Homemade gifts?

[Cass2sons]

What are some homemade gifts you make for family and friends, like bath salts, other things for bath, jams, etc.? Do you have recipes for them? Thanks for sharing.

[STAMPINGODDESS]

Here are several ideas I've done in the past....

stamped tubled tile coasters

set of cards and birthday calendar or calendar/portfolio to hold the cards- big hit!

layered jars- where you layer the dry ingredients for a brownie or cookie, and then add a hand stamped recipe card

[lynnewithane]

I just did one of the sugar scrubs that are on the Domino Sugar website. Some of the ingredients are hard to find. I didn't know where to find essential oils. (Is the oil used in the Glade or Airwick scented oils an acceptable substitute?) I used the recipe that called for almond oil, which I found in the baking area, but that was quite expensive.
Anyway, I put it in baby food jars. Now I just need to decorate the jars and add a tag. My daughter is going to give them to her friends in the dorm.
They smell really good!

http://www.dominosugar.com/content/2...gar_scrub.aspx

[momis mama]

this is one i did last year... girlfriend gift

[The MFT Lady]

I'm making homemade bath salts, lip balm, tea lights and body butter. It's so stinkin' easy!

[MariLynn]

I make pins using the porcelain paper technique.

Porcelain paper butterflies

Procelain paper leaf

I have a tutorial on my blog.

I have music on my blog.(Just a heads up so you aren't surprized.)

[MSBetsyZ]

Essential oils are not the same as those found in baking or air fresheners, no. If you have a natural foods store or section in your grocery store, that's where you'd find them.

Calendars have always been a favorite gift, particularly if all the family occasions (birthdays, etc.) are filled in.

Decorated coasters

Ornaments are great when you have 127 nieces and nephews and want to remember them without breaking the bank...

Smelly stuff...bath salt, soaps, etc. One of the easiest bath salts is epsom salts (found in the grocery store) mixed with an essential oil. Or craft stores have those kits to make them. What's nice is that they often have the refill bottles of scents, so I get those and use my own Epsom salts...way cheaper.

Desk sets...post it note holders, notepad covers (like the jr. sized legal pads), stamped memo cube are great for guys you just don't know what to get.

[kinglake]

Originally Posted by The MFT Lady

I'm making homemade bath salts, lip balm, tea lights and body butter. It's so stinkin' easy!

Attachment 169788

please can you give us the recipe for the lip balm and body butter thanx xx jo xx

[MadameCraftyPants]

Originally Posted by lynnewithane

Some of the ingredients are hard to find. I didn't know where to find essential oils. (Is the oil used in the Glade or Airwick scented oils an acceptable substitute?)

No no no no no. Those oils are not meant to be put on the skin. Essential oils are generally safe for cosmetic/bath use (read the labels first!). I've found them in limited scents and supply at local natural foods stores and Whole Foods.

[The MFT Lady]

Originally Posted by kinglake

please can you give us the recipe for the lip balm and body butter thanx xx jo xx

There is tons of info on this blog post, and the kits also come with a downloadable pdf recipe sheet.

Hope that helps!

[mjfc]

I am actually going to make salt & sugar scrubs tomorrow with my daughter's girl scout troop. I had picked up a Klutz book called the Natural Beauty Book that is filled with all natural spa recipes. She has had the best time with it. It is a great gift for a young teen or pre-teen.

I find all the supplies at a natural/organic supermarket. I bought little jelly (4 oz. and 8 oz.) mason/canning jars to put the scrubs in. They can then stamp some diecut card stock circles using these logo stamps. I figure they can keep the scrubs for themeselves, give them as gifts and even make more to give as presents.

[Cass2sons]

You can find the essential oils at the health food store.

Originally Posted by lynnewithane

I just did one of the sugar scrubs that are on the Domino Sugar website. Some of the ingredients are hard to find. I didn't know where to find essential oils. (Is the oil used in the Glade or Airwick scented oils an acceptable substitute?) I used the recipe that called for almond oil, which I found in the baking area, but that was quite expensive.
Anyway, I put it in baby food jars. Now I just need to decorate the jars and add a tag. My daughter is going to give them to her friends in the dorm.
They smell really good!

http://www.dominosugar.com/content/2...gar_scrub.aspx

[Cass2sons]

How do you make the body butter? Thanks!

Originally Posted by The MFT Lady

I'm making homemade bath salts, lip balm, tea lights and body butter. It's so stinkin' easy!

