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Are these spa gift crafts?

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Each holiday season I get more and more into crafting presents instead of buying presents. I also get more into gifting things that can be used up and made useful. These are a few crafts that, if you have the materials, are quick and easy to make and gift.

Cuticle Oil

Supplies:

  • small glass vials with roller applicator
  • Argon oil
  • Sweet almond oil
  • Lavender essential oil
  • Geranium essential oil
  • Vanilla essential oil
  • Dried chamomile and lavender flowers

I just mixed these up in the individual vials. You will only need a couple drops of each essential oil. Next, you will drop in some flowers; you don’t need many. This is really for visual interest. Then fill the vial a little over 1/3 full with the sweet almond oil. Top off the vial with argon oil and cap with the roller ball applicator. Voila!

Relaxing Bath Salts

Supplies:

  • small organza bags
  • bath salts
  • dried lavender flowers
  • dried camomile flowers
  • lavender essential oil (optional)

If you are making many, then mixing up the salts, dried flowers and essential oil in a large bowl might be worthwhile, otherwise you can just spoon the ingredients directly into the baggies. I use one or two drops of essential oil per baggie and then tie the bags tightly closed by knotting the drawstring ribbons. These ribbons can serve as a way to hang the bag on the tub faucet so the water will run through. The only hiccough I ran into with gifting these is that not many of my friends ever take baths.

Wax Sachets

Supplies:

  • Soy based candle wax
  • A mold of some kind
  • Whole spices: clove, star anise, dried orange wheels, lavender flowers, broken cinnamon stick
  • Ribbon
  • A container and pot to melt the wax
  • Essential oils: lavender, clove, cinnamon, orange

First, put water in your pan and put your container for melting wax over/in the water. Some people use a large measuring jug as their container, I just set a pot inside of another pot. You will want to use equipment dedicated to candle/soap/lotion making. I do not suggest using the same pots and containers that you use for cooking. Bring the water (in the outside container) to a simmer and allow your wax to melt.

While the wax is melting, pre-mix your essential oils to get the right balance. I used lavender, clove, cinnamon, and orange because that is the same combination I use for my room freshening spray in fall/winter. You can use anything that seems the nicest and most festive to you. You will also want to place some of your whole dried spices in your molds. I didn’t have anything fancy, so I wrapped old cardboard jewelry boxes in foil.

When the wax is melted pour it into your molds. You may want to place some additional spices after pouring, like the star anise and the orange wheel. I had placed all my spices in first, pouring the wax over-top, and some of them kind of got lost in the wax. Once the wax has hardened, heat up the end of a metal metal skewer to punch a hole for the ribbon (be sure you are using an oven mitt or pot holder to hold the skewer).

Simmering Potpourri

Supplies:

  • Whole spices: allspice berries, cinnamon sticks, dried orange wheels, clove buds, star anise, dried ginger, dried apple slices
  • Bottle or jar

This is supper simple! Just toss the tried spices together in a bowl. If your bottle are jar is a little on the small side then you may want to break up some of the orange wheels, cinnamon sticks, and apple slices. If the jar is big, you don’t have to worry about it. Divvy up the mix among your containers. When you gift this, I suggest including instructions: “Combine potpourri mix with water in a sauce pot. Place on the stove and bring to a simmer. Enjoy the smells!”

Holiday Crafting: Bami Ballen

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aka Surprise Balls

I am not sure where I first learned the name Bami Ballen. When I searched for them by that name after having obtained my first store bought Bami Ballen, I could find precious little online. There are a few more people calling it by that name now, but mostly they are sold as surprise balls.

Surprise balls are comprised of a wound up ball of crepe paper ribbon surrounding trinkets and treats inside.

YOU WILL NEED

  • Crepe paper streamers
  • Trinkets
  • Ribbon

One crepe paper streamer of the type you can pick up in a craft store was all I needed for each of these. The resulting bami ballen are a little smaller than some store-bought versions, but not much. They are a pretty normal ornament size, and can be hung on a tree as decoration until it is time to unwind them.

To make them, you just wind the crepe paper round, adding a bunch of layers in between each trinket. I use the trinkets to help me build out the shape. Eventually, you will be able to compress it into a ball shape with your hands, if your ballen is a bit wonky shaped. I suggest keeping slender items like fortunes, jokes, and fortune fish to the outsides where they can easily wrap around the ball shape.

When you have wrapped up all your crepe paper, then secure the whole thing with a ribbon that can also serve as a hanger loop. I tend to gift mine with a little explanatory tag, just in case the recipient has never heard of them before.

