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Any handmade gifts this year?

11 years ago

Hello all! GW says "This forum is the spot to share your secrets on how to celebrate the holidays throughout the year.", so it doesn't have to be about just decorating!

What is anyone doing for handmade gifts this year??? I *LOVE* making the gifts I give -- I have given everything from home-canned jellies/jams and salsas, to baked goods and crafts and baskets. This year my sister asked me to make her a bee skep. You heard right! I harvested the grasses in the summer and made it a week or two ago... it's all natural grasses coiled with raffia. Came out 'ok'. Then I was in the healthfood store last week and saw packets of English Lavender. I grabbed a bunch and headed out to get muslin and ribbon and am making lavender sachets for all the ladies. :) I also want to make a door basket for my sister... either a choctaw pouch or elbow basket, so that it's "different". :)

What is everyone here making to gift for xmas this year?!

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Comments (13)

Marlene Kindred
11 years ago
Wow...sounds so cool! Wish I had the motivation to make handmade gifts. I'm living vicariously through my DH. He made a mantel for his sister's new house as her gift this Christmas...does that count?
oldalgebra
11 years ago
I've helped my grandchildren make their gifts.

Here's one. They each made a wooden soldier for a couple who live in San Francisco and graciously host our visit while we tour and attend the Dickens Faire,

These were made from 2X4s and a 1 X 1s (I think). They did the cutting, sanding, and painting. Drew the faces in with pencil and then traced the final result with paint pens. The idea was tweaked from another blog source. They were able to make them by coming by the house and doing a step or two each day.

They are also making alphabet blocks (from 2 inch craft blocks) for their soon-to-be one year old cousin. They're making half the alphabet for her Christmas present and half for her birthday present on the 30th.
Lots of fun.
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Since all the women in my family are artistic, and some of the men too....Dad always did woodworking...everyone in my family prefers something handmade. A handmade item shows love, and that you actually thought about the person you are giving it to rather than rushing into a store at the last minute to grab something to give as a gift. I believe that if you actually make something that is high quality, there is no matching it with something store bought. The gifts that mean the most to me are the ones that someone made specifically for me. I have a fleece blanket that my sister-in-law made several years ago. It has gotten me through many hours of illness, and cancer treatments. Everytime I wrap it around my shoulders, it feels like a hug because I know that she made it for me with love. A store bought blanket would never feel the same. I have beautiful crocheted lace doilies that my aunt made for me. She is getting older and I know that those can never be replaced after she is gone. I have Christmas ornaments that my children and other family members have made for me. Every time I put up my tree for the holidays, I remember who I recieved them from and what was going on in our lives at the time. These are all things that you can't give or recieve with store bought items. I have a wooden napkin holder that my dad made for me. There is a story behind it of something that happened while he was making it that I will remember every time I use it. Dad is gone now and I will never have another thing that he made for me. I know that he had me in his heart while he worked on it. I know that I am not the only one in my family that feels this way. I have listened to the stories of where a special gift came from many times. TooMuchGlass, Please keep giving those handmade gifts! Even if they don't seem to appreciate them now, I believe that over time, they will mean the world to your loved ones. If not, then they are really missing out on what is important in this life.
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Patty_cakes, try making photo albums for family members. Since we don't live close enough to most of our family for them to participate in all our girls (and now grandson's) activities, every year for Christmas my parents, MIL, Grandmothers, and Great Aunt the photo albums from the past year. I begin with Dec 1st and go thru Thanksgiving. During the year I have reprints made and keep each persons in a seperate box in order. Then after Thanksgiving I start cropping, glueing... till they are all done. That is their primary present and for the past 20 years it has been a hit. The cousins and other relatives get copies of their family members I happen to take and some pics from our major events (graduation, new baby, cruise... ) put into a small album. They too seem to appreciate the pictures. Personally I love getting the dishtowels with the croched tops, dishtowel aprons, hot pads, oven mits, anything practical. One of the things I like to do is give practical gifts in unusual ways, socks as Santa's longjohns, kitchen towels as kitchen angels, towels folded as animals, potholders folded as bows, flower vases filled with smelly jelly (that can be removed when dried). Seven years ago when our youngest was in 4th grade, she made DH a Christmas tie. He still wears it every Christmas then carefully packs it away till next year. beverly
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Used to do a lot of holiday crafts. When niece was young (now 21 and in college), we'd have a girl's weekend... decorating, eating, making gifts for her to give to aunts/uncles/grands/teachers, etc. When I crafted, was a scrounger. Would see something at a yard sale or thrift store and get ideas. One time found BIG lot of natural color linen towels. I stenciled with fabric paints. Another time found a box of almost white ceramic bathroom tiles. Niece stenciled with air-dry ceramic paints and made sets of coasters. Another time made quart Mason jars with mix for "beer bread". Made tags with instructions (with and without beer) and small pieces of Christmas fabric.
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I used to bake when we were super poor and had no money. I found baking really inexpensive. I baked all the time for my children so the supplies were almost always on hand. I would bake cookies and bread, and one year I made chocolate covered cherries (I don't recommend it: they take FOREEEVVVER!) I even made Turtles, but over cooked the caramel so they were a little rock hard. hahahaha I even made little sled ornaments out of popcicle sticks. I keep meaning to make them again, they're so cute everyone loved them. But now? I don't have the time, nor the energy to make home made gifts. Besides, todays generation does not appreciate the home made things as much as we used to. I grew up with almost everything home made: my mom cooked from scratch (hardly 0 processed foods growing up), she baked everything (we never ate cookies from Christie), and mom is a seamstress so the vast majority of my clothes were made by mom. She also knitted so I had a lot of home made knit sweaters. I honestly don't know anyone who would appreciate them anymore.
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jeannespines
11 years ago
party ... I like to make 'gift tags & 'bookmarks' ...I use photos from thru the yr & some shipping tags, scrapbook papers, some paper punches, odds & ends of jewelry or whatever I come across that would work.

