Handmade Christmas Gifts

I'm a big fan of giving and receiving handmade gifts for many reasons. I like gifts to be about a thought rather than the amount of money spent. I like holidays to be focused on things other than presents, pressure and items. I like to focus on experiences, words and thoughtfulness. The act of making handmade gifts is also a fun creative outlet for me and the boys. That said, here are the gifts we did this year;

Instead of doing our traditional cookie baking this year I decided to simplify and go with chocolate dipped pretzel rods covered in sprinkles. I got all of the stuff set up but the boys were able to do this mostly on their own with some supervision from me. They enjoyed making and eating these goodies and had such pride when they were able to give their teachers items that they themselves had made.

Every year we make a different ornament for our family members and close friends. This year we did these super simple birdseed ornaments that can be hung outside to feed the birds (or inside if you prefer). Eli was able to help me press this mixture down into the cookie cutters and poke in straws for the holes.

For the grandparents I always try to incorporate something that the boys are able to make. This year we did these note cubes. This was so quick and easy. I bought plain note cubes and let the boys color all over the sides with markers.

This Chocolate Peppermint Lip Gloss was super easy to mix up and smells quite festive.

I melted 1/4 c un-petroleum jelly and 1/4 c coconut oil in the microwave at 30 second intervels. Then stirred in 1 stevia packet, 1 tsp cocoa powder and 6 drops of peppermint oil until well mixed. Then I poured the mixture into these little lip gloss pots and let it sit for a few hours until it solidified.

These Curried Lentil and Wild Rice Soup Mixes are super easy to whip up and all the receiver has to do is add 7 cups of water and 25 minutes of cooking and dinner is served.

For these I layered 1/2 cup green lentils, 1/2 cup red lentils and 3/4 cup wild rice in a pint jar.  Then I mixed together 1 Tbsp sugar, 1.5 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, 1 tsp dried parsley, 1 Tbsp curry powder, 2 tsp turmeric, 1/2 tsp cumin, 1/4 tsp ginger and 1/4 tsp coriander and put in a small bag. I set the bag in the jar on top of the rice and attached a label instructing to rinse the rice and lentils in a strainer, then put them in a large pot with 7 cups of water and simmer for 25 minutes, or until the rice and lentils are tender.

Two of my boys got these stuffed owls because they were obsessed with them when I made them for friends.

And the third boy got one of these monsters.

For more of my handmade gift ideas sort through my older posts by selecting the Gifts/ Holiday label in the sidebar.

Handmade Baby Shower Gifts

Here are some of my favorite handmade gifts to give and make as of late for baby showers and 1 year old birthdays.

These skirts are so simple to make. I mostly followed this tutorial.

This sweet little doll. I mostly followed this pattern but increased the size.

These simple headbands.

This monogram onesie, baby bow tie, paci clip, bandana bib and giraffe rattle.

These stuffed owls. I mostly followed this pattern but eliminated the feet.

These stuffed monsters are a more masculine alternative to the owls for little boys. I mostly followed this pattern but eliminated a few steps and increased the size with my copy machine.

Chase Rescue Bots Felt Mask

I whipped up several of these masks for birthday presents for a Rescue Bots party for 3 boys.  I started off with grand plans to make one mask for each character for each boy and then real life happened and each boy ended up with only 1... oh well.  I couldn't find a pattern on the web so I had Jeremy draw one for me and then took it from there.  Noah has been on a huge Rescue Bot kick lately so he is thrilled that I made him one also.

Felt Crown and Owl Mask

I made this felt owl mask and felt crown for a special little girl's birthday.  I've really been enjoying whipping up some super quick projects with felt lately.  I used this template (minus the eyelashes) for the owl, and this template for the crown.

Super Hero Masks

I followed this tutorial to make some felt super hero masks for a little boy's birthday.  Noah loved the masks (or mask-es as he calls them) so much that I made him a set also.

Handmade gifts

This year I wasn't feeling as creative or ambitious as I normally am, but I still managed to make a few homemade gifts for Christmas and some upcoming birthdays.

some clothespin magnets/ chip clips

some homemade note cards

a chalkboard platter from a dollar store serving tray

some monogram tote bags

salt dough Christmas ornaments (the ones with letters are for tying to gifts to label who they are for)

some fabric and marble necklaces

felt dolls

glass marble magnets

chalkboard placemat

kids tool belt

baby crinkle squares and giraffe rattles

a fabric covered journal

a kids apron

Merry Christmas!!!!!!!!

