What are your plans?

Last year I crocheted, knitted, felted then pieced a blanket for dd and I dyed and pieced a quilt for ds. When I asked dd what she wanted this year she said wooden cars from daddy and a blanket from me. :hbeat:

So this year *she's* getting the quilt and ds is getting an afghan to match his quilt.

For family:
*Thread rack (handmade)
*For one family/4 kids we're making a wooden box and filling it w/art supplies
*Handprint cards- dd's handprint w/ds's handprint on top of it, heart in the middle w/their pic. We'll do this every year to watch how they grow. :hbeat:
*Mantle shelf (handmade) w/candles
*Candleholders (handmade)
*homemade play-doh
*handmade necklace
*wooden puzzles (handmade)
*cutting board (handmade)
*framed print (have the print already, the frame will be handmade)
*hearth rugs from the kids to grandparents (dharma for rugs, kids and I paint)

I've picked up a few things here and there that I thought would be perfect for a family member. I scored at B&N with their summer sale and found $1 stationary for a few of the more girly family member as well as a $1 game that one of the girls will love.

I always get stumped on the teen/older boys though.

can you put me on your christmas list? i'd love anything you listed! i go to your dh's site all the time to show different people how much i want a playstand for ds one day.

anyway...i'm so very impressed that you have so much planned already. and i SO wish i had the talent to make great stuff for presents.

so far, i have a couple of things for ds and a couple of other things i've picked up here and there, but that's it.

i have an art desk and chair and a train table (yard sale and freecycle), and i haven't decided which one i will do at 18 months at christmas and which one i will do for his birthday at 2. but, either way, i have one of those, a set of wooden cars/trucks i got on clearance at tuesday morning, and a children's bible from a yard sale. don't think i'll do much else. nana will take care of everything else and more!

I need good, simple, homemade teacher gifts - I wanted to do end-of-year but was really ill with strep for the last two weeks of school!

I have started a new tradition with family: I make PhotoBooks from MyPublisher. They often send me coupons for buy 1 get 1 free around any holiday. I gather up all the great photos of the kids and put them in an album. They are going to be huge this year. I put captions underneath describing the event, snazzy cover photo/cute title. I give one to my folks and one to the ILs, hardcover, then do a smaller/cheaper paperback version for dh's grandfather and a couple of other extended relatives who like to see pictures of the kids. This year I am going to simplify that and send the extended relatives a photo in a handpainted wooden frame.

For the kids, my planning has not extended beyond birthday: Katie wants a purple velveteen prairie dress with patchwork pinafore. She picked out the fabrics. I have three weeks! :)

I am thinking for Solstice I will make her tons of clothes for her American Girl dolls. She is really into them. And I might spring for purchasing some of the outfits - she has three generic dolls made by the same company as the one that makes American Girl (Gotz) so with the historic outfits each one can be any character from the books.

Jake is so simply satisfied, it actually makes it tough to find things to get him!

Those are my initial thoughts...I usually try to get through birthday first, then start planning Christmas in September. But it's better to start early!

I love the picture book idea! We really haven't thought much about Christmas yet. We also have 3 bday around Christmas to deal with. We have to get through August first. All of Dh's family bdays are in August!!

I have no idea how much it costs so this may not be cheap, but
I have been thinking about making calendars with the kids pics for the grandparents. You know, July has a pic of them with sparklers, October with pumpkins etc. I know you can get stuff like that done at staples but a computer savvy mama might be able to make her own. I am not computer savvy. :rolleyes:

eta: if there is a computer savvy mama here that could do this, I would love to pay a mama to do it instead of staples :)

I'm sorta thinking about this, I'd like to have it done by Oct. 1st.. this year will be hard, since it'll be my first without my grandparents (and we spent Christmas with them last year) - so I just want it over and done with so that I'm not feeling forced to do something I'm not feeling capable of.

Here's my list of who I have to deal with..

Eric (my hubby) -
Lindsey - santa gift - no idea... otherwise, I'm making her bendies and fairy houses.. she'll get some other stuff too, but I'm not sure yet what that will be. New jammies for Christmas eve, and two ornaments for her collection (she chooses one, we choose one, they get them on Thanksgiving to be ready for the tree)
Joshua - his birthday is 12/17.. he'll get some knight figures from a coop.. not sure what else. His santa gift will be the matching castle from the coop and he may get a few accessories as well. I'm giving him pirate and knight and gnome stuff from craft swaps. New jammies, and two ornaments.
Leila - santa gift - rocking horse from magic cabin. New jammies, two ornaments.. an abc book I'm making her with quilt squares from a swap. If she has enough hair that we can tell if it'll be curly, wavy or straight, I'll see if I can get Steph to make her a dolly, otherwise we'll do that next year for her birthday.

