Jodie, those ties are great! LOL, I WISH my boys would were ties, they would look so nice!!!!!!!!

I am making cone shape ornaments and filling with their favorite candy and a gift card tucked in!
Also, the pillowcases that everyone loves. My son loves to bowl and has since he was 3 so he will have a bowling pillow case. Also a bowling towel and golf towel for him. The potato bags would be a neat gift and so useful!
I just finished a cuddle quilt for my dil for Christmas.
I have two more to do before Christmas.

those ties are fabulous!

Pillowcases would be a great idea, and wouldnt taketoo much fabric. And there is a fabric for EVERYONE!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks Deedum for the idea! You are ALL so insiring....I am not feeling as bad about Christmas now!

I like this. Keep the ideals coming.

Well, it's not sewn, but something that's gone over well for me with young guys is homemade carmel and fudge. I use the recipe out of the Better Homes and Gardens cookbook. One recipe of carmels is a LOT. I wrap each piece in wax paper with the ends twisted, and put them in a tupperware-type container from the dollar store. THere are cute tins at the dollar store, too, but I figure a young guy will appreciate and use a tupperware container more than a cute tin.

Sleep pants! That's a great idea. I got my brother some of those one year and he loved them (I bought them, but still). He's so picky otherwise. I spent a lot of time sewing him a fleece-lined moleskin jacket one year and I'm not sure he ever wore it because I didn't put side pockets in. And pajama pants take a lot less time to sew.

I have done rice bags before, and potholders. I love potholders. Easy to make, use up scraps, and they're something that definitely gets used.

I did some string pieced potholders and the quilt-as-you go method from Sharon Pederson's Reversible Quilts book. They went together really fast since the piecing and the quilting were done at the same time.

We do a big fudge factory every year, very simple recipe in the microwave. The kids customize the flavors for friends.
It is a big hit. A lot of their friends do not cook!

I have the best snack mix that I give out every other year for Christmas. On the year that I bake cookies everyone gets mad at me. I also have been the most requested mom for the college kids because of this mix. It can be made ahead and looks great in tins...Should I post it here or in recipes?

I'm really interested in learning how to make these rice bags... do you guys know if there is a tutorial here for those?

I think you guys have added some coasters onto my list too, but I don't know if they will be for christmas gifts or be staying here because my daughter says that she will not share them after I make them LOL she is soo funny sometimes

I posted our granola recipe. It is always a big hit.You can vary the ingredients too!

I forgot to mention something I have done for my 3 grand daughters since the first one was about 5 yr old....I save toilet paper tubes and I fill them with little goodies like balloons, candy, hair clips, coins, trinkets of all sorts..anything small enough to fit inside and then I wrap the tubes sort of like those "crackers"..starting Dec 1. I let them each pick one when I see them..if we go there or they come here they get to pick one every time I see them..they live nearby so we see them often...they love it! But you have to give it some thought and collect little goodies early

Any suggestions for boys ages 7-15 years old? I always have a terrible time coming up with something for my 8 nephews. :shock:

Last year I gave them cash inside a "magic wallet", but cash is kind of boring.

My 3 nieces are easy to make/buy for. :mrgreen: One's a "girly girl", so she likes anything pink and frilly. One likes horses. And the other likes purple. I made her a "booty bag" purse from a pair of blue jeans a couple of years ago, and decorated it with purple beads and purple faux fur. It really wasn't anything spectacular, but you would've thought I gave her the moon. :)

Wow you guys are ambitious. Its been to hot to think about Christmas. Thanks for all the ideas. I better be getting ambitious too. Thanks everyone :thumbup:

Yes! Please post the recipe! Sounds great, thanks!

Do you knit, scarves, hats and mittens are always a good idea for the guys.

Ive done the cookies in a jar recipes place in a basket with oven mittens or pot holeders, cookie cutters, wooden spoons and kitchen towels.

