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Arts and crafts

Discover knitting, crochet, scrapbooking and art and craft ideas on this forum.

Ideas for lovely hand-made Christmas gifts

52 replies

saltyseadog · 01/10/2010 15:54

I hope I'm not treading on Fellatio's toes by posting this - but I really want to get some ideas for making Christmas gifts this year and I don't have the time to trawl through the entire poncetastic thread :o.

What will you be making this year?

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gingerkirsty · 01/10/2010 19:45

Ooh I came on to post this question, but with the added aspect that we are on a huge economy drive hence thinking of doing hand made, so needs to be something cheap, and I am only moderately skilled craft wise! So, any suggestions would be welcome!

If it helps, I have a baby girl who my parents and sister are OBSESSED with so some photo related ideas could be handy! :)

saltyseadog · 01/10/2010 20:18

Hi gingerkirsty :)

Yes - photos of 6m DS may well be an option! Also, I'll take him to a Paint a Pot place to do footprints on a plate which should cover the DGPs.

This website is awesome (lifted from the arty crafty blog thread). I'm thinking of buying some nice Cath Kidston mugs (£4 each in JL), a bag of coffee and then making up some of this cookie mix and presenting it all in a box. Should cost about £15 in total.

cookie mix

OP posts:
Blatherskite · 01/10/2010 20:46

I hand made cards for family last year.

Did DS's hand print, upside down, in green paint then added a star at the top and sequins sprinkled over the rest - voila! A christmas tree :)

You can also do a footprint (toes down) with a handprint wither side for wings to make an angel. You just need to add a face.

How about a calendar with a lovely photo for each month?

gingerkirsty · 01/10/2010 21:15

Cookie mix sounds fab, love the layering idea. Blathers - christmas tree handprint - fantastic! Think that's my cards sorted, although would def need to scan handprint in rather than trying to print lots! Calendar good idea too, like it, like it!

Having trawled the craft threads, here is my list so far:

Plain white mugs (Asda!) with baby hand prints - marabu ceramic paint is water based and bakes on in the oven, dishwasher safe.

Truffles in nice boxes? Make boxes???

Name bunting for kids - using pinking shears so no hemming, bias binding ironed in half for easy placement, and that iron on stuff to attach the letters

sock monkeys - no idea how to make these but sounds fun! more research needed.

christmas decorations

Flower brooches/clips - done before for my niece so will find some tutorials online

Candles in teacups and saucers from charity shops - as per MN thread!

Tile coasters with hand prints (cork feet from wilkos apparently)

Painted wellies????

gingerkirsty · 01/10/2010 21:20

You're right that blog is amazing! one glance and straight away i found a felt flower tutorial and some tips on wrapping gifts too! :)

onepieceoflollipop · 01/10/2010 21:24

We make sweets.

I have an Usborne book called something like "50 things to make and eat for Christmas"

We save pretty little tins and/or I get those cellphane bags from Lakeland and tie up with nice ribbon.

Also we make Christmas crackers for teachers etc. I save the insides of wrapping paper rolls and cut them to size. In the middle we put things like nice (thorntons) bar of chocolate; small handcream or body lotion etc. I then wrap normal wrapping paper round and twist at the ends. Looks a bit "more" than just wrapping the choc and handcream up iykwim.

Wilkinsons had some paint your own mugs for about £1 which is good value imo.

gingerkirsty · 01/10/2010 21:27

Sweets and crackers sound lovely, lollipop - what kind of sweets do you make?

gingerkirsty · 01/10/2010 21:36

Sock monkey tutorial here am thinking cheap stripy socks from Primark.

Bumperlicious · 01/10/2010 21:51

Is your book this lollipop?

Bumperlicious · 01/10/2010 21:54

I'm going to make some of these

saltyseadog · 01/10/2010 21:57

Oooh handmade cards a good idea. I love the Christmas Tree made from a handprint idea.

OP posts:
saltyseadog · 01/10/2010 22:04

Bumper those crowns look fab. I wish I could crochet Envy.

Here's another fab blog I found:

violetposy thrifty christmas

Sweets definitely an option. I'll see if I can get lollipop's book from the library.

OP posts:
gingerkirsty · 01/10/2010 23:00

Thanks Salty that's great :)

gingerkirsty · 01/10/2010 23:27

Super easy and gorgeous felt flowers :)

gingerkirsty · 01/10/2010 23:58

Bumper you are amazing if you can even think about making christmas pressies when you have a ten day old baby!

SgtAngua · 02/10/2010 00:35

I have made raspberry vodka, damson gin & blackberry vodka. I've been collecting nice little bottles all year to put it all in.

I looked like a right old lush clinking my way out of Lidl with a trolley load of cheap spirits! Wink

On less alcoholic note I've made various jams & chutneys with stuff from the allotment. I'm planning to bake a load of cookies closer to the event & make up some hampers.

I'm loving the bunting & flower hairclips ideas.

specialsmasher · 02/10/2010 07:56

Some lovely ideas!

So - if you use pinking shears (I don't have any) will the fabric really not fray? Thinking of making bunting for my dd & a friend's dd...

gingerkirsty · 02/10/2010 11:30

Following on from Blathers' idea, free photo calendar printing here - hole punch top, add ribbon and hey presto! And did I mention it's FREE?!?!?! Grin

gingerkirsty · 02/10/2010 11:32

Special - pinking shears should mean no fraying, but I think they are quite pricey. I am borrowing my Mum's!

onepieceoflollipop · 02/10/2010 19:43

gingerkirsty and bumperlicious

To answer your questions my book is similar, but it is things to make and eat not things to make and do (I actually have both books, I got them in a kind of Usborne deal)

Re what sweets do I make, one thing I do is merry cherry crunchies (I think that is the right name). It isn't like proper sweet making (i.e. no boiling toffee etc). The one I mention is just melting white chocolate and things like syrup, biscuit pieces, add dried cranberries. Topped with a bit of glace cherry. I buy petit four cases to put them in. Very very simple. (has to be with a 3 and a 6 year old "helping"!)

specialsmasher · 02/10/2010 20:48

Thanks, ginger! Going to look and see quite how pricey now...

gingerkirsty · 03/10/2010 10:11

I made some felt flower brooches!!! Pic on my profile, did as per instructions to begin with, starting with 4.5 inch wide piece, then reduced size and made wool shorter, and the lower 3 are the 'final' design where I got another piece of felt and snipped into it to make fronds instead of the wool. I am pretty chuffed and they were SO cheap and easy to make! Grin

bluepapermonkey · 04/10/2010 15:42

can't find other thread but someone was asking for bath bomb recipe. just found this

www.makingmagazine.com/bathroom-heartbomb.asp

haven't seen mag yet.

gingerkirsty · 11/10/2010 20:40

Smasher - my mum's shears are a bit buggered so I have bought some - cheapest I could find were here

HTH

selby · 12/10/2010 19:37

IKEA sells pinking shears for £5.99 - That's where I bought mine plus quite a bit of decent fabric. Pity I now live about an hour away from the nearest one.