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myfullhouse 
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 Topic: Christmas Gift Ideas
Posted: 16 September 2010 at 9:43pm |
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I am thinking to make a few of my xmas pressies this year. Here are a few of my ideas:
Christmas Cake baked in a terracotta pot and then decorated
Photo calendar similar to the ones on Snapfish but homemade with photos, scrapbooking stuff etc
Knitting a scarf for a friend in the UK
Sewing an outfit for my niece
Fabric book, then using fabric paints to put a letter of the child's name on each page and pictures of things starting with that letter IYKWIM?
Fabric book with different things to do on each page e.g. zipping up a tent, buttoning a shirt, tie shoe laces IYKWIM?
Do you have any ideas to share?
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NewPhoenix
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Posted: 16 September 2010 at 10:29pm |
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ereynolds
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Posted: 17 September 2010 at 8:52am |
Sand art cookies! I made some for my workmates when I left work and they went down a treat. Mine arent as fancy as these, but this gives you a good idea about how to do them: Bakerella
The ones I made hardly cost me anything either as I got 1 L jars from the Warehouse for something like $2.50 each.
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High9
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Posted: 17 September 2010 at 9:21am |
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I've done the calendar idea before, you could also give soap or bath bombs a go...
You could make teddies, I remember making teddies on day at Guides when I was little. Was out of felt and hand sewn but haven't forgotten how!
You could do cup cakes - some with red, some with green, some with white icing and decorate them xmasy
(Mil always bakes for family gifts)
I am thinking of doing the calendar idea though for my mum with pictures of Lily! Just something she can have on her desk! She says she doesn't have enough photo's of Lily.
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MrsMojo
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Posted: 17 September 2010 at 1:12pm |
One year I made star shaped cookies then dipped one side in white chocolate and the other in dark chocolate and sprinkled over some edible gold glitter, so pretty! You could even do those with a hole through the top and some gold ribbon to hang as edible tree decorations.
Last year I made my brothers in law a "boredom busters" book each filled with activities to do with their sons. I went through stacks of magazines and found different ideas. Typed them up and printed them then bound the pages.
Wheat bags are pretty easy to make.
Monographed napkins.
You can buy blank calendars from the $2 shop in their craft section.
A photo collage.
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myfullhouse
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Posted: 17 September 2010 at 1:14pm |
 ereynolds wrote:
Sand art cookies! I made some for my workmates when I left work and they went down a treat. Mine arent as fancy as these, but this gives you a good idea about how to do them: Bakerella
The ones I made hardly cost me anything either as I got 1 L jars from the Warehouse for something like $2.50 each. |
So basically you give the person all the dry ingredients to make the cookies? I was thinking to give cookie dough last year but didn't have time. This is a great idea!
Now I might have trouble finding enough people to give these great gifts to!!
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MrsMojo
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Posted: 17 September 2010 at 1:47pm |
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That is a great idea ereynolds. It's also something that can be easily adapted for people with allergies or intolerances.
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happymumma
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Posted: 17 September 2010 at 2:52pm |
I love the jar with cookie ingredients idea. Also love the boredom buster idea for BIL - might have to think about who I can use that for.
I'm thinking I will do rocky road and that sort of thing for some of my friends. One of my closest friends is getting a scrap booked mini album (if it looks good enough when I've finished it!). The other is way too crafty herself so she might have to get bath bombs I think.
You can make a body scrub with brown sugar or salt. Use 1/2 cup of almond oil, 1 cup sea salt (not table salt 'cause it's too harsh on the skin) or brown sugar, essential oil of choice (5-15 drops). Just mix in a bowl and pop in a nice jar to store. There are lots of recipes if you google making a sugar or salt body scrub.
I'm also thinking I might try making a hand cream. I just want recipes that last a while once you've made them up. Some of them only seem to keep for a short while before they need to be used.