Attachment 169788

[TheAfricanQueen]

Here's something I just put together the other day for one of my husband's subordinates. Him and his wife own a pug that they got as a puppy. He is just the cutest! The cookies come from a recipe called Trick & Treat that is in the Doggy Bone Cookbook:

[CAmomof2]

Originally Posted by momis mama

this is one i did last year... girlfriend gift

So cute!

[TheAfricanQueen]

Attachment 169807Some other things I've made are raspberry freezer jam (very simple and I use cornstarch instead of the expensive pectin). I just made another batch because my husband's boss ran out from the previous one. Basically, the recipe is this:

Raspberry Freezer Jam

4 cups raspberries
3 cups sugar
1 Tbsp cornstarch mixed with 1/4 cup of water

Put the berries in a large kettle. Cover with sugar and let set for 5 to 10 minutes. Crush sugared berries with a potato masher. Turn on heat to medium. Bring to a boil. Boil for 10 minutes. Turn off heat. Add cornstarch mixture and stir until dissolved. Pour into prepared Ball containers. Let cool slightly, then cover and freeze.

Here are the containers that I use (my mom told me about these and they are just terrific!)Attachment 169806

Another thing that I've given as a gift are Bon Bons in a recovered small Quaker Oat oatmeal container. The Bonbon cookies are lots of fun to make, very colorful and allow another avenue for creativity. A few notes:

1) For saving time, I put my dry ingredients in a separate bowl and use a wire whisk to beat air back in to the flour mixture.
2) All vanilla extracts are not created equal. I buy mine from Trader Joe's which doesn't have a Bourbon Vanilla and alcohol, no water or any additives.
3) Americolor Soft Gel Paste Food Color can be purchased in a variety of colors, but one only needs the primaries to make the secondary colors.
4) My flour is not enriched.
5) When I made the icing, I divide one batch into two and then add the food gel coloring so that I don't end up with too much left over icing.
6) To make chocolate Bonbons, blend in one square of melted unsweetened chocolate into the mixture.
7) Baking sheets don't warp in the oven like cookie sheets do as baking sheets have an elevated edge around them and can be used for jelly rolls, bar cookies, etc.

Finally, here is the recipe (from the Betty Crocker Cookie Book which is still available):

Best Cooky
of
1955 - 1960
Bonbon Cookies

1/2 c butter
3/4 powdered sugar
1 tbsp vanilla (3 tsp)
food coloring, optional
1 1/2 c flour
1 to 2 tbsp cream

fillings: candied or maraschino cherries, pitted dates, nuts or chocolate pieces

Bonbon icing (at the end of the cookie recipe)
toppings: chopped nuts, coconut, colored sugar

Mix butter, sugar, vanilla and food coloring of choice. In another bowl, whisk dry ingredients. Blend together flour and butter mixtures. If the dough is dry, mix in 1 to 2 tbsp cream.

Heat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit. For each cooky, wrap 1 level tablespoon of dough around one of the fillings of choice. Bake 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet 12 to 15 minutes or until set but not brown. Cool. Dip tops of cookies in Icing. Decorate each cooky with one of the topping of choice.

Icing:
1 c powdered sugar
2 1/2 tbsp cream
1 tsp vanilla
food coloring

Blend together powdered sugar, cream, vanilla and a food coloring of choice.

Chocolate Bonbon Icing:
Make Icing above except add 1 square melted unsweetened chocolate and 3 Tbsp cream.

Happy making and baking!

[lynnewithane]

Thank you to everyone who told me where to buy essential oils. I'll have to go look for them for the next batch. Meanwhile, I loved the recipe that called for almond oil!

[munchkin25]

i have done calendars, an assortment of yr round cards, and this year we did glass ornaments with alcohol inks. .. i have done alot of homemade items with these.. vases, candle holders, and revamped picture frames as well. you can find them at ur craft store usually. hope u have fun when u make ur gifts.

[biblesistersmom]

you all are soooooooooooo clever!

[Cass2sons]

Thank you so much ladies for sharing, I am loving reading what you all make for your family and friends!

[jackie1]

Subbing for later.

[wahinelei]

This year I made button trees for my girlfriends - easy to do just time consuming. You can see them here.

For the ladies at the office I made notepads. You can see them here.

Im hoping to make husband survival kits for my girlfriend's hubbies. I got the idea here from SCS. I think it's cute and I love that my girlfriends will be the one's on the receiving end. I think of it as a double gift.

