photo © 2008 Lauren Nelson | more info (via: Wylio)

One way to put a green spin on Christmas is to make your gifts rather than buying them. Besides making less of an impact on the environment, making gifts will make less of an impact on your wallet as well. Think about the people you plan to give gifts to and then think of things you can make or repurpose to create one-of-a-kind gifts.

Homemade cookies or candies can be a great holiday gift. Take a weekend and spend the time with your immediate family making several different types of cookies, squares, loaves or candies. Think of what the people on your list would enjoy and make enough that you can create several gifts from your time in the kitchen.

Some people are crafty and are able to crochet or knit. If this is you, why not make them a scarf, cozy slippers or dish cloths? Those who sew may want to make table runners with matching placemats and napkins.

Children love stuffed animals. There are many types of stuffed animals you can make either from sewing, crocheting or knitting. You can find instructions and patterns at craft stores, in craft books in the library, or on the internet. Any child would enjoy a stuffed animal made with lots of love.

Is there someone on your list who loves to cook? There are many things you can give that will be helpful in the kitchen. An assortment of organic herbs and spices will be a well received gift. Check out this article for more unique holiday gift ideas for the cook or baker. Wrap it with a holiday colored tea towel. You’ll have given them a gift they can use year round and they will have no trash to throw away.

Bath oils, bubble bath and bath salts are great gifts to give to the women on your list. You can make your own relatively easily and for very little money. You can find recipes for these types of items in books, magazines and online. Here’s how to make a delightful Chocolate Body Scrub to help you get started.

Try to find local arts and crafts shows or festivals. You can find some unique locally made gifts at these events. Not only can you find great gifts, you’ll also be supporting the local economy. Gifts made close to home require less fuel for transport.

Choose a small, real Christmas tree which can be planted after the holiday rather than an artificial tree. Most people don’t realize artificial trees are made from petroleum products. A live tree will improve the air quality in your home and give it an awesome winter scent. Even though artificial trees are supposed to retain their shape, they often can become ugly after repeated use and they end up in landfills where they remain.

These are but a few of the many smart ways to put a green spin on your Christmas this year. Remember to try to repurpose, recycle and reuse wrapping items you already have. We like boxes and bags that can be reused year after year. Make as many gifts as you can rather than buying. Most importantly, enjoy the time with your friends and family during this holiday season.

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Women usually get the job of taking care of the kids and keeping the house clean while their husbands work. But unlike several decades ago, wives and mothers usually have to hold down a job as well, in order for a family to make ends meet financially. It can be very difficult and stressful to juggle all of these things ourselves. Getting your husband to help around the house can make our jobs easier and less stressful.

1. If you need help with something specific, ask. Most husbands are willing to do specific tasks when we have our hands full and they don’t. If possible, ask him to do something that he enjoys, or at least doesn’t openly hate to do.
2. Offer to help him with his projects. If you are willing to help him clean his car or do the yard work, he will surely appreciate it. Then he might be more likely to offer to help you out when you are working around the house.
3. Find tasks that you can do together or alongside each other. This will allow the two of you to spend time together while also getting something done. And the pleasure of your company might make an undesirable chore more palatable.
4. If you prefer a more structured approach, assign specific chores to everyone in the house. You could make a chart that tells which chores everyone is to be in charge of. Consulting with your husband when doing this is crucial. If he is included in the decision making process, he will be more willing to follow along.
5. Talk about how your day went. Husbands often don’t realize how much their wives do in one day, and this can lead them to believe that we should accomplish more than we do. Filling them in on all of the things we have to contend with could evoke some sympathy, possibly even inspiring them to volunteer their assistance.
6. Give lots of praise when your husband does help around the house for positive reinforcement. Nitpicking about the things he did wrong will only make him less willing to help. While it’s acceptable to offer some constructive criticism, it is essential to find something positive to say as well.
7. Reward your husband for pitching in, we’ll leave it up to you to determine an appropriate reward. I’m sure you can come up with something good!

Getting your husband to help around the house may be effortless, or it may require a lot of coaxing. By letting him know how hard you work to trying to get everything done and asking him to do specific things rather than expecting him to know what to do on his own, you can often get some willing assistance. And the end result will be a neater, cleaner home and a happier you.

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As we get older, especially, such onsets of stiffness, muscle and joint pain can rear their ugly heads at any time.  Having a handy dose of liniment or analgesic balm handy can be a good thing.

These products work by stimulating blood flow and masking pain to the injured area.  Increased blood flow is important to bring healing cells called macrophages to the muscle to remove dead muscle cells.  Good blood flow to the area also accelerates the bringing of nutrients so the repair and regeneration of the muscle can occur.

