Creative Gift Ideas for Christmas Part One

In preparation for the Christmas holiday, I am putting together a list of creative gift ideas.  I will share links for instructions on how to make them.  Most of these are very simple, fairly inexpensive but nice to put together for an easy gift for a neighbor, children, parents, grandparents. Most of these are gifts that another woman and I put together for a Creative Gift Ideas presentation to a mom's group at a church in our area. 

Glass Magnets

The first gift is a relatively easy one - Glass magnets.  The link shows using lettered scrapbook paper for making the magnets.  This is a great idea for a child just learning letters, or how to spell or read. Another way to use these would be to make decorative magnets using scrapbook paper.  These would also make a great gift using pictures to make a gift for a grandparent with pictures of the grandkids.

http://papervinenz.blogspot.com/2011/09/back-to-school-magnet-board-tutorial.html

Tile Coasters

The next gift is also easy.  I made some tile coasters using inexpensive tiles from the home improvement store, scrapbook paper, mod podge, and polyurethane.  This were very easy to do.  The longest part of this project was the time it took for the glue and polyurethane to dry.  Here is a link to how to do these. 

http://www.curbly.com/users/DIY-Maven/posts/6125-Curbly-Video-Using-Paper-Napkins-to-Make-Decorative-Tile-Coasters

I used scrapbook paper instead of napkins.  I also used mod podge to glue the paper to the tile.  Then I put three more coats of mod podge on top of the paper.  After that was completely dry I put a coat of polyurethane and let that coat dry.  I put a second coat of polyurethane on top to ensure a good seal. 


Quiet Time Basket

As mom's we don't always have time to have our quiet time with God.  However, this a very important time for us to connect with God.  It helps us to be better moms, wives and women in general.  I put together a basket that contained Ann Voscamp's book, One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are.  I also included a pen, a journal and a ceramic travel mug.  The journal was a composition book that I altered by covering with scrapbook paper and ribbon.  Here is a link for an example of an altered composition book.  http://www.squidoo.com/altered-composition-books?utm_source=google&utm_medium=imgres&utm_campaign=framebuster

For the pens, I took a scrap of paper 3 1/2 inches by 7/8 inch and a Pentel RSVP pen.  I removed the top and rolled the paper around the barrel.  I then slid the paper down into the barrel and replaced the ink tube and top. 

Girlhood Basket

In this basket we included a book, an eye mask, fuzzy socks, a pillowcase, rag rollers, bath salts, notebook, and pen.  I picked up the eye mask and fuzzy socks at Michaels in the dollar section. 

Here are in the instructions for the rag rollers:  http://rocksinmydryer.typepad.com/shannon/2008/09/works-for-me-ra.html .  I really need to make these for a stocking stuffer for my daughter. 

Here is the link for one style of pillowcase: http://raisinghomemakers.com/2011/sewing-tutorial-how-to-make-a-pillow-case/  This link does not have a contrasting border.

Here is a tutorial for a pillowcase with border.  She also has some great tips so be sure to read through the whole tutorial before starting.  http://kirstencan.typepad.com/kirstencan/pillowcase_tutorial/

I will continue the ideas in the second post.  I hope that some of these help you with your holiday gifts.  Remember, even if you are not a crafty person you can still put together a great gift very inexpensively.