Granola:

8 cups old fashioned oatmeal
2 cups sweetened bagged coconut- such as Bakers brand
1 cup raw pumpkin seeds
1 cup raw sunflower seeds
2 cups coarsely chopped pecans
2 bags (5-6 ounces) 1 each or the same, dried blueberries and dried cherries
( Options- dried cranberries)

1/2 cup vegetable oil - I use canola
1/2 cup honey OR 1 cup maple syrup ( Honey is sweeter and needs less)
1 teaspoon vanilla

Heat honey, vanilla and oil together until warm in a sauce pan.

In a large roasting pan ( I use a turkey roaster), combine all dry goods except fruit.
Pour heated honey/oil over and fold with rubber spatula.

Bake at 275 for 30 minutes. Carefully fold everything again.
Do this 3 more times for a total of about 2 hours in the oven. 30 minutes between stirrings. If it gets too brown, lower the temperature to 250. If it gets done in 1 and 1/2 hours, fine. You want a nice, even golden brown all over.

When done, fold in dried fruit.

Cool completely- typically covered with a dishtowel overnight.

Oooh, thank you for the recipe! I am soooo making that this weekend :) Yum!

For as long as I can remember the girls and I have made fudge (pounds and pounds of it!) and spritz cookies to give out as gifts. It's a fun family tradition, one that they have continued as adults. When our youngest came home from college for Christmas one of the firs things she wanted to do was make the fudge and spritz!

People really like getting a home-made gift.

Goodness, gracious. Everything looks so pretty and nice.

Ttodd, I love your bags. They are so special and adorable. (Your penmanship is lovely too!) You no doubt brought a lot of holiday cheer to many, you sweet girl!

Deedee, I'm so impressed by your baking extravaganza!

Each post on this thread offers a fine example of generosity with time and talents. Very heart-warming!

Ttodd, that packaging is so you! Very cool!

BB, I love homemade granola! Nothing like the boxed stuff. I do mine at 300 for about 30 minutes.

NHB, here's the pecan recipe.

Honey Chipotle Pecans

2 tablespoons honey
1 1/2 teaspoons chipotle powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 cups pecan halves
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon sea salt

Preheat the oven to 325. In a medium microwave safe mixing bowl, combine the honey, chipotle powder, and ground cinnamon. Warm through. (You can also do this on the stove over low heat.)

Stir nuts into warmed honey mixture. Still well to coat. On a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, spread honey-coated nuts in a single layer. Bake until toasted and fragrant, about 15 minutes.

Remove from oven and allow to cool only slightly (no more than a minute or two-- you want them to still be sticky.)

Combine the sugar and salt in a small bowl. In a medium sized mixing bowl dump the hot nuts and add the sugar/salt mix tossing to combine. Spread nuts on cold waxed or parchment paper and let dry. It's best if they don't touch each other.

Serve or store covered until ready to eat.

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Thanks so much bumble. I have clipped it and will make it after I hit the grocery store next week. My kiddo is going to love it!
Looks easy too! Whew!

Thanks Natal! Are they really spicy, or more of a mild spice?

They have a nice kick. You can always reduce the chipotle if you don't like the heat.

Natal, I have experimented with the time/temperature and found my granola burned around the edges at 300.
The recipe I posted makes a lot... I could spread it out on 4 cookie sheets and do 300 for thirty minutes but then I'd have more pans to wash. And I only have two oven racks.

Sometimes if I think it is getting too brown fast, I turn it down to 250 and go 45 minutes per stir.

Love these ideas! Next year, I might steal some:)

I didn't make homemade goodies, but did make some homemade jewelry (keishi pearl necklace) for my mom.
I have to get back to doing some necklaces in the new year...just was so busy with work this Fall, I didn't have a chance to do and missed it.

Great ideas everybody! I love the idea of a family gift exchange with homemade items.

I may steal the paperwhite gift idea:) Fmroberts - those rockers are amazing!

Thanks, Kimberly....sounds good!
My cousin made the granola for us...it's fabulous!

The granola looks great. Will have to try that, I love granola.
Those paper whites are a great idea. All lovely gifts!

I agree, the paperwhites would make such a great gift this time of year. It's always a cheerful sight to see bulbs bringing flowers when it's cold outside, & the process is rewarding...more so than just being handed a bouquet.

The granola recipes do sound great too.

So many personal and tasty ideas everyone is sharing.

Bumblebeez, I often enjoy granola with yogurt for breakfast and will be making your recipe soon.

Ttodd, I often admire your creativity but the sprig of evergreen with personal tags is really original.

cliff_and_joann, my DH looked carefully at your planes saying making those would require a good deal of care to create the curvatures uniformly. He liked everyones enjoyment and feedback on our grandchildrens rockers.