A limited masking of pain while the area is healing allows more movement, which also increased the blood flow.  Limited movement is important in the healing process, as no movement over a period of time has shown that the muscle can atrophy, or shrink, thus lengthening the healing time.

A good rule of thumb is that if you can move the area without too much pain, then topical remedies can be very helpful.  However, if there is severe swelling or if the injury is joint related and you cannot move the area at all, you should seek further medical help.

Liniment works by utilizing camphor which ooccurs in nature in the camphor tree, an Asian evergreen related to cinnamon.  When applied to the skin, camphor produces a mild local anesthetic action (depresses some nerve endings and stimulates others). It also acts as an antipruritic, which means it relieves itching.  Watkins products markets an excellent liniment, which actually was the first product sold in 1868.

Analgesic balm contains Methyl salicylate (wintergreen), menthol and capsaicin which team up in a great muscle warm-up rub. This greaseless, stainless, deep-heating cream penetrates rapidly to relieve and relax muscle tension and soreness and provide temporary relief from minor arthritis.   This product also can be purchased from Watkins.

An ounce of prevention can go a long way in muscle and joint pain relief after that victorious bout of leaf raking, garden planting, or even vacuuming (ugh) that leaves you sore the next day.

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Image via Wikipedia

Sara is a busy, stay at home mother to three boys who can be really tough on clothes.  Her husband just got laid off from his job and the usual concerns about money were worrying her.  It was time to make clothes last and dollars needed to stretch further.  Here are the tips I gave her.

1.)  When sewing a four hole button sew two buttons and tie off then sew the other two holes and tie off.

2.)  Use dental floss to sew on buttons, it is a lot stronger.

3.)  Put a small dab of clear nail polish on center of button.  No one will notice and the button will stay secure.

4.)  Clothes that are beyond repair but still have the buttons.  Cut them off and save them.  Buttons are lost all the time and using a button you already have is better than paying for another one or putting another thing in a landfill.

Sara and I worked our way through the sewing, ate the cookies and drank our tea.   It’s funny how doing something pro active toward your finances and chocolate help  to calm the fear.  The friendship and laughter didn’t hurt either.

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Plan your meals around sales. Grocery stores often have buy one item, get one free so this would be a good time to stock up for the upcoming months. Watkins often has Monthly Specials on their Natural, Organic and Gourmet foods so you can feel good about what you feed your family while saving money. If you primarily purchase sale items you will have well stocked freezer and pantry and a smaller grocery bill. Stock up on all your Natural and Organic favorites.

Do not purchase boxed foods. These foods are full of preservatives and trans fats. If you like the convenience of boxed foods try these mixes for a healthy alternative: Watkins Dessert Mixes, Watkins Soup and Gravy Mix, Dips and Spreads and easy to prepare (but good for you) Watkins Bread Mix and Pizza Crust Mix. Enjoy the convenience while giving your family something good.

Use coupons. Many grocery stores now accept competitors coupons and many times will double their own coupons. But be careful to only purchase items you would normally use. Do not buy impulse items simply because you have a coupon as you might end up spending more. If the store brand is a better bargain than using a coupon for the name brand always buy the store brand. I find the quality to be just as good. Better yet, wait for an item to go on sale and then use the coupon. What a savings!

Buy produce when in season. It will taste better and typically the cost is less when in season. Try not to purchase produce already cut up. You will always pay more. Bring it home and cut, chop, dice, put in baggies and either refrigerate or freeze. This way you will always have a healthy snack ready to eat.

Make a grocery list and stick to it. Avoid temptation. We always go home with several items not on our list. Do we really need them? If it wasn’t on your list then probably not.

Shop when you are full. This might sound silly but when you are hungry and you go grocery shopping you will end up buying a lot more than if you shopped right after a good meal.

When purchasing meat think of recipes where you can get more than one meal out of it. Sprinkle your meat or chicken with Watkins Seasonings. These delicious flavors are a healthy alternative to oils and salts. Try them on chicken for dinner and save a little leftover for your salad the next day for lunch. Having these leftovers will make it easier to eat right without grabbing unhealthy foods.

Another great way to save money is to shop around. With the price of gas so high you won’t want to drive several miles just to save a couple of dollars but plan your route to be near a grocery store or discount store when some of your favorite healthy items go on sale. Always try to take advantage of great deals.

Remember you can eat healthy and save money. It might take a little planning but it’s worth it for you and your family.

For delicious recipes using some of Watkins Natural and Organic foods please visit www.VanillaGourmet.com and enjoy life…Naturally!

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