What are some crafts that make good gifts?

December came all too quickly. I woke up today and realized that it is already December 12th, and I have 12 days to do all of my Christmas shopping/making/etc. However, I really don't know what to get anyone.





I usually like to do some kind of crafty thing in bulk and give everyone in my family one. That has always worked well in the past, and I'd like to do the same this year. I'm short on cash and time this year, however, and I'm having trouble coming up with ideas. My budget for materials is probably about $100, and I have to make things for 10-15 adult women and 3-5 adult men.





I have fairly good jewelrymaking/beadwork skills, I know how to knit (though only the basics), and I can do basic stitching. There is a large craft store nearby that I can get my materials at. Baking is always an option, also, but that tends to be unoriginal.


I have started knitting multicolored ear warmers, but I won't be able to finish enough of them by Christmas.





Ideas are greatly appreciated!

What are some crafts that make good gifts?
You can make the ear warmers for the men %26amp; beaded jewelry for the women. Bead earrings can be quick and simple or a bead pendant on a silk cord. You can personalize them by using the recipient's favorite color(s).





Instead of baked goods you can:





1. Make flavored oil or herb flavored vinegars %26amp; decant them into pretty bottles. Tie cards with recipes/ideas to the bottles with a pretty ribbon. See websites below.





2. Put together the dry ingredients for your favorite cookie recipe in individual jars (i.e. Ball canning jars) %26amp; include instructions.





3. A jar of homemade hot chocolate mix is another option:


powdered milk, cocoa powder, sugar, vanilla powder/cinnamon, pinch of salt - shift together %26amp; put into jars. Proportions of ingredients depend on your taste.





4. Dry ingredients for popcorn flavoring with some conventional or unusual popcorn. (ex. blue corn, organic popcorn - check whole foods)





5. Flavored or caramel popcorn or easy to make candy/brittle/chocolate bark.





Refer to links below.





www.foodnetwork.com is a good place to search for other ideas %26amp; recipes like salad dressings, seasoning mixes, BBQ rubs, Chex mix or granola/trial mix.





6. Bath salts - epsom salts mixed with lavender %26amp; other dried flowers. Stir in a tiny amount of essential oil if desired.





7. Get a soap making kit to make decorative, scented soaps.





Good luck %26amp; happy holidays.
Reply:Gift baskets are always nice...you could do mugs with tea bags or cocoa mix (the dollar stores often have nice mugs and such), some chocolates, and perhaps a knitted or crocheted set of coasters. Or a basket with baking utensils, recipes, and pot holders that you made.





You mentioned jewelry...you could make matching necklace, bracelet, earrings and brooch sets (provided you know how to make all those different types of thing).





By the way, keep working on the ear warmers...you can use them next year!!!
Reply:Here are some free sites to make craft gifts and recipes for Christmas goodies to give as gifts:





http://www.familyfun.com ,


http://www.make-stuff.com ,


http://www.foodnetwork.com
Reply:Yes, the time is short.


um...knitting...I am not sure if you have enough time for 15 person.


$100 is more than enough to buying easy and good materials to diy gifts.





The fastest diy gifts are soap, cookies and shrink plastic key chains. And of course you can buy those ready to use dough from:


http://www.pillsbury.com/


The website has lots of creative ideas to make cookies and decorate them.





Also, I think of wine chains, since you mention beadworks.





Please don't drink and drive.
Reply:Well, I'm making my friends shirts for Christmas. They have our inside jokes on them. I just went to Hobby Lobby and got plain T-shirts, and fabric paint. You can stencil them on there. Go to stencilrevolution.com, I heard they have good tips. It's really not hard. It was a bit expensive though ($28 for supplies and shirts for 8 people). But it's still cool. Or you could make little knitted pillows that are personalized. Just knit a rectangle and fold it over into a pillow. You can also make earrings for the women and do the shirts for the men.
Reply:how about recipes in a jar/ put all dry ingredients for cookies, nut breads, cakes, etc in a decorative or canning jar. cover lid with fabric and ribbon and attach recipe. works great in ;my family, everybody loves them.