A Little Early... DIY Christmas Presents - Page 8

[cece]

Subbing! There are some great ideas here. Thanks for sharing. As for the bedside caddy (between the mattress thingy) I have a pattern I will share in the next few days ( too tired to do all that now). It looks pretty simple and really functional. It recommends lining a couple pockets for eyeglasses, and ipods, phones, etc. :0) Someone pm me if I forget

[OHmidwife]

I haven't read the whole thread, so sorry if any of these are repeats. For the last few years I've been making homemade gifts for my family- mom, dad, & siblings. Here's what I've made so far, but I'll read the rest of this thread as I haven't decided what to do this year:

*home-burned CD of old family favorite songs that we listened to as kids. It included a insert with my memories specific to each song. eg: "I remember dad singing along to this song in the car when we were on vacation and all of as banging stuff along with him"

*homemade calendar with childhood photos of whoever's birthday was in that month, plus misc. seasonally appropriate photos for months when there were no family b-days (I got one cheap calendar & xeroxed the months after writing in b-bays, then color xeroxed the photo pages and had them all spiral bound for about $1.50 each at Office Max.

*homemade soaps

*homemade balsam fir sachets (these smell sooo good!)

*recipe booklet of old favorites from each family member

That's all I can think of. Now I'm off to read everyone else's ideas!

[Red]

Oh, these are great! I'm going to make the candy wreath for my college-aged daughter.

I'm hoping to get to Jo-ann's to buy flannel at 1/2 price and make everyone a pair of xmas holiday pj pants. All exactly the same, just for fun.


mercyn, line the baskets for the guys with bandanas. Most guys will use them for something. For the women you can line with a new kitchen towel, a pretty piece of cloth, a guest towel, a linen napkin.

Pick anything the recipient likes, BBQ -bbq sauce, a brush, maybe a cookbook if you find a cheap one, spices, utensils, an apron, heatproof mitt, etc. Does he love bikes? Go to your local bike store and tell them you need a few thngs for the cyclist. Tell them your $ limit. Throw in energy bars. Any hobby can make a basket! You don't even have to know the person well and you come off looking like a pro.

My dd's afgan is about 1/4 of the way done!

[PeacefulSeams]

I'm making my son, niece and nephews a quilt with matching pillows. My DS gets a Star Wars one. My niece a princess/fairy one. My 1st nephew a cars/trucks/planes one. My 2nd nephew a blue jean teddy bear one.

[zoomom]

:

subbing so I can keep up

[***Heather***]

Have to keep this thread on the first page! It's my reminder that Christmas is coming!

I've been planning on choosing pics from my photo collection and having them printed and framed. After seeing the price of picture frames that have mult holes to put pics in, I've decided to do things a little different. I'm buying regular 8x10 frames (cheap/nice if possible!). Open a program like publisher, choose a bunch of pics (6-12), crop, resize and arrange on an 8x10 page. Select all pics, add thick white or black borders. Finito! Looks pretty good and it's a lot of fun.

I've also had requests from sis to put together videos of her baby and burn to DVD. She said that could be her Christmas present from me. I think I'll make one for her, my Mom, and Grandparents. I just need to get more footage.

[Maiasaura]

Originally Posted by Red

mercyn, line the baskets for the guys with bandanas. Most guys will use them for something. For the women you can line with a new kitchen towel, a pretty piece of cloth, a guest towel, a linen napkin.

Pick anything the recipient likes, BBQ -bbq sauce, a brush, maybe a cookbook if you find a cheap one, spices, utensils, an apron, heatproof mitt, etc. Does he love bikes? Go to your local bike store and tell them you need a few thngs for the cyclist. Tell them your $ limit. Throw in energy bars. Any hobby can make a basket! You don't even have to know the person well and you come off looking like a pro.

red, thank you! this is exactly the kind of answer i was looking for. i'm SO not crafty!
i think my brother is still on a low-carb diet, not sure. actually, now there has been a wrench thrown in the works: his older DD has just been shipped off to a seriously lockdown type school for troubled teens. i mean *just*. and she's not allowed to come home for christmas or for anything. so their holiday just had a damper thrown on it. i may still make baskets but dunno what to do for her, don't think she's allowed to receive anything. not sure.

thanks so much though, for all your help!

pamela

[Red]

mercyn, I'd make the dd a basket too. Even if she can't have it now, it will be nice when she gets out to know she wasn't forgotten. And if you call the place, they might allow a box of holiday cookies to be sent.

