| Archive for Downsizer For an ethical approach to consumption |
| Pilsbury |
Vanilla gifts competitionAs RichardW is organising a bulk buy as we speak and has mentioned the happy occasion towards the end of the year I thought it would be good to get a list of everything you can do with vanilla as a gift,there is flavoured sugars flavoured spirits (vodka, rum ect) biscuits like shortbread but what else, in the wheat bags insted of lavender? dried flowers and the like? whats the ideas you have for vanilla gifts. just to make it interesting im happy to pay for 50 pods from Richard for the person who comes up with the most interesting gift idea if thats ok with the Mods and Richard. post your ideas and then we can do a poll for the winner. |
||
| Snowball |
Nice idea Pilsbury, Thank you. | ||
| Snowball |
Vanilla soap or wash balls? | ||
| RichardW |
What a brill idea.
In fact I will co sponsor it if Pilsbury does not mind. The bulk buy can be found HERE |
||
| Fee |
Vanilla candles? Another thought I was having, that I'd forgotten about (thanks!) was to do vanilla hot chocolate sachets. Basically, grated chocolate and vanilla. | ||
| Snowball |
Vanilla candles? | ||
| Fee |
 I put vanilla soap first too, great minds 
|
||
| Snowball |
D'oh, Fee beat me to it.
I don't actually need any more vanilla, but I am looking forward to peoples' ideas though. |
||
| Cathryn |
Excellent idea! I was googling for some ideas, trying to decide if I needed to get anymore this time. There's vanilla olive oil.  Not quite sure I fancy that though. I use it in lip balm, soap and handcream. It has such a nice comforting smell.
|
||
| Fee |
I must, must, must try soap-making before thingmas this year. | ||
| cab |
Soak dried sour cherries (about 3oz), a vanilla pod, and about two tablespoons of sugar in a bottle of vodka. Takes about a month. And then try not to drink it too fast. | ||
| Pilsbury |
I remember on one of the celebraty come dine with me Peter stringfellow did ice cream served with olive oil, he claimed it was very good but im guessing vanilla oil would be better, not to sure on that though |
||
| Fee |
Can't say I fancy either olive or vanilla olive oil on ice cream
|
||
| Pilsbury |
you can scent wax easily by melting it in a double boiler and then adding anything that had essencial oils that will dissolve out, you need to keep th liquid wax at about 50-60 c and add what you want, vanilla, lavender ect and keep it hot for a few hours. Im wondering if the vanilla seeds could be added and left, do not leave the lavender in, my mum did and all the seeds turned into a huge wick and we had the towering inferno. one thing to check with the vanilla seeds in the wax is what they smell like when they burn, it might not be good. |
||
| BethinPA |
I once had vanilla-scented massage oil. OH said I smelled like a chocolate chip cookie. (That's a good thing!)
I put whole pods into a small flask of bourbon or golden rum, for use in baking. |
||
| Jamanda |
Oooooooooh! Now you'd never give that away as a present would you? |
||
| toggle |
nut/seed mix flavoured with vanilla sugar.
I would also be tempted by a flavoured sugars pack, vanilla sugar as one, then do a couple of other flavours, like lavender and cinamon. jars of vanilla cake mix, pancake mix. put all the dried ingredeints in a jar, stick a bow on it, stick on a label with instructio0ns how to add egg/milk and cook. spiced milk sachets, vanilla and what ever spices you likie, in a teabag style sachet to be simmered in milk. |
||
| sally_in_wales |
what about nut brittle with added vanilla, or home made choccies with vanilla in them | ||
| cassy |
Vanilla lip balm? If you infused the pod in beeswax you wouldn't have to worry about having seeds all over your mush. | ||
| Fee |
I made gooseberry and vanilla jam that was quite nice, if a bit on the weird side
|
||
| cab |
I have done once. But the recipient called me a very bad man indeed. |
||
| judith |
Peach and vanilla jam is absolutely delish and not weird at all.  Especially if you leave a bit of pod in the jar.
|
||
| Sherbs |
could you use it to make an alternative to lavender bags? | ||
| RichardW |
So far we have
Snowball, vanilla soap & wash balls Fee, Vanilla candles & hot choc sachets. Gooseberry & vanilla jam. Cathryn, vanilla olive oil, lip balm, hand cream Cab, vanilla vodka & sour cherries Bethin PA, Vanilla massage oil, Vanilla Bourbon/rum Toggle, Nuts & seeds flavoured with vanilla sugar. Spiced milk sachet. Sally in Wales, nut brittle with vanilla. Hand made chocies & vanilla. Cassy, Vanilla sugar stirrers - caramel flavoured with vanilla, on a stick (like a small lollipop), that you stir into hot coffee, hot chocolate etc. Judith, Peach & vanilla jam Shebs, vanilla scent bags (like lavender ones) Any more for any more? |
||
| cassy |
How daft am I?  I did read through first, honest  . Please take me out of the competition( for being dunce).
|
||
| RichardW |
Think of some thing else quick..... | ||
| cassy |
Vanilla sugar stirrers - caramel flavoured with vanilla, on a stick (like a small lollipop), that you stir into hot coffee, hot chocolate etc. |
||
| Cathryn |
You see, that beats vanilla oil by a mile (yeuchh, it really sounds horrid.) I think those or fine vanilla sugar and good coffee beans would make a nice present. | ||
| Minamoo |
Chuck some vanilla pods into a jar of lovely Medium roast Kenyan coffee and leave to turn into vanilla coffee........buy some loose leaf tea and make the same with that, make a wild herb tea blend with rosehips, a little lavender, chamomile, nettle dried bilberries and some vanilla, make some vanilla and cinnamon scented solid perfume, make some proper vanilla extract for someone who can't have alcohol by steeping vanilla pods in glycerol (this was a new one on me! Made Misdemeanor and I understandably excited after having to put up with vanilla "essence" for years. We're waiting for the pods to arrive so we can give it a go). I should stop suggesting things now and go to sleep. Lol! | ||
| gil |
Vanilla fudge
Vanilla pillow [like a hop-filled pillow, but with some vanilla pods - obviously not stuffed full of them, mind] Vanilla ice cream Blackcurrant and vanilla jam - works well as a combo |
||
| RichardW |
Common time for a few more yet.
Nearly time to vote. Pilsbury can you add a poll (will it do enough options for each idea?) or should people just vote in the thread? |
||
| Jools |
How about bath salts? Same idea as the sugar, pop a pod or two into a jar of sea salt. | ||
| Pilsbury |
right just got to sort out the poll, might have to split it into 2 or 3 depending on how many options im allowed but If I need to then we can have a final between the winners of individua polls, give me a chance to write them up and we can begin voting.
My plan is to give the name and all suggestions in one option so if you like you can vote or the person with the best suggestion and then tell us what it is in the post if that makes sense. Cheers |
||
| Angel |
Make a little holder for them out of fabric, bung the Pods you have already used but still have a little oomph in them and put them somewhere warm. On top of radiators and inside airing cupboards smell lovely 
As do putting them in old socks with a little bit of barley and heating for a while, them putting in your wellies/slippers for a few mins before putting them on
Wrapping Pods that are already used with a bit of cinnamon and some bright thread or tinsel make wonderful smelling yule/christmas tree decorations. And finally, frost them with some sugar and use them as hot chocolate stirrers when you have friends over, or just to cheer someone up
(frosted fruits go soo well with that one )
|