Friday, November 27, 2009

Favorite Housewarming Gift

Like most people, I never show up at a party without a gift for the host and hostess. One of my favorite simple holiday gifts is a paperwhite in a vintage tea cup. I purchase the tea cups throughout the year and save them until Thanksgiving. Here is what you do.Supplies:
Paperwhite bulbs, river rocks, tea cups, water and rubbing alcohol, cellophane and raffia
Instructions:

Fill tea cup about 2/3 full with river rocks. Place bulb, root side down, on top of rocks. Fill around the bulb with additional rocks. The rocks help anchor the plant once the roots begin to grow.

Fill tea cup to bottom of bulb with a mixture of 10 parts water to one part rubbing alcohol. The rubbing alcohol will keep the paper white from growing too tall. Place in a sunny location until ready to give. Note - you will have to monitor the water level of your tea cups almost daily.
When ready to attend a party, simply wrap your tea cup with clear cellophane, tie with raffia and add a tag.

Homemade Gift Ideas at Tatertots and Jello

16 comments:

  1. What a terrific gift and soo pretty!!!

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  2. What a great idea! If you go to a lot of holiday gatherings this makes for a lovely {and economical} gift idea!

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  3. A lovely thoughtful gift - thanks for sharing.

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  4. What a sweet idea!
    Happy day!
    Christina

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  5. What a great gift! It's a two for one deal! Thanks for sharing.

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  6. You have done it!!! You have given me a great idea to give everyone a little something extra to take home with them during the holidays. Thank you!
    ~Debra
    The capers of the vintage vixens

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  7. Thanks so much for visiting me today! And this is such a great idea. Love that. xo Lidy

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  8. What a great hostess idea! Thanks for the great tip!

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  9. great idea. i love that gray rose pillow - thats so cute!!!!

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  10. I love this idea. So simple but elegant!

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  11. I love giving paperwhites but I had never thought of using tea cups. That is the cutest idea! I am definitely going to have to copy you!!!!

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  12. What a terrific idea. Love that you chose tea cups.

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  13. A bunch of my friends and I received one of these lilly whites in a dish gifts at Christmas! (Theirs all grew tall and beautiful overnight--mine still has never grown:( needless to say, I don't have a green thumb) but I still think the idea is fantastic! Thanks for sharing!
    Wendy @ Faith's Firm Foundation

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  14. this is such a unique and creative idea. I'd love to get one of those as a gift. Thanks for the detailed how to and the great photos~!

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  15. That idea just screams my name, I will be doing this. My first love is gardening and this fits me well. Very cute idea!!!

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