crafty for christmas 2008

cumbrianshopaholic

hayley83 wrote: »

Here are some ideas I got off MSE for my 'crafty xmas 2008' - a big thank you to this forum and all the members of MSE - I have enjoyed making presents for people so much this year!!


This is something I have been doing a while, digital art pictures of people. This is one of my partner that I have done him for xmas, just need to buy a frame. This was my own idea, but feel free to pinch it - I used photoshop to create, although it is possible using cheaper software in programs such as xara xtreme.


There was a link somewhere on this forum to the BBC good food mulled wine hamper which is the list I used to create this. I still need to add an orange with the cloves in which I'll do on xmas eve. I've made two of these hampers and I think they are lovely!


chocolate slab - showed these to customers in the pub and they loved them - wonderful and cheap xmas pressie for kids.


Hampers - I made these for my partners pub and we raffled them off, will be making some more next year for xmas pressies as people really liked these.


And finally snowman soup - nearly everyone has got one of these for xmas as I loved making them!

Thanks for all the inspiration for xmas 2008 - looking forward to making even more in 2009!! Hope everyone has a very merry christmas

Love the gifts Hayley .. they look great.

Do you mind me asking how you made the chocolate slabs please?

My Grandson loves a well known brand of white chocolate .. was thinking of melting one down and doing something similar to yours for him. What kind of container did you use for it please?

hayley83_2

Love the gifts Hayley .. they look great.

Do you mind me asking how you made the chocolate slabs please?

My Grandson loves a well known brand of white chocolate .. was thinking of melting one down and doing something similar to yours for him. What kind of container did you use for it please

Hi, there is a thread about chocolate slabs if you search for it (top right hand corner) that is where I got my inspiration from.

I made mine using Asda cooking chocolate and a little virgin olive oil (about a teaspoon full). After the chocolate melted I poured it in the tray and left it for around 10/ 15 minutes then decorated with smarties then I put it in the fridge to set. Once it was set I used writing icing to write the names on.
(Note for white chocolate I found I had to stir it frequently whilst melting otherwise it burnt, the milk chocolate only needed stiring once).

I used a silicone baking tray which I found in homebargins for £1.99. They are really great as the chocolate pops out when it is set and they bottom is ridged so it left a nice pattern in the chocolate. I also got a muffin tray and made chocolate muffins using white and milk chocolate. Hope that helps.

rainmac

PinkyPunky wrote: »

Thanks rainmac and mary! I copied it from a website that sells it, so I used their 'socks' for the templates. I just printed the picture in lots of different sizes and cut one out to draw round. The hardest thing was cutting them out - I didn't get on with the jigsaw, so I cut them all out by hand with a little hacksaw! Took forever!!

Well you and your hacksaw have done a brilliant job of the socks - I assumed you'd bought them ready made as they look fab :T

rainmac

mary43 wrote: »

pinky.........love the 'sock exchange'.............how did you do the actual socks ? Did you have a template for them ? It's brilliant:T

rainmac - thanks -have pm'd you

Haven't got your pm mary...? Maybe MSE is on go slow as it's nearly Xmas

Only 4 more sleeps :j

rainmac

hayley83 wrote: »

Hi, there is a thread about chocolate slabs if you search for it (top right hand corner) that is where I got my inspiration from.

I made mine using Asda cooking chocolate and a little virgin olive oil (about a teaspoon full). After the chocolate melted I poured it in the tray and left it for around 10/ 15 minutes then decorated with smarties then I put it in the fridge to set. Once it was set I used writing icing to write the names on.
(Note for white chocolate I found I had to stir it frequently whilst melting otherwise it burnt, the milk chocolate only needed stiring once).

I used a silicone baking tray which I found in homebargins for £1.99. They are really great as the chocolate pops out when it is set and they bottom is ridged so it left a nice pattern in the chocolate. I also got a muffin tray and made chocolate muffins using white and milk chocolate. Hope that helps.

Hayley, your pressies look absolutely gorgeous, well done you :T I'd love to recieve any of them this Xmas

I may try making some little chocolates using a silicone ice-cube tray but not sure where my ice-cube trays are or if I have the time to make them

Next year I'm thinking of make the mulled wine gift set (I've seen that on the Good Food site too), chocolate slabs, muffin/cookie mix in a jar and other things I can't remember right now but I'm getting excited about making for 2009 already :rolleyes:

furrypig

Well I am very impressed with the sock exchange as I had seem them on the web and thought they were quite a bit of money for what they are! You must be really chuffed with yourself as it looks great PinkyPunky!

Hayley I also love all your gifts and will make more home made stuff next year too! I've saved loads of ideas in my favourites and I've joined the thread started by Jamtart6 and pinkladymel so I can try and be money neutral and all these crafty ideas will definitely help!!

mary43

rainmac - might be my b0x is full ..............l0l
anyway, yes, please send teap0t charts - thanks.

bl00min keyb0ard is falling apart here...............:eek: my 0 has c0me right 0ff !!

hayley83_2

Thanks rainmac and furrypig!!
Next year I'm going to use ice cube trays to make some smaller chocolates for stocking fillers. I've seen some nice ones in Instore with different designs such as limes etc as well as the traditional square ones so should make for some interesting chocolates.

mary43

Have actually remembered to wrap up loo rolls - one for OH and one for ex foster girls OH...............never realised how diffifult wrapping a loo roll could be.....................lol
Think thats my lot now..............well for this year anyway..............lol

soblivion

Not really crafting as such but I hope you don't mind my posting pics of a couple of my wrapped presents. These are for my SIL and she really appreciates how a gift is wrapped so I always try to do something nice for her every year.

This one I used bits that I took from last years crackers and the fan is just wrapping paper and it kind of stands up 3D looking.


This one, same again with the fan but the garnish is one of those cheap candle rings using the ribbon to tie it on.

Hope you like them.