Homemade things are always fun to make and a real savings as well. If you choose to give something homemade as a gift, I’m sure your recipient will be pleasantly surprised knowing you took the time to make it.

Homemade Baby Wipes

Paper towel Roll (Viva good choice)

Very good bread knife

Old wipe container or container to hold wipes (an old round red Folgers container is also great)

2½ cups water

2 tablespoons baby shampoo

1 tablespoon baby oil

Cut your roll of paper towels in half with a good bread knife

In a measuring cup, measure 2½ water, two tablespoons of the baby shampoo and two tablespoons baby oil. You can also add essential oils at this time if you want a certain smell.

Take your container and stand the roll up inside of it and pour the liquid over it getting it in the folds of the towels. Let sit ten minutes. Then flip the roll over and let that side soak up the liquid. If you feel there is not enough liquid left, you can make another ½ of the recipe and pour it over. Let sit another 10 minutes. Pull out the cardboard from the middle. You can then keep the roll in a ziplock bag if you’d like or use the containers mentioned above.

I use this mixture as a makeup remover and love it!!!!

Grandma’s Homemade Cough Syrup

¾ cup raw organic honey

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

3 lemons juiced

Add all ingredients to a small pot over medium until steaming. Remove from the heat and let it cool. Place into a mason jar or other container with a tight fitting lid. Store in refrigerator for three months or on the countertop for 1½ months.

Use by the teaspoon or tablespoon as needed

Stir and warm before using

Homemade Lip Balm

coconut oil

petroleum jelly

beeswax

1 pack of Kool Aid (I like cherry)

small container (check out the Dollar Store)

Shave 1 tablespoon of the beeswax into a microwave safe bowl. Add 4 tablespoons of coconut oil and 4 tablespoons of petroleum jelly. Heat in microwave 45 seconds or until melted. Mix in as little or as much of the Kool Aid as you like and pour into the container and let it set for a few hours or you can put in the refrigerator for an hour.

ENJOY. You can make a few of them and give them as gifts; people love homemade stuff!!!!

Mint Chocolate Chip Lip Balm

2 tbs coconut oil

2 tbs beeswax

3 tbs shea butter

10 chocolate chips

1 tbs cocoa powder

¼ tsp peppermint oil

Place all ingredients into a small glass jar. Place the jar into a pan of shallow water and heat over medium heat for 10 minutes swirling gently until everything is dissolved. Pour solution into small containers and let harden 1-2 hours.

By Gail Hochman