Have done several counted cross stitch projects over the years for Christmas gifts, coasters with cross stitch queen, king, club and diamond inserts for a sisterinlaw that has card parties, pictures of favorite things for others, color, letters and number charts for children, sweats with names all over them or puctures of favorite things. Sweatshirts made into button down jackets, silk scarves for men, appliqued sweatshirts, puffy paint sweatshirts,and gingerbread houses that are sewn and decorated as well as wreaths. So many sewing projects over the years. Last year I went to the thrfit stores and bought baby overalls, cut them off across the legs right at the crotch, sew across and make clothes pin bags. Fill with clothespins and clip a couple right onto the pockets, put on a hanger and done!
This year we gathered grape vines and made wreaths and decorating them with each families favorites. One will be an Elvis theme, one hunting and fishing, one country, for my two sons some of their favorite things from childhood. Another one religious symbols, one crossword puzzle theme. It has been fun looking and finding various things to go on them. So half way through with 2006 Christmas gifts. Mostly we just exchange a "token" gift so these homemade things work well. Only the grandparents and our grown children and their families get all the other goodies also. The family has gotten so big we had to cut somewhere. So the "token" gift thing hads been working well and now others have picked up on it. So it is always fun to see all the different ideas.
One year we did the jar thing, some soups, some cookie, some muffin mixes. They were so pretty some of the recipients are still using them as a decoration rather than actual make the product.
Trying to think ahead for next year already!
