Home made gifts thread anyone?

[ProfessorPickles]

I hope I haven't missed another thread about this, but I was hoping to share some ideas for home made gifts!
I've decided to set a limit of only £100 this year on gifts to spend on 2 year old DS who will get £50 as he had plenty for his birthday, my parents, sister and grandma and grandad. Might have to spend on a couple of friends also!

Last year I made a chilli jam to go on crackers with cheese which went down well.
I'm thinking of making short bread biscuits and brownies to give as gifts too.

I also made cards with DS last year which cost us nothing and everyone seemed to like them! I'd normally spend £5+ per card for special ones so it saved me a fortune! I'm going to look on Pinterest or somewhere else for new designs to do this year.
I could possibly do my own Lino print cards to give out!

Has anyone got any reasonably priced ideas for things they like to make to give as gifts?

I can't believe I'm getting excited about Christmas already

Loving ideas,
Steppemum, do you have any photos of your banners you could show us? That's sounds like a great idea

Yes the banners sound lovely , would love to see pics if you have any

I collect sea glass. I'm thinking of making some macramé ( with Chinese knotting thread) necklaces with wire wrapped sea glass as a pendant and Amazonite beads knotted into the necklace.

I've made one before, I'm on with one for me now. They look so pretty too

The wire wrapped sea glass looks a bit like this

www.google.co.uk/search?q=wire+wrapped+sea+glass+and+macrame+necklace&client=safari&hl=en-gb&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0CAgQ_AUoAWoVChMIs9jEisbFyAIVjOkUCh05Ug5g&biw=768&bih=928#imgrc=WlNurc3K-KEAlM%3A

The Amazonite bead macramé necklace is a bit like this only I space the beads out more and use green knotting thread

www.google.co.uk/search?q=amazonite+beads+macrame+necklace&client=safari&hl=en-gb&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0CAkQ_AUoAmoVChMIt5Pq28bFyAIVRu8UCh1sHgOX&biw=768&bih=928#imgrc=kJQX5fBTsSTHBM%3A

dowser - my friend made me a sea glass necklace wrapped in wire, it is very pretty. Your design looks even prettier. My only comment is on mine the end of the wire is a bit pokey, it isn't very well tucked in.

The banners - sorry, I never got round to making one for myself! No photos. Here is what I did.

1. cut out letters for Merry Christmas out of stiff paper/thin card (cereal packet card is fine) You can download the letters, or free draw. Make sure the spaces between the legs of the letters (eg the legs of the M) aren't too small. Make sure the hole (eg in capital R aren't too small)
2. Put the paper letters on Christmas fabric (face down on the reverse) draw round them with 1/2 " (or a bit more) extra all round. Cut out fabric

3.Put the paper letters on to felt and draw round, this time cut the felt letters out just a little bit smaller than the paper letter. 4 Using copydex glue, fold the extra fabric over and stick it onto the edge of the card. Don't glue the front onto the paper, the glue comes through the fabirc. For the holes (eg in the capital R) cut lines from the centre to edge and fold the pieces under.

1. Leave to dry, if you need to, put a plastic layer over the letter and put a book on top until dry.
2. Get a long piece of ribbon, as long as all the letters plus about 50 cm at each end. Put your letters (minus felt) face down on the table in the right order and with the spacing you want. Put the ribbon across all the letters about 1" down from the top edge, glue down.
3. Glue the felt letters onto the back. making sure they are glued well around the ribbon.

They work best with 2-3 different Christmas fabrics on the letter, so different patterns in green and gold, or different patterns in reds. Then also 2 or 3 different coloured felts. You can arrange the pattern in repeating order, (pattern 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3) or you could sort the patterns according to the layout (pattern 1, 2, 3, 2, 1)

It is a bit fiddly, you do have to be careful with the glue as it marks and shows through, but it is the only one that works well for the felt I think.

