Merry Christmas Day!

Remember.

It's not the size of the gift that counts....

it's the size of the

T H O U G H T

that counts.

Merry Christmas

to you all

natalie.

beyondthereef

Homemade Holidays

Homemade.

Doesn't that sound great?

While I was in Idaho, I had a friend give me a wonderful recipe

for a sugar/salt/oliveoil hand scrub.

You know Kenna Ogg - from Madison Cottage.

She puts the scrub by her kitchen sink - and after a week of 'dishpan hands', 

this scrub makes hands silky smooth and moisturized with the best olive oil available.

So, I lit a few holiday scented candles, and lined up my grandmother's mixing bowls.

After all, an afternoon of gift making had to be festive!

I even put on a little pandora music mix - "Bing Crosby Christmas"

Then it was time to wrap the gifts, because, presentation is everything!

Linen twine, handmade tags, a terribly thick paper for the canning jar tops and the wrap...

(actually a roll of wallpaper that a found at Michael Levine's)

Before I knew it, the gifts were stacking up on the buffet, under the 'little tree'

Within the time it would have taken to drive to the mall and park, 

I had fifteen gifts wrapped and under the tree.

Sure, they're not those little blue boxes with white ribbon.

Sure, they're not 3 carat diamond stud earrings.

Sure, they're not that new car smell with a crazy big bow on it.

But, sure, the person that receives this gift will know that it was the biggest gift of all.

The gift of time.  The gift of creativity.

The gift of love.

There's still time...email Kenna and ask her for the recipe; it's not mine to give.

Or whip up some home made granola, coco, peanut butter balls, potholders, coasters, napkins

Give the greatest gift you can give.

Give the gift of yourself.

BeginAgain

2010

Natalie.