Easy Handmade Gifts

Here is a final roundup of little Christmas gifts I made this year....

These packets of goodness are quick and easy, and they make particularly good fillers for gift bags and boxes.  Cut circles out of a brown paper bag, sew two together, 3/4 of the way around, put a few pieces of small candy in through the hole and then sew the hole shut.  If you want, stamp a word onto the paper bag before you fill it with candy.  Yum!

The tutorial for these luggage tags can be found here at 2 Little Hooligans.  The tutorial is easy to follow, and makes a sweet gift for any traveler.  I even made a few out of old ties...

I've posted about these before, but I wanted to show you the new ones I made.  These are fun gifts for the young people in your life.  They are whimsical and funny, and adding the ribbon for hanging it from the bedpost makes it really easy for the Tooth Fairy to come :)

Take a look at the other ones I made here - along with the link for the original post about them. 

Happy Gifting!

Harry Potter Weasley Family Clock

I have a few Harry Potter fans in my life - as is evident by the numerous Harry Potter craft items I've made in the past (like these Halloween costumes, this Educational Decree Sign, and this T-shirt).

So, when it came to making a few holiday gifts this year, I decided to go with the Harry Potter theme again.

In case you don't remember - the Weasley family has this wonderful clock that tells the location of each family member.  Locations include things like "mortal peril", "lost" and "quidditch" - which I think are very funny.  So, of course I thought it would be fun to make a working clock, with pictures of the gift recipients. 

Saw Clock - from a Circular Saw Blade

Do you need a unique gift idea for a guy in your life?  Well, I have the perfect one for you - because what is more manly than a saw blade? ;)

This is a really simple project.  I made this one for my dad to put in the garage/workshop. 

1) Pick up a circular saw blade at the hardware store.  There are quite a few 7.5" options for under $10!

2) Pick out things to use for the numbers.  I went to the antique store and found a bunch of little metal numbers.  I also grabbed some nuts and bolts from my toolbox.  Any little metal items, particularly tool items, would be great!

3) Mark where each number should go.  I used a larger clock face to help me.  I set my saw blade on top of the clock and marked each number location with a permanent marker dot. 

4) Use e6000 or Amazing Goop (really strong glue) to adhere your items over the dots you made. 

5) Buy clock parts from the craft store and assemble them through the existing hole in the saw blade.  (see, I told you this was easy!)  I also glued zip ties to my clock hands to complete the "workshop" look. 

Tip: Try to even out the weight of the items you use for numbers.  My left side was heavier than my right, so I glued a heavy bolt onto the back of the right side of the clock so that it would hang straight. 

Now sit back and admire your work!  A fun, unique, manly clock perfect for a garage, workshop, or man cave!

Christmas Photo Thank You Notes

I think it is fun to write Thank You Notes - and my girls got some really nice things from friends and family for Christmas this year.

The day after Christmas, I decided to take pictures of the girls holding or wearing the gifts they received from each person, with a "Thank You" sign beside them.

I love my old window turned chalkboard - and I have fun changing it with the seasons.  It worked perfectly to write a generic Thank You message on.  You could also write a note on poster board or a white board.  Something big enough to read easily in a 4x6 photo.

A tip for chalk board writing: 1) Design your message on the computer in the font and size you want 2) print the page 3) rub chalk on the back of the page where the writing is 4) set the paper against the chalkboard and trace over the letters, leaving a faint chalk mark on the board 5) use a chalk pen to write over the chalk marks you made

I got the pictures printed and wrote a personalized note on the back before mailing them off. 

I think this one is my favorite.  The girls were taking a picture of me, while I was taking their picture :)

So, next time you are having a birthday party, or your kids receive presents, try a photo thank you card like these ones!  The giver will love to see their gift in use - and you will have a great set of photos to remember all the favorite gifts your children received!