A Holiday Challenge

Hi newtndak

I always like my kids to gifts to their teachers for Christmas but can't always go to the expense of buying boxes of chocolates and so on. What we always do is make pomanders. I don't want to under-estimate your intelligence but if you want me to be more discriptive then please let me know. It may be an Enlish thing Pomanders, but then I have met English people that don't have a clue what one is!!

All the best

We did a Christmas like this a few years back. My dad made everyone a jar of jam from the raspberries he grew in his garden; my mum made lavendar bags (from home-grown lavender) and knitted hats and scarves; one of my sons made computer games/puzzles and the other made an assortment of presents including a 'Beanie Babies' picnic scene with a little table for me to display my beanies; my husband made various wooden items including a candle holder and chess board. I wasn't working at the time so went a bit overboard and made a board game for each of my sons, calendars, cross-stitch coasters, painted glasses, printed writing paper sets, pen holders (from Steradent tubes and free internet cds), plaster of paris fridge magnets, fabric painted on plain white hankies....
We all enjoyed making the things and all received individual gifts.

I'm not the greatest to spend time in the kitchen to do any jelly making or anything like that. Homemade jams, jellies, and syrups sound really yummy, though.

I do have a kit from Tandy Leather that I bought a few years ago at a great sale price. The kit has pieces from which I can make key fobs and other small items. I just need to get it out and get busy on them. I could use those as gifts for my grandkids. I'm sure they would all like something from Grandma that she made.

I would love to learn to knit socks so that I can knit a pair for everyone in my family. They would have to be nice and thick and soft and comfy enough for the cold winter nights that occur here in the midwest.

I'm really sorry Doll but I'm having all I can do to get through each day

without jumping ahead. I doublt if I'll even want to think of Christmas at

Christmas time... Sorry..not a very good day!

xooxxoxoxoxoxo

Its summer time, so what I am into these days is, funky beads jewellery and Summer Note Cards

For winters, it will be Paper or aluminium foil lanterns, Cards, Gift basket and candle holders.

Whats better then gifting something to make someones home look beautiful

I've tried to do a completely homemade Christmas before, but there are members of my family who don't appreciate it, so I just make some things. Since I knit, I'm always thinking of things to knit. This year I'm making my daughter a throw, but don't know what else. I made family calendars with everyone's birthdays and special days on them a couple of years ago and that went over well.

Find villageanne on here. She has gifts in a jar ideas, and master mixes, etc. I used her recipe for holiday muffin mix as part of last year's gifts. I will need to post pictures later. I painted various cans dark blue, added snowmen scenes and snow flakes. I made curly wire handles out of wires saved from old notebooks. Little tomato sauce cans held cinnamon votive candles. Another size got muffin mix. Yet another size had homemade cappuccino mix. I was making myself a set for the kitchen to hold random utensils, but I did not finish them, LOL.

I am already starting to make some Christmas gifts to cut back on my Christmas shopping this year.I am making purses for the little girls in my family or friends kids.I am making character banks for the little boys that are on my list.These things are being made from plastic canvas and look really cute.I make them to sell for a few extra dollars so I know that kids like them.

I usually get my daughter to make something for people on occasions. For mothers day I took her to the Dollar store and had her make a flower pot for my mother. We bought a plain pot, some ceramic paints, a bag of little flowers and some other things she wanted to put on it. The total cost $5.00. We spent an afternoon painting and glueing. Not only does making things give more time with the kids, it also shows you were really thinking about what that person likes and customizing something for them. Sure I could have gone out and bought a flower pot for the same price that was already decorated but that wouldn't have been as fun or caring.

I also like doing shadow boxes for engagements (again, everything bought at the dollar store). Take their wedding invite and some white lace, flowers, things that look like rings and create a "picture" of invite. It always turns out beautiful and it cost me pennies!

I am not one for being prepared when it comes to holidays. I usually let my wife do the shopping and these days, money is scarce and we can hardly buy gifts in advance. Good luck on your creativity and preparedness.