Being a stay at home mom I’m learning the importance of staying within budget.  With the holidays quickly approaching I feel like any other red blooded American…I want to shop!!!  Even though the craving and desire to spend money I don’t have and to max out my credit cards is quite strong and have made up my mind to become more thrifty and conscious about my spending.  Afterall, I have to live after the holidays.  So my solution to this problem is not to give up the fiestivities but to learn how to stretch my dollar and enjoy the holidays without going broke. 

One of the things I’ve decided to do is to make some homemade gifts.  I know it might sound cheesy to some but I think it takes alot of love to create and make a gift for someone.  Yes it’s easier and probably more fun to go out and buy but considering the economic times we are in it would be wise to find alternatives. 

Now I’m not a seamtress but I love to bake and I’m pretty good with crafts so I’m in the process right now of finding things I could make.  Some ideas I have come across was jar gifts.  You put dry ingredients in a jar with the recipe attached.  So recipes include cookies, cake mix, soup ingredients, etc.  You decorate the jars and make the ingredients look pretty in the jar by layering.  I thought that was a cute idea and a very cheap one.  Here is a link for some creative Jar Gift Ideas and Recipes: http://www.allfreecrafts.com/giftinajar/index.shtml

Another idea I had was making soap and bubble baths.  I’ve always wanted to learn how to make soap so here is a great opportunity to learn.  Below is a great website for making soaps.  It has some pretty easy recipes.  The website also have great Jar Gift recipes.

http://www.craftbits.com/viewCategory.do?categoryID=SOA

My last idea is to bake, bake, bake, and bake some more.  Find out family favorites and bake them and put baked items in pretty cellophane with ribbons.

Well there you go, some of my ideas for gifts this Christmas!  Let me know what ideas you have for this holiday season.

This is my Great-aunt’s recipe for red velvet cake.  It is scrumptous…You will not be disappointed!  Enjoy

Sidenote (I try to use organic ingredients whenever possible)

Red Velvet Cake
CAKE INGREDIENTS
2 1/4 cup sifted cake flour
2 teaspoons cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
2 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
2 oz red food coloring
1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

PREPARATION
1. Preheat oven to 350°
2. Grease and flour two 9″ round cake pans
3. In a medium sized bowl, sift flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt
4. In a large bowl mix sugar and softened butter until creamy, then beat in the eggs one at a time
5. Alternatley add the sifted flour mixture, and buttermilk to the sugar-butter-egg mixture
6. Beat in the food coloring, vinegar, and lastly the vanilla extract
7. Spread the batter evenly into the two pans and bake for 20-30 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean

FROSTING INGREDIENTS
1 8oz container of softened cream cheese
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 pound of confectioners sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chopped pecans

PREPARATION
1. In a large bowl, mix the cream cheese and butter until smooth
2. Beat in the confectioners sugar until fluffy
3. Beat in the vanilla extract

When cake has cooled, spread on the icing and top with the chopped pecans