Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Handmade/homemade/crafted Christmas

As tradition goes at my house, most everyone will be getting at least 1 homemade gift. I always have a hard time coming up with ideas for the guys-you can't give a guy a ribboned, jeweled and glittered I think a homemade gifts says "I care" more than many(or even most) standard retail purchased items. This year my plans are to make:

For the girls- both big and small:
*Fairy wands-dowels with ribbons, stars, glitter
*Appliqued onesies or tees
*Flower pins/clips-dollar store and clearance artificial flowers stacked and jewels or buttons added for the center on pins or hair clips
*Notebook purses-   tutorial from Cuegly
*Altered clipboards-basic wooden clipboards with added scrapbook paper and embellishments
*Bow holder- made with picture frame and ribbons


For the guys:
*Flavored vodka-pomegranite, cranberry, maybe mango?, with martini glasses and drink recipes. I need a cute design for the recipe cards. I was thinking notecards connected by binder rings
*personalized notepads  tutorial  from Chica and Jo Maybe using recycled paper?? Definitely w/ a custom stamp and maybe color copies-don't want to stamp a 100 pieces of paper
*cookies- not sure what kinds yet
*cake in a jar- I've seen lots of how to's for these. Hoping I can find one with instructions for frosting too

I will also most likely do a few mixes in a jar for my parents. Dad doesn't do alot of cooking nowdays and Mom isn't able to. I have a cookbook from a church with lots of ideas for mixes you add to ground beef to make a meal-pasta or rice +spices and canned sauce.

I'm starting now so hopefully all will be done by Christmas. Originally, our plans were to spend Christmas in Western NC, specifically Maggie Valley. However, with my Mom not doing well, and finances being INCREDIBLY tight, that is a no go. Right now, our plans are up in the air. I'm guessing we will go to Alabama and spend Christmas with my parents. I'm hoping my brother will do the same thing and we can all be together on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. As much as I don't want it to be, I am pretty sure this will be my last Christmas with my Mom. I get tears just thinking about it but I have to be realistic and seize the moment.

Happy crafting-----

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