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Originally posted by heather:
One of my friends loves my record bowl so I'm heading to Goodwill to see if I can find a cheap (cool) record to make her a bowl. Otherwise, I'm going to hit up the record store across town. Hopefully they'll have some old 80s records (think B0n J0vi).

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Originally posted by bekkaboo:
Then you could do this
with the album cover!

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Originally posted by bekkaboo:
I have NO ideas for my man either, he is MISERABLE to buy for. He's so picky about generic stuff like clothes and movies that I dare not pick out any for him, and gift certificates seem like a cop-out. Everything else that I know he likes are ridiculously expensive electronics or accessories for said electronics, and I just don't have the funds. I'm thinking of maybe buying him movies on DVD that he already has on VHS. He always spends WAY too much $$ on me so the pressure's on...I always feel like an ass at Christmas cause I can't spend as much on him as he does on me. But he always uses his credit cards at Christmas, and I don't have any, so whatever I spend comes out-of-pocket. Also, every time I think of a really good gift idea for him, he buys it for himself 2 days later. Ass.

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Originally posted by ericameredith:
the other day, he pointed out that my asking the fam for good cookware was like asking for a gift for the house - not for me, so i am guessing he'd feel that way about a bucket of goodies from home depot.

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Maybe, but I ALWAYS ask for stuff like that for Xmas - stuff I want/need but won't spend the $$ on myself. I asked my mom for good baking pans one year, if not for that I'd still be using bent-up $3 aluminum ones. This year I'm asking for an electric hand mixer, so I can stop using my hand-me-down eggbeater. It's not very exciting, but I need one and I won't ever buy one for myself. I like to get stuff like that.

But when he has that perception, my guess is that I shouldn't get HIM that sort of stuff.

i'm making homemade room fresheners for all my coworkers. i picked up a few containers of cinnamon sticks from an ocean state job lot (discount store) for 88 cents each, and a big container of ground cinnamon (88c), a big container of nutmeg (88c), a big bottle of cheap vanilla extract ($1), and a bunch of those dollar store holiday mugs (48c each). the whole haul cost me $12.
i'm going to mix the loose cinnamon and nutmeg with the vanilla (like cinnamon ornaments), let it dry in cubes (or maybe shapes?...), and put a few cubes of the dried stuff with some cinnamon sticks (tied with ribbon, of course, haha) in the mug.

you toss the sticks and the cubes into a sauce pan with some simmering water, and wa-lah! - excellent smelling house. (my mom moves every few years, so i know all the good sell-your-house real-estate tricks. haha) the mug is just a nice package.

cheap and useful. can't beat it with a stick.

- sara

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I have extras of a good one of "Maggie" from California that says "MaggieMoo's IceCream" if anyone needs a Maggie. [/B]

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http://www.hgtv.ca/home/project/project47.asp

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Originally posted by rocyn:
Cool Etched Wine Glasses!
I've made etched glasses before but I love this design and so easy! Check it out!

http://www.hgtv.ca/home/project/project47.asp

Cynthia

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Those are so cool! I think I am going to make a variation of these using candy jars.

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Originally posted by Nessa:
I designed some funky graphics, printed them on iron on transfer paper and ironed them on to little baby tees. I replicated the "Hello My name is" badge and filled in different names like ..."Luca".

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things i've made:
fleece blanket and hat for new-to-be niece/nephew
fleece hat for his/her brother
mosaic tile mirror--either for my mom or my MIL
scarf and hat for FIL
necklaces for 3 aunts and my secretary
wire butterfly ornaments for gift baskets for my husband's co-workers (aren't I a swell wife? )

in the works:
framed and matted black and white pics of my husband racing
reconstructed t-shirt halter top for sister, plus some jewelry for her
something for my dad
magnetic chalkboard for nephew

For my grandparents this year I'm filling a basket with all kinds of goodies in it, wine, homemade cakes and cookies, a framed picture of me and my sisters...but I need some more tips on what to fill it with!

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Originally posted by Caramel:
Also I found this book at a thrift store, it was from the 50's and had lots of pictures from our city (my grandparents love that kind of stuff). I was wondering if anyone had an idea of what I could do with it?? Of course I could just give it like it is, but I feel that's a bit boring..

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Originally posted by quarkiegirl:
how about decoupaging something with the pages from the book? you could do a picture frame, or a tin/box to put the cookies in.

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I took plain white Chinese takeout containers (from Pearl River since I'm in NYC) and wrote explanations in red and green sharpies of the contents on each side and then included:

dried black-eyed peas (eat on New Year's Day - for wealth)

dried apple rings - wrapped a few in colored saran wrap - eat on Christmas Eve for a healthy year

Marzipan pig - can't remember which day to eat (I googled all the superstitions so you can find this - it's a Germanic one) but basically pigs can't look back on the old year - probably New Year's Eve or Day (there's a German food store online based in Texas - they were pretty nasty tasting, but cheap!) - if you want to spend more, you could go with peppermint pig(lets) from Saratoga Springs although I think their superstition calls for eating it on Christmas.

Fortune cookie - just cause it fit

and now I'm blanking on the last item.

Anyway, people really seemed to like them and since I bought all the parts in bulk (I did between 50-60 of them), it was really cheap.

This year I'm going with a different superstition - a silver acorn. Carrying an acorn with you is supposed to bring you a long life (Scandinavian superstition). I'm going to put it in a tin filled with Dutch Mints and then on top I'm going to try making those marble magnets using an image that suits each person and that can hold a card with the acorn explanation on it.

If anyone knows of other holiday-appropriate superstitions that can be turned into gifts, I'd love to get ideas for next year.

-Melissa

I decorated plain unders and t shirts for Mander and they came out great! I used appliques and iron ons I made, and a couple of patchy things I bought. She's going to love them. Thanks to whoever thunk that idea!

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Originally posted by Drea D:
Glass magnet makers:

I can only find the *small* flat marbles. I want bigger ones! Someone sells bigger ones, right?

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not martha suggests the glass cabachons from tap plastics, which you can order. I had this same problem...I couldn't stand seeing the edges of the magnet sticking out, so I decided not to make anymore until I went down got some cabs (this has not happened yet).

jilly