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From: stephi
Date: 10-23-2006, 10:21 AM (1 of 21)
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I have been seeing some christmas stuff being put out at the stores for a few months now and it encouraged me to get started on my list of christmas to do's this weekend. I finished two blankets for my BIL and another friend of ours, a scarf for granny, and a purse for my niece. I need to think of something for my nuerotic SIL and two other girls/friends but I feel very close now. I have a pillow and another man blanket to make so I should be close to done by christmas. Anyone else started on cool christmas gifts?? I am always looking for good gifty ideas. Stephi
"No body knows what it is that I do until I dont do it" "if you do what you have always done you will get what you have always gotten" |
User: stephi
Member since: 03-17-2006 Total posts: 361 
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From: Patty22
Date: 10-23-2006, 10:54 AM (2 of 21)
Wow Stephi....you certainly put me to shame. We were going to do a gift exchange this year where everyone just draws a name and buys for one person. Unfortunately new DIL's on SIL's side didn't want to participate so the idea was nixed. Now everyone is  about what to do.This is why I love Thanksgiving and dread Christmas holidays. Thanksgiving is about sharing a meal together and enjoying family. I would enjoy Christmas more if everyone forgot about giving presents and we just met at a shelter/food pantry/habitat for humanity and just worked for a day helping others. How do others make the December holidays meaningful? Do you limit $ on exchanges? Do you just exchange funny presents? Do you only exchange gifts you have made? Personally, I would love a poem from my SIL. She writes beautifully and it is something I could cherish forever. But Stephi - you go girl - I admire your time management skills and attacking the projects before the holiday rush! Patty
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User: Patty22
Member since: 03-29-2006 Total posts: 1194 |
From: DorothyL
Date: 10-23-2006, 11:48 AM (3 of 21)
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I tend to make stuff for other people year round but not at Christmas or I'd just have one more pain in the rear for the season. I like to go to the sewing room to get away from hectic -- well walk across the room since hectic is a definition of the other side which is always on deadline since it is where I work as a reporter. This year I'm not going to worry about it AT ALL. I don't want anything and I'm not going to shop for anything. No Xmas in my house this year. Dorothy |
User: DorothyL
Member since: 12-09-2002 Total posts: 3883 |
From: stephi
Date: 10-23-2006, 12:13 PM (4 of 21)
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Dorothy-AMEN Patty, I gave up buying for all the adults in my life a few years back. I do make chocolate and start getting to mass production around thanksgiving time. Thats normally my generic gift but this year I am just going to put it in my fridge and anyone who comes to visit us can have some! I buy all the kids (5 of them) $25 savings bonds, they get enough junk from every one else. Any one who insist on buying for my D I send them that direction too. Her grandmother will get her a savings bond and take her to the dollar store to pick something out. This excites her plenty (the thought of shopping excites her anyway)! My side of the family did chinese gift exchange for a long time and it was great fun. Optional if you didnt want to do it dont whine if you dont get anything! Makes the holidays a whole lot less stressfull! Oh and alot more fun when everyone is going after that real good gift, LOL!! Stephi
"No body knows what it is that I do until I dont do it" "if you do what you have always done you will get what you have always gotten" |
User: stephi
Member since: 03-17-2006 Total posts: 361
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From: Chrysantha
Date: 10-23-2006, 08:09 PM (5 of 21)
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I started getting stuff for my sister before I went to see her in Sept. (27th) and I'm almost fininshed -buying-. All I have to do now is embroider. I already got my house decorations. (thank you Michaels and JoAnn's for coupons). All I need now is some energy to put up lights. ( I didn't do it last yr., cause I was depressed...I feel pretty good this yr.) It was 60 degrees today !!!!!!!! It felt like...well...fall.... (except we don't have pretty trees that change color here in FL). Chrys
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User: Chrysantha
Member since: 09-06-2002 Total posts: 2414 
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From: esrun3
Date: 10-23-2006, 08:32 PM (6 of 21)
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I tend to shop all year but this year I am way behind but then I've spent the last 8 months I think only thinking baby LOL. The shower is out of the way so now I can start thinking Christmas-I'm taking a few days off though the relax and then will get back on the wagon and get some work done.
