Christmas Crafts!

[MissTaken]

I am sure I am not alone in attempting to provide nice gifts as minimal cost this year.

So, as I wade through my craft room, what ideas might you have for crafts, projects that you have tried and liked or things that you would like to receive as gifts?

Please, help!

 

[Guest]

 

[Guest]

 

[Guest]

 

[tswyk]

I've made bath salts, soap and candles all scented the same as little gifts for the women in my life...they were well received.

I've also made music boxes that looked like little wrapped christmas presents - they were adorable!

 

[bad kitty]

A christmas scrap book


A small photo album, put some sticjers and paper edging on the sides andthey cant have a 2002 christmas album for their christmas pictures

pssst if ya need scrapbooking stuff i am your woman.

 

[bad kitty]

Get a nice wooden box, stain it either natural or colored, line the box with matching velvet and pad it slightly. Makes a real nice gift.

 

[Guest]

 

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[MissTaken]

Great ideas!

 

[glamorilla]

i usually go for extreme drama which can turn chic or cheek.

i'm insane about wrapping.

last year i put everything into little gold or red satin bags with contrasting gold or red tissue paper wrapped in a sort of tornado fashion. when i had about ten of them laid out the way i wanted it just looked fabulous and i got everything at a five~n~dime.

what you need to do is keep all you colors basic and introduce only one or two different patterns that compliment each other and use them sparingly. i usually go with the red and gold combo with black and one plaid pattern that gets picked up in ribbons.

green should be limited to plant life.

novelty and theme prints should only be used as needed. i prefer to disguise them. i like trick wrapping presents for kids...giving them a somber looking box and having them open it up to a more fun paper which opens to a box which opens to another wrapped box which opens up to the gift.

christmas lights should remain consistant. it's best to stick with one type no matter what it is. lights are fun to mix though and i like the idea of mixing lots of timy little lights with just a strand of something larger to play on your senses.

sorry i went off on decorations.

i make lots of stuff...

 

[bad kitty]

Get a cross stitching hoop, cut 2 pieces of lace about 1 inch larger around than the hoop, lay 1 piece of lace in teh hoop and fill it with potpourri, put the other piece of lace on and fasten the ring. Cut off left over lace and attach nice ribbon or ruffled lace around the outside and viola. A smelly good lacey wall hanging thingy.

 

[Mellon Collie]

i make lots of stuff...

I swear I’m going to kidnap you one of these days.

 

[Guest]

 

[Guest]

 

[Mellon Collie]

Um, I’d actually prefer if you didn’t.

 

[Guest]

 

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[T.H. Oughts]

I'm making waterproof carry bags this year for the nieces and nephews with their initials appliqued on the front. They can use them as shoes bags or beach bags.

Felted needle holders for my stitching friends….

Cane baskets lined with nice fabric with handmade chocolates for adults…

 

[intrigued]

miss T...I make bath baskets, with the products that I make and sell. I add loofahs, back brushes, and candles etc. that compliment the scents used.

I also do theme baskets, such as gardening (bulbs, seeds, tools, gift certificates to a local nursery), cooking (utensils, unique gadgets, towels, pot holders, etc.), pasta, wine, a music lovers, a book lovers, and also candle baskets. You just have to know the person well enough to know their likes.

You can also make wreaths, floral arrangements (I like to use baskets for this, too, and use white lights in the bottom of the basket, and you can add a few taper candles in the top if you want it a bit more formal, it is beautiful!!) or just plant them a bulb garden in something old like an old wooden crate or urn. Use paperwhites, tulips and daffodils that you will have to "force" into bloom.

I also buy picture frames and do a faux painting technique suitable to their decor and personalize it in some way.

Gotta finish cooking...I'll keep thinking on it.

 

[glamorilla]

Oh glam you would be so proud of me.

I have an 8 ft Christmas three with Clear lights. I only have gold and burgandy decorated bulbs and the brushed gold garland..

I only use the gold, burgandy and silver mettalic wrapping paper.

My house is decorated in gold and I have the dark burgandy Poinsettas.

fabulous...just fabulous.

clear light/burgundy is an excellent choice!

intrigued~you just rock. i love giving scented candles and soaps and aromatherapy kits as gift.

i really have to get my hands on your soap!

 

[scrymettet]

I'm making waterproof carry bags this year for the nieces and nephews with their initials appliqued on the front. They can use them as shoes bags or beach bags.

I want one.

I make jam and mapple spread in masson Jar. Not fancy wrapping but no one conplain up to now

 

[PepperminTrish]

I'm making all sorts of ornaments for little gifts for teachers and neighbors, etc. I picked snowmen for the theme and I'll be making as many variations as I can think of so that not everyone gets the exact same one.

For the bus drivers and a few others, I'll be making fudge for them. I'll present them on either pretty plates that I've picked up at yard sales and the Dollar store with cellophane over them tied with a ribbon. You could do this in a basket also. Cookies look nice this way also.

Here's a super quick fudge recipe that I swear is delicious in addition to being quick. You make it in the microwave.

You need:
3 cups of chocolate chips
1 stick of margarine
1 can of sweetened condensed milk
Optional : any kind of nuts you prefer, about 1 cup chopped.

Place all of the ingredients (except the nuts if you're using them) in a large microwaveable bowl and microwave at 50% power for 4 to 4 1/2 minutes. Remove the bowl and carefully stir and stir until it's all mixed well. Pour into a buttered 8X8 pan and set in the fridge. Cut and serve when chilled. Makes 2 pound sof fudge.

You can vary the flavor by varying the chips you use.
Enjoy!

 

[Guest]

 

[intrigued]

fabulous...just fabulous.

clear light/burgundy is an excellent choice!

intrigued~you just rock. i love giving scented candles and soaps and aromatherapy kits as gift.

i really have to get my hands on your soap!

Thank you, glam....I'll be happy to send you some of anything I make...I ship it out fairly often to my friends online.

I am dashing back and forth from the kitchen to the computer, so pardon my vagueness as to who posted what...but I love the wrap ideas. I use 2 colors of wrap only for the gifts that stay under my tree, that complement eachother, such as a solid cream and then maybe a burgundy print, with a little gold in it? Then I use ribbons of cream and gold, or i go with a monotone pattern, of cream on cream, burgundy on burgundy, depending on which colors I'm using. Then I use dried pink or rose hydrangeas, cream or burgundy silk poinsettias and maybe some type of dried roses on the tree itself, with ONLY white lights, and all remaining decorations have to be those three colors....cream, burgundy and gold. (This is on my dining room tree, the kiddies have their own tree in which pretty much anything goes!)

I just love decorating for Christmas.

Back in a bit.