Homemade Holiday Gifts

JakeTulane · 11-24-2010, 01:14 PM

Great thread, Novela. smiles.

I make semi-precious and precious stone jewelry. Right now, I focus alot on bracelets. However, I can make necklaces and earrings as well. I actually started out doing this as a form of meditation... at the urging of a friend of Mine out West. I quickly learned I was not to bad at it.. so I started giving the creations I made away as gifts. That kind of took off.. and I now have My own Etsy shop. I have made some for the members of this very site, whether they ordered them from Me or I have sent them as gifts.

More than anything, I like the knowing that someone is wearing something I handmade just for them. By their choosing of the colors, stone type, charm, or what have you that I might use.

I love the idea of making the tassled bookmarks. I am an avid reader and would enjoy receiving one of those as a gift, indeed.

Same with the making if jams and jellies. When My late maternal Gram was alive she would make Italian (My ethnicity) cookies each year. Anise, etc. We would help her frost them all (and there seemed like a zillion on the table at the time, laughs), and then help her package them up in tins and she would gift them to all the neighbors, family, and friends both here and all the way to California.

I think there are alot of great ideas out there right now, given the economy on how to still share "the love" with friends and family and not have to empty our wallets out to do so. In that vein of thinking, is that not what we should have been doing all along anyhow? smiles.

Novelafemme · 11-24-2010, 01:34 PM

Jake, I would love to see your beedwork! Can you link us to your etsy site?

I also have loving memories of my mom and grandmother making canned goods. At the time we kiddos would tease them that they would can anything that didn't move. Now I realize how much of a necessity it was for us to make it through the winter on a tighter food budget.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JakeTulane

Great thread, Novela. smiles.

I make semi-precious and precious stone jewelry. Right now, I focus alot on bracelets. However, I can make necklaces and earrings as well. I actually started out doing this as a form of meditation... at the urging of a friend of Mine out West. I quickly learned I was not to bad at it.. so I started giving the creations I made away as gifts. That kind of took off.. and I now have My own Etsy shop. I have made some for the members of this very site, whether they ordered them from Me or I have sent them as gifts.

More than anything, I like the knowing that someone is wearing something I handmade just for them. By their choosing of the colors, stone type, charm, or what have you that I might use.

I love the idea of making the tassled bookmarks. I am an avid reader and would enjoy receiving one of those as a gift, indeed.

Same with the making if jams and jellies. When My late maternal Gram was alive she would make Italian (My ethnicity) cookies each year. Anise, etc. We would help her frost them all (and there seemed like a zillion on the table at the time, laughs), and then help her package them up in tins and she would gift them to all the neighbors, family, and friends both here and all the way to California.

I think there are alot of great ideas out there right now, given the economy on how to still share "the love" with friends and family and not have to empty our wallets out to do so. In that vein of thinking, is that not what we should have been doing all along anyhow? smiles.

Greyson · 11-24-2010, 01:52 PM

I am not a great cook or a crafter type of person. But... I could give out "rainchecks" for things like washing and detailing their car, ironing one weeks worth of work clothes, dog walking, yard work, taking the kids for a couple of hours to the movies or library so mom can get a break.

Do you think these types of gifts would be useful to some? I tend to go with gift certificates but the like most, the budget is less this year.

Novelafemme · 11-24-2010, 01:58 PM

GREY!!! That is a FABULOUS idea

And if you don't mind, I'm gonna steal it

I love that!! My girls are forever begging for back tickles, so these coupons will help regulate them to a more forgiving schedule!! YAY!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Greyson

I am not a great cook or a crafter type of person. But... I could give out "rainchecks" for things like washing and detailing their car, ironing one weeks worth of work clothes, dog walking, yard work, taking the kids for a couple of hours to the movies or library so mom can get a break.

Do you think these types of gifts would be useful to some? I tend to go with gift certificates but the like most, the budget is less this year.

katsarecool · 11-24-2010, 02:14 PM

I love making gifts for family members!!! If I had a dime for every scarf and mitten set I have knitted over the years I would be weathly!

