Holiday Stashdown Challenge – Week 8

(Join along with me any time if you need a head start or moral support for your holiday crafting.

You can read more details here.)

Since I’ve always loved baking, most of my favorite last minute gifts involve food.  For years, I would have baking marathons in the last weeks of December, mixing up individual cookie recipe batches for 10 to 20 family members, friends, and co-workers.  Last year, I shared a list of my favorite cookie cookbooks, and I still turn to these now and again for last minute gifts.

When there’s no time for baking, or when the gift needs to last beyond the holiday season, another option is a jar mix.  A great source of sweet jar mix recipes is the Nestle Toll House website.  My two favorite recipes are the classic Toll House chocolate chip cookies mix, and, for those rare individuals who don’t like chocolate, the pumpkin cranberry bread mix.  Another fun website that I’ve used for savory recipes is Mixes in a Jar Recipes.  In particular, I’ve used their coffee, tea, and soup recipes in the past.

And, of course, a great last minute food gift is chocolate bark.  You can find my basic recipe here.

If you’re not in an food prep mood, or if everyone on your list has a restricted diet, household mixes are also a great idea.  Evelyn at Project: Stash has a great collection in her DIY Diaries.  I’m planning to try out her laundry soap recipe as a gift this holiday season.

Now if you’re daring enough to crochet something last minute, which my wrists are usually not up for, my favorite go to projects are, of course, hats.  I can make a hat after work in one night if I sit down to it.  Keyhole scarfs are another great option, because they aren’t as long.  Cue the shameless self-promotion: My first published crochet pattern is actually a hat and keyhole scarf set.

I won’t even mention knitting as a last minute gift option, as I’m just way too slow to finish anything last minute.  Of course, hopefully with the Holiday Stashdown Challenge, I won’t be making anything last minute this year .

If you need some inspiration for a Holiday Stashdown Challenge post for next week, here’s the prompt for Tuesday, July 10: What’s the most memorable handmade gift you’ve received?  Let’s hear about those handmade gifts – the good, the bad, why you’ve enjoyed the ones you loved, and why the others didn’t work for you.  What can you learn from the most memorable handmade gifts you’ve received to help you out in this challenge?

If you’re joining along in the Challenge, feel free to link up your blog post in the comments, or share links to pictures of your finished or in progress holiday projects!

Tags: 2012 holiday stashdown challenge, holiday crafting