It is a gift from the heart - with love and attention thrown in - usually much more valued than anything bought

I have made and given most of what has been said already BUT I am retired and get together regularly with 10 girlfriends from grade school. We always have lunch and them decide on our next luncheon date so I bought those pocket calendars ($1.00 ea) and made a quilted cover with their monogram on it for each one of them. I wrapped it in tissue and slipped it into a padded envelope with a note on Christmas paper telling them how much it meant to me that we still get together and have remained true friends all these years. They got this instead of a Christmas card and everyone loved it. Now when we make our next date, everyone takes theirs out of their purse and marks it down. We don't have to go home and check our calendars.

This was a very inexpensive gift, but I hear about how much it is appreciated every time we get together!

P.S. When the calendar expires all they need to do is buy the current year calendar for only $1.00 and slip it in the cover. They are all the same size. I even get FREE ones from different charities I have donated to.

see previous post - I have also made these with matching address and phone books in large print for all the grannies in the family. They are not into the electronic age of I-pads and such, and still write these down. They loved them. (Who doesn't need to make over their phone and address book?)

I saw a pattern for quilting a computer or iPad cover. I am making one of those for my husband, making it smaller for his Nook.

file:///Users/pcgardner/Desktop/favorite%20patterns/iPad%20Cover%20Tutorial%20%7C%20Amy's%20Creative%2 0Side.webarchive

Embroidered on kitchen towels and then made hot pads to match the theme (peppers, cherries, etc), covers for composition notebooks with pocket for pens, cold process soap, embroidery on fingertip towels that says "Friends are flowers that never fade".

It's so funny, I have always made gifts and never gotten a gift made by someone else, wish I would though!

I am also making christmas gifts for the family ... if they can't understand that it takes more thought in making gifts than buying then there is a problem ...lol

Last year, just before Christmas I bought an embroidery machine. Also found fleece throws at a discount store at a better price than I could buy the equivelent yardage, so I monogrammed blankies for all 17 0f my grandchildren, and all six of my children plus their spouses. This year they all expect quilts! Right. Hah.

Nothing is ever cheap if it comes from the heart. Your time is valuable and your friends and family should know this.

:lol: I think I've always given handmade gifts - even remember giving them as a kid. Wouldn't be Christmas without making things as far as I am concerned. Never had anyone tell me they thought I was cheap. :lol: If they ever do, I'll include a price tag with their next gift and they can see how much time and money it actually takes. ROFLOL.

I've already got some tote bags made; kitchen towels; checkbook covers; kleenex pocket pack covers. Also gonna make 2 lap quilts and some pillowcases.

:lol: :lol: