What are you making for Christmas?

[maleficent1959]

What kinds of gifts are you making for Christmas this year?

I've made a photo bracelet for my mom, a charm bracelet for my niece, and I'm working on a pearl and silver necklace for my sister. My next project is a cigar box purse for my aunt.

But I need some fun ideas for other people. Anybody else doing something they are enjoying?

 

[Alice28]

I always have a VERY difficult time figuring out what to buy for my mother in law. I mean, she is tough, because her mantra right now is to clean out EVERYTHING- clothes, books, knick-knacks, as she wants to downsize into a smaller house.

I am thinking about pre-making her a scrapbook, but this is difficult. I know the one she would most like to do is of my deceased father in law; she has even talked to me about it, wanting me to help her. But since I don't even know the pictures she has, it would be hard to pre-make the pages. So, I am thinking of buying an album, and a bunch of the pre-made borders by Creative Memories, and asking her to come up for a week with the pictures and I will make the album for her.

I think that is the only crafty thing I will do this year. Everyone else will get ready bought gifts. I may make my Christmas cards again. Depends if I buy some Sizzix die-cuts and then need to justify my reason for purchasing them. (I mean really, how often can one use a big gingerbread die cut?).

 

[nicurn]

I'm making altered paint cans this year, and making christmas cards... I should probably get started now! and maybe some cute accordian books.... Once I make the altered paint cans I'll have to make cookies to put in them. maggie

 

[JulianneP]

WOW I was thinking of starting this thread!

I'm making candles. Way back when I saw a cute photo candle idea in the Washington Post. My DH threw out the paper (gasp for die hard recyclers) Anyhow I sent out a thread to the Dis if anyone had it and sure enough someone was so kind to post it for me. I'm so embrassed I can't remember who and now don't see the thread!!

But last week I started practicing the art of candle making and love it. I'm using small canning jars and a photo of my kids from the beach for all my relatives.

 

[nicurn]

julianne, that sounds cool too, you will have to post the directions! maggie

 

[eeyoreforever]

Maggie - exactly what is an altered paint can? And where do you get a clean paint can-Home Depot, Lowes-places like that? I would really like to hear more about this as I have several hard to buy for relatives and something like this may be an option.

 

[MamaCrush]

maleficent-- how are you doing the cigar purse? I would love to do something like that but wouldn't know how to begin. Is there a website with instructions or something like that??

maggie-- I'm also interested in the altered paint can idea. What a great idea!

What I plan to do this year is make card sets ( 2 each of get well, birthday, thanks, thinking of you). I think an altered paint can might be a fun way to package these up!

Also-- I've made homemade vanilla extract which is currently sitting in a dark closet, "fermenting". Now all I have to do is find little decorative bottles and I'll make homemade tags to go on them.

This thread is such a great way to spark some creativity!

 

[pattyT]

I am into the Altered Paint Cans this year too -
I bought 8 cans so far to get started with the plans of...

a horse themed one filled with 'make-up', magazines, etc... for our neighbor (dd's friend)

a gourmet food one for my cousin

a John Deere one for my son (I already bought little John Deere trucks to fill it up!)

A cookie one for teachers (thanks Nicurn!)

A striped/tween themes one for dd willed with 'stuff'

One for a Yankee Swap filled with Bath and Body Works stuff

and I don't know what I will fill the others with yet! But I got KEWL samples of borders to match my mil's kitchen and my moms bathroom to make them each one!



a

 

[MamaCrush]

I found the following sites for altered paint cans. Looks like I have to add more to my Christmas To-Do list!



http://www.geocities.com/scrappin_mel/paintcans.html (suggested themes/fillers)


http://www.twopeasinabucket.com/pg.asp?gallery=1 (sample pics-- notice the Disney one!)

 

[maleficent1959]

Originally posted by MamaCrush
maleficent-- how are you doing the cigar purse? I would love to do something like that but wouldn't know how to begin. Is there a website with instructions or something like that??

I got the boxes and some of the hardware at Michael's. I'm sure Hobby Lobby would have them except mine is still closed from Hurricane Ivan. There were a couple of those free project sheets on the display. Between those and a mom who used to decoupage I'm going to trial-and-error a Haunted Mansion purse for myself before I try my aunt's.

I took all the hardware off and sanded the box, then painted it. I'm now putting together all the little things I want to put on it (which you glue on) and then put two or three coats of varnish on it. Then you can add any 3-D stuff you want to use. Let me see if I can find the directions and what my mom told me to use. It all has to be well squirreled away because I have two little kids who love to "help."

When I got this idea I did search for some sites on how to do it but I didn't bookmark any. I know there were some directions at the Michael's website and at about.com. They are so cute I thought it would be fun to make some.

 

[jennyL]

I wish I had more time to make more gifts. So far this year the only things I am making are a scrapbook for my sister and then homemade autograph books for my sister, grandmother, and my sister's friend. He is going to Disney for Christmas so it will be an early gift and we are taking my grandmother for her first trip to WDW in Feb so I am getting her a collection of Disney stuff.