I've really appreciated this thread. Happy New Year to all

I thought of something else I've made for our hand made gift exchange in years past. Lip balm and hard lotion bars. You can find videos on Youtube showing how to make each, or Google 'lip balm recipes'. One web site with very basic recipes and tutorials is www.hardlotion.com. They're super easy and pretty inexpensive as crafty things go.

Here is a link that might be useful: Lotion Bars & Lip Balm

fnmroberts, perhaps your DH would like to join a
woodworking forum that I belong too. I know they would
really appreciate seeing that motorcycle and rocker.
email me if your interested.
Joann

Joann - LOVING that plane and the whole set up!!!!!! Have to show DH and Dear Dad.

Thanks for all of the lovely comments! Natal - the idea that someone said that it was 'so me' is so wonderful! I do feel like I've finally found/ discovered/ grew into my style all around this past year or so.

Those tags were so much fun (and sooooooo cheap to do. Cedar from my back-yard, pen from work, glitter glue from the store and bits and pieces of scrap that I combed the house for. Oh yeah - and $1 glitter stocking letters from Wal-Mart (always wanted glitter letters) and lunch bags from under my kitchen sink. I enjoy trying to challenge myself to come up w/ expensive ideas w/ scraps around the house.

Our vet has been so generous w/ his time and financially over the past 2 years w/ all of our aged pets and small $$$$. More often than not he took us in the front door and showed us out the back - no monies exchanged. Years and years ago he also always took care of the pets that we had in rescue when we had our pet supply store.

When DS2's preschool teacher commented on how natural they looked I shamedly admit that I side kicked in the air when I walked around the corner!

I'm really looking forward to trying the recipes that you all were generous enough to post and I'm looking at my canning jars (DS2 just gave them to me today) w/ thoughts of paperwhites dancing in my head for next year!

amysrq - Can Paperwhite bulbs be found individually without a kit? I'd love to make my own using a glass cylinder and river pebbles.

I always buy the kit, and have to settle for the container that it comes in. This years was not too bad looking with a silver colored plastic. However, the dirt disk that came with the kit did not hold down the bulbs very well, so I added small river rock around the growth and the flowering containers look great!

I made cookie baskets consisting of:
Gingerbread Stars
Sugar Cutout Cookies
Pecan Pie Tartlets
Pina Colada Thumbprints
Lady Marmalade Thumbprints
Orange Ginger Biscotti
Mixed Fruit Triangles
Peppermint Meltaways
Almond Macaroons

NHB, I'm not Amy, but yes, wherever bulbs are sold you can usually find paperwhites.

I was at Lowes & Home Depot today to get some more bulbs to plant in the ground, & there were many bags of paperwhites and amaryllis bulbs at each store too. All the bulbs at both stores were 50-70% off. This is a really good time to buy bulbs! Don't wait too much longer, or the supply will be picked over.

Your paperwhites above are just lovely, but I bet you have quite an array of beautiful containers that you would enjoy using for this purpose. You needn't be confined to the kits. Check out one of the big box stores or your local garden center.

I'm sure Amy will have more to add later. Happy container gardening!

That basket...wow! Laxsupermom, that's really super!

Thanks, stinky! The baskets were fun to put together. Baking is pretty much my favorite thing to do. I put the ingredients for each cookie on the back of the ornament tags to make it easier for people with allergies & food sensitivities. Here's a link to my blog post about the ornament tags.

I really love all the handmade gifts everyone made. Joann, that plane is a little boy's dream. Gorgeous! Sandyponder, I'm so jealous of your canning lockers. What a find! This year I hope to start canning(if my little garden gets off the ground,) so expect a shout out on the conversations side for help.

While I didn't make anything this year, last year I made these pincushions for my sister and sisters-in-law. They were simple and I think they really appreciated them. I forgot to make one for myself so I'll have to do that soon! http://monkeyroom.blogspot.com/2007/01/tutorial.html

I had planned on crocheting simple doilies or scarves this year but ran out of time. Guess I could get started for next year.

I just love this thread, thanks!

stinky-gardener - Will the bulbs last until next year, and if so, where do i store them? I need to go to Lowe's anyway, so I can take a look.

Pin cushions are cute!

Laxsupermom: I'm sorry, but you're going to have to change your user name. Now that you've shared that list of cookies and shown a photo of the basket with those wonderful ornament tags, we all know that you're lying about that "lax" part!

