The Annual Mothering Handmade Gifts Ideas Contest - Page 2

[lenny1027]

I'll be making poured beeswax candles and some kind of sweet treat (fudge or cookies or one of those mix-in-a-jar things) for my daughter's teachers. I'm making my daughter a stocking, and I knitted her a really cute and easy-to-do gnome hat (pattern available from pumpkinhaus on Etsy). I'm also making her a Waldorf style doll for her birthday (which is just after Christmas). I'm also thinking of taking my daughter to one of those paint-your-own-pottery places to make gifts for grandparents.

[Imakcerka]

For the candles, what kind of dye did you use?

 

Originally Posted by SunRise 

We made some soy wax candles, scented with festive smells - candy cane, coffee in your pjs, sugar cookie, etc.

And topped them off with burlap, string and a tag.

For the time being, they make a decent festive mantle display.

5lb bag of soy wax,

wick,

containers,

scents

dye.

We used the microwave method - melted the soy wax in a container (1 minute at a time until melted - 2-3 mins),

Remove from microwave

Add color, mix.

Add a scent.

Pour in container and hold wick in place (prop it with pencils)

Let wax set (24 hours)

Trim wick

Cover with burlap or pretty paper!

[SunRise]

I used a "color chip", a small diamond shape hard piece of color that one shaves off little pieces to color the wax. It was dye special for candle making. There is also liquid candle dye. Search for 'color chip for candle making' and you will find suppliers. 

[Imakcerka]

Thanks!

[RaelynsMama]

There are so many great ideas that it's tough to only do one per post!

For my mother's wedding present I got a cheap wooden frame from an arts and crafts supply store. I had my husband cut a length of white birch bark off of a tree that had fallen down outside. I cut it to size and then used a sharp object to carve a heart with an arrow through it and K + C inside - their initials. Then I went over it in pencil to give it a soft but more defined look. You could use a wood burner if you have one. I mixed my daughters paints to make burgandy and painted the frame. I allowed the wood underneath to show through a bit and only did one coat which gave it kind of an antique look. Then I took a pretty yellow ribbon and taped it to the back to make a hanger so she could display it. Her wedding colors were burgandy and yellow and she said that my other gift (see below) were her favorite.

[RaelynsMama]

I also did a gift for my Mom's wedding that included a mason jar, some ribbon, a couple of paper heart shaped doilies I had in my craft box and some pretty textured paper I had hanging around.

I took the mason jar, covered the inner lid with the textured burgandy paper and put the lip around it. I wrote Mr. & Mrs. X on the top. On the outside of the jar, I discretely taped two medium sized heart shaped faux lace paper doilies, one on either side. Then I wrapped it with yellow and burgandy ribbon (the wedding colors.) She was getting married in a park during the fall so I went around after the wedding and collected beautiful leaves, nuts from the trees, flowers, some sticks and etc. and filled the jar with it. Then I presented her with a "piece" of her wedding that she would always be able to look at and treasure. This could be done with leaves and flowers, beach things like sand and shells, sticks, etc. (if you can find any of the above where you are this time of year) from a special place that is sacred to a loved one, maybe a favorite beach or a treasured childhood home.

[imakecutebabies]

Raelynsmama- those frames look beautiful! What a great idea :)

[LovinGreen]

I too am making a Christmas gift out of a cardboard box! I found a HUGE box at my work and am making a little kitchen for my son that is not soo girly. I bought wood grain and marble looking contact paper to cover the box and super shiny black spray paint for the oven. I bought a cheap metal bowl at the dollar store for the sink and am looking to get some free drawer knobs from freecycle. I have some round cup coasters that I will use for the burners and I'm still trying to figure out what to use for the faucet. Maybe an old hose end? I think I am more excited about the gift I'm making than any that I'm buying!

Also for small ideas we always make an ornament each year. I usually google them but this year I decided to go to a craft/gift shop and look at the ornaments. I found some that looked like I could easily recreate and got some great ideas. I took some snap shots from my phone and we will be making them later this week. Check out my blog next week to see how they turned out!

http://partialtohome.wordpress.com

[lizallen]

This year I am hand painting wine glasses for holiday gifts. Our family are big wine drinkers so my hubby and I thought custom wine glasses would be a hit. 

My brother-in-law will get a University of Washington one, his wife is a runner so I was thinking of painting runners on hers. My mother-in-law loves cats and knitting so I'll do a kitten playing with yarn. My father-in-law is an art collected so I might recreate a VanGogh on his or something. A kitten on my hubby's grandma's glass. 

You get the idea... but I'll have quite a few to do... 10 in all so I better get my butt in gear!

[Malia Jacobson]

We made herbed salts this year. We buy Trader Joe's sea salt, and I saved the containers all year. They're small glass jars with a built-in grinder on top. To make the herbed salt, I bought Mediterranean sea salt crystals and mixed the salt with dried rosemary and thyme from our garden. I filled the jars with the mixture, tied the jars with kitchen twine, and included a recipe for herb-roasted chicken. They look and smell beautiful!

