Hand made Christmas gifts

[MaggieTheCat]

So this year, I am doing 100% handmade gifts for everyone I'm giving stuff to (okay, except my niece, who I already promised Kirby's Epic Yarn to.) I've already got a bunch of cinnamon scented Christmas cookie ornaments made that everyone will get (assuming they survive shipping...I already sent one to a friend of mine and she said it broke along the way.) I'm also going to do a bunch of cookies and candy, including pretzel turtles, caramel corn, molasses spice cookies, and peanut button blossoms (and probably more than that, too.) I also just found a "recipe" for a cinnamon scented sugar body scrub that looks fabulous! It's super easy to make and I bet all the ladies I know will love it.

So, does anyone else have any good hand made crafty things they like to make for Christmas (or any other kind of) gifts?

[ArcticChicken]

I'm making hand lotion this year, and a scarf for my niece.

I was considering making sugar scrub as well, but I wasn't thinking about that when I ordered the bottles, and I can't afford to pay shipping again.

Speaking of sugar scrub, can I get a link to the cinnamon one you mentioned?

ETA: Still haven't figured out what to make my dad. I'm giving my one male cousin a coupon for a Key Lime pie, his favorite, and for my BF I'm making a map of the world he wrote up for my favorite D&D campaign. Somehow I don't think my dad would appreciate hand lotion.

[HorrorFrogPrincess]

I'm hand-drawing Christmas cards for my family. Everyone gets a small piece of original marker art (Christmas flavored).

I just know I'm going to get grief for this, but I can't afford $200 in gift cards this year.

[Ellain]

I've done jewelry, Christmas ornaments, and heating packs in past years. People seemed to really like the heating packs...

[BarbieGirl]

I'm trying to get into making a lot of gifts too. Going to make some hats and scarves on my looms so it'll only take2-3 hours of dedicated 'knitting' to get each item done. I've made a hobo bag for my niece. I'm starting my stock pile of fabric flowers for pins or hair clips, head bands etc. I've also got a bunch of skirts and bow ties that I want to get done.
I'm also going to be doing a bunch of baking to give away. not sure what yet though.


And a second request for the sugar scrub link

[MaggieTheCat]

Sugar Scrubs:
http://www.ourbestbites.com/2009/05/...ar-scrubs.html
The recipe is for a cinnamon brown sugar scrub, but they also tell you how to make other flavors using different oils and herbs.

I've been looking around for cellophane bags (or "cello bags") that I can use to wrap up my candies and cookies. Have you ever gotten candied roasted pecans in a cone shaped clear plastic bag? That's the kind of thing I'm looking for, except most of the places I've found online either have a minimum order and are meant for wholesale, or charge a ton for shipping on smaller orders. Does anyone know where to get small quantities of these for reasonable prices?

[Bardmaiden]

I'm crocheting my mother some fingerless gloves as a Christmas pressie.

[worddork]

I've been looking around for cellophane bags (or "cello bags") that I can use to wrap up my candies and cookies. Have you ever gotten candied roasted pecans in a cone shaped clear plastic bag? Does anyone know where to get small quantities of these for reasonable prices?

Michael's should have something like that.

As for making gifts, I have done knitted goods and jewlery for the last few years.

I know that the co-worker who recently moved to Washington from So. Cal really loved the knitted goodness she got.

[taxguykarl]

I've been looking around for cellophane bags (or "cello bags") that I can use to wrap up my candies and cookies. Have you ever gotten candied roasted pecans in a cone shaped clear plastic bag?

I've seen them in the arts & crafts section of Wally World. I've also seen them at factory card outlet/party city.

We also do handmade gifts. I garden and can various goodies. My wife then makes them into gift baskets. You can find some nice baskets at most dollar stores. Here's this year's batch. I'll start shipping this week.

[Android Kaeli]

I usually make my mom some jewelry, last year I made my aunt a scarf using the Knifty Knitter thing. This year my cat is going to get a hand-made cat-nip toy made out of a cheetah print bandana I bought at work tonight, he's currently laying on the bag with said bandana on it.

I really don't make much else for others during the holidays, as gift cards does wonders.

[Food Lady]

Lip balm! Skin salve! Lotion sticks for the men (use a deodorant-type container and look up a recipe for solid lotion). My favorite site is hands-down www.fromnaturewithlove.com I've never ordered, but www.sunburstbottle.com looks like a good source for bottles. I'd like to crochet slippers for my stepmom. Oh, and wooden-wick candles! Make your own wicks by carving vertical lines in tongue depressors with a nail, screw, or box cutter. They will draw up the wax. Melt the wax into a container in a low oven until it's soft enough to insert the wick. The wood crackles when you burn it.

[AriGriffin]

I'm almost finished with one of Mom's Christmas gifts- a handsewn/painted snowman advent calender with accent sequins. I have been working on it for oh... five years now. I just have to tack on the ornaments that hang over the dates and get a dowel rod so I can hang it up. She knows I'm giving it to her.

I'm looking to make her something else that will be a surprize but it is hard coming up with something for her. In the past I have given her a crocheted snowman, a crocheted scarf with matching hat, a picture I drew of Oreo- our Cocker Spaniel that we had to have put to sleep due to old age, and a sequined banner with snowmen on it.

[ArcticChicken]

And now we come to the reason I don't knit for everyone for Christmas. I just had to start over on the scarf I'm knitting for my niece because I notice a small screw up near the beginning.