Home made gifts - Stage one

[cookielove]

As a beginner in home made anything, i took it upon me this year to make my christmas presents (due to not much cash) so i'm making cushions, candles, chocolates, jewellery and cookies, phew.

Stage 1 - having never touched a sewing machine i'm not sure what i was really thinking but hey presto i've made 9 cushion covers, waiting to be decorated.

Candles, kind of lost the instructions but have managed to make 9 candles, and have loads left inside.

Have made nothing else so far, but feel quite confident so far.

Now wondering is any one else making christmas gifts this year, how far along are you? What are you making? can we support each other, joke with each other along the way?

If no, sorry to bother

[FoofFighter]

Limoncello linky please

Cookielove, V. nice how are you decorating them? You could branch out into hot water bottle covers now!

Mogs - I am doing/have done them in stripes in the colours of people's living rooms, really simple really, just used canvases 2 for £1 in £shop along with acrylic paint from there too and masking tape. Just takes a while to do with having to dry before doing next stripe colour but no actual skills needed!

I also want to make some saltdough or perhaps cinnamon/applesauce dough napkin rings for the Christmas table linky

[FoofFighter]

If I get time I also want to make some sock monkeys for children in the families birthdays that are just after Christmas
sock monkeys

I think I really need to order that sewing machine and learn how to use it, cutting it very fine now

[mogs0]

Limoncello

[mogs0]

Biscotti

[mogs0]

Muffin mix

[ilovepiccolina]

I have made biscotti in the past, they are dead simple and much nicer than the rock-hard ones you get in the coffee shops. Put in cellophane bags & tie with red ribbon.

[JackBauer]

Oh yes, I made Christmas biscotti last year. DH and I ate half teh first batch, then we made too much and he took some into work, and they begged me to make more!

Really easy and really nice.

[FoofFighter]

Thanks for the links

[cookielove]

FiifFighter - i bought some really nice navy blue silk with a lighter blue stitching of delicate flowers, some of the covers i am going to put a big square of this on, i also have some light blue fabric which i think i might spell out words with e.g. love, and erm other ones, not sure what, got some buttons and ribbons to.

Hmmm lots links i may have to pinch from.

[cookielove]

sorry that was meant to say FoofFighter

[cookielove]

how is everyone doing?

[mogs0]

I bought some ingredients today but the dried fruit was really expensive in the supermarket so I'm off to the market tomorrow to get some (hopefully a bit cheaper) then will have to make a start. I'm still putting off the alcoholic ones but must get a move on!!!

[cookielove]

ooh today i completed two cushions, and half way through a third, why oh why did i think hearts would be easy to sow, bah!!!!

[spookycharlotte121]

so how do you make flavoured vodka then? apple sours would be great!

that could be a great prezzie for my friends as Im fast running out of cash.

[cookielove]

can't help on the vodka, i imagine, you infuse it though, i can help with candles or cushions though?

[spookycharlotte121]

few contributions to craft ideas
i went to an xms craft fair and they were selling those cloth bags that had been decorated by the local children.... perhaps that might be an idea

you can buy clock mechinisms very cheeply so you could make a clock.

home made soap is nice too here quite simple too although their version is a little naff... im sure someone with a little more imagination could make something much nicer.

[Wigeon]

Hello crafty people! I am very inspired by the biscotti- might have to give both recipes a go!

Does anyone know where you get little bottles for your various kinds of alcohol? I've made sloe gin and want to give a little amount to lots of people, so am after c.300ml bottles.

[tassisssss]

I think I'll try that biscotti

So far I've made 2 types of chutney and plan to make a 3rd this week. I saved some baby food jars from weaning so will make up trios of wee jars (really wish I'd save more jars...).

Also have trialled Nigella's white choc and cranberry cookies and will do some batches of these in lovely jars I've spotted in tesco for 99p

And plan to try Nigella's pistachio fudge and maybe some truffles too...wondering about doing this for teachers...

[ja9]

tassisssss,if you're giving out nigella goodies be sure not to forget his maths teacher

[cookielove]

i would suggest the truffles for the teachers, as the fudge with nuts in most teachers in theory won't be able to eat in school i would have thought any way