Crafting for Christmas 2010, lets begin again......

Sian_the_Green

I did some chocolate slab making and lots of baking last year to raise money for something else also some snowman poop and snowman soup so I know they are quite supportive. I was thinking of getting people to sponsor me per mile of my trip (works out at 5p per mile) but also selling something. Baking might be my best option, though a competition might work too. The charity helps with AIDS victims and has a school for blind and deaf children as well as doing community health education, it would be nice if people could just give money to help me get there to help but I understand that in the current financial climate it might be easier to get people to buy something or enter a competition...

PinkLipgloss

Sian,

Be wary about your approach to this - I know that some people can resent this type of fundraising. See this thread for further information:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2599037

HTH

beachlou

Hello,

I haven't read the whole thread but I wondered if anyone makes their own Christmas decorations or have any ideas? I've just come back from living abroad and we have nothing!

Sian_the_Green

PinkLipgloss wrote: »

Sian,

Be wary about your approach to this - I know that some people can resent this type of fundraising. See this thread for further information:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2599037

HTH

I know what you mean but I would be very up front with what I ask people for. So I am thinking of stating that my cost for my flight to go and do the work there directly with the charity is £600 and I would like for people to help me get there to do it. This is where I thought something like selling cakes would be better because people are buying something or a competition where they can win a prize. I am using 2 weeks of my 4 week holiday allowance and will obviously be incurring costs to go and stay there (I will need a host of injections, malaria tablets, visa etc), it is not an 'experience' like the trek kilamanjaro trip ideas but going to 'the coal face' to help out. I shall be careful about how I phrase things though, thanks

mary-op

Sian - good luck :T I'm sure you'll find people are more than willing to help with the funding.

beachlou - we spend christmas on our own so don't have too many decorations, just a bit of artificial greenery that was cheap from charity shop but last year I made some little hearts and xmas trees and stars from odd pieces of material to hang across our kitchen dresser. I was quite pleased with them so am doing some more this year.
I also did a twig type christmas tree to stand in the kitchen -it was really just a twig from a tree in the garden with dried chillies, fir cones and stuff hanging on it.

qwiksave

I haven't been on here for a while, I was put off by the fact that you can't show people what you have made (linking posts to your blog) . I've still been creating something most days so if you want to take a look you know where it is!

Sian, I was also going to suggest greetings cards if you like making that kind of thing. The fab Helen of 'Its All Fiddle Fart' puts a box where she works in an office and often sells them.

beachlou, I have found an old thread about homemade christmas decorations here, that has some decoration ideas.

housewifeintraining

I'm loving this thread! So much inspiration! I've read through the whole read over the last few days and want to thank you all for your brilliant ideas!

So far for gifts I am thinking:

- a cream tea set with blackberry jam (HM), a dry scone mix, teabags and a cup and saucer (must look in charity shops)

- a 'winter warmer' set consisting of a scarf (already made the no-knit scarf), heat packs, some snowman soup and possibly some wrist warmers depending on how I get on with the circular knitting needles I've just discovered in the sewing box if not it might have to be the ones made from an old jumper!

- a cake stand - love this idea I've already bought the candlestick and plate just need to get the extra sticky bond anything to anything glue

- a record bowl and coasters (I'm thinking the cheesier the better when it comes to the record!)

- an apron to go with nieces cookery set

Also today I saw in a shop a 'Jobs to do' board, it was a wooden painted board in the shape of a house with pegs/hooks on it that had different chores underneath such as wash the dishes, hoover etc and then it had 2 keyrings one of a lady with hers written on and then one of a man with his written on and they were put on whichever job each person needed doing - don't think I've described it very well!!

Thinking of making it but adapting it slightly for whoever I make it for and doing a keyring for each person in the household with their name on and maybe an extra peg with 'relax' or 'have a cuppa' for when all the jobs are finished!


Wow that looks like a lot - I better get started!!

lazysheep

housewifeintraining wrote: »

Wow that looks like a lot - I better get started!!

That's the only downside to this thread. You come on to post how well you're doing with your stuff, read what everyone else has done and before you know it your list of things to do is twice as long as it was when you started reading...

esmf73

beachlou - re home made Christmas decorations

I have two young children and when we were abroad (07and 08) we didn't have enough space to take our decorations, so I got them making. We made salt dough (with added glitter and colour) and then used the cookie cutters to cut out stars and various shapes - hung up with ribbon. I then made paper chains from brightly coloured paper and card, and then I cut out some stocking shapes in red card - topped them with a little cotton wool and wrote Happy Christmas on them in various different languages - bluetacked on to the walls.

As for a christmas tree - if you keep an eye out from now on for some interesting shaped branches (on the ground obviously) then when you find one you like, take it home, paint it white and there you go. I also used balloons and ribbon and (nearer the time) baked gingerbread shapes (with the middle hollowed out and filled with a boiled sweet before cooking) to hang on the tree. You can also do dried orange slices too.

I got my children starting to work on some of these things in the October half term - keeps them busy and gets things done for me too. You can make christmas gifts along these lines too - have a great book my FIL gave to me last year for Christmas - if you let me know I'll tell you the title.
HTH

chasingsunshine_2

I've just finished my first crafted thing for christmas! A sock monkey for my sister I have 2 more to do, am part way through a blanket for my son and have a huge list of HM preserves, cookies, chocolates, jewelley, flavoured vodka, towel cakes, hampers etc to make. I've bought about 60% of the little bits and pieces for my hampers so can get started putting some together now