[aahaft]

For my mother my children deoupaged with old paintings a glass jar and then we traced our hands on yellow paper and rolled it around the top of a green straw to look like a flower.  We stuck a little peice of pipe cleaner in the middle and made some leaves and now my mother has a bouqet of handprints

[flyrabbitfly]

Our whole extended family decided a few years back to just get presents for the kids. The money we would have spent on the grownups we pooled into homemade "raffle box" for a charity. Everyone would pick a charity and write it on a piece of paper and put that in a second raffle box. Whoever's charity gets drawn from the box gets all the moolah. The charity drawing and money counting is the big event of our Christmas celebration. I guess the crafty part is the homemade boxes. The best part is we all feel  alot more holiday spirit giving the money away than getting stressed out figuring out what to get each other!

[kryskamp]

Handmade Cloth Napkins for Everyday Use

A few years ago my SIL made me some of these napkins and at first I thought the size was too small but quickly realized I LOVEd these lil napkins for every day snacks and lunches.  they're not quite big enough for spreading across your lap at dinner but perfect for quick snacks, face wipes, and school lunches, I love them!  So now I have made and will continue to make them for all my friends and family.

Easy Peasy:

1 yard cute cotton fabric

Cut fabric into 10" squares.  Sew two pieces right sides together leaving 2" opening on one side.  Turn right side out, push out corners, and press.  Top stitch around all four edges to close hole.

That's it!

1 yard makes 6 napkins.  Or you can do what I do and buy one yard each of two coordinating fabrics and make a set of 12.  Since they're snack napkins it's always nice to have more on hand!

[teagan01]

I am making notebooks for my friends who are parents of toddlers.  The notebooks will include fun activities to do with your kids including homemade crafts and food ideas. As a SAHM to twin 2.5 year olds I try to keep them very entertained while giving them the tools to succeed in fun activities.

[lululovesu]

I want to know more about the reusable sandwich bags.  Love idea with the baby jars, and the snack napkins.  The frames are really cute too!

[ThinkGlobalMama]

Custom Applique T-Shirts

All the munchkins on my list this year are getting custom applique tshirts! I got the shirts on sale at American Apparel (hurray for made in the usa!) and then chose fabrics based on each child and the first letter of their name gets put on the shirt. (One girly-girl gets kobashi doll print and another girl gets space ships!)I used an iron-on to stick coordinating fabric to the letter, then sewed the whole thing on. I have washed and dried too so I know that the letters are on there. My 2.5 year old son loved his "E" shirt from an auntie last year so I thought I would make some and share the love. Four made, 6 to go!!

The "M" is my favorite so far, because I LOVE this Japanese print and so will she!

 

[ThinkGlobalMama]

Photo Pillow Case

A nice gift for someone who travels a lot or in our case, leaves on a submarine! I photocopied color pictures of our family onto iron-on transfer paper. I also made a nice layout and letter collage on another page and also a color copy of one of our son's drawings. And then iron all of it onto a white standard pillowcase we had in the closet. (I washed/bleached/double rinsed the pillow case first to remove any residue or closet funk.) This is Daddy's 3rd "Boat Pillow". The first I made all from scratch with a handwritten letter on the back with fabric pen, the second was various ocean pics and scenery we had done together- this one is the most special because it is with our son's pictures too. There's not too much space to keep lots of "things" but he always has to have a pillow.

[akmeg]

I love these.....I'm totally making some for all my favorite people!!!  ;)
 

Originally Posted by kryskamp 

Handmade Cloth Napkins for Everyday Use

A few years ago my SIL made me some of these napkins and at first I thought the size was too small but quickly realized I LOVEd these lil napkins for every day snacks and lunches.  they're not quite big enough for spreading across your lap at dinner but perfect for quick snacks, face wipes, and school lunches, I love them!  So now I have made and will continue to make them for all my friends and family.

Easy Peasy:

1 yard cute cotton fabric

Cut fabric into 10" squares.  Sew two pieces right sides together leaving 2" opening on one side.  Turn right side out, push out corners, and press.  Top stitch around all four edges to close hole.

That's it!

1 yard makes 6 napkins.  Or you can do what I do and buy one yard each of two coordinating fabrics and make a set of 12.  Since they're snack napkins it's always nice to have more on hand!

[mommy212]

I am making Christmas eve pajamas for my son and my niece- the only babies in the family atm. I am making flannel pants and a natural color thermal top for little man, and a slighty 'girlier' version for my niece. I am hoping this will become a tradition as the family gets bigger, but this is the first year :)

[wils1sar]

We have been needle felting designs on old hats, mittens and scarves to spice them up for regifting.  Here is a picture of my 3-year-old working diligently on a snowman for a friend's hat.  He sat for 2 whole hours while working on it!  To do this you need wool roving, a little pillow and felting needles you can buy at a yarn shop.  You can also use yarn to make interesting designs.  You lay the roving on your fabric in the shape you like and poke it with the needle over and over.  The design stays in place as the fibers bind together.