Homemade Gifts

Nightfire202

im always giving homemade gifts. lotions, bath salts, soaps, carpet powder, air fresheners, teas. and now im crocheting a scarf for my sister for christmas. everyone loves my homemade gifts. my best friend and sister both say those are the best kind of gifts. i only buy gifts now for the people i cant make anything for like my star wars loving brother in law and my computer geek boyfriend lol.
:A

soniam

Don't know if anyone has started xmas preps yet but I found some links via Google (channel 4 christmas crafts and channel 4 scrapbook). I love to make xmas deco and this year am hoping to make some with my 3 yr old.

I have a list for xmas day written up and some things have already been bought when seen on offer.

VRose

Well done Soniam. I am just starting to get a plan together for Christmas.

Your 3 year old will love doing Christmas stuff.

We are very privileged that DH family are very arty and my family have known money tight times in the past so people are very gracious with our offerings. I feel that we have given things that cost us more in money and time than you would think from the end result. So I try very hard to make sure that whatever it is will be of enough value to make it worth the effort.

This year I decided to reduce the amount I spent on birthday gifts and add a home-made element to it. Most of the gifts are for kids so this isn't as easy as you would think.

I was inspired by my sisters who have both 'done things' with my kids instead of giving stuff to them and it was such a hit. So I have been putting a small kit with an invite. This included the Smelly Science kit (cost less than £1.50, plastic apron, instruction cards, safety googles) the recipient came over and spend an afternoon making, soap, mouth wash, lip balm and goo.
Sewing kit, burlap, needles, thread, instructions (all bits from my stash so just got a nice basket from charity shop) We then spend some time making a drawstring bag on the sewing machine.
We have done a baking session, art session, messy science, gardening, cooking, and a stop motion session.

These are all things that we do at home so my kids often join in the session and enjoy being mini tutors. the kids leave with something that they have made.

I am hoping that some others within the families we know get the idea and share things that they do and we don't. Music and photography sports, and woodwork could all work.

abetterfutureahead

I've been searching this morning for cheap and cheerful gift ideas.

I would love to give real hand made gifts, that are useful and don't look cheap.

Came across this site and although its from the US I'm sure I can adapt the ideas
http://christmas.organizedhome.com/crafts/Christmas

What ideas do you have for gifts that look great and are really useful

karren

thanks for that, ive printed off the snowman soup labels for fetes, 50p a packet and ive done before and lost the labesl so youve made me smile today x

Chris25

abetterfutureahead, have a look at the Christmas board - loads of ideas on there http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/forumdisplay.php?f=101

You can also see pictures on there of the reindeer candy canes & the Snowman soup that people have made.

MothFilledWallet

Super Scrimpers (yes I know it's 90% worthless info now) had a nice home made 'baileys' type thing (you'll have to look it up on Utube for the ingredients) and home made 'sweets' (marzipan cut into squares about 3/5mm thick and half dipped in melted dark chocolate).
It was a scrimpers Xmas special oddly enough, and yes, some of the infamous items like the 'rubber ball' necklace feature.

You can fiddle with both of these until you get the flavour you want.
Both pretty cheap, as for gifts that you can't eat....
..... charity shop time!
Plenty of good stuff in those shops, I try to hit 3/4 when I'm out and you can pick up a gift for pretty much everyone from there (books, a nice scarf...etc)

zippychick

I've merged this with our homemade gifts thread

Do check the Christmas Mega index too and the Christmas forum

Zip

kboss2010

My friends appreciate HM gifts but my family not so much, especially my cousins. I made my cousin a pretty personalised white draught excluder decorated with grey felt roses and green leaves for her wedding (winter wedding) and a gift hamper full of breakfast stuff and champagne - she loved the hamper but I don't think she knew what to make of the draught excluder.

I've kind of given up with HM gifts for them now, but I still scour charity shops and buy stuff in the sales to put aside for them.

kboss2010

Here are some things I've made recently:

Gym-style bag for my cousin (age 5)
http://i1272.photobucket.com/albums/y388/AmberLM1988/Crafty%20things/image_zps70c975c7.jpg

Wedding champagne breakfast hamper
http://i1272.photobucket.com/albums/y388/AmberLM1988/Crafty%20things/image_zpsa08f3dce.jpg

And draught excluder
http://i1272.photobucket.com/albums/y388/AmberLM1988/Crafty%20things/image_zps61eb61f1.jpg

Children's tote bag
http://i1272.photobucket.com/albums/y388/AmberLM1988/148a8557-777d-4d07-b7f9-c719cb2098f6_zpsf9813c24.jpg

Handbag made from a CS kilt
http://i1272.photobucket.com/albums/y388/AmberLM1988/Crafty%20things/image_zpse57d32e6.jpg

Children's pin board
http://i1272.photobucket.com/albums/y388/AmberLM1988/Crafty%20things/image_zpse32ae9a9.jpg

Pudsey Bear IPhone/iPod covers (made to raise funds for Children In Need)
http://i1272.photobucket.com/albums/y388/AmberLM1988/Crafty%20things/image_zps55658020.jpg