Homemade for Christmas

Simply made with a few scraps of fabric, batting and yarn, this homemade for Christmas gift should save memories for a life time. s

A Raggedy Doll For Christmas

Last Saturday I gave my youngest grand daughter a rag doll. It wasn’t Christmas, but her first birthday on December 3, so there was even more pressure on the reception of this present. Even at only a year old, she had all the trappings of the modern child. Her toys were way more sophisticated than blocks, or even a Jack-in-the-box. They squawked and visually stimulated her in as many variations as you can entertain a baby without frightening them

What would be the appeal of a floppy little rag doll, with a crooked grin and embroidered eyes. There was nothing about this toy that responded back, at least not in any obvious way. It was the second present she opened and she was upset that we took the first away. She was interested in a blinking squeaking kangeroo that rewarded her each time she put the right shaped block in the right spot.

Opening the present was easy because I just slipped it into a gift bag. I didn’t even bother to wrap it in tissue. She reached down inside and pulled it out and immediately smiled. She recognized its humanness, despite the fact that it resembled no human ever born. A flat pink face, bright red hair, and only a nose for facial features, yet instinctively she gave it a hug and started to rock it like a baby in her arms. This was a smart one year old who already communicated in sign language and she let us know not only that she knew what this toy was, but how she was so supposed to react to it. When someone gives you baby, you give it a hug.

This simple rag doll was her buddy all night long. There was nothing on it to hurt her. No loose buttons, or snaps to chew off. The apron could be undone, and used to practice tying at a later age, that was the extent of learning with this toy, but there was tons of interaction. This simple little doll could come to bed hear secret baby whispers. It could console with its softness and be easily dragged around. It was tiny enough to go in a backpack or diaper bag, but big enough to be used as a pillow.

She will learn, her female instinct taking over, that babies are to be held and cuddled. Hopefully her ragdoll will be a friend to watch television with, to share tea parties, to be part of her family of toys. Every little girl or boy deserves the simple pleasures of cuddling a homemade bear or rag doll. Every grandma deserves the pleasure of making one, and watching it be received with  interest and joy.

Carrying her favorite present.

Last month we were wandering the gift shop at a local tourist attraction and my daughter fell in love with this

A great way to share old family silverplate that you don't use anymore.

set of windchimes made from old silverware. I looked at the $100 price tag and sucked in my breath. I can make that myself, I thought. And so I did, for $4.00 including recycling what I had  lying around the house. What a great homemade Christmas gift.

After repeated trips looking fora sugar bowl, I finally found one at a  thrift store. It’s stainless steel surface didn’t quite match what I had in mind, but a few dings with the hammer a, some touches with the wire brush, and an indelible black marker gave it the patina I was looking for.

The silver was purchased a few years back, to add to our current collection which I rarely use. I have wonderful stainless and I think it looks better on my table. Garage sale.

The glass beads came from old necklaces I no longer wore, or had already fallen apart. They needed restringing anyway and I like the beads better in these, then I ever did around my neck.

The chain is not silver, only silver colored. Why would you use real silver in a wind chime, anyway?

I flattened the silver plate pieces with a regular hammer and a steel plate. You could just use a cement block. Flattened they make a much better sound. Stainless is really too hard to work.  Stick with silver plate. It’s easily found by digging through the bins at the thrift store or hitting garage and estate sales. The trick I learned after breaking the drill bit, is that you need to hold the drill straight and push slowly.

I strung the beads on heavy fishing line. Using a double back string, to go back through the beads I’d already strung and then securing with a bit of permanent glue. This should hold for a while. My daughter plans on hanging this in her kitchen. Outside, you might to do something a little sturdier. The jump rings that hold the chains to the sugar bowl should probably be soldered for outside use.

So there you have my first attempt at beading, and wind chimes. It took me about four hours, mainly because I don’t know the tricks of beading, but they’re coming. I found the project relaxing and a sure savings over the gift store’s $100 price tag. Another thing that is really cool about this project is that most of the materials are recycled.

If you have old silverware or silver objects that you’ve inherited and have a family history when was the last time you used them? This is a good way to recycle not only those pieces, but to share the family treasures with your children in a way they will appreciate. We have a silverware case full of tiny demitasse spoons that we will never use. We plan to turn them into bracelets for our grand daughters this Christmas, but that’s another story.

A Christmas tree plate full of Christmas cookies.

I spent the afternoon today baking cookies with my niece. There’s something to be said about homemade cookies besides their infinitely better taste. The process itself seems to encourage easy conversation and intimate confessions; building family relationships. Just two females working side by side in a kitchen, sharing secrets and deepest desires.

Christmas carols played softly in the background as we talk about her past and why she ended up living with us. I clear up some misinformation, which always seems to occur with her. We talk about her future life, where she might be going, and what she might end up doing; about boyfriends, past and future; about her talents and what she likes and doesn’t like. Cookies it seems force a neutral ground that dispenses animosity. There are many hands-off topics broach able under the guise of baking.

She practices reading, following directions and problem solving. I hand her a package of cookie mix and tell her to go at it, without my help. “We don’t have any oil” she says, reading the recipe. “I can run over to my mom’s, (a half a mile away), and borrow some.”

“Does that make sense?” I ask, “We’re right in the middle of this, and it’s snowing like crazy outside. What could you substitute instead? She didn’t get it. I suggest melting some butter. And she sees that it does look like oil. It works just fine.

The afternoon drifts on as the snow continues falling outside. The oven fills the house and outside with smells of cinnamon and vanilla. The rest of the family drifts in and snatches some of the finished goods, or chunks of unbaked dough.

