Christmas is Coming!!!

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Re: Christmas is Coming!!!
« Reply #30 on: October 23, 2006, 12:39:22 AM » by healthybratt

Quote from: mshelson on October 22, 2006, 09:30:44 PM

I love this idea...and plan on doing it, but isn't the point of it so they CAN move the seeds to find the items. Or do you just roll the bottle around until the items come to the sides and that is when you find them?

If you don't leave a small gap at the top, the seeds won't move at all. You need some room for the seeds to roll and shift or the items won't surface anywhere in the bottle, they'll remain stationary. Just play with one before you glue it shut and you'll get a feel for it. Grin

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Re: Christmas is Coming!!!
« Reply #31 on: November 03, 2006, 12:28:56 PM » by KatieMac

One year I gave everyone gourmet salad dressing mix. My friend Loretta makes a really healthy dressing and I gave everyone a cruet, the powder mix in a plastic bag, instructions tied to the cruet with a little ornament and a copy of the recipe on a nicely printed out computer recipe card. Here's the recipe if anyone is interested:

Loretta’s Dressing

1/3 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
3 Tablespoons Water
½ Cup Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon Sea Salt or Kosher Salt
1 Tablespoon Basil
1 Tablespoon Sesame Seed Oil
1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
1 Teaspoon Powdered Kelp (available at Health Food Stores)
¼ Teaspoon Pepper
Dash Turmeric

Serve over bed of greens, baked potatoes, chicken wraps. Recommended salad mix of Red Romaine, Spinach, Cilantro, Bean Sprouts, Shredded Carrot.

I've decided this year to give "Grandma Calenders." I'm going to buy calender kits at Office Depot or some such place and make a calender with my kid's pictures for all the grandparents and great-grandparents. I'm pretty excited about it!!

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Re: Christmas is Coming!!!
« Reply #32 on: November 03, 2006, 12:41:58 PM » by JuliaofSunnyside

Samaritan's Purse (the same ministry that does the shoeboxes) has a catalog where you donate to give something specific to a needy child or family. They have warm blankets for needy children for $6, milk for a hungry baby for $9, baby chicks for $10, and gospel storybooks for $5. I like the goat best but it doesn't fit the cheap gifts theme as it's $70. And you give it to them in the person you are giving the gift to's honor. It might not work for everyone but some people would be really grateful. Here's the link:

samaritanspurse.org/giving_CCat_Giving.asp#

« Last Edit: November 03, 2006, 12:44:09 PM by juliaofsunnyside »
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Re: Christmas is Coming!!!
« Reply #33 on: November 03, 2006, 01:03:42 PM » by Clementine

Quote from: lovetolearn on October 17, 2006, 10:15:55 PM

To get the ball rolling, I was thinking of figuring out how to make a scent-away (as in eliminates the scent of being a human all together) laundry soap and bar soap for the hunter-men in my life. Grin

I recently made a scent killer for my hubby. I gathered cedar and pine twigs, needles, etc. Hickory would probably be good too. I broke it all up as small as possible, dumped it into a pot, filled it up with water and brought to a boil. Then I simmered it for several hours. Then just drain and bottle. I put some into a spray bottle and put in fridge. The rest I put into canning jars. He used it and says he really likes it. (He also killed 3 deer that day, coincidence-maybe? ) It also makes your house smell wonderful while it is cooking. I'd love to come up with a bar soap recipe for this also. You can also make some cedar sachets to store with their hunting clothes. Just don't make them too pretty, use muslin or cheesecloth. My hubby likes these a lot.

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Re: Christmas is Coming!!!
« Reply #34 on: November 03, 2006, 01:11:14 PM » by Nickole

Quote from: KatieMac on November 03, 2006, 12:28:56 PM

KatieMac, where did you get your cruets for cheap??? I had NO idea that is what they were called, that they had a name. I feel so learned now. Grin

I'm gonna use this idea!!!!!!! YipeeEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!

I am going to check Walmart for the calendar idea too. I have heard that a diff. pic for each month is rather expensive. We may just do the one with one pic. We'll see.

