What are you making for Christmas?

[Paula Pea]

I want to start my Christmas crafting now, before the holidays begin (and so I get them done!). I also could use a few new ideas...here's a few items I'm making...care to share yours?

Notecards (I know how original :rolleyes: )
Photobooks (digital scrapbooking)
Aprons
Bracelets
Calendars with b-days already in them

[LateBlossom]

For my kids' teachers and therapists (about 13 in all), I'm making wrapped nuggets, bag toppers, and coordinating cards with PTI's Holiday Treats set.

My big family/friends project is a book of funny quotations, jokes, etc. that people have submitted to me...a collaborative miscellany. (Last year's theme was inspirational.) I'll end up making about 45 of them with my BIA. My mom does a painting for the cover, which I scan and print off on specialty cs so it looks like a watercolor painting. Very cool, and everyone loves reading the nice things I write about them in the About the Contributors section. It's a lot of work but well worth it!

[stampinem]

Cards for sure
I have a few ideas... I am thinking painted boxes of baked goods this year.
and who knows what else.
I wish I was that organized.
Can't wait to get good ideas from this thread.

[inkyimages]

I'm going to make several recipe albums to give as gifts. And to make it easy I'll have a dessert recipe swap for my customers to particiape in (as will I) so it will be so easy to make the 6 x 6 albums without having to do all the work! And my customers will also have a dessert album to either keep or give away!

[willaj]

I am scrapbooking a family recipe album. I am using an 8 1/2 X 11 album so I can take it to the print shop, and have it copied. My daughter will get the original and the "cousins" will get copies. I did a similar project for my In-Laws' Fiftieth Anniversary and had it copied for the family.

This sounds "cheap," but the one I have done is very cute. I bought some large red plastic mixing bowls at Wal-Mart. They were a dollar. I found some "apple" dishtowels there, too...in a package of 5. I plan to put a couple of the towels in the bowl with red and green apples, a bottle of Apple Pie Spice, and some 3 x 3 cards and envelopes made with the set from SU's last Mini Catalog. I'm going to use the clear gift bags from Dollar Tree to wrap them. The whole project will be about six dollars.

I found a poem called "Happy Birthday, Jesus," on the Internet. In the meantime, my computer "blew" and I have to find it, again....BUT you take one of the little "Jiffy" cake mixes, wrap the box and make a "belly band" for decoration and attach the poem. It is a "Family Project" for children to make a Birthday Cake for Baby Jesus.

I ordered some stationary boxes with clear lids, and I am making boxes of six assorted cards and envelopes. My Mom is 91. For her friends, I am adding a pen and some stamps.

My husband is a Choral Music Director. For his fellow directors, I found black notebooks at Wal-Mart with the word "Notes" written on the side. I embossed big Trefle Clefs and layered a piece for the front. I'm making little notebooks for his church choir.

That is as far as I've gotten so far!

Good Luck,
Jane

[serialpurrs]

I know I will make some sets of 3x3 note cards in a box. Other than that I haven't really thought about it yet.

[smriti]

Subbing...I could use these ideas for gifts for my family

[shadowkat1283]

Wow, I wish that I was as organized as some of you! I'll be lucky to get my Christmas cards stamped and also to stamp some tile coasters for gifts!

Kathy

[pixley]

I'm planning on making a family recipe album for my dad and siblings. I'm a little nervous because I've never made one before so I'll be searching for ideas. My mom passed away last fall and I thought it would be nice to make an album using all of her favorite recipes that bring back memories for all of us.

[ch]

Great ideas! Keep them coming. I'm too busy with life to think about Christmas yet. My daughter is moving across the country today, my 19 year old son leaves on a 2 year mission for our church next week--so we are having a luncheon for about 75 on Sunday and my basement flooded shortly before my company came last night! Sooooo, I'll think about Christmas next week! But keep the ideas coming! Love the creativity here!

[cardsbyjo]

I am making 6 x 6 calanders that have a different has a floral stamp and a different scripture for each month, the calander will sit on a iron rod easel. These will be for a couple of my friends and a group of people at church.

I have also done some 12 x 12 tiles with Vinyl sayings on it for my sisters, (I completed them early because I will be going to visit them at the end of the month and I would rather take them with me now, then mail later.)

I am also making a Black/Red quilt for my 17year old and another quilt for my Mom. DH is the problem, I never know what to get him because he always buys everthing he wants.

