Christmas Crafts

[Tink2000]

I am already thinking about Christmas Ideas. Does anyone have any suggestions for homemade gifts? I am looking for ideas for teachers, couples, parents, in-laws, even somthing for preteen girls. I would like to do as many homemade gifts this year to help cut down on the budget.

 

[jacksmom]

I would like to know also!

 

[dawson5]

Mine are all out of grade school but when they were I would buy winter themed large coffee mugs and buy one of the huge sampler packs of cocoa (I think it was Land o' Lakes brand) at Sam's. I made biscotti (chocolate/oranger and cinnamin hazelnut) and put them together and wrapped them. I've also made cookie mix jars with a fabric top and printed the instructions on some nice paper. With my youngest two in middle school and oldest in high school, I don't see this happening this year. Can you imagine trying to lug 14 of these to the middle school and going from class to class?

If you don't want to make, our teachers used to love the starbucks gift cards, teachers store and target.

 

[Tink2000]

Any ideas out there?

 

[FortWildernessLoopy]

Well, this year we are having a tight Christmas (to put it mildly, lol). I am embroidering handkerchiefs for my DM and DMIL, making scented soy candles for friends, designing a travel trailer for my Dad to help my DH build, making soap, making the layered cookie mixes in jars for my neighbors, cross-stitching Christmas ornaments for everyone in the family, and ...and this isn't really a craft..but Publix has these recipe cards they give out weekly and I am compiling them all together for my Mom since there is no Publix where she is.

I happen to love homemade gifts and while I appreciate every gift I receive, I still have the afghans, bookmarks, photobooks, and handmade cards that I have received.

 

[HLDisney]

There's a similar thread on the Budget Board:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2273972

Helen

 

[debsays]

I'm looking for the website to print out the Cute Snowman Candybar wrapper to make some for grandson's class this Christmas. If anyone has it could they post it or PM me.
THANKS

 

[FortWildernessLoopy]

I'm looking for the website to print out the Cute Snowman Candybar wrapper to make some for grandson's class this Christmas. If anyone has it could they post it or PM me.
THANKS

I'm stil looking for the snowman template, but I found this general guide if you have a graphic you'd like to do. I was thinking about playing with it today:

http://www.ehow.com/way_5299302_do-yourself-candy-bar-wrappers.html

 

[BernardandMissBianca]

I made these for the teachers for their Welcome back gifts

It's chipboard (the backs for notepads), paper, strong adhesive, and post it notes.

I glued the fancy paper to the chipboard with elmers glue, cut holes in the top for the rings (if you have a strong hole punch you could do this or use cardstock), binder rings (plastic ones can be bought at Staples), and used Terrifically Tacky Tape to hold the post it notes on. They were pretty inexpensive and I did them in a weekend.

 

[SharonLovesMickey]

I have tried to save on Christmas for many years now and as a person who does not like giving (or getting) gifts that are not useful to the recipient I try to find consumable things. My solution:

Cookies & Bread

Last year I made 3 different kinds of cookies for the secretaries....that was silly because there was an overwhleming favorite. This year I will only make that one cookie (chocolate crinkles). I am probably going to make the dough ahead of time and freeze it to bake them fresh closer to Christmas (I am due November 15 with a girl!).

I found that a single recipe of bread went a long way. I was able to make like 8 loaves from one batch!! THAT IS 8 GIFTS!!!

I also found that people really liked homemade gift tags

I gave them at Christmas even though it is probably after you need the gift tags. I would bet that for under $20 you get all the supplies to stamp and decorate some really cute gift tags. Present them nicely in a small bag or box and that small gift can go a long way.

I will make one other suggestion to cut down on cost: see if you can get people to agree to an exchange instead of gift giving for individuals

There are 7 of us kids who get together on Christmas day. Instead of buying 7 gifts we just trade names and buy for 1 person...and we set a budget of $20! This year we are going to do a $20 gift card exchange.

