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At The Picket Fence with Vanessa Hunt

Where Ideas for your Home Meet Inspiration for your Heart

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November 22, 2013

Homemade Vanilla Extract & Creative Gift Packaging

Every year around this time I face a conundrum. Don’t you just love that word? Conundrum.

Ahem…anyway, here’s my conundrum (I just had to work it into a sentence again!). Everyone gives each other gift cards. And, while I really love receiving gift cards, I REALLY don’t like giving them.

Can any of you relate?

Homemade-vanilla-extract gifts from atthepicketfence.com

So, I always try and include something more personal when I give a gift to help offset those less personal plastic things that I shove into a box or gift bag. Something handmade…or homemade…like this Homemade Vanilla Extract!

Now, this just also happens to fall into the ‘under 5 minutes’ category which makes it perfect for our regular Friday 5 Minute Crafts series!

Homemade vanilla extract 5 minute gift

While doing my very scientific research about Vanilla Extract (which consisted of typing the words into my search box and hitting enter) I discovered a critical piece of information. Vanilla beans can be really expensive. And you need quite a few of them to make vanilla extract.

Another conundrum (couldn’t resist!).

And, if you don’t use enough vanilla beans then you are essentially just making vanilla flavored vodka. Which wouldn’t necessarily be a bad thing, right? 😉

homemade vanilla extract ingredients

But, I was determined to make vanilla extract so I shopped around to find vanilla beans that wouldn’t turn this budget friendly project into a budget busting one. One option is to order them online which I totally could have done if I had thought ahead but frankly that isn’t something I’m doing very well lately!

How to make homemade vanilla extract

As it turned out, our favorite little local farmer’s market carries them and at $1.25 apiece I felt I could still reasonably make this a simple and inexpensive gift. To make the extract, simply cut the vanilla beans (I used 2 beans per bottle) to fit the size of your bottle and then, using a sharp knife, split open lengthwise to reveal the inside. That’s where all the flavor lives! Be sure to be careful not to cut through the bean completely.

vanilla beans for vanilla extract

In order to keep from just making vanilla flavored vodka (which is definitely going to be my next creation!), I used the smallest sized bottles I could find. I placed the vanilla beans inside and then filled the bottle with vodka until the tips of the beans were covered.

I gave it a shake and within a few hours it was already turning this gorgeous color!

Simple little labels were added and include the date when the extract will be ready.

homemade vanilla extract label from atthepicketfence.com

In keeping with my inexpensive attempt at creative gift giving, I decided to do some re-purposing in order to package my homemade vanilla extract.

creative-gift-packaging-with-pringle-chip-cans

I always save these chip containers never really knowing what I’ll do with them. Do you do that too? My kids keep thinking we have tons of chips in our house!

They were the perfect size for my little bottles but they definitely couldn’t stay purple, now could they?

re-purpose pringle cans

Covered in wrapping paper and tied off with a creamy grosgrain ribbon you would never know they once carried a stack of chips that lasted all of 3 days in my house.

packaging homemade vanilla extract

A little tag attached to the front completes the gift and helps explain the process for the Vanilla Extract.

vanilla extract holiday gifts

Now, who wouldn’t love getting this for Christmas?

Especially if it came with a gift card too! 😉

So, how about you? Will you be giving any handmade or homemade gifts this year?

I’d love to hear about them!

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20 Comments Filed Under: Christmas, Crafts, Five Minute Crafts, Good Ideas Tagged With: Christmas, Christmas craft, Christmas gifts

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Comments

  1. karen h says

    November 22, 2013 at 7:49 AM

    fun! where did you find the bottles?

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      November 22, 2013 at 8:34 AM

      Hi Karen! I found these little bottles at a craft store…I’m thinking it was Michael’s. 🙂

      Reply
  2. Inspire Me Heather says

    November 22, 2013 at 7:53 AM

    That would make a lovely gift indeed, thanks!!

    Reply
  3. Ellen says

    November 22, 2013 at 7:56 AM

    Fantastic “extra” gift! I am also amazed that Pringles last 3 days in your house – more like 1 in mine. I’m intrigued with the vanilla vodka and might have to do some experimenting with finding the right proportions for both ideas!

    Reply
  4. Thistle says

    November 22, 2013 at 10:39 AM

    LOVE this idea friend! Pringles always makes everything perfect. 🙂

    Happy, happy weekend to you!
    karianne

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      November 22, 2013 at 12:47 PM

      Pringles definitely make things better! LOL! Thanks for stopping by sweet friend and happy weekend to you too! 🙂
      Vanessa

      Reply
  5. Jessica @ Mom 4 Real says

    November 22, 2013 at 12:53 PM

    Okay…this is absolutely genius! I am soooo going to use this for my cookies…PERFECTION!

    Reply
  6. Mimi says

    November 22, 2013 at 1:17 PM

    Love the look of the Pringles packaging. What a good idea. I will pin it to my Elegant Gift Wrapping Pinboard.

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      November 22, 2013 at 2:07 PM

      Thank you so much Mimi!!

      Reply
  7. Yvonne @ StoneGable says

    November 22, 2013 at 2:16 PM

    This is a wonderful idea. I have a homemade jar sitting in my pantry. YUMMY! But silly me, I have never made it for a gift. I have just the person who would love this! Cross one person off my list!

    Reply
  8. Karen Schulz says

    November 22, 2013 at 4:43 PM

    I have made this for christmas presents too, but I use brandy as a base.

    Reply
  9. Claire @ A Little Claireification says

    November 22, 2013 at 9:05 PM

    I LOVE this – I have been stalking homemade vanilla recipes for a year or so now. Love the packaging ideas too. Pinning and adding to my list!!

    Wait… Pringles last three days in your house?? Wha?? 😉 xoxo

    Reply
  10. Kathy Hutton says

    November 25, 2013 at 9:29 AM

    You eat Pringles??? Never find them in my house, guess I’ll have to find some other creative packaging. Thanks for the vanilla recipe.

    Reply
  11. Hilary says

    December 9, 2013 at 10:22 PM

    Love your gifting idea. Can you tell me where you got those cute tags (the ones with red on them) Thanks

    Reply
  12. Heather says

    December 19, 2013 at 4:49 AM

    I’m glad to see I’m not the only one that saves empty packages – lol!! Love this idea! Yummy!

    Reply
  13. Carol says

    December 2, 2014 at 6:49 PM

    I recently made some vanilla extract and bought my beans at http://www.beanilla.com. They were very fresh and a GREAT price! Also, a great source of bottles and jars is https://www.specialtybottle.com/?utm_source=msn&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=bottle.

    Reply
  14. Karen says

    December 6, 2014 at 6:53 PM

    I wondered after the 8 weeks and you start using it, how long does it last? Should it be in the fridge? I don’t use vanilla extract much…..Thanks

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Hanging Ornaments Table Runner by At the Picket Fence - Pretty Handy Girl says:
    November 30, 2013 at 4:00 AM

    […] like to give handmade gifts for Christmas? Here’s another idea you might like. This is my Homemade Vanilla Extract and re-purposed Pringles chip container gift […]

    Reply
  2. Homemade Christmas Gifts | Four Generations One RoofFour Generations One Roof says:
    December 9, 2013 at 7:27 AM

    […] Vanilla extract […]

    Reply
  3. Hanging Ornaments Table Runner by At the Picket Fence | test says:
    May 27, 2014 at 3:21 PM

    […] like to give handmade gifts for Christmas? Here’s another idea you might like. This is my Homemade Vanilla Extract and re-purposed Pringles chip container gift […]

    Reply

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