Christmas gift crafts - Big Big Forums

ladybugva · 07-13-2008, 05:24 PM

I know it's early but I got to start now.

Every year I make some sort of gift for all the girls in my family. I have done knit dish rags, x-stitch ornament, cookies, different things. I need some ideas for this year. Hopefully nothing that I have to buy a whole lot of new stuff for (like not candle making)
I have thought about quilled snow flake ornament and have the stuff to make spider beaded ornaments but had trouble making them. LOL might try again.

any ideas out there? thanks

Pepper05 · 07-13-2008, 07:18 PM

I have made aprons using fabric to match kitchen--apples, pepper, chickens, grapes, etc. Also purchased hand towels and decorated them by sewing decorative lace, like with bead trim or sewing a ribbon over the lace. You just decorate across one end so it shows when hanging on a towel rack. Can also do them in Christmas colors so them can be displayed during the holiday. These are for docoration only, as you have to be careful washing them. Everyone seems to really appreciate a personalized gift like this.

Big_G · 07-27-2008, 09:14 PM

Potpourri Gel Jars

2 cups Distilled Water
4 packages Un-flavored Gelatin
50 drops Essential Oil -- (for fragrance)
Food Coloring -- as desired
Heat one cup water in medium sized saucepan. Add gelatin, stirring to dissolve. Remove from heat and add remaining 1 cup of liquid as well as food coloring, and stir until dissolved. Put drops of essential oil into jars then add gelatin mixture. Place in fridge for approximately 2 hours. Remove, cover with plastic wrap or lid if you have one, and store at room temperature. To release the scent simply remove the lid... and when you are finished make sure you re-cover the jar so all the scent doesn't evaporate.

This recipe makes four gel jars/ aprox. 4 oz each. To decorate for gifts, tie ribbon or lace around the neck of the jar or add silk/dried flowers to the bow. It works very well to cut a circle of lace which can be reapplied after removing lid, by screwing the band on over the lace. This will allow the scent to be enjoyed as well as keeping the jar decorative while it is being used.
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Family Album

Purchase a small album, either a 5x7 or an 8x10 will do, depending on the number of photos you plan to use. Keep in mind that the larger the album is, the more photos and accessories you will need to fill it. Gather photos, mementos and items of interest to be placed in the book. Try interviewing a few family members to get some added info for the album.

Use the first page as an introduction to the family. Write a poem, a bit of history about the family or create a family tree. On the inside pages, dedicate a two page spread to each family member.

Remember that one of the most important aspects of scrapbooking is journaling. On one of the pages, include photos of the family member. On the adjoining page, list some information about the person. If you aren't a great writer or don't know many personal facts about that person, you could include their name and birthday, where they were born, the names of their children, etc. To make the album more personal, include some interesting facts about the person.

Some ideas are:

- Hobbies and Interests
- Favorite songs/movies/actors
- Nicknames
- College or High School attended
- Profession
- Clubs, Charities and Organizations
- Places they have lived or traveled

Front Page: Introduction or Family Tree

Inside: Use two-page spreads for each family member, one to include photos, the other to include journaling

Last Page: Write a summary about what life was like in your family during the time the album was created, or if you didn't create a family tree on the front page ...create one on the last page.

NancyS · 08-04-2008, 03:48 PM

Checking these out myself. Will post some things--how do you put pics on? I am a newbie here.

wyrmslyph · 08-12-2008, 02:39 AM

THe quill thing.... is that the ornament/star made with a styrofoam ball and toothpicks? I made those before and have some in progress. I need to dip some in paint and finish some others. Those are easy and cheap. Just takes some time.

You could do something with scrapbooking, yarn dolls, sock monkeys, use old greeting cards to make new ornaments... maybe think of some of the things in common those people like, then google that item with the words craft and/or homemade and see what it pulls up.

LindaOhGA · 08-19-2008, 10:53 PM

Have you seen the cute yo yo lollipop ornaments? Cut two 4 inch fabric circles. Make a yo yo from each, by sewing a running stitch around the outer edge, pull up the gathers and knot. Get sucker sticks in Walmart in the Wilton Candy supply section. Glue a stick to the back of one yo yo and a hanger of fishing line or gold cording, then glue the other yo yo on top to sandwich the stick and hanger inbetween. Get the clear sucker bags in the same section of Walmart. Cut a small hole in the bottom of the bag for the hanger to come through as you put the bag over your yo yo sucker. Tie a ribbon around the bag at the base of the yo yo sucker.

LindaOhGA · 08-19-2008, 10:57 PM

Another cute and inexpensive gift idea is to take two chipboard coasters, available in some dollar stores. Cover then with a rectangle of scrapbooking paper leaving about 1/2 inch space between the coasters as you glue them down. Put another layer of paper on top and glue it down. Fold into a book. Now inside, put a post-it note. Tie a ribbon around your book.

LindaOhGA · 08-19-2008, 11:14 PM

I will try posting a picture for you of my Yo yo Lollipop.

Oh goodie, it worked. LOL Right click the bottom line under the picture in your Photobucket account and choose "Copy", then come here, right click and choose "paste".

ladybugva · 08-25-2008, 04:53 PM

such cute ideas, thanks.

I think I figured out what I am going to do.

I have the cricut and the christmas cartridge has the 12 days of christmas on them. Well there are 12 women (if you count the one great grand daughter, all the rest are boys)

So I am going to cut them out and modge podge them onto ornaments. Giving them out in order the joined our family.

atprm · 08-25-2008, 09:15 PM

if you are steady-handed, you can pick up different color glass ornaments for cheap (solid color -- best ones to use are dark green)...

then with a Gold Paint pen, write their name on one side of the ornament in cursive... and on the opposite side, write the current year.

then buy a clear plastic "stand" *usually found for glass eggs*, and give with the ornament.

ladybugva · 08-26-2008, 10:04 AM

Thanks but my hand writing is really bad. LOL It would take every thing I had to write names straight and pretty. I have seen those and they are nice.