Saturday 14 December 2013

Chocolate Indulgence - Making Christmas Week 10



 Another week gone and time to check on progress or the lack of for

MAKING CHRISTMAS 2013

This week Making Christmas is hosted by Susan at The Bored Zombie so don't forget to check out her post and link up your lists whilst you are there. 

By the time you read this I am hoping that this post's title will be particularly accurate as I will be working my way round the stalls at the Christmas Market in Brussels, and I will be very disappointed if chocolate isn't featuring heavily in my day :)
 
Before heading off to pile on the pounds I had some chocolate therapy of the guilt-free, diet variety to even things up.

My sister-in-law is a serious chocoholic but is also a serial dieter (do you think the two might be connected!!), so when I was trying to think of an appropriate Christmas present for her chocolate was always going to be in the mix somewhere.

When I saw the instructions for mint chocolate bath melts in the latest issue of Making magazine it occurred to me that I could combine her two interests in one by giving her a calorie-free chocolate hamper, so I set to work :)


Chocolate Hamper Contents

This is what I came up with - a DVD of Chocolat, Johnny Depp and Chocolate, what a brilliant combination :), a White Chocolate Truffle candle and some handmade goodies. 



Mint Choc Bath Melts

Earlier in the year I found these china pillboxes in a small vintage shop and knew that they would make great containers for handmade lip balms, so that is finally what they have become. The lip balm is flavoured with a square of dark chocolate and some sweet orange essential oil. I had enough to make extra pots for my daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law to be and still have some left over for myself. The lip balm contains beeswax, cocoa butter, shea butter and almond oil so we will have the softest lips around :)

Chocolate Hamper trio


Then I added the mint chocolate bath melts, which were simplicity itself, just melted dark cocoa butter, peppermint essential oil and almond oil poured into mini cupcake cases and left to set. The brown sugar body scrub has rose essential oil and chocolate scent added, naturally, to keep to the theme!

All I need do now is find some smart labels and ribbon and they are good to go and another gift can be ticked off the list!

My son and daughter-in-law are going to visit their relatives in Scotland next week so are taking all of the presents for them with them. As there is no way I will get the fairytale cushion for my grandniece made before they go I am going to scrap that as a Christmas present and make it instead for her birthday in the New Year.


So speaking of lists, here is how it is looking now

  • A Christmas Table Runner for our new dining table MADE
  • Two Pleated Pouches to fill with make-up/nail polishes for my daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law to be
  • One Liberty and linen jewellery roll for my sister-daughter-in-law
  • Dieter's Chocolate Hamper MADE
  • One Triple Zip pouch for my sister-in-law MADE
  • A Knotwork Christmas cushion - for me!
  • A Fairytale Cushion for my grandniece using one of Quiet Play's Happily Ever After paper-pieced patterns This is going to have to be a birthday present in the New Year!
  • Homemade chutney for my brother and son MADE
  • Homemade relish for my brother MADE
  • More dishwasher vodka!
  • Biscuits for cheese for my brother SCRAPPED!
  • Something to go with cheese! - A Cheeseboard :)This might get done in time!
  • Meat rub, BBQ apron MADE and oven glove for my b-in-law ?
  • Pyjama trousers for my youngest sonMADE
  • Appliqued pyjama top for youngest son MADE
Hope you are making progress on your lists too. I shall be checking them out if I manage to waddle back on to the train for the journey home :)

Linking up to 

Knotted Cotton 

14 comments:

  1. Oh gosh - that looks like a lovely chocolatey bundle of goodness!

    Fab progress on your list!!

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  2. Oh wow, that is very creative and great gifts to go. Can I be your in law to be as well? :-)))

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  3. Ha, perfect idea to combine the two, especially the wee lip balms in those boxes

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  4. Those lip balms look fabulous and the pill boxes are perfect for them, what wonderful gifts.

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  5. Any chocoholic would love this fabulous gift, Fiona. You've put so much thought into it. I especially like the idea of the lip balm in the little pill boxes.

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  6. These sound delicious even if they are not edible.

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  7. What a very thoughtful gifts and just imagining all that cocoa wonderfulness.

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  8. Calorie free chocolate hamper? aren't you good!!!!!

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  9. What a brilliant idea to put lip balm in those little boxes and what a lovely set of presents. Totally with you on Johnny Depp and chocolate...

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  10. Mmmmmmmmmm,the smell comess here,yummiest!!

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  11. What a great idea. These gifts all look so beautiful and I bet they smell delicious.

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  12. What a fantastic gift, I love the idea of using the pill boxes for the lip balm. Where did you find the recipe for the lip balm? Also love the idea of making bath melts, i need the recipe.

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  13. What a fabulous idea. Chocolate and Johnny Depp oh my!

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