Year of Homemade Gifts Craftalong 2012-2013

[Painted Sparrow]

oK, after some delay, I think I have at least the start of my lists. lol

Catch up & ongoing:
Confirmation gift for baby sister - plush red panda
Birthday gift for little sister - phrenology mug rug
Fall & Halloween decor, for us or for friends

September:
Wedding gift for S/BIL - Mason jar vintage decorative piece, embellished antique coffee grinder

October:
Halloween costumes - no idea for me or the husband, our (all black & fluffy) dog is going to be Darth Vader

Christmas:
Mother & Step-Father IL(in-law) - knit top & buttoned kitchen towels, maybe embroidered hand towels
Grandparents IL - Florida/Wisconsin theme mashup, probably a painting/art piece
Sis & Bro IL A - something Simpsons themed?
Sis & Bro IL B - something Vegas themed?
Sis & Bro IL's C-G - something quick/basic home good
Nieces & Nephews - this is a hard one, there are 15 of them, ranging from 2-19...eep
Aunt & Uncle IL -
Cousins IL A -
Cousins IL B -
Cousin IL - something Haiti themed
Second cousins IL - only 6 this time, all under...14?

Mom - Machine embroidered flour sack dish towels, per request, lol
Dad -
Little Sister - tea wallet, mug cozy from handpsun yarn & painted/altered mug(s?) to match her mug rug
Baby Sister - maybe a swim suit?
Grandma -
Grandpa - Intarsia knitted hat with ear flaps, a la Peru
Great-Grandpa -
Cousin & wife - something for their still new-ish house
Baby cousin - a princess poppet maybe?
Secret Santa (recipient unknown) -

Pharmacy friend - throw pillows that look like giant pills
Jersey friend - something for her house, a painting maybe?

[Painted Sparrow]

oK, separate from my list, I need some brainstorming help!!

First, I have totally spaced on needing to get a gift for this wedding at the end of the month. It's my sister in law & her long-time boyfriend, they live together & I have always thought of him as a brother in law even if it hasn't been official. I know them, but don't know them extremely well enough to know their personal styles & interests all that well. I don't really know what would be a good wedding gift that will be sentimental & meaningful at this point. If I'd remembered sooner, I'd have knitted them a blanket or something else big like that. I also need to consider that we will be traveling the last week before the wedding. So I have basically one intense week & one on & off week to make it. I know, I suck.

Enough rambling: what make good handmade wedding gifts?

Second, there are 21 (soon to be 22) kids on my husband's side, boys & girls ranging from 2 to 19, & I don't really know many of them, or don't know their interests well. I also don't have the time or funds to make gifts specific to each one. What are some good ideas for quick & generic gifts that I can make each unique & they can pick out their own from that selection? Definitely looking for ideas for different age groups.

Help please!  And thank you in advance!!

[LadybugsAndBumblebees]

My ideas for the wedding couple is perhaps to makr them a theme basket?  Like with a kitchen theme you could include dishtowels that attach to the oven handle, dish scrubbies, placemats, kitchen art for the walls, etc...  You could basically follow that idea for any room in the house, and justnuse the room that you have the most ideas for.

For the twenty two kids to give gifts to....what about a dollar store water bottle with maybe a cozy for it, a few of those flavor packets with it, a package of popcorn, etc...the flavor packets and the popcorn come in packages of ten so you wouldnt have to buy so many.

Good luck!

[bookstorebabe]

For the twenty two kids to give gifts to....what about a dollar store water bottle with maybe a cozy for it, a few of those flavor packets with it, a package of popcorn, etc...the flavor packets and the popcorn come in packages of ten so you wouldnt have to buy so many.

I like this idea. You could have cozys in a variety of colors or patterns. Or maybe get wild and crazy socks from a dollar store? You could make either sugar cookies or chocolate chip-but make really big cookies, saucer sized perhaps, and wrap one or two giant cookies in saran wrap or cellophane. Kids would get a kick out of that!

For the wedding couple, get a couple of mugs. You can get plain ceramic mugs in different colors from the dollar store. Write their names on them, and the wedding date. I think there's a pen they make just for ceramics, or I used to buy small bottles of paint for that. The one I'm holding now is called ultra gloss air dry enamel, 1.49 for 1 ounce, and if you bake it in the oven it's dishwasher safe. Add coffee and or a variety of tea, or kitchen towels and mitts, ect.