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Re: Christmas is Coming!!!
« Reply #35 on: November 03, 2006, 01:33:05 PM » by KatieMac

Well, I got some from Pampered Chef but honestly I didn't like them as well. I used my host discount so I got them for cheaper but I really don't think they mix that great. I also got some tiny salad dressing bottles at Wal-mart for under $2, but I really think getting the Good Seasons Cruet is the best thing because they are easiest to mix in. Buy a cruet for everyone and keep the Good Seasons packets for yourself! And technically, the recipe was originally made in a Good Seasons cruet so originally it read "Oil to the O line, Vinger to the V line, Water the W line."

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Re: Christmas is Coming!!!
« Reply #36 on: November 03, 2006, 01:57:35 PM » by Whiterock

Quilts! I have given quilts to friends and family before and they were really well received.

When people found out that I had started learning how to quilt I became the one that everyone and their neighbor gave all their fabric scraps to. Also a few people had small fabric stashes that they had always intended to do this or that project with but never did, so they just gave it all to me. Also, you can find good fabric sometimes on the $1 to $2 a yard table at Wal-Mart. And the quilts don't have to be queen-size, just big enough for a throw to cover-up with while watching TV.

I made oversized throws made out of big squares I cut from old blue-jeans one year for the men in the family. I backed each square with fabric [an americana theme for one throw and a blue and orange (Auburn) theme for another, etc.] with no batting in between, sewed them together with the seams on the blue-jean side, and raveled the seams till they were fuzzy and soft. (Just google blue jean quilt and you'll find intructions). They were plenty warm even without batting and the guys still use them. My nephew sleeps with his every night and my dad covers up with his while watching TV. I got all the blue jeans for FREE from someone who shut down the charity clothes closet they ran and need to get rid of everything fast. But you could ask all your family and friends for their old pairs.

WR

« Last Edit: November 03, 2006, 02:01:28 PM by Whiterock »
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Re: Christmas is Coming!!!
« Reply #37 on: November 03, 2006, 02:32:53 PM » by SC

I saw a really neat idea in a catalog. It's a blue-jean christmas stocking -- a great idea for men and boys. They used the leg of a pair of painter-style jeans, or heavy cotton work pants, placed the belt loops at the top for the cuff. In one style, they fashioned little suspenders to hang the stocking. In the other style, there was a loop to hang it by and a small belt was threaded through the belt loops.
http://www.duluthtrading.com/57076.aspx
From appearances, it would be easy for someone with minimum sewing skills to make.

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Re: Christmas is Coming!!!
« Reply #38 on: November 03, 2006, 02:41:30 PM » by Whiterock

That reminds me! I had a nice wool sweater that was accidentally washed. Of course, it shrank. But the color was a wonderful earthy green and the stitching on it was so nice that I just couldn't throw it out so I made Christmas stockings out of it. We kept them but it is a good gift idea. I've been going thru my other sweaters and eyeing the ones with holes in them to make some more.
WR

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Re: Christmas is Coming!!!
« Reply #39 on: November 03, 2006, 02:44:48 PM » by SC

More homemade gifts than you ever wanted to know how to make are here:
http://jas.familyfun.go.com/guestsubmit?action=display&topic_id=11

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Re: Christmas is Coming!!!
« Reply #40 on: November 03, 2006, 03:09:45 PM » by SC

If you have someone that likes doing word puzzles in your family, you can go to this site and make up a bunch of puzzles that have answers that have to do with whatever is of interest to the recipient. I have some nephews who LOVE getting puzzles with their names in them.
http://www.puzzlemaker.com/

If you know someone in the family that likes to put together picture puzzles, print out a digital image on your computer and rubber cement it to some foam board. Place some laminating film over the photograph. On the back side, draw out the puzzle pieces -- simple is best when doing this step. Use an x-acto blade to carefully cut out the pieces.