This year for the little ones in my life; they are each getting a story/coloring book with watercolor illustrations written and painted by me. The boys and I love to make up stories.

I love the idea of food and herbs in decorative jars and homemade brownies and cookies.

Random · 11-24-2010, 02:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Greyson

I am not a great cook or a crafter type of person. But... I could give out "rainchecks" for things like washing and detailing their car, ironing one weeks worth of work clothes, dog walking, yard work, taking the kids for a couple of hours to the movies or library so mom can get a break.

Do you think these types of gifts would be useful to some? I tend to go with gift certificates but the like most, the budget is less this year.

Greyson..

I for one LOVE...LOVE...LOVE rainchecks and personal coupons...

I feel.. it's easy to write a check, or whip out the plastic, but it's harder to give the gift of self and time...

Lol.. you do have to gadge what would be received well... For me.. a coupon for doing laundry wouldn't go over as well as detailing her car... (I suck at laundry and she doesn't mind doing it... but she likes a clean car and hardly ever gets around to cleaning it..)

11-24-2010, 01:52 PM	#3
Greyson Infamous Member How Do You Identify?: Transmasculine/Non-Binary Preferred Pronoun?: Hy (Pronounced He) Relationship Status: Married Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: SF Bay Area Posts: 6,589 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 21,132 Thanked 8,146 Times in 2,005 Posts Rep Power: 21474858	I am not a great cook or a crafter type of person. But... I could give out "rainchecks" for things like washing and detailing their car, ironing one weeks worth of work clothes, dog walking, yard work, taking the kids for a couple of hours to the movies or library so mom can get a break. Do you think these types of gifts would be useful to some? I tend to go with gift certificates but the like most, the budget is less this year. __________________ Sometimes you don't realize your own strength until you come face to face with your greatest weakness. - Susan Gale

11-24-2010, 02:14 PM	#5
katsarecool Member How Do You Identify?: Femme Preferred Pronoun?: She, Her, Woman Relationship Status: Single Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Between Athens and Atlanta, Georgia Posts: 1,236 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 3,849 Thanked 1,765 Times in 734 Posts Rep Power: 323367	I love making gifts for family members!!! If I had a dime for every scarf and mitten set I have knitted over the years I would be weathly! This year for the little ones in my life; they are each getting a story/coloring book with watercolor illustrations written and painted by me. The boys and I love to make up stories. I love the idea of food and herbs in decorative jars and homemade brownies and cookies. __________________

11-24-2010, 01:14 PM	#1
JakeTulane Timed Out How Do You Identify?: Mr. Prickly Porcupine Preferred Pronoun?: Butch - Hy, Hym, Hys Relationship Status: She has softened My quills Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Permanently Banned 8/8/2011 Posts: 4,880 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 6,221 Thanked 5,264 Times in 2,732 Posts Rep Power: 0	Great thread, Novela. smiles. I make semi-precious and precious stone jewelry. Right now, I focus alot on bracelets. However, I can make necklaces and earrings as well. I actually started out doing this as a form of meditation... at the urging of a friend of Mine out West. I quickly learned I was not to bad at it.. so I started giving the creations I made away as gifts. That kind of took off.. and I now have My own Etsy shop. I have made some for the members of this very site, whether they ordered them from Me or I have sent them as gifts. More than anything, I like the knowing that someone is wearing something I handmade just for them. By their choosing of the colors, stone type, charm, or what have you that I might use. I love the idea of making the tassled bookmarks. I am an avid reader and would enjoy receiving one of those as a gift, indeed. Same with the making if jams and jellies. When My late maternal Gram was alive she would make Italian (My ethnicity) cookies each year. Anise, etc. We would help her frost them all (and there seemed like a zillion on the table at the time, laughs), and then help her package them up in tins and she would gift them to all the neighbors, family, and friends both here and all the way to California. I think there are alot of great ideas out there right now, given the economy on how to still share "the love" with friends and family and not have to empty our wallets out to do so. In that vein of thinking, is that not what we should have been doing all along anyhow? smiles.