No, I don't know how to knit, unfortunately. I'm learning to crochet, but all I can make so far is a Granny square. :mrgreen:

Good idea, though! :thumbup:

I do a good carmel popcorn so that might be something to add to their gift and its not expensive to make.

Tje ties would be great for my principal, he wears a different Christmas tie every day during the season because he has so many but none are homemade.

Laura3, I'd love for you to post your snack recipe.

Also, I have mug organizers on the list to make for presents and two tulip purses! Will be happy to get half of it done in time!

Crocheting dish rags called scrubbie nubbies have 20 out of 30 done so far. Then swiffer towels (or whatever you call them) they attach to the bottom of the swiffer to wash the floor with and they work great, also swiffer duster covers works okay but could be me not crocheting tight enough.

Then sewing oh boy,

plan is pajama pants, tablerunner (bought from Bill Locke along with his new patten for jar placemats) pot holders, coasters and I think that is it if I can get it all done.

Now for those rice bags. hummmmmmm

I also made tute is not that great (so if someone has one better or would like to do one please I need help) potato bags. Love that bag.

I'm making quilted totes for the ladies and still trying to decide what to make the guys.

I have had several request to make and give a Microwave Potatoe/Corn Bag.

Guys are just a pain hahaha I would think pj pants and shorts will be great. I'm going to make DH some of those he looks oh so good in them yummy oops sorry ladies and gents got a little carried away. :)

Please post your snack mix recipe.

One year I made 6-inch paper pieced angel blocks, quilted them onto a navy blue sweatshirt (to look like the night sky) and bordered them with decorative braid. On some I experimented with lace for the angel's wings which was quite beautiful. Unfortunately, I have given them all away, but I will ask my mother to dig out the one I gave her so I can post a picture. Any Christmas inspired quilt block would do (Christmas trees, wreaths, Santa, etc.) and they can be put together very quickly, usually in just a couple of hours once you have all your materials together.

if ref. to guys..well besides hubby,my 3 boys and 4 boy grandkids...one thing i do know...they are really not that hard..one..no guy likes any kind of flowered print, or pink colors regardless..they like checks,flannel,plaids..dots,stripes ..maybe leaf prints..all guys have an interest too..mainly sports..football,basketball,bowling..then there are your fishing guys..or your computer geeks..etc..etc..ladies..thos fabrics are out there..stick to browns,grays ,blues..and for kids..bright colors..lap quilts..big soft pillow covers,pillowcases and aprons and of course your lounge pants/boxers.......you go girls

I'm game. Need to start soon.

I'd like to see the snack mix recipe here!

GREAT idea!

I think a good gift idea would be lunch bags....or shopping totes. GUys would use lunch bags and non-disposable snack bags...Don't you think?

Michaels has kids shirts cheap. Applique or discharge dying. I will post a how to on the dying. It's reverse tie dye w bleach solution & a colored shirt!

LOL, Charisma, I made those for my kids when they werent the "IN" thing! Ive always been frugal, and my kids always took a lunch, so I made them all cute cloth lunch bags. Too cheap to buy bags, lol!
The lunch bags would give them memories!

I always thought these little tissue pack holders would make nice gifts, especially for hair dressers, letter carriers--you know, those service people who make our lives better that rarely get any thanks. The Sew Thankful website has several projects for free, and two styles of tissue pack holders:

http://www.sewthankful.com/media/Tra...sueHolder1.pdf

She used to have both styles posted, but now you have to sign up for her e-news to get the other one. It's the more conventional style. Anyway . . . you probably have enough stuff in your stash to make as many as you want.

I've made some Boston Block coasters for the girls at my doctors office. I found a pattern called "Mexican Star Basket" it's about a 4 or 5 in. square, that I want to find a liner for and it can be used to hold candy, rolls, even a plant. These are for my neighbors. And next I plan on making some mouse pads from Rhonda Woods Star Point Blocks. I'm currently working on three small Christmas Stocking wall hanings for a friend, DGD's and SIL. I've been busy and having fun.