Homemade With Love - 2007

Updated to add: Seriously! Already, the few people that have participated on the Mister Linky have posted the most adorable ideas! You MUST check them out!! All of them! Man, I only wish I had a portion of their talent!

ALSO ADDED: Don't forget to check out Chilihead's Christmas Shopping Carnival today!

It's finally here! My second annual Homemade with Love Gift Idea Exchange! And not only am I excited to share with you some ideas I have, but I'm excited to see all the creative ideas YOU have to share! I promise not to overload you with tons of ideas like last year. I've placed the pictures in a slide show, and if you hover your cursor over the picture, it should stop. You can also go to the instructions page and see all of them. What can I say ... I was just so excited! And last year, I concentrated mostly on home-baked items. This year, I've got mostly home-crafted items to share with you.

If you have a Homemade with Love idea to share, post it on your blog today, then come back and add your name and the link to your post on the Mister Linky, along with your gift idea next to your name (i.e.: GiBee: Snowman Paver). And don't forget... if you participate with an idea on your blog and place your name on the Mister Linky, I'll be drawing some lucky winners for some of my own "Homemade with Love" items tomorrow!

Just a few housekeeping things: You can CLICK HERE for all directions and materials needed for each of these crafts. I'll provide the link again at the end of this post. Also, I've divided this in two sections: Thanksgiving Season Decorating and Christmas Gift Giving Ideas. I decided to throw in a few easy things for Thanksgiving, since last year, I recall that many people were looking for fresh decorating ideas.

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"Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms."

(1 Peter 4:10)

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And, really ... that's what a homemade gift is -- not something that is perfectly made and coordinated, but rather, a little bit of God's grace, like a piece of your heart, that you've taken the time to share with another person.
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Now, without further delay, here we go!

Thanksgiving Season Decorating and Gift Ideas

Thanksgiving Idea #1: Toilet Paper Roll Pumpkins -- I loved the simplicity and affordability of this little decorative pumpkin. Total spent on materials for four pumpkins: $3.29

Thanksgiving Idea #2: Painted Pumpkin Paver -- so easy, so quick, so cheap! Looks great on the front porch steps. Total spent on materials for one paver pumpkin:

Thanksgiving Idea #3: Pumpkin Topiary -- I'm always trying to find "FALL" decorating ideas, and I thought these topiaries were really beautiful, and very easy to make. Total spent on materials for two pumpkin topiaries: just under $45.00, total for only one: $22.46.

Christmas Gift Giving Ideas

The first two ideas came about while we were preparing for our recent retreat at church.

Christmas Gift Idea #1: A Homemade CD Collection -- We gave each lady at our retreat a 4-pack CD with some favorite songs on them. You can choose holiday favorites, Christian contemporary songs, worship songs, secular songs (I love all the Grey's Anatomy songs) ... whatever you want to choose to fit either your personality or your gift-receiver's personality. I have made a 3-volume Kisses of Sunshine Favorites, chock full of my favorite Christian contemporary music and worship music. Total spent for one 3-volume CD gift: $1.77

Variation on idea: You don't have to stick with just music. You can use simple software to create a beautiful slide show set to music with your special pictures of your loved ones.

Christmas Gift Idea #2: A Homemade Frame with Special Scripture: I selected this as the craft for our retreat because it was something that everyone could do easily, it looked great, and was a special reminder of the weekend. It would fit in nicely as a gift to a family member or close friend with their "life scripture" or another favorite scripture verse, or you can make it as a seasonal frame with a Christmas saying on it. The most expensive part of this craft idea is the frame. Total spent on the 11x14" colored frame: $10.99; Total spent on the 11x14" blue and brown frame:$10.99; Total spent on the 8x5" Christmas frame: $9.99

Christmas Gift Idea #3: Hand Painted Pavers: Oh, my goodness, I can't even begin to express the fun I had making these. It all began with a couple ideas in an old craft magazine I had, and when I went online to research them, I found the most adorable pavers which I have shamelessly tried to duplicate. Total spent on Snowman paver: $7.90; total spent on Gingerbread paver: $8.23; total spent on Ladybug paver: $0.00; total spent on Dragonfly paver: $7.73

Christmas Gift Idea #4: Hand Embroidered and Embellished Kitchen Towel: This actually turned out to be a lot easier than I anticipated. I am not handy with an embroidery needle, but if I can do it, ANYONE can!!! Total spent on Kitchen Towel: $6.25

