Homemade gifts, big and small help show you care with a personal touch. Every year I try to make something for family and close friends, like a DVD of a reunion, something hand-sewn for the kitchen. Small clay ornaments, like the ones above, can be a gift in itself, or a decoration on the top of a gift. I made these to my kids as a way to help build enough ornaments for when they move out.
Consumables are always popular with teachers and friends who already have everything they need. Sugar cookies are a winner for locals, but they don't ship well. This year I made candied pecans for my family. For every 3 cups of shelled pecans, you'll need one egg white whipped with a drizzle of water, to coat the pecans before stirring in a mixture of 3 cups of sugar, with about a teaspoon of cinnamon and some salt. Bake at 250 for an hour on a large baking sheet, stirring every 15 minutes.
My most popular gift this Christmas was note cards of people's houses It was a trick to get pictures of far flung houses to use as source material. I had to text teenage niece, or brother-in-laws for help on this project for houses outside my town. My sweet husband scanned my pen and ink drawings, added a family name below in Illustrator, and then had them printed at Staples. I'm always looking for new ideas for gifts that might show love for the following year.
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