Need some help with homemade gifts....

Maddie&EthansMom wrote: I'm wanting to make Maddie's teachers gifts this year. Do you have any good ideas or know of any great sites where I can find something really neat to make them? Last year I did chocolate covered pretzels and put them in a crystal dish. I'm wanting to do something similar (with food) but presentation is everything. Any ideas?? I need a picture of it or a really good mental picture! Ha! I'm thinking a basket filled with homemade goodies. (fudge, pretty cookies, bread, etc)

Alice, I'm sure you know of something.

kit_kats_mom replied: maybe a coffee cup with their inital on it filled with chocolate dipped pretzles? I saw something like that on the today show but instead of pretzles it was filled with red pencils.

jolene555 replied: There are these cookie recipes in a jar - I'm sure you can find the specific instructions, and if not I could probubly hunt one down. But, basically you take a mason jar and layer all the non-parishable, dry ingrediaents to make any type of cookies, then pop on the lid, maybe a cute piece of fabric added to the top, and a tag telling what needs to be added and baking instructions. I made these for my own teachers my senior year of hs. here's some links:
http://allrecipes.com/advice/coll/christma...icles/175P1.asp

http://familycrafts.about.com/cs/giftsinajar/a/122099a.htm

I've also seen gifts of a mug witha hot cocoa recipe and plastic spoons that have been dipped in chocolate to stir up the hot cocoa with - thought that was clever, and a cute presentation.

mummy2girls replied: You get a small basket and then fill it up with homemade cookies(wrapped up) and a mug with hot cocoa to go with, some chocolates, etc etc etc.....

Alice replied: No, actually I have no idea. I'm not great with crafts...I'm just starting to get into scrapbooking.

And while I was teaching, it was rare that I got Christmas gifts; high school teachers don't get them the way elementary school teachers do.

BUT... our Target has a $1 section. I stopped there and got a dozen metal pails: they're about 4-5" tall in a variety of colors. I'm going to fill them with Hersheys kisses & other small candies for my 20-something nieces and nephews. It's not crafty at all, but it's cheap and something to open.

My teacher gifts are also courtesy of Target: fleece throws, on sale this week for $6 (although I paid $7.99 a few months ago.)

Good luck!

loveydad replied:
those are really cool, and really good gifts! My son's home ec class makes em. They look pretty even in they don't bake right away.

coasterqueen replied: This website might have some ideas: http://www.newhomemaker.com/hands/crafts/cheapgifts.html

There were also a few links at the bottom of that page that might be helpful .

hth! I'm not creative at all.

ediep replied: ooohh, I love those cookie in a jar things, very cute. I get Family fun magazine and they have tons of homemade gift ideas ...maybe try their website

Crayon replied: Every Year I make 1 homemade gift for everyone (& bought gifts) But one homemade gift, This year my niece & nephew are getting blankets, The older nieces & nephews are getting Gift Baskets that are reusable baskets young & cool looking filled with Goodies. Candy/ Cookies / Brownies / rice crispy Treats / seasoned oyster crackers, all in pretty bags & Jars.

I have lots of idea's but not a lot for Teachers. Sorry!

jen replied: I was just at foleys and they have a cake pan that makes small christmas trees. You could buy that and make the cake and then decorate it with green icing and ornaments etc......put it on a nice gold plate charger and a christmas plate and then wrap it with celaphane and a bow. I think that would be really cool, I am just not good at baking!

Or a big mug and put some gourmet coffee in it and some decorative stirs etc.

Good Luck!

MomofJandB replied: I am just not that creative! I did make the jars last year with my kids. It was kinda fun. I had trouble fitting all the ingredients in the jar. They looked nice when they were done, though! This year I bought the teachers microwave fudge. It was from a nature/birdhouse store. It was the packaging I liked. It was in a burlap bag with a tag stating what it was with an ornament closing it. It's probably something that could be reproduced. Good luck!

Maddie&EthansMom replied: Thanks for all the ideas! I found a lot of info on the websites. I have tried to make the cookies in a jar...I'd just as soon buy the darn things. It was so much trouble. I have an idea of what I'm going to do now.