Ideas for easy home made christmas gifts please

[reastie]

We are short of cash this year with me being on maternity leave so I'm hoping to start now making some hand made christmas gifts. Does anyone have any good ideas or links to ideas? I'm imagining making maybe some christmas tree decorations (possibly personalised) for people but don't know where to start. They need to be quite quick and simple to do as I can't spend days on each one but also look good (alot of the more simple ones I find with instructions look a bit ). Any ideas??? Doesn't have to be a christmas tree decoration but I quite like the idea of something hand sewn....

Oh well, if you have a young baby it's handprints and footprints all the way for family!!! They will love it!

sleepy excellent idea. I wonder if i can do those hand/feet impression things at home cheaply for gpa

Ah.. Ok. Perhaps you could paint them... Doesn't have to be brilliant, multiple coloured spots look sweet, little flowers. Hearts. Anything really.

Have a look on www.pinterest.com

Beware, do not click the above link if you have anything to do, because before you know it, 4 hours will have passed!

You can indeed do the hand painting at home. I bought nice but cheep White mugs, used a natural sponge to cover in a pale colour, then paint the baby's foot/ hand and print on mug. Foot is better as they curl less and are less likely to put them in their mouth before you have cleaned the paint off! Use liner to write name and date. Gps love them and they are washable if you use the right stuff and cook it in the oven. If you are doing a few, it is worth investing in the paint. I use the pebeo porcelaine 150 paints and outliners, lovely colours, oven bake, dishwasher proof and quite widely available in good craft shops or online.

I would have replied sooner but was too busy nosing through pinterest

boat thanks alot for the paint recommendation - I've not done that before as I thought it wouldn't be dishwasher safe - but those paints are

Ooo just a thought when trawling pinterest for ideas remember it is an American site so search for "holidays" as well as Christmas.

Thanks chirp, didn't think of that!

I think these jam jar lanterns are rather lovely. Although you would only want to recycle old used jars I guess.

that's a nice idea jetli - I think we have some old jam jars in the shed - will take a look

Oh & I noticed ebay have lots of plain jute bags for sale. I was pondering how to use them as some sort of re-usable Christmas gift bags as they are quite cheap. But I got stalled at how you would decorate them?

Our local hobbycraft has a bug summer sale on at the moment and lots of their Christmas craft stuff is 70% off - might be worth a look?

pottering just checked out hobbycraft online but not alot of reductions

I've been trying to make the felt gingerbread men today with some success - I need to buy some more felt though - does anyone know anywhere online that sells decent quality felt for a decent price? I feel thoroughly about different websites and don't want the really cheap bad quality stuff

fun.kyti.me/?p=3814 sewing kit in a jar as zipzap suggested

pinterest - mermaidspam what have to done to me !!

I know. I'm sooooo sorry. I've lost about 8 hours in the last 2 days due to that website!

I have put on my profile my first attempt at a felt gingerbread man christmas decoration. I'm intending on doing individual men tree decorations but for some people do little garlands with the hearts in-between each man. Can I have some feedback please before I continue. Does it look decent enough to give as a gift? I'm a little worried the colour of the felt is a little pale and it should be more golden, but that was the only colour I could get in john lewis! Any feedback please

oh, and does it actually look like gingerbread men?

Ive seen a lovely wee sewing project which i have in mind for christmaa....personalised tree decs. Cant remember where i saw them but will see if i can find a link and return later. Might be just what op is after....

Hey reastie they look fantasic, your garland will look brilliant and I'd love to get it as a gift. Right, now you've motivated me to stop pinning and start making!

great, thanks ja yes please - I await the link

Can i join in? I made some Christmas Pudding Vodka last yr & it was lovely.

I started soaking the fruit & nuts around start of Oct.

Here is the recipe if anyone wants to try it out,

1 bottle (about 700ml) vodka
250g dark brown sugar
100g mixed peel
250g sultanas
150g raisins
Grated rind and juice of 1 orange
50g almonds
5 cloves
2 cinnamon sticks
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp mixed spice

Place everything in an old pop bottle,gently shake once a week & then just before bottling up pour it through a fine sieve,you may need to do this a couple of times until the liquid runs clear.

Last yr on the final sieve i placed some kitchen towel in the sieve to catch any of the mixed spice,as if you leave too much in it can cause sediment in the bottle.

Then pour into your bottles & can be stored for upto 6mths.

I keep the soaked fruit in an airtight container & serve it with mince pie icecream.

I may make that vodka, which brand vodka did you use?

I just bought the cheap Lidl one brand,i wouldnt use the dear brands as it really took on the flavours of the fruit & spice so cheaper the better.

That is what I was hoping!

I made some & gave it to ds' teacher for Christmas & i made some Greengage & Chilli chutney for the neighbours,they went down a treat.

Bonus was they took less then 1/2 hr to do as well.