Homemade Gift Ideas

[amberjobryant]

I was taking with my kids today and we decited that we want to start a tradition in our family where one of the gifts that you make each family member (only our household) has to be made by you, so........I need some ideas for some easy homemade gifts that kids can do, I have been making and giving homemade gifts for years but this is the first year that I have gotten the kids involved and need some project that they can handle (they are 6 and 9).

[pogiporkchop]

How about gifts in a jar? That simply requires putting a bunch of ingredients together and writing directions for use on cards. You can do soup mixes, cocoa, cookies, dips... and there are so many recipes to be found.

 

Cinnamon applesauce ornaments would be nice too. Those could be made in any shape and really be displayed year round. I'll try to find the recipe I like to use.

[amberjobryant]

the ornaments sound fun, i really need to find them something simple that they can make for each other and something for thier dad which will be really tough........

[nannymouse]

are you looking more for edible gifts or "crafty" type gifts? - A "coupon" book could be made by putting construction paper together and writing out or using magazines for pictures

[amberjobryant]

edible or crafty does not matter, coupon books don't work well for us we have tried in the past seems like they never get a good opportunity to spend them and they are just a waste

[vsa3janes]

Cigar boxes can be decorated for each person to keep their "treasurers" in. It could be decorated in a way that would reflect each person's favorites/tastes. They can be spray painted or covered with scrapbook paper on the outside. Then embelish the top with items the person receiving it would enjoy.

The inside could be liner with felt or fun foam. Our local cigar/smoke shop donated boxes for the girl scout troop to make these.

 

Picture frames are easy to make/decorate. Right now Target had a 2 pk of metal frames on clearance for $1.74 (from the college dorm collection). Similar to above they could be decorated with the receiving person in mind.

 

Check you local scrapbook store for embelishments or check the Dollar Tree they usually have things to use. Micheals and Hobby Lobby will be having weekly sales and coupons the closer the holidays get.

[amberjobryant]

I really like the box idea, then they could usue it to hold some small items that they purchase, thanx!!!!!!!!

[conj]

my kids make keychains/ornaments. Get some beads (dollar store/craft store/walmart) string them together w/ a keychain... can hang on a tree or be used for keys... easy, not messy...

[amberjobryant]

my kids make keychains/ornaments. Get some beads (dollar store/craft store/walmart) string them together w/ a keychain... can hang on a tree or be used for keys... easy, not messy...

this would be a cute idea for something to put in the box thanx! Everyone can feel free to disscuss homemade gift ideas in general in this thread, not just ideas for me, sorry did not make that clear in the begining.

[AndreaInNC]

there are tons of websites out there with crafty ideas for kids.

 

I like to turn their small class pictures into ornaments!

[Silverstreak24]

When my sister and I were young and wanted to make presents for family members, we would buy plain white ornaments (that are meant to be painted) from the craft store and would paint them and put glitter and all kinds of stuff on them to make them for that specific family member. We weren't very crafty people but it was fun to paint and decorate the ornaments. We would add colors and details that we thought our family members would like and even though we were small, we felt like we were giving something special. Now, we look back at those ornaments as we put them on my Father's tree. It's wonderful to look back at our "homemade" ornaments.

[egirl]

Something I am doing this year with my kids....it really isn't a gift but fun for them...

 

Get some craft paper like brown paper sack looking craft paper

 

Then I bought sponges or you can by the flatten square of sponge and make cut outs and then when you put them in water they expand to the sponge so they are easy to cut and make Christmas or you could even do it for any shape for birthday parties make butterflies or party hats. Wash them out and keep them for future use.

 

Buy some temper paint I got mine at a craft store when they were on sale a couple months ago in green, red, yellow and white. They ended up maybe a $1 a bottle.

 

Then you can let the kids sponge paint the shapes on the paper and use it for wrapping paper.

 

I let the kids do it for all the other kids presents we give and sometimes they even just do their handprints. We even do a shape and cut around it and hole punch it with enough room to write to and from and use as a gift tag and tie it on with some raffia for the bow. I did it when they were little and now after a couple years we are going to do it again. They won't really remember but even if they do it is still fun for them. Makes the gift a little more personal, too.

[MathGirl]

For a Dad gift does he enjoy cooking or bbq? They could make him an apron or just decorate on. They have blank canvas aprons at Michaels, Joannes and Hobby Lobby.

