I'm not sure what MyFerretLovesMe's process was but here's a basic tut: buttonflowers

Pretty good for me -- but I only crafted for the crafty part of the family.  Lesson well learned from past gift occassions, know thy audience. 

The crafting side of my family got cotton grocery bags; I made a variation of these: the Singlet Style Shopping Bag.  Mom, G'ma, Uncle & Mom's BF each got two, with specifically chosen fabric.  For example, Uncle got red outside w/chili peppers inside.  Sounds like they really liked them, which is the bonus.  I knew they would appreciate that I made them but at most I was hoping they'd find them useful.  Sounds like they were a hit. Yay!

I'm actually not a big Christmas person and have been trying to get the commercial, spend-crazy *cough*greedy*cough* (sorry, I must've had something in my throat ) side of my family to slow down a bit for years.  This year they actually agreed with me... you could'a blown me over with a feather.  So with that side we actually gave to charities, exchanged cards, etc. (except still gifts to kids, I mean one college kid).  That allowed me to spend time making some neat cards and writing them individually.  This is not especially a craft-appreciative group but since the grocery bags went over well with the other folks, I think this side is getting them for birthdays in 2008. *Crossing fingers* that they like them too.

I agree, it's nice to see some positive responses to our work noted, to balance out that scary (multi-year) thread.

I've been wanting to make a "December" advent-ish calendar.  I think just having numbers for days would be best (1-31) and then whatever you reveal or fill it with will show the nature of what you want to celebrate... for me that includes various holidays, Solstice and passing into the New Year. 

Good luck whatever you decide!

Some of us in the US participate in St. Lucia.  It depends on how big the Scandinavian community is.  In Seattle, St. Lucia is big in Ballard (Scandinavian historical neighborhood), specifically it's big with particular churches/congregations but probably at the various Cultural/Heritage centers too.

Cute doll

[Just a note: I do believe that mature, well written, educated letters to the network will take much more effect on them]

If anyone would like to submit feedback to the CW network (the one that films and airs GG) the email address is:
feedback@CWTV.com

Just a note: I do believe that mature, well written, educated letters to the network will take much more effect on them

I also wrote a cordial note explaining my disappointment to: customerservice@wb.com (Warner Brothers - parent/production)

Leah - I've always loved those shirts and I noticed it immediately on the show.  I assumed that they bought one of the [official] shirts and used iron-on letters for the "Knit or Die" part. [ETA: Oops... that was "Knit or Go Home" right?]  I was really, really disappointed to find that they reproduced it without permission.  I hope you can get some response from CW about this - in a way you like.  If any one of us was using their content without permission they'd sue our crafty-pants right off and then some.  Good luck! 

well dogperson, maybe you and I stand alone.

My original trial found that you can peel the foil from the paper.  If I'm patient enough I could then recycle the paper and give the foil to a card-making friend of mine or something    dunno

I also found this: Tea Bag Handbag (on craftster).  Not really my thing since the labels don't really thrill me but I thought it should be included here.  I love craftster!

Maybe I should just save them up and swap with another crafter that wants them?

ETA: I guess I could laminate (contact paper) multiple ones and make bookmarks?

Okay... I've been drinking a lot of Stash tea (red aka rooibos if anyone cares).  They pack their tea bags in little foil backed paper packets.  I've been considering finding loose tea so I wasn't throwing out so much unrecycleable packaging (guilt, guilt, guilt) but then I thought, maybe I can do something with them?

I'm not interested in the outside packaging.  The label isn't very interesting to me - unlike how some craftsters save candy wrappers FOR the logo.  So I'm really looking at what I could do with the foil-side but am open to any suggestions.  Also the foil can be removed from the paper (with a lot of patience, I think - have yet to completely remove all paper from foil).  When you open them up flat they are about 2.5" wide x 5" long.

I'm sure I could make wrapper bracelet/rings but I'm not very interested in that though.  Any ideas?

Thanks in advance!

You can punch small holes in the corners and string them together with jump rings.

And hang them as window 'curtains'... anything where you can use rows or blocks of chained cards.  Even a dress, like Oscar-winning costume designer Lizzy Gardiner wore in 1994 - pic link

shiny hat! 

I think it's neat when Browncoats find each other.  I know of several couples here in the NW that met that way - one of 'em was married last summer (whole wedding party incl. attendees were in hawaiian shirts no less... dunno if that was Wash inspired or not but it was fun).

[ETA:]

Hi,

Sorry if this should go in Crafts For Good Not Evil instead, since it is knitting-specific I thought it might be better here.  I saw this posted at KnittingHelp and thought folks here might be interested too.

Red Scarf Project 2007 web page

The Red Scarf Project, a project of the Orphan.org, collects red scarves (and other unisex colors) to send in Valentine's Day care packages to college students who have aged out of foster care. These brave young people are going it on their own and trying to improve their lives and the community by attending college. The care packages are welcome tokens of encouragement to young people who otherwise receive little to no mail. Your scarf should be soft (any material), unisex design, and approximately 60 inches long by 5 to 8 inches wide. Machine washable is a plus, but it is not absolutely necessary.

The scarves are shipped to Orphan Foundation of America in January so they can be distributed for Valentine's Day.

This sounded like a neat idea to me.  And let's face it, it's one more reason to buy yarn! And I like the idea that I could work on it over the next few months; there's no rush.

Anyone else in?  Check out the website (link above) for Red Scarf Project 2007 Headquarters.

ETA:
Knitter who attended 2006 boxing party blog report  (yummy scarf pictures)
Orphan Foundation of America