Hand made gifts?

noone replied:

Wow great topic Tanya!

I made bath salts one year for everyone, I'm pretty sure it was just rock salt, colouring and fragrant oil (I was uneducated in essential oils back then LOL) and put it in a pretty bottle with ribbon.

PerfumePrincess replied:

Yes what a great topic......I would be interested in doing the bath salts this year ...if you have the instructions that would be great.......shaz x

Janine replied:

It will be intersting to see what gift ideas get thrown around for chrissy presents!!

I am one of those silly ones who makes most of the present my family give. I have already made 50 hand stamped christmas, 12 beaded angel bookmarks, 5 charm beaded bookmarks, 2 sets of beaded jewellery, around 30 beaded christmas decorations to pop into cards and still loads to make. As you can see most friends will be getting bookmarks and so will Lydia's teachers.

Normally I give neighbours and family a chrissy sweets box containing handmade chocolates and other sweet things. Put them into a box or tin and wrap with cello, red and green curling ribbon and a few fake pointesttas. These go down a treat. Last year we made cookie chirstmas trees and everyone loved these. This year I have choose the tree decorations as something to keep.

I am also trying my hand at photo cd's this christmas - we will see how clever I am (not!)

The girls are making stepping stones for their grandparents and they also spotted paper mache bowels they wanted to have ago at once school finishes. Along with the stepping stones we are going make windchimes.

For my little neices and nephews I am making up tubs of playdough and a ste of cookie cutters with a playdough receipe attached. For the older neices they are getting bookmarks. My sisters children are getting "Story Felt" of course as she has only 4 children and they live in Sydney and the postage of felt is fantastic compared to other gifts that weigh alot and have loads of packaging.

We do not spend alot on presents as I am training my girls it is the thought that counts and handmade gifts are made with a lot of thought, care and love.

noone replied:

Oh Janine they sound lovely!  I wish I was as motivated as you, every year I say I'll make the majority of presents and then as the date comes closer I end up buying most of them instead.  You have inspired me :)

hotfrangipani replied:

ooohhh a couple of nice ideas there...especially bookmarks!  Keep those ideas coming! 

noone replied:

Another handmade gift idea I have seen is "recipes in a bottle" - you simply layer the measured out portions of dry ingredients into a clean bottle and write the recipe on a tag or label.  Think how pretty say the ingredients for chocolate sultana muffins would look - flour, sugar, sultanas, cocoa etc - all layered in a jar.  The recipient only has to tip them out and add eggs, milk, butter etc.  If including ingredients for biscuits could attach a cookie cutter with the tag on a piece of string or ribbon, for cupcakes a small number of patty papers etc.

One year my little sister made coasters for our parents, decorated and contacted (although laminated would probably be better).  My grandparents have received a handmade calendar (you can print the dates/format from the internet) with everyone's birthdays flagged.

biancaj replied:

Here is a link to make paper roses.  They look lovely all put together, and very simple and lasting gift.

http://www.wwvisions.com/newsletter/oct01/rose.htm 

This one is good to find recipies for fudge etc http://www.fetesandfestivals.com.au/ 

For making soaps, hand creams etc visit http://www.aussiesoapsupplies.com.au/ 

And this is a great site for anything craft!  http://www.auscraftnet.com.au

Janine replied:

I also hand stitch and applique the kids names onto pillowcases which were a huge hit last year and now making for Lydia's school friends for birthday presents.

Attached is a picture of the bookmarks as I have had a few pm's about how to make them.

Janine replied:

The pictures are not flash but you can see the go with them. They only take about 10 minutes to make and are just too cute! I have found a angel poem on the net and have made up tags to go with each bookmark.

Here is one for those not into angels.

Janine replied:

Here are a few more as I have been trying to use up what I already have in my bead stash.

Janine replied:

I would love to see what others are making so post here with your pics too!!

Here is my chrissy card for this year.

Janine replied:

And chrissy tree decorations that will be going into cards for family and friends - eahc has a set which has a decoration for each member of that family.

hotfrangipani replied:

 Oh my!  Those bookmarks are gorgeous!  I was picturing paper ones....they are great!  You can get some lovely crystals etc from craft suppliers .... very nice! 

Im going to give that a go!

That recipe in a bottle is also interesting... ooohhh

... your only limited by your imagination!

Janine replied:

The bookmarks are hit! last year I made 20 of them and family and friends brought them all for their own gifts to give - I was left with none so they have had to wait a whole year to get theirs - ha ha ha. I have sold 2 angels but this year I have stocked up on bookmarks as they were very hard to get close to christmas.