Lyn
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User: esrun3
Member since: 12-02-2004 Total posts: 2345 |
From: Mom of Six
Date: 10-23-2006, 09:55 PM (7 of 21)
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I have made 2 beach blankets out of towel scraps from making hair towels. Our family always finds a theme & everyone brings a gift to exchange & then we play some kind of game to choose which gift you will receive. This year the theme is bring a gift that starts with the first letter of your first name. I have made a beach blanket & plan on getting some fun items to go with it. I haven't even started to think about anything else. I have to get through DS turning 18 this week first. Barb
Happiness is having time to sew!! |
User: Mom of Six
Member since: 11-03-2001 Total posts: 1115 
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From: MotherInLaw
Date: 10-24-2006, 12:58 AM (8 of 21)
Oh My........you ladies are on top of everything. I'm going to have a new grandbaby tomorrow so I'll have one more to buy for this year............well not really I'll have 3 more, 10 all total my oldest son's new girlfriend has two little one that are simply adorable. My new GD's name will Emily Marie. I can't wait to see her tomorrow. I though I was finished with babies a few years ago and then I had two baby girls within 6 months apart and now this one coming, so Christmas will be fun again. All the older ones want money so I love getting their gifts.  I usually start after Thanksgiving on my shopping.Kath it is going down to 40 F tonight and it's been lovely all day bordering between 65 and 70. Yeahhhh It has the feel of the holidays now. I'm going to start cooking for Thanksgiving next week. I freeze a lot of the stuff before the big day then all I have to do is make the turkey, some of the deserts and it wouldn't be the holidays without Gumbo. I'm regressing back into my youth, I just have to figure out how I'm going to convience my body to come along with me.
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User: MotherInLaw
Member since: 06-25-2005 Total posts: 1118 
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From: Magot
Date: 10-24-2006, 03:57 AM (9 of 21)
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I am behind with my Christmas knitting this year! I am making gloves for my friends with magic wool! (self patterning sock wool) - they don't take so long to make but finding the time to sot and knit is the problem. Ia m also going to be making some purses for my daughters and maybe a new set of cushions covers for the living room.(the old ones are looking a little tired - I suppose I could just wash them!)
love and kisses, Jan
Guts-R-Us Cells a Speciality DNA to order. |
User: Magot
Member since: 12-22-2002 Total posts: 3626 
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From: my2girlies
Date: 10-24-2006, 10:27 AM (10 of 21)
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I have been making decorated overalls for all the little ones in mine and DH's family. I am about half way done. In my family my siblings and I do not exchange gifts. We generally give to a charity in one another's names, trying to pick something that would please each other. I am the youngest by 20 years so when we started this tradition I was in college and had no money so I would volunteer somewhere for each of them. We only give gifts to kids - until 18. I too will have a new DGS this week and already have made him several things for Christmas. And will probably make more - got to spoil him totally rotten. This will be our first Christmas without my Dad, it will be very strange I know. But my DH and DD's decided that to honor his memory we were going to go to the local Veteran's home and "adopt" a WWII veteran (as my Dad was one,too) that does not have family to come and see him and make him a special gift basket so I plan to do some embroidery there and some baking, etc. Youngest DD will make each of her closest friends something, so I will be recruited to help there, too. Probably themed picture frames this year. Then DD's and I always make homemade goodies for all the families on our block. It has become a tradition of ours since we moved here. It will take the 3 of us a minimum of 2 days to get all the baking done. And another 2-3 days to paint all the containers. We usually do that painting and decorate our house Thanksgiving week-end since everything is so crowded with shoppers. Ok now that I have written all this - I realize I need to go get busy - Yikes!! |
User: my2girlies
Member since: 03-25-2005 Total posts: 154 |
From: mommydionne
Date: 10-24-2006, 10:40 AM (11 of 21)
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finished embroidering a Dora the Explorer shirt for one nephew have a few more on the list to go but that's it so far...
Jeanette
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User: mommydionne
Member since: 01-08-2004 Total posts: 838 
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From: stephi
Date: 10-24-2006, 10:47 AM (12 of 21)
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Oh the giving to a charity is such a good idea, I will have to stash that idea away for next year. I started the savings bond thing a few years ago and it is so easy and such a big hit. most of the kids I buy for are under 5 so they are saving for college now and dont even realize it!! I wanted to make one of those fabric bowls that are flat and then you tie the corners up to make the bowl. Has anyone made them before, are they hard, is there a pattern on the web somewhere?? Glad to hear its is some what cool in FLA this time of year we are going to disney next year and I didnt want it to be too hot fot granny!! 
Stephi
"No body knows what it is that I do until I dont do it" "if you do what you have always done you will get what you have always gotten" |
User: stephi
Member since: 03-17-2006 Total posts: 361
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From: Magot
Date: 10-24-2006, 01:56 PM (13 of 21)
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A lot of my daughters wedding presents were things like "a goat", "some chickens" etc from Oxfam that you give to third world countries from the other person. Arranged through Oxfam. She is working hard to avoid gathering clutter so what to get her is quite tricky. Maybe a tree in the Amazon.
love and kisses, Jan
Guts-R-Us Cells a Speciality DNA to order. |
User: Magot
Member since: 12-22-2002 Total posts: 3626
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From: stephi
Date: 10-24-2006, 04:02 PM (14 of 21)
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Jan maybe you could have an outhouse built in the sudan or somewhere in here honor!! Just to prove how much of a stinker you are, LOL!!