I want to make homemade gifts for everyone on my list this year. The only problem Im having is thinking of gift ideas for the 3-5 year olds on my list. I don't sew and I don't want to give them anything paper related as their not old enough to appreciate them yet. I guess I'll have to do some shopping for them.

[mrussom]

Originally Posted by wahinelei

This year I made button trees for my girlfriends - easy to do just time consuming. You can see them here.

For the ladies at the office I made notepads. You can see them here.

Im hoping to make husband survival kits for my girlfriend's hubbies. I got the idea here from SCS. I think it's cute and I love that my girlfriends will be the one's on the receiving end. I think of it as a double gift.

I want to make homemade gifts for everyone on my list this year. The only problem Im having is thinking of gift ideas for the 3-5 year olds on my list. I don't sew and I don't want to give them anything paper related as their not old enough to appreciate them yet. I guess I'll have to do some shopping for them.

Your button tree is very cute. And I love those notebooks - I really do need to order that set and those notepads!

I made a matching game for little kids one year - I don't have pictures but I took little stamp images (or stickers would work too) and stamped and punched out with a circle punch and then layered that on a color cardstock (obviously using the same color for all the pieces. I had a few layers of the colored cardstock to make it not so flimsy (I suppose you could use circle chipboard too for this but I didn't have any). It was pretty easy to do and the kids loved it. One on set I used clear contact paper and punched out a circle and put it on the back to help keep it from tearing but I didn't do that for all of the ones I did.

[graciez]

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_4_...sprefix=almond

for almond oil and other natural oils

[lynnewithane]

Originally Posted by graciez

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_4_...sprefix=almond

for almond oil and other natural oils

Wow, thank you. It never even occured to me to check Amazon for something like this.

[sacstamper]

I find essential oils in teh candle making crafts area of Michaels, JoAnns. etc.

[chaun]

Do not use the oils that come in air fresheners. They are not mean for use on human skin. You can get essential oils at health food stores, such as Whole Foods. You can find clove oil at the grocery store and oil or wintergreen at drug stores. I'm sure there are others that can be found in the grocery store or drug store, but right now I can't think of any. They have all kinds at health foods stores: orange, lemon, lime, geranium, rosemary, the list goes on and on. I make handmade soaps, and use essential oils. They can also be ordered online. Some are expensive, and some not so much.

[sunfaerie]

Originally Posted by wahinelei

This year I made button trees for my girlfriends - easy to do just time consuming. You can see them here.

For the ladies at the office I made notepads. You can see them here.

Im hoping to make husband survival kits for my girlfriend's hubbies. I got the idea here from SCS. I think it's cute and I love that my girlfriends will be the one's on the receiving end. I think of it as a double gift.

I want to make homemade gifts for everyone on my list this year. The only problem Im having is thinking of gift ideas for the 3-5 year olds on my list. I don't sew and I don't want to give them anything paper related as their not old enough to appreciate them yet. I guess I'll have to do some shopping for them.

My daughter and many of her friends are in the 3-5yr old age group and for birthdays we've been doing craft boxes. Inexpensive plain cardboard box from M's they can decorate themselves under $2 then I fill them with Stamped images that they can colour and use for making their own cards. You can also include bits of ribbon, buttons and scraps of paper. These have been a HUGE hit! It can be time consuming to stamp a bunch of images but I do an entire sheet of paper of one image then cut it up and put a couple of each image in a box- assembly line style Also, you don't have to use your cardstock for the images, they are kids and I feel that regular white paper is totally acceptable. It can be a great gift and inexpensive.

[yungs]

A really nice and easy gift is to get a towel or some fabric and sew up a bag that you fill with deer corn. You microwave the bags for about three minutes and you can use it to warm your feet when you go to bed at night or to lay on your neck, shoulders, or anyplace that needs warmth. They smell good too! My husband loves using his so much that I have to make him a new one every year!

[kinglake]

Originally Posted by MariLynn

I make pins using the porcelain paper technique.

Porcelain paper butterflies

Procelain paper leaf

I have a tutorial on my blog.

