Hand Made Gifts

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SheepDog

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We have a tradition of giving hand made gifts for Christmas. In the past I have made a flute, a board game from 5000 year year old plans from Sumer, complete with playing instructions, a bird house for indoor decoration or outside use for real birds, a paddle - as in spanking paddle, and a knife. This year I am making my wife a window table for the library. She will cover it with potted plants so it will be low enough to be even with the window sill and five feet long with a cabinet space for her decorative cast iron pots displayed behind quartered windows in the doors. I am hoping that she will finish my bath robe but I am not holding my breath - it has been a couple of years so far.
 
My beautiful and talented wife makes 'turtles' that are the envy of many and an embarrassment to the people at Fanny May. Even though we no longer eat them (he said sadly) because of the carbs, she still make hundreds and hundreds of them each year. Before so she makes and decorates gift boxes that will hold approx. 1 dozen of the made from scratch confections. Everyone of our children's teachers, instructors, ride share Moms & Dads, playground supervisors, babysitters, coaches, etc., etc. get one. She also gives them out to our bosses, secretaries, key employees, mail delivery person, UPS & FedEx drivers, meter readers, Pastors, neighbors and more. For the next two weeks our home will feel like a small confectioners shop and all free time will be put toward this task. Fortunately nowadays she has many little apron wearing helpers so my role has been reduced. This is not an inexpensive gift, but one made by hand to express her appreciation for all these people do for us and the influence they have in our lives. She of course also makes up a final multi-dozen batch for Christmas parties and at home goody trays.
 
Anymore I just make for a few select people.
Made my daughter in law shawl similar to the one that cost $300.
My version costs $ 15 plus my time 2 weeks.
Crocheting dishcloths, hot pads,pot holders with yarn on hand.
Crocheting grand daughter fruits and vegetables to go with the kitchen Santa is delivering.
Again my time, no cost for yarn just made up with whatever I have on hand.
Making grand daughter and her big sister Pineapple quilts for Christmas.
Sizes grand daughter's bed twin, big sister full size, again made with ever I had on hand.
And my time. Keeps me busy, cleans out my sewing room and fabric, yarn stashes.
 
For Christmas we gave our Dr a half pint jar of home made grape jelly, 2 bars of home made soap, a couple of sugar cookies that the kid made and decorated for her and a small bag of home made dark chocolates. We gave them to her early hoping we don't have to go see her before Christmas.
 
DW makes fruit cake & rum balls.
I grow winter squash & flowering plants.
But of late, we give more gifts that are in kits, that we assemble.
How far do you go?
A letter box, do you buy the kit or boards, so you can make the box.
Are you hardcore & cut your tree down & cut the boards & cure them.
Then make the letter box.
 
Going to try to make divinity candy.
Been about 15 years since I made it.
Small batch of taffy,almond bark covered pretzels,popcorn balls,small fruitcakes,merguine cookies.
Hope to start on that next week.
I remember when we made divinity and taffy when I was a child. We also made peanut brittle. I have made divinity a few times but haven't made it in years.

I have been thinking about doing some baking to give to my clients and friends. I was thinking of making some loaves of banana bread, but may make some cookies or something else.
 
. I was thinking of making some loaves of banana bread, but may make some cookies or something else.

I'll be making banana fruitcake this year. Last year it was cookies and a few cheesecakes. Need to simplify this year so it will be all the same.
 
As I sit here crocheting what was supposed to be a hot pad.
But looks like old fashion Christmas orament or football shape.
Thinking it will become mug rug for secret santa gift this year.
It certainly not Christmasy colors neon green,navy blue,little bit of silver.
Will put simple star in center with the silver metallic thread,fill a yard sale teacup with several teas instant gift.
All done with things I already own. My kind of gift.
 
DW makes fruit cake & rum balls.
I grow winter squash & flowering plants.
But of late, we give more gifts that are in kits, that we assemble.
How far do you go?
A letter box, do you buy the kit or boards, so you can make the box.
Are you hardcore & cut your tree down & cut the boards & cure them.
Then make the letter box.
One year we went to friends farm so I could collect small logs.
Painstately hollowed them out, lined them with landscape fabric someone had given me.
Filled with container soil, used discarded pieces of 2x4's to make stand, one of kind planter.
The lady who received the secret santa planter to this day, has no clue who spent the time to make her this planter.
Did this 5 years ago this Christmas. I think that year, I gave cuttings from my indoor herb garden.
I like to take the plain jane everyday items and make them into different kind of gifts.
 
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Gourd birdfeeder...<3
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A couple years ago I made a few aprons for gifts. Interesting how many people do not have them. Daughter is going with b.f. before Christmas to visit his family back east. One family has 3 children and she wants me to help her create gifts for them. My suggestion: aprons. They are in a Montessori school so they will be very familiar with wearing aprons for various activities. We will do the aprons and maybe put together some science experiments or other activity. I am thinking that some cookie kits in jars, but I am concerned about the jars breaking. We could use bags.

I am thinking snowman soup for each of them and for other friends. Easy and fun, along with the cookies. Snowman soup is a package of hot cocoa mix, marshmallows, Hershey's kisses and a candy cane. They are easy to make up and to hand out to the random children you weren't prepared for who may show up during Christmas time. My students got it for Christmas along with cookies and a few other things.
 
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