A Handmade Christmas

If your Christmas present budget is looking a little on the slim side,  no need to stress.  There are so many presents you can make for just a few dollars that look amazing and will be so well received.  I just love a handmade gift knowing the giver has spent time and effort to make something special.

Here are some ideas using what you might already have on hand.  Click on the purple writing to take you to the instructions / recipe on my blog.

Glass jars / bottles 

*  Fill with hot chocolate drink mix.
*  Make some jam
*  Make relish
*  Fill with homemade biscuits
*  Fill with chocolate truffles
*  Fill with handmade bath bombs
*  Make your own bath salts
*  Sewing kit with pin cushion on top
*  Biscuit mix
*  Iced coffee / chocolate syrup
*  Cordial   

Material

*  Bbq apron for men
*  Kitchen apron for females ( or vice versa )
*  Child's handbag
*  Coin purse
*  Diary cover
*  A patchwork throw
*  A cushion
*  Coasters
*  Heat pack
*  Bow tie
*  Head band
*  Glasses case
*  Pot holder
*  Dress up skirt or veil
*  Nappy bag
*  Toy bag
*  Door stop
*  Door snake
*  Hankies

Timber off cuts

*  Make a timber planter
*  Make a spice rack
*  Chopping board
*  Tic Tac Toe game
*  Timber block calendar
*  Soap dish
*  Coasters
*  Bird feeder
*  Children's building blocks
*  House plaque

Plastic containers

*  First aid kit
*  Fruit crumble topping mix
*  White sauce bulk mix
*  Fill with biscuits 

Paper / Cardboard

*  Gift tags
*  Greeting cards
*  Bookmarks
*  Cover a diary or notebook
*  Lolly bags
*  Gift boxes

Other

*  Air freshener
*  Handmade soaps.


Handmade gifts can look really elegant if some time and effort is put into the wrapping and presentation.  Dig into your ribbon bag and start using up those scraps.  Maybe you could make over a department store bag and decorate it with a strip of wrapping paper.  Add a handmade gift tag and write " made with love "  Include some instructions for the present if needed.

Cellophane bags can be used to wrap your present.  They can be bought from discount shops for about $2 for 50.  They come in a range of sizes.  These are wonderful for biscuits,  pita chips and greeting cards.  Add a ribbon bow 

Here is another article I wrote a few years ago about creating your own mini economy.  It's a great way to keep some of your money in your home.

Handmade soaps.

Peanut butter choc chip biscuits

Lemon butter

Air freshener

ANZAC biscuits

Bath bombs

Tote bag

Assorted jams and relish

What will you be making this Christmas ?

Padded Hearts - A Simple Craft.

I'm not overly crafty but this is a simple one.  If you can thread a needle,  then this craft is for you.  I've made these for teacher's presents,  little girl's birthday presents and as Christmas decorations for the tree and dining chairs.  Megan has one hanging on her bedhead.

Here's what you need -

15 centemetre paper shapes.
Scrap pieces of material
Contrasting cotton
Ribbon


Print off or hand draw a few different shapes that are approximately 15 cm high.  Cut the desired shape out and pin it to a double layer of printed material ( right sides facing out ).  Cut the material shape out with normal material scissors or pinking shears ( zig zag ).



Starting on a straight edge,  sew simple straight stitches about 1/2 centimetre from the edge.  The stitches should look like tacking stitches.


Continue stitching until you are about 3 centimetres from the start.


Stuff the shape with a little wadding.  Just use a very small amount  at a time.  The shape needs to be slightly padded but not like a cushion.


Stitch up the remaining fabric and tie off and cut the cotton.


Attach a small ribbon to form a loop with a few stitches.


Add a little ribbon bow with a few stitches tying a knot at the back.


Some shapes can be joined together with a few stitches to form a wall hanging or to hang on the back of a dining chair.

How To Make Gift Tags.

As most of my readers would know,  I've recently taken up card making .  I love being creative and especially if it's frugal.  Annabel from The Bluebirds Are Nesting recently sent me some blank gift tags to decorate.   I used the pictures I'd collected from magazines,  brochures and a rose book I found at my local op shop.

I started with the blank gift tag or scrap bit of card or card stock. Megan found an art sketch pad in her room and gave it to me.  She needed it for school a couple of years ago and only used a few pages. The card in this is perfect for making cards and gift tags.  Next I choose a picture to use and cut it to size if the picture was too large.  I used my trusty glue stick to stick the picture to the tag.

If the picture is too small,  use a scrap piece of lace or ribbon to fill in the space at the bottom of the tag.  You could add extra embellishments in the way of a bow,  sticker or a little bit of bling.

To make a tie to attach the tag to a present,  use little bits of ribbon,  lace,  material or cut up lace curtains.  I save every piece of ribbon or lace that comes into my home.  It could be from a present,  a toiletry gift box or the ribbons found inside clothing.  This ribbon is for retail shops to hang the clothes on coat hangers. Perfect for gift tags.

Gift tags are wonderful to attach to a gift bag,  wrapped present or a homemade bag / tin of biscuits.

I hope this gives you some inspiration to make your own gift tags.  They only cost a few cents each to make and can really jazz up a present.

Fancy Face Washers

Fancy face washers make lovely presents for females of any age.  My Grandma gave me face washers and hand towels with crocheted edges for birthday presents when I was little.  They were beautiful and I loved them.  It was twenty years before I was able to unpack them for use in my own home.  Every time I used them I thought of my Grandma.

I can't crochet ( yet ) so here's my version of a fancy face washer.  All you need is-

*  Scraps of material about 10 cm wide x the length of the face washer or hand towel.

*  New face washers or hand towels.

*  Sewing machine or neeedle and thread

*  Iron

Cut the material strip to the desired width and length allowing an extra centimetre for a seam around all the edges.

Fold and iron the one centimetre allowance back onto the wrong side of the material.

Sew the material onto the right side of the face washer.  Quite often face washers have a strip of detail woven across.  I cover this with the material.

Trim all cottons and there you have it,  a lovely present that cost $1 - $2.  My girls have requested one in their Christmas stocking.