Handmade Christmas gifts and frugal wrapping paper

This package contains a travel journal I made for a friend. It's like the mini books I did for our Ballito and Sabie holidays.

I love the simplicity of the wrapping - brown bag, bakers twin, a piece of yellow washi tape and a stamped initial. I could have gone fancier but neither she nor I are into very fussy :)

This is my favourite, favourite wrapping paper of all time.

Brown craft paper and some ribbon.

Normally I would use ribbon on everything but for this Christmas I'll use red Christmassy bakers twine (I bought a tiny roll last year and I still have most of it left) for the smaller gifts and red satin ribbon for the larger ones.

I love ribbon!

I couldn't resist getting some brown paper - I've already bought two rolls to get me started. They're only R2,99 each at Clicks (I like the shiny paper one - it feels stronger to me)

For the last couple of years, for Christmas, I went a bit mad in the kitchen, baking up a storm for everyone I could think of - all the people in my team, all the friends and even some spare so if other people unexpectedly popped in I had something ready.

That was a good idea because there were two of those last year and all I did was quickly go into the study, write a gift tag and attach it to the spare gifts which were ready.

I made biscuits for two years (everyone loves my oats and raisin biscuits - you could easily have 4 at a time, they're that good) and last year I made the sweet and savoury snack mixes, and some peppermint bark.

Peppermint bark doesn't like me though so I'm done with it (last year was the second year trying). It's that slow melting that nearly does my head in....

I haven't given up on the fudge yet (if you look at my baking board on Pinterest, you'll see what I mean).

So I've got a few other ideas for some handmade gifts which should work.

Louisa and I were talking at lunch this week (notice how ever-so-casually I just threw it in? I'm actually super chuffed we made it happen) about how certain of both our families really didn't appreciate all the photo effort in 2011 and how they will not be getting that kind of effort again this year.

One more thing -


We bought Nanny V's baby a Christmas present. I phoned her a few days after that to arrange a time to visit us because I've got a bag of toys and books for him.

K and C get to talk to her if they're around so I handed the phone to the nearest child, Kendra.

Do you know what she said?

Hello V.

V, we bought two t-shirts for your baby's present.

(it was actually a t-shirt and shorts set but still!)

Clearly, she hasn't got the surprise thing yet... so I'll be wrapping everything by myself from here on out.

How do you like to wrap gifts?
Are you doing any fun handmade gifts this year... can you share your ideas with me?

PS in other news, I had my Bra.zil.ian yesterday and I'm in hair heaven! I wanted to book the next one there and then I was so happy :)