[cardsbyjo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by willaj

This sounds "cheap," but the one I have done is very cute. I bought some large red plastic mixing bowls at Wal-Mart. They were a dollar. I found some "apple" dishtowels there, too...in a package of 5. I plan to put a couple of the towels in the bowl with red and green apples, a bottle of Apple Pie Spice, and some 3 x 3 cards and envelopes made with the set from SU's last Mini Catalog. I'm going to use the clear gift bags from Dollar Tree to wrap them. The whole project will be about six dollars.

Great idea for neighbor gifts, Thanks! I also like your Happy Birthday Jesus idea.

Jody

[cardsbyjo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by LateBlossom

My big family/friends project is a book of funny quotations, jokes, etc. that people have submitted to me...a collaborative miscellany. (Last year's theme was inspirational.) I'll end up making about 45 of them with my BIA. My mom does a painting for the cover, which I scan and print off on specialty cs so it looks like a watercolor painting. Very cool, and everyone loves reading the nice things I write about them in the About the Contributors section. It's a lot of work but well worth it!

I bet everyone is going to love these! I can only imagine all the work.

[ilinacrouse]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paula Pea

I want to start my Christmas crafting now, before the holidays begin (and so I get them done!). I also could use a few new ideas...here's a few items I'm making...care to share yours?

Notecards (I know how original :rolleyes: )
Photobooks (digital scrapbooking)
Aprons
Bracelets
Calendars with b-days already in them

Oh my gosh, I haven't even thought about Xmas,
I will probably make some marble tiles and an album in a tin for my in-laws,

but I am leaving the country on August 27th, to visit my family in Europe, and I still need to start working on those gifts!!! I have 19 days left.

[sweetideas]

Quote:

Originally Posted by willaj

I ordered some stationary boxes with clear lids, and I am making boxes of six assorted cards and envelopes. My Mom is 91. For her friends, I am adding a pen and some stamps.

Can I ask you where you bought the boxes? I was just wondering where I could but some.
TIA

[kiddielitter]

I'm making reading journals, bookmarks, and bookplates with the Booklovers set from Crafty Secrets for my brother and sil, and I'm making a "Sunday Lunch at Grandma's" scrapbook for my MIL. We have lots of big family Sunday lunches at her house. I'm going to include photos and spaces for her to include recipes. That's all that I've stormed up so far.

[twinwillowsfarm]

I usually make a leg of lamb, a side of dressing, some squash and a pumpkin pie.

Oh! You mean for gifts?!? No idea at all Revco on Christmas Eve maybe.... Chia Pet! HA!

[cardsbyjo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by twinwillowsfarm

I usually make a leg of lamb, a side of dressing, some squash and a pumpkin pie.

Oh! You mean for gifts?!? No idea at all Revco on Christmas Eve maybe.... Chia Pet! HA!

Too funny! :mrgreen:

[SophieLaFontaine]

Cookies and brownies!!! My family doesn't exchange gifts, so this would qualify as a "non-gift". $1 for a box of brownie mix that would yield many brownies, and cookie dough is the only thing I know how to make that does not involve boiling water.

[qoedvc98]

great ideas - I'll have to check this thread for ideas. I made the treat boxes from Beate's tutorial last Christmas. I filled them up with baggies of homemade cookies, candies, etc. Family loved them and actually kept the treat boxes after Christmas for display and plan to use them again for decoration.

[Brianya]

I am planning to do two 12x12 calendars for my mom and MIL. I think I may use some of my recipe swaps as well.
I was thinking of getting the pet rescue stamps from Purrs & Pants and making the cards, selling them and donating the money. I was planning to do that around Christmas as I was also planning to sell tickets on live lobster and donating the money at Relay for Life.

[dmaggt]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pixley

I'm planning on making a family recipe album for my dad and siblings. I'm a little nervous because I've never made one before so I'll be searching for ideas. My mom passed away last fall and I thought it would be nice to make an album using all of her favorite recipes that bring back memories for all of us.

We did this the year my Mother died and the family loved it. My other two sisters and I also threw in some of the ones we like a lot. I hope to update it some day as my sister put one recipe on one page. Made too big of book, but I still pull it out all of the time.

[cjmakwu]

I got a bunch of board books as a gift...I altered them and on each page, put various titles (Family Memories from the year, Special Holiday Events, Special Gifts Received or Given, Family Pictures from 200. I'll also include a pen for them to use to fill out the pages.

