Yesterday I wrote about how the charms on a charm bracelet could prompt recall of memories. I truly think I should consider making a new charm bracelet for myself…just in case my memory slips a little. I might be about to jog my memory by thinking about individual charms like my sewing machine, a kitchen mixer or my greyhound charm. You can read about the charms at https://marykisner.com/preserving-memories-with-a-charm-bracelet/
While I was thinking about various charms for that post, I remembered a charm bracelet that had been tucked in with my mother’s jewelry. I hadn’t thought about it in years, and she passed away in 1988. the bracelet and charms fit into a tiny box. I vaguely remember she picked up these charms on one or more of my parent’s overseas trips…one charm in each place/country they visited. She never really told me about them, plus I was home with two toddlers and just couldn’t relate at that time. When she passed, all chance of asking about them was gone. Of course, my dad lived another 22 years, but of course that little box was tucked away…out of sight, out of mind! The lesson here is…if you have an assortment of charms in your jewelry box that have a memory attached, consider writing down what they mean to you…otherwise, you’ll be passing on a mystery to someone else!
I carefully emptied the box to take pictures of the charms. I know most of their travels were to and from Southeast Asia, but I’m sure they had stops along the way. These charms were silver (or tin?) and many were quite delicate. I don’t know if they were arranged in any specific order or if she had a favorite.
The mystery is…I have no ‘stories’ or ‘memories’ to go with the charms. I don’t know what countries they are from. I’ll share the pictures below. If you recognize a charm that represents a specific country I’d love to hear about it! Otherwise, imagine the stories I could make up using these charms to tie an adventure together! Any fiction writers out there?
My favorite charm in the whole pile…this very delicate bike with a seat for a passenger! I know I saw those in the Philippines…in 1955-56!
Please email me directly if you have comments or questions (maryjkisner@gmail.com) I also post links to this article on Facebook and you can comment there. Enjoy!
I just finished reading a heart-warming novel by Pamela Raleigh entitled, “The Memory Bracelet.” The story follows a grandmother who is suffering with Alzheimer’s and her granddaughter. The story is summarized on Amazon as follows:
‘When college sophomore Tessa Wilde visits her Alzheimer’s-stricken grandmother Esther, a shocking secret slips out, one that threatens Tessa’s identity and raises old feelings of betrayal and rejection. The only way to pursue the truth, though, is to explore those unreliable memories.
But can she separate Esther’s ramblings of a storied past from the effects of Alzheimer’s?
Relying on Grandmother’s stories that live in the charms of her beloved bracelet, Tessa pushes her grandmother to reveal the truths that have been hidden for too long. As Esther’s health deteriorates and communication fails, Tessa faces the ultimate question: can she forgive Grandmother for half-spilled secrets and an unreconciled relationship? And face the fact that they’re more alike than they are different?
Perfect for fans of Barbara Davis and Kristan Higgins, The Memory Bracelet is a gripping yet heartwarming novel about the pain resulting from complicated relationships, carried from one generation to the next, and the fierce determination to heal them.’
The story backflashes are triggered by the charms on the grandmother’s bracelet. While the reader can follow the various experiences prompted by the charms, the granddaughter does not know the whole story. The grandmother struggles to share what lessons were learned made even more difficult with her inability to speak clearly and coherently thanks to the influence of Alzheimer’s.
It was a very touching story and had me thinking about charms that would trigger my memories of things I’ve done in my life…sort of a tangible resume. If I were to build a charm bracelet for myself, what would I include?
I started making a list of charms that would represent my life. Then I went to Amazon to see if they had charms to fit. I’m sure I could find fancy, expensive gold and silver charms, but since this was just for fun, I just did an easy search.
For example, I’ve been sewing since Junior High School. How about a sewing machine charm?
Cute! My first machine was my mother’s Singer Featherweight machine…black just like this!
If I wanted to remind myself of my quilting experiences, there’s a charm for that!
Or, I might find something in this assortment:
When I was first teaching, I also studied Cosmetology…to be a hairdresser. Of course, it was too much to do both, but I did learn to cut hair. (Yes…I’m a Beauty School Dropout!). However, I’ve been cutting hair for family for 55 years! And yes, there’s a charm for that!
