Christmas Prep Blog Review

I hope you had a wonderful Christmas next to your loved ones, and that you found the time to enjoy their presence and their tokens of affection! But although Christmas Day is behind us, that doesn’t mean so are presents and the joy of giving.

So, we’ve put together a list of wonderful Christmas presents you can easily DIY without wreaking havoc on your budget.

Maybe you have a second, belated, set of guest that you didn’t have a chance to buy a present.

Just pick a project, or two, you might already have on hand all the materials you need, and start prepping the best DIY gift ever!

1. A Gift in a Tin: Christmas Baking Kit

“It’s day 5 and the final day of Gifts in a Tin week!

In preparation for Christmas and simple and fun gift giving, I’ve been putting together some easy gift basket ideas for you.

In case you missed yesterday’s Spa Day in a tin, here it is. Today’s gift basket idea? Christmas Baking in a Tin!”

Read more on The DIY Mommy.

2. Homemade Laundry Detergent

“I think my sister and I are channeling Laura Ingalls these days.

We totally made our own clothes soap.

It was really cheap.  Under $7 and this will last forever!

You can totally do this too, it’s super easy.

To make about 4 mason jars full you will need:

• 6 cups Borax
• 4 cups baking soda
• 4 cups washing soda
• 4 cups Fels-Naptha bar soap (almost 2 bars)”

Read more on Great Oak Circle.

3. Yarn Balls Wreath

“The handmade movement has given birth not only to a plethora of handicrafts, but also to a host of creative reinterpretations of how to use crafting supplies.

While I haven’t had much luck in the knitting department myself, thankfully that doesn’t mean my stockpile of yarn has to go to waste.

Here are a few fun ideas…”

Read more on Apartment Therapy.

4. DIY Lime Mint Foot Soak & Printable | I’m Lovin’ It

“Most of us are busy and I don’t know about you, but my feet get tired.  I’ve always enjoyed counteracting the stress of tired, swollen, achy feet is by soaking them in Epsom salts.  Last week when Angie shared a Lime & Mint Foot Soak I thought it would be a great idea to mix up a batch to have on hand while we get ready to move this month.  I’m certain I’ll be exhausted and in need of a good relaxing foot soak many nights to come.

The soothing, homemade mixture of Epsom salt, lime zest and various natural ingredients would also make a welcome gift for Mother’s Day or Teacher Appreciation ; use the Foot Soak Label template as a gift tag or label, and affix it to a jar or bag to treat someone special.”

Read more on Tidy Mom.

5. A Cheap and Chic Pouch

“Stitch together a handful of zippers to form one seriously cool case.

Step 1: Place seven 7-inch-long zippers facedown on your work surface, positioned horizontally with the long sides touching. Each zipper pull should be on the opposite end of the one before.”

Read more on Country Living.

6. Pocket Hand Warmers

“It’s great to be able to sew up some simple, yet functional gifts for friends and family!

The winter season calls for gifts that keep us cozy and warm and these pocket hand warmers are just the thing to pop into stockings this year.  Make these with flannel, recycled sweaters, or fleece and you’ll have just the thing to make trips out in the cold just a tad more inviting!”

Read more on I Heart Nap Time.

7. How to Make Birdseed Christmas Ornaments

“Adorable birdseed ornaments are an inexpensive activity the whole family can enjoy making on a lazy weekend afternoon.

The kids will have a ball making them, and the birds will enjoy eating them. It doesn’t get any better than that. Make the birdseed ornaments during the winter months to decorate naked trees, or whip up a few batches and give them as hostess gifts around the holidays.”

Read more on eHow.

8. DIY Peppermint Bath Salts

“Hi crafty friends! Only 10 days until Christmas Eve! Can you believe how fast this month has gone by? I remember my family and friends thinking I was crazy working on my Michaels Dream Tree back in October.

Now we’re counting down the days until Christmas and soon another year will begin. This has been such a wonderful holiday season for us, and I’m not quite ready to let it go. We have a bucket list full of holiday activities that we haven’t checked off and of course I still have my gift list to finish.

Like I recently mentioned, I’m one of those people who are frantically searching the mall a few days before Christmas for last-minute gifts. But not this year, I’m determined to finish my shopping and gift-making in the next few days. I still have a few handmade gifts to share and today I have another homemade spa gift idea to share with you. Peppermint bath salts make a wonderful Christmas gift for friends or co-workers.”

Read more on A Pumpkin And A Princess.

9. Homemade Cough Drops

“I’ve been seriously enjoying making my own home remedies. It’s amazing how much you can do with a few simple ingredients, and after I made my first batch of homemade cough syrup, I knew that I had to follow it up with homemade cough drops. I’m a huge believer in the power of cough drops on those nights when I can’t sleep for coughing so much. Bleh.

Probably the biggest drawback with making home remedies however, is that it can get expensive really fast.

I tend to fight that tendency by using the most common ingredients I can.

Would it be better to use coltsfoot and elderberry flowers? Theoretically, yes. But most of us don’t have those things sitting around in our pantries, nor can we pick them up at a local grocery store. And ordering specialty herbs gets expensive fast.”

Read more on Frugal Farm Wife.

10. Make Your Own Texting Gloves

“Hey, hey Snap peeps!  I’m Jessica from Mom 4 Real, and I am so happy to be here sharing a fun last minute holiday gift idea with you!

My daughter, Kate has been asking me for texting gloves for the past month. I must admit, I had no clue what texting gloves were, but she quickly schooled me on the latest technology. She explained that when you wear gloves, it is nearly impossible to play on a tablet or text. I Googled them, and they can be quite pricey.  So, I thought, hmmm….surely we can make our own. So…we tried it out. I am thrilled to say, it worked for our Android devices, and for less than $1 per pair…whoop!”

Read more on Snap Creativity.

This article has been written by Brenda E. Walsh for Survivopedia.