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Making Christmas... not about not being able to afford it... but actually making your own!
posted to Newcomers Club - Active discussion
in The CafeMom Newcomers Club
on Dec. 2, 2008 at 11:42 AM
- 39 Replies
- 740 Total Views
So... this year (well pretty much every year lol) we usually make our family a little gift for everyone we drawl names and buy that person that we drawl a gift..so everyone has a nice small budget and everyone gets a gift and one from the heart =)
I know I'm not the only one out there who makes gifts lol... just wondering what are some things you'll be making this year or have made in the past?
We've made:
Christmas ornaments- we take clear glass ball ornaments some canvas paint put a few different colors of paint drops into the ornament and swirl the ornament around to make the paint go all different directions! You can even take a small stick and drag the paint through other paint. Just be sure not to put too much paint or it will never dry on the inside and will settle at the bottom. Once their dried put the top back on and string some pretty ribbon through the top! They are soo pretty. Then on the bottom take a paint marker or a sharpie and write name who made it and the year with a message of something like Merry Christmas! or Happy Holidays! Very fun for kids and very inexpensive! Everyone will love them-- great gifts.
No sew Fleece Blankets- I'm sure most already know how to do this one! But just a reminder, as its very easy and fun for older kids to make!! And who doesn't love a nice warm blanket especially when its been made with lots of love. At a fabric store get some fleece... depending on how big you would like your blanket to be made should be about 2-4 yards. You'll need either 2 pieces of the same fabric fleece, or 2 pieces of different fabric fleece. Make sure both pieces are the same length. Take both pieces cut about 2 1/2 inches into the fabric from the outside in all around. (about the length of your middle finger) after you've done this the whole way around the fabric to both pieces- take the two pieces together and tie the slits in knots ( I like to double knot) thus tying the 2 peices together. I know those aren't exactly great directions but if you need picture and better directions just google no sew fleece blanket.
You can also make scarfs the same way you made the fleece blanket. The only thing is that you need one piece not two and you do not cut slits all the way around, only on the top and bottom. Also you do not tie the slits you leave them be. This is super easy and fast.
Bookmarks- These can be made of just about anything! Fabric, ribbon, wallpaper.. anything you have around the house almost. Cut what ever it is you have into a bookmark punch a hole in the top and string through some ribbon or yarn or sting with some decorative beads! You can do just about anything with these: any colors, any themes, any shapes. This would be great for teachers! Especially if your child is in a school where they have multiple teachers. This is very easy, fun, and always inexpensive!
Drink Coasters- I haven't made this but a friend of mine did.. and I think we're going to try this year! Its very easy!- Let your little ones draw up some fun! Paint a picture, write something sweet, even those tots can finger paint! Then apply contact paper to both sides cut it out and there ya have it! If you want to get a little fancy with it.. you can always glue to the bottom some cork rounds so it will stay in place and not slide around the table! Just like the book marks you can do anything with these..colors themes.. oh and you could even do your childrens snapshot photos!!!
Boo-Boo Bags- (making them this year!) this would be awesome for Grandma aunts uncles even co-workers! Get some nice flannel cut about 11x 5 or 13 x 7. sew as if it were a pillow leaving one top open poor some rice (do not use minute rice) and some lavendar, mint, jasmine, or chamomile scents (this could be dryed leaves, bath salts, oils--which ever you use do not use a whole lot small amounts will do!) fill the bag to about half full with rice. Then sew the open top half. Now what you do with this is- put it in the microwave for about 1-2 minutes (never longer than 2) put it on sore muscles, achey bones, sore tendons, headaches, or even as a heating pad for warming up! This will stay hot for about an hour. Or leave it in the freezer for those swollen parts! Everyone will love this gift!
Homemade hot cocoa mix- Everyone loves hot cocoa! You can easily find a good recipe for homemade hot cocoa mix by google or recipe books! Once you've made that. Get some butterscotch morsels, chocolate morsels, white chocolate morsels, and whatever else sort of morsels you can find lol-- melt each of them down in seperate pans- once melted dip some plastic spoons into the melted morsels lay them on wax paper to harden and dry sprinkle a few with cinnamon if you choose. Once dried put one or two of each kind in a small gift like bag tied off with ribbon. These will be used to stir the hot cocoa mix when they make their cocoa and will add some delicious flavors! If you wanted to go all out, get some mugs to put them in or get some plain white mugs that have not been "glazed" (sorry I do not know the proper term for it but its were they make it glossy..you need the kind that is not glossy) get some paint (your local art store can help you choose the best type of paint for this project) let your little ones finger paint the mugs. Let them dry! Print up some directions for them to make their cocoa and using the stirs (the plastic spoons!) attach it to the mug handle with some ribbon. Place your cocoa bag and your stirs bag into the mug and there you have it! A wonderful nice homemade gift! Which can be very enjoyable!!!
So there you have it! Those are some of things we do! I hope they are very helpful to you! So tell me what do you do for homemade Christmas gifts!?
Thanks for sharing!
Replies:
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- by on Dec. 2, 2008 at 2:11 PM
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I took a glass vase one year...one that would hold at least a "dozen roses"...a pretty fat vase...put a 25 bulb string of clear lights in it and filled it with potpourri(apple spice is really nice for Christmas, but any will work)...on top I took a doily a little larger then the top of the vase and run ribbin around the top and tide the ribbon in a bow. When plugged in the potpourri heats up a little to give off a little scent. My mom still has this...it's pretty as a night light too.
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- by on Dec. 2, 2008 at 2:15 PM
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Thank you so much...I am starting this year because I want to do something different...You gave some great ideas!