DH has enjoyed a new scrollsaw this yr so he has been making many beautiful ornaments ... we like to work on old wood projects tog & do that for Farmer's Market and/or gifts...time got away & some other issues so the scrowsaw ornaments will be the 'handmade' this yr. We enjoy & I always enjoy seeing your basket weaving works! Jeanne S.
lynnencfan
11 years ago
How cute are those soldiers!!!! I did have plans but they got waylaid but I will start much earlier for next year. I am rediscovering my long lost love of hand embroidery and want to get started on some Christmas tablerunners as gifts .....

Lynne
party_music50
Original Author
11 years ago
Marlene, your DH's mantel gift to your sister DEFINITELY counts! What a fantastic homemade gift! I'm very lucky to have two wonderfully talented BILs that have made very special things like that for me!

OA, your wooden soldiers are adorable! It's wonderful that you're able to craft with your grandchildren -- how creative and talented!

Jeanne, I'll bet your tags and bookmarks are great! I've seen photos of many of your DH's beautiful woodworking creations, but nothing from his new scrollsaw work. Would love to see pictures! :)

Lynne, hand-embroidered Christmas table runners would be an incredible gift! Can't wait to see what you produce!

I did take a few photos to show what I've made...

The bee skep didn't come out as well as I had hoped... I'm not going to try to make another before xmas though! My sister only wants to use it as garden decoration.

The elbow basket came out great:

I also made a sciathog for my niece from my freshly harvested willow... the photo also shows one of the many lavender sachets I made. :)

Now I feel lost. I don't have anything else on my 'to make' list other than some xmas sweets!
jeannespines
11 years ago
Gorgeous, party! Everything!!! I hope to take some pics before DH's scroll saw ornaments go on pkgs...will try to get that done...wrapping today...blizzard warnings for later today & tomorrow ...good time for staying indoors! (all green out there yet). Your work is so beautiful, party! TFS! Jeanne S.
Marlene Kindred
11 years ago
Wonderful gifts! Love all of the handmade baskets, the lavender sachets, and the toy soldiers are really cute too!
jeannespines
11 years ago
Party ...here's a sample of some of DH's scroll saw ornaments that he made this year for the kids/grkids ...

My DH had an old, old scroll saw & decided he liked doing some of this...so he got a new saw this Fall.
The dark wood ones he 'planed' a walnut log (that was destined for firewood) from DD's home ... so they are getting some of those.

I think they are pretty cool & they take a long time ... fun times! Jeanne S.
nana2010_gw
11 years ago
WOW, Jeanne, they are cool. Your DH is very talented and patient.
Your family will love them. They are lucky.

Gosh Party I just realized I didn't tell you how much I like your baskets.
I envy your talent.
Merry Christmas
Nana

This post was edited by nana2010 on Fri, Dec 21, 12 at 21:23
jeannespines
11 years ago
I forgot to add that the 'oak' scroll saw ones are recycled from window sill trims & such ... nana, I know what you mean ... Party is extremely artistic in basket weaving! Love them! Jeanne S.
party_music50
Original Author
11 years ago
Oh, WOW, Jeanne -- those ornaments are FANTASTIC! I LOVE that they're made of recycled materials and the variety that he's created is just amazing. Are all of the patterns original?! My absolute favorites are the bells, the tree, and the candy cane! :)

Thank you Jeanne, Marlene, and Nana for your VERY kind comments about my basketry. I am disappointed with my shaping problems on the bee skep, but the construction quality is ok. I just hope my sister isn't too disappointed with it. :(
jeannespines
11 years ago
party ... I checked out a couple older scroll saw library books so some of the patterns are from there (not original) ...but the the wood he used is 'original!' Now I've ordered him a Scrollsaw magazine that comes out 4X's a yr. We usually work with old barnwood & sometimes DHubby does some 'fine woodworking' w/oak & such ... he is enjoying doing the scroll saw this season. Thanks. Jeanne S.

(if your sis is disappointed, send it to me!) LOL!
oldalgebra
11 years ago
Party,
You never cease to amaze me with your baskets. I couldn't begin to figure out how to make a simple bowl-shaped one. You make all these different kinds. They're wonderful. Don't send anything to Jeanne until you talk to me first.

Jeanne,
Those ornaments are incredible! You've displayed some of your hubby's work before, but these are so very intricate. I've always been interested in scroll work. Had a chance to get a used scroll saw once and let it pass. I've always regretted it.

How does he cut inside? Drill a hole and then install the blade through the hole? That must take FOREVER! They are heirloom keepsakes, that's for sure.

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truly special gifts. . .

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