craftgrrl | ...Christmas is becoming far too comercialized...(x-potsed crazily) (Reply)

Have you taken a step back and looked around you...at how these little, insane, fools running around?...
Noone knows what the true meaning of christmas is anymore...they all just wish to try and top one another with their silly commercialized gifts...
I refused to buy anything for gifts and decided to make everything myself....

Photos Of Christmas Gifts
(Warning: Quite a few photos...may slow down some peoples computers)

For my mother
I made an organic rice microwave bag...
You place it in the microwave for no more then four minutes and place it wherever you have soul muscles, aches, pains...
Its actually quite a nifty gadget, works very well...oh and I mixed the rice with a gourmet coffee mix...so when you microwave the bag...you can smell the coffee...very soothing...

Close up of the pattern on the material...(Tiny white roses)

Since my mom loves to do crafts, I thought I would make a few things she could use while sewing...knitting...
This styrafoam ball is covered and sewen with material...creating and odd lil pin cushion...the strips are used to hold safety pins (shes always losing her safetly pins for quilting)...its odd looking, but still amusing and works well...

And a little sachet for her knitting needles...

For My Father
For my father I used the same idea with the microwavable geating bags...but instead I made a pack of three...and used red plaid...

And since he is always complaining of how he never has any good music but our terrible cds to listen to while driving and going on road trips...I made him two mixed cds...

For My Sister
Since she is quite obsessed with the distillers, I wanted to make her something that was related to the band...however she seemed to own almost every sort of merchandise they have sold...Then I realized she didn't have a jean jacket...My original plan was to create a more scratchy and patched up vest like my own, but my mother threw a fit...saying she didn't want my sister wearing something so hideos...uh-huh, yeah ok...anyways...
This is what I came up with and it passed my moms standards...
A simple plain jean jacket with their logo painted on the back...collar and cuffs lined with animal pattern fuzzy material...she could sew a few patches and put her band pins on it as well...

I also made an a bracelet with beaded lettering spelling out some lyrics from on of their songs...but I already gave it to her...(wasn't able to take a photo of it)

Then I decided to take some old cds that refuse to play...and covered them in a few magazine ads I ripped out and cut to place them in a mosiac theme...As well as placed a song tittle/or a random line of a song...

Closeup

For My Boyfriend
Im not sure if everything will work out in the end or not...but originally it was planned that my boyfriend would be coming down around the holidays, so I made a few things...(didn't have a chance to take photos of everything, for some projects are still not completed)

Microwavable bags with a black/orange checkered slip covering it...

A blank photo frame I podge layers of tissue paper onto, splattered black paint onto it...then created tissue papered hearts to place in the corners and twirled wires around them...

I wanted to have a cute, yet corny lil gift to give to him as well...Im pretty sure I've managed to capture that affect here...
I found a drawer type box and painted it black...covering the top with white feathers as well as lined the inside of the drawers with them...(not sure what to decorate the sides with)

The top drawer contains two items...a key and a ring with hearts carved into it...
The key represents the "key to my heart"...and the ring is more symbolic, I've always worn that for hope of finding my true love...
The bottom drawer contains a candle...and Im searching for a matchbook that would seem more suitable then a lighter...(inside story there)

I also began to remake a boring old scrapbook I had bought awhile ago..saving it for something...
The front cover is made out of real material, sewen together and glued on to create a more patch quilt effect...Then during the the visit, I plan on writing everything we do, include photos, as well as mementos...

When the visit is over...its always hard to send them off on their way...so I was thinking of creating a little cary on bag for the plane...
Include letters, jokes, old emails, old stories, and a few games in envelops...opening each envelope will keep them occupied (yes, I know its a pain, for it will be hard to dispose of the garbage...but its still fun)
Include his fav candies...a juice box...etc etc....
A special letter telling him how much I love him....

And I made some record bowls to give to them as well and plan to fill them with goodies...Once again all homemade...(will post photos when they're all done up)
-Belgium chocolate dipped pretzels
-Chocolate spoons covered in crushed candy cane
-Brownies
-Fudge
-Shortbread cookies
-Sugar cookies
-Jam tarty thingies (not sure what they're called)
And a few little pieces of candies and candy canes....

For Guitar Teacher
Since Michael always has helped me out with various things and lol given me "great" life lessons...I decided to give him a microwavable heating bag as well...kid is always complaining about his back and sore joints...hes 34 and speaks like a 64 year old at times...
Wrapped up...

Some Random Things
hehe I wanted to make a photo frame...
*grins*...I wonder whos photo would go into such...