Making gifts

[Johnny Thunder]

Does anyone make gifts for family and friends?

[JackFrost]

Yes...I have and will if I have the time!

[CandyCane]

For the last couple of years I have. Usually something simple like these.

http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q77/Lauriebeast/Xmas%20projects/Xmasscreenfront.jpg

http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q77/Lauriebeast/Xmas%20projects/Picture_0014.jpg

http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q77/Lauriebeast/Xmas%20projects/Snowmanscreenfront.jpg

http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q77/Lauriebeast/Xmas%20projects/IMG_3378.jpg

[Johnny Thunder]

How wonderful!

My father in law does the same.

Very nice. :)

[Clarice]

Wow those are great! I especially like the candy dish. I bake and make candy for 15 family and friends.

[Mummy deer-est]

I make cookies, candies, gift baskets. But I love to make an awesome looking present. I don't know why, but I do. I also make some of my own christmas cards...
would show you all a pic, but really just have no idea how to do so.

I'm pitiful. :confused:

[Mistress Muffy]

Mummy I'm the same way on posting pics on here.

Every year my family waits for their gift baskets that I make with all the products I make for my little candy co.. I give food products as gifts, mostly boxes of candy. One year I sent huge food gift baskets to many old family friends. This year my baskets will include rum cakes & jars of jam I put up myself.

Muf

[Ms. Parker]

No, but some people have started to ask me to sew stuff. Maybe I'll make some Christmas stockings or a Christmas tablerunner...

[Sickie Ickie]

Now, there's an idea Ms. P. One of my most fond memories was an ex-gf making a stoking for me and added sequins and beads across it showing a snowman scene and my name on it.

[NJWilk]

In college I used to make gifts because I was really really really broke. I made a cookbook for my mom then - photo scrapbook from woolworth's, typed up my favorite recipes, cut out food pictures from magazines. She still uses it 30 years later, makes me smile everytime I see it in her drawer. Another year I spent months on a Santa cross-stitch for her that she hangs up every year during Christmas season.

I still bake cookies as gifts and usually try to make a few little things if I come up with good ideas.

[Sickie Ickie]

If that wasn't true love, I don't know what is! Thanks for sharing that memory. :)

[Mummy deer-est]

I figured out the picture thing (thanks sickie!)(Ms. P -- upload to photobucket, and they give you the link, unlike flickr)
Sooooooo, here are my cards. Which now, after all of this, seem rather plain and a bit of a letdown! :) But I like simple, and I'm a beginer, so here you go...

http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff252/amndaj/memorycard1706.jpg

[Sickie Ickie]

Very pretty, Mummy.

[CandyCane]

Mummy, I think they're lovely. And I know how much time and effort goes into making these things.

[Mummy deer-est]

Thanks guys. :)
CC -- you are so right. They seem so simple, but to make it look nice, there is a lot of time involved, considering. I would love to make all my cards, but there just isn't enough time, so we do a store bought one for the masses!

[Sickie Ickie]

masses of what? :eek:

[Mistress Muffy]

Very funny Sickie!! I love your cards Mummy ...that is so special when you get something like that from someone. I always save those kinds of things.

And Laurie I love your Xmas things you painted. There is no end to your talent my friend. Love that gingerbread house that holds candy. So cute!

Muffy

[lyssa-anne]

Mummy your cards are very nice - thats one thing that I have wanted to do, but have yet to do. Candycane - your work is great also!!! For gifts I have made gift baskets, towel cakes, preservatives, ornaments, pillows (picture pillows), xmas tress , I have made favors for xmas dinner, centrepieces, I like to wrap my gifts uniquely. This yr I wanted to make some fleece blankets - I like to make some gifts to give to people who buy for our children (we have an 9yr and 4 yr old twins) when they don't have any children to buy for.

[Sickie Ickie]

I live those blankets. So soft and warmm. :D

[bethene]

Mummy dearest, I love homemade cards, yours looks so pretty. Candy cane, all the gifts you made are really great, I love getting gifts like that, from someones heart. I have made many things over the years, angels, old fashined santas, ornaments. One thning I made that every one loved, and is SO simple, I got decorative glass jars with tops, quite large. Inside I put Christmas lights, from bottom to top, with popourri filling the jar, mixed evenly with the lights(cord at the top so can be plugged in). Put lace on the edge of the lid, With the lights turned on(lid off while lit) the warmth from the lights makes the popourri very fragrant, when they warm up. Add new popourri as need (yearly) to keep the scent going.

[Sickie Ickie]

How neat! I'll have to tell my wife about that!

[beautycastvixen]

Wish I had the time. One year I made everyone homemade chocolates. Another time I gave everyone homemade strawberry jam. Now, I am too busy with a new business and life in general. Personally, I love home made gifts especially the ones my boys bring me home from school.

http://www.beautycastbabe.com

[Mummy deer-est]

I agree -- little gift made by little hands are great! :)

[beautycastvixen]

Christmas is just so commercial now...and I heard the other day that Lowe's is calling Christmas trees Family Trees this year

[Sickie Ickie]

Made with real families? :eek: Soylent green is coming!

