Hi Everyone!
Thanks for joining me on this awesome blog hop! If you are hopping along with us, you arrived from the lovely Tanya Rees. She always has some beautiful projects to inspire you! Didn't you just love the advent calendar?
I love to give handmade gifts, and I want to share a favorite of mine, and a cute idea to package it as well, to go along with our re-purposing Glass Jars theme. I really needed this to make me think about how to use some things in my stash. Don't tell anybody, but I may be one glass jar away from being on an episode of Hoarders!
I have been making this drink mix for years. In fact, I found the recipe in a Better Homes and Gardens magazine in 2000! And yes, I still have the magazine! It is called Mocha au Lait, and it is sooooo good, especially for coffee lovers like myself. Here is the recipe:
Mocha Au Lait
1 1/2 cups nonfat dry milk powder
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup instant coffee crystals
2/3 cup miniature semisweet chocolate pieces
In a medium mixing bowl, mix all ingredients well. Store in a sealed container. Makes about 3 cups.
Instructions for gift tag:
Pour 2/3 cup boiling water in a blender container. Add 1/4 cup of the mix. Cover tightly. Blend until well combined and frothy. (Or beat with wire whisk or electric mixer.) Pour into a mug and enjoy!
Speaking of coffee, I am using a Starbucks frappuccino bottle to put the mix in for a gift. I don't drink them very much (I know! Shocker!) But I have coworkers that do, and they bring them to me. I have done so many things with them.....they look like an old-fashioned milk bottle. And they are FREE!
To remove the sticky residue from the label, I use a product called Goo Gone, and then to remove the date stamp, I use just plain fingernail polish remover. I wash them in the dishwasher to sanitize them.
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| Mitten Tag |
Now for the fun part....decorating! I spray painted the lid with some red spray paint I had. To make the tag, I used the Smitten Mittens Bundle (Item #146070) found on page 38 of the Stampin' Up! 2017 Holiday Catalog. To make the tag, first fold a 2 3/4" x 6 1/2" piece of Real Red CS in half.
Die cut with the mitten outline, with the edge of the cutting blade slightly off of the folded edge. Stamp the snowflake in Smoky Slate onto Whisper White CS, then die cut. Die cut the outline cuff die with the matching embossing die to give the texture. Then, emboss the top mitten with the Cable Knit embossing folder. Adhere the snowflake and cuff to the mitten. Emboss the sentiment on the inside of the mitten with white embossing powder. Adhere the mix instructions to the back.
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| "To and From" Tag |
I made the smaller tag for the "To" and "From" (that quirky font is so cute!) using the sweet little tag die from the Swirly Snowflakes Thinlet dies. I stamped the snowflake and words in Real Red ink. I just attached both tags to the bottle with the Mini Tinsel Trim. I cut a square out of a Gusseted treat bag to separate the lid and bottle. (Even though I only used spray paint on the outside of the lid, I didn't want to take any chances of it affecting the mix and not being food safe.)
One of my favorite things about Stampin' Up! is being able to package gifts in such a beautiful way with a personal touch.
I hope my project inspired your gift giving, and gives you some repurposing ideas of your own! Let me know if you made the mix and how you like it! Click the Next button to see what beautiful ideas Tracy Bish has for you!
If you don't currently have a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator, and live in the US, I would love to earn your business! Below are the products I used in this project, click on them and it will take you to my online store where you can order any of them and also view the catalog. Thanks again for stopping by! Tell me what are your favorite gifts to give (or receive) in the comments below. Subscribe to my blog, and I will send you a PDF for the tag instructions for the mix.
Nina
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