Favorite handmade holiday traditions

Welcome to the Etsygreeting Holiday blog hop! If you've arrived here by chance, and want to visit the whole hop, see the directions at the end.

 One of my favorite holiday traditions is to make homemade goodies and give them in repurposed decorated containers. I use my craft and scrapbook supplies to alter nut tins, gatorade containers, jars, you name it. Here's a nut tin I recently altered with paper, Mod Podge, and ribbon.

 I used the original wrapper from the tin as a template for measuring and cutting my papers. I made a crumpled scallop flower with my scallop punches and adhered it to the lid. Cute easy way to add an extra handmade touch.

Here's one of my favorite (and my mother-in-law's) things to fill the tins with:

Chocolate Truffles

3 cups semi sweet chocolate chips
1 14 oz can condensed milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

In heavy saucepan, melt chips with condensed milk. (Or microwave at high power 3 minute stirring after 1 1/2 minutes.) Stir in vanilla.
Chill 2 hours or until firm. Shape into 1 inch balls; roll in desired coating. Chill another hour or until firm. Store at room temperature.

Coatings: chopped toasted nuts; flaked coconut, sugar, cocoa, powdered sugar, colored sprinkles

Variations:

Substitute the following for the vanilla:

3 tablespoons amaretto liqueur and 1/2 tsp almond extract, or


3 tablespoons orange flavoured liqueur, or


1/4 cup dark rum, or


3 tablespoons bourbon



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 Also linking to Chef in Training Holly Bloggy recipe party.