Lavender Scented Bath Salts
(Recipe taken from The Art Of Handmade Living by Willow Crossley)
This recipe will make two medium sized Kilner jars full. They make a really lovely gift and I often make a batch for myself, the lavender aroma and salts are very soothing on sensitive skin.
Ingredients
Two cups of Epsom Salts
One Cup of coarse sea salt
1/2 cup of baking soda
50 drops of lavender essential oil
several sprigs of dried lavender ( you can dry you own really easily)
– Mix the Epsom salts and sea salt together with the baking soda
– Add the lavender oil stirring as you add.
– Add the dried lavender
– Put in a pretty jar and label with a gift tag
– Add a ribbon and wooden scoop ( or an antique silver spoon also looks beautiful)
Hand Knitted Dishcloths
My mother-in-law made one of these for me, they do a fantastic job. I’ve also given them as gifts. We also get our wooden brushes from a German company ( fantastically German website!) called Redecker.
Knitting Pattern For A Hand Knitted Dishcloth
materials
1 ball of craft cotton or bamboo
1 pair of size 5 or 6 knitting needles
Cast On 40 sts
Knit 50-56 rows
Cast Off 40 sts
Simplicity !
Marzipan Fruits
This makes a lovely gift for a foodie, arrange your fruits in a glass jar or beautiful box tied with a ribbon. You could either buy your marzipan or make from scratch.
Ingredients
Marzipan
Food Colouring
– Pinch a small piece of marzipan and roll between your hands to form a ball.
– Form your dough into the desired shape ( pear, apple banana etc.)
– Using a small paintbrush, dip your brush into a tiny quantity of food colouring and paint directly onto your ‘fruit’ (it’s particularly effective if you smudge two colours)
– Smudge the colour with your fingers or a small cloth.
– Leave in the fridge until you are ready to give them.
The Good Life from a terraced house 