I know it is only March but I was cleaning out a closet and came across some christmas wrap and decorations and I started to think about next year. This last Christmas I had wanted to do some homemde gifts but I did not plan ahead early enough. I figure if I start to get some ideas now I can start to work on gifts during the summer. One year I did give soup mix in a jar. Another year I did a very simple crochet item. I would like lots of ideas to choose from so maybe I will have ideas for a few years to come. I would love cool things like gifts in jars, home made soap or lotions, knitting or crocheting small items or other crafts. I would need the recipes and directions or patterns also. I don't like to shop much so I would love not having to go out to find some small trinket during the Christmas rush. I don't really like to bake lots of different cookies or other baked goods etc to make up a cookie or goodie tray. This would be gifts of friends, good neighbors, adult kids (would add a bigger gift for them also) , sister-inl-aws and other in-laws, neices/nephews and others where you just want to give a small gift to show you are thinking of them. Thanks!
I love some of the great ideas! I will keep some in mind for birthday gifts for friends also. I have some ideas now to consider for next year but keep those good ideas coming and I will update ehat I finally decide on.
Have you ever seen fleece scarves? No sewing involved, just fringe the ends. Very simple and nice to have around!
As well as the tied-end fleece blankets for the little kids.
L., when you come across Christmas wrap & bows in march, you're supposed to shove it to the back of the closet and forget about it! hahaha
- I'm a huge fan of baked goods in a disposable, but festive tin. I HATE to bake, so this is always well-received in our house! If you have a specialty item that you make, arrange some on a platter and include the recipe on a card.
- I made the necklaces my bridesmaids wore for our wedding. My sister and I took a class on beading and then made them... really unique and fun and much less expensive than buying them.
- Ornaments are always a good gift, especially if they are personalized with the person's name and the year.
- Hot chocolate "mix" in a jar and then include a small bag of marshmallows or chocolate dipped plastic spoons and a mug or two (depending on who it is for)- make sure to include "directions" on how to make it (water or milk)
- A former student made us canvas totes one year and they were great! Her mom bought them at the local craft store in bulk and she decorated them for all of us... honestly, I can never have too many "reasonably sized" totes!
Fleece blankets
Fleece pillows
Cookies mixes in a jar
homemade jellies
garlands out of thick twine or jute (painted gold), pine cones painted gold, strips of Christmas material, red beads
paint bricks to look like the houses your relatives live in, personalized with their names
Bird baths/feeders made out of cups and saucers screwed onto a metal pole
popguns/slingshots~for boys
candles
bath salts
cross-stitch kitchen towels or bath towels
Denim/chambray shirts with fabric paints and buttons
decorated pillow cases, just the edge though
Signs to hang in the kitchen/bath Paint a board and in a contrastng color put things like If it's not one thing it's your Mother ~~ Mothers of teens/toddlers know why animals eat their young ~~ Home is where the heart is ~~any Bible verse
THen affix a thin metal hanger and a small gingham tie
Crochet lap blankets (about the size of a crib blanket). I use a J or K hook.
Bath salts made with dried herbs and flowers. PM me and I will give you the basic receipe.
Tree skirt with matching stockings. You can get a pattern but the pattern from a child's circle skirt (poodle skirt) will work. if you use felt no hemming
Gather grape vine durning summer and let dry form into wreathes, decorate.
I've found a few books at my library that have great ideas for gift giving. One book I particularly liked had nothing but "mixes" to give. It offered a lot of variety so you could find something for everyone. There also was a book of assorted gift baskets which got my creative juices flowing. Also, I ran across books with felt items to make. I didn't make any, but am keeping it in mind for this Christmas because they involve very little sewing and felt is easy to work with. And finally, candy making cookbooks are available. Homemade candy is a wonderful treat! I like to go to Amazon.com and peruse the books and put ones I like in my wish list. Then I can order them when I want them or refer to the list to check it out at the library (if it's available).
I took a Lampwork beading class and made really pretty beads to put on a necklace or bracelet. They also sell cheese knives and wine bottle openers to use with the beads. Just google " Lampwork beads." You would need to find a stained glass store near you that gives lessons if you are interested.
I love the idea of canvas tote bags from Krista P! Almost everyone I know uses a canvas tote for one reason or another. Decorate each one differently so they are personalized, and they would be an excellent inexpensive gift.
