Handmade summer gifts for your family and friends

Handmande gifts are excellent all year round. No matter if your budget is tight or wide, your loved ones will appreciate your effort and the good spirit that you put into your handicrafts. If you really are on a low budget, these ideas will help you to create free or nearly free items that are indeed worthy.

 

FOREST DELICACIES

Summer is the time when the nature provides you with loads of goodies. Spend some time in a forest, and, depending on a season, fill your basket with blueberries, wild strawberries, raspberries, or anything else that can be found at your location. Both kids and busy adults will appreciate the fresh fruit or berries. If that is a birthday present, bake a cake from those, and do not forget to mention that the ingredients were picked by your hands. Create a special drawing on the cake, write a greeting, or the name of the person. You can also make jam or juice, and design a label specially for that person.

A grown-up person will enjoy a liquor that was made by extracting flavors from the fruit, berries, or herbs.

If you live far away from the forest, you can still get fresh fruit and berries in the local market, or even visit the farmers. Special design, freshness, and preparation with love is something that you cannot get in a supermarket. Try this dessert from berries and fruit.

FOREST TEA

Lime-tree, thyme, raspberry leaves, and many more herbs can be used to brew a nice up of afternoon tea, or even use it as a medicine. Read this article on how to prepare homemade herbal teas. Pack your tea in a nice paper bag and write or print the greeting. Alternatively, you can prepare herbal extracts.

FOREST FLOWERS

If you have a field or forest nearby, spend an hour picking flowers and enjoying the nature, arrange a bouuet, and give it to your loved one, even without any occasion.

MUSIC

Record a CD with the best summer songs of all times, or the currently popular songs to remember this summer. Such present is easy to send to a friend far away.

PICTURES

Even if you are just an amateur photographer, you can take beutiful summer shots, and prepare a calendar or a poster. Make it personal, include pictures with the person that is receiving a present together with you and other friends or family. You can print a calendar or poster at any photo shop, but you can also create it yourself. Instead of usual January to December, make it July to July, or birthday month to birthday month. Use sunny shots for all months to aways remember the summer.

YOUR OWN TIME

In most cases, that is the most precious present.

- Take the kids or your loved one to a park, beach, lake, pack exciting picnic snacks and outdoors games, and spend an unforgettable day.
- Organize a camping trip with dinner on a fireplace and songs accompanied by a guitar (or just songs – prepare printouts of the lyrics). The kids would love camping even in your own garden, if there’s no possiblity to leave home.
- Organize a bicycle tour for your family or friends. Explore new areas, have a picnic lunch in a panoramic spot, finish it up with an easy dinner (e.g., pizza), and a review of pictures at home.
- Make a music, dancing, painting, crafts, or any fun activity workshop in your garden. Give your created piece or a song as a present. If you don’t feel creative yourself, ask a friend to volunteer as a teacher.

No matter what you create, your love and friendship is the most important.

Written by dalia4world

Just the song

Ways on How to Make Your Family Happy

Whether you are single or you are married you have a family of your own that you want to be happy.  If you are able to make your family happy, that is already an achievement in life that could give you fulfillment.  Whether it is the material things that you provide or the moral support that you offer to your Family that makes them happy doesn’t matter.  What matters is that your family is happy because of you.

There are various ways by which you can make your family happy:

Be responsible

As a family member you have your responsibility.  Your family will be happy if you are responsible and you do your duties as a member of the family. 

Do what is right

Your family will be happy if you are a good member of the family, otherwise they will despise you and they will feel nothing about you.  The black sheep of the family is often hated by the members of the family because he is creating problems and troubles for them without sometimes helping them.  Do your family a favor and make them happy by being good.

Maintain a good relationship with your family

A good relationship with your family will make your family happy.  Always love and care for your family and they will do the same to you.  A happy family is one with love and care among members,

Be there when they need you

Helping is one of the most important responsibilities of each member of a family.  You should always be there to help your family whatever happens.  Your presence is very important to your family.  In cases where there is an adversity in a family, the members will be very happy to see you around.   Be here for them because that is what a family is for.

Don’t forget special occasions

It is always important to remember birthdays and anniversaries of family members.  And don’t forget to join the family in special occasions such as Christmas, Thanksgiving and New Year.  Your presence during special occasions will make your family happy.

Stay connected even if you are a long distance away

If you are living a good number of miles away from your family which makes it impossible for you to visit them often; use the phone to communicate with them or use the computer to chat with them.  Communication is very important to a family.  Never allow communication to dwindle until it doesn’t exist anymore.   Shorten the distance through constant communication.  It is very important to always talk to your family and find out how they are doing.  That will make them happy even if you are miles and miles away from them.

Sometimes it is not just the material things that you provide to your family that makes them happy but they will be happier if you provide them with the love and care that every person needs.  In this age where most people are too busy looking somewhere for wealth, the simple things that we need are sometimes forgotten.  We should always remember that what makes a family happy is more of your moral support and not the material things.

Written by Lisa Gayagay
Teacher, writer and blogger.

Tips on Family Traveling

                     Tips on Family Traveling

Summer will be here before we know it, and families will be planning their vacations.  To some, this can be a frightening experience; the hassle of booking trips, reservations, renting a car or making flight plans.  Don’t let all of the things you have seen in the movies scare you and your family out of your dream vacation.

There are a few things you can do to make that trip on the road or in the air a little more bearable.  Here are a few ideas to keep your sanity while you are traveling to your dream destination.

If you have children, whether they are toddlers or teen-agers, there are a few necessities that you must bring to make the trip pleasant for everyone.

If you are traveling with a teen, you know how important it is for them to have their cell phones.  A cell phone is a teen’s life line.  Make sure to pack the wall charger and the car charger.  You may want to slip a pair of ear buds into your bag, just incase your teen’s phone is capable of playing music, this way you don’t have to listen to their music.

If you are going to be traveling with toddlers, be sure to pack their favorite blanket.  If you have a pre-teen, don’t forget their favorite hand held game, like a game boy or play station.  Long road trips get boring and these awesome little devices will keep them busy and occupied while you are concentrating on the road.

If your trip is going to take several hours, plan a road side park picnic.  Pack your families favorite sandwich meat, chips and some bread.  Throw some snacks in the front seat for snacking on while driving.  This will keep everyone happy until you reach your destination. 

If you are going to be staying in a hotel, be sure you pick a place that is “kid friendly.”  Many hotels are more kid friendly than others.  Research your choices before booking.  Don’t be afraid to ask if they have programs available for kids.

After you have decided on your destination, let your children be involved in some planning.  Ask them what they would like to do.  You can also let them choose a place to eat or even give them a choice of which room they prefer.  This keeps your family happy and lets the kiddo’s know that this vacation is for them too. 

If your destination involves a state park, be sure to check the calendar.  Many state parks are booked months in advance.  Make sure there will be a place for your family. 

Don’t be afraid to use a travel agent to plan your family’s vacation.  A travel agent can save a lot of stress and time.  They will know which airlines are kid friendly, what seats would be comfortable for your family and they will know whether or not you and your family will need vaccinations and passports for your destination. 

Written by Cara

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