Teacher Gifts {Halloween Simmering Spices}

 For Halloween this year I wanted to create something simple for the teachers and staff at my children's school. Now that I have 2 kids in school full time, the amount of teachers add up quickly.  So keeping it fun, personal and affordable is key!

I chose to make simmering spice packets.   I did these a couple of years ago, and they were a huge hit with the teachers.  One they said they wanted again!  

I've created a tutorial so that you can create the same things for your friends or family.  These could be used for Thanksgiving, and even Christmas.  Enjoy!

You will need the following supplies:

• Fresh Oranges
• Fresh Lemons
• Cinnamon Sticks
• Whole Cloves
• Whole Allspice
• Ground Nutmeg
• Ground Cinnamon

I like to order my spices on Amazon Prime, and a lot of times you can find them on sale in bulk.

 Preheat your oven to 250 degrees.  Start by slicing your oranges and lemons into 1/4" slices. Place them on cookie sheets.  I reccommend using parchment paper to prevent sticking.

 

 Place them in the oven for 1 hour. Flip the slices, and bake for another hour.  If they are still too moist, flip them over and go another half hour.  Do this until they are very thin and dry.

In the meantime grab your spices and some plastic baggies.

 

I am using some pumpkin gift bags that I scored on Target clearance a few years ago.  But I have also had great luck finding fun bags on Amazon, and with prime it just makes sense.

 

Inside I will place my sandwich baggies full of spices.  Add about 5 cinnamon sticks, 3 Tablespoons of whole cloves, 2 Tablespoons of whole Allspice, 1 Tablespoon of Ground Nutmeg, and 1 Tablespoon of ground Cinnamon.

  

 

In a separate baggie, place your dried and cooled fruit slices.  I used 2 orange, and 3 lemon slices in each bag.

 

 

Tuck both baggies into whatever container you choose.  You could do this with any brown paper bag.  And you are done!  Now time to package.

 

I create a very simple word doc with easy directions on how to use the simmering spices.  I also grabbed some spooky kraft tags, and some dyed seam binding.

 

 

Be sure to tell your recipients what they will need to do in order to enjoy the fabulous fall aroma!

 

Once I cut the directions, I slipped them into each bag.

 

Then simple hold punch two holes into the top of the bag.

 

I tied the orange seam binding through and into a knot.  Then I tied my tags to that.

 

That's it!   These gifts will bring such joy to this spooky halloween night.  

 

I dressed up a metal basket, and these gifts are ready to head out the door with my children in the morning. 

 

Thanks for stopping by.  I hope you enjoyed my tutorial.  

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Dr Seuss Teacher Gifts Made with Vinyl

This post contains affiliate links
 

I love creating unique year end gifts for teachers that have some meaning of the current school year.

 

These were so simple, using vinyl and childrens books. I don't currently have a tutorial up, but will now be working on one as I remember how fun these were to make. They are sooo simple, promise!!

Our school is very big on Dr.Seuss, we even have a big Dr.Seuss event in the spring!

Here are some pictures of the different gifts I have made.  The first couple are for the teachers, and has every students name for that year.

This one was for our principal that was retiring.  She was with our school for 5 years, so I added those dates instead of student names!

Here is another one for another teacher.

A few years ago I also created a chalkboard with the same idea.

And one last little gift.  At our school they have the 4 B's they follow.  So I created a fun wall hanging for the first grade classroom.  3 years later it is still hanging in there, along with the other fun gifts!

All I used for this project was my Cricut, Vinyl, Mod Podge, craft paint and old childrens books.   

 

Thank you for stopping by today.   Don't forget to follow me on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest, and you can find me on  Periscope @OneThriftyChick.

Come Join me weekly at the following Parties:

 

Monday: I should be mopping the floor, Home Stories A to Z, Sugar Bee Crafts, Carrie this home, 

                Mad in Crafts

Tuesday:  The DIY Dreamer, The Winthrop Chronicles, Thrifty Décor Chick

Wednesday: Gingersnap Crafts,

Thursday: A Glimpse Inside, The Pin Junkie, The Answer is Chocolate, Imparting Grace, Meadow Lake Road, Designer Trapped in a Lawyer's Body

Friday: Remodelaholic, The Shabby Nest, Serenity Now, The Crafted Sparrow , Tatertots & Jello, Just Us Four, The Pin Junkie, My Turn For Us

Saturday: I heart Naptime,  Flamingo Toes, Sew Many Ways,

 

Halloween Survival Kit's for Teacher Gifts!!

So this year I decided I wanted to get a little more creative with my teacher gifts, so here is what I have come up with! And first and foremost I could not have pulled this off at the last minute without my Bestie Heather AGAIN!!)

Here are the items I started with, and being as thrifty as I am, I must tell you what I paid for these. Mini first aid kits, cough drops, itch sticks and shout wipes (not pictured) were all FREE using coupons. I paid $0.25 for the Purell to go and $0.01 for the pencil box both during the back to school sales at Office Depot. I also purchased some advil to go for $0.97 each and added them later, along with a couple Hershey kisses. (I paid retail for those.... shh!)

I took all of the first aid kit contents out and placed them into the box along with all of the other items. Then Heather helped me assemble the tags using cardstock, my Cuttlebug embossing folders, ink, stamps and some ribbon, and here is what they look like.

Inside:

Outside all complete and ready to go. (do you love how the Purell matches the box?) that is why I bought them and I had NO idea what I was going to use them for, but I knew for $0.11 for the set that I HAD to have them!!

OK, so for the cutest part... this is what is on a typed note inside the box (not shown)

On Halloween it's all about Trick or Treat,

but in the end most Teachers are just plain Beat!

I'm giving you this Halloween survival kit,

and I'm pretty sure it will be a big hit!

Kit Includes:

First Aid Supplies - For Vampire Kisses

Itch Stick - For Spider Bites

Hand Sanitizer - To prevent Zombie Virus

Cough Drops - To Soothe a sore throat from screaming

Advil - To cure a Witch's Brew hangover

Chocolate - Because every great teacher needs a little chocolate in her life!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!

The kids have 3 teachers, plus we always give past teachers one too, so we made a total of 4 of these.... two of each color! And If I must say so myself they came out fabulous!!

I am linking up with Somewhat Simple here !!

I am also linking up with Sawdust & Paper Scraps here !!