How about all the writing I’ve done over the years…from curriculum materials to my blog! I did start with a manual typewriter! There’s a charm for that!
And then there are all the books I’ve read! Yes, there’s a charm for that!
When I think of all the love I’ve given to the Greyhounds, I realized I already had a charm for that!
I can’t forget how much I’ve enjoyed gardening:
and Baking/Cooking (this one is just too cute!)
I’m sure if I wanted to do it, I could assemble quite a nice charm bracelet of my life. Since I really don’t like a noisy, clanking bracelet and would probably never wear it, I think these pictures would be enough to jog my memory of all the many things I’ve done, or made, or loved!
What pictures or charms would you assemble to represent your life experiences? It might be a way to start the conversation with our grandchildren about things we’ve done…or encourage them to start their own collection. Enjoy!
We anticipate that the predicted snow storm for this weekend will dump a significant amount of snow on us. I saw a picture on Facebook of the Blizzard of 1978. I remember that winter well…Ted was just turning two and Kathy was 3 months old. It felt like we didn’t go outside for a month! Our sidewalk looked like a tunnel, just like the street in the photo below:
Here is the caption for the photo:
Snowfall during the Blizzard of 1978 hit Pennsylvania with a wild regional split, backed by some eye-opening stats. Northwestern PA took the hardest punch, with Erie and the Lake Erie snowbelt piling up 20 to 30 inches, boosted by intense lake-effect bands. The Laurel Highlands and ridges of southwestern PA stacked 15 to 25 inches, with wind gusts topping 40 to 50 mph, creating drifts that climbed over 6 feet in spots. Central Pennsylvania averaged 10 to 18 inches, though open farmland saw whiteouts so severe that PennDOT reported hundreds of road closures. Southeastern PA saw lighter totals, generally 4 to 10 inches, but powerful winds and sub-zero wind chills created dangerous travel conditions and widespread disruptions. Overall, the storm remains one of the most chaotic and wind-driven winter events Pennsylvania endured during the late 1970s.
Hopefully, we have better methods of snow removal now but already various appointments are being postponed or cancelled for Monday!
Our preparations for the snow storm are not too complicated…mostly because we are already prepared for the power to go out. Bert handles things like the generator, the wood stove in the basement and the snow blower. I ran a load of laundry and tried to make sure we have what we need for food…although, other than milk and eggs we could probably skip a run to the store. The sun is shining right now and I wanted some apples, so I did run to the grocery store and picked up milk and eggs! (smile)
When bad weather is predicted, I seem to get in the mood to bake bread…but at the moment, I have enough homemade bread in the freezer. I did take a whole chicken out of the freezer and will roast it tomorrow. I’ll take the time to simmer the bones to make soup stock. Somehow, making soup stock feels like the right thing to do when we could be snowbound! Chicken noodle soup anyone?
I’ve found the best thing to do during a snowstorm is to dream about our 2026 garden plans. This year we did receive assorted seed catalogs…this is a picture from last year:
However, we did not get one from Burpee…our favorite Pennsylvania seed company. We kept waiting…but no catalog in the mail. It looks like we had to ‘request’ a catalog to be sent. Interesting. We ordered seeds online from them.
First, we had to consider our garden space, what we grew in the past and what worked. I know I have enough tomatoes and tomato sauce canned and will probably not need to do more this year so maybe fewer tomato plants. Our zucchini was fun but took up a lot of space. I can easily buy them at the Farmers Market when I’m in the mood. The cherry tomatoes were cute but the skins were tough (thanks to the weather) so we’ll skip them this year. The pumpkins were impressive but I think we fed all the groundhogs in the neighborhood!
So, here are the spaces we have available:
Three planters on the patio and maybe a pot of something:
Two raised/fenced beds off the patio (the back one already planted with asparagus roots):
The fenced garden on the hill (already planted with lavender on one end and echinacea at the other end):
And of course, the space in front of the wood pile is available…not sure what will happen there!
It seems we have lots of room, but we’re certainly not a truck farm!
After much discussion, we decided to focus on what we know works and fill in with flowers.
