Fathers Day Gift ::: Homemade Bourbon and Chilli HOT Sauce

I racked my brain thinking of gifts for My Dad and My Father in Law. Men are HARD to buy for, so I thought I would get crafty and get into the kitchen. I made a Chilli and Bourbon Hot Sauce. I looked online for recipes but even though I found one I liked, I ended up changing it so far from the origional. 2 GREAT jars i got from the reject shop for $5 each (they had this little metal spoon magnet-ed to it!

RECIPE (this is for 2 large jars worth too):
- 26 long red chillis (I said HOT sauce right)
- 4 apples
- 4 onions
- 4 cups of sugar (as per the recipe but I think it was too much, maybe halve it?)
- 4 cups of white vinegar
- a generous amount of salt about 6tsp
- 2 tins of tinned tomatoes - 2 generous tomato paste
- 1 tsp of ground ginger
- I added wild Turkey Bourbon and didn't really measure it. Could have been close to 1/2 cup, but feel free to add or subtract according to taste.

1. Dice up the chilli's, apples, onions, and add into a large stock pot with the other ingredients.
2. Bring to boil for about half an hour and then simmer on low heat untill reduced sufficiently.
3. When your happy with the flavour, blend up, and cool slightly.
4. Placed into cleaned jars and refridgerate.

In the card I made, I included a printed off card stating the name of the sauce, ingredients and serving suggestions.
It was VERY popular!!!

Lauren x

Fathers Day ::: The iDad

For Fathers day this year, the boys and I took daddy out to dinner and made him a very special card. For a guy that loves technology and being a dad - the iDad was a PERFECT mix.

(back of the card)

I saw a similar idea somewhere a while a go, but I lost the website so I had to wing it a bit.

Here is how I made it.

I used:
2 sheets of black cardstock
1 sheet of plain A4 paper
1 printed sheet of iPad icons that I had printed off in colour
1 craft knife (like a scalpel) double sided tape and glue
1 silver pen

Step 1: Using my iPad I traced around it on the black cardstock.

Step 2: Glue or tape down a sheet of white paper on one sheet of the black card. This is to give you a background to draw and write on under the icon flaps. Step 3: Using the internet, locate and print off some icons in colour. Step 4: Cut out the icons one by one and then place them on the other black cardstock and lay them out before glueing them down. Make sure you are happy.

Step 5: Using the craft knife (AND a self healing mat or VERY thick cardboard so you dont slice your table) cut around the sides and bottom of each icon so it lifts up. I also printed out in blue font iDad and cut that out to go on the back of the card (see image at top).

Step 6: Once all flaps are cut out, tape or glue the cards together so the white paper is in the middle and teh icons are on top.

Step 7 : To make the iDad more 'authentic' you can add details like battery, reception and the menu button etc... with a silver pen.

Step 8: Now comes teh part with the kids, get them to lift the flaps and write their messages and draw pictures under them.

This gift card has been wonderful because we are a little bit of an "iHouse" here (yes even the kids - especially my savvy 4 year old). Also because as my hubby read the card it was like reading a lift the flap book, so a winner all round for daddy and the kids!

I hope you enjoyed the tutorial.

Lauren X