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save money and have fun

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A crafty, homemade paperweight is a great gift for any man. It's also a cute gift for a child to give. This paperweight is easy to make. You will need a baby food jar, assorted nuts, bolts, screws, glue, a piece of burlap and a piece of packaging cord.

Fill a clean baby food jar with the assorted nuts, bolts and screws.
Glue the baby food jar lid to the jar and allow to dry.
Wrap the burlap around the lid and place a dot of glue to keep it in place.
Finish off with the packaging cord and attach a personalized card.
 
ALL I CAN SAY ABOUT THIS IS YUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUM CONTAINS NUTS

Ingredients
1 cup shelled pistachio nuts (about 1/2 pound in shell)
12 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
8 ounces white chocolate, chopped
3/4 cup dried, sweetened cranberries
Instructions
Heat the oven to 350º and lightly toast the pistachio nuts on a baking sheet, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Let the nuts cool.
Melt the semisweet chocolate in the top of a double boiler set over simmering water, stirring until smooth. Or microwave it, in a dry microwave-safe bowl, uncovered, on medium power for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring once. Remove the chocolate from the microwave and stir until smooth. Melt the white chocolate separately, following the same directions.
In a small bowl, combine the nuts and cranberries, then stir half of them into the semisweet chocolate. Using a spatula, spread the mixture to about a 1/2-inch thickness on a large cookie sheet. Drop the white chocolate by tablespoonfuls over the dark. With the tip of a butter knife, swirl the chocolates together to create a marbled effect. Sprinkle on the rest of the nuts and berries.
Refrigerate the bark for about 1 hour or until firm, then break it into pieces. Store the bark in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a month. Makes about 1 3/4 pounds.


Can I also say mine looked nothing like the pic below :(
https://familyfun.go.com/assets/cms/recipes/festive-chocolate-bark-christmas-recipe-photo-260-FF1203KITCHA01.jpg



I am attempting to make this today so I will show a pic if I get round to it cos kids are at their nan and grandads for the afternoon. Off to get my ingredients

woooooo well done its fun to make
 
Decadent Butter Toffee - I get requests for these year after year!

1/2 cup butter (keep extra available)
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup water
4 ounces milk chocolate chips
sliced almonds (optional)

Rub the top of a microwavable mixing bowl with (extra) butter. Place butter into bowl. Pour sugar directly on butter. Add salt and water.
Cook approximately 7-8 minutes (sometimes I have seen some microwaves take up to 12 minutes). Mixture will boil. Start watching at this point so as not to overcook. Candy is done when it's the color of a Heath bar or brown sugar.
Pour mixture over sliced almonds on a buttered cookie sheet. Don't scrape the bowl! Spread mixture evenly. Top with chocolate, let sit for a minute, then spread chocolate over the top (and more almonds if you wish) and let cool. It takes approximately 15 - 20 minutes to cool enough to break easily. Break into pieces and arrange in a bowl, basket, or coffee cup, lined with plastic wrap. I can usually find cute holiday dishes at my $1 store that even come with lids. Make lots - everyone will want some. So addicting!
 
Home made lip barm :D
Materials
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 tablespoon beeswax
1 1/2 teaspoon sweet almond oil
1 teaspoon olive oil
20-30 drops of the flavoring of your choice
7 to 10 lip balm containers. It will vary greatly depending on the size container that you get.

Directions
You can do the melting process in the microwave, but you want to make sure you heat in brief 10-20 second intervals, stirring between each interval. To be safe, use a double-boiler or if you have a Pyrex measuring container, or other heat resistant glass for the procedure below. I like to use the Pyrex container method because it is easier to pour the mixture into the lip balm containers.

Add a few inches of water into a saucepan. If you are not using a double-boiler, place your Pyrex container in the saucepan.
Heat water on low.
Add coconut oil and beeswax. Stirring often, heat until they are completely melted.
Add olive oil, sweet almond oil, and flavoring. (If you are adding coloring, do so here)
Continue heating and mixing for a minute or two.
Pour mixture into small lip balm containers.
Let cool and you are done.
 
6 min choc cake


Ingredients
1 1/2 cup flour, all-purpose
1 cup sugar
3 Tbs. cocoa, unsweetened
1 Tsp. baking soda
1/2 Tsp. salt
1 Tsp. instant coffee, or espresso
6 Tbs. oil
1 Tbs. vinegar
1 Tsp. vanilla
1 cup cold water, or strong coffee,
Directions
Directions: Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Then, in a 9x9 cake pan, measure and blend thoroughly with a fork the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, instant coffee powder, and salt.
Next, make 3 indentations in the dry ingredients with your fork. Into the first, pour 6 tb. of oil. Into the second, pour 1 tb. vinegar. Into the third, pour 1 tsp. vanilla.
Then, over all ingredients, pour 1 cup of cold water or strong, cold coffee. Stir with a fork until evenly blended.
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Serve alone, with whipped cream, ice cream, or your favorite frosting.
 
I am making this as we speak for my hubby
https://www.goodtoknow.co.uk/recipes/130363/Victoria-sandwich
https://www.goodtoknow.co.uk/imageBank/cache/v/Victoria-SandwichFCW.jpg_e_80e120e8d9501686f40a51477471da69.jpg
its his birthday tomorrow :D I cant afford to get him a prezzie so sex and cake it is lol
this could also be used as a christmas cake !!

just put icing on top and make some holly leafes
 
A crafty, homemade paperweight is a great gift for any man. It's also a cute gift for a child to give. This paperweight is easy to make. You will need a baby food jar, assorted nuts, bolts, screws, glue, a piece of burlap and a piece of packaging cord.

Fill a clean baby food jar with the assorted nuts, bolts and screws.
Glue the baby food jar lid to the jar and allow to dry.
Wrap the burlap around the lid and place a dot of glue to keep it in place.
Finish off with the packaging cord and attach a personalized card.



hope you dont mind me adding to this -

the option for paper weights is rocks from the beach, painted with acrylic paints (kids can paint own designs etc). once dry varnish the design. they are then a heavy paper weight or if you use outdoor varnish can go outside. my boys turned rocks into bugs over the summer - ladybirds/butterflies/worm etc.
 
I tried it.. Its lovely but it didnt look like the pic :rofl:
 
Some great ideas!! THANKS!

Loving the chocolate one! Why did it not look like the pic? I wondered if they had a cheeky swirl when the chocolate was setting too??

I am doing home made hampers so going to add a bag of this and also try out your toffee too, seems easy to make too! (watch me get it wrong lol)

Emma.xx
 
my £1 shop had a set of 8 clear shot glasses for £1, these would work to decorate like some1 said.
 
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