Last month I was talking about having no time for projects.  Like writing, and sewing, and crochet – the new joy in my life.  So this month, I’m making a bit more of a conscious effort to squeeze in time for those things (I actually am, take no notice of the pithy amount of posting I’m doing here – it’s all being pummelled into crocheting my first blanket!).  And as anyone who has had cause to venture anywhere near any kind of shop lately will surely testify, jolly old Christmas is most definitely upon us.

So.  Finding time for creative projects plus Christmas, season of goodwill and foisting of gifts upon others.  When it comes to Christmas presents, my position is thus: no to mindless consumerist blow-outs but emphatic yes to all things second hand and home-made.  A position that I’m finding I can happily combine with my ‘do more creative stuff’ November goal. And true to form, I’ve produced a list of fun and easy projects to have a go at this festive season.  Please feel free to add your own suggestions in the comments.

• Knock up your own three-tier cake stand.  Charity shop-sourced plates, a handle from eBay and your Dad’s (or Mum’s, or your own – we cater for all possibilities here) cordless drill.  Amazing.
• Sew an elasticated skirt.  Some pretty patterned fabric, piece of elastic for the waistband and a few straight(ish) lines on the sewing machine.  Bish, bash, bosh.
• Baked goods! Truffles, cakes, biscuits – small cake decoration stores (or the dreaded Hobbycraft if you don’t have access to such a place) will present you with an array of colourful packaging options.
• Put your (home-sewn?) apron on, and make batches of jam, or pickle, or spicy golden marmalades.  Store in cheap cask jars from Ikea and tie with pretty ribbon.
• Whip up some festive (or not so festive!) bunting…
• Make a DIY advent calendar – I made one of these a few years ago, with numbered pockets and christmassy fabric.
• Make a DIY non-advent calendar.  It doesn’t have to look professional – in fact, my favourite home-made gifts are the ones that actually look home-made (yes I would be happy with a dried macaroni and glitter spray effort).
• Decorate a boring photo frame with buttons, jewels, safety pins and any other crap from around the house you can get your hands on.
• Write someone a poem (which doesn’t have to rhyme!)
• Hand-craft a meaningful card
• Sew your own tea cosy!
• Transform some scrap fabric or lace into a gorgeous peter pan collar.  A Sewing Odyssey is your friend.
• Buy a plain photo album, fill it and write a message on the inside.  You can even decorate the outside…
• Infuse some olive oil with garlic, chilli or lemon.  Store in tall glass bottles (the ones with cask lids are my favourite).
• And on the ‘infusing’ note, I once made a huge cask jar of pickled eggs for my boyfriend – the whole thing cost about £6 and I’ve never seen a bigger grin on his face.  (Yes I know, not everyone is lucky enough to have a pickled egg enthusiast in their life…)
• Sew some PJs!  Pyjama trousers are a seriously easy sewing machine project – the trickiest part is deciding which fabric to use!  Easy-to-follow patterns abound all over the internet and let’s face it – no one ever groans at a new pair of PJs.
• Grow someone a plant, some flowers or a few wintry herbs.  Snaffle some cute pots or even chipped teacups from a charity shop for storing them in and pass on some new life…
• Create your own vouchers.  Some people see this as tacky but I think it’s a great idea.  The best part is being able to tailor your vouchers to the person you’re giving them to.  Offering a knackered new parent some free babysitting?  Priceless.
• Draw someone a picture.  Simple yet surprisingly touching to receive.
• Write a short story.  I love this idea, although I haven’t tried it yet.  Make the giftee of your work the protagonist and take them somewhere exciting for a while.
• Get your brew on: cordial, elderflower wine, mulled wine for Christmas…
• Make some jewellery: rings, brooches, beaded necklaces.  I love rings made from buttons or coins of places I’ve travelled to.  Uniquely personal and not to be found in trashy Topshop.  Lovely.
• Create a mix tape or whatever the modern day equivalent of such a thing would be (a personalised Spotify playlist?  I find that depressing, but the sentiment is sweet…).
• Create a scrapbook!  Old photos, cinema and gig tickets, programmes from the theatre etc.  No two scrapbooks are ever the same.
• Buy some dolly clothes pegs and make some angels for the tops of friends’ Christmas trees.  Make sure to use plenty of glitter!
• Sew a Christmas stocking!
• Make soap!
• Bake a cake.  Everyone loves cake.
• Glass painting (thanks @hapsci for the suggestion).  Wine glasses, glass jars to hold candles, picture frames etc.  I’m reliably informed that the materials can be found in Hobbycraft (I hate the place but it does come in useful sometimes).

As I said before, please feel free to chip in with your own suggestions for Christmassy projects.  The more ideas the more fun we’ll all have.  And if you attempt anything on the list, please drop me a line and let me know how it went!  Now where did I put my pritstick…

Image above from here.