[Eiseldora]

Another idea for the kids would be chalkboard paint and homemade chalk. Take something from the dollar store or random object and paint it with chalkboard paint. I've seen Tables and serving trays colored in this and it works for a study tool or an art decoration.

You can mix any color acrylic paint with unsanded grout to get some homemade chalkboard paint in unique colors.

You might also make gingerbread cookies in funny shapes. I saw a ninja cookie cutter, and they might love ninja cookies.

Zombies are really popular now, as is My Little Pony, so something related to that might be fun. Imagine a Zombie Survival Kit with one of those fake weapons or limbs that you can pick up at the dollar store right now. Bubble gun /wand for the little ones.

You might also be able to make a stencil and put the same stencil on a shirt. Maybe use glue to color their initial on the back and then dye the shirt. When you wash it the part with the glue will stay white.

You could also take the suggestion for the wedding and make a mug for each one of the kids with their name on it. Add in hot chocolate mix, marshmallows, peppermint stick, or other goodies, and the kids would probably love it.

[Painted Sparrow]

OoOo, I really love the theme basket for the wedding! That would be a fun way to mix some purchased stuff with homemade, I'll have to remember to stalk their registry tomorrow for ideas on color schemes or themes to do with it. Thank you so much for the idea, Miss Barbara! And for the mug idea, too, Bookstorebabe, those could be really fun to add to the theme basket!

For the kids, I love the chalkboard paint on random things idea! I could probably find a whole bunch of things to turn into chalkboards. A really wonderful idea, Eiseldora, thank you! And not sure about cookies, I'm shipping pretty much everything from GA to MN so I don't think time would be in the favor of food. Bummer, but that's why I will be making better friends with my neighbors when I make holiday cookies! lol The mugs could also be fun for the kids, especially with the cocoa kits. I don't know how much I would personalize them, because most of them I don't really know their likes/dislikes so far as colors & styles & would hate to give someone the wrong color. But I think cool patterns in a variety of colors would work quite well.

Thank you so much, guys, I really appreciate it!

[bookstorebabe]

List-Christmas presents

Mom-
Dad-
Mom in law-
Daughter-
Husband-
Two siblings or spouses-(haven't drawn names yet)
Niece- will have a new baby niece by Christmas
Nieces ages almost 2, 5, and 6 (siblings)-
Great nephews, ages 5 and twins that are almost 3 (all siblings)-

My kiddo is bound to have some kind of school fundraiser, so that will probably take care of someone's present. Parents and mom in law don't want more stuff,  they'll be getting edibles. Mini muffins were popular last year. May pitch in with siblings on something they really need.
Found a like new book about geek culture at the library sale cart-it would be great for three different people in my family!
Keeping my eyes open at the used bookstores, and if I do find any that are perfectly suited for presents, I'll make bookmarks or book thongs to go with them.
Will probably do some version of a coffee basket (mix of bought and hand made) for someone. Mug rug, biscotti, ect. Got a lot of great ideas here earlier!
I already lucked into finding a dvd my daughter really wants at the used book store, have put it back to add to her Christmas stuff.

Other-no birthdays, siblings all agreed that no one needs anything and just to do stuff for the youngun's and our parents,
Halloween-will probably help daughter with an outfit. We end up making her one every year, with just a few purchased components. Also, she likes to cosplay at animae conventions and such, and I'll help her with that.

Holidays will be a mix of handmade, baked, dollar store, and thrift shop.

[butterflyangel]

hi guys!
just checking in to see how everyone is doing 

[Painted Sparrow]

I'm doing well! The wedding is this weekend & I still need to finish the gift(s). I interviewed for & got a new job last week, so that really cut into my time once I went adventuring for supplies!

After talking with the bride, they aren't expecting gifts, but she is redecorating their house with a vintage/rustic feel. So I'm putting together a table decoration piece with some vintage pieces in an antique mason jar. I'm also going to be embellishing an antique coffee grinder. I'll be sure to post pictures when I'm done!

[Eiseldora]

I started on my washcloths