I do some baking and gift baskets: I make a few baskets that have muffins ( 2 flavors), hot cocoa ( I buy in bulk at Sam's Club) , chocolate dipped plastic spoons ( to stir hot cocoa with) , and marshmallows. I do a cookie and brownie basket. Quick breads ( pumpkin chocolate chip and zucchini chocolate chip) with tea bags and honey jars ( that I buy at the Dollar Tree). One year I did homemade tortilla chips and 2 kinds of homemade salsa. Last year was a movie theme, so I bought some $3-$5 movies ( at the after Thanksgiving day sales) , old fashioned glass bottle soda, candy bars ( bought in bulk at Sam's Club , under $10), and 2 Jiffy Pop's per basket ( that I got at garage sales for $.25 each). This year is a book theme, so I am making bookmarks, buying very gently used books ( or clearence books from Borders) and including some cookies or homemade candy with the gifts ( because I love to snack when I am reading).
We have removed one friend from our gift list, though I am reconsidering putting him back on. I give cookie trays to friends/neighbors. Chet is both. But when Rachael dog sat for him this summer, he had told her that there were popsicles in his freezer and to help herself. She also found the cookie tray from Christmas, lol!!! So he might not get one this year. BUT...he's got a wonderful girlfriend now. His SIL's mother introduced him, and she's quit her job in Minnesota to move here. She's a real sweetie. So maybe I'll give HIS tray to HER.....
Some Ideas Every year we spend weeks making presents for Christmas. We started because of a very limited budget, but have continued because the kids are so excited about "giving" instead of getting. Just some ideas: design/decorated with fabric paint - T-shirts, sweatshirts, tote bags, aprons, toolbelts, kitchen towels. When kids were small, they sponge painted and I just outlined it. Sew - throw pillows, beanbag sized floor pillows, quilts, doll clothes, Rag dolls, table runners, monogrammed towels, build - doll houses, bird houses, bird feeders, picture frames, side tables, wind chimes, jewelry boxes bake - cookies, gingerbread house, speciality breads Paint - ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING! Figures, ornaments, boxes, materials, glass...lots of glass stuff! Cookie jars! plastic boxes, picture frames, mirrors, etc. Lately, since they're older, we have gotten into mosaic-ing things. This started out just picture frames, key holders or creating a frame on the edges of a large mirror. Now they've progressed to building the table and mosaic-ing the top. Some things were limited in how much the kids could do. I made a quilt one year for my mother. Each large block represented each child. Older ones cut out their images that represented them, whereas younger ones drew their images. I did most of the sewing and appliqued their images. Most of gift making is for family (39) with friends getting cookies. In the past our usual cookies consist of 20 different kinds and somesort of way to present them. (Sponge paint a men's hankercheif, decorate the jar/box, a small christmas ornament, etc.) Note of warning!!! If you plan cookies, when considering amount, take into account if you have a hubbie/kids who pilfer when you're not looking. Had to made second batches of peanut-kiss and cashew triangle cookies one year. Those pigs! And, just so ya know, there are those family members that roll their eyes every christmas. 'Course, that's the in-laws...what can you expect?**** Having "menopause" moment so I can't come up with all our ideas right now. Hope it helps give ya'll some ideas! *****Very favorite in-law joke: What's the difference between in-laws and out-laws? Outlaws are wanted.
HI! I have a tendency to go on the "food gift" side of things for others - cookie mix in a jar, friendship soup in a jar, forget me not tea in a jar, etc. Or cinnamon scented ornaments (you make a dough of TONS of cinnamon, nutmeg, a little flour and glue and it makes this really sweet smelling dough that you roll out and cut out ornaments from them - you just have to let them REALLY dry out). Crafty side? Hmmmmm....I'm crafty....but not with sewing or yarn. I'm a jewelry, painty type one. I would so love to really learn to knit or crochet. I can do 1 and 2 basic stitch crochet and I did a baby blanket that way once....but that was it!
My mother, sisters and I are all trying to downsize on "stuff". While I do love all the cute things people make or give me at Christmas, I just have no room for them. I want more space in my life now and less "things". So my favorite gifts from friends or to give to friends is something you can eat or better than that a donation to the children's home or food bank. Emily has a very special couple at our church who claimed her years ago as their extra grandchild. They both volunteer at the food bank so every year she gives a donation in their honor and then gives them something we have made like candy or cookies. They are a retired minister and school teacher so their home is full of things. They really seem to like what she gives them. My Sunday School kids like to bring me gifts every year and I do appreciate it and always make a gift bag for each of them, but the gift I loved the most last year was a big tote bag to carry all my S.S. supplies. I make fried cookies at Christmas and around here nobody else that we know makes them. They make a great gift because they are special to our family. I am loving reading the ideas everyone has and now I want to learn to crochet.
I'm so happy this thread has taken off. I started my first Cabbage Patch dress last night, and I'm altering a pattern, so I'm on my second making of it.. I think I have it scaled right now, it seems like it anyway. I'm going today to make spagetti sauce with my MIL, so I won't get time to work today, although I'm thinking of taking it with me in case we have any sit down time.. last weekend we made salsa.. and there was like NO sit down time with that, so who knows. (man I love my garden.. it is giving us the best tomatoes this year.. we have 40+ plants out there that went wild this year!) I love all of these ideas.. keep them coming!!! Places to buy the supplies for making lotion and lipbalm: http://www.soapcrafters.com/cats_packaging.htm http://www.pinemeadows.net/ http://www.therapygarden.com/
Check out www.bookcloseouts.com for cheap books. They have books (new) at discounted prices. Right now, they're having a $1 sale on over 1000 books. They have a new promotion pretty much every month.