For a busy mama with little time, a thoughtful gift is a birthday box. It is for use whenever one of the children has a birthday. Load it up with decorative plastic tablecloths, plasticware, birthday candles, assorted cake decorations, a "Happy Birthday" banner, plates, cups, napkins, balloons, etc. etc. She'll remember you fondly each time there is another birthday at her home.

For grandparents, a folder with a separate pocketed page for each month. On the introduction page, list each family member and his/her birthdate/anniversary, address and telephone number in alphabetical order. On the calendar pages, show the birthdays/anniversaries for that month and in the pocket place a supply of birthday cards, address labels and stamps. Leave room to add names.

For kids: make an audio tape of you reading a book to them. Throughout the tape, use the child's name and ask questions.

Family gifts: Beach trip bag -- fill with sunblock, towels, flip flops, bubbles, sandcastle making tools, toys, sunglasses, etc. Car trip basket with car games, no-spill cups, paper towels, wipes, tissues, peppermints, blanket, car pillow, etc. Membership to local amusement/museum/zoo. Grocery store gift card.

Time is drawing short, so I need to start pulling some things together.

« Last Edit: November 03, 2006, 04:21:58 PM by SC »
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Re: Christmas is Coming!!!
« Reply #41 on: November 03, 2006, 03:12:44 PM » by healthyinOhio

Quote from: SC on November 03, 2006, 03:09:45 PM

I you have someone that likes doing word puzzles in your family, you can go to this site and make up a bunch of puzzles that have answers that have to do with whatever is of interest to the recipient. I have some nephews who LOVE getting puzzles with their names in them.
http://www.puzzlemaker.com/

This is a really good idea, SC. And not just for Christmas, but could be used as a good teaching for homeschooling!!!

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Re: Christmas is Coming!!!
« Reply #42 on: November 03, 2006, 03:53:11 PM » by seekingtruth

I just wanted to mention that there is a great book filled with ideas for a more Christ centered Christmas called Redeeming the Season, put out by Focus on the family. Pam Wier is one of the authors. We found some great, inexpensive ideas for traditions and gifts. See if you can find it at the library or used on amazon. I really enjoyed it and need to go request it again from the library to find some ideas for this year.

For example, we bought a box of 24 platic gold ornaments (they look like glass, but don't break) and on each one we put a quality of Christ and a scripture reference. Each night we pick one and read the verse, talk about the quality and hang it on the tree. It is a fun, short advent activity. The info is in the book.

Tammy

Tammy

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Re: Christmas is Coming!!!
« Reply #43 on: November 03, 2006, 04:10:22 PM » by Whiterock

Oh I forgot to include that since you only use the fabric from he legs of the jeans to make the quilt I as able to take the back pockets that were left over (I sewed some of them on the teen-agers quilt) and sewed them, wrong sides together, to make pot holders. I've also seen purses made by cutting the legs off of jeans and sewing the bottom up a certain way and adding a strap (usually made from the side-seam from the leg) They're cute.

EDIT: Here's what the purse looks like...

So you can use just about everything on the blue jeans and get several different kinds of gifts.

WR

« Last Edit: November 04, 2006, 08:51:32 AM by Whiterock »
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Re: Christmas is Coming!!!
« Reply #44 on: November 03, 2006, 04:16:05 PM » by KatieMac

I found this calendar kit online...pretty inexpensive!

http://www.jerrysartarama.com/art-supply/catalogs/0066023000000/?GCID=C12646x008

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Re: Christmas is Coming!!!
« Reply #45 on: November 03, 2006, 04:30:40 PM » by SC

If you have Microsoft Word on your computer, you can do a calendar for free.
Open Word. Click on File, New. When the window pops up, select the Other Documents tab. Select Calendar Wizard.

This will take you through several screens that ask you the year and months you want to produce as well as what style you prefer. It will generate the calendar pages for you. At that point, you can change the inserted picture if you wish and print them out.

If you have digital images, just print the calendar pages and then add your photos by either printing them on your color printer or having them color photo copied at your nearest photo copy shop. Make a creative binding and cover.

