Anyone "Making" Christmas gifts this Year?

[AMaloy314]

Anyone have directions to make these? I bought one at a craft fair, but would like to make some for Christmas gifts. The one I have is a fabric rectangle shape, 14" x 8" sewn closed and contains herbs - tag says "chamomile, peppermint, spearmint, rosemary, white willow, yellow dock root, cinnamon, valerian root, saw palmetto berry, lemon grass, yarrow, lavendar, flax seed and natural grain".

The idea is to heat this on high in microwave for 1 to 1 1/2 mins. and place on skin as a heat pack.

Anyone ever make these. I don't know where I could buy the herbs.

I've made these before and they are great!! I used rice as the 'natural grain' which I got at Big Lots for $.99/5lb. I used 2-3 lbs in the large ones. I have used all kinds of materials to make the bag themselves. Usually, the scrap bin at Wal-Mart dictates what they look like. I also like to make a 'pillow case' type cover for it, so that it can be taken off and washed.

The common herbs can be picked up in the spice aisle of the grocery, or even some dollar stores have groceries now. That would be a way to save some money. You could also use scented oils and just put them in a plastic bag with your grains for awhile to soak up the scent.

One thing that I did learn while making them, the ones that are about 1&1/2-2 feet long work great to wrap around shoulders, but the grains tend to all flow to one end or the other. What I did to alleviate this was to sew a seam about 1/2 way across the width in two places. It looks kind of like this

____________________
l............................... l
l............................... l
l........l.............l......... l
l_____l________l______l

Well, sort of, anyway. (I had to add the dots to make the spacing work.) It makes it so that the grains have to stay in the center, too.


I hope this helps someone.

 

[jeankeri]

My DS9 has been making beaded jewelry for friends and family. He is very proud of his design work. I help out in making sure the ends are secure so the beads do not fall off. He uses memory wire and I curl the ends closed. It has been really fun.

 

[redshoes]

There are some wonderful ideas here,and there are some very talented people here as well.
My "make it" list this year (which all depends on how much I get done in the next few weeks) includes:
Apple Butter for DH and I's Grandparents
File Folder games for DSs
Tutus for our Nieces
Bubble Magnets and Photo Calendars for DH and I's parents.

 

[cdrn1]

Great ideas, folks. Keep them coming! I plan to give several of my friends a Longaberger basket filled with wine, EVOO, French bread, and dipping spices.

 

[AMaloy314]

Great ideas, folks. Keep them coming! I plan to give several of my friends a Longaberger basket filled with wine, EVOO, French bread, and dipping spices.

Wow, cdrn1 ! I love Longaberger baskets. Do you need any more friends?

Seriously though....what exactly is EVOO?


Also wanted to let everyone know that my Joann Fabric store had no-sew fleece scarf kits for $1 on sale. There were several styles that were very cute. For $1, how could I go wrong?

 

[AMaloy314]

There are some wonderful ideas here, there is some very talented people here.
My "make it" list this year (which all depends on how much I get done in the next few weeks) includes:
Apple Butter for DH and I's Grandparents
File Folder games for DSs
Tutus for our Nieces
Bubble Magnets and Photo Calendars for DH and I's parents.

Can you share what File folder games and bubble magnets are? I've never heard of these and am looking for more great ideas.



Keep 'em coming, gang!

 

[redshoes]

Can you share what File folder games and bubble magnets are? I've never heard of these and am looking for more great ideas.



Keep 'em coming, gang!

Here's the link to the marble/bubble magnets- they are really easy to do. I'm using my DSs' pictures for mine, but I've seen them with all kinds of cute pictures and designs. http://jas.familyfun.go.com/arts-and-crafts?page=CraftDisplay&craftid=11357

If you google file folder games there are a ton of different prints that you can use (I bought a book with about 50 different games for preschoolers). Let me see if I can give decent directions- you find the game you want to use, print it up, there is typically a background and a page of matching items that you cut out, you color all the pieces, attach the background to the file folder and laminate the file folder and pieces, attach sticky back velcro to the background and matching piece and you're done. It's sound more complicated than it really is the only time consuming thing is the coloring part.
Here is an example of what they look like:
http://www.preschoolprintables.com/filefolder/filefolder.shtml

 

[Chickysmom]

Too get the price of fleece down a bit, could you purchase those blankets that come on sale at Rite Aid and Walgreens 3/10.00 and use them to make the tied fleece blankets? Would they be large enough?

 

[jjan]

Seriously though....what exactly is EVOO?

Extra Virgin Olive Oil HTH

Too get the price of fleece down a bit, could you purchase those blankets that come on sale at Rite Aid and Walgreens 3/10.00 and use them to make the tied fleece blankets? Would they be large enough?

I haven't seen those blankets, but just take what they measure and deduct about 10 inches in both directions and that is what you are left with (since you use about 5 inches on each side to tie). You definitely don't need a huge blanket, sometimes I just use mine at the foot of my bed since my feet always get cold at night and I need an extra blanket there

 

[Chickysmom]

I just found them advertised at Walgreens for 3/10.00. Size is 50 x 60, so seems like it might be too small when finished?

 

[Chickysmom]

OOOHHH....I might use these sale blankets to make no sew scarves for gifts!

 

[Nevergrow'nup]

What is a quillow?? I've seen it mentioned a few times

Also, I have made fleece covers for hot water bottles for presents, my kids love them on cold winter nights!!

 

[Chickysmom]

duplicate post, sorry

 

[Chickysmom]

a Quillow is a blanket (quilt) that folds into a pocket on one side making a pillow. Thay are really great on car trips! Google search should turn up a pattern.

 

[DisneyMommyMichelle]

 

[DisneyMommyMichelle]

I made the treasure chest of jewels and i loved it! soo cute and so fun to do! I can't wait for DD to play with the 'treasure'

Thanks for the idea!!

==========

I'm doing to gifts in a jar thing and i was just wondering if anyone had some creative things to add to the hot cocoa mix in a jar? I added some candy cane slivers to a couple.

Thanks!!!

 

[DisneyMommyMichelle]

DH and i made Soap Dispensers over the weekend as gifts for our mothers.

What you need:
Hand soap
Soap pump the right length
Wooden christmas ornament with a flat base (we used snow men)
Clear thread
silver Bells
White or silver glitter
Hand Soap (CLEAR)
Drill and different sized bits

We took a regular mason jar
Crazy-Glued ornament at the bottom
-->If the jar mouth is too small for your hand (like DH) use salad tongs to place it at the bottom)
**NOTE**
Make sure the ornament is close to the side of the jar and NOT in the center or the pump will not fit in.

Let the glue dry for 30minutes

While Glue is Drying
Take the lid of the jar and put a hole through the top using the right sized drill bit. This will ALL depend on the size of your pump. We had about 3 or 4 different sizes.

Once you have your hole, put the pump in and secure with glue!
Let dry

NOW
Add white glitter to cover the bottom (looks like snow)
**NOTE**
OMIT the glitter if you do not want the soap to pump some of it out. It's not glittery, just a hint of a shimmer

NEXT pour in the soap
**NOTE**
make sure the soap is clear!!

THEN
Put on the top and tighten lid.

String Bells on clear thread and then tie around the neck of the jar. Make it big enough for the person to be able to slip the bell 'necklace' off when they need to refill soap and slip back on!

ALL DONE!