handmade gifts for christmas and celebrations 2011

whoopidoo

Am loving all the tips and suggestions. Have been reading the blogs too - they are fab!

stiltwalker

canspendnomore wrote: »

I'd like to make some flavoured alcohol for my SIL2 for her birthday, but her drink of choice is Barcardi.

Not much good a this time of year unless you've got some sloes tucked away in the freezer but I made a bottle of sloe bacardi (well Mr T white rum actually lol) when I made the sloe gin this year as my OH not keen on gin - been in just over a month now and we had a sneaky taster yesterday and put it this way next year I am so making LOTS more!:beer: I suspect you could use plums for a similar effect but would depend on when birthday is as it takes 3 months.

abatha

I've got the sewing bug after making handmade presents for my friends last Christmas.
I've been making owls this week using this tutorial - I'll post pics tomorrow
http://moonstitches.typepad.com/photos/tutowlrial/index.html
(not sure what the rules are about posting links so I hope this is ok!)

It was easy to follow and I hand stitched mine, it was a tad bigger than the template and it only took a day to make. I might make one for my Auntie as its her birthday soon but I may try to make it a lot bigger and turn it in to a door stop.

LolaLemon

abatha wrote: »

I've got the sewing bug after making handmade presents for my friends last Christmas.
I've been making owls this week using this tutorial - I'll post pics tomorrow
http://moonstitches.typepad.com/photos/tutowlrial/index.html
(not sure what the rules are about posting links so I hope this is ok!)

It was easy to follow and I hand stitched mine, it was a tad bigger than the template and it only took a day to make. I might make one for my Auntie as its her birthday soon but I may try to make it a lot bigger and turn it in to a door stop.

thats fab!

i have a link on my blog to make owl finger puppets, im thinking if you make them bigger and sew the bottom of the back to the front and add feet, you could make a door stop


had a look at medieval stuff, think its a bit much for 4 year olds to get into, plus id be wanting them to joust n stuff:rotfl: and id be wanting a few perfomers, a juggler, fire eater etc lol

esmer

abatha wrote: »

I've got the sewing bug after making handmade presents for my friends last Christmas.
I've been making owls this week using this tutorial - I'll post pics tomorrow
http://moonstitches.typepad.com/photos/tutowlrial/index.html
(not sure what the rules are about posting links so I hope this is ok!)

It was easy to follow and I hand stitched mine, it was a tad bigger than the template and it only took a day to make. I might make one for my Auntie as its her birthday soon but I may try to make it a lot bigger and turn it in to a door stop.

I love these! :T

chanie

I'm new - have been browsing for a while, but thought I'd jump in and join the fun.

Last Xmas, I did hampers for the family, but this year, I also want to put in a few homemade bits and pieces, so I'll be watching this thread.

I had a brainwave (I'm sure its not original). I've bought some plastic boxes from Poundland (they are in the DIY section and you can put screws etc in the handy little compartments). Anyway, I've bought 4 of them and am going to fill them up with sweeties for my nieces and nephews. My sister got my nephew one for Xmas and it was £3 reduced from £6 in BHS. I'm sure I can do each box for under £1.50, so half price from shop bought. I plan on decorating the boxes at a later date.


Similar to this, but much cheaper.....
Sorry, I can't post links, but homebase sell them for £4.99.

chanie

SELECTION BOX HELP

Mr Chanie gave me the idea of making selection boxes for Xmas. Does anyone have any ideas of what type of box I could use (I think a cereal box shape is ideal, but a smaller version).

Obviously, I'd like to do them for under £2, otherwise I may as well buy them.....

Angelfeathers

Well, I have got well and truly started on my gifts for this year - feeling very proud of myself!

Picked up a 'Santa stop here' sign for next Christmas and some lovely ribbons in B&Q yesterday for 25p each. Then went to check out our new Hobbycraft and was amazingly restrained and only spent £5, mainly on stickers for next Christmas and for DS to use to make his thank you cards.

I am planning a cheese and wine hamper for my Dad's birthday on 14 Jan and have ordered some wine and port minatures so just need to find some other bits and something to put them in.

And I'm forging ahead getting stuff ready for DS' 5th birthday party. Haven't managed to book the venue yet as they seem to be still off for Christmas , but I have a box full of discounted chocolate coins for treasure and pirate loot bag bits and plastic 'jewels' from Tesco. I am going to convert an old wooden box with a lid into a treasure chest and fill it with the loot bags, which will be squares of muslin gathered into 'sacks' of treasure, then have a few clues for them to find it. I'm going to have a desert island map on DS' easel so they can play X Marks the Spot (variation on Pin the tail on the donkey). And the birthday cake is going to be a chocolate treasure chest. Just got to find a recipe for chocolate frosting/icing that will set hard enough for the pieces to be wrapped up and sent home!

betterlife

chanie wrote: »

SELECTION BOX HELP

Mr Chanie gave me the idea of making selection boxes for Xmas. Does anyone have any ideas of what type of box I could use (I think a cereal box shape is ideal, but a smaller version).

Obviously, I'd like to do them for under £2, otherwise I may as well buy them.....

if you have a little sewing skills (not much is needed) what about a choc selection roll, a few pages back someone has made a fabric roll for knitting needles, or like the crayon roll. they are easy to make and you would have a little compartment for each choc bar, actually its a really good idea, would be much nicer than the bought type which seem to be getting so expensive and with less choc in them. if you have scrap fabric lying around it would definetely be cheaper aswell. oh i think i will have to make some, wonder if one could be made for easter aswell, oh oh maybe with those thin cadbury dairy milk bars decorate like easter bunnies / chic (like flyingpig did on her xmas thread but as reindeers)

Kazsaver

morning all

got all the card ready yesterday for making my christmas cards so can get started on them now able to use up all my odd envelopes. really need to do house work today so not sure what I will achieve craft wise but hopefully will be something.

has anyone here made there own crackers? Just wondered what to put in them I have all the stuff to make them including snaps just need ideas of what to put in them especially for grandparents!

have a good day everyone
Kaz x