Holiday crafting: crackers

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We have been spreading our love of Christmas crackers to family and friends for a few years now. They used to be harder to find in the southern U.S., but are now made for just about every holiday and found in almost every home decor shop and catalog.

This year I wanted to make foisting crackers on family a little more special. I decided to make my own. This version does not actually ‘crack’ with the snap strip that gave crackers their name. I have been trying to make crafts to use up supplies in my closet. Since I didn’t have snap strips in the closet, I did without. I figured this was fine, because in my experience, thy only worked 10% of the time, anyway.

What you will need

  • Craft paper of some kind
  • ribbon
  • trinkets and jokes to put inside
  • cardboard tubes (I used tp cores)
  • a glue stick
  • scissors
  • ruler

I did this project over a couple of sittings but you could totally do it all in one go if you were so inclined. First, I gathered up all my inside bits. I didn’t make up any tissue paper crowns as would normally be found in a cracker, but I did write up some terrible jokes and gathered a couple of trinkets for each. You will need to make sure the trinkets conform to the shape of the tube. I used little jewelry baggies to hold small parts together and rubber bands to secure floppy, oddly shaped items into more compact packages.

Second, I grabbed my cardboard tubes and used them to measure my craft paper. If you use stiffer paper you will want to cut diamonds into the paper to help you cinch the ends together. My tubes were 4 inches long and 1.5 inches in diameter. My diamonds would need to be 1.5 inches long and start on either side of the 4 inch strip in the middle where the tube would go.

If you are using more flimsy paper, like wrapping paper, I would not suggest cutting the diamonds. A couple of the sheets I used were more printer paper weight and they were a little delicate around the cuts. Wrapping paper can also be easily cinched without cuts, though, if you use it, you will need card stock to help the ends hold their shape.

A few tips I have picked up while making these that made the process go so much smoother: 1) use extra tubes to help you keep your ends shaped. You will only be gluing a tube in the middle, but you will want to retain the cylindrical shape from end to end. Sliding an extra tube in each end is super helpful with this. 2) pre-roll your paper, especially if it is heavier weight, and 3) apply glue to the tube, not to the paper. Applying glue to the tube helped it adhere better and minimized the chance of wrinkles.

When the glue holds without you holding it, remove the extra tubes from either end. Tie your ribbon around one end of the cylinder over your diamond cut-outs (if you have them). You will not be able to completely close the ends (pictured above) so make sure your trinkets are not too small.

Of course the holes on either end of my cinched crackers would have been smaller if I had left less room between the middle points of each diamond. This space is what will determine how tightly closed the opening can get. You will have to figure out a good balance between a tight closure and enough remaining paper not to tear before it is meant to.

Once you have one end tied up, you can drop your jokes and trinkets inside and tie up the other end et voilà, you have made a cracker.

I will be giving all of mine away. It is a little hard to feel surprised and curious when I know what is in all of them.

Holidays in the Movies: Christmas in July

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We don’t celebrate Christmas in July because we have an all encompassing love of Christmas and we just have to have it more than once a year. Our mini holiday is more because we need a little imagined cooler weather; would never turn down the opportunity for another present and some some mulled cider; and could use a reminder that the yuletide feeling of love and hope for humanity doesn’t need to only happen once a year. However, while we spend weeks immersing ourselves in media for Christmas, Christmas in July gets a couple days at most. We make a selection of absolute favorites, White Christmas, and select a smattering of other features. This year that list includes:

  • Rudolph and Frosty’s Christmas in July (1979) – I have probably talked about Rankin and Bass before. Theirs are the holiday specials of my childhood, along with Charlie Brown. And, the title says it: Christmas in July.
  • Silent Night Bloody Night (1972) – I now believe that all mansions were once used as asylums or clinics of some kind.
  • White Christmas (1954) – This may be my favorite Christmas movie of all time, so of course, we watch it in July.
  • A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965) – Yes, Charlie Brown again.

Check out the other Holidays in the Movies posts.

Holidays in Movies: 4th of July

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US Post Office, Public Domain

I play the same record on every patriotic holiday: Timbuk 3’s Edge of Allegiance, because it starts with National Holiday. If we entertain guests, then perhaps I’ll bust out the Sousa, but Sousa takes a level of picnic commitment that is hard to rustle up in the heat of a Florida summer. Of course, like with many other holidays at my house, we get in the mood and stay in the mood with some carefully chosen movies.

Halloween and Christmas are extensive enough to warrant their own zines, but you can check out my previous posts on Thanksgiving, New Year, and Easter if you want more of this holiday moodiness, or check out all the other Holidays in the Movies posts.