Quick Mother's Day Gifts

Noah whipped up a few Mother's Day gifts for the moms in our lives.  We took plain flour sack kitchen towels, stamped his hands with fabric paint, and used rubber stamps for the wording and numbers.  He had so much fun doing it, and loved seeing his hand prints laying out to dry the following day.  He was very proud of his craft, but he kept calling them foot prints instead of hand prints.

handmade Christmas gifts

Here are some of the Christmas presents I made this year...

I took a free box of old ornaments from the curb, and a little scrap fabric from a friend's stash and turned them into these...

scrap fabric ornaments

I used more scrap fabric to make a few adult and kid sized headbands

and some key chain wristlets

a key chain chapstick holder

some sweetheart and initial necklaces

some photo cubes/ paper weights 

and some interchangeable doll blocks

May your Christmas be merry and Christ centered!

fabric journal cover

I used some scrap fabric to make a composition book/ journal cover for a friend.  I followed this tutorial, but added a small pen pocket to the front.  next time I would also add some elastic stitched in the back flap to serve as a bookmark.  

doily pillow

I managed to squeeze in a quick nap time project and recover another living room pillow.  I'm loving adding some delicate, neutral touches to living room.

the final stocking

now my stocking is done and the whole collection is complete.

another stocking

now Jeremy's and Noah's stockings are finished, just mine left to go.

Christmas stocking

the last several years in a row I have been wanting to sew us Christmas stockings.  every year I forget about it until I start decorating, and by then I'm in full swing of holiday parties and gift making and never have any extra time to sew stockings.  so this year I started early.  I'm designing and sewing 3 different burlap stockings, one for each of us, and this was the first to be complete.  a quick and easy project that I hope to use for years to come.

anthro knock off mug

I was inspired by these knock off anthropologie mugs, to make my own S mug.  I don't think that my version is anywhere near as cool as the actual anthro mugs, or the knock offs, but I was able to make this from mugs, stamps, and paint that I already had on hand, so for free, I'll take it.  It's a fun way to add some personalized design and color to our existing white mugs.

Saints Football Baby Shower

We had the privilege of hosting a baby shower for two sweet friends who are soon to be expecting a new addition.  As soon as my friend knew she was pregnant she had already started dreaming up themes for her shower.  Since her husband played college football, and currently coaches high school football, she thought that a Saints theme would be fun.  She also wanted a co-ed shower, which I thought went perfectly with having a Saints football theme.  It was perfect, very guy friendly and not too baby or girlish.

The invitations were fun.  I found a free ticket template on the internet and filled in the appropriate details and party information.  I printed them on white cardstock, cut, and stuffed in envelopes.

The decorations were fairly simple.  I made some bunting out of black and gold car stock, and  misc. Saints items that we already had lying around.  I used astro turf to cover the table and laid out some black and gold mardis gras beads on it.  I made food tent cards with black and gold bunting, and some black and gold cupcake wrappers and toppers.  I also made "pentalty flag" lollipop favors for everyone. (shown in the football bowl)

The time together was fun.  We ate, played a Saints trivia game, chatted, and showered the couple with prayer and gifts.  I had planned to have a football toss outside for one of the games, but changed my mind last minute as New Orleans is VERY hot in August.

The food wasn't exactly New Orleans, Saints, or football related, but I stuck with most of the couple's favorites.  They love Mexican food, jalapenos, and fruit desserts, so I catered to those tastes.  It was more hearty that most dainty shower food, which fit well for a lunch time, co-ed, shower.  Here's what I served;

passion tea lemonade

alcholic, and non-alcoholic beer

bacon wrapped cream cheese stuffed jalapenos

guacamole

salsa

carnitas (with homemade pickled onions and jalapenos)

watermelon

queso blanco (but I used a can of rotel in place of the jalapeno and tomatoes)

banana pudding

lemon blueberry cupcakes

Here are some of the gifts that I made for the baby;

a pink rosette headband and C onesie

 a Saints/ black and gold rosette headband and a football onesie

a cuddly football blanket

a soft, crinkly football tag toy with the extra material from the blanket