Christmas Crafts

My sister's husband's family always does homemade crafts for each other since they have such a big family. Our side (immediate family) decided this sounded like a very thoughtful and potentially fun idea! So for the last couple years we've done this and it's a love/hate relationship haha but I think we'll stick with it. Our advice, PLAN AND START NOW. Things always get in the way and you end up doing it like the week before and cramming it all in. 

My idea was DRYER BALLS. I got the idea from our local Facebook homemade business board in which I purchased a 4 pack for 20 dollars, here's the link to when I did that. Which seemed like a good deal to me. However, after learning how to make them, if I need replacements, I will be doing that. You can get material for around 5 dollars that will probably make you around 3 dryer balls. It does take TIME people, but you get real good at it after a while :)

Here are the finished products.

There are also steps where you need to put them in panty hose to wash them several times. I won't bore everyone with the steps because it is kinda lengthy but here is the link of the site we used to make them. 

It is very relaxing to do it UNTIL it slips from your hands and all the yarn unravels (which happens at like 10 times for every ball) you just say a couple choice words and keep going.

You can also do them while watching TV which I was definitely a fan of, but you need to do it when baby sleeps.

Last minute I decided that maybe I wanted to add another craft to our gift since they were so small (even though they seriously took HOURS). We decided that the photo ledges I also had a local fellow spouse make would be the perfect gift! They are SUPER easy to make. I wanted James to originally make ours but he was so busy and I wanted it done like yesterday so it didn't happen. He also didn't really understand what I was talking about and how easy they were. James had these done in a snap and they are AWESOME.

For my sister and David's craft they decided to take an idea they saw at my house while they were here for Thanksgiving. We did these blocks at our last MOPs (mother of preschoolers) meeting at craft time. It was SO fun but not that easy. David was up for the challenge though. They did their blocks a bit differently and also used vinyl instead of hand painting the letters, like we did (with stencil). 

Theirs turned out GREAT, just very time consuming since they had to make NINE!! One side is Christmas themed and the other is thanksgiving.

My sister in law Marla did a great craft that had our last name initials all decorated out in full Christmas bells and doohickeys. Max was interested in it as well. I can't wait to hang mine next year on a door/mantel area.

We all did so great and I think it's real nice to have a variety from the gift cards. I am already planning for next year so that it won't get to crunch time again, we'll see how that goes :)