Heating Pad or Foot Warmer
This is great to warm cold feet when going to bed or to sooth tight neck muscles.
1/2 yard cotton flannel
4 cups uncooked white rice
1 Tbsp. whole cloves
Cut the flannel into a 14″x18″ rectangle. Fold with right sides together, so the rectangle measures 7″x18″. Sew around edges, leaving an opening for turning. Fill with rice and cloves. Hand sew the opening shut. For gift-giving, include instructions: To use as a heating pad, microwave for 1-2 minutes in High.
Homemade Vanilla Extract Recipe
2 vanilla beans cut lengthwise (but not in half)
3/4 cup vodka
Combine the ingredients in a 1 cup jar, set aside and let steep at least 3-4 weeks — the longer the better. As the vanilla is used, you can add more vodka. You can get 4-5 large bottles of vanilla out of 2 beans.
- Check Amazon.com for inexpensive vanilla beans.
- I found this great how to make your own vanilla recipe with some really cute bottles to bottle it.
Christmas Scent
1 lemon
1 orange
3 three inch cinnamon sticks
6 bay leaves
1/2 cup whole cloves
Combine all ingredients in a clear bag or jar.
Attach the following instructions to the jar:
Cut lemon and orange into slices or quarters. Combine fruit, spices, and 2 quarts of water in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer. Add more water as needed. Cover any left over mixture, refrigerate and reuse. Makes 8 cups.
For lots more Homemade Christmas gifts, decorations and more, check out our new Homemade Christmas Kindle e-book here!
I love the heating pad/foot warmer idea! Often enough you can find a piece of old flannel clothing that you can use to make the pad with. If you decide to buy material, the sky’s the limit on colors schemes!
Buy a larger bag of rice and you can either use the rest for more warmer pads or to feed your family. If you decide to keep the leftover uncooked rice for meals, you may wish to re-bag it for safe keeping.
I made a similar warmer and fill it with deer corn instead of rice.
LOVE the homemade vanilla idea! Thanks for the good info. I know almost nothing about vodka or any other alcohol, but this homemade version seems to be much more natural than the imitation flavoring I have been using. May have to try it, even though I’m a Baptist.
Perfect timing on the article, with Christmas coming so quickly!
Too funny Terrie. We knew nothing about vodka either and the first time we went to get some here was Tawra an 8 month pregnant Baptist walking into a liquor store. We were “praying” that no one would see us and get the wrong idea.
We did at one time have a lady get really nasty with us about the vanilla but we couldn’t get her to understand that even the real vanilla she bought in the grocery store and used in her cooking was 100% alcohol and made the same way.
Anyway it does make really nice vanilla.
It’s true that people make a big deal when they see you doing something. I worked at a place where my co-workers knew I don’t drink alcohol, but one day I wanted to make some brownies and homemade goodies for the holidays, and a Christmas party at work,, that called for some liquers so for the first time in my life, I went into a liquer store and low and behold was “catch” by a co-worker who went to work the next day and made a big deal of it claiming I was a “closet” alcoholic. People can be strange in their assessment of things. I never did live that down.
I have downloaded the Christmas E Book. Now how in the world do you view it?
Not sure why you are having trouble Betty. You can maybe check with Amazon or I will try and get our “IT” guy to get back with you as soon as he can.
Betty,
Make sure you either have the free Kindle application, if you don’t have the actual Kindle that you hold in your hand.
The free Kindle app is here:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?ie=UTF8&docId=1000493771
Thanks Chris for helping Betty.
Does anyone know if you can used corked bottles for the vanilla extract?
Yes Tawra has used them and you can.
I am a believer and see nothing wrong with a glass of wine with dinner. I can see why Timothy was told to take a little wine for his stomach. Since I have I do not have probelms with IBS anymore but enough said.
I also put vodka in the toothbrush holder with some peppermint and it makes the bathroom smell good.
I use essential oils a lot and everclear and water help disperse the oils when used as a spray. Cheap vodka is a whole lot cheaper so I get the LARGE bottle. The guy at the liquor store said to use vodka in place of water for pie crusts, is supposed to make them flaky. Haven’t tried it yet. I keep the bottle in the bathroom under the sink so when the plumber came I had to remember to move it.
During the late 50′s and early 60′s Alcoholics who didn’t want it known that they were would go to the grocery store and buy vanilla to drink, because it was made with alcohol. Fooled some people until they started going in and buying out the entire shelf.
You can do the same thing for peppermint extract. Just stuff a bottle or jar with the mint leaves and add the vodka.
My mother used to use cheap brandy for bronchitis. Made you cough really hard and brought up the mucus. When we moved to town the first winter both my boys got it bad and I went into the liquor store and was asked what I was looking for. I said the cheapest brandy. They said they had very nice brandy but it was more expensive. I told them I needed the cheapest as it was for my children.
So yes Bea people certainly make assumptions. For a number of years I got some pretty weird looks. But the boys bad coughs didn’t last nearly as long as other children with the same cough.
My husband drinks a glass of red wine preferably a merlot everyday and his bad circulation in his legs is gone. Being diabetic this is definitely a good thing.
Grandma when I read you asked for the cheapest brandy for your children at the liquor store I laughed!!! The employee there must have thought you were quite a lady! HEE HEE. It just sounds so funny. He really didn’t need an explanation though, since it’s none of his business.