Comments on Crunchy Chicken: Handmade holiday gifts

I'm experimenting with making and using powdered l...

2008-12-08T19:47:00.000-08:00

I'm experimenting with making and using powdered laundry detergent in my HE washer. It works fine. The key is to use a low sudsing soap in your mix because HE washers need a low to no sudsing detergent. I've used laundry bars but also regular old body soap that I had around the house (my husband bought it and we stopped using it because it dried out his skin too much in winter.)

Anyone have a homemade beef jerky recipe they woul...

2008-12-07T10:33:00.000-08:00

Anyone have a homemade beef jerky recipe they would like to share?

One year I painted vases with glass paint, and mad...

2008-12-06T07:58:00.000-08:00

One year I painted vases with glass paint, and made two matching candle holders. In the candle holders, I used a tapered candle spacer, and around it I placed beach glass and poured epoxy resin on that to look like water (and hold them in place). I made a set for every family in my family. They were such a hit, that I was hooked on home made gifts. The next year, we had a wine drinking-soap making session, where we used store bought glycerin and made all sorts of delicious smelling soap: gardeners soap with loofah, poppy seeds, and lavender oil; kitchen soap with oatmeal, coffee grounds, and cocoa powder; kids soap with glitter and mini tree ornaments inside; peppermint "hand soap" that we cut in the shape of hands. I was lucky enough to have a friend that was a cosmetics chemist, so she got a lot of the stuff from leftovers at work. The next year I made a sugar scrub and a goat's milk soak (it has more protein-use the powdered form) that I put into miniature glass "milk jugs" with little wooden spoons attached. The cards read "Merry Christmas from the Farm!" They were all a hit, of course some of the soaps and things worked better than others, but I have given out the sugar scrub recipe to a few very happy friends! I LOVE making gifts for my close friends and family. My parents /grandparents all live in Arkansas in them thar hills, so they love that a younger family member gives homemade gifts. I haven't told them yet, but I am learning how to knit this year!

This year I'm knitting dishcloths and making soap ...

2008-12-05T11:30:00.000-08:00

This year I'm knitting dishcloths and making soap - wrap a bar of soap with a dishcloth and tie with a ribbon. Ta-da!

I am giving some small people in my life homemade ...

2008-12-05T05:53:00.000-08:00

I am giving some small people in my life homemade playdough.

I am a knitter and will be giving some woolens to some special folks in my life. Otherwise, everyone else will be getting homemade Christmas cards with a picture of the kids.

This year quite a few people are getting homemade ...

2008-12-05T05:01:00.000-08:00

This year quite a few people are getting homemade beef jerky (made in my dehydrater). It is so good, I'm eating up the gifts and had to make more this week! My husband does metalwork so this year we're also giving his brother a beer tap that is an otter. Other years I've done homemade soap, both from lye and from glycerine; scarves; jewelry; candles w/ metal candle boxes; ornaments. Some years I do cookies or fudge. I'm also buying lots of gifts, but the homemade ones are nice to lower costs and put more of ourselves into our gifts. This year, I'm also buying almost everything locally, and from the smallest shops who need the most help. Exceptions include an inversion table for my husband and shitake mushroom kits for some foodies in the fam.

Missy - Do you dry your pasta on racks or make nes...

2008-12-04T22:10:00.000-08:00

Missy - Do you dry your pasta on racks or make nests? Do you use an egg recipe?

Won't comment on the spew in a jar. Love, Luv, LO...

2008-12-04T19:51:00.000-08:00

Won't comment on the spew in a jar. Love, Luv, LOVE the handmade soap gift. So doing this. Except you. Your gifts are done. But I won't see you until 2010 so no biggie. Maybe we can transport fondue, sangria, Shelby and Jack over to your abode for Boxing Day. Anyway, thanks for the new gift idea.

Didn't do homemade this year but we are trying out...

2008-12-04T17:27:00.000-08:00

Didn't do homemade this year but we are trying out donations to charity since my church hosts an alternative gift market. On the other hand, all my Christmas cards are recycled -- made from ones we received in the past. Also a few people are getting the free calendars that we received from various enivironmental groups.

--Ave

My little sister and I agreed to try to do handmad...

2008-12-04T11:59:00.000-08:00

My little sister and I agreed to try to do handmade / homemade Christmas this year. I always buy books for the kids (kids can never have too many books, and they all love to read), but the adults are all getting a mix of the following: plum jam (plain and spiced), pomegranate jelly, red pepper jelly, lemon curd, corn relish, and apple butter. I really enjoy making this stuff so preparing for Christmas has been a lot more fun for me this year (and we're spending a lot less money, too)

DAMN girl, that was the funniest thing I've read i...

2008-12-04T11:10:00.000-08:00

DAMN girl, that was the funniest thing I've read in MONTHS! Thanks for the laughs.

So far we've made jams & preserves, chutne...

