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Sunday, October 22, 2006

Homemade With Love #1

Monday, 10/23/06, is the day GiBee has called us to pull all our Homemade gift ideas together (I know I’m a day early, but I wanted to add the pictures at home tonight). I’m such a craft-a-holic that I’m taking it 1 step further. For the next four Mondays I am posting homemade gift ideas previously used or being used this year and I WILL include the angel and snowman earrings!

My darling husband has a HUGE family. Nine years ago, when I told him I wanted a small intimate wedding and he sprung on me that his immediate family included 72 people…I knew I was in for a major change. He has 14 aunts and uncles on either side and 4 sisters. Not to mention a mother, step-mother and grandmothers on both sides. Suffice to say, the pressure to come up with creative and inexpensive ideas is sometimes stifling.

Thankfully it’s also one of my favorite challenges each year. For the past 10 years we’ve come up with different ideas for homemade gifts for the group of them. The first year they received simple decoupage baskets filled with my husband’s annual contribution of Biscochito cookies. The year we married, they all received crosses like these. We made a total of about 25 of these things. One year it was scarves…just something homemade each year.
This year half of the aunts and uncles are receiving ‘inspiration frames’ like these.

They are fairly easy to construct. I purchased multiple frames at a fabric store at the end-of-season sale last year for .40 each. They are fairly nondescript fabric frames but quite striking when embellished (I'll include a couple I've completed next Monday). The embellishments I also typically pick up at end-of-season sales or garage sales through the spring and summer. The paper I’m using primarily is a Christmas toile’ that I picked up at an end-of-season sale last year. It is reversible with one side red and beige and the other side a black/white Christmas toile’.

I have lots of paper options as I scrapbook and collect unique papers. Here are some that I've used or could use this year for a less 'holiday-ish' frame. I picked this rather ornate frame (to the right) up at a "Ross" store here in town last year for about $1.50 or less. I'm a big 'bargain' hunter (translation: somewhat thrifty AKA: cheap) which probably helps my cause.

For the Christmas frames, I choose a quote or poem to print on clear paper or sticker paper and add it and other stickers, etc to the picture. I then embellish the outside with a recycled ornament or some fun fringe I have on hand.

They are really quite fun to make and not very time consuming and you can do one for $1.50-$3.00 on average. I also love to wrap each gift in a unique manner, but I'll include that on my final Homemade Monday post in November.

Let me know if you’re participating! I can’t wait to see all the ideas. Have a creative and inspired Monday!

12 comments:

Grafted Branch said...

I'll be watching for good ideas. I can't wait!

When Husband and I were still early in our marriage, we did homemade gift baskets one Christmas: jam, gourmet popcorn, flavored oil...by the time I packaged them to mail, each cost upwards of $20 JUST TO MAIL! Ugh. That was an expensive mistake.

I'm careful now to keep it "light." :)

Tami said...

What is the cross made of?

kpjara said...

GB: the crosses were the most expensive to mail...you're right...we too try to 'keep it light' now. Last years scarfs and jewelry were much less 'heavy' to mail.

Tami: The crosses are tin and stained glass. The one is this post was a wedding gift from my friend/stained glass instructor. She and her husband taught us how to do the tin punch and what glass to use. We also did southwest fabric UNDER clear glass and it was beautiful as well.

A version of this particular glass is available at Hobby Lobby. It's milk white on one side and this swirled color on the other side. I am drawn to the blues and the irridescent glass.

Unknown said...

That picture frame is a GREAT idea. I may have to use that one this year. Thank you so much for sharing.

Julie said...

Your frames are just so beautiful! I admire anyone who is so darn crafty and talented!

I'd probably finish 2 then call L.L. Bean before I croaked...LOL!

Dawn said...

You're not only brilliant, but extremely clever!

Shalee said...

Too much talent... my head is spinning! Oh, could I use some one on one tutorial time with you! Maybe then this wouldn't all seem so daunting. Beautiful, but daunting none the less.

Anonymous said...

Well, I just love this idea.......how wonderful

Rae said...

These are so cool. I've seen them in stores before but NEVER thought of making them myself..and so cheaply! Thanks for sharing =)

Susie said...

What beautiful work. Sounds like you are a very crafty and creative person!

GiBee said...

My WORD, woman ... you aren't making homemade gifts ... you are creating ART!

You are very talented, and very creative... I am soooo impressed!

Thank you so, SO much for participating in the homemade gift idea exchange! You ROCK!

Ms. Kathleen said...

WONDERFUL! Can you share more details on making some of these. I LOVE the cross and the frames are wonderful. I fix up frames a bit as well.

God Bless!