Thrifty Gifts

I'm always on the lookout for gift ideas I can make with my scrapbook supplies. With so many tools and materials at my disposal it seems that all I need to do is find a little extra time in my schedule, which might be the hardest part! Everyone loves a handmade gift from the heart, and the other benefit of crafting your gifts instead of purchasing them is the financial savings. Many of us are starting to feel the financial crunch of rising gas and food prices, and even more so during the holiday season. By creating personalized gifts by hand I'm able to show my friends and loved ones what they mean to me without breaking my budget!

This year I'll be making several different personalized gifts. Welcome signs, jumbo wooden clips, door knob hangers, and stitched paper stockings are a few of the handmade gifts I have planned.

Each of these gifts are very cost-efficient. With only a nominal purchase for things like the wooden sign or the jumbo clip, I was able to make several items, mostly using the supplies and tools I had on hand. Here's a close-up photo of each project and a supply list.

Welcome Sign

Welcome Sign Supplies:

• wooden sign base - Ben Franklin Crafts
• patterned paper - Provo Craft (Green), Paper Loft (brown title letters) and KI Memories (Red Dot)
• adhesive cork - Karen Foster
• acrylic paint - Making Memories
• paper ribbon - Doodlebug
• title letters - Provo Craft, Cricut (Base Camp Font)
• cardstock "A+" sticker - 7 Gypsies
• checkered ribbon - unknown
• button - unknown

Jumbo Clip

Jumbo Clip Supplies:

• jumbo paper clip - Creative Imaginations
• patterned paper - unknown
• acrylic paint - Making Memories
• alphabet stickers - Provo Craft
• metal rim tag, "Fetch" tag - Making Memories
• twill ribbon - unknown
• silver brad

Door Knob Hanger

Door Knob Hanger Supplies:

• door hanger - Creative Imaginations
• patterned papers - Doodlebug Designs, Me & My Big Idea
• cardstock stickers - Doodlebug Designs
• alphabet stickers - Reminisce (large) and Provo Craft (small)
• fabric tape - Making Memories
• acrylic paint - Ranger, Adirondack Paint Dauber
• paper flower - Bazzill

Paper Stocking

Paper Stocking Supplies:

• cardstock - Bazzill
• patterned paper - My Minds Eye
• scallop scissors - Fiskars (large), Kraft Edgers (mini)
• snowflake Gems - Heidi Swapp
• ribbon - unknown
• sewing machine

Take a look in the gallery for more hand-crafted gifts. To get you started I've compiled a list of gift ideas I've run across in the past few years, as well as a few links to articles we've done that feature these types of projects. Maybe one of these will spark your creativity.

• photo coasters
• photo wreaths
• handmade cards
• altered boxes or tins
• altered canvases
• mini albums
• embellished photo frames
• desk sets
• photo cube puzzles
• composition journals or notebooks
• luggage tags
• personalized wall letters
• framed layouts
• handmade ornaments
• banners or pennants
• recipe boxes
• French memo boards
• stationary set
• wall clocks
• photo cubes
• bookmarks

Create wonderful home made gifts like these with Scrapbook Supplies from Scrapjazz.