What are you making for Christmas this year (2008)?

[sarahmakes]

Hi! I just started my Christmas crafting, too. I have school and kids so I have to start early. Here are the ideas I've got so far:

Mom: tea wallets. She carries tea everywhere she goes, so I'm making one for her purse and a bigger one for traveling. The bigger one will have an owl embroidered on the front. I'm including mint that I have grown and dried as homemade tea.

Brother (age 28): a cross-stitched wall hanging of the ages of Super Mario. Pattern here: http://www.spritestitch.com/?p=108

Nieces (ages 5, 5, 2, 2, 2, 1): Tutus!

Daycare teachers: homemade candy

Another niece and nephew: Patches hand-embroidered on fleece, along with a "coupon" for me to sew them on something for them

Still need ideas for:
Nephews ages 8, 5, 4, and 3
Dad
Grandparents/great-grandparents from my children

[jnaos]

I will go start a new thread--- It shall be titles--Christmas 2008 what are you making this year..

[jnaos]

Since the other thread is on page 22 a few suggested we start a new thread for the 2008 year.  I know I do not care to sort through 22 pages to find ideas and suggestions for the 2008 year.  This year I am making the HUGE  S&P shakers from the Big Ass Book of Crafts for anyone adult--- I don't know about the fabric part, yet.. I may just etch-- but I LOVE the idea of it....I am saving the salsa jars for this project.  If you are interested and not sure what I am talking about PM me and I can send a picture over to you.  There are some really great ideas to launch off from in that book.. I love it!

Last year my friend made a tote bag for my son-  the crayon holders were on the outside of the bag (think needle roll holder) and the inside she loaded it with art supplies-- he loves it.  I have a couple of other ideas that I will post tonight, when the the kids aren't trying to get on the keyboard with me.

I'll also try to keep a running list of ideas etc on this thread in this first page spot if no one minds, that is...

[eternallyeve]

Yay! I'm going to need this thread this year, it's getting to be about time to start and I have so many new decorations to start too. Whew, so much to do.

[Ezri_B]

"Babies" 1 niece, 1 nephew, 1 baby cousin (1, 2, 1)-
*will be making a fabric name book. or felt houses

"Little Girls" 2 nieces (4&5)-
*Tutus (Birthdays are right before Christmas)
*PJ Pants/Felt Houses
*I'd like to make them each their own personalized doll quilt like I made here http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=257076.msg2872199#msg2872199
*Cranium Activity Books (Purchased)

"Bigger Girls" 2 nieces (11 & 8 )- Again not quite sure yet.
*PJs
*Cranium Activity Book (Purchased)
*a personalized doll quilt?

"My Boys" 3 boys (8, 9, & 12)-
*Stockings
*pj pants w/matching shirts
*?

husband (35)-
*Dr who underpants (I already started these, so he may get them for b-day instead, cuz they're cute)
*Dr. Who quilt?
*Checkbook Cover

"Old Ladies" Mother IN Law, Step MIL, Mother, Step Mother, 3 Grandmas, Aunt
*Basket With a crocheted dishtowel, embroidered tea towel, and homemade vanilla
*Pic of the kids

Dad, DIL, Grandpas-
*Not sure yet

teachers and crossing guards-
*Not sure yet

That's everyone I can think of. I'll update this as I think of or start other things.

[iloveoctopus]

i was thinking this year since my family decided that the siblings and their significant others would each pick a name to shop for that i am going to make everyone new stockings, our's are old and we keep misplacing them and they don't really reflect us anymore.

[sarahmakes]

Hi! I am glad to see this thread going. I am already working on my list (working on the list, not the projects yet!). I posted in the old forum, but I'll just repeat myself here and add a little more. As you will see in my list, we have a very fertile family.

I'm getting into making hand-embroidered patches, so several people will get those.

Brother (27): Ages of Mario cross-stitched wall hanging, using this pattern:
http://www.spritestitch.com/?p=108
I'm also going to make him a patch that looks like a name tag sticker that says "Hello, my name is AWESOME"
He'll get a kick out of that.

