Have you made handmade gifts before?

[PinkLantern893]

A homemade gift can be a great way to save money and at the same time, add a bit of personal touch to gift giving this holiday season. I work with Domino Sugar and we have some awesome homemade gift ideas on our holiday site with easy step-by-step instructions on how to make your own Handmade Recipe Book or Cookie Mixes-In-A-Jar at our holiday site.

[buildmybudget]

Absolutely, I've been making paper mola's for years. I've actually been asked for them, rather than just purchasing a gift.

[cptacek]

I made a "quiet book" for my niece once (book made out of cloth with things to do in it, like braid a girls hair, match shapes, match colors, etc, with snaps and an outline on the page and snaps on the pieces) Gave a camouflage blanket out of fleece to a nephew. Made a scrapbook for a boyfriend for Valentine's day. Made pillow cases for a sister and a nephew with their names appliqued on them.

One sister made a wall hanging out of barbed wire, a piece of wood and my branding iron branded on the wood. Looks like a swag (?). Another sister took a used lariat, wrapped it barbed wire and added a hanging light catcher. Looks really nice, thought sounds kinda weird.

[rob62521]

I think handmade gifts are cool if they are something someone can use. It's when I can't figure out what it is and am afraid to ask that they aren't so nice.

This year I'm going to do a lot of baking and cooking for gifts. Seems most of the folks I work with don't have the time or the inclination to do so and they seem to like the food.

[PrincessPerky]

braiding hair is a new one! that sounds like a cool book.

What is a paper Mola?

[buildmybudget]

Mola's were originally made by Indians and are constructed by sewing strips of cloth together to make designs. I do the same thing by cutting designs into layers of paper. I'll post some pictures of some I've made later.

[Joan.of.the.Arch]

buildmybudget, I have a small collection of molas started about 1968. (I was nine years old.) Your gift recipients are exceedingly lucky. I hope you use paper whose colors will not fade in a lifetime. What a cool thing!

[mom-from-missouri]

Yes, we do handmade ones all the time and they are often requested....pillows, sachets, embordery work (included emborderied wedding invitations in frames for newly weds), blankets, afgans, matching outfits for toddlers, baked goods, cookies in a jar, perfume, candles, potholders, aprons, table runners and placemats, one daughter does pottery (very nice pottery I will add) and "coupons". kids love to get a "coupon" to come and spend a week in the summer at our farm where they can ride horses, or get horse riding lessons, fish or camp. In fact the neices and nephews ask for a coupon for a hayride or weekend fishing trip to be redeemed at our place. I also made seat covers once for an old car my brother was restoring. Also we make soaps, bath salts....lots of stuff

[buildmybudget]

Here are some mola's I have made out of paper.

[disneysteve]

buildmybudget, those are incredible!

We've taken to homemade gifts in recent years - one item in particular, my homemade Lemoncello liqueur. Friends and family love it and they are quite happy to get a bottle of that at holiday time.

[dmontngrey]

Wow, those are absolutely beautiful! I've never heard of them before and I'm impressed with your work. Thanks for sharing!

[PetMom]

Those are really beautiful.

And if people request your gifts then you know you are talented.

Probably this year people will like getting (or at least understand) more homemade/handmade gift giving.

[PrincessPerky]

Pretty! Thanks for explaining Mola's

[PinkLantern893]

Wow, it sure seems like most of you will be taking the more creative route to gifting this year! That’s awesome.

Buildmybudget, those paper mola’s look stunning. How long does it take you to make them?

Rob62521, what kind of baked goods are you giving to friends and family?

[buildmybudget]

It depends, really. Sometimes it takes days to think of an idea and than 4 or 5 hours to create it...or vice-versa. Usually they take a couple of days start to finish because it's painstaking work and one slip-up will start you over. It's worth it though to give a truly one-of-a-kind gift to someone, especially if they really appreciate it.

[kork13]

Since I started getting back into photography, I've been able to give those away as gifts--Christmas, birthdays, Mother's Day, thank-you's, and so on. Especially because I am able to cut/assemble the frames myself, I am able to give away my photos fairly inexpensively, and thankfully they've been very well-accepted. I think in general, personal artwork makes an excellent gift.

[SoCoolGifts]

Wow, Saw this topic and my eye perked up. (that's what my family site is about!) Saw the Limoncello idea and the mola's. Great ideas. I alternate between Baileys, limoncello, and kahlua (never posted my recipes on my site but I may after thinking about it!) but I have no talent like BMB.

Thanks for the inspiration and keep up the great tips.

[rob62521]

Originally Posted by PinkLantern893

Wow, it sure seems like most of you will be taking the more creative route to gifting this year! That’s awesome.

Buildmybudget, those paper mola’s look stunning. How long does it take you to make them?

Rob62521, what kind of baked goods are you giving to friends and family?

Sorry I'm so tardy in responding...I did two breads -- banana and cinnamon, three types of cookies, then I also dipped Ritz crackers in either chocolate or white chocolate and sprinkled smashed peppermint on them before they hardened. I did this with some large stick pretzels as well.

And I concur, the paper molas are outstanding.

[rob62521]

Originally Posted by PinkLantern893

Wow, it sure seems like most of you will be taking the more creative route to gifting this year! That’s awesome.

Buildmybudget, those paper mola’s look stunning. How long does it take you to make them?

Rob62521, what kind of baked goods are you giving to friends and family?

Sorry I'm so tardy in responding...I did two breads -- banana and cinnamon, three types of cookies, then I also dipped Ritz crackers in either chocolate or white chocolate and sprinkled smashed peppermint on them before they hardened. I did this with some large stick pretzels as well.

And I concur, the paper molas are outstanding.

[Joan.of.the.Arch]

Kork13, if you are still around I have a question. Do you have an inexpensive source for moulding that already has a rabbet to hold the glass and mat, or do you have a way to cut the rabbet yourself?