Our seed order arrived last week! I deliberately copied out the photos of the actual vegetables we ordered…just to see if what we grow looks like the picture. (Haha…never happens, but I can always dream!)
I hope that whatever weather you are experiencing now, you can take time to dream about what you are going to do this spring. I like to have a vision for the future to help me deal with what’s happening now! Enjoy!
Remember, if you have comments or questions please email me directly at maryjkisner@gmail.com.
I’ve made hundreds of gemstone bracelets over the last two years. It has come to my attention that a few folks have been frustrated with their bracelets falling apart. Remember, the whole ‘bracelet’ fad started with plastic letter beads that were fairly indestructible. There were other fads that had string, cord or leather bracelets that could handle 24/7 wear. The stone beads that I use are just that…stones and crystals! They have their own individual properties that influence how they should be cared for. Each stone has a Mohs Hardness Score that provides some guidance about how it should be treated. When I create a bracelet that has several different stones, I’ve complicated the issue of how to care for the bracelet.
The following information is a general guideline for most bracelets that have more than one kind of stone. I hope it helps you keep your bracelets looking great!
How to Care for Your Gemstone Bracelet
Stone bracelets can contain a wide variety of gemstones, each with unique properties and care requirements. Common stones used in bracelets may include tiger’s eye, lapis lazuli, malachite and lepidolite. Each type of stone has its own hardness and porosity which influences its care.
Avoid Water Exposure
While most quartz beads (clear, rose and smoky) can withstand daily wear in the shower, any stone with a Mohs hardness score of less than 4 or 5 may begin to lose its luster. The very soft stones like selenite and amber (Mohs Score of 2) will begin to dissolve over time. Since most bracelets have a mixture of stones, it’s wise to not wear your gemstone bracelets in the shower, the pool, the hot tub or the ocean. These bracelets are strung with an elastic cord that will also degrade over time with water exposure. If your bracelet gets dirty, gently clean it with a soft damp cloth to wipe the surface and dry with a lint-free cloth.
Cleanse Your Bracelets
Gemstones can absorb energies from the environment as they come in contact with other stones, objects or people. Because gemstones can absorb and store low-frequency energies, it helps to cleanse them frequently. Cleansing can be done with salt, smudging and moonlight. Using selenite is the easiest.
Selenite is a transparent, crystalline form of the mineral gypsum. It has a hardness score of 2 on the Mohs scale, which means it is soft enough to be scratched by a fingernail and dissolves in water. In crystal healing, selenite is revered for its high vibrational energy and spiritual cleansing abilities. It is used to clear negative energy from spaces, people, and other crystals. It is said to create a protective barrier against negative energies and psychic interference.
In general, you can easily cleanse your bracelets by placing them on a selenite plate or bowl overnight. These are available on Amazon and other rock shops on the internet. You can also place bracelets in a mesh bag with my Selenite Key Chain Accessory. My Key Chain Accessory is a small loop of Selenite beads that can be attached to a key chain or stored in a mesh bag. Your gemstone bracelets can be added to the bag overnight to cleanse them of any accumulated negative energies.
Recharge Your Bracelets
After your bracelet has been cleansed, recharge your bracelet with your intentions. Hold the bracelet in your hands and review the purpose of the bracelet. Refer to the intentions in the printout that came with the bracelet.
Storing Your Bracelets
When you are not wearing your bracelet, protect it from damage by storing it in a separate cloth bag, or arrange it so it will not be damaged by other jewelry. I like to see mine displayed, but I keep them separated from each other, away from direct sunlight.
My interest in making gemstone bead bracelets did not emerge overnight. It’s been over two years since I first started reading about these stones. It was a very different interest from all the other craft stuff I was already doing…sewing, fabric crafts, hand and body products with essential oils, cooking and baking recipes and gardening and preserving food each summer. When I first started reading about the gemstones, I wasn’t even thinking about bracelets!