[Brightside]

Actually, I think they formally issued an apology for that last week.

My wife always makes big gift baskets of home made brownies, cookies and stuff like that.

[Sickie Ickie]

Well heck, add me on your gift basket list brightside! yum!

[HollyDaze]

Made with real families? :eek: Soylent green is coming! That made me laugh out loud.

As for handmade gifts: yes and no. I'm doing more and more edible gifties because they're universally appreciated in our gift-giving circle. (And I love making them, so it's a win-win.)

There are certain people in the friends & family who do NOT appreciate handmade anything so they're the recipients of generic gift cards.

Do you find that some handmade projects typically go over better than others?

[BlackRose]

My three best friends and I are making each other's gifts this year. It started as a money constraint thing but we are all having so much fun doing it we may continue the tradition next year!

[wintersmistress]

I use to make homemade cadies,and little cottages out of shoe boxes with a pound cake inside,but have no time since i own my own gift basket business:(,I have no more time for making much homemade gifts.

[xmas_wilbret]

We make gifts, depending on the person.

My wife is an amazing crafty person, I'm a decent woodworker. I LOVE the photos posted on the first page of this thread.

[NJWilk]

This was just for my girlfriend, but I could see doing it for family and friends.

One year I bought a bunch of large gift tags, 2"x3", looked like little blank notecards. Took them to work and when I had a few spare moments each day, I wrote down a reason why I loved her. You know, sappy stuff like "You're always there when I need someone to listen", "I love your smile in the morning", "Remember the time we picked wild blueberries? Life with you is always that sweet".

The tags were a big hit, but it took us forever to open our gifts that year - all that laughing and kissing and crying.

[Sickie Ickie]

You romantic, you! :D

[digbugsgirl]

I usually make some gift. Right now I am painting a slate for a friend at work. I actually make things and sell them at craft shows and our local farmer's market. I made an angel okra ornament that I am giving to another co-worker. I usually bake a lot, but this year I just haven't been much in the mood. I'll probably bake a few things this weekend to give away.

[Sickie Ickie]

Have you seen my SantasProjects.com site, DBG? I'm lov to have some of your how-to's on it!


Your Okra Angel sounds fascinating! Do you have a pic?

[digbugsgirl]

Love the site! I don't have a pic yet, but I'll be taking some within a couple of days to put them on my website. I'll let you know when I get them.

[Sickie Ickie]

I'll be waiting with baited anticipation! :D

[Xmaslilly]

Homemade gifts are great i think ..maybe cuz i make them but i'm the only one that does here.
I give them to my friends at our party.
I have made large hurricane centerpieces, small votive gifts,lighted snowmen, lighted xmas trees, and lighted xmas presents.. I will be making that scented potpourri thingy this yr for them. My sis got one from a co worker ..I want to tweak it a bit though. ( i don't like the cord coming out the top) I am aslo making large and mini snowflakes along with icicles. As soon as I find the right seashell I will make seashell angels also.
Laurie love those wooden items realy cute.

Mummy-those Xmas cards are cute too.. looks like you take other cards to make those ..my friend does that too

[Mummy deer-est]

lilly, it was actually a card making kit...but that is a great idea. I was running out of accents for it, so I will try doing that with some of my old cards!

[Xmaslilly]

ok so I tried that pot pourrie thingy yesterday for our new yrs party. I wanted to see if it really puts out enough scent to be worth making for gifts for next Xmas.
Well it worked great. here is a pic of it . Just one of my witch jars that I refilled.
My friend says she has some hurricanes I can have, will also hit the goodwill. So I will be using that type glass for those on the next ones.
http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j136/imdiamondlilly/xmas%20stuff/1tablenewyrse.jpg

[bethene]

Lillie, I made those a few years ago for my sisters-inlaw's, they all loved them. I glued lace to the edge of the jar ,tied ribbon with a bow to it also. I used jars that gifts of nuts came in, square with a decorative cut glass design at the bottom, my brother in law gave us nuts for Christmas every year, and I saved them, and finally found a use for them. The great thing is, you can use any type of jar or vase , as long as large enough, and cheap ones looks just as pretty!

[Sickie Ickie]

I mentioned that I wanted to make some to my wife, however she is afraid that the heat from the incandescent Christmas lights, combined with the dry potpourri is a fire hazard.

[Xmaslilly]

Sickie - I had mine on for 8 hrs and had no problem with it.
treat it as a candle and keep an eye on it , just as you would your Christmas tree with lights.

[bethene]

Mine were used for years also. but if there is a concern, try indoor only lights, they might not get quite as warm. I don't know if that would change how much fragrance there would be, but I agree, just keep a eye on it, don't leave unattended, etc.