Fa la la la laaaaaa! The holidays are approaching, and the "money-savvy vibe" is everyone’s strongest yet! Frugalista, are you stuck, indecisive or out of ideas on how to show your loved ones you appreciate them without breaking the bank? We’re here to help you.
This article could be endless! I’ll put together my favorite crafts for you, especially the ones I have found most successful in the past years of gift-giving. Of course, homemade gifts require a little more creativity, though they can also be very enjoyable to make (if you have kids, get them involved!) and crafts by hand can be very heart-warming and more filled with love.
Gifts in a jar The contents could be something already made, or you can put together the ingredients for them to make cocoa, cookies, or brownies (yum). If you choose the ingredients option, make sure you include a tag with baking instructions! Wrap the top of the jar in decorate fabric & ribbon.
A side note: If you’re having trouble coming up with gift ideas for the men in your life, you can never go wrong with food! Have his much loved baked-good wrapped or add a variety of his favorites to a basket with a side of his favorite bottled drink.
Christmas Tree Ornaments Gather up arts & crafts supplies, photos, magazine clippings… creativity could be infinite. Make up a decoupage photo frame, or something that simply sparkles!
Tie-Dye/Customized Tees You can buy plain tees in all varieties of colors at your local craft store. Stitch, paint tie-dye… let your creativity soar, keeping in mind the receiver’s personal style (my 17-year-old brother wouldn’t be thrilled with glitter and unicorns, no matter how amused I would be). Add their favorite quotes, drawings or symbols.
Bookmarks This one is really fun for kids. Cut out strips of colored paper, about 6” tall and 2” wide. Decorate with drawings, paint, glitter, stickers, etc. To reinforce strength, cover with lamination paper or plastic sleeves. Add a tossle for embellishment. Add a book to the gift, promote reading!
Personalized Calendar You can print out a blank calendar online for free and then decorate it, either by scrap booking photos or adding the receiver’s favorite artwork!
Coupons These are really fun, whether they are intended for children, friends or significant other. Cut out large rectangles of colorful paper and create your own coupons that can only be redeemed by you! Or, print them out from a huge selection online. Here are some funny examples: http://www.givecoupons.com/
Photo Frames & Photo Albums A well-printed photo in a simple frame could be the perfect gift (you can buy quality frames at your local dollar store), although you can also put a personal touch to it by decorating it with gems, stickers, glitter… anything you want! Scrapbook within a photo album to make it more personal and creative.
Music This is always a favorite gift of mine, whether it’s giving or receiving. Burn a CD of music your friends and family would really like but may not have in their collection already. Do some snooping in their iTunes or simply ask them. Does somebody (or lots of somebodies) you know need to relax? Burn them a meditation soundtrack. I remember Ashley asking me for some booty-shakin’ tracks last year, so I put together two CDs of the most bass-filled, best killer-beat artists I had at that time. We’ve rocked out together several times.
Frugalistas, this is my list of homemade crafts you can make for the people in your life on any occasion, whether it’s a holiday, celebration or a I-just-wanted-to-let-you-know-that-you-rock moment (well, besides the Christmas ornaments). Have fun, and as always, let your creativity explore!
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