Homemade Christmas

With five children, a sixth on the way, living on one income - which is enlisted military, money gets tight!  This doesn't change the fact that we want to give the ones we love nice gifts for Christmas.  Usually we try to buy throughout the year, but due to unforeseen circumstances and expenses, this just did not happen.  Sooo the kids and I put our heads together and planned our first homemade Christmas - something we will definitely be repeating.  Yes, we bought some gifts as well, but many of the gifts the year were made by us, for our loved ones.

For our brother-in-law, a golf bag - filled with golf balls and tees, and a pocket for a cell phone and keys.

My oldest made these three balls for her youngest brother

A project for my hubby's dad, his sister, and one for himself, was a calendar, where each picture for the month was made with the handprint or footprint of one of the children.  This footprint was turned into a robin.

My oldest received a box of fixings to make clothespin dolls.  It included paint and paintbrushes, doll clothespins, doll heads, doll stands, tacky glue, ribbon, scraps of fabric, needles, scissors, small bouquets of flowers, and small straw hats.

My youngest daughter received a toddler sewing basket.  In it was lacing cards and cords, an embroidery hoop with shelf liner paper (the kind with big holes in it), yarn, plastic canvas needles, large buttons, small wooden spools, rid rac, a parmesan cheese shaker, and pipe cleaners.

I also made for my youngest daughter a tea set.  I cut out the shape from felt, sewed all the sides together with exception of one end, catching the ribbon in it, stuffing it with earl grey tea, and sewed it closed.  Using a tea that strong worked great, because you can smell it through the felt!

For my youngest son I made peg people with matching cups, so that he can practice his colors.

My oldest made each of her other two brothers art kits in CD cases.  They each received ones themed towards their interests.

Both sets of grandparents received these hanging signs from all the children and grandchildren.

For my youngest, I made this fishing game.  Each fish has a magnet sewn into its head, as do the worms that are hooked to the poles.

For my second oldest son, I made this mat... it is actually four mats laid together in a "town" to play with cars, and such.

My oldest made her younger sister a set of diapers and wipes for her baby doll!

For her daddy, she made a traveling washcloth set to put his toothbrush and toothpaste in, when he goes on TDYs and deploys.

For my two older sons, I made each of them some armor.

Here is my youngest daughter in her new apron.

Each of the children received a fleece blanket for their bed.  The girls also received matching pillows.

Hehehe - along with this apron, I also gave my hubby some homemade grilling rubs.

I made a cloth book for my youngest - apparently he thought it was a pillow.

Here is my oldest in her new apron.

And since we were talking about homemade, here is our homemade dinner :)

Turkey

Cranberry Fluff

Baked Corn Casserole

Deviled Eggs

Mashed Potatoes

Sweet Potato Casserole

Gravy

Plate full of yumminess