 

Does he have tools? You could buy a tool organizer that you put in a bucket and let the kids decorate the bucket with paints.

 

How about a picture frame? with a favorite "Dad and Me" photo. This can be made from just about anything. Or one of those fleece blankets were you cut fringe and tie the fringe in knots.

 

http://www.projectlinus.org/patterns/pdf/NoSewFB.pdf

[callir]

This year I am doing decorative tiles for my friends and neighbors. I have a vinyl cutting machine so I will cut a phrase out and then apply it to a tile from Lowes. They turn out very cute and cost very little.

[ohitsunshine]

This year I am doing decorative tiles for my friends and neighbors. I have a vinyl cutting machine so I will cut a phrase out and then apply it to a tile from Lowes. They turn out very cute and cost very little.

What kind of tile do you buy? Do you have a pic of a finished one?

[trbarginhunter]

Tile Beverage Coasters are easy to make--stamp an image with Staz On ink onto a small tile from Lowe's or Home Depot. Glue felt or cork to the back. I spray mine with acyrlic sealer, but my sisters assures me it's unnessary. Stamps can come from any craft store in any theme--check out the $1 ones at Michael's. I did some of these years ago for a friend and she's still using them.

 

Clear glass ornaments can be filled with paper shred (for gift baskets). I have some filled with metallic green shred that I really like--trip to the craft store would get all the supplies. Be careful taking the tops off the ornaments, you don't want any cut fingers. I don't know if they have clear plastic ones.....

[doublehsmom]

after 9/11 we did red white and blue ribbon in ornaments for and wrote the year on it for gifts for aunts uncles and grandparents and then for my grandparents 50th we did the same thing just used gold, white and I think sliver ribbon in it and it was really neat.

 

I like the idea of the coasters my brother is really hard to buy for and he has a bar in his basement and its a badger theme maybe I can come up with something for him along those lines..

[MathGirl]

after 9/11 we did red white and blue ribbon in ornaments for and wrote the year on it for gifts for aunts uncles and grandparents and then for my grandparents 50th we did the same thing just used gold, white and I think sliver ribbon in it and it was really neat.

 

I like the idea of the coasters my brother is really hard to buy for and he has a bar in his basement and its a badger theme maybe I can come up with something for him along those lines..

 

 

University of Wisconsin Badgers? You could decoupage their logo on to the tiles and then spray with a sealer. If you sew you could make some pillows for him out of felt.

[doublehsmom]

yes wisconsin badgers and was thinking that same thing..lol..

[Scanner420]

Lottery tickets. they always bring a smile...especially if they win.

One year, my DW got two different color 3'x6' lengths of fabric and made homemade blankets. Just cut and tie them together.

[mildmom]

Why do you say it will be hard to make something for dad? Who says dads don't enjoy the little things their kids make? I liked the idea of decorating a frame w/their picture inside. Make it their 'assignment' to pick out the picture, or trick dad to pose for one. Have them write a story/poem/letter to dad about a fun day they had together, a tradition, ritual, memory, whatever.

 

How about the old clay dish (ashtray) of yesteryear (ha ha). Have them make a small dish out of plain (to be painted) or colored clay (the kind that can be baked). He can keep coins, keys, or paperclips in it. Those are great for grandparents, too. I agree on the treasure box idea- they could make them for any family member including each other. My son made one of popsicle sticks this summer and he loves it. He also wove a basket (cub scout camp)- every one of those boys (at least 50) was very proud of their basket (ie look for a kit!). You could make the treasure boxes out of clay as well. Something like that really gets the child to *think* of who they are making it for, as well as putting a bit of themselves into it. My grandma used to always ask for a story from us kids 'and be sure to draw some pictures with it' she'd say. We'd usually turn it into a book.

 

My kids make artwork for my mom and she always frames it- even when my son gave her the (in my opinion) ugliest collage creature made on a huge piece of posterboard! She bought a huge frame and hung it in her bedroom where she'd see it every night.

[Sacramentum]

I like the ideas in here! :) I needed some ideas for things that might be easy on the pocket book.

[Sacramentum]

Lottery tickets. they always bring a smile...especially if they win.

One year, my DW got two different color 3'x6' lengths of fabric and made homemade blankets. Just cut and tie them together.

 

That's one thing I do for my dad! Every year I get him lottery tickets. That's the one gift he always looks forward to the most!

