Right about now (a few days before Christmas), everything is amped up - the gifts, the grub and the guests! We can plan and prepare, but who can prepare for the unexpected house guest?
They say the best gifts are unexpected. They (whoever "they" are) also say, house guests are like fish, they both begin to smell after a while.
I really love entertaining house guests, even the unexpected kind (who smell lovely). But unexpected house guests remind me of upside down cakes. These cakes push the boundaries of cooking – are they bottomless or topless delectables? Where does it begin and end? Anyway, the same can be true for house guests – What are the boundaries?
The first question I ask is, "How long do you plan on visiting?" Once we've got that set, we're pretty much good to go. I like to make a few easy gifts and store them away, just in case…
DIY Water Carafe This is a quiet little gift (of the upside down kind) that sends a loud message to your guests that plastic water bottles don't belong in your home.
What you need: A few glasses or a bottle and a glass - one tall and narrow, and one short and wider (like the ones in the image above).
What to do:
1. Place a tall narrow glass bottle next to the bed.
2. Cover the tall glass with a shorter and wider one.
3. You can put a recycled sleeve cup cozy onto the glass to add a touch of warmth to the gift.
Photos: Remodelista, Noel Hendrickson/Getty Images from Planet Green