Simply “Cuptivating” ~ a little touch of holiday cheer; personalized!

December is largely considered the month of gifting, but here’s an idea that I think would be useful the whole year round—whether for birthdays, Mother’s and Father’s Day, Veteran’s Day, anytime you’d like a little way to say “I love you” to someone special. 

 

To create, all you need are a few fillers, a cup, and about 10 minutes!  

For this project, I chose three cups (a good sized manly one for my Dad; a pretty flowered one for Mama, and a lovely shaped cup for my sister Hannah.) I found them at Wal-Mart. Next, I headed across the store and collected fillers: it being wintertime, I decided on hot chocolate, apple cider, and toppers: several rich chocolates. 

Once at home, I spread everything out and removed several rather stubborn barcode stickers. (A fingernail brush and water works really well for getting all that sticky stuff off, by the way!) 

Determine what sort of arrangement you want in each cup. If you use hot cocoa/cider packets, it helps to roll them up or fold to fit. 

 

Place gently into cup, experimenting with various locations, orders, etc. Make a pleasing arrangement that displays the contents. Then if you chose little toppers, go ahead and stick those in where they’ll fit.

 

And there’s the completed gift! 

 

 

 

What I love about this idea is that it demonstrates thought (as all personalized gifts do) while bringing together usefulness (the cup will last long after its contents have been enjoyed) and charm (the special contents and the design of the cup.) I can think of so many variations to this that would make those you love smile. For summertime, it could be a handled jar with lemonade mixes, gumdrops, maybe sunscreen or chapstick even! A tea aficionado might like a tea kettle or tea pot with special tea bags, maybe a whole leaf brewer, honey, etc. An ill person would appreciate a uniquely crafted bowl with dried soup mixes, noodles, and perhaps a spoon. 

Use the personality of the receiver to dictate what goes into the gift. And remember that it’s not the cost of something, it’s the time and thought you put into it. 

I would love to hear about your simple, inexpensive gift ideas! There are countless ways to express God’s love without breaking the bank, while making someone’s day brighter. I encourage you to do all you can to share His smile everyday.

Of Love

It’s a question I have considered quite often, and one I think that God has been asking me. "Am I a friend worth having?" Because He has made us such relational beings, people are important to us—or should be. Nowadays, as we as a culture grow more self centered, me-minded and focused on technology, I think it has become easy to blur the definition of friendship. To many, true friendship is nonexistent. Perhaps a thought, certainly not an action.

Here is what most consider the definition of friendship, as found in the Bible…

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

John 15:13 (KJV)

Before, I’ve thought that it probably referred to the degree of loyalty in one who would sacrifice his life (die) for his friend. That was the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus for us, whom He has called His friends.

Yet I believe that it’s not just death this verse is talking about. It’s life. If I’m truly a friend, that means I will lay down the very substance of my life; my time, resources, dreams, opinions, preferences, and desires; if that sacrifice will help another. It means I will want what is best for them. We will share our lives, because I value their participation in it, and because I want to go through life hand-in-hand with them. It means I will be God’s tool of edification, encouragement, and support no matter where it takes me. A true friend will lay down his or her life and all that it contains for another person’s good. True friends will not abandon the relationship when it gets difficult…the trials will draw them closer.

Friendship is a sacred gift that should not be abused or taken lightly. I pray that God will teach me to be a friend worth having.

Dish Tips!

If you’re like me, washing dishes have become a part of your everyday routine and while it’s not your favorite activity, you’ve gotten used to it. (I actually kind of like it. It’s invigorating to see your accomplishment in action as the counter reappears under the hill of dishes!) Even so, washing dishes does get tiring. Here are several ideas that can make it comparatively EASIER.

 

My dear sister came up with this one: After everyone’s done eating, rinse off plates and bowls under the faucet and stack them together. No matter how long it takes for you to get around to washing, from 5 minutes to several hours, the water will have soaked underneath stubborn spots and the leftover food comes right off with ease. Truly, it works!

 

As much as possible, use glass or similar hard-surfaced dishes when preparing or measuring anything oily. Plastic is very difficult to clean when it has come in contact with oil. (Glass mixing bowls and measuring cups are wonderful alternatives!)

 

If you did use plastic, here’s a quick tip: when you’re done with it, rub dish soap around wherever it feels greasy inside and out and leave it to sit. Leave it soaking while you wash everything else, then scrub with a sponge or rag. Oftentimes my dishwashing time is actually cut in half when I pre-soap oily plastic.

 

If your garlic press didn’t come with a self-cleaning rubber thingy, try brushing it with an old toothbrush or fingernail scrubber. If you don’t have either handy, let the press soak while you do the other dishes and then whisk the rag across and rinse under plenty of water. Usually the remnants of garlic will have loosened enough to fall out.

 

Do you have any favorite dish-washing ideas?