4th of July

  • Music Man (1962): honestly, before checking the date on this, I had forgotten their was a 2003 version. I think I’m going to forget it again, because I love the 1963 film so much, no interlopers could infiltrate this relationship.
  • This is America Charlie Brown (1988-89): have I said this before: Charlie Brown means the holidays, any holiday, every holiday.
  • I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997): This even has a parade it is so 4th of July. There are flags and pageants and fishermen and floats and everything patriotic.
  • Silver Bullet (1985): Yes, it is a werewolf movie; yes, it happens on the 4th of July.
  • Martha’s Summer Favorites (2006): Martha Stewart specials on DVD are featured in our house every Halloween season, they help us prep for Thanksgiving and celebrate for Christmas. So, of course, they’re going to help us prep for the 4th of July too. This set could be watched at the start of summer except for an extended sequence on celebrating America, so here it is.
  • Jaws (1975): How could we miss it?
  • Uncle Sam (1996): A soldier killed by friendly fire in Kuwait is returned to his family in time for Independence Day celebrations. He awakes as a revenant and goes on a killing spree dressed as Uncle Sam.

Holidays in the Movies: Summer Solstice

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Sleepaway Camp (1983)

Summer tends to feel terribly devoid of holidays, but there are some important dates to celebrate. The summer solstice is the longest day of the year. Like sun lovers who celebrate the winter solstice as a lengthening of days from then on out, I welcome the summer solstice as a herald of shorter days to come. The sun in Florida is blinding and relentless, so the thought of it receding just a bit is a comfort by this time of year. At the same time the hottest and brightest days of summer are still to come. These are the movies we are watching to get in the mood and learn to love summer again:

  • Race for Your Life Charlie Brown (1977) – I’ve said it before, Charlie Brown is every holiday
  • Summer School (1987) – for everyone who no longer has summer breaks with no commitment, the feeling of being cooped up in class when you want to be out on vacation is real and familiar
  • Lost Boys (1987) – except for the fashion, this feels as though it is as hot and blinding as summers where we are
  • The Burbs (1989) – there is nothing that says summer so much as sitting around the house and indulging in conspiracy theories and paranoia
  • Sleepaway Camp (1983) – camp isn’t a break from school, its just more of the cliques, awkwardness, and bullying of school without the distraction of class work
  • Friday the 13th part VII: the new blood (1988) – as described by Richard, “Carrie vs. Jason,” but really, any Friday the 13th movie is appropriate as summer celebration watching
  • Hausu (1977) – A summer trip to the country complete with watermelon
  • Hiruko the Goblin (1991) – incredibly strange Japanese horror film with great summer vibes and plenty of school drama
  • One Crazy Summer (1986) – a silly slapstick comedy with some clever jokes, but not one we watch every year
  • Summer of Fear (1978) – also known as Stranger in Our House, this TV movie is full of witches and occult intrigue
  • Cheerleader Camp (1988) – more proof that all summer camps set in the woods are plagued by knife wielding killers

Don’t forget to check out all the other Holidays in the Movies posts.

*Holidays in the Movies posts will be treated like living posts and updated routinely. Last updated 6/28/2022

Holidays in Movies: Easter

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We are a movie watching household, so there is never anything quite so satisfying as being able to gear-up for and celebrate a holiday with some evening viewing. This is the second in a series where I pull out the movies we watch for those holidays that aren’t Halloween and Christmas. The first were Thanksgiving and New Year if you are in to this holiday thing.

Easter

  • The Being (1983): monsters, murder, green slime, and nuclear waste, what more can one ask for on Easter?
  • It’s the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown (1974): Charlie Brown = holidays, again and again and again.
  • The First Easter Rabbit (1976): I love Rankin and Bass productions. I love the animation and I love the clay-mation. Most of the specials I have collected are Christmas, of course, but Rankin and Bass hit all the holidays, or almost all.
  • Easter Parade (1948): I grew up with musicals, so of course they are prime for inclusion in holiday themed viewing.
  • Chocolat (2000): I think this movie gets over looked a bunch, and I over looked it too, even though the entire film is building towards Easter.
  • Critters 2-the main course (1988): there are eggs and there is an Easter egg hunt, so of course.

Holidays in the Movies: St. Patrick’s Day

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Some holidays are harder to curate watching for than others. St. Patrick’s Day is one such challenge. According to Wikipedia’s ‘list of films set around St. Patrick’s day’ there are plenty of titles to choose from – some I’ve seen, many I haven’t. But there aren’t too many that I would want to make part of my yearly celebration. Clearly, this list is going to have to evolve, but for now we will be enjoying:

Movie poster for Darby O’Gill and the Little People
  • Maniac Cop (1988): When you’re scared on the city streets at night, you’re in luck when you see a cop, right?
  • The Fugitive (1993): I am now wondering how many cop thrillers have a St. Patrick’s day parade in the middle of them.
  • Leprechaun (1993): I’d never thought I’d want to see it again, but hey, for St. Patrick’s day, let’s do this.