I think it all started with an advertisement from Sedona Crystal Vortex, a rock shop in Sedona (https://sedonacrystalvortex.com/). We had visited Sedona several years before and enjoyed the shops near our hotel. I seemed to be on their mailing list! One of the ads showed a little bag of stones that could be kept in my pocket. It said if I carried them in my pocket and handled them frequently throughout the day, they would help me lose weight. Riiiight! I was intrigued so I ordered them. There were 5 little stone chips in a tiny mesh bag tied tight. I started learning about those particular stones and carried them in my pocket for quite a while. Nothing magic, but every time I put my hand in my pocket, I noticed them and remembered the reason they were there. This ‘intention’ kept my focus on why I should pay attention to what I was eating. The picture below shows three of those stones that are now in my collection. I’m not sure what the other stones were, but it doesn’t matter. Three seemed to be the number of items I could focus on.
Over the next few months, I built the beginning of my stone collection. They were pretty and I enjoyed reading about their histories and how they were used in the past. I was so afraid I would mix them up I tried to make sure I labeled each one and put them into little drawers with the information cards about each stone.
This led to a set of drawers:
I learned about each stone and usually carried two or three in my pocket every day. Luckily, I was wearing cargo pants with deep pockets so none of the stones got lost!
I also found quite a few books at Barnes & Noble bookstore about crystals and stones. Here are a few I still have on my shelf:
Finally, finding ‘The Book of Stones‘ by Robert Simmons and Naisha Ahsian was a turning point for me. Besides color pictures of the stones, each description includes where and when it was discovered, where it currently comes from, its color and hardness number and many more details that I was not interested in when I first started reading about the stones That first year, I was reading about the stones, ordering more small samples and carrying them in my pocket. Crazy, I know!
On Etsy, I discovered a seller that made bracelets with 4mm beads, all the same stone… I ended up buying quite a few. It was a much easier way to take the beads with me, rather than a pocket of stones! However, many of the stones I wanted weren’t available as bracelets and the bracelets didn’t fit well, so they stayed in the drawers!
Then, the cultural shift of millions of folks following Taylor Swift around the world and instantly, beaded bracelets were all the rage! I thought how fun…a new craft! These friendship bracelets used plastic beads, often with letters to build messages. I tried a few, even some with PSU letters and blue and white beads…because I’m here in Penn State country! I had to buy letter packs of the whole alphabet! I could make about four bracelets with P S U and then I ran out of letters!
I tried making 5 bracelets with the words in a favorite poem but then I didn’t know what to do with them! Nobody cared about the poem except me!
Then I tried bracelets with a person’s name spelled out in Morse Code! At least then I could use some of the beads that I was learning about. That was fun, but once I’d given one to everyone I knew, I still wanted to know more about the stones.
At this point, my interest in the stone beads led me to make bracelets that would address a specific issue…like joy or courage. The first bracelet was my weight loss bracelet, using the same stone beads as the stones I carried in my pocket!
One of the most recent bracelets I’ve made had quite a few different beads, all to support motivation, energy, self-confidence and self-discipline. I made it just for me for days when I needed a kick to get me moving! It turns out several other people were interested in it also.
So, that’s how this all started! But…I have learned a lot…about how these stones were used in history, how they are still used in alternative health situations and how my creative mind can enjoy making these bracelets. My disclaimer with each bracelet reminds folks:
About Your Gemstone Bracelet
Each of the beads in your bracelet have meaning and together support each other for your well-being. They are described in the insert with your bracelet. You can wear the bracelet or carry it in your pocket. Each time you see it or handle it remember its intention as described on the tag, such as bringing you joy or lowering your stress level. Reminder: This bracelet is not a medical device. Its purpose is to help you focus and send positive energy to your mind and body. I have made your bracelet with love and the best of intentions for your well-being. Mary Kisner
I’ll try to not bore you with too many details about my bracelets. I do still cook, bake, garden, preserve food, sew, make soap, read fiction and now make bracelets! I’d love to hear from you, but remember to email me directly because too many spammers have drowned my website with junk!! I also post a link on my Facebook page to these articles, so you can comment there. Thanks! maryjkisner@gmail.com
Clear Quartz, Amethyst, Blue Aventurine, Blue Apatite
This is it! Finally, the last day of 2025! I should feel sad…oops no I don’t (smile)! It has felt like a long slog…more medical appointments than I wanted to endure! Each social commitment felt good when completed and I could check it off the list. Turning the page to a new month provided some relief…tossing the calendar page with too many appointments scribbled in and crossed off and changed to a new date or time. I’ve felt like I’ve been at the mercy of other folk’s schedules like Doctors, Dentists and follow-up appointments.
