Using a vegetable peeler, peel fruit carefully, removing only the peel, not any of the white pith. Cut or tear into one inch pieces.

Spread peel on paper towel lined pan. Place in preheated oven to 175, or set oven to WARM. Dry in oven for 1 1/2 hours, tossing occasionally. Peels should be leathery and/or slightly crunchy.

Spread peels on dry paper towels and let air dry for 24 hours.

Combine with the cloves, allspice, cinnamon, and bay leaves.

Fill jars with mixture. Place lids on and screw bands on tightly.

Yield: 3 or 4 half pint jars.

To use: Remove lid and leave band on for decoration to fragrance a room. OR
put one Tblsp into a jar and fill jar with boiling water to release
fragrance.

These make an excellent christmas gift.

Measure the size by fitting around the child’s head; cut down size if
necessary. Glue cotton balls along the bottom to form the brim. Staple
together to make the hat fit the child’s head. Glue a cotton ball to the top of the hat.

Thanks to Jani in Denver for this quick tip: If you push the needle through the hull, the popcorn will stay together and not break off so quickly! Try adding cranberries to the “rope” for color.

Directions: Unbend the hanger and cut it in half (this will be enough
for 2 kids). Bend the 1/2 hanger into a circle leaving about 4″ at
the top to make a hook. Twist the end to make it look like a circle
with a hook on it.

Cut your curling ribbon into 8″ pieces. Fold your ribbon in half. In
the middle of that ribbon tie one piece of candy. Tie it on the end
of the candy where the paper twists. Now tie the candy with 2 knots
tightly on to the hanger. Tie the candy right next to the wire to
help cover it up. Use the scissors to curl the ribbon on each end.
Repeat the process for all your candy pieces.

It might take a few more or less than 30 depending on the size of
each candy. Suckers should be tied close to the head. You may add a
ribbon on the top to cover the hook if you want. Tip: Tie on a pair
of small scissors so people can eat the candy when they visit.

Instructions:
1. Completely cover the styrofoam tree with cinnamon sticks angled
downward around tree. Begin at bottom of tree in rounds overlapping
the previous round. Attach with glue as you go.
2. Wrap the ribbon snugly around tree as garland. Glue with small
dabs of glue in several places to secure.
3. Glue bows to edge of apple slices to create a wreath effect.
4. Glue the apple slices with bows attached to spaces in between the
ribbon garland, allowing the slices to overlap garland.
5. Glue the star or angel atop the tree

This is perfect to create privacy, such as in a bathroom, or for shielding an ugly view. Make sure your windows are clean before you start. Dissolve 4 heaping tablespoons of Epsom salts in one cup of beer. This will foam. Let set for at least 30 minutes. The salt crystals will partially dissolve. Apply to window. This can be done with a 2 inch paint brush, but for a nicer effect, dip a facial tissue or terry cloth in the liquid and wipe over the window as if you were washing it. Then while the window is still wet go back and dab and pat at the glass with the wet tissue. Mixture dries to form beautiful crystals. This looks even better the next day, and lasts a long time. It can be washed off with water and a cloth and is easily reapplied.

2 small apples
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon (more, if needed)
1/2 cup whole cloves

~ With a large needle or toothpick, pierce holes in the skin of the apple to form a pattern. You can do swirls, circles, lines, or even initials.
~ Place a clove inside each hole.
~ When you have finished with your design, roll the apple in ground cinnamon. (It will stick to the apple because of the moisture released when you poked the holes.)
~ Place the apple in a warm, dry place and allow it to dry for three to six weeks. As it dries it will shrink, and tighten up your pattern.

Instructions:

Take the springs off the clothespins. Turn the two pieces of the clothespin back to back (outsides facing in) and glue them
together. Do this for all six clothespins. I use the glue gun to glue them together because I am too impatient to wait for white
glue to dry! This will give you six “sticks”. Paint them white.

Cut a circle out of the posterboard. This should be about 3 1/2 inches in diameter if you are using full-sized clothespins,
and about 2 inches in diameter if you are using miniature clothespins. With a pencil lightly mark each circle into six equal
sections (like the pieces of a pie). Cut one circle for each snowflake.

Now for the fun part!!! Using the hole punches, and scissors (exacto knife may be used by adults, or older children) cut
designs in each section of the white circle. Try to keep your design the same in each section of the circle - just like on a real
snowflake. Make each circle unique, so that each of your snowflakes will be different.

Each of the clothespin “sticks” will have a pointy end, and a more rounded end. Lay them out on the cardboard circle so that
they are spaced evenly, and the rounded ends are touching, leaving a very small circle in the middle. When you have the
spacing as you want it, glue the “sticks” to the circle. You should now be able to see a snowflake shape clearly.

Lightly brush your snowflake with a coating of white glue, and sprinkle with glitter. Now use the glue gun to glue a ribbon,
string, or white yarn to the snowflake. Hang your snowflakes in the window, or from an open doorway. They will sway
slightly with air movement, and the glitter will catch the light, making the snowflake sparkle. Your snowflakes can also be
used as Christmas Tree ornaments - especially if you used miniature clothespins. We hang ours in the window, and
especially enjoy them in January after all of the other Christmas decorations are put away.

An easier variation is to use white plastic clothespins instead of the wooden kind. This allows you to skip the painting. I
like to use the wooden ones, because I like to use some miniature clothespins, and some full-sized ones. I like the variation
in size as they hang in the windows.