Handmade Christmas

Sometime in the Summer I decided that I was going to make all of my Christmas presents.  That doesn't mean that I got an early start on it.  It just means I started thinking about it.  :)

A lot of my gift were actually made at Thanksgiving, with my sister.    The rest I finished up at home over the next few weeks and I finished around December 10th.  I even had them wrapped up and ready to go.  That is way ahead of schedule for me and I can't believe how much less stressful that was!

Now that all of these have gone out to the recipients, I can share some of the things I made.

Last year Lisa turned me on to canning, and I made some strawberry jam to give  out.  It was  so yummy!  This year I wanted to try something different and Lisa suggested Salsa.  I love that idea so she showed me how to do it at Thanksgiving.  So easy!!

Lisa and I made 8 or 9 jars at Thanksgiving and then I spent one  weekend making more, once I realized all of the people I wanted to give out it.


The other cool gift idea I made (again, that Lisa came up with), was homemade lavender sugar scrub.

This was also ridiculously easy to make.  This is one of my favorite products at Bath and Body Works, so I was so excited to be able to make it at home.  I kept a jar (or two) for myself.

Lisa even found those cool jars online to put it into.  If not for Lisa, no one would be getting anything this year.  I got all of my ideas from her.  :)

Lastly, I made these pretty necklaces.  I learned how to make them at the Scrapbook Expo we went to in September.  They were so cute and easy I knew I wanted to make some as gifts.

                                        I made some Christmas ones and some non-Christmas

                                  This one I made for a friend who is anxiously awaiting
                                                        travel for  their little girl
                                             This was my most favorite one to make  :)

                                                                           The back

I decorated these cute tins to put them in:

Here are some of the gifts ready to be packaged

Ready to deliver!  My favorite part.

I even picked up these cute cards at Michael's in the dollar bin to include with them.

I found this awesome blog that has the cutest handmade gift ideas.  I'm a making some of those things for sure next year.     Check out this post.   Mmmmmmmmmmm.

And also this one.  So cute!  At the bottom are a ton of links to lots of handmade gifts.

Did anyone else make anything for gifts this year?  Please share!  I'm always looking for new ideas.