# ok,ya;ll know it, I gotta ask



## OzarkHmsteaders (Jul 9, 2006)

Is anybody working on Christmas stuff yet?


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## tryskal (Jun 7, 2008)

Yet? I thought I was running behind.

Let's see...Working on.....
Afghan for my niece.....Cross-stitch picture for my Sister

Still need to make....
Afghan for my Bro-In-Law....Watercolor pictures for my Parents

My only problem? I can't decide what to make for my 21 year old son. I'm thinking maybe an elevated dog dish for his redbone coonhound mix. Any suggestions?


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## Wisconsin Ann (Feb 27, 2007)

Oh man....I'm so far behind.....NONE of the trees are even cast yet (ceramic trees) let alone glazed. Haven't started on ornaments. :Bawling: A few mugs done.

Grapevines gathered for wreathes and swags, and some flowers pressed and dried. that's something done, anyway. Canning for gifts starts this week now that harvest is underway, so that takes care of a bunch of stuff.

Sewing and weaving...well....stuff is STARTED, but I keep getting sidetracked 

I may vote to have Christmas delayed a month or two this year.....


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## mustangsally17 (Nov 3, 2007)

Yes, I have 7 different projects in the works, I get bored working on the same thing , and a few things completed. But, as usual , I have many ideas running around in my head that I really want to make. Between haying gardening [now harvest,somwhat] and summer projects in general, my crafting is at a slow pace. I do commit to doing "a little something" every day . I also gave a couple birthdays before Christmas. BUSY!


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## ejagno (Jan 2, 2008)

I have several unfinished projects that were intended for Christmas. Honestly, I just don't see them getting finished in time for THIS Christmas with working full time outside the home now. I've decided that I'm not going to beat myself up over this or try to kill myself getting everything done by Christmas. Been there, done that.

I did however get a good jumpstart when a local store ran all of their designer colognes and perfumes for 40% off then I was able to get an additional 5% off for my employee discount. I got my 3 sons and their wives to tell me what their favorite ones were and was able to get every one of them. My youngest is in college and of course is broke so he asked me if these could be his gift to the family. Well, either way I would have ended up paying for his Christmas shopping so I figure I got off 1/2 price and HE has some really nice gifts to give. Okay, so back to square one for me. LOL

If I can get through the birthdays between now and then I'll be doing great if I can slip in a few Christmas gifts as well. The Calender is loaded:
September: 
Daughter in laws birthday
Husbands birthday
Best friends birthday
Brother in Laws Birthday
Boss's birthday
Godchild's birthday
Another godchild's housewarming
Baby shower

October:
Two Sister's Birthdays
Mother in laws Birthday
Grandbabies 1st Birthday

November:
Brothers Birthday
Mom's Birthday (Gift Purchased-Perfume)
Thanksgiving

December:
Son's Birthday


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## OzarkHmsteaders (Jul 9, 2006)

Whew,,,,,,
ejagno,wow, I hope you can get a little rest in there for
"you"time,,my,,,,I just thought I had it bad,,I have plenty but you have a lot more,,I'd come and help if you were closer...

mustang Sally,,you go girl.. you are on the ball.
good for you being so dedicated to a little time each day,
I do good to make a little time once a week!!!

Ann,I may have to join you in your vote for delaying 
Christmas a few months,lol
wellllll, prob not though,lol
I have 1 tree,ready to fire,
but I may just save that, I am not sure the one I had in mind
would like it,,,

I do have about 6 things done/ready
I guess I had better get on the ball!!!

tryskal,
wish I had that art ability...
would love to see pics of your pics.

I did score at a yard sale the other day,
I got a bunch of fabric, some craft supplies 
3 new christmas table clothes,
and a collection of 5 snowman icicle ornaments 
in americana decor that I will give to a friend..

oh yeah, I did get 5 new little stuffed animals 
I will prob give to a few of the ladies at my pt time job when
I go back to my full time job in Oct.


wooohoooo

happy christmas crafting ya'll


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## deafgoatlady (Sep 5, 2007)

I am almost finish with christmas stuff. I am soo glad that I started early than last min..


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## tryskal (Jun 7, 2008)

This is what I am going to try......

http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=301135.0

If that doesn't work right - the tutorial can be found on craftster under watercolor stencil portraits.



(It worked!)


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## Wisconsin Ann (Feb 27, 2007)

tryskal said:


> This is what I am going to try......
> 
> http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=301135.0
> 
> ...


Dang that's pretty. I'd love to try that. You will HAVE to show us how it goes!


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## tryskal (Jun 7, 2008)

After I'm done I'll try to get my sister to take pictures with her digital camera. I don't have one yet. It's still on my "want" list.

I'm going to try to get pictures of my parents when they were just married and do this. You know.....a "dad" picture for mom and a "mom" picture for dad.