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Nutella
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Posted: 17 September 2010 at 4:03pm |
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Oh i love the cookie idea, what a cool gift~
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myfullhouse
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Posted: 09 October 2010 at 7:51pm |
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I just bought 10 plastic pots from the Warehouse today for about $8 plus a packet of Basil seeds. Going to take them to my parents tomorrow and Dad is going to help Jack plant the seeds in the pots and we are going to give a pot to each of his Kindy teachers (there are about 6 of them) for xmas, will just decorate the pots closer to the time. All done for less than $20 (incl the soil DH bought today)
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Manda23
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Posted: 18 October 2010 at 9:11pm |
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I have an idea like the cookie one- except its for cake in a mug, you just give the dry ingredients and a mug and they just add the liquid ingredients themselves :) pretty cheap idea!
http://howto.wired.com/wiki/Make_Cake_in_a_Mug
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High9
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Posted: 19 October 2010 at 2:11pm |
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I've gone with the calendar idea, am giving one to her dad, my mum, MIL, and all the great grandparents. Think it will be 'useful' for them!
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Bizzy
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Posted: 22 October 2010 at 12:13pm |
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on the good morning show they had a lady making aftershave for men....
one was just chamomile tea with a few drops of lavender essential oil and put in a spritzer bottle... the other one had vodka and rum and bay leaves and cloves and all spice and orange rind.... then left to develop and strained before being bottled..
depending on who the man is you could get the kids to paint on canvas and give it to them... you can git canvasses quite cheap.
at playgroup for fathers day all the kids put their handprints on a tile, you could date that and get a plate stand or hang it.
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rachndean
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Posted: 22 October 2010 at 9:57pm |
I have got some plain fabric and some fabric paints, I am going to cut some 30x30 squares, give them to the kids with the paint and let them go nuts. Then I am going to sew them into cushion covers for the grandparents  They both need cushions for their couches, and will get the kids to do them in colours that tie in with their colour schemes. I am really excited about it!!
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DD Savannah 18.01.04
DS Austin 04.09.08
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MrsMojo
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Posted: 23 October 2010 at 6:54am |
I've been saving coffee jars rather than recycling them, I'm going to remove the labels then give the kids some glass paints/felts and get them to decorate the jars before filling them with DHs chocolate fudge.
We drink lots of coffee though and I have so many coffee jars now I think I need to come up with more ideas.
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Natalie_G
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Posted: 25 October 2010 at 9:48pm |
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The $2 shop blank calendars sounds like a great idea. I gave a photo in a frame of Arianne on Santa's lap for the Great Grandparents last year and will do the same this year.
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Nutella
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Posted: 18 November 2010 at 6:00pm |
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The other night st scrapbooking we made a Bagelope lol, which is a bag made out of an envelope...was so easy and quick to do. Def can imagine using these for putting fudge etc in....
You can google for examples of how to make these...seriously, they are dead easy and cheaper than buying gift bags (I think)...
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_SMS_
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Posted: 21 November 2010 at 6:54am |
This year i am making bath bombs/salts.
Indoor plant in a pot. Will be getting DD to paint the pot or even put her handprints on if she cooperates 
Gingerbread men in a cellophane bag. You can get gingerbread men in a box for $7 from Countdown. They make quite a few (12ISH) and come with everything you need.
I was going to make fudge aswell but might just make cookies now I love those cowgirl cookies in a jar so i might make that for my sister
Also for all parents and grandparents i was planning on doing a family photo. But they came back really horrible  So now i might just do a nice photo of DD and do a family photo next year when our family has expanded.
Ive also got some of the large baby food jars off a friend i am going to fill with lollies and decorated the lid & jar. Give those to the kiddies.
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jem
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Posted: 30 November 2010 at 8:14pm |
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If anyone is after glass jars try here.... http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=336195810
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MuppetsMama
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Posted: 01 December 2010 at 8:08am |
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Wow love all the ideas in this thread! By the way, I have made those cowgirl cookies from Bakerella a couple of times; they look great in the jar, and are really yummy too.
Keep all the ideas coming, and can we see pictures?
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Christmas Gift Ideas
Oct 11
