Farrar Posted September 29, 2014 Share Posted September 29, 2014 Trying to be a little more proactive about homemade Christmas gifts this year. What are your favorite projects that kids can make? All three sets of grandparents like to get homemade things. Some ideas can repeat, but others really can't. Tutorial links appreciated when appropriate. I hate giving things that no one wants, so extra points for utile suggestions, food suggestions, and for items that automatically expire (the calendar is nice like that). Our three biggest hits from the past, to get the thread rolling... * Woven potholders on a loop loom * Colored potholders (fabric markers on a premade white potholder, perfect for when they were really little - one set of grandparents still uses theirs) * Homemade art calendars - so we take original artwork, laminate it with the opposite calendar page on the back, and bind the whole thing with a coil binding at Staples - this is always a hit with one grandmother - less with the others We've done other things - lockets made from pressing leaves in Sculpey similar to the project on this link (they were just so-so), photos with homemade magnetic fridge picture frames (good idea that the kids, for whatever reason didn't invest enough effort in), printed handkerchiefs (these were actually super cool, just also very specific - only dh really wanted them), and a few other things... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingersmom Posted September 30, 2014 Share Posted September 30, 2014 15 years later my mother still has a painting hanging in her house that my daughter made and we had framed. Painted coffee mugs or jar to keep change in? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewIma Posted September 30, 2014 Share Posted September 30, 2014 Our biggest hit was buying clear checkbook covers. I cut paper the right size and had the kids paint them with watercolors. They were a huge hit and all the grandparents still use them. Another thing we did was make key chains. I bought shrinky dinks and cut them into large ovals with a big hole on one end. The kids decorated them and after they were baked we out them on key chain loops. I am curious what other ideas people have! I don't have a plan yet for this year!:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corraleno Posted September 30, 2014 Share Posted September 30, 2014 When they were younger, the kids decorated mugs with those ceramic paint pens, which were a big hit with all the grandparents. Lots of home-made Christmas ornaments over the years. DD12 has also done small cross-stitch kits and knitted lots of scarves. She's working on a granny square lap blanket for her grandmother for Christmas this year. My sister once made throw pillows by blowing up my niece's drawings and printing them on fabric. My SIL did a similar thing with photos and drawings and made it into a quilt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kewb Posted September 30, 2014 Share Posted September 30, 2014 Not exactly homemade but you can easily find coupons to make photobooks for the grandparents. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plansrme Posted September 30, 2014 Share Posted September 30, 2014 I took my kids once to one of those paint-your-own pottery places and had them paint breakfast plates. No matter their level of talent, once the piece is fired and glazed, nearly anything looks pretty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FloridaLisa Posted September 30, 2014 Share Posted September 30, 2014 Our biggest homemade hits have been: beeswax candles and aprons with the children's handprints. I'm looking forward to seeing other (no-sew) gift ideas in this thread! Lisa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucy the Valiant Posted September 30, 2014 Share Posted September 30, 2014 Homemade dog treats are well received! Bath salts (for the ladies) Christmas ornaments that involve the children's hands (we did pot-holders w/their hands one year, pillowcases another year; for Thanksgiving, we've done place-holder salt-dough leaves w/people's names - I was surprised how beloved those were by our guests; we sent them home as favors) Fire starters (for our wood-burning friends & family) I haven't done this, but I've seen it done - it would be marvelous for a book-loving-grandparent: Get a children's book and have the child write notes / draw through it, and it can be read together. Notes to the Grandparent throughout (like that dad who wrote the letters to his child in the book Oh! The Places You'll Go!) My son is making paracord bracelets for some of his uncles this year. :) For myself: I ask for my kids to find and learn a new song (I love the sappy ones!), and record themselves on the camera while singing it. Seriously, it's my favorite gift. <3 My husband often (annually or so?) will interview the kids about what they like best about me, and he records their answers on 1 piece of paper that they all sign. I LOVE this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corraleno Posted September 30, 2014 Share Posted September 30, 2014 There are lots of really cute ideas for homemade bookmarks here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andani Posted September 30, 2014 Share Posted September 30, 2014 We've made bird feeders. We found large pine cones and attached a ribbon to the top of each one. Then we smeared them with a mixture of warm peanut butter and vegetable shortening and rolled them in birdseed. They're meant to be put up outside for the winter. People enjoy getting photos of our children. One year we made chocolate dipped pretzel rods. We always bake for the neighbors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happi duck Posted September 30, 2014 Share Posted September 30, 2014 Pillowcases decorated with fabric markers Beaded bookmarks (waxed linen twine with beads and/or charms on the ends) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orthodox6 Posted September 30, 2014 Share Posted September 30, 2014 If you have a bumper crop of woven potholders, hand-sew enough together to make place mats. This can be done with a large needle (the plastic kind sometimes included in craft kits) and yarn. If you have young children with newly-acquired reading skills, make a CD of the child reading a story (to Grandma, to Grandpa, to Aunt Lisa, to whomever. . .). You can buy those miniature CDs that fit into the inner ring of a disc