Pop Quiz

If you are anything like me, you have:

a). a big stash of creative supplies & a plethora of random items in your possession.

b). lots of friends, family, co-workers, &  teachers to buy gifts for.

c). little or no money to buy those gifts.

d). all of the above.

 

If you answered (d), you have come to the right place!

Today, i’m going to show you & give you a few ideas for a “handmade” holiday using stuff you probably already have lying around the house.

idea #1:

recycled glass jar

i took a simple glass jar that i had left over from some pasta sauce (washed weel, of course), glittered the top of the jar, and added a few simple strips of  paterned paper & a label from my kenner road october kit. voila!

i made mine into a “piggy bank” type of jar.  you can cut a slit into the metal top of the jar for easy insertion of coins, but make sure you file/bend down the edges to remove any sharp/jagged pieces.

you can also fill the jar with some treats, or any small fun gift.

 

idea #2:

mini board book album

I purchased these 2 board books at the target dollar spot a couple of years ago. they’re about 6×6″, very sturdy & come with a little button in the bottom right hand corner that says a phrase. the one i already stripped (on the right), says, “that rocks!”. i’m going to fill it with pictures of my daughter’s friends for her.

you can use almost any childrens board book. i found that they are usually laminated with thick, glossy pages that can be easily peeled back to reveal a smooth cardboard surface to decorate, paint & embellish! if the one you have doesn’t peel back easily, you can always sand/roughen up the pages to give you a surface that is easily alterable.

 

more ideas:

for a truly “HANDmade” gift…

how about make a wreath of your children’s hands to give to a grandparent?

trace your child’s hand onto brightly colored patterned paper & attach to a wire form. this a great keepsake to remind you and them of the size your tiny child once was (sniff, sniff).

 

how about:

a jewelry/earring holder using an old frame, some material or paper?

or using an old embroidery hoop for the same above idea or mini tack board?

 

i hope you make this the year of a “handmade holiday”…

your family, wallets, &  planet will thank you!

Tags: christmas, gift ideas, handmade, jar, mini book

This entry was posted on Monday, November 9th, 2009 at 10:47 pm by lisa and is filed under challenge, creative team. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.