The last two years I have done something cool with everyones packages. Two years ago I made homemade tags that had the peoples faces on them instead of there names. Then last year I used the plain brown paper and made the wrapping paper with flet stickers and stamps. I love to wrap and make bows so these are all fun for me. I haven't decided what to do with everyone's packages this year. If anyone has ideas pass them along.

 

[kandmwedding]

I always make bacon and eggs for the neighbors...

** Melt white chocolate chips in the microwave (be careful not to burn)
** Arrange three pretzel sticks in a row next to each other (kind of like ||| but touching)
** Drop a spoonful of white chocolate onto the center of the sticks
** Press a yellow M&M into the white chocolate
** Continue arranging on a baking sheet and put in the refrigerator to chill
** Carefully remove from sheet when hardened

They end up looking like bacon (pretzels) and eggs (white chocolate and yellow M&M). I'm not sure why they've become a Christmas tradition, but our neighbors sure seem to think it's funny.

 

[FantasticDisFamily]

Uh...it looks like the only thing I am "making" for Christmas this year is airline reservations to California. Usually there is something but given everything my family went through last spring we decided to break the routine and spend Christmas at my brother's in California.

So it doesn't look like I am even going to get the bins out of the attic. We'll get back the "regular" Christmas next year.

However, in the past one of the favorite things I've made for people is a homemade ice cream fudge topping.

This year though gifts are going to be things I've decided to purchase from several fund raisers and scrip (gift cards that pay back a percentage to our school). I'm sure I'll put them together in some sort of fun way. May have to look into the paint cans idea.

Deb

 

[piratesmate]

I still have a couple "animal mosaic" ornaments that I haven't made yet. This was a craft sheet put out at Michael's in 2001. (You paint animal prints on the outside of clear glass ornaments.) Thank goodness, I saved the online page as I lost the paper copy & I can't find the instructions anymore. This made a really neat rememberance after our trip to AKL!!

I'm still looking for an idea for a way to share the genealogy info I've collected with the family. I was thinking about some type of fraktur, but am not sure I'll be far enough in learning it in time to finish.

Has anyone ever done anything with pressed flowers? DD has been collecting & pressing flowers with the thought to frame small pictures for her gifts. I'm just not sure how to do it yet.

 

[maleficent1959]

Piratesmate,

I saw this thread about microscope slide necklaces at craftster.org and thought of your pressed flowers. I bet they would look great as a necklace.

Tina

 

[piratesmate]

Thanks Tina! I just checked them out & that's definitely a possibility for DD to make for her cousins! We even have slides here. I just need to go get some metal tape! (I guess silver duct tape doesn't count. )

Has anyone used pressed flowers for notecards, bookmarks or framed pix? I'm hoping to get a few tips before trying it out.

 

[ILOVEPOOH1]

maybe it would be easier to list what I'm NOT making for Christmas!
I'm making a scrapbook for my dad about his 20 year service in the Air Force, I found some great old pics of him that he probably forgot exisited

I'm also doing paint cans! Lot's of them! And cookies and fudge!
And Christmas cards and stationary sets. Whew! Maybe I should get off of here and get to work!

I read that someone does ice cream fudge topping! Yummy, could I have the receipe?

Those slide necklaces look cool too. I guess if you were doing a bunch of them, try Carolina Biological Supply....they have slides, I used to order from them when I taught nature camp.

 

[nicurn]

oh no, I'm going to have to try that microscope slide thing. maggie

 

[MamaCrush]

You all have spurred me on to new heights of creativity! Not to mention sleepless crafting nights!

I'm definitely doing personalized notecards packaged in paint cans in addition to my homemade vanilla. But I'm also going to try etching glass, like ornaments, plates and glass bottles to put the homemade vanilla extract in. I also saw a neat, EASY way to make personalized soap using photographs-- will be great for the grandmothers, so now I need to do that too. And I may just have to try those slide necklaces... time permitting.

So many gifts, so few people to give them all too!!

 

[Trish Bessette]

Okay, here is my list. I just LOVE Christmas time:

Baking! I love baking! Here is what I'm doing (I'm sure I'll be adding more)

Chocolate Fudge
Peanut Butter Fudge
Peanut Brittle
Buckeyed Balls
Pecan Snowballs
Sugar Cookies
Peanut BUtter cookies w/Hershey Kiss
Chocolate Potato candy
Spritz Cookies
Pizelle's
Turtles

Crafty type ideas:

I would love to make MamaCrush's homemade vanilla

I make homemade wreaths (not real) but ones you can hang in your home. I tailor the decorations to who I'm giving them to. So far, I am making 6.

I'm making homemade hot chocolate that I'm putting in cone shaped plastic bags with mini marshmallows on top. I thought these would be cute for my older neices and nephews with a cute mug to go with them.

I also paint christmas tree balls with a cute snowman decoration that I will do for a few friends. I paint how many snowman are in their family.

People think I'm crazy because I'm almost done with my shopping for my family but I need to so I can take the month of November and December to do my craft stuff and bake!

Happy holidays everyone!