Monday, December 9, 2013

It's a Giveaway Kind of Day

Welcome visitors!  This is my first time participating in Sew Mama Sew's bi-annual Giveaway Day.  I'm so glad that you decided to stop by today and visit.



I started my blog almost two years ago as a way to record family happenings and keep a record of my creative endeavors.  Along the way I rediscovered my sewing machine and found out that I love quilting.  I participate in two online quilting bees (one with my daughter) and several blog hops (with Sew We Quilt) each year.  I've also hooked up with Quilts From My Crayon Box and done swaps and round robins with Michele.  I love the positive energy and flexibility of the online quilting community.


I try to sew a little bit every day.  Sometimes its only laying out fabrics for a new project or stitching a single seam, but I feel like I'm always working on ideas in the back of my mind.  While I enjoy piecing quilts and larger projects, I also like smaller projects that give me a mental break.  This year I decided to make hand warmers for all the nieces and nephews (15 of 'em) for Christmas.  We draw names in my family to make gifting easier, but I thought it would be fun to do a little something for everyone.  When I saw this idea for keeping in your pockets on cold days, I knew this was a winner.


I got the idea from Bee in My Bonnet.  I chose this version because she lined hers with flannel.  I feel like this added layer serves two purposes:  first, it acts as an insulator and helps the heat (or cold) last longer; second, it adds a protective layer between my skin & the rice and makes the temperatures more even.


For heat, I throw each pair in the microwave for 30 to 45 seconds.  They can go in pockets or at the foot of a cold bed a few minutes before you climb in on a cold winter's night.  I keep a pair in the freezer for soothing owies and stiff joints.  I've also been known to spike the rice with lavender buds or essential oils, but I didn't this time since they are for the kids.


I had a blast doing all these.  Sooo, for my giveaway, I'm offering two sets of rice bags.  To enter just leave me a comment telling me your favorite stocking stuffer or last-minute handmade gift.  I'll have my kids draw the winning number on December 13.  I'm willing to ship internationally, so don't let that hold you back.  Also, please make sure you're not a no-reply blogger.  I don't want to have to pass someone by because I can't let them know they've won :)   The giveaway is now closed.  Thanks for stopping by!  My daughter drew #27; I'll be posting details tomorrow.


80 comments:

  1. Gummy worms are my favorite stocking stuffer. The kids just love them!

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  2. I love getting maple candy for my husband's stocking. I haven't found it this year!

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  3. I always loved those huge candy canes when I was a kid.

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  4. I usually make felt ornaments as a last minute stocking filler!AriadnefromGreece!

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  5. As a kid, my favorite were the chocolate covered marshmallow santas. They just aren't the same nowadays though!

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  6. Probably chocolate! I need some hand warmers... mine are freezing! :)

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  7. We don't have stockings .. so no need to stuff them ... but a last minute gift are potholders ...

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  8. I love anything that's useful in my stocking. My mom would always put in a new toothbrush, some body wash, lotion, nail clippers. The stuff we all hate buying :)

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  9. My favorite last minute gift: tiny little sweaters- knitted ornaments. And of course homemade cookies and candy ;)

    Thanks for the giveaway!

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  10. My two last minute favorites are lifesavers and scratch-it-tickets

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  11. i always tuck a lip balm in the stockings.

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  12. My favorite stocking stuffer is money. LOL Jelly Belly beans are also great.

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  13. I put candy and lip balm in the stockings

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  14. I love making coasters for stocking stuffers!

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  15. My favorite last made gifts are mug rugs. Thanks for the chance to enter your giveaway.

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  16. I actually like making the stockings themselves! They are quick to make up, easily personalised and a gift in themselves!

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  17. my husband always gets me a bag of pistacios and fine chocolate

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  18. Last minute gift would be a hand knitted dish cloth.

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  19. I love to put socks in stockings! I'd like to learn how to knit them so that by next year I can make everyone in the family their own pair of custom socks!

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  20. Fabric shopping bags are this year's stocking stuffer for me. And coasters :)
    For me? I love chocolate ;)

    Thanks for this giveaway, the pads are all really pretty!

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  21. what an awesome giveaway - so useful and so carefully made! love that they're lined with flannel.

    i love to put chocolate in stockings. also, pens and maybe a pretty stone. there's always a seashell in my stocking which has been there for 30+ years. i always put it back. tradition!

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  22. My favorite homemade last-minute gifts are the microwave baked potato bags. Seems like the teachers, bus drivers, and other school workers like them.

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  23. I always put golden chocolate coins and toothbrushes in the stockings. I love the stockings most of all.

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  24. I love to make batches of cookies to put in stockings of pass out as last minute gifts. I also make cinnamon rolls.

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  25. My favorite stocking stuffer is nice socks or nice lotion.

    urchiken at gmail dot com

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  26. In my house a favorite is mascara for the girls and oranges for everyone.

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  27. I love to find unusual candies that match each persons personality and put them in their stockings. The kids love to see what I come up with each year.

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  28. I love to add a pair of silly socks to stockings

    tinaotherworld (at) yahoo (dot) com

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  29. Every stocking gets a whack and unwrap chocolate orange. I forget the name brand but all the kids get excited every year that Santa remembered.