My mom..
my Dad..
Eric's mom..
Eric's step-father..
Eric's dad..
Eric's step-mother...

Eric's niece, Xandria.. age 14..
Eric's nephew, Mason.. age 11..

My cousin Zoey.. age 12..
my cousin Hal.. age 11..

My sister's children:
Matthew.. will be 7 on 12/10. We're getting him a design a car set for his birthday.. for Christmas I'm making an ABC quilt. Will do something else too, not sure what else.. maybe homemade playdough.. and I got a sports bottle thing for him too that we'll put his name on. Oh, and a book. I have everything already, except the car design thing.
Jacob.. will be 5 on 11/7. No ideas for his birthday, but he'll be getting the same as his brother for Christmas.
Samantha.. 3... same as her brothers for Christmas.
Nicole.. will be 1 on 10/10. She'll be getting the same as her siblings for Christmas.. her book will be the same as the abc one I"m making Leila. Not sure what we'll do for her birthday.

Eric's step-sister, Kristl..

My friend Amy's children..
Lydia.. 3 1/2. She'll be getting bendies too and either a house or a nature table starter set kind of thing.
William.. he'll be 10 months. ABC book like the other babies in my life.. beyond that, I'm not sure.

What a great list!

I have not planned too much....just been saving money out of dh's paycheck every month. (we do this every year)

We will have 1/2 the amount to spend this year than we usually have to spend.

We'll still follow the 4 categories (4 gifts) for each child:
1. Mind
2. Body
3. Spirit
4. Fun

(barb, I think...... talked about that idea of using categories a year or maybe two ago....we did it for the first time last year and it was a hit!)

We'll also do stockings like usual. And a handmade gift on Yule.

Michelle

Here's my list:

DH- putting on my flame retartant suit but he wants a new ]gun for Christmas- he is in the Army and works with them every day.....

Me-

Freeman- a hardwood dagger from Brianswoodshop
a wooden pirates chest from a swap
mama made LTK felted mocs

Willard- same as Freeman only his things will look different

Gifts to share- some new books, and some new duplo blocks

Baby Benjamin will be only a month- he's getting a teething doll and some clothes

My parents- crocheted star afaghan for thier couch, and a each will get a pair of LTK stripped slippers, something to do with the kids and pictures

MIL- knitted pair LTK stripped slippers, some scrup tops I've sewn, matching tissue holder- keychain, and wallet that I've made

then I have six other people (brother, SIL, and neice/newphew) who will all be getting a pair of knitted slippers.

See a pattern here? The slippers are so easy to knit up and I have lots of yarn in my stash to use.

Is there a free pattern anywhere to make those slippers? I can knit very basic stuff, so it might be fun.

Kerri

Is there a free pattern anywhere to make those slippers? I can knit very basic stuff, so it might be fun.

Kerri

The pattern I am using came from a fellow AW mama at www.littleturtleknits.com. I use both her felted mocs and stripey mocs pattern. Each pattern was $10- but I figure how many times I've used it, it has paid for itself.

There are lots of free patterns here: http://www.knittingpatterncentral.com/directory/slippers.php. Maybe you can find something you like and can knit up.

Tawnya

Just subbing for ideas. We have no artistic abilites so I'm not sure what we will be giving this year. Our list of people to buy for gets smaller each year so that's nice.

I have a lot of kids in my family (nieces/nephews/younger siblings) so I'm going to buy those cheapie wooden letters at Wal-mart and for each person, paint and decorate their name their favorite colors and then glue the letters either to a base board, or the letters together. I'm working on one for my daughter now, and it's turning out well!

Just subbing for ideas. We have no artistic abilites so I'm not sure what we will be giving this year. Our list of people to buy for gets smaller each year so that's nice.