[vsa3janes]

I made coasters for my oldest nephew when he moved into his first apt. He is in a band so I printed some black and white pics from their website, glued them on some tiles, sealed them and ta da - personalized coasters. He was 24 then and loved them.

 

I have made the clear ornaments, also. I filled the inside with shredded foil, crinkled paper and then used alphabet stickers to personalize them.

 

Another fun thing to do with the kids is to put a drop of two different acrylic paint inside, opposite side of the clear glass ornaments then twirl them gently side to side. The paint blends the two colors together for a wonderful look. I used a light and dark colored paint. Like white and purple or off white and red. I sat them, with the top open, in an empty egg carton to dry.

 

For dad's gift - is there something he enjoys in the way of quotes, songs or poems? One year Mom had us take Dad's favorite hymn, gently trim the edges (you can use different craft scissors) and glue it to a piece of stained wood. Then we sealed the dried page to the wood with clear varnish. It made a great plaque for his office. You could do this with a collage of pictures too. Make copies on a good quality paper or the glue and stain will soak through.

[delphernina]

This year we are making frozen cookie balls and putting them in stockings I picked up for a nickel a piece at the after Christmas sale last year.

 

I'm thinking both boys can help me make the cookie dough, and when my family takes the cookie balls home they can bake up as many or as few of the cookies as they wish at a time.

[vsa3janes]

This year we are making frozen cookie balls and putting them in stockings I picked up for a nickel a piece at the after Christmas sale last year.

 

I'm thinking both boys can help me make the cookie dough, and when my family takes the cookie balls home they can bake up as many or as few of the cookies as they wish at a time.

 

This is a cute idea. How would one keep them frozen when delivering and then frozen for folks to take home?

[noehlp]

Clothespin Reindeers (found my directions how to make these, along with our Snowman homemade ornaments we made in the past: http://forums.gottadeal.com/showpost.php?p=673001&postcount=23 )

How about Clothespin Reindeers? http://crafts.kaboose.com/clothespin-reindeer.html

We did these a few years ago, for our tree, and to give as additional gifts to family/friends. We painted the clothespins brown, fwiw. Just layed the masses of them out on newspaper and gave each kid a paintbrush, and let them paint away. Later after they dried, we glued them together, let them dry again. Then we added the decor, eyes, nose, etc. We also put ribbon around to the 'neck' area to look like their colars. And you can loop and glue string to the back so they can hang from the tree.

 

Key holder/Tie holder

An idea for the dad, wish I could find a picture. You use those wooden paint can stirrers. The kids can paint the sticks and/or glue on gems/rocks/dried pasta letters/etc to the stick. Then buy mini gold hooks. Screw the hooks into the paint stick, you'll probably have to do this. But these make great key holders and great personalized gifts.

 

 

Personalized Picture Ornament

Use old music cd's or dvd's. Let the kids glue on little gems/rocks/puzzle pieces/etc to them. Then glue on their school picture to the back side. Glue a looped ribbon to the top, so they can hang on the tree or on a nail.

 

I'll try and think of some more ideas

Edited October 5, 2008 by noehlp

[noehlp]

And here are some other craft ideas in this thread, it's from 2006. http://forums.gottadeal.com/showthread.php?t=60161&highlight=reindeer

[sherril]

i buy the foam sheets and trace my daughters hand onto them, cut them out she decorates them and we add the year. We have done this every year so you can see how big her hand is every year as she grows. We also include one per family member on her Christmas gift to them.

[Vol]

I haven't seen this idea on here yet, so here goes. This will be too much for younger kids, but middle to older aged can handle it (possibly with some sewing help): To make these heated pillow bags (like heating pads but without the cord), Get ears of indian corn and scrape all the kernels off (there are tools that do this, you can rub them off by hand, etc). Then, pick out some fabric (flannels and corduroys are great for winter) and cut two same sized squares, like you are making a small pillow, that are about 12-16 inches long and 7-9 inches wide. Sew 3 sides of the fabric together. Then, put the indian corn kernels in the bag and sew up the fourth side. Sounds odd, but you put it in the microwave for about 3-6 minutes (depends on how much corn you put in it, how big it is)- really just put it in until it gets good and hot. It then stays hot for a long time, so you can sit with it on your lap or hands, or put it at your feet in bed at night, etc. to help keep you warm. Of course, I'm originally from a cold state, so these were a big hit, but if you're not in an area where it gets cold in winter, nevermind!