Now on revisit, I can’t say the above were all repeaters. But we are hurting for a selection of movies to celebrate with instead.

  • Darby O’Gill and the Little People (1959): Where there is a lack of holiday-centric movies, there are thematic options with pooka, shillelagh, leprechauns and more
  • Leprechaun 3 (1995): this series gives plenty of selection and the bonkers Las Vegas sequel is just right.
  • God Told Me To (1976): which of course, since the main character is with the NYPD has a St. Patrick’s Day parade.

If you want to keep things simple, Murder, She Wrote has a whole day’s worth of Ireland or Irish related episodes thanks to Jessica Fletcher’s extended family connections.

  • “To the Last Will I Grapple With Thee” S8 E17: Jessica’s friend is hounded by an old enemy and ex-convict from Ireland who is intent on revenge. When the man winds up dead, Jessica must prove her friend did not murder the man.
  • “The Wind Around the Tower” S9 E4: Jessica Fletcher is researching a new book and staying at an old estate in County Galway where it is said the ghost of a killed seaman haunts the grounds and can be heard weeping to herald an impending death.
  • “A Killing in Cork” S10 E7: While visiting family friends that own a traditional blanket factory in Cork, Jessica must must help prove the innocence of a son suspected of murder.
  • “Another Killing in Cork” S11 E20: Jessica’s stay at a retreat for fishermen in Cork is wrapped up in local drama over a developer wishing to buy land.
  • “Nan’s Ghost” S12 E 6 & 7: Jessica arrives at the castle hotel of a friend just as the body of a missing girl is discovered. The ghost of the girl apparently haunts the castle as smugglers, murderers, and real estate developers creep around the scenes.
  • Murder, She Wrote: The Celtic Riddle (2003):  Jessica Fletcher travels to Ireland for a will reading and becomes involved with the other heirs in a hunt for a secret treasure.

Check out the other Holidays in the Movies posts.

Holidays in the Movies: Valentines

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Keeping track of the year by celebrating holidays and the passing of time with curated movies, music, and seasonal food is taking deep root in the Schmidt house. We may have never celebrated Valentines in the traditional ways – and are more inclined to hide inside then venture out to a restaurant withe the rest of the world – but we are building a tradition that makes the holiday a two to three day event.

Valentines

  • My Bloody Valentine (1981): nothing says valentines quite like a coal mine.
  • Be My Valentine Charlie Brown (1975): I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Charlie Brown brings every holiday.
  • There’s No Time for love Charlie Brown (1973): if you didn’t get enough Charlie Brown – this special isn’t specifically about the Valentines holiday, but it is set three months till the end of the school year – around the same time.
  • Hospital Massacre aka X-Ray (1982): old Valentine’s sins will ruin your holiday
  • Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975): Australia, mystery, disappearance, possible historically inaccurate corset lacing. Yes, this is Valentines.
  • Lover’s Lane (2000): a man with a hook terrorizing teenagers at the local make-out point, just like that urban legend.
  • Valentine (2001): a killer in a cupid mask is stalking and killing a group of girls that have been friends since school.
  • Heart Eyes (2025): if you were missing romcom in your slashers then this movie is for you!

Check out the other Holidays in the Movies posts.

Holidays in the Movies: New Year

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Terror Train movie poster

We may be reeling from our Christmas watching and happy to finally be free to watch anything we want, but there are movies and specials that make the New Year at our house. Just like Thanksgiving, the pickings may be slimmer for this holiday, but it is more than enough to put us in the mood.

New Year

  • Terror Train (1980): I was never part of the fraternity and sorority scene in college so the idea of renting a train for a New Year’s party is both plausible and completely unbelievable to me. Hi David Copperfield!
  • New Year’s Evil (1980): A punk rock Pinky Tuscadero (wiki) terrorized during her TV special by a killer-stalker. The New Year’s countdown happens three times in this movie! What can be more celebratory?
  • Bloody New Year (1987): This is all kinds of holiday – kids running from thugs get caught in a time travel loop where a whole New Year’s eve party vanished decades ago? Still dressed up for Christmas because it is British.
  • Get Crazy (1983): Planning for a new year’s party by way of a massive concert overshadows the threat that a much loved theater will be bought out by sleep, punk developers. Hilarious hi-jinks included.
  • The Fifth Cord (1971): One of the finest examples of the giallo genre with an excellent cast, a great director, and a super cool soundtrack by the great Ennio Morricone. The entire opening sequence and a pivotal part of the plot both take place at a New Year’s Eve Party.
  • Martha’s New Year’s Celebration (2005): from the Martha’s Holidays collection again. We usually just curl up on the sofa and watch movies for New Year, but we can dream of throwing a fancy party.