2008-12-04T10:57:00.000-08:00

So far we've made jams & preserves, chutney, soup mixes and magnets as stocking stuffers. Still on the "to do" list are herb wreaths, herb/salt mixes, planter boxes with seeds or herb starts, marinated mozzarella and feta, and other food gifts (breads & spreads & such). We're busy busy! Also, most of the gifts that we've purchased were handmade by people local to us.

If you're crafty I have a few hundred DIY Christma...

2008-12-04T10:30:00.000-08:00

If you're crafty I have a few hundred DIY Christmas gifts on my site, oneprettything.com. I like that many of them can be made with items you have on hand, or from recycled materials. I have a bunch of edible how-to's as well.

I really love the laundry soap idea. I'll have to link to that.

An alternative to Paul's sourdough starter in liqu...

2008-12-04T09:42:00.000-08:00

An alternative to Paul's sourdough starter in liquid form would be to dry some for people to start their own. Bean Sprouts had instructions on this last year some time, I think.

I think I will give cookies for everyone in a self...

2008-12-04T09:12:00.000-08:00

I think I will give cookies for everyone in a self made box

I crochet, and this year it's slippers, socks, dis...

2008-12-04T08:19:00.000-08:00

I crochet, and this year it's slippers, socks, dishcloths, and a couple aprons (that would go well with that sourdough starter!). I always add a tin of good tea, and this year I'll be mixing up hot cocoa mix to give out in jars as well.

I used to make soap - that always went over well. Just don't have time now. I did buy gifts for my parents this year - they've been very broke, and I wanted to get them something they'd never get for themselves. They'll get handmade items as well, of course.

Unfortunately, my husband's family is price/quantity oriented, so no handmade gifts there (those people see handmade as "cheap"...no convincing them otherwise). :-(

I would love a gift of starter. I've gotten Am...

2008-12-04T07:56:00.000-08:00

I would love a gift of starter. I've gotten Amish Friendship Bread started a couple times as gifts.

I'm a fan of gift baskets - after christmas & easter, the thrift stores are full of nice baskets for about $1 each.

In the past I've given a mix of bought (wild rice from White Earth Recovery Project, maple candy) with homemade stuff (dried fruit, dried tomatos, pickles, jelly, rhubarb jam). I have a book of recipes you put together in a mason jar, that works well.

Or scented bath salts (cheap epsom salts + essential oils). I have a friend who always makes stuff and I often steal her ideas the next year :)

That's actually my favorite part of the holiday season. My boyfriend's family gift thingy is expensive, time-consuming, and demoralizing - and not at all optional, either.

Wow, everyone is making so many gifts for so many ...

2008-12-04T07:23:00.000-08:00

Wow, everyone is making so many gifts for so many people! I only get gifts for my immediate family, so that's very few. And normally it's something store-bought because we go by price-tags on the item... :( Yeah, very-very sad. I'm still hoping it will change in the years to come. I did make some soaps last year to include in the gift, but that's about it. This year I'm hoping I'll still have enough time to knit a hat for my boyfriend.

I'm a big knitter and everyone knows to expect kni...

2008-12-04T07:04:00.000-08:00

I'm a big knitter and everyone knows to expect knitwear from me for the holidays--but this year I am also adding baskets of dried tomatoes, jams, pickles, sauerkraut, hand-dipped candles, etc. Pioneer Days really helped us finish up some of our holiday preparation!

wow. i really wish i hadn't sat down to today's po...

2008-12-04T06:44:00.000-08:00

wow. i really wish i hadn't sat down to today's post with a big thick smoothie. heh.

and i'd be thrilled to receive the starter, just not the stomachfolds joke during breakfast. *giggle*

Most of my relatives I gift to are kids so, no, I ...

2008-12-04T06:35:00.000-08:00

Most of my relatives I gift to are kids so, no, I don't think they'd like me to mail them, all the way across the Atlantic, a sourdough starter. On the other hand, two of the boys do love to cook, so maybe it's the perfect gift. It's too bad because I already bought them books :-(

I like to knit gifts for friends and family. Takin...

2008-12-04T05:58:00.000-08:00

I like to knit gifts for friends and family. Taking the time to make something for someone is more meaningful than rushing out to spend money on them.

For the pagan friends, home-made rune or ogham (on...

2008-12-04T05:56:00.000-08:00

For the pagan friends, home-made rune or ogham (on whole hazel nuts) sets, in cloth bags from fabric remnants.

Baskets (from garage sales) filled with fruits and baked goods for others.

I like making scrap books for family and friends. ...

2008-12-04T05:31:00.000-08:00

I like making scrap books for family and friends. Everyone loves a well put-together scrapbook filled with pictures, but most people don't have the time or energy to make one.

I am making homemade pasta this year. I made boxes...

2008-12-04T05:25:00.000-08:00

I am making homemade pasta this year. I made boxes to put them in that are made of paper and can be recycled.

Everyone loves my homemade pasta, so I thought it would be a good idea.