One of my readers, Mrs. Taft, had some lovely pictures of the craft project they had been doing–homemade gift bows made from magazines.
And while I realize from a strictly money-saving standpoint, most people would not wager that the work is worth the savings, if you combine the recyle factor with the thrifty factor and add in an especially important activity-for-the-children factor, I think it’s a winner 😉 Plus, it’s mostly just about fostering the habit of finding new uses for old things. (If all that’s not enough, just imagine how all your relatives will marvel at your creativity 😉 )
Gotta love it! Make your own gift bow from a magazine page!
My girls have so many dolls, but just like women can’t have enough jewelry (or shoes, or …), I suppose little girls need more babies. (Interesting how they’re born that way and we have ’em only wanting 2 by the time they’re grown? Geesh, I can’t even post about crafts without interjecting something thought-provoking 😉 )
Anyway, it seems so pointless to spend money on yet another doll, just like all their others, yet I want to get them a special one that they’ll enjoy.
This homemade doll resonates with the answer! I love it, I think my oldest daughter and I will enjoy making them (she’ll basically tell me how to do it and show me as well-OK, it’ll be more of HER making it and me watching…I don’t *get* the sewing thing so much.)
I also thought, if we have time, we’d make several extra outfits for them since little girl’s love dressing dolls more than anything! Instruction for a Folk Rag Doll. Let me know if you decide to make one!
How to make a wine bottle feeder:
(You’ll need approximately 6 feet of tubing or wire.)
We made these one year and they were a big hit! If you’re not interested in cutting copper decorations, considering using artificial flowers.
1. Wrap the copper wire/tubing around the neck of the bottle several times, and continue wrapping the wire until you reach the base, so that you have made a spiral, wire cage around the entire bottle.
2. Take the last 3 ft. of wire and form it into a hanger for the bottle.
3. Add 1 part sugar to 4 parts boiling water, stirring until sugar dissolves. Boil another 2 minutes. Allow to cool then fill the wine bottle.
4. Insert the all-in-one bottle stopper, available at a bird supply store, and you’re done! Add decorative copper cuttings if you wish.
There are 10 more homemade gift ideas in the Easy Homemade Gifts ebook. Since I’m really interested in helping you save money, for the next 3 days, I’m offering this book for $5.00 off the regular price!! Instead of $9.97 it is now $4.97! Just enter the coupon code “makeit” at checkout!
***I had another idea:
Nothing is cheaper than FREE gifts, so I am wondering if any of you crafty ladies would like to offer a give away? If so, email me and tell me what you are offering (with a picture, preferably), and I’ll post it in a few days. Offering giveaways is a great way to get some exposure on your blog, by the way 😉 I’m open to posting several give aways at a time!
6 comments
While I’m against doing home made just to be cheap, I’m all for it if it is creative and the gifts are still tailored for individual people. I LOVE the bows made from magazine paper, they are creative and they look GOOD! I like the dolls too.
A thought:
I’ve been considering the significance of Christmas gifts, given to our beloved family and friends (in our family, we really have no needs that get filled by this activity and it tends to just create a bigger stash of earthly treasure).
We say we participate in this practice in imitation of what God has done for us.
Mrs. W is totally right. Our Lord’s gift was one of extravagant worth. He gave out of His infinite measure of love for His otherwise condemned and helpless children.
But, He gave when we were yet His enemies, and He continued to give even when those enemies rejected, mocked, spit on, whipped and crucified Him. We were hardly thankful or deserving recipients and even now often forget to praise Him at all times with everything we’ve got.
I’ve been pondering whether the true spirit of Christmas giving is to find/make/buy the most expensive, lavish gift we can afford (or not afford?) and then search out the least deserving, most offensive person we can in order to show that we have grasped at a beginning of understanding concerning Christ’s unfathomable depth of love for us?
Or, alternatively, don’t even wait for Christmas, but consistently be acting this way throughout the year?
I wonder…
Aren’t those bows the cutest? And they really don’t take very long to make, especially after you get the hang of it. It’s simple enough that my four year old could do it, and simple enough that my 8 year old could do it well.
I love the dolls! What a good idea!
I love homemade gifts! Not totally free, but this year I am giving pictures as gifts — picking up frames at Dollar Tree (yep, everything’s $1) with digital photos (somethine like 10 cents each to develop) for some of the grandmas and aunties. I’m thinking these will be more treasured than the useless baubles we end up buying.
Love the dolls! I’m not crafty enough to enter something for a giveaway but I hope somebody here is. 🙂
I love your ideas. Cute bows; adorable dolls (I bet those will be the ones that will last and that your children will cherish).
Heather said”I’ve been pondering whether the true spirit of Christmas giving is to find/make/buy the most expensive, lavish gift we can afford (or not afford?) and then search out the least deserving, most offensive person we can in order to show that we have grasped at a beginning of understanding concerning Christ’s unfathomable depth of love for us?”
Wow, what an awesome challenge! May we all grasp that!
How sweet!