Teens LOVE food, and if you can mail it to her, playing cards, perfume, lip gloss, candy kisses, and a loving note!

[Codi's Mama]

Loving this thread!
Last year everyone got hand-tied fleece blankets. I used some extra fleece to make matching pillows. That ended up being between $10 and $15 per person with 1/2 off fleece.
This year I'm doing photo calenders for each family. I was told I can get them bound with a clear front cover and a back cover added for around $1 per calender at Staples.
DD is also going to paint some wooden photo frames that I got for $.75 at Michaels that I'll put a photo into.
My new nephew (due any day) is getting a hand-tied fleece blanket and my niece, who's 18m is getting a playdough box, with home-made playdough and playdough tools (cookie cutters, plastic knife, rolling pin, etc).
I'm also making some bath crayons for dd and niece.

[mommy2abigail]

Ohhhh Whats your bath crayons recipe?!?! I JUST told my mom that I wanted to get some for dd, but they are PRICEY at that store! And also, does anyone have a bath oil recipe? I am making relaxation baskets for my aunts, and I'd like to include some bath oils. THanks!

[Apryl Srissa]

Originally Posted by Red

mercyn, I'd make the dd a basket too. Even if she can't have it now, it will be nice when she gets out to know she wasn't forgotten. And if you call the place, they might allow a box of holiday cookies to be sent.

Teens LOVE food, and if you can mail it to her, playing cards, perfume, lip gloss, candy kisses, and a loving note!

I agree, plus, if she's having a rough time right now, then comes home and didn't have one, she may feel left out. We all know that teens aren't always logical, so even though it makes sense to not send her's now, she may feel bad about it. If they would let you send her something there, maybe they have an approved list or something, that would be even better.

[townmouse]

Our boys are each getting one store-bought gift this year, and the rest of Christmas is homemade.

I wanted to share what the boys are each making for a gift for all of them to share:

Toby (2) is helping with Candy Cane Mice: You cut out a teardrop shape (felt), cut a slot to slide a candy cane thru for a tail, and glue on ears, googly eyes, and a pink felt nose. http://www.craft-central-station.com...ss/ccmouse.htm

Henry (6) Pringles can bowling game: covering cans with construction paper, adding numbers and a new little ball. Sand in the bottom for a little weight, glue on lids.

Jonas (8) wooden checkers. Measuring, marking, and painting a checkerboard, sawing and painting dowels for checkers.

Nathaniel (10) bean bag game collection: sewing the bean bags, sawing holes in a board for a 'points' toss game, painting a tic tac toe board.

For the grandparents and great-grandparents we are making little photo albums and recording a folk music Christmas song CD. (we play guitar, fiddle, and mountain dulcimer)

We always have the same stocking tradition: fruits, nuts, chocolate Santa, and a small toy. This year they are all getting harmonicas.

[Codi's Mama]

Originally Posted by mommy2abigail

Ohhhh Whats your bath crayons recipe?!?! I JUST told my mom that I wanted to get some for dd, but they are PRICEY at that store!

I haven't made any yet, so I don't know how they'll turn out. Here's 2 different recipes I found.
Here's one recipe, and probably the one I'll go with.
Here's another, it's down towards the bottom.

[FillingMyQuiver]

Originally Posted by townmouse

I wanted to share what the boys are each making for a gift for all of them to share:

This is such a wonderful idea!!! I love that it's geared to age appropriateness for the actual prep work, but the finished products are appropriate for all to use What a great job, mama!!

We're doing a 90% homemeade Christmas this year. From DH and I, the bought gift the kiddos will be getting are some Folkmanis puppets. Other than that, I'm making bean bags for DS, dying playsilks for DD (I guess these are *sorta* bought b/c I bought the silks), and knitting them fruits, veggies, and a market bag to go w/ the wooden kitchen their grandparents are buying them. I'm sure I'll add more mama-made presents as I think of some things, but we're focusing more on our tradition uilding than anything else.