HTH

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Re: Christmas is Coming!!!
« Reply #46 on: November 03, 2006, 04:31:43 PM » by Nickole

Quote from: KatieMac on November 03, 2006, 04:16:05 PM

I found this calendar kit online...pretty inexpensive!

http://www.jerrysartarama.com/art-supply/catalogs/0066023000000/?GCID=C12646x008

Cool 'cept I don't have a super snazzy printer.

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Re: Christmas is Coming!!!
« Reply #47 on: November 03, 2006, 07:40:55 PM » by JuliaofSunnyside

Costco does them for you for $10, probably WalMart and Sam's Club, too.

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Re: Christmas is Coming!!!
« Reply #48 on: November 03, 2006, 07:55:37 PM » by Nickole

Quote from: juliaofsunnyside on November 03, 2006, 07:40:55 PM

Costco does them for you for $10, probably WalMart and Sam's Club, too.

That was what I was planning on going with. I don't have Word either. At Walmart, I had heard that a calendar with just one pic is a lot cheaper than a pic for every month but I'll have to check. Or maybe a corny "world's best grandma" shirt with the kids pics, hee hee.

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Re: Christmas is Coming!!!
« Reply #49 on: November 03, 2006, 09:42:59 PM » by linemansgirl

Quote from: Whiterock on November 03, 2006, 04:10:22 PM

Another really cute idea for using up old jeans. I also keep an eye out for cheap women's or girls jeans or too short of skirts at garage sales or thrift stores; Chop off the legs & use them for other projects. Sew several tiers of coordinating gathered fabric below the pocket area of the jeans to the length you want. This makes a super cheap, super cute skirt. I keep an eye on the $1.00 a yard fabric at Wal-Mart. This is also very easy. Not much sewing experience needed.

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Re: Christmas is Coming!!!
« Reply #50 on: November 03, 2006, 11:20:43 PM » by 3boysmyjoys

Have any of you checked out Martha Stewart Living? This site has a LOT of great homemade gift ideas. Cool

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Re: Christmas is Coming!!!
« Reply #51 on: November 04, 2006, 08:39:44 AM » by Kati*did

Quote from: 3boysmyjoys on November 03, 2006, 11:20:43 PM

Have any of you checked out Martha Stewart Living? This site has a LOT of great homemade gift ideas. Cool

I was going to mention her! I love Martha Stewart!!! If you don't mind spending $7, her "Holidays" magazine is so worth it. She has the simplest, ideas and they're cost effective, and she knows how to make anything look classy. For some reason, I have always been relatively bankrupt when it comes to elegant, cheap ideas, so "Holidays" is worth my moola. This year, I'm making the "sock dogs", the "peppermint marshmallows" with some peppermint cocoa (check these out -- they are so neat!), and probably the "snow globes" for my relatives. Oh -- and maybe the "felt slippers". Oh yeah...she has these great mulling sachets, too. She gives patterns, instructions, where to get what you need, etc., on everything. The website has instructions for some, but not others. So you could just look at the magazine in Walmart or something...it's so cool!!!!

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Re: Christmas is Coming!!!
« Reply #52 on: November 04, 2006, 09:01:40 AM » by Whiterock

Here's a link for how to make the blue jeans quilt.
http://tinyurl.com/yfyfmq
If you can barely operate a sewing machine, you can do this. It says to use flannel for the back of the squares but I used just regular cotton fabric and it worked great.
WR

« Last Edit: November 04, 2006, 10:55:28 AM by Whiterock »
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Re: Christmas is Coming!!!
« Reply #53 on: November 04, 2006, 10:52:56 AM » by princesstea

I've got a great, cheap, easy idea. One year for Christmas, my Sunday School class (we were 7th and 8th graders) decided to all pitch in and get our teacher something really special. However, we didn't have a whole lot of money (shocking Wink

) So we made her a picture tray (I saw the idea on TV). We took individual pictures of ourselves, and then a group picture. I made a small scrapbook page with the pictures and put it in an 8" x 10" frame that my mom had, but never used. Then my dad ran to the Hardware store to get two gold cabinet handles and we screwed them onto the frame. It turned out to be a small serving tray with our pictures under it. She was absolutely thrilled with it (I think she cried Wink

). Except, she didn't want to use it, so she has it sitting on top of her piano.

