'Make your own' Christmas

[Doodlekitty]

Ok, ok, I KNOW its only June. But I'm due to give birth late October and as it's my first and I have no idea what to expect I want to be all sorted for christmas by the time baby gets here. I'm also going to have no money when I'm on Mat leave so want stuff bought while I'm working but also want to spend as little as possible.

Last year I made Christmas pudding rum for my FIL who has never shut up about it since ( I used this recipe, www.wikihow.com/Make-Christmas-Pudding-Flavoured-Vodka but rum instead of vodka, if anyone is interested)

I think I made it in about November last time, but I'm thinking, if I made it in July then it will just be more yummy wont it, as it just has longer to infuse. also, last year when i told MIL I binned the fruit I used she was horrified, so I'm thinking i might put this in a jar for her (obviously with another present) as she said it would be lovely with ice cream. What do you guys think?

sagely- easy- you need a knitting needle covered in vaseline, thin strips of paper torn from magazines, pva glue. wrap paper around the needle whilst painting with pva. when its dried- viola- magazine beads.

looks nicer than it sounds

For homemade chocolate makers - Lakeland have presentation boxes on sale to be discontinued - 2pk, 4pk and 6pk.

www.lakeland.co.uk/p15796/Chocolate-Presentation-Boxes

sagely I would make jelly if I were you - there are recipes all over the place, but a good base one here

it would be excellent with sloes or blackberries :)

Yum, thank you! And to cheese for the magazine beads idea-lots of things to be getting on with.

:( that there are no sloes here apparently, I do miss UK hedgerows

How about this for an idea?

Ooo do you think the Christmas pudding rum could be adapted to brandy? My dad would like that.

sure, worth a go Tempernillo!

Biddy do you have the recipe for rhubarb liqueur? I did the last harvest of our rhubarb the other day and am struggling to use it up...

Love the chutney recipes. Has anyone made limoncello? Was thinking of trying that to go with the chutneys as a gift set.

I have been thinking of making little stuffed toys with upcycled fabrics - I have realised dd has lots of clothes that either have little stains or tears, but otherwise are pretty fabrics so can just cut around the bad bits! Anyone have any good patterns they could share?

And I thought I could stuff them with old scraps of fabric cut into pieces, would this work?

Just found this website with some lovely cocktail recipes for rhubarb liqueur, was thinking of making some rhubarb liqueur and handwriting some of the cocktail recipes on to a card to give with it.

This is a very inspirational thread! Am thinking of doing batches of homemade curry paste and mango chutney for my curry obsessed family. I know I can make the chutney well in advance, but not sure about how long curry paste keeps for. Due DC2 in mid-November, so the idea of being organised in advance is very appealing!

Following Fanjo's advice I picked 3 kilos of free damsons yesterday and am going to make jam, gin and damson cheese with them. If any of you live in Glasgow I can tell you where I found them because there are LOADS left. Free, free I tell you....

What do damsons look like? That reminds me I have got loads of blackberries In the freezer... And I have already bought some cheap voddy to make my rhubarb liqueur!

I'm picking sloes and blackberries this weekend. I put a request for surplus fruit on freecycle and am off to pick cooking apples on tuesday, hoping for enough to make some chutney and puree for when DD starts weaning!

anyone got pinterest boards to follow btw? PM me if you want to follow mine!

Ooooo! I'm in Glasgow! In return for damson details I can tell you that I believe there are blackberries nearly ready at the Milngavie waterworks...!

Ooooohhhh I am in!

looks like a good idea?

I'm up too early with the kids and browsing MSE christmas threads :o

and this site looks good too :)

shall we make lists of who we need to make gifts for, then help with ideas?

DH - ?
Mum - ?
Dad - ?
FIL - ?
Sis and BIL -
Sis and her BF - homemade alcohol and some chocolate
Brother - homemade alcohol
BIL + GF - ?
Grandma - chutney and photo of kids
Nan - cookies and photo of kids

friends x 8 - homemade jam and cookies
their kids under 5 x 4
1x 9yo
1x 11yo

neighbours x 2 - jam, chocolate for kids.

Another one who is trying to get ready early here, I'm having surgery soon and will be laid up for a few weeks.

I'm making blackberry jam today, have been picking daily from the garden and saving them in the freezer. Already done strawberry and raspberry.

The chocolate bark already mentioned was the easiest and best received thing I made last year and the DCs loved doing it, just have to be careful to keep it cool afterwards as it melts easily with white chocolate in it.

I am going to be keeping an eye on Lidl, bought lots of tiny homemade looking straw decorations very cheaply last year, ideal for splitting packs and adding a few to hampers, or tying onto wrapped gifts.

Does anyone know how to make bath bombs??

Loving this thread! Really keen to get going - does anybody know how far in advance I can make Werthers Original Vodka?

Just remembered, for those with lots of lavender, these make a nice change from bags Lavender wands.

You need to make them now while the flowers and stems are still a bit fresh, otherwise the stems snap and too many of the flowers fall off. You also need to make them the same day as cutting for the same reasons. I made about a dozen this week, took about 20 mins each. I have pulled my ribbons very tight, otherwise I guess the flowers might fall out when they are dried.