Looked really lovely in the end, Can go in a window, or on a wall.

letters were about 4-5 " high

This might be a good place to ask. So, when I make chutneys and stuff, I use jars i've collected all year and if I need more then I buy Tesco jam for 15p and use that jar. This time I need a smaller jar or bottle, something smaller anyway. I don't have any...any ideas? I was thinking maybe cheap little baby food jars since I don't have any. I think I could get those for 50-60p each.

dowser- with regards to the macrame. if you want to make them a little different you could do a spiral knot instead of the square knot. its hard to explain, but you know when you alternate which side you start from, well if you start from the same side each time it will spiral.

baby food jars - the tops don't really go back on. You need something which is made to be opened and re sealed. Small jam or honey jars.

mrsrisotto have a wander round tesco and look at the rest of the value range! Eg value mint sauce is a smaller jar - but not as small as baby food. I'd avoid mustard and meat paste tho, as the lids will stink!

There were 2 mini Kilner jars for £1 in Poundland last week. I'm putting cinnamon butter in them (thanks to whoever suggested that!).

Any more ideas for non food and non sewing based gift ideas?
I have 8 ideas on my list which are all food based so I'd like to add one or two other things in!

place marking hoping for some good ideas :) expecting first baby in March so trying to save the pennies this christmas!

I know a couple that bought plain white mugs and special pens and drew Christmas designs on put the recipients name on, then inside made a hot chocolate packet that they made up with marshmallows tied with a ribbon.
Lovely gift if anyone fancies that! I bet it saved them a fortune

I've made pickled eggs and piccalilli so far. Thinking about biscotti too

I've settled on:
chilli jam
sweet pumpkin marmalade
rocky road
fudge
hot chocolate cones
fruit and nut chocolate bark
gingerbread men
simple home made chocolates

It came to more than I had anticipated but actually works out as only £10 per person and they should get a decent portion of each which is great!
I'm excited!

I did porcelain painted mugs with my dd aged 2 last year. Will do again. Did handprint Rudolph tiles the year before.
I made Xmas eve plate myself last year too. I love a bit of craft if I've got time!

Love this thread.

Is it easy to make jam?

I always a give handmade foodie gifts to our elderly neighbours.

Last year was 'box of bark'... peppermint, cranberry and white chocolate, crystalized ginger and toffee popcorn.

This year I am planning to make tablet, peppermint creams and chocolate truffles.

So much talk of flavoured/Xmas pud vodka...am I being incredibly rubbish and missing a post about how to do it? Particularly interested in the Xmas pud vodka. If anyone can give me the heads up I'd be pleased as punch!

NURSENAT100 this is a post from an old thread......
Christmas Pudding Vodka:

1 litre vodka
4 tbsp dark brown sugar
1 cinnamon stick
2 cloves
peel of 1 orange and 1 lemon
25g each currants, raisins, dried figs(halved if large)

Combine all ingredients in large bowl or jug, then decant into large (they recommend 1.3 litre) sterilised (dishwasher okay) bottle. Seal with cork or screw cap.

Leave for at least 2 weeks in a dark place, shaking occasionally to agitate the ingredients, then use a funnel lined with a coffee filter paper to decant into "pretty sterilised bottles of your choice" (but no info on where to get them!) - add a fresh piece of lemon and orange peel and a fresh cinnamon stick if you like.

Citrus whiskey:
1 large orange
1 lemon
1 lime
225 g granulated sugar
600 ml whisky (I use co op middle of the range own brand, not the mega cheapy stuff)

Scrub the fruit
Pare the rind from each fruit, but make sure that there is no white pith. Squeeze each fruit. Add juice and peels to whisky and sugar in a kilner-type jar, and stick somewhere cool and dark - shed/garage/back of cupboard. Shake daily for a fortnight, then weekly til you forget . If you make this week it should be ready by Xmas, 3 months is recommended. Strain and bottle.

blackberry vodka:

500 g blackberries
200g sugar
700 ml vodka

mix in a jar

put at back of cupboard and shake when you remember to.

strain after 3 months.

also, raspberry vod with frozen rasps, same principle as blackberry smile

i found the blackberry one needed more sugar, but the rasp one is delicious after a week (just tried it grin). xmas pud one is AWESOME. haven't tried citrus whisky yet.

just google flavoured vodka recipes too, for millions more ideas!!

HTH

Xmas Pud Rum:

250ml white rum
1tbsp muscovado sugar
4 cloves
A cinnamon stick
25g blanched almonds
25g raisins
orange zest.

Leave for a few weeks and shake every few days.

Lemon Gin:
250ml gin
pared zest 3 lemons

Vanilla Vodka:
250ml vodka
1 vanilla pod

Brilliant! Thanks all!