Gifts & Crafts

October 7, 2019 by Cynthia Ewer

Just in time for Halloween: it's Pumpkin Poop!

Treat your favorite trickster with this simple, silly gift.

Easy to make and inexpensive to give, it's a good choice for workplace surprises or Halloween parties or a Halloween BOO basket.

Add a packet of Witches' Brew for a happy harvest-time treat. Read More >>

Make-Ahead Holiday Gift: Melt-and-Pour Soap

Melt-and-Pour Soap

All-Occasion Gifts & Crafts

August 21, 2019 by Cynthia Ewer

You've seen them everywhere from crafts fairs to bath boutiques: pretty handmade gift soaps. Clear and colorful or rich with natural additives for beautiful skin, they're a welcome holiday gift.

Best of all, they're easy to make using melt-and-pour soap. Heated in the microwave, clear or opaque glycerin soap base is combined with colorants and fragrances, then poured into molds to harden. When cool, soaps pop right out of the molds, ready to use.

Follow the soap-making tips and soap starter projects linked below to help you master this squeaky-clean craft.

Make It Now, Give It Later: Confetti Bean Soup

Gifts In A Jar Recipes

Gifts in a Jar

August 15, 2019 by Cynthia Ewer

Looking for a make-ahead holiday gift? Try this gift-in-a-jar treat: Confetti Bean Soup! Savory Italian herbs spark this hearty, easy soup. Paired with Texas Cornbread Mix, this duo is just the thing for cold winter weekends!

Better, it's a good keeper, so make this gift-in-a-jar ahead for holiday giving. Unlike cookie jar gifts, Confetti Bean Soup won't go stale in storage.

Makes 12 gift jars at a cost approximately $2 per jar.