Clever craft tips and ideas for making your own gifts
By Melissa Richardson and Amy Fielding
While the Victorians might have slipped a freshly picked flower between the pages of a book to preserve its beauty, we recommend using a flower press to get the best results.
This is Pinecone’s Idea!
Cut a U-Shape from an Envelope
Use your favorite gift wrap to cover the Envelope:
Cut a hole with a 3-hole punch in the Envelope then hang them up.
Insert your Mail or other documents:
I love Boxes and my Cats do too! I like to use various sized boxes for many storage needs. For papers and file folders I cut down a Large USPS Priority Box then decorate it with my favorite wrapping paper. It makes it easy to find mail, magazine, notes, pens and various office supplies. It keeps the clutter down and I can easily move the boxes with all its contents and best of all they make a great cat bed! For drawers such as ones that go to a sewing machine I collected various sized boxes and small tupperware containers to store all the lose thread, needles and sewing / craft items.
I’m not really sure what to name this Invention. My Mother invented this. Take a clear sleeve and insert your paper (article, notes, inspirational quotes or whatever), then insert a hook through the top hole. Hang however you want. I hung these in my Kitchen onto a cute Bamboo Hook. It holds recipes I want to try or other helpful Kitchen Tips / Gardening / Cooking Ideas. Protects the paper from getting splashed with water, wrinkled or plain lost.
Home made heating pads!
Buy 4 lbs of Beans. I like Pinto Beans because Kidney Beans and Rice tend to stink up the house when microwaved.
Buy 2 pairs of log socks in various colors or designs.
Stuff socks with Beans and tie off with string. Place in Microwave for 4 minutes and 20 seconds.
Easy Floral Arrangers by Annabelle Noel Designs.
These nifty stem supporters are great for Daffodils and Tulips!
They can be purchased at TheGrommet.com or Amazon.
This tip was sent in by one of my site followers.
Christmas can be a stressful time and lots of people don’t have extra money for gifts. Some people don’t like to wrap gifts either so below are some ideas that were sent to me for easy gift giving ideas.
Last note is: it is easy to overspend when buying gift certificate because $5, 10, might not seem like much. Be cleaver and find wicked good buys on items before the Christmas season. I dig in the recycle bins at the post office and pick out extra Bed Bath and Beyond coupons since they don’t mind if you more than one at the same purchase.
INGREDIENTS:
OTHER SUPPLIES:
Parchment Paper
Cello Bags or Syran Wrap
Pretty Ribbon
DIRECTIONS:
1. In large saucepan melt butter over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat.
2. Add KELLOGG’S RICE KRISPIES cereal. Stir until well coated.
3. Using buttered spatula evenly press mixture onto a Cookie Sheet lined with parchment paper (You can also press into a buttered pan but a cookie sheet makes it easier to cut the krispie treats).
4. Cool Slightly then cut into triangles to form the shape of a tree. Or use a cookie cutter for a different shape such as an ornament.
5. While still warm poke a candy cane through the bottom of the tree.
6. Let fully cool down (I put mine outside for an hour) then apply some white frosting and stick mini m&ms onto the frosting to create tree decorations or use your own creative ideas.
7. Once frosting is dried and candy cane is set inside of tree then you can package them individually into clear cello bags or syran wrap. Tie a festive bow on the bottom of the candy cane. Or tie a bow on top of the tree around the cello bag.
I made these for Thanksgiving Gifts last year. Super easy and very cute!
Purchase small mason jars – the 4 oz. jars give the best glow for putting candles inside of them.
Fill the jar 1/4 full of coffee beans or colored rocks
Add a small votive candle to it – I used vanilla ones,
Or better yet use the battery operated candles.
Create a cute label for the top of the candle.
If you are shipping these as gifts or wrapping them you might want to put some tissue paper on top so that the coffee beans/rocks don’t get mixed up but be sure to put a note on top “remove paper before lighting”.