Now - ceramics is something I've always wanted to do. We have a "paint-it-yourself" ceremic place in Austin. But that is too far for me to go on a regular basis.


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## QuiltingLady2 (Jan 3, 2007)

Oh yes. Since May. Have to, to get it all done on time. lol Haven't started the yearly Christmas ornament yet though. Got to get going on that one.


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## mustangsally17 (Nov 3, 2007)

OzarkHmsteaders said:


> Whew,,,,,,
> ejagno,wow, I hope you can get a little rest in there for
> "you"time,,my,,,,I just thought I had it bad,,I have plenty but you have a lot more,,I'd come and help if you were closer...
> 
> ...


Thank You!! I have 7 grands plus their parents. So crafting as many gifts as possible for holidays and birthdays keeps me from working off the farm, plus I enjoy it. Also as the kids get older I dont know what to get then anymore and they seem to enjoy my homemade gifts. I am known in the family as the one who crafts and thats what my grands look to do when we are together. I must admit I am blessed to have a small craft room, so everything is out , in sight and all I have to do is step in the room and I figure 10 here and there minutes is better than nothing
The leaves are starting to change!! My favorite time of the year!!


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## mustangsally17 (Nov 3, 2007)

Tryskal....That is sooooo cool!!!!! Oh, ..dern another thing on my list. Can you get that liquid, forgot the name, sorry, at Micheals??? I just have to try it!


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## tryskal (Jun 7, 2008)

I don't know. I don't have a Michael's around here. It calls for art masking fluid. I guessing that it has something to do with painting. Maybe its carried at Hobby Lobby. They have a pretty extensive painting department.


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## OzarkHmsteaders (Jul 9, 2006)

I am still at it,lol
trying to get ornaments done for the kids and grandkids,
seems I am stuck this year for ideas,

any one want to share ornament ideas??

happy crafting ya'll


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## tryskal (Jun 7, 2008)

Sorry - no ornament ideas. Well, what about the ones that you can buy that are empty on the inside and you can fill them up any way you want. I think the lights would twinkle really nice if the ornament was filled with some of the shiny easter grass. And you're recycling too!

Me - I still plugging away at the afghan for my neice. I finally finished the blanket for my co-worker so I can devote more time to it.


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## shepmom (May 29, 2003)

Because of the economic hardships we are having a non-gift Christmas. Just gathering for a hardy meal and together time.

My major focus this year has been towards charity ...primarily infants and children and items to keep them warm.

That said the gifts I've been making(family) are given as I complete them. smile 
Nephew just got a new pullover, niece gets a hat and scarf. Brother has hinted on crochet necktie, so I made 2 for him. Ones more of a joke. Mom gets hers as birthday gifts, one Glitterspun gold scarf and one kerchief with Paton's Brilliance. Dh got a new hat and still brewing either a scarf to match or mittens. Making self a sw merino tunic.

ho ho ho
grin


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## shepmom (May 29, 2003)

sw= superwash merino wool


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## tryskal (Jun 7, 2008)

How is everybody doing on Christmas?

Me - still plugging away on the afgan for my neice, Aurora. And the cross-stitch for my sis, Amy.


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## Karen (Apr 17, 2002)

I'm working on a Star Wars quilt for my son-in-law who's a avid Star Wars fan. It'll be a miracle if I get it done in time. It might end up being next Christmas' gift..lol.

I'm wanting to make a handbag for my daughter but have no idea what else to do for her. I still can't figure out what to make or buy for anyone else! I only have 2 more pay days until Christmas, so I have to get motivated.

I'm beginning to like the 'no gift' Christmas idea. When you have to think and think; or walk aimlessly through the stores trying to get something (anything) that strikes you for that person, then that means no one obviously needs anything anyway and it's just 'spending money' with no real meaning behind it other than to fill a Christmas box. I keep wondering why we do this????

Last year we did talk about just giving each other a big box of stocking-stuffer type things. Those little gadgets, treats, or do-dads that are only a buck or two but you don't ever just get yourself. We always say the best part of opening presents is getting our Christmas socks down that are filled with things like little bottles of different hand sanitizers, a new shampoo to try, a personal spot remover pen, an ice scrapper, a purse-size spray Cling Free, scrapbooking stickers, Little Debbie cakes, candles, lip gloss, new deck of cards, etc.


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## Patches (Aug 9, 2006)

We certainly don't stress over Christmas gifts!!!!!! We love a family meal together... usually some stockings stuffed with do dads. If we decide to give gifts, we always have something that I have made boxed up for someone. I think the most fun part is getting all the cards from around the country, warm crackling fires, and good food and family. Of course, we don't have any little ones in the family right now, so I am sure that would make a difference. We just love the season.........wish for snow!!!!!!!


