Homemade Holiday Presents! Lets help each other! Ideas WANTED!

[ariamac]

For those of you who were interested in the glass etching.... I urge you to try it. I just got my etching cream and vinyl in the mail and I made a test run.... And I love it!

I'm thinking about also etching pantry canisters for flour, sugar, pasta etc. And I'd love to make a set of spice jars.

Really, the possibilities are endless...

I thought a cute housewarming gift would be a set of glass bowls, whisk, measyring cups, cookie sheet for baking and the bows could be etched "dry ingredients" and "wet ingredients". SO CUTE!

I've also gone through my Cricut cartirdges to find some inspiration... My fav... What about a glass jar "Rainy Day Fund', complete with an etched umbrella!

I'm gonna have so much fun with this stuff!!

 

[maggiew]

I've been starting to think about Christmas gifts too...

Normally I make boxes of assorted cookies and give them out... they're always a big hit (especially the mint chocolate chip ones I made last year!!!)

But I feel like doing something different this year... but something useful and inexpensive, I saw some cool ideas in some posts here a while ago, I'll have to revisit.

I actually just found this idea online: it's a personalized glass-etched baking dish! It's relatively inexpensive, and I can just give everyone a batch of rice krispies made right inside of it!

http://www.obsessedwithscrapbooking.com/2009/08/using-your-cricut-to-etch-on-glass.html

I'm also contemplating possibly doing cookie jars:

http://moscraftycorner.blogspot.com/2010/12/glass-etching-candy-or-cookie-jar.html

This is really cute! I am giving my cousin a set of Pyrex for her wedding. I might go out and get a separate single piece and etch that to go along with the set! The problem is that the wedding is this coming weekend!!

Maggie

 

[ariamac]

I have found some other cute ideas...

Very inexpensive but ADORABLE!

A whisk with hershey kisses

And...

Chalkboard mugs
http://thefeltmouse.blogspot.com/2010/12/multi-gifts.html

 

[jacksmom]

The chalkboard mugs are really cute!

 

[lisaluvs3kids]

This is such a great thread!!! You know the little 2 year pocket calendars with the clear plastic covers - they're usually $1. I buy several of those and take the cheesy cover picture out, and replace it with something I've created on photoshop. I use digital scrapbooking kits and digital photos of the recipient's kids, grandkids, etc. and make a new cover to replace the cheesy one. I always make one for myself as well. And I get compliments on my cute personalized calendar whenever I take it out of my purse to write down appointments.

 

[DVC~OKW~96]

When we were at AK DD and I fell in love with some paper bead jewelry made by women in Uganda, we each bought a pair of earrings, but the necklaces that we liked were more than we wanted to spend that day. Well, DD came home and looked up instructions on the internet and has been making beads for a week now and they're coming out really well. She made a necklace for her friend's birthday, I think they will make a really nice gift.

There was very little money oop, she just recycled newspapers and old magazines and brochures and needed: clear fingernail polish, elastic cord, a toothpick, scissors and a ruler. She's not here for me to ask her what website she used, but she just googled paper beads and found the instructions.

There is a group, Bead For Life, (with a web site of the same) that sell the beads and some styles of jewelry made from the beads that are the handmade paper beads made by these women.

The cost on the website is much less than you will pay anywhere else. If you like the beads/jewelry and wish to support an extremely good cause then you may want to investigate this group and website.

 

[coolbeans]

subbing!

 

[FirstTimeCruiser]

This is such a great thread!!! You know the little 2 year pocket calendars with the clear plastic covers - they're usually $1. I buy several of those and take the cheesy cover picture out, and replace it with something I've created on photoshop. I use digital scrapbooking kits and digital photos of the recipient's kids, grandkids, etc. and make a new cover to replace the cheesy one. I always make one for myself as well. And I get compliments on my cute personalized calendar whenever I take it out of my purse to write down appointments.

I absolutely love this idea!!!

 

[ariamac]

BUMP!

For my cousins this year, I'm etching them each a set of 4 shot glasses and filling them with skittles, candy canes, etc... and giving them a recipe for skittles vodka, candy cane vodka... and which other other candy I decide to include.

 

[MickeyP]

Just curious, what are you etching on the shot glasses?

 

[ariamac]

Just curious, what are you etching on the shot glasses?

Their initial...

haven't come up with any other ideas that will fit

 

[princessfionasmom]

Bump
These are all great ideas!

 

[timzagain]

I just made some Candy cane bath salts! Epsom salts, peppermint oil, food coloring and a dollar store jar. Very easy and very inexpensive!

 

[Disneyluvr]

I just made some Candy cane bath salts! Epsom salts, peppermint oil, food coloring and a dollar store jar. Very easy and very inexpensive!

does the food coloring come off in the bath and stain?

 

[ILuvTigger]

I love this thread. Lots of GREAT ideas!

 

[Disneyaunt4]

does the food coloring come off in the bath and stain?

I was wondering the same thing.

 

[timzagain]

The recipe I used suggested 4 drops of food coloring in about 1/2 cup of Epsom salts. It gives a pink color rather than your typical candy cane red.

With that ratio, I haven't noticed any staining. If you try to go for a rich red or green, it will definitely be too much food dye.

I guess the surface of the tub would also determine staining (or not) - a porous or badly scratched surface will probably be stained.

I got some food dye on a white laminate counter top recently and the stain came out quickly with a spritz of diluted bleach

 

[Malibustyle23]

Is there a way to do the glass etching without the cricut? It seems as though it may be essential?

 

[tpettie]

Is there a way to do the glass etching without the cricut? It seems as though it may be essential?

I want to know this too....

 

[RadioMom]

I'm toying with the idea of making a "family cookbook". It won't be a big surprise to anyone since they will have all contributed. It will be similar to what churches and clubs do, but smaller and much more personal. (I'll have to print it myself and get it bound at Kinkos I guess).
I want to include the recipes that my relatives are "famous" for: my aunt's rolls, my mom's chicken and noodles, Grandma's pot roast...that sort of thing. I think many will appreciate it and it will be something treasured as the years pass.
I hope some are willing to give up their "secret ingredients".
I'd also like to get family members to write up a short paragraph of a fun family memory that I could disperse throughout the cookbook. Adding pictures would be awesome, too.
Wow. I better get to work!

My mom did a family cookbook one year that included my grandma and great grandma's recipes. I cherish it. You'll be proud of it when you're finished!