12 Days of Craftmas # 9: The Apron

My sister is the picture of domesticity. She loves baking and now that she stays home, she started a cake business. She's awesome, she make cake pops, banana bread, coconut cake and a lot more! They are all wonderful!

So anyways, i wanted to make her an Apron she could wear to events she caters for her business. So i made her a reversible Apron with a plastic sleeve she can put her business cards in. This way it makes a her logo on her apron, but also a pocket so she can give out more business cards. For some Yummy Cakes by Tonya, see http://www.facebook.com/YummyCakesByTonya

12 Days of Craftmas # 8: Frisbee Golf Bag

So brothers are difficult when it comes to crafting presents. My brother plays Frisbee golf and usually takes  a lunch box to carry his extra freebees. So I had an old messenger bag from middle school that had a few holes and an ink stain. So i cut it to pieces and made a Frisbee Golf Bag, I got the design from a company funnily enough called the nut sac- i added a pocket for a water bottle. I liked the way it turned out. www.nutsacbags.com

12 Days of Craftmas # 6 & #7- Cooking

Cooking your presents is just a good idea. Its cheap and thoughtful, so for my large extended family I decided to do Banana Bread for my dad's family and Hot Pepper Jelly for my mom's family.


Basic Recipe- we always have brown bananas in our freezer. Just defrost them...

• 3 or 4 ripe bananas, smashed
• 1/3 cup melted butter
• 1 cup sugar (can easily reduce to 3/4 cup)
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• Pinch of salt
• 1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
• 350 degrees for an hour. 

I got the Christmas towels at the dollar store Cost: $1.00  Time: 1.5 hours for 4 loaves

 
Hot Pepper Jelly is a southern thing, this was a little ambitious but also fun. You have to have a hot water bath caner and jars. It is cool to see your pepper flecks in the amber liquid.

I used red Serrano and Green Jalapeno Peppers from my garden. 

Cost: jars 30 cents each 

Time: 2 hours for 7 jars   

http://www.pickyourown.org/pepper_jelly.htm

12 Days of Craftmas: #5: Monster Jacket

For my little monster nephew, Ezekiel, I made a monster Jacket. It was generally the same idea and pattern as Soren's Jacket. Nice plaid fabric on one  side and soft and silly on the other.

Cost: $10.00

Time: 2 Hours

12 Days of Craftmas #4: The Treasure Map

I can't take credit for this one. My niece Leila is obsessed with maps right now so my sister let me in that it would be a great present. So i really just got some canvas fabric i already had and some magic markers. I put all the houses she would know and a few other landmarks. 

Then of course add some pink fabric and some ribbon and you have a cherished
Treasure Map!
Time: 1 hour
Cost: $0.00

12 Days of Craftmas #3:The Personalized Undershirt

So what do you get Dad?

My dad always asks for the same practical gift: Undershirts.

What can i do with that? I just got a stencil and some fabric paint and tried to think of things that would make him smile. My dad is notorious for silly sayings usually accompanied by silly voices and also accompanied with lyrics. There were too many to choose from...

When we were kids we had routines like eating waffles on every Sunday morning. My dad would feed them to me and my sister on his knees always announcing which ones were 'Butter Bites'.

One game we played as kids was where we would go in the living room and get run over by my dad rolling around on the floor making machine noises and saying 
'Steam Roller'.  

My dad pernounces Birthday, Birfday. silly. especially when he says it during a prayer and we all crack up.  

My dad also made every 3 syllable phrase a song. Apple Juice was the song i remember the most. 

These made my dad really really happy.  
Time: 1 hour
Cost: about $10.00 

12 Days of Craft-mas #2: Starbucks Reusable Sleeve

I thought i would begin with a simple one...this is s simple 30 minuet gift anyone can make. My sister is Lesley- (hints the L) is addicted to Starbucks so this was perfect for her. I honestly just made it, but if your interested here is a blog tutorial that looks similar. http://thecottagehome.blogspot.com/2010/02/reusable-coffee-sleeve-tutorial.html  

   

 

Time:30 Minuets
Cost: $0.00