Crafty Christmas Gifts?

[hordak]

This year i have decided to forgo the commercialism of Christmas , for my wife, so rather then buying something she can pick up up at the store i'm trying to be more creative. Problem is it isn't my strong suit. I'm taking on a beach themed needle point myself , though now think i might be in over my head after taking 2 hours to make 2, inch long seagulls:o but i'm looking for something kids 5 and 6 could do that are bit more intricate/ permanent then the typical school craft.

Also need to survive being shipped around the world.

Any ideas?

[Just_A_Guy]

This year, my wife's doing this with some family photos. The kit on the website is a bit expensive, but you could probably do the same thing with some scrap lumber or something.

[Bini]

JAG, that's a neat idea! You can also checkout any art/craft or scrapbooking store and find these puzzle blocks. I was just at Heartland Paper Co out in Bountiful the other day and they had the same stuff there. Worth checking out, definitely.

This year I'm wanting to be a bit crafty as well. I'm wanting to make some wall art/deco for our living room. I'm going to take wood planks (each about 3 feet long) and carve out a rectangular centre. Then I'm going to sand, varnish or paint the wood. Then I'm going to order mosaic glass tiles (of various textures and colours), break them up, and assemble them in the centre of each piece of wood. Then I'll attach all three pieces with some sort of decorative link (which won't necessarily be strong enough to hold them together — it's just for look) and voila! They can be mounted onto the wall in an open space area!

Edited November 14, 2010 by Bini
Oops, I forget not everyone is in Utah! Haha, Bountiful is in Utah..

[Dravin]

This year i have decided to forgo the commercialism of Christmas , for my wife, so rather then buying something she can pick up up at the store i'm trying to be more creative. Problem is it isn't my strong suit. I'm taking on a beach themed needle point myself , though now think i might be in over my head after taking 2 hours to make 2, inch long seagulls:o but i'm looking for something kids 5 and 6 could do that are bit more intricate/ permanent then the typical school craft.

Also need to survive being shipped around the world.

Any ideas?

If you want to stick with the beach frame you can possibly do a picture frame with shells and sand dollars and the like glued on it. Though you'd have to really pack it well if you need it shipped cross world.

Looking around online I just found this:

Plaster (or epoxy/latex/rubber/plastic might be more durable for shipping) casts of the kids hands and/or feet in sand (just grab some from Home Depot if you can't find the real local stuff). Include a beach theme card from each kid, preferably with a poem and you have break down in tears level gifts.

Edited November 14, 2010 by Dravin

[Bini]

^

Loving that idea too, Dravin!

OK I'm going to have to keep popping back in here to see what other great ideas you guys come up with.

[LocalFarms]

I'm knitting beanies for my guy freinds and family and making crocheted (sp?) hair ties for the gals.

[hordak]

If you want to stick with the beach frame you can possibly do a picture frame with shells and sand dollars and the like glued on it. Though you'd have to really pack it well if you need it shipped cross world.

Looking around online I just found this:

Plaster (or epoxy/latex/rubber/plastic might be more durable for shipping) casts of the kids hands and/or feet in sand (just grab some from Home Depot if you can't find the real local stuff). Include a beach theme card from each kid, preferably with a poem and you have break down in tears level gifts.

Love the castings,

Have and idiots guide to casting site i can go to?

[Dravin]

How to Make A Plaster Foot Print | eHow.com

With pictures: August Craft Along - Footprints in the Sand (AKA Plaster Casting) - simple Analogy

Looks straight forward, if you aren't using plaster (latex, resin, or what have you) things may be a bit different but the concept should be the same.

Edited November 14, 2010 by Dravin

[Wingnut]

This year, my wife's doing this with some family photos. The kit on the website is a bit expensive, but you could probably do the same thing with some scrap lumber or something.

I love that idea! I was going to do photo blocks -- just six photos, one on each side, but I love this puzzle idea! More work, but also more interesting.

I'm also wanting to do these, but not for Christmas: Just a Country Girl Lost in the City: Homemade Epoxy Resin Boards

[Tarnished]

I tend to do a lot of crafty projects for gifts. Often I make jewelry, or leather bound books, or crocheted things. Jewelry can be pretty easy, I know recently Michaels had a sale on charm bracelets, turned out really pretty when done and were really easy to put together. Another option is necklaces. There are a lot of great ideas being shared here already. Let us know what you decide to do.

[Bini]

I tend to do a lot of crafty projects for gifts. Often I make jewelry, or leather bound books, or crocheted things. Jewelry can be pretty easy, I know recently Michaels had a sale on charm bracelets, turned out really pretty when done and were really easy to put together. Another option is necklaces. There are a lot of great ideas being shared here already. Let us know what you decide to do.

If I had more patience, I'd love to do more tedious stuff like making jewelry. Lately I've been really getting into vintage apparel. Me and a friend are wanting to make some tops using outdated/discontinued fabrics and enhancing them with embellishments (like beads, ribbons, buttons, ruffles, frills etc etc). I want to make one for my sister this Christmas. Hopefully it can be done in time.

[Elphaba]

I'm making monogrammed notecards for everyone for Christmas. I make the card, the envelope and the box that holds them. Here are a few:

(For some reason the colors aren't true in these photos. The blue envelope really does match the blue in its corresponding notecards. Also, I've tried to reduce the size of these photos but can't figure out how. Can anyone help me with that?)

I'm going to decorate the boxes, but haven't quite decided how yet.

Elph

Edited November 16, 2010 by Elphaba

[Elphaba]

I was just at Heartland Paper Co out in Bountiful the other day and they had the same stuff there.

Heartland is absolutely my favorite store on the planet. If I take a trip to SLC (I'm in Ogden) and I'm up to it, I'll stop by on my way home. If I don't have any money, I'll stop by just to drool.

Have you ever been to the Taylorsville store?

Elph

[Guest]

I decided to make snugglies this year. It's really very simple to make. I'm embroidering their names on each one.

[pam]

Heartland is absolutely my favorite store on the planet. If I take a trip to SLC (I'm in Ogden) and I'm up to it, I'll stop by on my way home. If I don't have any money, I'll stop by just to drool.

Have you ever been to the Taylorsville store?

Elph

You took the words right out of my mouth. I was curious why all the way to Bountiful when we have one locally in Taylorsville.

[Tarnished]

If I had more patience, I'd love to do more tedious stuff like making jewelry. Lately I've been really getting into vintage apparel. Me and a friend are wanting to make some tops using outdated/discontinued fabrics and enhancing them with embellishments (like beads, ribbons, buttons, ruffles, frills etc etc). I want to make one for my sister this Christmas. Hopefully it can be done in time.

Jewelry isn't really all that difficult once you get the basics down. Now making a leather bound book is another matter entirely. Just the other night I made up three necklaces as thank you gifts and all three took me under an hour. (that is total time for all three, not each individual necklace)

[Bini]

Elphaba, those are beautiful! Wow what a treat to have something handmade like that.

No, I haven't been to the one out in Taylorsville. I've only started to frequent scrapbooking stores. I tend to just go to Michael's or Robert's.

[Guest missmichielle]

that would really be the best crafty Christmas gifts... for me for my girl friends, I can only think of the trinket boxes or glass figurines...