This year has represented a new journey into efficiency, minimalization, and frugality. However, even in past years, I have usually tried to inlcude some do-it-yourself presents in my Christmas giving. My two main projects for 2014: hidden-treasure books and personalized magnets.
Hidden-Treasure Books
Mr. Smith helped with this project, but only he became impatient with my technique for cutting out pages. The project was really quite simple and there are numerous websites that lay out the steps. For these books, I (we) did the following:
- Pick up some cheap hard-cover books. Mine were old books on sale at the library.
- Place a plastic grocery bag around the front cover and the first 10 pages or so.
- Use a paintbrush to coat the outside of the other pages with white glue.
- Close the book and let it dry, with something heavy on top.
- Draw a box in the center of the first glued page and start cutting it out with a razor blade.
- Glue a piece of felt to the bottom.
I gave these books to my brother and sister with a couple of goodies inside (gift cards, hair tyes, and a keychain). And Goofball thought that these books were so neat, we are going to make him one too.
Personalized Magnets
I found directions for these magnets on notmartha. I used marbles from the Dollar Store, craft glue (borrowed from my mom a while ago), and magnets from a craft store. Then, I printed up some images on regular copy paper. The process was quite simple and I ended up making approximatley 40 of these magnets. About half of them featured the logo of our daycare. I placed the magnets on a big tin of cookies and fudge for all of the teachers to enjoy. Everyone was really impressed with the handmade magnets. One teacher even asked how much I would charge to make a bunch for her husband’s business (hmm, another side hustle perhaps?). The other magnets were for family member and featured a variety of images from photographs of the kids, to sports logos, and band logos. I even found some festive lunch box tins at the Dollar Store to package the magnets.
In addition, some relatives will receive homemade applesauce. I like to think that they appreciate the effort that went into creating gifts, as opposed to just picking up something at the store. Also, I took my time considering what images to include on the magnets, so they were uniquely personal.
Did you give any do-it-yourself presents this Christmas?
