Handmade Christmas

It's no secret that we don't have a ton of money with Steve in school full time and me in school part time. So I try to make as many Christmas gifts as I can and then we just buy something small for everyone. It helps keep the budget low and who doesn't like a handmade gift? This year we did Body Butter & new hats! 

Chocolate Body Butter (makes 10 - 250ml jars)

1 lb. Cocoa Butter
1 lb. Shea Butter
3 c. Coconut Oil
1.5 c. Olive Oil

Bring a large pot of water to boil on the stove. Set a metal bowl or pot on top of it and put in the Cocoa Butter, Shea Butter and Coconut Oil. Stir the ingredients until they are melted and combined. Add half the olive oil and stir it in.

Take the bowl off the heat and let the butter harden. We put it in the freezer and it took about an hour to solidify again. You can easily leave it overnight on the counter too. Once it's solid, but still soft, put the butter into a mixing bowl and whip it at a low speed, adding the remaining olive oil to help it whip up. Store in jars. It shouldn't separate or melt but if you find it gets too soft or liquidy a quick trip to the fridge can help it out. All the ingredients (except the olive oil) have high melting points so it should remain fairly solid. 

I found it to be a little greasy at first but it soaks in pretty quickly and has been just amazing on my dry elbows and knees! 

I was going to add some essential oils to make it smell good but the chocolate scent from the Cocoa Butter is pretty strong on it's own and I figured it might not smell as good if I mixed in something else so I decided to leave it but you can add in any essential oil or scent you like :) I found the jars at Superstore on sale for $3 for 12, I got the Shea and Cocoa Butter from Amazon and the Coconut oil from Costco. 10 jars cost us around $30 to make. 

L-R: Tall Dark & Handsome, Stitka Spruce, Apple Pie, Stovetop, Bonbon and Barley

Every year I give out a handknit gift to the famjam. (Though if it grows anymore I might have to stop...). Last year was mittens, this year was hats! TinCanKnits is my go to for Christmas patterns. One of the authors lives in Canada so she has a pretty good idea what our winters are like. And their patterns are so well written and easy to follow, plus I have all their e-books. Next year I'm thinking I'll make stockings and ornaments if I get started early enough. You know. Before the end of November... Anyway, I ordered the yarn from Knitpicks and already technically had the patterns. Each hat cost around $6 if you don't consider the patterns, probably around $9-10 if you do. :)