Thursday, October 29, 2009

Have yourself a homemade little Christmas...



So I had just posted my Facebook status of how unmotivated I feel today after a day of intense writring yesterday, when I read my dear friend and fellow writer LORI CHALLY's facebook post, and it says she's making homemade Christmas gifts.
At 8 in the morning.

After a rude Martha Stewart comment to her, I decided to take her lead =)

I've been playing around with more homemade, personalized gift ideas this year because A. money is tighter than usual as I won't be getting my Christmas bonus from work (yay, no more work! trust me, this is fine. lol) and B. my husband is still facing a likely layoff December 31st.

Anyone want to toss around some ideas for homemade decorations or gifts? I like doing homemade gift tags, those are fun and easy to get creative with - its the actual gifts I struggle with as my artistry lies solely in writing, and not in scissors and fabric or sewing or glue.
What are you doing for the holidays this year? Storebought, homemade, or a mix of both?

PS - Speaking of holidays, check out my cover for my February release from Steeple Hill, A VALENTINE'S WISH, now posted on Amazon. Don't you love it?? =)


12 comments:

Erica Vetsch said...

Good morning, Betsy!

I'm so terribly unhandy. My homemade Christmas gifts are usually cookies and peanut brittle.

I'd love to know what the Martha Stewart comment was. :D

Carmen said...

Would love the pattern instructions for the Christmas sock!

Christine Goldman Sims said...

Betsy,

Love the cover! As for homemade gifts, we too are doing them this year. We're doing enlargements of family portraits from our wedding for all the family. I'm also making christmas takeout boxes of cookies and homemade apple butter for everyone. If you want the apple butter recipe, let me know. I have not made it before, but it looks incredibly easy because it's a crockpot recipe! Hope you guys are doing well.

Sarah Varland said...

Aw, Betsy, how exciting! Can't wait to read it. =)

Lori said...

I can't tell you what I'm making because, well, then it won't be a surprise. :)

But the kids are making mini scrapbooks for the grandparents. They're going to be so cute!

Lori said...

P.S. Love the cover! :)

Tonya said...

aww, I love the cover and the homemade gift idea!
When my mom makes homemade gifts she like to do toll painting. A lot of time she's takes like a mason jar or votive cup and spray paints it. Then puts stencil over it to paint a little picture. when that's done she puts a candle on top.
you could make cookies or kettle corn and put them in a pretty box.
and these two are my favotite:
you could make jewelry- there's tons of beads and things at crafts store that are adorable
or you could crochet a scarf. you'd have to learn how to crochet and that could take sometime but I taught myself and if you devote yourself to one stitch, like single crochet, and get a nice yarn you'd be able to do it! If you want pick this and want to know about yarn shoot me an email,yarn and crochet are something I have knowledge in! :)

Shae Pendleton said...

This year I bought little pots to plant tiny herb gardens for gifts. Another cute idea is making chocolate chip cookie mix by layering the ingredients in a jar. Or a jar of hot chocolate mix, with layers of toffee bits, chocolate chips, white chocolate, crushed candy canes... :)

Georgiana Daniels said...

What a beautiful cover!!!

The only thing I'm making is the blanket I started eons ago for hubby. Crocheting 90 squares has taken me longer than I thought. Hope you think of something!

Eileen Astels Watson said...

What a lovely cover. I used to make PJ's for each of us to wear Christmas Eve, but lately I've just been shopping for them. Too much yardage needed with the girls aging.

Edna said...

I love to make any type of craft, my thing is now the embroidery machine and I have made some beautiful ornaments on it and my all time favorite is crochet, but there is just so much you can do with that now. I just made a baby blanket and gave it at a shower today, my grandson and his girlfriend is haveing a baby, You know they are not at all ashamed about it, that make 2 of my grandsone that has done that to us this year, Where is the morale of these young people?

mamat2730(at)charter(dot)net

Christiana said...

What a beautiful cover!

I design jewelry. Or at least, I used to before I decided to return to my first love -- writing. With three boys ages 8, 6, and 4, I only have time for one hobby, and even that is sporadic at best.

Anyway, it's not that hard to learn. I taught myself out of a magazine and I had a business and sold on Etsy.com for a while.

Earrings are especially easy, and who doesn't love a unique pair of earrings?