[PMR]

I hope to make some monogrammed note cards with my justrite stamper. Last year I made calendars for my mother and mother in law. I usually make a little treat for my coworkers. I am in a few swaps and will give my youngest son and niece a 6x6 alphabet book.

[tepalf]

I did this last year, but it's my favorite gift I ever gave. I asked my grandparents questions about their past (where they grew up, favorite childhood memory, first date etc) and then their favorite story (from each parent) about each of their children (they have 8 kids) and made a scrapbook (6x6) with pictures relating to the time of each story, if possible. They loved it (I didn't tell them what they were answering the questions for) and it made lots of family laugh, and some tears too! It is by far my favorite!

[sassybee]

Quote:

Originally Posted by PMR

I hope to make some monogrammed note cards with my justrite stamper. Last year I made calendars for my mother and mother in law. I usually make a little treat for my coworkers. I am in a few swaps and will give my youngest son and niece a 6x6 alphabet book.

I am also making monogrammed note cards!

[Mom-of-one]

subscribing

[LateBlossom]

Quote:

Originally Posted by cardsbyjo

I bet everyone is going to love these! I can only imagine all the work.

Once the book is formatted in Word (which does take a while), it's mainly a matter of baby-sitting the printer. It's way cheaper to print it myself than at Kinko's, but man, it's time consuming! The binding is super easy with the BIA. I hand-sewed them the first year I, and that was a lot of work.

[MiamiKel4]

I love these ideas - please keep them coming, I'm reading eagerly! I have 3 of my children with birthday right AT CHRISTMAS so I *have* to be done with all crafting early! The only thing other than cards is I plan to make some covered tins (lunchbox style) with matching cards & matching coupon clipboards. Other than that, not a clue!

[misha]

I have already made a number of these coaster sets for small Christmas presents. I started early I can not stand the panic at the end of the year.
Now I can have more time for the baked presents at Christmas.



Details are in my gallery.

[momtored]

Misha,
Your coasters are beautiful. You mention a 2 step medium to make them heat resistant. Would you be willing to share this medium recipe? I would love to make some of these for ds to take to college in a couple of weeks and for Christmas presents also.

Thanks,
Rachael

[Maxell]

Love your coasters, as will your family and friends. I especially like the nature theme. Very nicely done.

[brightrachel1008]

i'm also going to do some just-rite monnogrammed notecards... not sure what else, there's a great cookie pan calendar i found in the SU! convention forum that I'm thinking about case-ing. also, i'm in a swap right now for snowman soup, poop, reindeer food, and some other stuff. if you'd like to join you're more than welcome! (very, very easy stuff to make) pm me for the link if you are interested, or you can simply find it in the 3d items section of the swap forums.

[scraptigerlily]

I try to come up with different packaging for the goodies I make and give away. I am thinking about pillow boxes for caramels. I'll make tall boxes for cookies (they go in a cellophane sleeve first). The five in one template box for my homemade marshmallows. I have been working on gathering family recipes, something I started last year, but didn't get many, so I am trying again. Haven't decided whether they are going in a book or cards in a decorated lunchtin.
That's a lot more than I will probably get done. But I can hope, can't I?

Lisa aka scraptigerlily

[wendalyn]

Last year I made monogram notecards for my sons teachers 10 sets all together. My sister likes Cherished Teddies so I bought a bunch of stamps and made her a dozen cards. This year I bought some flour towels and some inkjet transfers I am going to stamp on and then make a wrapper for with papertrey stamps. I might make some kleenex box covers too. I seen some great examples last year.

[mom_of_3_blessings]

I'll give card sets to my sisters and mother-in-law; I'm planning a simple patchwork quilt for my dad. I'm also thinking of doing simple altered notebooks for the female relatives, too.

I will be watching this thread for more ideas!

[Momofoneson]

These are great ideas. I think I am going to do coasters this year also. I would love to know how to make them heat resistant.

[jgrabe]

I have five other sisters and i have a snapshot of us together, so i am going to stamp a picture frame. I did one six years ago and everyone loved it. I am also going to make treat containers out of my dogs plastic treat containers. I will just stamp a sleeve around it and stamp a top. I will also stamp a box for cookies my mother used to make.

[SassiAngel]

subbing

[Capri's Mom]

I havent started anything yet, but I am thinking of stamped candles or stationary sets. or both depending on generous I am feeling.