Me too. Last year, every female in the family got a homemade necklace & I spent many nights last week painting candle holders for the candles I'm going to make. I'm thinking about having the kids make ornaments this year. It's easy enough that ds can do it, and I know dd will love to paint/decorate them.
I've been really thinking about the doll clothes that Sommer is making. One of my favorite gifts growing up was doll clothes that my grandmother made for me. I still have some of them. I can sew and have plenty of scrap fabric. I really should make my girls some doll clothes. Here is my obstacle: The kitchen table is the only place I have to set up my machine. How can I hide what I am doing from my girls? I am really considering learning to knit,too ---blankets, hats, scarves. There would be so much that I could do!! This is such a great thread. Thanks for starting it Sommer!
Last year we started a new tradition of having the boys make gifts for our family and friends. Last year they made little wreath and bow Christmas ornaments, this year I think I'll have them make baby Jesus Christmas ornaments and maybe something else to go along with. Also I made my boys some crocheted blankets a few years ago when they first got their toddler beds...and now that I'm ready to move them to bunk beds I'm thinking I might make them quilts for Christmas this year (I don't have the patience to crochet anything bigger than the toddler bed blankets!). I also thought about making them some clothes because I remember growing up that the clothes my mother made me were my favorite ones...but I've never made pants or shirts before...I've only made skirts, dresses, and vests...any suggestions?
Last year, after Christmas, Oriental Trading Company had a huge clearance sale on craft kits...some were 75% off! Anyway, I got a Christmas charm bracelet kit, a snowflake pin kit, tied-fleece Christmas tree pillows (and I bought some extra buttons to sew on them for ornaments), and a couple of ornament crafts. I got them thinking the kids and I would do them together as schoolwork, for art time. We need to get moving! Speaking of, I also remembered I bought a cute Christian tied-fleece pillow craft kit for Halloween. It says something about Jesus being the light, I think. Anyway, I REALLY need to get going on those if I want to give them to friends in October! Another thing we do every year, that's become a hit with the grandparents, is make a scrapbook photo calendar. Oriental Trading sells these, too. I use photos from this year, particularly seasonal ones that go with the month. So, that's something to keep in mind for next year: check out OTC in January for holiday stuff to give next Christmas.
I've posted this before, BUT..... One year, I took all my MIL's cookie recipe (and she had LOTS!), printed them out on 3x5 cards, and put them into a card-stock envelope sort of packet with a velcro fastener and stamped with Christmas Cookie stuff (ie: gingerbread men, gumdrops, etc.). I gave one to my MIL, and to each of my SILs. My MIL, who is one of the hardest women to please when it comes to gifts. (Oh, you paid THAT MUCH for it? Well, they had it cheaper at..... Or: But I'm sure her mother is probably getting her one of those.... Or: I don't think that SHE would allow THAT in her house!) But this was one gift she was VERY pleased about!
I would like to make gifts for the family this year. I was thinking of making each family a set of matching pj's and then doing a gift basket with a homemade candle and things like that. I'm not real crafty or good at this sort of thing, but it's worth a try.
that sounds neat 3anglesmom a set of pj. I need to talk to my dd about that she likes to sew. My girls and I were talking at lunch today and we came up with a neat idea to go with our caniter of noodles and sauce, you can add a little basket of buns, honey, or jam to go with it and wrap it in sani wrap the color kind.
Pam, I'm working right in front of them..lol. I just am trying to not make a big deal out of what it is that I'm making.. They are used to seeing me knit or crochet. I taught myself to crochet years ago, and just this year taught myself to knit. www.knittinghelp.com has a ton of fabulous videos.. as well as some other sites.. there is also one for crocheting that I used to teach Garrett (but he doesn't like to do it..lol). Oh and your welcome! I know if I can have others working with me I will stay more motivated and not run out of steam before the holidays are here!
I think I may give away some of my homemade salsa for Christmas.. it turned out great.. and I want to share it.. but at the same time I don't want to share, because I know it won't go too far with my family as it is. The spagetti sauce we made today turned out really good too.. maybe (we only give to my mom and sister, and to my inlaws.. my MIL is the one I'm learning to make all this garden goodness from, so she is well stocked up too..lol), I will make my mom and my sister each a basket with a jar of spagetti sauce, a cool shaped pasta, a jar of salsa and a bag of corn chips. Something else I thought of while I was cooking away today was looking at the thrift stores for pretty teacups with saucers, and getting some flavored tea and making a little gift basket with them. On a non crafty note, I picked up 13 Strawberry Shortcake books at a yardsale today.... they are like new, but did I think "Hey keep them for Christmas since the kids weren't with us." NO, well not until I had already handed them to Rylee.. so now I'm like duhhhh that would have been a great gift, she is just starting to try to read and most were easy readers... now everyone say duhhhh Sommer!
I know this idea isn't along the crafty side but a place to look for books is Freecycle. My sis picked up about 15 books for my dgds that looked brand new. These are easy readers and the 2 1/2 yr old is loving that I put them where she is allowed to get one when she likes.
yeah we watch freecycle.. our is pretty crappy since we live in such a small area, but from time to time a gem pops up.