When I look back at this year, I realize I tried to summarize the year with my one-page Christmas letter. I’ll share the letter here (some of you received it already…sorry to repeat). However, I try to not burden anyone with too many details at Christmas time. I’ll post the letter in sections and expand with a few more pictures. Mostly, I’d like to share what I’ve been doing with my bracelets as I get ready for the summer craft festival. So, here is the Christmas letter with additional info:
Christmas 2025
Greeting Family and Friends!
We hope this yearly letter finds you and yours healthy, wealthy and wise! I always wanted to say that! Of course, at our age healthy is a variable we’re all dealing with. Wealthy…well we didn’t win the lottery but we’re wealthy with friends…and we feel especially wise about all the choices we’ve made over the last 79 years, considering there is absolutely nothing we can do to change anything!
Bert had a good year with no major health issues or surgeries. Lately, that’s our measure of success! He had fun with the garden this year and planted a huge pumpkin patch. It dwarfed the wood pile! It also attracted the neighborhood groundhogs who thought we had planted them just for their dining pleasure!
The garden did well this year in spite of sporadic rain/no rain issues. I now have quite a few good zucchini recipes and we have enough tomato sauce for the year!
The Echinacea always made me smile!
I started the year thinking I could get really creative with my bead bracelets and was looking forward to the summer festival. Of course, my yearly mammogram in January showed evidence of cancer. The rest of the year was spent dealing with more Xrays, MRI, Lumpectomy and Radiation. All done for now!
I will say the bracelets gave me a purpose and something to do when I didn’t feel like doing anything else. The festival in July was very successful and I’m gearing up for next year. Hopefully, I won’t be distracted with any more health issues in 2026!
The last week or two I’ve been repackaging my specialty bracelets so I can redesign my festival booth. Marketing is not my strength so I’m hoping I’ll get some good advice from friends about how to display the bracelets.
Last year my booth was pretty simple. Luckily, I was with my friend Toni because I certainly couldn’t fill up the whole booth myself!
Obviously, I need to change the display, so I’m thinking about a grid wall behind my table like these:
Then, I’m repackaging all my specialty bracelets so each bag looks like this:
I now have 42 different bracelets that I can arrange/hang on the grid wall. That will certainly fill up the backdrop space and I’ll move my sign above the grid wall. It should be more visible from a distance!
I will still have simple single stone bracelets but they can be organized by size. People seemed to like being able to search through the small bins for their favorite beads and colors.
Here’s my Table of Contents for the specialty bracelet catalog:
Finally, I need to make a decision about how to accept payment for bracelets. I REALLY don’t want to commit to accepting credit cards. While I do have PayPal, cash is so much easier. I found last year cash worked well except for the teenagers/college-age kids…they wanted to use VENMO and something else. I guess I have a few months to figure it out. Any suggestions will be considered.
To wrap up…we made it through Christmas at Kathy’s home…a fun time for all. Kathy always has a wonderful Christmas Eve/Morning planned for all of us. I so appreciate her efforts! We desperately try to remember to take pictures…usually as we’re putting our coats on!
Bert and I both manage to wear red on Christmas morning. I certainly don’t have a lot of red items in my closet!
Ben and Anna are growing up!
Even Daisy was a happy dog to have us all there!
Please email me directly if you have comments, questions or advice about using VENMO (or others). maryjkisner@gmail.com
Today I tried a simple muffin recipe that turned out great! It was published as a gluten-free recipe so I just substituted all-purpose flour for the gluten-free flour. The muffins were tasty and could complement soup or chili. With a little maple syrup or cinnamon/sugar they could satisfy like a pancake and have more protein with the cheese added! Maybe even for Christmas morning!
Here is the recipe:
Making the Muffins
The ingredient list was pretty simple. I had everything on hand. I was also excited to try my new silicone muffin pan…no need for grease or muffin papers!
First step. Add the first 4 ingredients to a big bowl: flour, baking powder, salt, sugar.
