handmade gifts for christmas and celebrations 2011

Sherrie

I was wondering if someone could point me in the right direction for a hamper basket (or any other suitable container) to make a small sweet/chocolate/drink hamper for a teenager?

many thanks!

alisaver

Hi all,
I've been reading this thread and thoroughly enjoying I'll definitely be trying to fudge recipe right at the very start of this thread!

In return for some of the fabulous ideas I have got from here I thought some of you crafty types might like my free doll tutorial, I wrote it a couple of years ago and it's a really simple project, they make lovely handmade pressies!
http://snipsnaphappy.blogspot.com/2010/02/matryoshka-doll-tutorial.html

Merry Christmas!
Ali
x

MaggieBaking

saintvans wrote: »

i'm not spamming this but i do sell sock monkey kits on ebay £5 with free delivery, it'll save you going out in the cold buying all the bits it works out cheaper if you include petrol & parking etc! why not get them delivered to your door for free 1st class post!!


go to ebay .co. uk and search for sock monkey kit we're top of the best match and lowest priced lists BIN, the pic is a purple & white stripey chap

Yes you are spamming, that post was a year old!

spicyprawn

http://www.flickr.com/photos/71117320@N04/6511200487/ Sorry for the dodgy pic it is my bedroom light

Made this Tuck and Pin Board for my sister. Making my mum one too with black and white polka dot material.

vbeardmore

I have bought and made some of these with my little nices - they loved them for their frinds. Just put a few sweets / chocs from Pondland and hair clips in - a set of very happy little girls!

They are printable boxes, you cut out and make up yourself. Add a bit of glitter, the jobs a good un and an afternoon passed by!

Just google: cutezvilleprintables

Only trouble with online shipping is that you cant use cash and so forfit getting any £2 coins in your change lol



Happy Christmas all

Kalispera

Hiya just registered. Not too good with pc so dont expect any links, smileys or pics anytime soon! Been reading suggestions for 'Hampers'. Have never made any before but went to 'Poundland' this week and bought a few festive bowls, prob meant for crisps/fruit/nibbles. They are a decent size and plastic but have very festive faces ie reindeers snowmen etc. Along with the cheap cellophane from Lidl's I am now raring to go! Intend to put in chocs,sweets or homemade biscs (never done that before either) Xmas baubles, fake snow (Poundland) and I have vouchers from the various 'Daily Deals' sites. Hope it works out...at least friends will have somewhere to stash their Xmas nibbles!

labaroche

I am a newbie also, and thought I would share my recipe for chocolate cherries that I make every year for various friends. Soak a carton of glace cherries overnight in sweet martini. Next day, wrap in marzipan, I always use the value marzipan from tesco. I leave on a tray overnight for the marzipan to dry, then dip in milk or plain chocolate, and when set, put in little sweet cases. Use the cheap chocolate (tesco or morrisons) just make sure it has 50% cocoa content. They are really yummy and go down a treat.

treacledoggie

We decided to make all our xmas pressies this yr-having plenty of time on our hands due my 9yr olds tonsillectomy on 6th dec and consequently 2 weeks pre xmas off school! So far we have made;

Bed buddies for the under 12s-lavender filled gingerbread shaped felt teddies, with mismatched button eyes, scraps of fabric sewed onto the front etc, personalised with an initial on the front?. We buy the scrap felt bags from our rag market for pence, and label with some info about your new bed buddy!".

Ladies corsage,s to be worn on a coat or as a brooch, using old woolly jumpers hot washed and shrunk to felt fabric ,cut up and sewed into flower shapes, large safety pin on back, and a printer made personalised tag.

Posh chocolate slabs of swirled milk, dark and white basics choc melted and poured into a flat tray with various fillings of honeycomb(homemade and smashed up),gold/silver balls,dried cranberries,nuts etc. Set in a heart shaped bake tin and wrapped in cellophane-looks AMAZING and costs a fraction of the 'hotel chocolat' version.

Italian biscotti-dark choc and nut , look fab wrapped in cellophane, we gave a bag to each teacher, and large 2nd hand glass jars full to adult friends.

a lovely way to personalise your gifts is to write a gift label on the p.c and print, then cut each out in holly/ivy leaf shapes, bell, xmas tree shapes, you can put exactly what you like and looks sooo professional. We gift wrap in tissue amd finish with plain raffia, for a shabby chic effect!.x

purpleweasel

so many things to make!

• chutneys/jams/jellies
• elderflower cordial (though i think i did something wrong as it went a bit fizzy so it might have ended up as champagne!)
• xmas stained-glass biscuits, where you stamp a hole in the middle, part cook, take out of oven and put boiled sweet in the hole & give it another 5-7 mins. The sweet melts and goes see-through. They are meant to be for tree decorations but i don't think many of them made it that far last year!
• little patchwork heart-shapes, stuffed with kapok and with a ribbon for hanging off the tree. Great for using scraps of material and dead quick to make, or put lavender in for a nice fragrant version
• notebooks covered with nice fabric or paper, photos etc and clear plastic to preserve it
• bought a load of plain cotton bags and decorated with embroidery and patchwork
• flavoured vodkas/sloe gin (pick the sloes for free in the fields nearby)
• this year it'll be chocolates i think - they are so much easier to make than you think. Everyone says they are as good as those in the shops, cheaper, and very therapeutic to make (yes i do HAVE to taste them to check they're OK!). Started this when i went to buy some for my mother-in-law but they had no nutty ones so decided to do it myself! Three important things: 1. get good quality chocolate for a base (Lidl do a variety in different cocoa-strengths); 2. add a bit of unsalted butter (does wonders for the texture); 3. silicone moulds are your friend!

i find people appreciate the effort that goes into home-made stuff, it gives me a lot of pleasure to make and it's pretty cheap too!

Happy Xmas!

lucylou82_2

sorry this maybe a really thick question but i have decided to challenge my self and i am going to do a craft each month next year and by christmas next year i will have made everyones presents but i want to create a page but not sure how to do this can anyone help thanks x