This year I have really focused on handmade gifts for our kids, family, and friends. I love getting creative. This year I tried a few new things and also made my usual food gifts (these do change every year but I always make some sort of food gift for everyone).
This year the kids and I did shrinky dinks and made some jewelry. I made the Eloise necklace for myself, a Frozen necklace for Allison and Emmett from The Lego Movie for Scotty as a zipper pull. We also made various charms and ornaments. This was very easy. We used #6 plastic, preheated the oven to 350* and baked for just a bit, they curl then lay flat and then they are done. Watch them carefully, you don't want to over cook them :)
The food gifts were fun! I made Italian Giardeniera, Dill Cheesy Crackers, and Chocolate Fudge. All really easy, the veggies took me only and hour after dinner one night and I ended up with 11 jars. The dill crackers are Cheez-its are coated with a mixture of dill and garlic powder and olive oil then baked slightly. Last we have fudge, everyone has there favorite and it always makes a ton! I also add some of my soap.
I didn't mess around with making my traditional soap since I packed most of the stuff away in the attic, but I found some melt & pour soap base (totally cheated here)that I really liked and just added some goodies to it. I created Coffee Vanilla, Lavender Flower, and Sweet Almond Oatmeal.
This is also a first this year. I made some earrings. I have kept all the rose ones for myself in various colors, but the dahlias were too big for my lobes so I am packaging them up and giving as gifts! They are so beautiful and I chose really brilliant colors so the earrings will brighten a dreary winter day.
Do you make your own gifts? What are your family favorites?
