[Quagmire]

I grew gourds and made this birdhouse for my sister. Note screen window on side!
The shingles are boxwood leaves. I hope they stay green!

[patience]

I'm a poor one at pictures, but I'm making horse related farm equipment stuff for the kids, singletrees, doubletrees, neck yoke, and restoring some one-horse plows and cultivators. My wife is making cinnamon tree ornaments (cinnamon powder, enough applesauce to make a dough, shape with cookie cutters, and bake at low temp). Poke a hole in 'em with a toothpick while they are moist, and add a string to haang 'em with.

My daughter is making copper jewelry and "Vinegar of the 4 Thieves", a reputed preventative against disease, legendary since the Black Plague in Europe. She's been invited to do her handicraft at the local "Christmas on the Square" event in town here. She's my IT person, so maybe I can talk her into doing some pix.

[uNkNowN ElEmEnt]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Quagmire', 'I') grew gourds and made this birdhouse for my sister. Note screen window on side!
The shingles are boxwood leaves. I hope they stay green!

[Grifter]

Quagmire that is amazing, I'd love something like that.

As for me, I'm just making hay while the sun shines.

[Aaron]

[Ferretlover]

Aaron, does that photo mean the staff will be getting "retention" bonuses??*

I am making quilts as gifts.

*Note to regular posters-I am joking. The staff is made up of volunteers.

[Aaron]

Pops asked what we were making for Xmas...

[nocar]

our Christmas tree for this year,like most of the previous years, grow beneath telephone lines. It would have been removed in a few years anyway.

In the spring, or perhaps next winter, this tree will help heat our house.

nocar

[mos6507]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('bodinagamin', 'W')hat about the tree in Rockefeller Center, Madison Square, New York (or w-e). That is a HUGE tree and it is CUTTED!

[roadrunner]

Quagmire, I really like what you did with the gourd, very creative. Are gourds hard to grow? I have never tried to grow any but they look interesting.

I am making chocolate covered pretzel sticks for all my kids on the schoolbus. I usually do that or make cookies for them. Otherwise, I just started too late to make gifts this year. I am making some potholders. I don't have the technology to put pictures up. Am thinking about an all homemade christmas next year though.

Patience are the cinnamon ornaments edible or just for looks? I'd be interested in the recipe if there is more to it than what you stated.

[Quagmire]

.
Thanks!
The gourds are easy to grow if you start them soon enough.
The curing was harder but that's another thread.
The birdhouse gourd is around 14" long, but I also grew some mini bottle gourds that are only 2" high and perfect for tree ornaments.
I'll post a picture of one of those I made for a friend soon.

Patience, I'd love to have your 4 thieves vinegar recipe!
.
edit- add comment: Gourds willl be important post peak when all the plastic water jugs are cracked. They have been used for containers and canteens for centuries.

[bodigami]

nothing... am I supposed to do something?

[alokin]

I guess the custom derives from the work which was done in the forest at winter anyway, taking trees out which stands too close. Or if you cut trees, which is done in winter you have heaps of branches. That's what I did always, buying some branches. As we have a hot Christmas here last year we bought a tree we wanted to plant anyway and this year we have a seedling which might find its place somewhere outside our garden (there are so many places which would need a tree)

[IslandCrow]

Pine is also a mild anti-septic. Good to have.

After the season, the pine needles go onto the compost heap with the small twigs, and the remaining wood is dried and burnt next year.

What gets me is that with all the trees it has, in the towns many of the Christmas trees that are sold are wrapped in plastic netting and they are imported from Denmark When we lived in a town, we bought from local farmers (helping keeping small businesses going).

[bodigami]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('alokin', 'I') guess the custom derives from the work which was done in the forest at winter anyway, taking trees out which stands too close. Or if you cut trees, which is done in winter you have heaps of branches. That's what I did always, buying some branches. As we have a hot Christmas here last year we bought a tree we wanted to plant anyway and this year we have a seedling which might find its place somewhere outside our garden (there are so many places which would need a tree)

[Ludi]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('bodinagamin', 'W')hat about the tree in Rockefeller Center, Madison Square, New York (or w-e). That is a HUGE tree and it is CUTTED!

[mos6507]

I'd say this related story is more relevant to environmentalists:

Inflatable Boobs Lost at Sea

[Pops]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('pstarr', 'D')oesn't the tree removed from the soil steal nutrients from the field?

[RedStateGreen]

I'm going to be giving jars of the peach jam I made over the summer to neighbors as presents. I'm working on a baby blanket for a friend who just had one as a part of their present.

Other than that, I don't do too much making of presents as yet.