Lets start thinking DECEMBER!!!! Make the season HOMEMADE!!!

[caiesmommy]

I loved last years December gift making thread...lets start a new one

Post your list of who you give to, any ideas of what your making...and don't forget cool links you think we'd all enjoy!

Let's have some fun!

[wwisdomskr]

[iowaorganic]

no. just no.










ok- well not yet.

[wholewheatchick]

Actually, I have started thinking about this, because we are due with our first baby in the middle of Dec., so if I want to get gifts done, I need to get them done sooner than later!

So far I've decided on:
table runner for my mom
placemats and napkins of my MIL
fleecey fringey blanket for my sister, and my dad
have DH make some plain wooden blocks for my nephew
???? for FIL
DH: um...he gets a son or daughter, and hopefully, that's enough! lol

FIL and my dad also have birthdays in Dec., so I think I'll do some homemade spiced pecans or something like that

Not much; we have a small family.

[zebra15]

I crochet and x-stitch all year long and take 'inventory' long about october. I really cut down on gifts outside this house. So mainly I give to DS. I found some new yarn that should be enough to make 3 coordinating scarves with and I can send those to mom, sis, and cousin. That is a quick 3 day project.

I need to start to focus back on x-stitch I have what seems like a million projects for that and NONE of them are done.

[ms.shell]

good idea i probably should go ahead and make up a list; i waited until nov/dec last year and made myself kinda crazy trying to finish everything in time- and then didn't get to some things i wanted to do.

for this year, the only thought i have put into christmas so far is that i want to make a bunch of felt food for ds and put it in this felted picnic basket:
http://lbbsfreepicnicbasket.blogspot...-patterns.html
i need to start working on food soon and think about the rest of my list...a lot of folks will probably get knit hats, tho, as i have just learned how and i haven't made anyone hats yet. lol

[earthmama369]

I'm not ready to do a specific list of folks matched up to gifts yet, but I have plans to do a lot of canning this year. Homemade applesauces, jams, and salsas in various combinations. Those went over really well last year. I'm also needle felting now, so I can do felted play food, appliqued bags, coffee cozies, and jewelry. I may do up some lotions and things like that if the mood strikes.

[Fyrestorm]

10 years ago, I set a president at work - I gave handmade gifts. Now everyone waits with expectancy for what I'm going to do each year. I am running out of ideas. I have to come up with something for gifts for 6 woman and 1 man.

I think I may do beaded watches for the ladies this year...not sure yet though...maybe I'll get some ideas here

[joyfulheart]

I came to this forum wondering if a thread like this existed, and yes it does! Great!!

I have already knit a festive scarf for my mom for the holidays and am thinking of making a lap quilt for her as well.
I am knitting my niece and nephew holiday scarves as well. Haven't started, but I have the yarn. It's really fun!
Made jam yesterday and decorated the jars really cutely. Am pleased. Will continue jamming/canning all through summer and early fall. I like to give these as teacher gifts in cute baskets from the thrift store.
Am making my littlest nephew bean bags in fun fabric and a felt ball.
Would love to learn how to make candles and soaps to add to my gift giving.

Fun thread!

[Magelet]

honestly, I'm moving towards not doing presents... or at least less and less.... but I don't think that would go over well with my family, (and I do love the whole family spectacle of presents. not nessicarily getting tons of gifts, but giving them, and everyone opening gifts the whole family together).

so... I'll need for sure:
mom
dad
sis-- I'm thinking really really tenatively a granny square afgan.... maybe. depending on if/when it's done, I might rather give it to her for her birthday (aug). (she's going to college, and though I know homemade isn't totally her style, I think she'd like having a homemade blanket for colder nights. (ok, it doesn't get cold in LA).
step-dad
future MIL
Future FIL
future SIL
future BIL
DP

maybe I'll try to put up some great food, or do food gifts in advance....

[Fyrestorm]

Originally Posted by joyfulheart

Would love to learn how to make candles and soaps to add to my gift giving.

Have you thought about making felted soaps? No soap making skills necessary and they are fun to get the kids involved with.

[joyfulheart]

Originally Posted by Fyrestorm

Have you thought about making felted soaps? No soap making skills necessary and they are fun to get the kids involved with.

Felted soaps? Really? How do you do it??? I would love to have my children involved in the process.

Thanks!!!!

[Fyrestorm]

Originally Posted by joyfulheart

Felted soaps? Really? How do you do it??? I would love to have my children involved in the process.

Thanks!!!!

It's really fun and easy and you can use just about any kind of soap you want. I usually try for soaps in swaps or get handmade goats milk soaps at the farmers market...if you dad likes irish spring you can use that - it doesn't matter.