Mom: Tea wallets, one for her purse and one for travel. I never heard of such a thing until I found Craftster, and it is so perfect for her. The bigger one will have an owl embroidered on the front. Maybe a tea cup on the smaller one. I am also going to include some home-grown mint tea (I don't have bags--I need to check into that).

Nieces and daughters (5,5,4,2,2,2,1,1): Tutus!

Daughters (4,1): in addition to tutus, I think I'll make them a baby doll bed
Stocking stuffers will be art supplies

Another niece and nephew: embroidered patches of various fantasy and woodland creatures along with a "coupon" for me to sew them on whatever they choose

Husband: I don't know, but he says he wants a toboggan hat with a pom-pom on top like he wore as a kid. I don't see him wearing it in public, but since he asked for it, I might oblige.

Left on my list:
Dad (accountant, sci-fi and computer fan)
Mother- and Father-in-law
Nephews (8,5,5,3,2)--I don't know anything about little boys, especially 8-year-old ones
Grandmother-in-law (very old, doesn't leave house and crochets all day long)
Gift from my kids to their grandparents and great-grandparents
More for husband
whomever I get in the drawing, on both sides of the family

On the subject of giving hand-made gifts, I have been disappointed by reactions in the past, but I have also been pleased by them. People are just different and I have finally decided that I can't worry so much whether they like it or not. I want them to like it, but I can't predict or control whether they do or not. I've had my feelings hurt before because someone gave me money as a gift, but I know a lot of people would love to get money. I'm in favor of a totally hand-made Christmas, and I hope that my example makes my girls grow up to appreciate handmade gifts. (I think I'll try to purchase gifts from Etsy, too, if I can't make something for everyone--it eliminates the lead paint toy problems we had last year!)

[eternallyeve]

Nicolatte - did you see the cooking mama apron project? Something like that would look so good with a cookbook! And those button bouquets are adorable, and so easy to customise to different colour schemes.

I am still at quite a loss, I have a few people who are extrodinarily hard to buy for and some who just don't need anything cause they buy everything themselves  . I was thinking of putting some freezer meals (homemade) into hampers for my Mum - who works heaps - and Nan - who doesn't really cook for herself anymore. It would be pretty inexpensive and I love to cook. I'm sure I would have more options if it were winter instead of summer for our Christmas , then I could do slippers and scarves and blankets that could be used straight away.

Anyway, good luck crafting!

[greenapples]

This year I'm making:

DD(4): socks, an "I spy" bag, crayon roll, knit sweater (Drive-Thru by Wendy Bernard), washcloths, soap
DS(1):blanket, sweater, socks, washcloths, soap
Nephew(2): Crayon Roll & matching "I Spy" bag
Nephew(5): Crayon Roll & Matching "I Spy" bag
GMIL: Bath Basket (soaps, wash cloths, etc)
BFF: Evangeline
DH: Winter hat
Dad: Socks
Sister: A pair of Evangeline fingerless mitts

(Items that have a strike through them are done!)

[Kimi]

This is a great thread! Hopefully I can get some ideas By Christmas, I hope to have made the following...

*Sister and her three daughters -- Poppets (4), hopefully each with 2 outfits. (Thanks ghilie!) Maybe even a shoe or two
*Her husband and three older sons -- Fleece pocket-blankets (4), personalized with their names on the pocket. (They will fold up into a pillow.)
*Her baby son who will be almost 18 months -- Itty bitty oddities! (2 or 3) (Thanks Odd Dotty Dollmaker!) Or possibly just a ball or toy from the leftover fleece.
*My husband's sister -- a sock kitty!
*My little family -- Christmas stockings and PJ-pants for each of us (4 of each)

I still need ideas for my impossible-to-shop-for parents, HIS parents (easy to please though), and his brother and his wife (also difficult to shop for). I'm excited though. I've already gotten started! I have the fabric for the fleece blankets and the Poppets, and one of the Poppets is already mostly done -- she just needs hair and clothes.

Hopefully something in here will pop out at me!!