Ann The Gran Community

Okay Ladies...I am starting a new discussion. We have all decided (in our family) that this year we are going to start a new tradition. With newlyweds, new babies, job layoffs...and a wonderful new interest in sewing (my DIL!!), we have all decided this will be the beginning of a "Homemade Chirstmas!"  You wouldn't believe how thrilled the grands are about this. The kids went to my "collection closet" and began to pick out pretty Christmas fabrics. They got out project magazines (some of them older than they are all put together!) and went through them. I let them copy the ideas on the printer/copier and they came up w/ some nice "kid friendly" sewing projects.

I also found a project for smocked Chirstmas tree balls...and along w/ that project, I also found the directions for the smocked Easter Eggs that I had been looking for since 2001!! A pattern for a one piece apron w/ any type of embroidery on it...hotpads and hot mits...towel tops and the location of the Christmas designs I got a year ago from ATG to sew on some towels and kitchen towels. I even found the designs for the embroidered free standing lace snow flakes and all the Christmas Story characters. Too cool.

Now...what we need are some more ideas. We can't all be making the towels, smocked Christmas balls, and aprons.  I dearly love the "screen" totes that Norie made...also someone else in our group made the screen totes too. Would like the instructions on those too. I saw toaster covers made from the embroidered screen, and food covers (something you HAVE to have here in FL if you are having a picnic!!)...and some cute can covers made from the screen. Apparently this came about when someone opened a can of soda and a bee crawled inside...unknowingly the person picked up the can to take a drink and was immediately stung by the bee. That's the reason for the cute embroidered can toppers. :o) 

I know you ladies have oodles of ideas to share. Could you possibly take a few minutes this week to go through your "thinking caps" and see if you recall any ideas for Christmas crafts/projects, receipes that you could share. I am certain that we would ALL love to read through these ideas.

Please don't think that your idea is "so obvious" that everyone else will also think of it.....I simply don't care. Everyone has THEIR WAY of doing things and I will welcome any and all ideas!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Kid friendly ones too!!! New receipes that can be included in a cute home made fabric bag would be welcome...as the children can not only make the bags, they can also copy the receipes onto a card and sign their names along w/ the date.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts and ideas!!!!

Hugs...Kath :o)

A friend of mine is purchasing very inexpensive dish towels (49cents) and having me embroider cute little things on them. The first two were of a martini glass and something about -It's 5:00 at the (family name) which came out cute so she asked if I had any gators. I proceeded to digitize a gator (one that looked like the Florida Gator that ate a happy meal) and proceeded to do towels for that and she absolutely adored them and can't wait for her recipient to get them.  As for myself, I have been making fsl hair barrettes for 3 granddaugters and my DIL.  Also 1 each fsl lace bowl in their favorite colors.  I got instructions on another website for other things, printed them up and will proceed to make things that I have freely acquired to give as gifts. 

I am one that money was very tight for a while when hubby was laid off from his job of 13 years and worked in a temp place for only 6 months before he was let go but they hired him back FULL TIME just 1 month ago so there will not be a cut for him. They love him!! Which is great. 

I have lots of freebies that I need to start on but am wanting to learn and practice digitizing so I can stay home and earn money to help out.

I will share whatever I can with the group if I have something that someone wants.

Perky Paula

Paula,

Both are really cute ideas. Making the FSL bowls in favorite colors is a wonderful idea too. I could do that and have the children make cookies to fill the bowl with. If I put the cookies in a baggie, they won't stain the bowl...or I could just have them wrap up some pretty Christmas candies.

The like the idea of the gator...especially one eating a Happy Meal! I could find fleece in the necessary colors and do a gator pillow...having the kids cut out the "patches" for the pillow and make them like a patchwork pillow. That way they can do the actual straight sewing too.

Great!!! Thanks...I'm going to start a scrapbook of ideas...I may have to continue these over to next year too!

Hugs...Kath :o)

Hi Everyone,

Sorry I have been out of touch for a while but we have had family visiting for the last 8 days and it has been a difficult time in my ,life as many of you know,

Kath, You could also just make cookie mix and put in the lace bowls as well along with the recipe for the cookies. I have done that and was always a hit! Last Christmas I got some inexpensive hand towels at one of the stores clearance tables, I have sewn all sorts of wonderful things on them to try and personalize them a bit to include with the lace bowls and cookie mix this year. I try to do simple things for gifts,they usually go over very well. I try to hit the clearance tables after the holidays and have picked up some great blanks for this years gifts. I have come across some gorgeous FSL boxes that will make extraordinary gifts,my thoughts are they will be very memorable.

I even have found some wonderful lace ribbon to tie the gifts with this year to make them even more special. I am also making personalized gift tags to go with them. I love doing the FSL projects as they not only look elegant,but just add a touch of beauty to anything.Everyone raves about their personal gifts every year. I was raised with the belief that it is not how much money you spent but how much love you put into it. I have received a better thanks for the handmade ones more than the ones I have spent mega bucks for.

Good luck and I hope many more will put their ideas on here as well,there is nothing more wonderful than sharing ideas for all.I know all of you folks out there have some fabulous ones to share with us all! 

Whoa....Judy!!!!!!!!!!!!  I am soooo glad to see you back on line and giving assistance. Thought you might have blown away w/ Fay! How did the drive at Daytona go?? Hope all is starting to settle down a bit at your home now....I really missed you. :o)

Thanks for the ideas too...my grand daughter found the little aluminum foil bread pans at the Dollar Tree and has now decided that she wants to make an old receipe we have for applesauce cake/bread and put them into the little foil pans...put a kitchen towel with them (after she puts a Christmas design on it of course) and add the receipe with those for her neighbors. The idea of the kitchen towels is a good one...I was thinking, I could do four season towels too. The possibilities are endless.