Gifts Archives - A Blonde's Moment

25 Stocking Stuffers Under $25

December 10, 2018 by Rachel McCarthy

Long time no talk, friends! As if the last few months haven’t been crazy enough, we are somehow almost half way through December! It’s amazing to think Christmas is just a little over two weeks away. It’s been a busy few weeks at work and at home, but now that the Christmas decorations are up at the new house, I am finally starting to feel somewhat caught up. I should be posting more regularly in these last two weeks before Christmas, so stay tuned. Not only do I have more gift guides for you, but also some holiday and winter outfit inspiration and the first look of our new house decorated for Christmas! Speaking of gift guides, here is a round-up of 25 stocking stuffers under $25…

Peppermint Bark: Homemade Christmas Gift

We are getting down to the wire when it comes to picking up those last minute Christmas gifts. If you are still searching for a gift for that “hard to buy for” person on your list, homemade gifts are the perfect idea. I have made these homemade Christmas gifts with peppermint bark a few times and they are always a hit!

Gift Guide for the Guys

December 6, 2017 by Rachel McCarthy

This post contains affiliate links, meaning I may receive commission if you click/purchase something I have recommended.

Happy Wednesday, friends! How is your holiday shopping going? I say this every year, but my dad and husband are always the hardest for me to buy for. Maybe it’s because they never ask for ANYTHING! This year, I am thankfully finished with my shopping (including the two hardest on my list!) but I wanted to share a gift guide for the guys for this week’s gift guide. Although men are typically difficult to buy for (at least in my experience) it seems like each year I find more and more gift possibilities. I think retailers have upped their game because they know how much women suffer when it comes to finding the perfect gift for all the men in their lives! Anyways, here are this year’s picks for the guys.

It’s Cyber Monday!

November 27, 2017 by Rachel McCarthy

Happy Cyber Monday, friends! Have you started your holiday shopping yet? I am happy to say that I have just one more thing to buy and it’s not even December yet. That’s definitely a new record for me! I took advantage of a lot of the Black Friday and Small Business Saturday sales, but there is still one day of sales left: Cyber Monday!

Holiday Gifting: Homemade Lemon Olive Oil

December 3, 2015 by Rachel McCarthy

canning jar | decorative ribbon | tree

It’s hard to believe it is already December and it’s time to start thinking about holiday gifting. One of my favorite things about this time of the year is making homemade gifts for friends and family. Last year, I made a few desserts and boxed them in cute containers, but this year I wanted to try something different.

I love cooking with olive oil. Recently, we bought flavored olive oil from a speciality store and just love it! Not only can you use the oil as a base to a salad dressing or use it to sauté vegetables, you can also toss the oil with your favorite pasta. One night while cooking dinner about a month ago, I thought homemade olive oil would make the perfect gift for a holiday gift basket!

Although the recipe is super easy, I must mention an important warning when working with infused olive oils. If the lemon, or any herb you decide to use, is not cleaned and completely dried, bacteria can grow on the lemon or herbs and can be very dangerous. If you decide to keep the lemon peel in the oil {for a more robust flavor} be sure that the oil is covering the lemon peel completely. Also, it’s important to keep the infused olive oil in the refrigerator. You can read more about creating safe homemade oils here. Be sure to include these instructions with your gift basket if you are handing these out this holiday season. The olive oil should be good, in the refrigerator, for about a month.

Lemon Olive Oil

{what you will need}

Zest of 1 lemon {completely cleaned and dried}

1 1/2 cup light olive oil

{instructions}

Clean the lemon and allow to dry completely, about 1 hour. Using a vegetable peeler, zest the lemon in long pieces, but try to avoid the bitter, white part of the lemon. Place the olive oil and the lemon peel in a small saucepan and heat on medium for about 5 minutes, just until the oil begins to bubble. Allow to cool before transferring to decorative container.

Thanks for dropping by and have a wonderful weekend!