Holiday Handiwork: Stage 1

 

Alright, I know it’s only September, but I think it’s relatively acceptable to get started on holiday gifts now consider my 50+ hour work week (and sometimes weekends!).  That, and I just really love the holidays. My mother is a whiz in the kitchen and I have such wonderful Christmas memories of doing the holiday baking – especially when I got the honor of being in charge of a recipe or two!

As I continue to work on making more gifts that I buy, I have been searching the net, exploring craft blogs, and dutifully sorting through recipes to figure out a game plan for 2009. Thank goodness there are so many wonderful crafters out there that enjoy sharing their talents – there are so many projects to choose from that I’ve started keeping a “short” list of ideas.

I will revisit ideas in the upcoming months as they come up and link to detailed instructions where I’ve found them… just in case you want to jump on the holiday bandwagon, too.

My List of Potential Gifts & Projects:

Homemade Maple Syrup and/or Vanilla Extract 

Reader’s scarf (fleece with trim and a pocket for a book)

Mini Christmas cheesecakes

Frosted turtle cookies

Mint brownies

Pine cone fire starters

Homemade napkins with cookie cutter napkin rings

Christmas soaps

Tea cup candles (I’m already watching on ebay!)

Cinnamon applesauce cookie ornaments (remember these?)

Dog treats

Owl softies (scented?)

Trimming the tree with dried apple and orange slices

Frozen ice wreath with trimmings and cranberries to hang outside

Hanging wreaths in the 3 front windows with big red ribbon

Garland of Mini terra cotta flower pots with jingle bells hung with ribbon

Patchwork stockings out of old quilts

I’d better get started!