Christmas Gifts

[In_His_Shadow]

With the Christmas holidays coming up its that time (should have started along time ago) to start thinking about gifts.

Both my husband and myself have large extended families which makes it financially impossible to get all a gift. But, I would like to do something special for each of them.

We have a scanner and I am thinking about going through our old pictures from when our parents were young and making a photograph collage with an angel background. I would like to do one for my Aunt and Uncle and feature them when they were married with pictures of their children when they were young and their grandchildren.

This would be a miminal cost with really the only expense being an inexpensive frame.

Do any of you have any other ideas of cheap gifts. Like recipes, homemade anything etc.


CJ

[Karenluvs6]

That sounds like a fantastic idea!
They'll probably enjoy that more than any gift you could buy in a store.
I had a friend who used to make me crafts for gifts and stuff. She moved away...it'll cost me this year...{bawling}

[blinc]

I usually make up huge boxes of mixed homemade candies, fudges, cookies, etc. for the people I know who are too busy too cook... like our vet, mailwoman, etc. That's about the only thing I make that's homemade CJ. If I stumble across any ideas, I'll be sure to post them.

[cool chic]

This year I am making all my Christmas gifts. I find that everyone I have told this too are all excited!

I have a couple ideas so far...here are some simple ones that require little time and money...


Firestarters: Collect pinecones, let them dry out for a few days. Melt some paraphin wax, add scent and color. Dip cones into hot wax. Allow to cool. Place in basket.

Instructions for firestarters: When lighting your fire, place a few of the waxed cones on top of your paper, add your wood and light. The flame will be different colors depending on the color of your waxed cones. As they sit by the fire in the basket the scent will linger throughout the house.


Bath Milk:
1 cup of Powdered Milk
few drops of fragrant oil

Mix the two. Allow a couple hours to dry, then bottle.
Add to running water.

Fizzing Bath Crystals:
1/3 cup baking soda
1/4 cup citric acid crystals (vit C)
1 TBSP cornstarch
Mix ingredients and place in an airtight container. Keep salts dry, moisture will cause them to react and fizz. Sprinkle about 1/4 cup of salts into warm tub of water.

Simply Done Bath salts:
Epsom salts
Food coloring
Fragrance (scented oil)

Mix the Epsom salts, food coloring and fragrance. Fill a jar, label and put a pretty covering on the jar lid, such as wrapping paper and ribbon.

[In_His_Shadow]

I am so excited I bet you can hear me screaming. That is exactly what I was hunting for. Those are wonderful ideas. I am going to print them out and I will give credit where credit is due to you.


Thanks Cool Chic

CJ

[cool chic]

Just got back from Michaels crafts! I found a easy easy way to make little soaps to add to your basket full of bath oils and salts!!

Michaels have a sale on a 2lb block of glycerin soap - clear or white. It is scored into little blocks. You cut the squares and put one or two (depending on the size of your mold) in a cup and put it in the microwave for about 40 seconds. Once it is all melted you put in a couple drops of color (food coloring will work just fine) You then put in a couple drops of scented oil, and pour into your mold. I looked and looked at the soap molds and couldn't find one for under $6. (I am always looking for a bargin!!) So I wandered throughout the store. I found little molds that were met for clay, and guess what they only cost $1-$2!! You could also use the candy molds, or cookie cutters!! Be sure to hold the cookie cutter tight to your working surface, until the soap cools a bit.

Well I must be off...back to my soap making!!!
This is tooo easy!

[In_His_Shadow]

Coolchic,

Thanks once again, Please by all means(and my pocketbook) please keep posting your ideas. I love them.

CJ

[Karenluvs6]

I have absolutely no idea what to buy the extended family!
I finished the immediate family...but the inlaws, parents, siblings.....AAAAAARRRRGGGGGGG!!!
what do you buy for folks who have everything?!?!?
my children's grandparents have everything anyone could ever possibly imagine! I don't really get along good with them but I have to buy them gifts....BTW, they are not hubby's parents...they are the parents of my children's deceased father.
I have no clue what to do for them for the holidays...maybe something small from the kids'....I don't know.
This is the one thing I hate about the holidays.
does anyone have any ideas for me??

[Karenluvs6]

I saw this great coat! It was red with a really light plaid design....it wasn't long, came to the behind...It had a pocket on each side and brown wooden looking buttons up the front. The collar was brown corduroy. I really liked it a lot, but hubby says it was ugly. I guess he won't be buying it for me..{bawling}
I really need a new coat....I have a few of them but they are not really very feminine looking.
One of them is a Green Bay Packers coat...they used to be my favorite team...I haven't worn it in about two years!
I also have a twill Mark Martin coat...it is really nice. Hubby bought it for me last year, but it too, is masculine looking.
I need a really nice women's coat for christmas!!

[kezzer]

I have no idea what to get my mother!! I know what I'm getting my dad. I know they're gonna flip cuz I'm spending money on them but they gave us money for a car as a loan but then abolished the loan so I feel they deserve some awesome gifts.Last year I made them an afghan that they adore but I think it's kinda boring to do that again. Does anybody have any ideas that you can help me with??? PLease?!!

[Karenluvs6]

Oh geesh Kez, I am in the very same dilemma!
I don't know what to buy my mother either...she is so difficult to buy for. She is so picky!!
My mother does so much for hubby and I, and I never ever know what to get for her...for x-mas, birthday, mother's day..etc.

Gang, Kezzer and I really need your help!!

[blinc]

Boy, parents (inlaws) are hard to buy for aren't they? We usually bang our heads on the wall to come up with something. I used this for a mothers day present once for my MIL, don't know why it wouldn't work for christmas... went and found a huge wicker basket, lined it with that fake white easter grass then stuffed it full of scented soaps, scented powders and scented candles. She loves the scented stuff and uses the wicker basket for a clothes basket. Maybe someone could add some poinsettas or christmas decorations in the basket?

This year... not sure yet what to get either one of them and we're running out of time!! heeeeeeeeeeeelllp!!!

Oooh, forgot that I also added scented lotions in there too.