Make It Yourself Gift Ideas ~ Handmade Christmas

Money tight? I feel you. With six months left until Christmas, many of us have more time than money. I can remember a few Christmas Eves when I was up until the wee hours making doll dresses for my girls. 

 If you're feeling the money crunch more than the time crunch, here are a few ideas for homemade gifts. 

Remember: 

• Christmas is about Jesus
• Christmas is about people not gifts
• Being thrifty is no indication of your love and care for the recipient.
• Use what you have on hand as much as possible. 

Now for the ideas:

Paper Craft

~ greeting cards 

~ decorate recipe cards

From the Needles

~ tribbles
~ dishcloths
~ aprons
~ mittens
~ doll clothes
~ skirt
~ tablet stand
~ camera bean bag
~ key chain
~ Christmas stockings
~ hair baubles
~ casserole hot pad
~ drawstring bags
~ kitchen curtains
~ tote bag
~ pillow cases
~ ornaments
~ crocheted chains for hair ribbons
~ tea towels
~ doilies
~ pacifier clip
~ accessory bag
~ earbud pouch
~ baby bib
~ tea wallet
~ shawl
~ slippers
~ socks
~ cape
~ camera strap
~ Bible cover
~ mug rug
~ tissue holder

Crafted
~ arrow holder (quiver)
~ CD holder for car
~ strap for guitar
~ ornaments
~ magnets
~ candles
~ soap
~ coasters

From the Kitchen
~ cookies
~ homemade vanilla
~ recipe scrapbook with photos or on large cards
~ bread
~ quick breads
~ homemade mixes

Acts of Service
~ all clothes ironed
~ clean out car
~ babysitting


Be creative! Your imagination and ingenuity can make a thrifty budget stretch far!

Happy Christmasing!

Laura

Thoughts on Sixty

Me at three

My sixtieth birthday bothered me more than other milestone birthdays. It is strange to realize that even though I've always thought of old as 30 years older than my current age, I'm on the cusp. Confidentially, it helps that I have friends that a few years older than I am. I've been watching as they gracefully meet the challenges that our sixties bring. Some of those challenges are ones that have blindsided them.

Maybe that is why I've felt bothered. My fifties rather blindsided me.

My fifties decade was punctuated by breast cancer, Covid, children flying the nest, moving to a new home, financial burdens, and strained relationships that are now healed. All very difficult things. BUT GOD.

God prepared me for the decade by helping me to be immersed in the Word. I started using YouVersion, now Bible.com, to listen through the Bible in 2011. "Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God." Romans 10:17. It was my friend, Deb in Florida, that originally challenged me to one of their reading plans. I had no idea that I would get addicted to listening to the Word! It became a big deal for me to read or listen ahead of the plan. I guess it's probably similar to a dopamine hit. God used that to transform my thinking. 

Why did this make a difference? Oh that's probably a blog post in itself.

Most importantly, when a wrong thought came into my head or was spoken to me, I immediately had scripture, even if it was a fragment, that popped into my head to refute it. 

I never went through the why me stage of mourning my cancer; because, "It rains on the just and the unjust," Matthew 5:45. The first moment I had the thought, that verse immediately and automatically course corrected my thinking. Thank you Jesus!

This is what it means to be "transformed by the renewing of your mind". Romans 12:2

You know the strangest thing about turning sixty? It bothered me a lot until...

I woke up on my birthday feeling free and happy! A new decade! A new start! I am so blessed to begin another year—especially after my fifties. That was over a month ago, and I still like being sixty.

God is so good to me. That will never change. Now, what shall I do next?

May God bless you all!

Laura

My birthday post

You may enjoy:

• A Little Randomness 1998
• Homeschooling— If God Leads You to It, He'll Lead You Through It
• Ripples on the River

Happy Lately #2

Hi y'all! 

Here are some things that are making me happy lately.

Early morning Bible reading on the patio.

I finished my Christmas socks.

I wove in all the zillions of yarn ends on my socks. Finishing made me happy.

This dog bone pillow supports and comforts my neck while riding in our car.

We have a new hummingbird feeder. We moved it under a tree with flower baskets on either side.

I enjoy listening to my Bible.com app morning and night.

What's been making you happy Lately?

Please talk back!

~smile~

Blessed, 

Laura 

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