Stephi
"No body knows what it is that I do until I dont do it" "if you do what you have always done you will get what you have always gotten" |
User: stephi
Member since: 03-17-2006 Total posts: 361
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From: Magot
Date: 10-24-2006, 05:11 PM (15 of 21)
somebody did give her a toilet.... somewhere in Malawi I think..
love and kisses, Jan
Guts-R-Us Cells a Speciality DNA to order. |
User: Magot
Member since: 12-22-2002 Total posts: 3626
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From: Chrysantha
Date: 10-24-2006, 06:55 PM (16 of 21)
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LMAO !!! for charity I usually do something closer to home...animal shelters need food, litter, toys, etc... Last yr I adopted a soldier..(he's a CUTIE !!!) we still e-mail, cause he's still in a 'sandy place'. Sometimes I just give things to people... Hey Suzie....I LOVE the cooler weather...thats why NO HURRICANES...save some gumbo for my husband, he loves the stuff. I don't know what we'll be doing for Thanksgiving this yr. Jimmy is in Sandy Eggo till the 1st and then he has to go to Dallas I think...I don't know if he's going to be home for Thanksgiving. (I know he'll be home for his birthday the 5th.) Stephi..theres NO telling what the weather will be next yr. Some yrs it's been so hot and humid it's like summer at Christmas...sometimes it freezes. They predicted 8 BAD hurricanes for this yr. We didn't have any, zero, nada...(thank heavens for a little break...) Some yrs like last yr and the yr before, you get one after the other...and they do LOTS of damage...So comming to FL is always taking a chance, no matter what time of the yr. Chrys
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User: Chrysantha
Member since: 09-06-2002 Total posts: 2414
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From: stephi
Date: 10-26-2006, 10:14 AM (17 of 21)
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Chrys, Yeah I am a VA girl we get y'alls remains of hurricanes. There where quite a few threatening but none to land this year. Im not worried about hitting bad weather we have planed two whole days with nothing in them so if weather is bad one day we will just go the next!! I know you are a few degrees warmer than us so it will be a warmup any way, LOL. I just cant decide wether to fly or drive, such a quandry!! Stephi
"No body knows what it is that I do until I dont do it" "if you do what you have always done you will get what you have always gotten" |
User: stephi
Member since: 03-17-2006 Total posts: 361
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From: HeyJudee
Date: 10-26-2006, 08:28 PM (18 of 21)
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Jan...how about helping to dig a well in Africa? There's a teenager here in Ottawa who started a foundation to raise money to dig wells. He has been doing this since he was 6. His story is well known in the Ottawa area....and the money he has raised is amazing! Here's the web-site http://www.ryanswell.ca TTFN from
Judy |
User: HeyJudee
Member since: 01-25-2005 Total posts: 1366 
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From: Patty22
Date: 10-26-2006, 08:54 PM (19 of 21)
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What an impressive young man Judy. I ear-marked the web-site.
Patty
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User: Patty22
Member since: 03-29-2006 Total posts: 1194 |
From: esrun3
Date: 10-29-2006, 12:28 AM (20 of 21)
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I wanted to make one of those fabric bowls that are flat and then you tie the corners up to make the bowl. Has anyone made them before, are they hard, is there a pattern on the web somewhere?? : Stephi, I've made these before. 2 squares equal size (I made mine 12 1/2". piece of batting same size. Layer batting, then the fabric right sides together on top. Stitch around the edges leaving an opening to turn, turn, topstitch around or slipstitch the opening. For ties, I used 4 pieces of ribbon about 18" long (if I remember right-measure and see what works for you. Measured about 3" in on all sides or measure in the depth of the side you want (ie: 3" will give you a 3" depth. Put a piece of ribbon the line, sew from edge to edge so you end up with a square on the bottom made out of the ribbon after you've attached all 4 pieces. Fold up and tie at the corners. Hope that makes sense. If you have any questions, just ask, I'll be happy to try and clarify. Lyn
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User: esrun3
Member since: 12-02-2004 Total posts: 2345 |
From: stephi
Date: 10-30-2006, 09:13 AM (21 of 21)
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Thanks Lynn, I think I got it...I will let you know how it comes out. I feel slightly more accomplished after this weekend I took a horse blanket and a pillow to be monogramed. Something I could have done myself but "OH WAIT" I dont have an ebroidery machine, LOL!!! I also ordered a super cute christening outfit for the baby on the way!! She makes it from a simplicity pattern and then embroiders what ever you want on the pockets...I got footballs. This is something else I could have done but (other than not having a machine) the price is soo incredibly low and she makes a polarfleece blanket with crocheted edges (I dont crochet) and the same football and babies name on it to match. The set is $34 and You really cant beat that with a stick!! But I am creeping closer and closer to christmas!! 
Stephi
"No body knows what it is that I do until I dont do it" "if you do what you have always done you will get what you have always gotten" |
User: stephi
Member since: 03-17-2006 Total posts: 361
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