I have music on my blog.(Just a heads up so you aren't surprized.)

oh my goodness i have just been on your blog,you have made some lovely stuff but these porcelain pins are gorgeous! xx jo xx

[mirami]

Originally Posted by kinglake

please can you give us the recipe for the lip balm and body butter thanx xx jo xx

i have very good recipes for these! i will get down to my scraproom and post them this weekend! you will need beeswax pearls(i use natural unbleached). pm me to find out where i bought them in case it's not ok to mention in this post.
abrazos, mirabella

[kinglake]

Originally Posted by mirami

i have very good recipes for these! i will get down to my scraproom and post them this weekend! you will need beeswax pearls(i use natural unbleached). pm me to find out where i bought them in case it's not ok to mention in this post.
abrazos, mirabella

thank you xx jo xx

[sempermom]

i made bath salts:
2 pound box of epsom salt (dollar tree)
2 teaspoons Glycerin or baby oil
a few drops of your fav essential oil ( i did peppermint)
few drops food color if desired.

pour all ingredients into a lrage ziplock bag, squeeze out all the air and zip tight then massage all together til well mixed. pour into cute glass jars

[sempermom]

i also made covered legal pads and large binder clips

i sewed kitchen towels

i sanitized and decorated baby food jars and filled with wrapped candies

decorated the candles in a tin

[Judyw]

It isn't paper related but I googled something like "recycled wool mittens" and found a pattern and video clip from Channel 5 in Utah. I have been buying wool sweaters and Goodwill and washing them in hot water so the fibers felt together. Then you cut them up and make mittens. I thought I would never go through all the sweaters so I started making stockings, too.

[snap_scrap_stamp]

Originally Posted by momis mama

this is one i did last year... girlfriend gift

VERY cute!! I give away sets of cards...imagine that! lol!

And sometimes those layered cookie mixes in a jar, or fugde, oh, and cookies for those that don't like to bake.

[HollyWatts]

subbing!

[Allistamps123]

Originally Posted by lynnewithane

I just did one of the sugar scrubs that are on the Domino Sugar website. Some of the ingredients are hard to find. I didn't know where to find essential oils. (Is the oil used in the Glade or Airwick scented oils an acceptable substitute?) I used the recipe that called for almond oil, which I found in the baking area, but that was quite expensive.
Anyway, I put it in baby food jars. Now I just need to decorate the jars and add a tag. My daughter is going to give them to her friends in the dorm.
They smell really good!

http://www.dominosugar.com/content/2...gar_scrub.aspx

Bath and Body used to carry essential oil. Please do not use anything like Glade scented oils. I'm almost sure they can't be used on your skin!!!! I think the packaging would probably state what it can be used for. You can also get essentail oils online. Hobby Lobby has also carried them in their soap making area. Some essential oils are affordable and some are quite expensive.

[stamper1996]

I made salsa using tomatoes, onions, and green pappers, jalapenos from my garden. Throughout the year, I saved jars from dressing, pickles, etc. I made a label in Word.
I used this recipe from allrecipes.com:

Ninety Nine Salsa

Ingredients

24 pounds tomatoes
1 (12 ounce) can tomato paste
1/2 bunch cilantro
16 jalapeno chile peppers
2 medium heads garlic
6 large green bell peppers, chopped
6 large onions, chopped
9 tablespoons salt
1 cup distilled white vinegar
1/2 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup water
Directions

Core and peel the tomatoes. Remove the tomato seeds and pulp. Put seeds and pulp through a food mill. Chop the outsides of the tomatoes
In a large pot over low heat, boil the milled liquid and tomato paste for 1 hour, or until the liquid is reduced by 1/3.
In a blender or food processor, puree cilantro, jalapeno, garlic and 1/2 cup of the tomato liquid from the large pot. Slowly stir this mixture into the pot.
Bring the contents of the pot to a boil while mixing in the green peppers, onions, chopped tomatoes, salt, vinegar and brown sugar. In a small bowl, dissolve the cornstarch in water. Add the cornstarch mixture to the pot. Stirring continually, boil the mixture until all the vegetable are soft -- about 30 minutes. Allow the mixture to cool, and place it in sterile containers.

[hdp]

Originally Posted by Judyw

It isn't paper related but I googled something like "recycled wool mittens" and found a pattern and video clip from Channel 5 in Utah. I have been buying wool sweaters and Goodwill and washing them in hot water so the fibers felt together. Then you cut them up and make mittens. I thought I would never go through all the sweaters so I started making stockings, too.

Thanks for the video clip and pattern. I purchased a pair of these mittens at a craft sale and they are the warmest mittens I have ever owned. Your fingers don't even get cold when the wind chill is below zero.

I will be making these for family and friends this winter.