The Christmas Challenge. Week 2.

I hope you had a good week!
Last time we were thinking about reviewing our craft supplies and maybe looking at what we have available as far as potential gift making goes. And also beginning to gather some inspiration about what to make.

Next step is working out how to use up our supplies and match them to our ideas!
Over the year we can do both. No doubt we will need top up supplies and little things but using up things really keeps costs way down.

I found I have a lot of supplies.

I could start a glitter shop.
Also there is a good boxful of cellophane bags, a box of card making supplies and I have plenty of glue.

I have quite a bit of crochet cotton and lots of odd bits of wool. And lots of soft pink chenille yarn that I love!

Helen gave me melt and soap and rose moulds!

I can't wait to start soap making! This will provide lots of gifts.

I found pink microfiber to sew into the eye makeup cleansing cloths! It is perfect.

And Chloe gave me beautiful labels for cooking gifts... look at these!

I love them! This was a gorgeous present. I will use blue tissue paper and ribbons.

The best part of my supplies is I have some beautiful wool fabric for embroidery (given to me by a wonderful friend) and a lot of soft cottons. This includes several sets of sheets and doona covers in rose prints!

This is a huge amount of material! Most are double bed or queen sheets. With a Doona of course it is two layers of fabric. Masses.

Next I have lovely soft cottons. These feel like Liberty prints. I have gradually bought these as I love them.

They are in gorgeous florals and lovely colours! 

I have a box of laces, trims, braid and so on.

In this case matching my supplies with things I want to make and can use as gifts is super easy.

As several of you have said you have lots of fabric I will share some of my plans.

I start with the largest amounts of material. I want to make myself a rose tablecloth with a lace or ruffled edging. A rose table cloth is right up my alley! Then a set of rose napkins! I am in heaven already.

These would be a great gift. I can think of two friends who would love rose tablecloths with lace trim and napkins. So two presents will be completed.

Then rose pillowcases with lace trim or crochet edgings. Previously I have used up materials on pillowcases and they were good gifts...

Other times I have used double fabric and made kitchen towels.

Next is sets of napkins. These look so nice tied up in a pretty stack. For anyone wanting to cut back on paper products napkins are a lovely pretty gift.

My floral cottons are to make ladies hankies. I love pretty hankies. I saw some in a shop that were a larger ladies hanky and so pretty. They were $15 each and so beautiful. This is my plan for that material. This also fits my keeping postal presents smaller plan!

Once I have made the gifts that use up the larger sections then I start using up the smaller bits.

One things I like to do with small pieces is cover diaries. Another is use pretty little squares of fabric cut with pinking shears and stitched onto gift tags.  For lots of lovely ideas take a look at a blog called Flamingo Toes. She has a post on ideas for fat quarter sized fabrics that are gorgeous.
Of course little bits are great for some patchwork projects too.

Things are good as I have lots of plans of things I want to make for both the home and gifts plus supplies on hand to make them and get going.

That is the aim for the week ... get going! You only need one idea and it is a start. We want to produce some gifts and or cards before the end of January. Items to put into the gift cupboard. Don't forget there will be a show and tell here in the last week of the month!


The main aim of this challenge is to make our gifts and save a lot of money (that we can add in to the Vicky Challenge as well!)
But there is more. I always say busy hands make a happy heart. I really believe this is true. It is for a reason that the Proverbs 31 woman always has busy hands!  This would be a whole subject of it's own but she was making things for her household. She was also making things to sell.
If we become good at making something we have a commodity. We can also use it to trade or sell. A skill that lets you do this is a very good thing.  It is an advantage to your household. It might be an extra income stream or an emergency plan.

Building up your skills might mean you save money in a whole new area as you are making things you once might have bought.

Getting really proficient in something puts you ahead. Scripture says "do you see someone really skilled in their work? They will stand before Kings" and this is true. Ordinary people become sought after for wonderful skills. Sharpen your skills! Skills are worth a lot.

Next is something I think is important. Like all scripture it turns out to be true on many levels. Being busy with our hands is good for us. It is understood now that knitting, crochet, needlework etc all act as a calmative. Even blood pressure goes down. I can say I really notice this. My mind often is in overdrive. But while making something I will feel peace and happiness and get lost in what I am doing. It is wonderful! It is good for us.
If you stress or worry channel some of that into your work as it distracts and calms you and you are being productive. Then you feel happy and proud of what you have made. It is a win win!
Yes, I want you to save money and fill your gift cupboard but I also want you to feel the great happiness and contentment of having projects going, completing them and the fun of learning something new.
It is wonderful!

Spin offs are when you are busy sewing or working on something you are not in the mall, shopping etc. You are so content and busy a quiet time working away is your happy time. I have no desire to window shop I want to get on with my lace trimmed table cloth!

A good supply of gifts and things you have made covers another area as well. You have donations. We are all asked to donate to this and that. There are raffles, fundraisers, auctions and stalls. You will always have goods to donate. When the girls were at school I kept a special basket of things just for those times.  Your donations will raise a lot of money. Imagine donating a quilt for a raffle or auction. This will all save you money and raise them more!

Overall you will have things for gifts, donations and for bartering or selling. You cannot make too much!

Next week I will take a look at some gift ideas with yarn. There are so many!

What did you find in your craft supplies? Did you spot anything with potential that is not exactly a craft supply? ie I have a big old frame that I want to make a kitchen blackboard with.
If you have supplies but are not sure what to make ask. I love finding ideas to match what you already have!

I hope some inspiration has come your way. Some ladies are well up and running. Wendy has made hand towels and soaps already. Have a look over on My Abundant Life. This is good. There are going to be times we are really productive and times we are so busy! Getting ahead when we can is wonderful. 

I am sorry for such a late post today. Today is one of "those" days! xxx