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  30. We usually get a new Rosebud (a lipbalm) which I love!!!

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  31. I always liked a large orange and some nuts in my stocking. The flannel is a great tip. Thanks. Merry Christmas. crystalbluern at onlineok dot com

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  32. My favourite last minute gift for little girls is hair accessories - they're so easy to make and always needed. And for the grownups, a great last minute gift is homemade fudge!

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  33. These are fab!! For stocking stuffers Ilove gum and chapstick, wet wipes and buttons :) Happy Tuesday to you and I am a new follower!

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  34. I don't really have to do stockings, so I'm afraid my favourite last minute gift is a bottle of wine.

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  35. We don't use any Christmas stockings here in Germany, we use them for St. Nicolaus, I like to stuff them with walnuts, apples and ginger cookies. Thanks for the chance!

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  36. Ok so this always freezing cold hands and feet person really needs some of these! I hope Mr Random picks me. For stockings we always love the marshmallow santas that we had as kids. It is the only time of the year that we buy them. Thanks for the chance to win these!

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  37. OHMYGOSH, what a *great* idea! It's already freezing cold and raining here with snow due to start later today. This is a perfect way to keep hands warm when I do barn chores...throughout the day because the animals always need attention.

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  38. My mom used to put Scotch tape in my stocking b/c I loved it so much as a kid. I do the same thing now for my daughter. It's always a hit! ha!

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  39. Chocolate oranges! Whack and unwrap! :)

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  40. all types of candy are the perfect stocking stuffers! (b2malan@cox.net)

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  41. Chocolates and the giant peppermint candy canes :)

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  42. Chocolate..chocolates and more chocolates. :)

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  43. A quick mug rug is what I'd do last minute. A nice white china mug and sachet of hot chocolate. Yum

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  44. My favorite stocking stuffer is food gift cards.

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  45. My favorite stocking stuffer is socks! I love the feel of brand new socks :)

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  46. Mine is a homemade christmas santa

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  47. My favorite stocking stuffer is a toothbrush & toothpaste. We always found it funny that we would get all this candy in the stocking along with a toothbrush. I continue it with my kids.

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  48. Lip gloss and fingernail polish is my go to last minute gift idea for my girls. They can't seem to get enough! Thanks for participating! :)

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  49. I love chap stick and candy for a stocking.

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  50. favorite stocking stuffer for the girls and the grandkids are coloring book and crayons... YES the girls are both in their 40s now and they still look forward to getting the books each year, just a family tradition here..

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  51. I was actually thinking of making some of these for the guys in my life that work outside and I think you've now convinced me :-)

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  52. I'd have to say my favorite stocking stuffer is probably candy & gum... haha, I guess I am just a child still!

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  53. I love to give the kids Slinkies in their stockings. It seems like such a Christmassy present. This year I actually found the old metal ones, so I'm excited about that!

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  54. Oh, I could really use those about now. LOL
    We don't do stockings here, so I don't really have a stocking stuffer, but playing cards of any type are always a big hit, or little travel games, or puzzles.

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  55. Kids are gone, so are the stockings. When I was little, we enjoyed a new box of crayons and candy..

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  56. Always put a new toothbrush in the stocking, and a mandarin and gold covered coins.

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  57. my favorite stocking stuffer is crazy socks! I love getting fun patterns or animal socks and I love giving them as well! haha Thanks for the chance to win, these heat packs look really handy for our Canadian winter! :D

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  58. I love adding chapstick to stockings, everybody needs it and it seems like you can never keep track of it.

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  59. Last minute stocking stuffer - cute bandaids! They're useful and my son LOVES them!

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  60. one year I put bubbles in everyones stocking. we had fun Christmas morning blowing bubbles.

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  61. felted wool ornaments are my last minute gift (going to someones house or somesuch...) trees or hearts or stars. quick and easy to make!

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  62. Usually put in cool pens,lil notepads, lotions, chapstick, gum, pair of fuzzy socks. (we have Grangirlie's....) Think your hand warmers would make cool additions too!

    Merry Christmas!!

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  63. My favorite stocking stuffers is candy!
    Thanks for the chance!

    Melissa
    mjp_0419 at yahoo dot com

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  64. Favorite stocking stuffer is a book! and candy of course. Thanks

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  65. I usually make some coasters for a handmade gift and for stocking stuffers I get tea for my college daughter and king size candy bars ! thanks!

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  66. My favorite stocking stuffer is fruit. I feel like its so simple but its a very nice gesture.

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  67. I love to get the kids one piece of that candy in the checkout line that they ask for every time, but never get. You know like the bottle pops and stuff like that. They think it is GREAT and I think just this once it is ok!! :)

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  68. M & M's!! The kids always like them!

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  69. Candy is what we always find in our stockings :D

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  70. Candy is great, and I like to attach a small handmade Christmas ornament. This year I am doing this one http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/simple-christmas-decoration using some sparkly yarn. I used 1/8" ribbon ribbon instead of yarn to hang them with, and they are cute.

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  71. Chocolate
    t_ktl at yahoo.com

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  72. My favorite stocking stuffer is chocolate Lindt candies. Thanks for the chance to win.

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  73. Chocolates and instant lottery tickets.

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