Next, I added one at a time, the cheese, melted butter, milk and egg. It easily mixed into a soft batter.
I scooped out the batter, one tablespoon at a time, into my silicone muffin pan. Here’s the pan ready to bake in a 400 degree F oven.
I did sprinkle a little coarse sugar on top of each one just for the crunch. In 25 minutes they were golden brown and still moist inside. When completely cool, the outside of the muffin was quite firm, but the inside was soft. I think they would travel well without falling apart.
Delicious!
What an easy way to add muffins to any meal! Give it a try! Enjoy! As always, please email me directly if you have comments or questions: maryjkisner@gmail.com
The Christmas season has always been associated with my dad’s birthday… December 22. He always said his birthday was no big deal when growing up because often he would just be handed one of his wrapped Christmas gifts early. His dad’s birthday was December 26, so Paul learned young that he and his dad would have their birthday celebrations wrapped into the Christmas festivities.
My dad, Paul Bixby (December 22, 1913 to December 14, 2012) lived a long productive life. His career in education ranged from teaching in a one room school in Minnesota to a high school principal in New Jersey to Assistant Dean of the College of Education at Penn State.
In his later years, after my mother died (1988) and his second wife died (2000), he was able to connect more with his kids, grandkids and great grandkids. For several years, his birthday became the time when we would host a birthday picnic in our shop for as many relatives who could travel to visit. A few pictures from his 95th birthday picnic prompted me to search for as many pictures as I could easily find of him with his kids, grandkids and a few great grandkids. They were good memories for me since it has now been 13 years since he died. How time flies!
So, if you’ll forgive me, here are some special memories for me this Christmas!
Paul with Luca.
Some of the party guests!
Paul with Erin and Jean:
Paul with Ben…who slept through it all.
Paul with Ben…a few years later.
Paul and Aislinn.
Paul and Annika.
Paul with Aislinn and Ted.
Front row: Kathy, Jean, Paul, Mary. Back row: Lita, Mark, Bert
Front row: Todd, Anh, Gabriel, Quinn, Parker, Pam, Ron. Back row: Teresa, Paul, Mark.
And last…but not least…Paul holding newborn Anna. He died about 6 weeks later. I’m so sorry he didn’t get to really meet her…she slept through it all!
So, this Christmas, we will be thinking about Paul on his birthday (Dec. 22)! He would have been 112 years old!
I posted this story 4 years ago! Can’t believe it! This simple air freshener works as designed and doesn’t overwhelm me…even when it’s cold out and the heat is blasting through the car!
December 8, 2021
I recently bought an air freshener for my car at the drug store counter. It clipped onto the vent on the dash. I lasted about 3 minutes before I threw it out…the scent was so strong and sickening I couldn’t stand it. It seemed like a good idea at the time!
Then I saw an ad online that showed some air fresheners made of a simple chunk of wood with a clip attached. You were supposed to add drops of your own preferred essential or fragrance oil. At least I could choose the scent!
I found some samples online by just typing in “wood air freshener for the car.” There were interesting shapes like flowers with a clip on the back, or slices of a tree branch meant to hang on the mirror.
I wasn’t sure the oils would soak in properly and then provide a nice smell in the car without being overpowering.
With Bert’s help, and a bag full of wood scraps that he uses for all kinds of little projects, we gave it a try.
First, I ordered the clips from Amazon…they were called “Square Head Car Air Vent Clips.” A bag of 20 clips were $6.99.
They were a very tight clip. Next challenge…finding some chunks of wood. Bert came in with some round fairly flat disks to see if they might work. The groove around the center could capture the oil until it soaked in.
He experimented with how to attach the clip to the back. Plain glue would not work because of the kind of stress it would be under to pull it from the vent. He found a way to put a screw on each side of the base, with the edge of the screw overlapping the base. It worked great for now. He had some other ideas for the next batch.
Now that the base was secured, I needed to add drops of scented oil…I chose Lavender fragrance oil…mostly because I had a big bottle of it, and I could stand the scent.
First, I had to figure out a way to keep the whole thing vertical so the oil wouldn’t drip off before it soaked into the wood. I had this small box that held the roller balls in shipping. The clip just fit over the center divider and kept it upright while I added the oil.