For other family, I'm knitting or sewing also. My MIL is getting a lace shawl I'm knitting, I'm making quite a few prs of flannel lounge pants, a couple of prs of LTK Stripey slippers, hmm.... that's all I can think of right now lol

[babybugmama]

I love the idea of making a checker board! That would be awesome!! I'm going to see if dh would be interested in doing that. We have some wood laying around and may even have a dowel we could use to make the pieces. Then it's just finding some paint.

[um_hanna]

subbing

[Fyrestorm]

I have to give everyone my salt scrubs and chocolate truffles EVERY YEAR...I get requests and am told (kiddingly) that I'm not allowed at the company holoday party without them.

Too easy:

Salt Scrub (for 1 in a mason jar)

1/4 cup kosher salt
1/4 cup table salt
1/2 cup large sea salt
3 tbs almond oil
3 tbs glycerine
mix together and add water till proper sludgelike consistancy...add essential oil to taste

(to match Origins, I use a few drops of peppermint, spearmint a few drops of orange)

Truffles

6 oz semi sweet chopped chocolate (you can use chocolate chips)
6 Tbs heavy cream
2 tbs unsweetened cocoa

melt chocolate and cream in double boiler (or if you use a microwave it can be done in there at 50% power stirring every 60 seconds)

Line a brownie pan with wax paper

pour in mixure and cool overnight in fridge or freeze for at least 30 minutes

Turn hardened mixture out onto wax paper and cut into 1/4" squares (does not have to be neat)

Roll squares in cocoa (I toss them in a bowl like a salad)

Can be refridgerated for up to a week

Should be served at room temp.

[Petersmamma]

Here is my recipe for truffles:

1 package Oreos
2 boxes semisweet chocolate (or you could use chocolate chips), melted
1 package cream cheese, softened

Crush 9 oreos to fine crumbs and reserve. Crush the rest of the package to fine crumbs, mix with cream cheese until the two are fully incorporated. Shape into small balls (about 1 inch). Dip into melted chocolate, sprinkle with Oreo crumbs. I would store these in the fridge, and they stay soft even in the fridge! I also suggest using a small amount of chocolate at a time, that way it will stay melted (or melt choc in a double boiler instead of the microwave). Yum!

Also, I plan to package my homemade goodies in those small loaf pans. I primarily make chocolate goodies, which gets expensive (but come ON...what would YOU rather have, a snickerdoodle or fudge?), so the small loaf pan means that I can give people fewer (which people don't mind, because there is SO much holiday food) AND the container is a gift, too!

Oh, and on that vein, I got my SIL a pashmina scarf (so pretty!) as well as a DVD of The Princess Bride (her fave movie when she was a kid), and I plan to wrap the movie in the scarf, so again, the wrapping won't get thrown away!

One other thought! Ds has made a bunch of art in dc this year, and much of it isn't that great. However, we have a hard time throwing it out. So we are keeping a couple of our faves, and then sending the rest to our family. That way, they get to see his art, and THEY get to dispose of it! Ha!!

[Petersmamma]

Originally Posted by redwolf2

How long could this keep in a jar do you think? If i am giving them as gifts I would like to make them a bit ahead of time.

So, the recipe says to store in the fridge, which totally makes sense since there are no preservatives and there is sugar, oil, etc and bacteria can eat ANYTHING. But once it's in the fridge, I think you could make these today and store them till Xmas. However, I want to add that this takes NO work, so you could make one a day starting Dec. 18 or so after having your morning coffee and it would seriously only take 5 minutes.

Anyone have good ideas for packaging on this one? The only thing I have come up with (I don't have a good source (read: inexpensive) for glass jars) are those ziploc containers with a twist on top.

[Petersmamma]

Originally Posted by Annikate

Got this idea on MDC last year and they're great:

Get some chocolate chips, some *craisins*, some pistachios. Melt the chocolate, add the rest. Spread on waxed paper and put in fridge. Break off into pieces and put into a fancy tin lined w/tissue paper or other container.

Make it extra Christmas-y by using white chocolate. Then you'll have the white, the red and a little green from the nuts.

You could also do this with white chocolate and candy canes. Drool!!