drive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Incognito Posted September 30, 2014 Share Posted September 30, 2014 Handprint cookie cutters and a woven photo blanket were both well received (although the kids don't really *make* them). Christmas ornaments seem to do well with the grandparents. The kids learning an old special song has also gone well. Learning some words of the mother-tongue (if it isn't what the kids already speak, of course) goes well too. Something festive. Older kids at a group I belong to have done decorative pillow covers - quilted. If you choose holiday fabrics, it's a fun, seasonal item. Could be for a season *after* Christmas, so it can be used sooner than a year later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wabi Sabi Posted September 30, 2014 Share Posted September 30, 2014 The kids helped me make several batches of raspberry jam this summer with the intention of giving them as Christmas gifts to their various teachers and instructors. Right all of the jars are just in a box, but as it gets closer to Christmas I'll have them design their own labels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted September 30, 2014 Share Posted September 30, 2014 For many years, my daughter gave decorated candles to family members. She started at about age three. At that age, I cut out shapes for her to affix to the candles. She continued candle decorating over the years and during her college years made wonderful designs of her own creation. Here is a link to the candle decorating wax that we use:Stockmar Decorating Wax ETA: One great advantage of a candle as a gift is that the recipient can either choose to save it or use it.Regards,Kareni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sasharowan Posted September 30, 2014 Share Posted September 30, 2014 Bookmarks with pics of the kids or artwork by the kids (loved and still used by both my parents) calendars with kids' pics (loved and used by Grandma) A handsewn pillow made by my dd, prominently displayed on Grandma's couch!! Homemade cookies are a hit with my sis who has two little ones!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joker Posted September 30, 2014 Share Posted September 30, 2014 We've alwas done handpainted tree ornaments that have a cutout for a picture of both dds. Relatives love them and they get put up every year with all the other Christmas decorations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted September 30, 2014 Share Posted September 30, 2014 you can use beads from seed beads (for earrings) to small pony beads to pony beads (for key chains, or even 'luggage ID tags') they can be used for zipper pulls on jackets or backpacks - or even suitcases to make them unique on that dreaded luggage carousel. there are all sorts of patterns for free online. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ripley Posted September 30, 2014 Share Posted September 30, 2014 I love anything the kids make me, even if it's completely impractical. (Like the year I got knit socks. We were living in the Tropics and I hardly even wore SHOES.) My ex-husband will graciously accept anything the kids make him. But in private he always asks me how long he has to keep it displayed or in use. So for him I try to steer the kids towards either the consumable or the highly practical. And practical by his definition, not by mine. (Because I see the practicality in cloth napkins or placemats. Alas, he does not!) We've also done coasters (ceramic tile or cork), mouse pads (cork), custom address labels printed from home ... paracord lanyards (for keys and work IDs), duct tape (wallets, iPad carry cases, a wildly unpopular tie) ... tie-dyed sleep tees w/store-bought boxers, a hot pad made of framed wine corks, rice heating pads ... desserts in a jar (just add eggs types AND the ready-to-pop-in-the-oven-straight-from-freezer pie types) ... personalized stationary (blank cards/envelopes from craft stores), a perpetual calendar w/important family dates ... DIY snow globes w/personal pictures, custom burned CD and case art, embroidered pillow cases, a recipe book ... hand-stitched "deodorant" sacks (filled w/scented baking soda - for shoes, closets, sports bags), garden stones ... beads: bookmarks, rosaries, eyeglass chains/holder, wine glass markers, jewelry, memory wire napkin holders ... bottle caps: necklaces, zipper pulls, magnets, (<-- w/resin and 1" circle cutter), a wind chime for my grandmother ... bra strap hair ties or headbands (my mom loves these for tennis), DIY infinity scarf for the discerning g'ma ;) LOL ... This year we're venturing into the world of leather crafting. My FIL purchased a leather holster; my son will custom stamp it for my ex. If that's a success, he'll stamp belts for the other boys, bracelets for the girls, and key fobs for the grandparents. The leather stamp tool set is $30. I used 40% off coupons from Michael's & Hobby Lobby to get a few different sets. Blank belts, bracelets and fobs are available in the same aisle at most mega craft stores - reasonably priced IMO. I'm using IE. Is that why I can't link anything? Sorry. But not sorry enough to switch to Chrome or Fox :leaving:! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beth S Posted October 1, 2014 Share Posted October 1, 2014 Our kids make those white plastic plates, every other year. http://www.makit.com/ProductDetail.aspx?ProductCode=K1100 We make one plate for each set of grandparents, with a small contribution by each of our kids. (One year, they each drew their self-portrait. Another time: all of the grandparents' favorite things/hobbies. Another: a nice drawing of the front of their house.) We did the Chicago skyline for their great uncle. This year we're making a simplified Family Tree, with a cartoon-ish tree. I prefer not giving them gifts that add clutter. This thread has been very helpful for me. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted October 1, 2014 Share Posted October 1, 2014 My daughter gave her grandma stationery she made with photos of flowers she took. We bought the card stationery at Staples. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momof3littles Posted October 1, 2014 Share Posted October 1, 2014 rolled beeswax candles potholders from a loom decorated mugs from a kit This year I'm thinking of having them embroider and make cedar sachets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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