One more thing I thought of!! Last year I went to dollar tree and bought a bunch of taper candles and others and tied them up with pretty ribbon. These make nice hostess gifts or present toppers if you already have another gift, but are also very nice on their own. I know that I could also use a set of taper candles!

 

[Neverland Scraps]

Depends on how big your children are. We've done handprint ornaments. We've taken model magic or equivelent of and pressed the kids hands and feet into the clay, making sure to poke a hole at the top to string through the string.

Another thing is they are bigger is taking different shades of green felt and copying the handprints, cutting them out and gluing in the shape of a wreath on a cardboard cutout. Attach "berries" made out red/mauve felt. If you want to decorate it up Disney-style, you can add Disney embellishments found at your local craft store.

You can also do a "create a mug" project. I think you can pick them up at hobby stores for like .99 cents each
Also, we've gotten cute ornaments (that are already getting put out!) at places like WalMart, Target, etc. We've gotten things that were personal for the teacher. Like the one teacher was a Ballet Instructor--we've gotten a pair of ballet slipper ornaments, etc.

One more thing....if you have a female teacher you can bead her a bracelet, earrrings or even necklace.
The last time my kids were in school I made each of the teachers a "relief basket" I went to the dollar store and bought a basket for each teacher. For one teacher I got a bunch of Spa soaps, etc and placed that in her basket. For another teacher who was a huge coffee drinker, we got her different types of coffee and scones. Of course we topped each one with a couple Dove Chocolate Candies


Those are just a few things that we've done in the past

 

[nicurn]

well I am going to make some more of the star mini books. made one and it's actually very easy. I know I posted a link to it either here or on the scrapping board. it has room for 6 pictures which might be fun for teachers. also making snails out of socks... dd's high school mascot is a snail...figured I should "embrace my inner snail" or something like that.
another place to look would be holiday magic, they are all christmas ALL the time...

 

[HLDisney]

I'm thinking of making reusable fabric grocery bags for friends and maybe teachers, too. I found these tutorials online:

http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=177482.0

http://u-handbag.typepad.com/uhandblog/2007/04/one_of_the_medi.html

http://www.morsbags.com/

http://blog.creativekismet.com/2007/10/27/pillowcase-tote-tutorial/

http://www.instructables.com/id/A-TOTE-ally-easy-way-to-help-the-Earth/

Helen

 

[5 'LIL *TWINKERS*]

http://www.familycorner.com/homegarden/crafts/dishtowel_angel.shtml

Dishtowel angels!

I made many of these for xmas gifts last year. For teachers, bus driver, family, friends. They literally take less than 10min. to make!

In the link it looks like they used pretty cheap towels. I got mine at Target, they were a little nicer towels and dishclothes. I made them all different color towel, ribbon and potholder combinations. You could use whatever you want though. I also did not tie "the hands" together either. My poem was a little different too......

"I am your kitchen angel, I'll watch over all you do, Baking all those goodies and snitching one or two! And if you ever tire of me, or some help is what your wish is, just untie my little ribbons, and I'll help you with the dishes!"

Attached with a ribbon somewhere on your angel.

I have also given away potholder mitts with a brownie or muffin mix inside and recipe instructions included.

 

[5 'LIL *TWINKERS*]

Tag blankets....

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2294361

Post #7

 

[worm761]

If you like giving things like bath salts here is a website with a bunch of bath and body recipes: http://www.bathandbodyrecipes.com/

Bath salts would be cheap to do. Epson salt and essential oil for scent. You can add food coloring for color but be careful...too much and you end up colored when you come out of the tub. You could buy some mason jars and attach/glue on some pretty fabric. Fabric can be found cheap if you look in the remnant piles. For small projects that is all you really need.

 

[worm761]

I thought of another one. What about homemade hot chocolate? You could put it in a jar with directions.

 

[jacksmom]

Homeade hot chocolate sounds good! Any recipes?? Also looking for some good cookie mixes to put into jars??