May I ask what all you crafty people are thinking about making for gifts come christmas,I know its kind of early to be thinking of christmas but I for one need some new ideas.I have a long list of friends to send gifts to,and I feel its so much nicer to receive some thing hand made,in put would be wonderful,thanks .cw
This yrs Jul presents took some thinking on. I started last yr, for this yr. Each member of the family will get the same thing. 3 bottles of wine, jar of bread mix, just add water, and 2 rounds of cheese. The wines i have all made last yr. Dandelion, Current and Mjød or Sweet Meadow wine. The bread is no problem, that will be mixed up at the last minute and put into jars. The cheese i made this yr, but during our winter months, so they could age at least 9 months. They will get, caraway cheese and fennel cheese. All put into a basket with a nice big bow! My daughter in America will get a gift card because of customs laws, and my son in Iraq will get the cheese but with crackers or what we eat here is hard bread or thin bread, and a bunch of Norwegian goodies.
Wow, I want to be a member of your family Biita :-D That sounds like a wonderful gift basket. I am knitting Lisa an Einstein coat, just have the sleeves to go. Einstein coat I have some purple cotton/linen yarn on order to knit Mom a stole to throw over her shoulders when she goes to the dining room or chapel at the retirement inn. I always make her and Lisa a good sized batch of a variety of votive candles and soaps. I have made some stitch markers for Randy's Mom who crochets and will make her a stole too. Soaps and candles for my sister-in-law and niece. The guys are a problem when it comes to handmade, so is my youngest daughter so we buy theirs.
Thank you Biita and Toni,those are good ideas,Biita,I started some cucumber wine this year,but it wont be drinkable for at least 2yrs,the last batch I made was pear,but I think I only have one bottle left,I need to plan ahead.Toni,love that coat,have you tried the "healing hands cream",on the site,that seems an interesting product,and a good gift for knitters,yes my problem is also the men folk,maybe some one will come up with an idea.cw
OMG! I want an Einstein Coat too! That is so nice looking. Altho it would be a sweater for me, and i would have to put a coat over top of it,,,lol. But that would work! Thats why i make Mjød. Mainly for the men. They see the word Mjød and they start beating their chests, thinking, yeah i'm a viking now. (think of Tim Allen from tool time and his man growl) Works everytime.
I've been busy lately making all my own Christmas cards to send out. I'm also making calendars and exploding boxes with little gifts inside (bracelets, earing, cufflinks etc that I make too.) I've also decided to make up stationery sets for people - notepaper, envelopes, notelets, gift tags and so on. I think handmade gifts are always something that are appreciated by all ages. Lastly I too make up food baskets and include a box of home made sweets/chocolates in each one.
WOW, such great ideas! I thought I was crafty, but the things I make wouldn't work for Christmas gifts. At least the few people I give to wouldn't care about the things I make. I lost my best friend Dec. 2005. She has four daughters (the oldest is married to my son). Anyway, I don't normally give all the girls gifts. But that year my heart was so full of grief, that I felt I needed to do something. I bought 5 x 7 frames that stand up and oval mats to fit. I had parchment paper (not the cooking kind) and in calligraphy wrote the following poem. "I love you all dearly, now don't shed a tear, I'm spending my Christmas With Jesus this year" Needless to say when they opened their gifts, there wasn't a dry eye in the house. That was, to me, the best gift I have ever made.
Well I am not terribly crafty, time I'm afraid, although I always make calendars for Marks mum and nan using pictures of all the grand children. I have however just spent ages looking thought that website www.organisechristmas.com thanks Wrennie and now have alsorts of ideas. I love the bathsalts and am thinking of a jar for the ladies of the family. Also, the cookies or cakes in a jar for the older kids. Eileen, tell me more about exploding boxes?