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## tryskal (Jun 7, 2008)

WIHH - right now the afgan is still needing to be put together. It's a granny square one and I'm still making the squares. It's done in Hello Kitty colors with white as the background. I'll definitely get pictures when I can.

One year for my birthday - my Mother went through Dollar Tree and got me things that I needed. She filled up a box. Another year she covered an old paper box with contact paper and filled it with yarn. Now that's a gift!


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## OzarkHmsteaders (Jul 9, 2006)

WIHH
Thank you for the links,
very cute!!!!

I have been doing a few crochet ones,
and a few others too,
I do have a few ideas to try yet,
hope to find time to get them done.

I love the quilt balls you and your daughter did last year
sooo cute.

Thanks every one for sharing...
happy crafting


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## Redhen3371 (Oct 15, 2009)

I want the instructions for that snowman using the batting. Do I have the right site or should I continue looking for the person who showed the picture?


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## rabbitgeek (Mar 22, 2008)

Everybody gets handwoven cotton towels and washcloths this year.

Have a joyful holiday season!


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## CarrieAnne (Sep 4, 2009)

Karen, Is there really Star Wars fabric????? my Son would LOVE a quilt like that, I will have to google it!
WIHH those ornaments are adorable! Cant do them here with all the pets, but they are CUTE!
I am making slippers for all the ladies, and making little baskets with HM stuff, a scarf for an eldery lady I know, and a baby blanket for a young Mom that I know. She's my daughters friend, and every time I see her baby, he has the blanket I crocheted him....makes me feel so good she is using it! So I am making another for her, LOL, we're in WI!


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## CarrieAnne (Sep 4, 2009)

Oh, and I also decided I am not going to spend any money on gift wrap....I LOVE Christmas and the pretty papers, but I do hate the waste....I am making a bunch of gift bags and wrap from the brown grocery sacks, with stamps. Got some pretty ribbins at a garage sale, and will stamp some tags too. Hopefully I wont have any HUGE gifts to wrap, LOL, or I will just have to buy a roll!


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## MSMH (Sep 8, 2009)

CarrieAnne said:


> Oh, and I also decided I am not going to spend any money on gift wrap....I LOVE Christmas and the pretty papers, but I do hate the waste....I am making a bunch of gift bags and wrap from the brown grocery sacks, with stamps. Got some pretty ribbins at a garage sale, and will stamp some tags too. Hopefully I wont have any HUGE gifts to wrap, LOL, or I will just have to buy a roll!


You've probably already thought of this:

After Christmas, buy "Christmas" fabric on clearance and then make different-sized, re-usable Christmas gift bags with drawstring closure for all of next year's hard-to-wrap gifts.  

Another gift idea is to make pillow cases out of holiday clearance fabrics. Kids like them. (Easter, 4th of July, etc.)

This fabric also makes great "shoe cover" bags for packing shoes in suitcases.


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## CarrieAnne (Sep 4, 2009)

MSMH, great idea on the pillow cases! Who doesnt LOVE or need a new one of those?! I have the cutest kitten fabric, so i will make one to wrap nieces gift...she is kitten CRAZY! Of course she wants a Zhu Zhu hamster and NO ONE has those, LOL!


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## MSMH (Sep 8, 2009)

Wind in Her Hair said:


> :goodjob: I stopped buying wrapping paper a million years ago - and used brown paper grocery bags and brown butcher paper instead. I don't buy ribbons and use raffia to tie packages up with. I think they are beautiful in a simple way. I even have a few wrapped empty boxes under our tree so it won't look so lonely since we mail all our gifts before Christmas. My SIL calls them "decoy" packages. hee hee



Lovely home. Thanks for sharing your photo. The packages look very nice, too.


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## CarrieAnne (Sep 4, 2009)

Yes, your home is SO beautiful! Looks like it should be in a magazine...I love the way you decorate for Christmas!


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## shepmom (May 29, 2003)

Lovely Christmas photo of your home.

In these parts, I haven't seen brown paper bags in ages. Plastic bags out the kazoo, new regulations are about to reduce them drastically. I've crocheted several eco-friendly shopping bags for dh to use. (manly colors) That would be a nifty, practical, etc gift. smile


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## oberhaslikid (May 13, 2002)

I have been working on these for my loved ones.


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## ChristieAcres (Apr 11, 2009)

DH's family draw names (only 1 person to give a gift to). My family & I have already agreed to make each other gifts. Progress? I have so far looked at some crochet designs and will probably make some doilies. The rugs look really nice, too. I had already gotten some rocks/gems from MinerJohn, so my children will get them (by then DS will be 20 and DD is 21). I just have to choose the picture, as I make my own Christmas cards. Guess that would be good to do the day after Thanksgiving? Suppose I ought to get started...


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