NHB, bulbs definitely do need proper storage if you want to hold on to them for a while before planting. A year may be too long, but it's worth a try. Store them in a cool, dry place & just see what happens next year. Heat and moisture will cause them to rot. Short of rotting, bulbs do have a shelf life, & just may not bloom, but nature can surprise us & burst forward when we least suspect!

There's usually an expiration date on packages.

Inspired by this thread, when I bought my bulbs for planting outdoors at Home Depot, I bought some paperwhites too & have started them in a container indoors. At my previous house I did this every year, but here, I haven't started bulbs indoors until now!

The sight of flowers in February will surely bring some cheer. Thanks for the inspiration!

Okay, this might seem obvious. We gave out honey from our hive.

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ttodd, love the packaging.

Pammyfay, haha, trust me I'm no cape wearer. I'm constantly scratching my head and asking, "How does she...?" The username actually came from one of my son's coaches. He's one of those guys that gives a nickname to absolutely everyone. Boots, the Bull, etc. I'm always team mom for my sons' teams so he called me supermom, even when seen socially with no kids in sight. A little weird. I finally asked his wife, who I'm friends with, "He does know my name, right?"

beekeeperswife, those glistening jars look just gorgeous! And I'm sure they were much appreciated. I'm always hunting down local honey for our family.

BKW - what wonderful gifts!!!! I would have loved to be on the recieving end of something so cool. They look beautiful too!

Thanks!

Pammyfay - I've thought that many a time about laxsupermom! LOL! No lax there! In fact when I first started seeing the name I thought I was mis-reading it and that it was luxsupermom!

The honey looks amazing!

SANDY -- YUm!!! I would be raiding those wonderful lockers ((nice present BTW!)) and your gorgeous jars! Love the colors! I often hunt through Etsy looking for someone who makes green tomato relish ..... (hinting, hinting, hinting.......:)

LAX -- Wow!!! Seriously -- where go you get your wonderful energy and ideas?!! :) That basket and those treasure of cookies looks amazing!

BEE -- OMG!! I would LOVE to see a jar of that liquid gold under my Yule tree! Do you sell online -- maybe Etsy? (( just a hopeful hint .....)) Do you make beeswax candles?
Can we see a photo of the hive/s?

Honestly -- I am SO impressed with ALL of the crafts and cooking and thankful for this thread and discussion .... I got so many great ideas ... and will be looking for items all through the year ....

Cheers! and VERY Well Done to All!!! :)

Jan at Rosemary Cottage

stinky-gardener - I will just wait and pay more for good bulbs next year. :)

Yum, yum on the honey. I have a jar of local honey in my pantry. I think I'll have some for breakfast in the morning on some sourdough toast.

OMG, you all are sooooooo talented. I would love and cherish any gifts if I were your family or friends. I am truely in envy. Maybe next year you can share some of your beautiful homemade giftgiving ideas. Thanks for sharing!

I am humbled by the amount of talent on this board. Great posts everyone.
I make homemade English Muffin Bread every year and package it up with a small jar of strawberry jam and tea. I have had the recipe for about 30 some years and my family and friends always look forward to it.
Thanks for the granola recipe I will have to try it.

Oops....sorry I didn't come back to answer your question about paperwhites, NHB. I buy mine loose from a garden center near here. You can also buy them online from places like Brent & Becky's or VanEngelen, if you are buying in quantity.

I would wait and get fresh ones next year. But, B&B's has pre-cooled narcissus you can force the same way as paperwhites for 50% off right now.

I do not particularly like the smell of paperwhites, so I only get a variety called Inbal. They have the same smell, but far less of it.

Sandyponder, that jam locker is amazing! My stash is in a Billy bookcase from CL. Oh, how I envy you -- a husband who not only goes to garage sales but actually brings you such treasures!

Amy, I didn't realize how bad paperwhites smelled until I cut some from the garden last spring to put in the kitchen window. PU!!!

hoyamom -that sounds lovely! This is one of my fave threads!

hoyamom - English muffins? I didn't know they could be homemade.lol I always think of them in the long store package. I love crispy English muffins with a little butter and marmalade.

amysrq - Thank you for the reply. What is B&B's?

Funny you and natal should mention the smell of Paperwhites. Both of my daughter's mentioned the smell and said that I should remove them from the dining room because they thought the smell would interfere with the Christmas dinner. Ever since they said the flowers stink, I've thought the same thing. I'll have to look for the Inbal variety. Will my current Paperwhites re-bloom next year if I store them in the basement? I just cut them back.

Sandyponder - I thought it, but don't think I posted my thoughts...your locker remind me so much of some canning shelves of my grandmothers. They were in my grandparents basement, along with my grandfathers workshop and greenhouse. Thanks for the memories!

loribee - I didn't realize how popular this thread would become, or what talented members we had, until I started this. :-) I love it, too!

