Home made pressies

This year finances have been particularly tight, so I decided instead of buying things for my friends that they didn't need/want I'd MAKE them things they didn't need/want!

I have trouble getting over to my sewing school to buy a bunch of lovely fabric to make tote bags, so I went through my stores at home, and found I have tons of smaller pieces of fabric, none large enough to make an entire tote, but large enough to make these: Marcel 7997 from BurdaStyle.com.

So far I've cut out enough to make 11 (10 for gifts, one for Loui), tonight I will start sewing them all together. I'm using a pretty thick interfacing in all of them, to help block the light. I haven't yet decided if I will sew on ribbons (probably too girly) or sew on elastic. Will have to play it by ear!

Yesterday I bought some cute little jars from the Container Store. Bought the fixings to make some hazelnut chocolate spread! It was very fast to make, and it tasted heavenly. Loui was very upset to find out I had made just enough to fill all the jars, and there was nothing left for him!
I copied the recipe from angry chicken, here it is:
1/3 cup Hazelnuts (blanched, peeled and toasted)
3 oz chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup heavy cream
3 Tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt (half what the original recipe called for)

After toasting the hazelnuts, I put them in my itty bitty food processor and held down the button for an incredibly long time (felt like it anyhow!). I think it was about 5 minutes, first the hazelnuts turned to pieces, then dust, then slowly a runny nutty butter. It wasn't completely smooth, still tiny chunks in it but my finger got tired so I moved onto the next part. I put all the chocolate in the food processor and pulsed til it had blended completely with the nuts leaving a smooth chocolatey nutty happiness.
In my saucepan I put the cream, sugar, vanilla and salt, and heated it until almost boiling (it was hot when I stuck my finger in it). I then poured the cream mixture into the processor, and blended until it was smooth.
That's it! I poured it into the little jars, waited for it to cool (went to dance class) put it in the fridge.

Since this recipe has cream in it, it won't last very long, hence also the use of the very small jars. I'd say you'd get about 3 uses out of one jar. I was thinking of making up a little ingredient list, possibly even the entire recipe on a card to include with the jars. Perhaps some serving suggestions? Not sure, have to think of something soon!

I'll post some pictures tonight of the jars of goodness, and my masks as they are being sewn.

BFN