You need wool roving (which I also get from swaps or through the farmers markets) You basically wrap the soap both ways in the roving, shove it in a stocking (cut off or use a knee high), get it wetish with hot water and start gently working the roving into felt.

I know there are some tutorials and videos - let me see if I can link a few for you:

THIS ONE is pretty good, but if you use the stocking, you can do it all by hand and not need a grid thingy

THIS ONE uses the stocking method (I don't bother tieing a knot though, it seems to stay by itself - though it might be better for the kids)

A VIDEO - You can really see here where the stocking would come in

[joyfulheart]

Originally Posted by Fyrestorm

It's really fun and easy and you can use just about any kind of soap you want. I usually try for soaps in swaps or get handmade goats milk soaps at the farmers market...if you dad likes irish spring you can use that - it doesn't matter.

You need wool roving (which I also get from swaps or through the farmers markets) You basically wrap the soap both ways in the roving, shove it in a stocking (cut off or use a knee high), get it wetish with hot water and start gently working the roving into felt.

I know there are some tutorials and videos - let me see if I can link a few for you:

THIS ONE is pretty good, but if you use the stocking, you can do it all by hand and not need a grid thingy

THIS ONE uses the stocking method (I don't bother tieing a knot though, it seems to stay by itself - though it might be better for the kids)

A VIDEO - You can really see here where the stocking would come in

Got it! Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[zebra15]

Originally Posted by ms.shell

good idea i probably should go ahead and make up a list; i waited until nov/dec last year and made myself kinda crazy trying to finish everything in time- and then didn't get to some things i wanted to do.

for this year, the only thought i have put into christmas so far is that i want to make a bunch of felt food for ds and put it in this felted picnic basket:
http://lbbsfreepicnicbasket.blogspot...-patterns.html
i need to start working on food soon and think about the rest of my list...a lot of folks will probably get knit hats, tho, as i have just learned how and i haven't made anyone hats yet. lol

HI, Ms.shell.... I remember you from the 'challenge' thread... Nice to have a friend over here too....

[LaughingHyena]

I;mm not ready to start Christmas crafting just yet. I've got plenty of home projects to keep me busy and I'm not trying to guess the kids interests this early.

Some hits form last year though
I made aprons for the kids (3 & 5) which i packed up with some cake sprinkles. They loved them and they have had plenty of use.

For the adults we made jars of preserved lemons http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/j...ipe/index.html. Then printed out a little cookbook or recipes to use them in. They seem to have also gone over quite well.

I also made a few of these newspaper baskets http://www.craftstylish.com/item/476...om-a-newspaper which we filled with baked goodies for the great grandparents. Since non of them are able to do much cooking the lemons would not have worked for them.

Unfortunately the kids haven't yet shown much interest in the doorway puppet theatre but I'm hopeful that it's time will come.

[JamieCatheryn]

Well, a while back I made these simple painted leather game boards of some ancient games, got glass game pieces (floral beads), sewed velvet drawstring bags for them and printed instructions. I was going to sell them but I think I'll give those to in town relatives this Christmas. I'm considering sewing a nice Edwardian apron for my best friend.

My kids could really use a puppet theater, I'll think about making the puppets - there are some nice looking ones on amazon for cheap but I suppose some knit puppets in natural fibers would be special.

[ms.shell]

i just bookmarked this as a neat gift idea; you crochet over a bangle bracelet and it looks really pretty- i'd like to do these for a particular sister and a s-i-l and an aunt (or 2), or it might be a great teacher gift....but first i will do one for me.
http://www.favecrafts.com/Bracelets/...angle-Bracelet

[Purple Sage]

subbing for ideas.....maybe maybe I'll get crafty this year....

[caiesmommy]

I'm loving that I'm not the only one thinking to the holidays!

I've started picking up little store bought gifts I scored 2 art sets, one was cars and one littlest pet shop for my dh's cousins kids and they were 2 bucks each! So it got me thinking I better start crafting too!

My list is disgustingly large! It's embarrassing!

-Ds(will be 4)
-Dd(will be almost 2)
-MIL-thinking x stitched pillow cases
-FIL-knit socks
-My Grandma
-Dh's Grandma
-dh's cousins kids-girl-2.5 boy-unborn still-thinking knitted sock monkeys
-dh's OTHER cousins kids-boy-5 girl-3(that's who the art sets are for) and Im thinking of wrapping them in handmade personalized totes
-My bff-
-My bff's b/f
-My bff's dog-knit dress or doggie sweater
-My aunts x 3-preserves for some/knitted things for others
-My uncles x 3-same
-Dh's aunts x 2-same
-Dh's uncles x 3-same

And well their is more...oh man is their more