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Re: Christmas is Coming!!!
« Reply #54 on: November 04, 2006, 09:30:05 PM » by Daisy

An inexpensive, easy gift that kids seem to really like is a pillow! (Hey, stop laughing Wink

) This is especially good if you have access to a discount fabric store. Look for the soft "fleece" type material. Since it's a durable fabric, you can stitch the edges closed with yarn and a large needle. If you wanted to make a pillow for each child in a family, you could make each one in a different shape (triangle, heart, etc.), or use different fabric colors/ prints. Another idea is using iron-on letters to spell the child's name on the pillow.

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Re: Christmas is Coming!!!
« Reply #55 on: November 04, 2006, 10:25:10 PM » by Mama Sita

I just brainstormed and I think I know what everybody's Christmas present is going to be this year. When I was getting milk at the farm, I noticed this little round beeswax thingy and it turned out to be a Lotion Bar. You hold it in your hands to warm it, then use it on your hands, elbows and any other place that you have dry skin. Wow--it was wonderful!! Problem was, it was $8.10. It wasn't that wonderful Roll Eyes

Soooo....I went home and googled. Seems there are quite a few recipes of these lotion bars. I made my own concoction tonight, and it's not half bad. I used beeswax (can get it from my local beekeeper lady who's in her late 70's), coconut oil, olive oil and peppermint oil. My kids think my new 'hand lotion' is really cool, and I like it because it soaks into very dry skin (mine).

Does anyone have a tried and true recipe for these lotion bars? Mine turned out a little hard--I would like it a little on the softer side. I would also like to try some different scents, but I don't have any essential oils on hand right now.

Lotion bar recipes anyone? Please post!! Thanks!

~MS

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Re: Christmas is Coming!!!
« Reply #56 on: November 05, 2006, 10:40:26 AM » by healthybratt

Quote from: Mama Sita on November 04, 2006, 10:25:10 PM

Lotion bar recipes anyone? Please post!! Thanks!

~MS

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Re: Christmas is Coming!!!
« Reply #57 on: November 06, 2006, 05:28:19 PM » by JuliaofSunnyside

Any good ideas of things for little kids to make for grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc? Last year they decorated a cookie for each person and we wrapped it nicely with homemade tags from the kids, but I don't know how many of them got there without crumbling, plus it would be nice to do something different. I'm kind of new to the world of kids' crafts. I'm just looking for something they can do themselves and that the grandparents will like.

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Re: Christmas is Coming!!!
« Reply #58 on: November 06, 2006, 11:44:50 PM » by Whiterock

One year, my son and I made ornaments for the grandparents. Nothing complicated, just some clothes pin reindeer, some thumbprint wreaths, and some salt-dough ornaments. For the salt-dough we just rolled it out, used cookie cutters to cut out the shapes, and, after they were dried, he painted them.

WR

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Re: Christmas is Coming!!!
« Reply #59 on: November 09, 2006, 09:22:08 PM » by wyomama3

The salt dough ornaments reminded me of another idea. When my daughter was 3 we make cinnamon ornaments. Sam's club has the big containers of cinnamon. Mix the spice with applesauce to form a dough. Roll the dough out, cut with cookie cutters, and use a pencil to poke a hole in the top for a ribbon. Transfer to a parchment paper or cookie sheet to dry. Turn over after the top has dried to allow the bottom to dry through. I have heard of adding white glue to the dough to help it hold together better. I had a little 'taste tester' gal, so we did not add the glue. The smell was wonderful! Boy, it's been 5 years but it seems like I dried some on my dehydrater also. (my memory has NOTHING to do with age Cheesy

) We gave some as gifts, and added little ones to the top of other gifts with the ribbon and tags. I love hanging them on our tree...it brings me back to shoes on the wrong feet, pig tails sticking straight up, washing her books in the toilet...now she is 8, and all 'gown up' *sigh*

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