Rock’n J&B or Profondo Christmas

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While making my yearly Rock ‘n Rye infusion, I got the idea that a similar process would work to make J&B more enjoyable in my house (we find it very difficult). I cut out the horehound, but kept most everything else the same as I would for Rock ‘n Rye. The effect is much more cinnamon forward, and definitely improves the J&B flavor. I gave rough measurements, but you can put in as many or as few infusing agents as you like.

Ingredients:

  • J&B (one 750 ml bottle)
  • 1 string Rock candy or about a 1/4 cup loose rock candy
  • 1/2 to 1 full orange peel (dried)
  • 2-3 dried apricots, sliced
  • 3-4 dried cherries
  • 3-4 dried mandarin slices
  • 1 whole clove
  • 1 cinnamon stick

Instructions:

  1. In an empty wide mouth glass container (could be anything, jar, pitcher, etc with a lid) add J&B, dried fruit, dried peel, and cinnamon stick
  2. Allow mixture to infuse in a cool dry place for 3 or 4 days
  3. Add rock candy and clove
  4. Allow mixture to infuse one or two more days based on taste
  5. Strain mixture and pour into a clean bottle
  6. Enjoy!

The Card

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Christmas Tree Elf

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When fruit cake grew on trees, or in furniture stores

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newspaper clipping of add

A fruit cake with every furniture purchase

From a Christian Howard’s Furniture add in the Henderson daily dispatch. (Henderson, N.C.), 16 Dec. 1937. <https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn91068401/1937-12-16/ed-1/seq-3/>

You can find amazing and terrible things in old newspapers. You can find old newspapers on Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. at the Library of Congress. Join me there. Whole days will pass before you know it.

Holidays in Movies: Thanksgiving

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Celebrating holidays in my house means media saturation. That is, leading up to Halloween we watch all the Halloween movies, and leading up to Christmas, we watch all the Christmas movies, specials, and television shows. But Halloween and Christmas aren’t the only holidays around which you can structure your movie viewing.

Garfield’s Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving

  • Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (1982): immensely enjoyable take on the legend of the Chicken Ranch. If Dolly Parton and Burt Reynolds aren’t enough to sell it to you, then the in depth study in eighties lingerie should do it.
  • Madman (1982): horror film taking place in a strange alternate reality where kids are sent off to a woodland camp for Thanksgiving break.
  • Turkey Hollow (2015): broken family forcing themselves on a grudgingly hospitable distant relative? check. Sibling discord healed by adventure and danger? check. Monsters in the woods? check. Turkeys? check check check check check.
  • Adams Family Values (1993): “Eat Me! Hey! It’s Thanksgiving day!”
  • Blood Rage (1987): “That’s not cranberry sauce.” And, bonus, this horror movie is located in good old Florida.
  • A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving (1973): Charlie Brown is the holidays; any holiday.
  • Charlie Brown Mayflower Voyagers (1988): part of the ‘This is America, Charlie Brown” series, but tacked on to the ‘Peanuts Holiday Collection’ without any other episodes.
  • Garfield’s Thanksgiving (1989): I grew up on Garfield; I had merch; this is home for me.
  • Martha Stewart’s Classic Thanksgiving (2005): from the Martha’s Holidays collection, because it is necessary to have a couple of hours worth of instruction on making that turkey.
  • Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987): is an amazing movie featuring two amazing comedians that is sometimes too poignant to watch every year.
  • The Boneyard (1991): An emotionally tortured psychic agrees to work on another missing child case only to be trapped in a mortuary with the detective she is helping. Yes, there is Thanksgiving. There is also Phyllis Diller.
  • Smothers Brother’s Thanksgiving Special (1988): TV variety show specials were a staple ingredient of my childhood. This one comes complete with Gallagher and Kenny Rodgers.
  • WKRP in Cincinnati “Turkeys Away” (1978): WKRP was an amazing show. This Thanksgiving episode was based on a real stunt by a radio station in Atlanta.
  • Deadly Friend (1986): Genius teenage robotics and neurology student introduces his robotic creation, Bebe, to new friends. There is pumpkin carving and trick or treating, but there is also a full Thanksgiving dinner.
  • The Mutilator (1984): A group of friends accompany Ed while he closes up his dad’s beach condo over ‘fall break.’

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