Making Holiday Gifts this year...

[Woodchuck]

I'm going to make herbal bath salts this year.

I harvested beautiful organic lavender from my mom's garden last summer. I've saved any glass jars I've had to put the salts in. I'll mix the lavender with some epsom salt and essential oil. I've never done this before so I hope it works. I'll decorate the jars with some fabric.

Anyone else have some easy to make ideas? I figure I better get started or I'll never get them done.

[monocyte]

wow! that sounds like a great idea!!

Ok, I am so cluesless - I assume you dry the lavender first, right??

More details please!!!


We do handmade gifts for one person each year, and I have my MIL (HELP ME!!) She is so crafty and creative, I wouldnt know where to start.

[Woodchuck]

Yes, right after I harvested I bundled it and put it up to hang upside down. Then I took the little purple flowers off and put them in a pie plate after a couple of days. It seems to be ok there. It didn't get stinky or anything.

I had an herbalist friend tell me I could use Epsom salts so I just got those as they were easy to get my paws on. I'm not sure about how much essential oil to mix in there, but I figure I'll just experiment!

I'm not crafty at all so we'll see how it all turns out.

I'm on the verge of making soap, but I still need to gather the supplies and read and re-read the directions. I don't know why it seems so intimidating.

[corrie43]

I am attempting to make pomander balls with all the apples we picked. I will do some oranges later on after I see how the apples turn out.

[newcastlemama]

Sugar body scrub
watercolored cards (tulips (for dutch side) and pointsettas)
gift bakets with apple cider and candles
gift certs for a pedi from me
wreaths (matching the person's decor year round)
I wrote a song for my husband (lyrics and guitar) for our anniversary
flannel blanets with threadding around the outside
Beer bread ingreadients in Jar

I don't have a lot of money and I like to give very special custom gifts..any more ideas. ...I also have lavendar plants I could harvest and make sanchets.
Thinking of making custom soaps...I am glad you reminded me to start thinking about this!!!!!

[CerridwenLorelei]

one year I bought

glass jars ( square for storage) and discounted smooth journals

On the glass jars I painted things pertaining to the persons interests -for my gparents it was cards as they played bridge a lot
along with their names and wedding date

for the aunts I made personalized journals with their name in puff paint and rhinestones/plastic gems that matched their birthstones..

I did it for under 30 for 8 people...

[umami_mommy]

flavored vinegars are cheap.... just some fruit, herbs, spices or veggies, some recycled glass bottles and a big cheap jug of white vinegar.

another real cheapy for people who camp, have wood burning fireplaces or do lots of bonfires... collect nice long slender pine cones. fill cupcake pans (from the thrift store) with paper cupcake liners (hopefully bought on clearence last year) and add 1/4 inch melted wax. no need to be very hot, just melted. add some scent if you like. (totally not needed) and add a pine cone. when it's cooled, pour a bit more wax on the cone (the part in the cup) and allow to cool. put a bunch in a ziploc bag for a gift. these are THE BEST little fire starters. just light the paper and poof! a fire.

i'm not christian, wasn't raised christian, so the whole idea of people spending oodles of money on each other for x-mas kinda boogles my mind. so i'm th queen of cheap, easy, but really cool homemade gifts.

[sarah_bella1050]

I found large sheets of magnetic sticky paper at the dollar store, and I plan on making magnetic poety from old magazine clippings! It will only take about a half sheet per gift so that's only 50 cents per gift!

[Woodchuck]

Great ideas! I'm going to have to get some of that magnetic sheet!

[sarah_bella1050]

I'm also going to make some magnetic pictures for distant relatives to go with christmas cards

[sadiesmom]

Last year I made packets of hot cocoa mix - cocoa, a little grated chocolate, sugar, and put the mix in little envelopes I got on sale at the craft store. I put the envelopes in some plain, cheapy mugs from Big Lots, and added some homemade marshmallows (super cheap and easy to make). Happy holidays, hot chocolate and marshmallows for Christmas morning!

[sanguine_speed]

For the kids, I'm knitting play dinosaurs and felted sheep. Easy, but you've gotta know how to knit.

[sarah_bella1050]

OMG how do you make marshmallows? I HAVE to do that!

[judybean]

For friends with little ones, I'm making a lot of booties (free pattern at http://www.newconceptions.com) in various sizes from all the scraps I have laying around (and maybe even cutting up an old, but cool, shirt or two... old blankets and beyond work well also!). I've also altered the pattern enough to make bigger sizes, so all the little cousins and second cousins on dh's side will get booties as well!

I'm running into more problems for gifting adults though! I the magnetic ideas though -- poetry, photos, etc... super easy and super cheap! (great this year since dh and I have NO extra $$ AND have our third due around Christmas!)

...

As for the marshmallows... I haven't made any yet, but MIL and I are going to try this recipe from marthastewart.com (yes, I admit it... I love Martha) to make marshmallows to go along with cocoa mix for our church's silent auction (and probably to gift to others as well).

[TakeItEasyMama]

Easy fleece blankets HOW?

Can someone tell me how to make those fleece blankets with the fringe. I found some cheap fleece and need two baby gifts, three birthday presents and more all before Christmas. Thanks

[alicia622]

Originally Posted by TakeItEasyMama

Can someone tell me how to make those fleece blankets with the fringe. I found some cheap fleece and need two baby gifts, three birthday presents and more all before Christmas. Thanks

I've been wanting to make one of these- here's some directions- http://www.justmommies.com/articles/...-blanket.shtml

[Elowyn]

For the adults (three grandparents + two parents + one aunt) I'm scrapbooking some pictures from the past 2 decades into one 11 x 14 layout per person, and framing them with frames from Hobby Lobby (1/2 off, $3.50 a piece.)

For two other aunts, I'm knitting socks from that extra-soft chenille yarn that's out recently. (Well, like in the last 5 years recently )

Kids...no clue yet. Any good kid crafts (cheap & not time consuming) for 10 yr old girls, a 6 yr old boy (big boy, into sports) and a 3 yr old boy?

[Alkenny]

Crock Pot Apple Butter

1. Peel and slice apples until you fill crockpot.

2. Add 2 tbl. vinegar to start apples cooking.

3. Cook approximately 48 hours, stirring occasionally during day time. Cook on HIGH during day time, but cut temperature back at night.

4. After about 40 hours of cooking add sugar to taste, continue to cook until thick and glossy.

5. Last add cinnamon to taste.

6. Place in jelly jars. Seal and put in a 10 min. water bath.

[Bennifer]

this thread is the answer to my prayers!

I usually hang out on life with a babe, but dh and I were just discussing Christmas gifts and how to gift without spending oodles. I love to make things, just have trouble coming up with ideas. One thing I might do is photo coasters...you buy ceramic tiles and print photos onto special paper and transfer them onto the tiles; put a coating on top and little "feet" on the bottom of the tile...I saw it in Family Circle and am going to have to hunt down the actual article for details. Thought we could personalize this for different people...
Keep the ideas coming!!

[momof3sweeties]

Great Thread!!

I'd love the recipe for Beer Bread Ingredients in a Jar!!! Please!!!

I enlarge pics of my kiddos or family and put in a cheap frame....you can decorate the frame for cheap and it is a very special inexpensive gift.

I can in the fall...I will send a "goody" basket or give things I have harvested to friends...Just decorate the jar or make a nice card.....

For Kids home-made playdough make with koolaid for coloring and smell...put in a clear bag with pretty ribbon.