Using the dropper, I filled the center ring and let it soak in. I did that several times over the next few days. Then I put it in the car vent. It helped to be driving around with the heated air coming through the vent. The first day it was quite noticeable, but by the second day it was very pleasant. Not sure how long it will last, but when I can’t smell it anymore, I’ll pull it out of the vent, bring it into the house, add more oil and put it back in the car.
Bert did make me five of these so I could switch up the scents. I’ll store them in labeled zip bags so I know which one had which oil. Pretty slick! Try it yourself! Enjoy!
Thought it was time to wrap up my story about making Christmas favors for two groups of special folks. The first is the lovely group of about 14 women in the Ladies Auxiliary to the Boalsburg Fire Company. We will have our Christmas dinner next week at a local restaurant. The second group is from the State College High School class of 1964. Our group varies from month to month depending upon who is in town…often six to twelve folks. Next week we will have lunch at a local restaurant.
Obviously, many of these folks read my blog, so if you will be attending those events next week…shhh…please be ‘surprised’ when I hand out your favors. (smile)
I decided to aim for 30 gift bags total to make sure I had enough. Each gift bag would have a small mesh bag of 3 small soaps, an eye pillow filled with flax seeds, a small bag of green and red M&Ms and a battery-operated votive candle. Just enough to take a relaxing break over the holidays! This was not an expensive gift bag…what I’m really giving is my time to make the soaps and eye pillows to some special folks. If nothing else, the items can be used up or re-gifted to someone else!
The Small Soaps
The first item that triggered my thinking for these gift bags was my extra Goats Milk Melt & Pour soap. The small soaps make great guest soaps and are easy to make. Most of the time is used waiting…waiting for the soap to melt and waiting for the soap to harden in the molds. Yes it’s a little tedious wrapping each tiny soap with plastic wrap, but it’s a necessary step. FYI…Melt & Pour soap is hydroscopic…and will eventually absorb moisture from the air and soften. Therefore, each tiny soap needed to be protected. (Regular hand-made soap bars made from scratch need to be open to the air to harden over a few weeks.)
The Melt & Pour soap just needed to be chopped up, melted over boiling water and poured into molds. The small molds worked well, but I had to make 90 individual soaps. That took a full day to melt the soap, pour it into molds, wait for it to harden and then pop out the soaps and wrap them individually in plastic wrap. Then I started over when the molds were free.
Here are the soaps ready for the gift bags:
When I was all finished, I had this pile of soaps left over. They may find their way to other gifts or Christmas stockings!
The Eye Pillows
The flaxseed-filled pillows can be heated in the microwave or put in the freezer. Very handy for tired eyes. I found cotton fabric at Walmart, but I had to order flannel from Amazon.
First, I cut out 30 sets of pillows…one front, one back and two muslin pieces for lining. The flax seeds have sharp points on each end and would poke right through the flannel without the lining.
The four pieces stacked like this:
I stitched around the rectangle leaving an opening on one end.
Turn the pillow right side out.
Top stitch all the way around the pillow…leaving the small opening. I used a funnel and a 1/4 cup measure to pour in the required 1 cup of flax seeds. Then, after shifting all the flax seed to the far end, I quickly sewed the opening closed.
I also wanted to keep each pillow clean in the gift bag, so I put each one in a gallon zip bag. That would help it stay nice between use, and would keep it clean if used as a cold pack when placed in the freezer.
The process to make 30 pillows took more than several days to complete. Thank goodness for Hallmark Movies to keep me entertained!
The Battery-operated Votive Candles
I’ve had this box of votive candles for several years. I used a few to put inside some clay candle holders I made out of polymer clay. So much for that project! I made a few and decided I didn’t need more than three…thus, there sat a box of candles on my shelf! (I did make sure they would still work before I put them in the gift bags!)
Red and Green M&Ms
I’m sure the M&Ms were not necessary but they just seemed like the perfect touch! This 4 lb. bag of M&Ms just made 30 tiny bags…one for each gift bag!
Time to fill the bags!
I think this display will count as my Christmas decorating for the season! Enjoy!