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- by on Dec. 2, 2008 at 2:15 PM
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I loved the ideas!
With the clear ornaments, we buy the large glass ornaments and use small punches to make a confetti style of lots of different pictures from the last year (silly, mad, crying, cute pics). Then we put little pieces of curling ribbon, or beads, or trinkets, and each child gives out these to someone special. So they end up looking like a Kaleidoscope ornament. Every time you move the ornament you see something different.
Thanks for the other great ideas!!!
~Mommy to Danielle Living with Kidney Disease~
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- by on Dec. 2, 2008 at 2:17 PM
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We are doing this too! Where did you get the citric acid???
Quoting HEGGREENE:
Excellent post!! Last year I did the baked goodies thing. This year All the men are getting hats made on my knifty knitter. And my hubbie's neice (she's 8) is getting a hat and scarf set. For the women I'm making body scrub. I got the instructions for it out of a Martha Stewart Living magazine! I also like to make homemade cards and alter items like notebooks, folders, etc.
~Mommy to Danielle Living with Kidney Disease~
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- by on Dec. 2, 2008 at 2:17 PM
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How do you make homemade lotions?? Would you mind sharing???
Quoting Frugalista:
Oooh! Post or PM me the recipe please! I make homemade lotion, but didn't think I'd have time this year to make the infusion for the oil - too cold.
Quoting HEGGREENE:
Excellent post!! Last year I did the baked goodies thing. This year All the men are getting hats made on my knifty knitter. And my hubbie's neice (she's 8) is getting a hat and scarf set. For the women I'm making body scrub. I got the instructions for it out of a Martha Stewart Living magazine! I also like to make homemade cards and alter items like notebooks, folders, etc.
~Mommy to Danielle Living with Kidney Disease~
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- by on Dec. 2, 2008 at 2:19 PM
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I have made a lot of home made things. I think the personal touch is the best. I love making different kinds of craft things. I always get my oldest grandson and help him make something for his mommy & daddy every year. They love it. This year I have two grandsons to help make things for.
Great ideals from everyone. Keep them coming. I will check in later to see if here are any new ideals.
The Christmas ornaments can be made from many different things. Me & my grandson make our own home made clay to make our ornaments. Book Markers are great for teachers and for those who read a lot.
Best wishes and have a wonderful day.
Foxynanna
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- by on Dec. 2, 2008 at 2:40 PM
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It's super easy! But of course, since I went looking for the recipe I can't find it. Basically, you (well, I do - there are different recipes, but I like mine semi-organic) melt beeswax and an oil (i use either an herbal infused olive oil or coconut oil, but you could use jojoba, depending on what you want) together, give it a minute to set up in the freezer. Then pour the mixture slowly into a blender with pure spring water. It will cream before your eyes. Then add essential oils for fragrance or healing qualities and vitamin E as a preservative and blend it again. Pour into jars and viola! Creamy, decadent lotion without chemicals. LOVE IT!!!
If you will PM me, I will send you the actual recipe when I find it. Otherwise, I'll lose you or forget.
Thanks heggreene for the others!
Quoting cstyle99:
How do you make homemade lotions?? Would you mind sharing???
Quoting Frugalista:
Oooh! Post or PM me the recipe please! I make homemade lotion, but didn't think I'd have time this year to make the infusion for the oil - too cold.
Quoting HEGGREENE:
Excellent post!! Last year I did the baked goodies thing. This year All the men are getting hats made on my knifty knitter. And my hubbie's neice (she's 8) is getting a hat and scarf set. For the women I'm making body scrub. I got the instructions for it out of a Martha Stewart Living magazine! I also like to make homemade cards and alter items like notebooks, folders, etc.
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- by on Dec. 2, 2008 at 3:05 PM
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Ew..that sounds fun! How do you do that?
Quoting cstyle99:
I loved the ideas!
With the clear ornaments, we buy the large glass ornaments and use small punches to make a confetti style of lots of different pictures from the last year (silly, mad, crying, cute pics). Then we put little pieces of curling ribbon, or beads, or trinkets, and each child gives out these to someone special. So they end up looking like a Kaleidoscope ornament. Every time you move the ornament you see something different.
Thanks for the other great ideas!!!
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- by on Dec. 4, 2008 at 2:01 PM
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Well I let my niece choose what scrap booking punch shapes she wants to use for her pictures, but they need to be REALLY small punches. We print the pictures at home, so we can print them small, I usually will put a dot of glue and with the same shape we glue 2 pics together front and back, so you can see something on both sides, use various faces she has made throughout the year IE: Candid, Silly, Sleeping, happy, sad, school pics, pics of her dollies, whatever pics you wanna use. We also let her gather tiny beads, pieces of curling ribbon, glass paint (kinda dries clear so light colors). Then we let her put what she wants in the balls! It makes a Kaleidoscope, and she gives them to EVERYONE! Sends them to her uncles, other aunts, Grandparents, friends, her teacher (only if we do classroom shots). Everyone loves them! BTW my niece just turned 7 in October. We have done this for 4 years now! And I will be doing this with my 20 month old tomorrow night! I will post picture if I remember!
Quoting pearee:
Ew..that sounds fun! How do you do that?
Quoting cstyle99:
I loved the ideas!
With the clear ornaments, we buy the large glass ornaments and use small punches to make a confetti style of lots of different pictures from the last year (silly, mad, crying, cute pics). Then we put little pieces of curling ribbon, or beads, or trinkets, and each child gives out these to someone special. So they end up looking like a Kaleidoscope ornament. Every time you move the ornament you see something different.
Thanks for the other great ideas!!!
~Mommy to Danielle Living with Kidney Disease~
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