I made homemade vanilla extract and homemade vanilla sugar to gave out this past Christmas.
To make the vanilla extract, you need vodka (80 proof), vanilla beans and bottles. I bought one pound of the Madagascar Bourbon Grade B Extract beans from Vanilla Products USA (http://www.vanillaproductsusa.com/servlet/the-33/One-Poun.... Grade A beans have more moisture and you would need to use more beans. So just get the cheaper Grade B beans.
I bought my bottles from SpecialtyBottle.com. I bought the 4 oz. clear round bottles with polyseal caps. After I bought them, I found out it would have been better to get the amber bottles to help block out the light. The clear are OK, but you just need to keep them in the cupboard so the light doesn't breakdown the vanilla.
You will need 6 vanilla beans for every cup of vodka (anything less then you are just making vanilla flavored vodka). So if you use the 4 oz. bottles, you need 3 beans for each bottle. Split open the vanilla beans and put into your bottle (if you use the 4 oz bottles, you will need to also cut your beans in half). Then pour in vodka. Leave a little room at the top so that it will mix when you shake the bottle. Shake every few days.
There are some differences of opinions as to when the vanilla is ready. Some say in as little as two weeks, the vodka is ready, others say anywhere up to one year. So you can start your vanilla extract now and it will definitely be ready for Christmas. I didn't find out about making vanilla extract until the beginning of December. I just let the recipient know that the longer they let it sit before using, the stronger the flavor so it was up to them as to when they wanted to start using it.
Also you can just keep refilling the bottles with fresh vodka and keep reusing the same vanilla beans until they start to lose their flavor and disintegrate (about 1 year). For my personal use, I have one bottle that I use and one bottle that I just leave sitting to strengthen the flavor. I then refill the bottle I use with the vanilla from the other bottle (I then refill that bottle with more vodka). That way I always have the stronger vanilla extract to use while the other has time to steep and strengthen.
To make homemade vanilla sugar, split open two vanilla beans and scrape out the seeds inside. Add the seeds to two cups sugar. Then I take a fork and really work the seeds into the vanilla otherwise the seeds just clump up and don't disperse in the sugar. Then add the rest of the vanilla bean and shake to cover with sugar. The sugar is ready in a couple days. You will know when you open the jar and can smell the vanilla. Just refill with sugar as needed.
I love making goodies at Christmas for friends/neighbors/etc. but was finding I was making everything that then got dipped in chocolate! So - I started to think of other thigns I could make.... Last year I jarred apples and then added a bag of ingredients for apple crisp, all they had to do was add butter and bake. The apples my daughter and I went and picked in the fall at our local orchard. I went home and cleaned them up. (I bought a apple peeler/corer/slicer = $20 ish, but SO worth every penny) Throw them in a skillet/pan with butter and let them cook a little to help soften them. I then added some sugar and cinnamon for flavor. Placed the apples in large mason jars and boiled in hot water to sael them up. This was a huge hit - I still made a few other goodies, but almost everyone complimented me on the apples. Another idea I hope to do this year is freezer jam. You can buy fresh or frozen fruit and then the freezer jam mix, jar and freeze until ready to give. Bake a few loaves of quick bread - or buy it made at the store. Done. Hmmmm - more ideas...a friend of mine makes pillow warmers. You take field corn and material - you can make any size. I have a plain square one and I have a long rectangle one that is sewn into 3 blocks - hope that makes sense. Anyway, sew 3 sides (and seperations) fill with corn and sew remaining side. Place them in microwave for 3 minutes and use for whatever. I ahve one I use for my bed in winter, I place in there to get it warm before I hop in. I have one I keep in freezer for a cool compress. I have one that I keep at work for when I'm cramping....I need the heat. I have one I use for food...like if I make bread for dinner, I heat one up, place in bowl, top with towel and then bread, keeps it warm.....
My SIL gave me a great homemade gift a few years ago. She made a sugar body scrub in a jar. All it is is baby oil & sugar mixed together. She put it into a jar like you might put q-tips or cotton balls in. There was enough in it that I still have some left!
One year I made apple butter and canned it in jars with a decorative label and fabric under the ring. http://www.pickyourown.org/applebutter.htm
You might look online at Family Fun magazines website. They should have back articles on it from December. They usually have some crafts that kids can help with every month.
We always make cookies, and i also used to make hersey kisses trees, ive always wanted to make brownie mix jars,