B&B = Brent & Becky's

Paperwhites are one-shot-deals AFAIK.

Thank you all for the kind words about my canning lockers. I am lucky to have a great husband who finds (very cheap) garage sale stuff for me, but of course I am at work when he's careening around the countryside with the kid, so it's, I don't know, kind of bittersweet? I have the (much) higher income potential, so I work full time, but I envy the flexibility and time with our kid that he has. Ah well, the road not taken always beckons and as a family we are *extremely* fortunate that we can have a SAHP.

My grandparents had canning shelves in their basement too, I hadn't thought of them in a long time, so it was a great memory jog. Of course theirs were much more full than mine, and their arsenal included food as well as several kinds of wine, beer and liquors, and, yes, they were poor and Scottish (cheap, make your own food part) and Irish (the drinkers), why do you ask (wink)? Maybe in my dottage I'll take up wine making, but I might not give that away!

This thread is such an enjoyable learning experience, and count me among the folks who continue to marvel at the myriad of talents of the posters.

I have stolen several recipes and many, many great gift ideas.

sandyponder

Last year we made wooden boxes with a handle in the center for everyone...the back section was for paper plates, the center is partitioned for knives, forks and spoons, and the front slot held paper napkins.
This year, we took a 5"x5"x2 1/2" block of matching cedar, put a 12" tall dowel upright on each corner and stocked it with a stack of upside down Christmas Solo cups. It was a big hit with all of the family.
We make wooden things every year for each family, plus I make all sorts of things for the little ones. I also make candy, Texas Trash and flavored nuts for family, neighbors, service people etc.. I made 2 or 3 fleece blankets that were well received by teenagers ;^)

"B&B = Brent & Becky's
Paperwhites are one-shot-deals AFAIK."

Never heard of it. :( Don't know what AFAIK means either...lol

I guess that's why all I get is greenery when I try to grow them the next year. lol Oh well, it's exciting to see the greenery grow.

sandyponder - Glad I could help with those memories. My grandmother was the Scot!

jaybird - My grandfather and uncle were/are the wood enthusiast. For my mother, my uncle made a really large/long covered bridge bird house made of cedar. It was so pretty and large, that my mother put a fern in it instead of hanging it outdoors. :-)

I love those fleece blankets. Made one for myself in an evening as I was watching T.V. It is so warm and cozy on these cold winter nights. My dog loves it, too! I made it to match my cream, gold and white family room/sofa/chair, but it just happens to be the same color as the dog, so her hair doesn't show on it. ;)

I'm guessing it means As Far As I Know.

I cannot bear the smell of paperwhites. I also can't have the daffodils from the annual cancer fundraiser in the house either. I buy them & give them away.

I'm not crafty & I don't know how to sew but I copied an idea from a catalog and made an advent/countdown calendar for my 3 yo niece this year. It had 24 little stockings, made out of red or grinchy green felt, that I stitched together using embroidery thread. I had 4 rows of 6, alternating red and green and the direction the stockings faced. In reality it was rather, shall we say, primitive looking but my niece was thrilled with a piece of candy each day and my sisters were amazed that I made it.

I was so pleased with it I'm already planning to make another one as a birthday countdown calendar. Naturally, in my mind, the next one is much more elaborate but time will tell if I can pull it off - with little talent and no sewing machine. I need to get it completed and mailed to them in time for my nephew's April birthday.

What a fantastic thread - so many great ideas!!
This year I made heat therapy bags to keep my loved ones warm. They were fun to make and they seemed to go over well.

Here is a link that might be useful: Heat Therapy Bags

hhireno - Thank you. I am not "up" on text lingo.

I am sure your niece loved her countdown calendar.

lulabellesview - I use to buy those for gifts. I sure wish I had one for my thumb right now. It started hurting Christmas eve and I cannot figure out why. I've read that moist heat is good for hand injuries and arthritis.

Since the thread is still going I'll post one more. DD cut up one of her paintings and framed the six pieces in 99 cent frames and gave them to various family members (including dh and me!) for Christmas.
She went back to school today and I miss my decorating buddy.
Also wanted to mention, she really enjoyed reading the Favorite Decor Decision of 2010? thread and hearing about everyone's accomplishments!

That's a neat idea. I guess it works well with contemporary paintings.

I must have missed the Favorite Decor Decision of 2010 thread. Mine was obviously my Master bedroom. It took me all of 2010 to get it together and buy the curtain panels one by one when they were on sale. ;)

Oh, here's the hive, just took a photo this am.....This is the source of that honey:

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