I have about a zillion ideas for the unartistic. LOL

*Playdoh for kids (this will be in my kids stocking and in the art box we're making for neice & nephews)
*Food mixes- dress them up with ribbons, handpainted paper (have the kids decorate it!)
*Clear glass ornaments with curled paper inside, paint pens to write names or Christmas greetings (joy, peace, love, etc.)
*Homemade Gak (recipe if you need it)
*Handmade chocolates in kid-decorated box
*Homemade loaf of fresh bread, we've done this for neighbors and our postman and they love it. Many people just don't have the time to do it themselves!
*Placemats & napkins- simple sewing skills needed but super easy!
*Salt dough decorations
*Jewelry-super easy
*Pillows- again, basic sewing skills only
*Make a "cook book" with your fav recipes
*Frame kids "art"
*Make a flower press


I have a bunch of other ideas written down somewhere... I'll try to find them. :)

I like the category idea for gifts.

I don't do much beyond immediate family. But I think if we stay military (iffy at this point) then I will do more for the extended parts this year. :) I have always wanted to, but haven't had the means. This year I would like to make that happen.


DH - me ;) and maybe I will make up a couple of pairs of lounge pants for him

Austin (10) absolutely no clue

Nathan (9) he is too easy anything I find he would like

Adam (6) he is very picky and I never know if he will like what I give him until he opens it (oye)

Lauren (5) I have a lap quilt I am making for her made out of fabric that has candy all over it. :)

I made these type of scrap books for Mothers day. I had the boys color pictures that we "hid" inside the bag. They were a big hit. Cheap and came out really nice looking:

http://www.scrapbookie.com/paperbagscrapbook.htm

This is a Christian based web site (Mormon) but there are some neat ideas that are non- religious.
I have made the folding book also for gifts. It takes a few sheets of 12x12 scrap book paper, a few stickers and some creativity.

http://www.theideadoor.com/Crafthelps.html#Folding%20Book

But I think extended family- especially if they live far away always appreciates pictures.

Tawnya

i got christmas presents for isaac's 8 playgroup buddies. not totally necessary to get a present, but i knew i would bake or do something little for the families at least. i spent 16.80 yesterday and got great presents for each of them

$1 bins at target...really cute blue/green and pink/purple zipper bags with little handles
$1 table at barnes and noble (there were a TON of books for $1)...farm animal books
$0.10 pack of 24 crayons
i have some big index cards already

i'm going to put the book, crayons, and index cards in the little bag and make car trip, restaurant, appointment, etc. activity bags. so i spent 2.10 on each of them...plus tax.

I would like to make a disclaimer that most likely I will NOT be doing much 2 wks before I am due... so therefor I am BUYING (yes BUYING) most of my Christmas gifts this year. lol...

I actually feel pretty good about it... but don't know how we are going to afford it all. As I figure that out I may have to come back and change my disclaimer. lol...

Val

PS It down right freaks me out to think that school starts in 3 wks, Alex is coming home the week before, and I am nearly half way though this pregnancy. Then I think of Halloween (I just made Cyan a Halloween cicle skirt) and then Thanksgiving, and then Christmas... and OMG. Yeah... I try not to think about Christmas at all. lol!

I have no idea how much it costs so this may not be cheap, but
I have been thinking about making calendars with the kids pics for the grandparents. You know, July has a pic of them with sparklers, October with pumpkins etc. I know you can get stuff like that done at staples but a computer savvy mama might be able to make her own. I am not computer savvy. :rolleyes:

eta: if there is a computer savvy mama here that could do this, I would love to pay a mama to do it instead of staples :)

Hey Mama,

I've done this for our parents the last couple of years. It's really easy. I use my print program to edit the pictures I want to use (I do a collage of pics for each month), add important dates to the month that I know they want to remember, sometimes I add little captions under the pictures.

I print it on my printer on heavyweight cardstock, then I take it to Staples to have it bound. DH works at Staples and while they do not get an employee discount on a regular basis, at that time of the year, they sometimes have a week or two that they offer a 15% discount to employees. That's when I usually have it bound, and it's really a minimal expense. The most cost involved is the ink that I end up using, but it's still cheaper than taking the pics somewhere else to have the calendar made.

If you're serious about wanting to do something like this, I'd be happy to do it for you. I'm actually in the process of doing some advertising locally to create projects like this for people and type term papers and such.

You could put the pics on a cd and send them to me and then I could do everything here and then send them to you when they're finished.

Let me know if you'd be interested.