Christmas Gift Idea #5: Garden Stepping Stone: This is a sweet idea for a grandchild to give to a grandparent, and it's easy and fun, too. You can really use your imagination and go wild ... or, you can let your child do it, which isn't as much fun... for you ... but IS a ton of fun for them. Total spent on Stone: $9.54

Christmas Gift Idea #6: Picture Ornament: I love this little ornament. It was so easy to make, and cheap, cheap, cheap. You can make it for a family member (aunts, uncles, and grandparents would love this) or you can select a special picture of you and a girlfriend, or of your wedding day, or of any other special memory you want to hang from your tree! This was such an easy craft item, but I love how it turned out. Total spent on Ornament: $0.76

Christmas Gift Idea #7: Snowman Tin for Goodies: How adorable is this sweet little tin bucket? It's hand painted with a snowman's face, and can be loaded with candy, baked treats, nuts, a plant, the possibilities are totally endless. My own painting skills are shaky, but the point of the gift is that it's homemade ... not perfect. I've loaded it with some fixings for a Winter Salad, and included the recipes on a card. Total spent on Snowman Tin for Goodies: $1.99

Christmas Gift Idea #8: Christmas Sundae Basket: Each year, I give my neighbors a little gift to let them know we're thinking of them. This year, they are getting a simpler variation of this Sundae basket, but this one will be given to a friend. It is filled with a home-made topping, hot fudge (store bought because I ran out of time), nuts, sprinkles, and all the things that make a Sundae yummy! If you want, you could even make some homemade ice cream to give out too! I've put a homemade peppermint sauce, some hot fudge, sprinkles, chopped nuts, white chocolate peppermint crunch, four acrylic bowls, and one ice cream scoop in the basket. Total spent on Sundae Basket: $19.03 (but can be WAY cheaper if you cut out a lot of purchased stuff or get stuff at the dollar store, or more expensive if you put a family movie in it).

Christmas Gift Idea #9: Recipe Album: This gift idea may take a bit more time, but the recipient will enjoy receiving a collection of recipes that are close to your heart. Total spent on album will vary with number of recipes you print out and number of pictures you take and develop, but the album can be found on clearance, and the gift will be a treasure they hold on to for years and years. Total spent on album alone: $13.00

Christmas Gift Idea #10: Scripture Journal: This gift is very economical, but it will provide the recipient a jump-start to learning how to select special scriptures and storing them away. This idea was presented to the ladies of our church at our retreat this past October by the spunky and sweet speaker we had, and I thought it would be a wonderful thing to pass down to your high school grad that's gearing up for college, your engaged child who is beginning their life as a married couple, a shut-in, or even a friend who might be going through a fire and needs some timely truth and encouragement. Total spent on Scripture Journal: $5.20

Christmas Gift Idea #11: Spicy Rub Basket: I love this idea... you make the rubs, pack them up nicely, and share them with your friends, family, neighbors. Fun, fun! Here I've made a standard Beef BBQ rub, my special Pork BBQ Rub, and a Spicy Cajun Chicken Rub. It's going to a very special bloggy friend ... she knows who she is! Total spent on project: $4.50

Complete Directions, Ingredients and Pictures are HERE.

Last Year's Ideas are HERE with instructions HERE

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Homemade With Love Participants

1. Shalee 2. Randi 3. tonsofsons ~ decorative clipboard 4. Robinznest - Candied Nuts and a Cute Gift Bag 5. chilihead (placemat purse) 6. Beth/Mom2TwoVikings (Cmas flowers) 7. Erin (Monogram Ornament) 8. Melissa (beaded serving spoons)

9. Michele (Tin Punched Ornaments) 10. Laurel Wreath (chex Mix) 11. Tons of Sons ~ decorative clipboards ~ right link this time 12. Barbara H. (Personalized Scripture) 13. Cindy (PrairieMousesHouse) 14. Tammy and Parker (Christmas) 15. Tammy and Parker (Thanksgiving) 16. tonsofsons ~ 3rd attempt (:

17. Barbara H. (Soft trees) 18. Michelle (Tin Punched Ornaments) 19. Tammy and Parker (Christmas) 20. Becky (Handmade Note Cards) 21. Barb @ A Chelsea Morning (several things!) 22. TIckled Pink (decoupage Christmas photo frames) 23. SchoolinRhome (ornaments and more)

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