With the rich traditions of Christmas, making cookies, despite the time they take seems like one that should continue. Even if you use a mix, I suggest that the warmth and smells coming from your homemade cookies are well worth the time spent. It’s a fun way to bring part of you into the gift giving. With all the cooking sites online, there are plenty of recipes to choose from. Start or continue the tradition in your home, and make it a homemade cookie Christmas.

This old bottle is the beginnings of a homemade Christmas gift.

The cool edge to August’s breeze brings tiny thoughts of coming holidays and homemade Christmas gifts. The kid’s may not be back in school yet, but it’s not too early to start making plans and thinking of the future holidays.  There are so many things that are free and plentiful in the summer, but will cost way more when the holidays roll around. A great way to save money and be prepared for the holidays ahead is to creatively look at the potential of things now, that you can turn into presents later on.

One of the best things to do is take summer’s bounty and turn it into Christmas gifts. All of the fruit on your tress, the surplus at the farmer’s market or your over abundant garden can be prepared to turn into great gifts in the future for practically free.

I frequent a local second’s grocery store that often gives away surplus they can’t get rid of. A few months ago they had bottles of dipping oil and I picked up a case. I really liked the oil but it was going bad and that’s the reason they were giving it away. Though I wouldn’t use it for eating, the bottles had cork stoppers and are a heavy glass. Dumping the contents I will have a dozen or so really nice bottles for homemade vanilla, bath salts or any thing special I can put in a jar.  I’m also thinking about experimenting with etching on them as they would be beautiful empty. All this for free, but I wish I’d grabbed a few more cases.

Another Christmas idea is to gather rose petals, lavender and other flowers for potpourri. Stick them any place dry and free of humidity and the sun will dry them to perfection. If you live in a more humid or cooler climate, the back seat of the car, with the windows rolled up, makes a perfect drying place or uses a dehydrator. While you’re at it, grab some pansies, leaves or other small flowers to press between sheets of waxed paper in a heavy book. These can easily turn into decorations for stationery cards, or even bookmarks.

What about walks and hikes? There are numerous ways to use shells gathered at the seashore. Many evergreen trees shed their cones during the spring or summer. Gathering them now, before they are tromped on, or damaged by weather will give you a supply for the holidays that are clean, dry and free of  bugs. AS fall comes further along look at gathering dry grasses and other plants for decorations that will last through the holidays.

Summers’ bounty has so much to offer at prices that can’t be touched come winter. Free is always the best and now is the time to take advantage of not only what Mother Nature may offer, but give aways from other places as well. Thinking about making homemade Christmas gifts now is a great way to practice frugal living.

Homemade peanut brittle in a cheery cellophane bag.

What tastes better than homemade peanut brittle? This recipe, made in a microwave, takes all of 15 minutes, plus cooling time. This is a great treat to put together while you are cleaning up after dinner. You need to be there, but you don’t need to stir it a lot or watch it. It’s easy and always comes out right.

What you need

• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2  cup white Karo syrup
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 1 cup raw Spanish peanuts
• 1 tbl. butter
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. vanilla

Preparation:

Set the oven to 200 and place a cookie sheet or pizza pan sprayed with pam or rubbed with butter in the oven. Mix sugar, karo, and salt, and peanuts in a large, microwave-proof glass bowl. Cook in the microwave for about 4-5 minutes dpending on the wattage of your oven. Less expensive models have lower wattage and need to cook longer. The mixture should be a soft golden color. Remove from oven (it’s very hot, be very careful) add the butter, mixing it in. Then cook for 4-5 more minutes. Take a spoonful and test with a glass of water, you want a hard crack stage, where the mixture forms brittle strings that easily break. The color should be a medium amber and smell wonderfully.  Carefully remove from the microwave and add  soda and vanilla all at once, mixing thoroughly. Spread on the warm pan from the oven. Work fast as this sets up quickly. Cool, then break into pieces and store in a jar, with tight fitting lid. If the brittle seems sticky and chewy, or won’t break apart easily, put it in the oven at 350 until it starts to bubble. Then let it re-cool and crack.

PRESENTATION

I like to put peanut brittle in the cellophane bags you can get at the Dollar store. Or you can give away a whole pint canning jar and decorate the top with a cloth wrap. It costs about $2.00 to make a batch of peanut brittle. Do not double the recipe as the amounts listed seem to cook best with any microwave. Larger amounts take longer to cook and make break the glass bowl you are using to cook with.

Homemade peanut brittle in a cheery cellophane bag.

Christmas cookies take a lot of time and don’t mail well. Here are some ideas for easy Christmas candies that are relatively inexpensive, and you can ship. Some candy is expensive, time consuming, and tricky. These recipes can be whipped together in about a half hour. Included are my estimations of costs, and even some additional tips to make them more inexpensive and to present them beautifully.

Homemade Rockyroad candy in a clam shell - Cost to make $1.50

Rocky Road Fudge

2 pkgs of chocolate chips, (12 oz)  (I have used chocolate flavored chips from the Dollar Store and  it tastes almost as good)

1 recipe sweetened condensed milk (see below) or one can of sweetened condensed milk

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups  mini-marshmallows

2 cups peanuts (buy these at the Dollar store too) dry-roasted works well, salted or unsalted are okay.

Watching carefully, melt chocolate and milk in a large glass bowl in the microwave for about 90 sec. Don’t wait for it all to melt, as soon as it starts melting, take it out and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon, adding vanilla.  It shouldn’t be really hot, because that will melt the marshmallows, just all melted together and smooth. If it’s not melted, put it back in, but watch it closely.

Then add marshmallows and nuts, folding them in. You don’t want the marshmallows to melt.

Put the whole mixture in a 9 inch buttered pan, depending on how big you want the pieces to be. Cool in fridge for 2 hours, then cut into the size you want. Using the homemade condensed milk, I can make a batch of this fudge for about $4.50.

To make your own sweetened condensed milk:

SWEETENED CONDENSED MILK:

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