As usual, I am making polymer clay ornaments for sale.   I'm also planning a few other things for gift giving:-

1. Handpainted throw cushion/ pillow covers - I will be the sewing and the painting
2. Denim sling purses and journal covers - DD17 has asked me to make some for her friends for Christmas
3. If there's time, I'm going to make hanging jewelry organizers for the girls. 

 Polymer clay is fairly easy to work with. It is sold in small cubes and larger bricks, is kneaded in your hands to get it soft, and then molded into any shape, either by hand or with molds made for that purpose. It is then baked in an ordinary oven. It comes in many colors that can be mixed and blended to make other colors. Once baked it is very hard. There are several different brands and forms.  Edey

So far, this is the plan:

1. Embelished red glass globe ornaments
2. Herbal foot scrub
3. A few mini scrapbook albums (these are mostly done)

Crochet Kitchen Towels

I decided to add a link for you guys that way you can see what I am talking about as well as you may wish to make them  I will be making these again each year I make them for Xmas this was something my grandma use to do when I was growing up. Well she passed away over 10 years ago and I decided our ratty looking ones needed updated so I started doing them about 4 years ago while I sat at work for something to do.

The only changes I make are that I cut the towels in half fold over and that gives me 2 towels instead of one. I also purchase the towels  when they are on clearence like Easter/Halloween/Xmas etc as I can usually get them for a great deal I don't care that I use easter ones in November they are just towels to me.

Basic Ring Towels 

I will also be trying out this pattern as well this year for a new Twist on the towel idea.

I may not get to them until 2010, but I would like to make some Christmas ornaments.

I do have star cookie cutters in assorted sizes now for salt dough ornaments. This time last year I didn't have that many cookie cutters.

Angel-I made quite a few of those towel rings.  You might think about using the plastic ring from a 6 pack of colas as a base because it was hard to do it around thread as suggested.  I use some old plastic bangle bracelet from a garage sale.  The people I gave them to have really liked them.  I am giving a few away for Christmas.

re-tired

Forgot about this!

Gotta love Hobby Lobby!  I got a set of holiday banners to embroder for Momma for Christmas (Easter, Christmas, Halloween and July 4th), a candy mold to make the crayons for the nieces (butterfly, lady bug, frog) for $5 since I had a 40% off coupon.  I also found a sewing book that I will buy for ME with my next coupon.  It's on working with felted projects.

Then I found 24 ct Crayola crayons for 30¢ at Wal-mart to make the above molded crayons.  16 ct packs were $1.25 but 24 ct. were 30¢.  Go figure!

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Toni B.:

I've always been curious about polymer clay. Is it hard to work with? Expensive hobby? Please enlighten.

I've been working in polymer clay for over 10 years.  Polymer clay is a FANTASTIC versatile medium to work in!  I've tried several brands, but my favourite is Sculpey, specifically its Premo line.  You can check out sculpey.com for some beginner projects. 

I think of polymer clay as grown ups' plasticine!  Everything you used to do with plasticine or play-doh as a kid can be done to poly clay and when you're finished, you can bake it in your home oven, where it gets nice and hard, and lasts for a long time.    One of the great things about polymer clay is that you don't need a lot of special tools - in fact most of my "tools" are things from around the house that I have repurposed.  When I started out, my tools include a large smooth floor tile as a work surface, a wine bottle that substituted for a rolling pin, a few unused cookie cutters, and all sorts of odds and ends with interesting shapes or textures for creating designs in the clay, and an old kitchen knife!   It's easy for kids to use too

Is it an expensive hobby?  A bit. You can get by with basic tools (repurposed household items) but the costs of the clay add up quickly, especially if you buy lots of different colours.  My venture into craft-for-sale started primarily as a way to recover some of the costs of the clay.   The upside - the results look great and last for a long time .  My first pieces, which are over 10 years old, still look as good as the day I baked them.

Hope this helps!

I'm making a "year of pens" for DD's teacher.  The pens were free and each is being topped with something to celebrate that particular month.  Some of the toppers I'm making myself with foam paper and glue.  Some are being purchased for pennies.  The first few have been really cute.

I have white some tea towels with a border for cross stitching that I picked up for about $1.50 each a year or so ago.  My DD's other grandma would get a kick out of pair of tea towels that matched her home.  Her couch is striped in brown and red, so I was thinking of making a similar pattern on the tea towels.  I know it's just a straight line, but it's something she would really love to have to display.  Once I find a picture of her couch on my computer, I can make note of the pattern and get the stitching done.  I can probably do the towels in 1 or 2 evenings.

I'm going to dig through DD's crayon box and take a bunch of pieces to make some crayon cookies.  Some will go in DD's stocking and some will go in other small gifts for my 2 youngest nieces.