Cheap Gift Ideas

By: anne gilardo

For those of you with more time than money, homemade gifts just may be the solution to your holiday gift-giving needs. Homemade gifts add a personal touch and often cost less than their store-bought counterparts. Thanks to our readers, we've come up with the best gift ideas to make:

Family Recipe Book Preserve those old, well-loved family recipes using your computer. There are many software programs available for entering your recipes that even calculate nutritional information based on the ingredients. Add clip art, scan old family photos of the person who is known for making the recipe to include on a particular page. For those with less time on their hands, photocopy your own recipe cards. Place the pages in plastic page protectors to protect from those inevitable cooking spills. Assemble your book using a loose-leaf binder or inexpensive photo album. Your family will love having all their favorite recipes in one place. Add a section including helpful shopping tips, stain-removal tips, sizes, organizing tips, a page listing everyone's birthdays, addresses, sizes, favorites, etc.

Picture Cubes This is a great gift for Dad to put on his desk at work. You'll need four wooden cubes, 1.5 inches in diameter; decoupage; and six photos of your children. Cut the pictures into a 3 x 3 inch square, and then cut the square into four equal pieces (1.5 inch square each). Decoupage one side of each block and stick on the picture. Rotate the cubes and repeat for all six sides. When it's dry enough, cover all the sides with decoupage (this may take some time because you have to wait for some to dry before you can turn them to do the other sides). You're done -- a cube puzzle of your six pictures!

Homemade Spa Set Know someone who's stressed? Give the gift of relaxation! Make your own bath products and assembling in a cute basket.

Bath Salts - 1 c. Epsom salt (available at pharmacies), 1 c. sea or rock salt, 20 drops fragrance oil, food coloring.

Bath Oil - 1/2 c. almond oil, 1/2 c. castor oil or aloe vera, oil from 6-8 Vitamin E capsules, dried flowers, 25-30 drops fragrance oil.

Bubble Bath - 3 c. clear, mild dishwashing detergent, 6-8 Vitamin E capsules, 1/4 c. glycerin, 25-30 drops fragrance oil, food coloring, dried orange slices and orange peel.

Once the bath salts and oils are mixed up, place them in jars or small jars and decorate with ribbons, metallic strings, etc. Or, print little tags on your computer. Add store-bought items such as a wash cloth, pumice stone, loofah, or whatever you choose.

Stepping Stone Stepping stones are easy to make with a little ready-mix concrete. No need to buy expensive kits at craft stores! Just look for a decorative mold to use, or for a round stone just use an old ice cream bucket. Coat with Vaseline for easy removal when the stone has set. Pour in about 1 ½ inches of concrete. When the consistency is right, have your child put in his footprints and/or handprints. Add the date if you wish, and decorate with various seashells, marbles, mosaic tiles, etc.

Coffee Lovers Basket Have a coffee lover on your list? Who doesn't! Here are a few ideas to include in a gift basket for any java junkie:

*Chocolate-dipped plastic spoons with sprinkles and a bow for decoration.
*A box of chocolate-dipped cookies or home made biscotti.*
Home made dessert coffee mixes, such as:

Dessert Coffee (Mocha)1/4 c. instant coffee1/2 c. cocoa1/2 c. sugar
Dessert Coffee (Café au Lait)1/4 c. instant coffee1/2 c. dry milk1/2 c. sugar
Dessert Coffee (Spice)1/4 c. instant coffee1/2 c. sugar1/4 tsp. nutmeg1/4 tsp. cinnamon1/4 tsp.
Allspice
(For all the mixes above, combine all ingredients well. Store in a tightly covered jar up to 6 months. For each serving, place 2 teaspoons mix in cup. Fill with boiling water.)

Grandparent's Calendar Using a computer program, print off calendar months on 8.5 x 11 cardstock. On the blank backsides, decorate with your kids' artwork, photos, poems, clip art, etc. Bring the finished pages to your local copier to laminate and bind them together. This is great for grandparents, but can be modified for any member of the family or for friends.

No-Sew Fleece Blanket Choose polar fleece in cute patterns at a fabric or craft store. Baby blankets require about ¾ of a yard, you'll want a yard or more for adults and older children. You can make a heavier blanket by layering two fabric panels or a lighter-weight blanket by using one layer only. Cut about 2" strips on the edges and tie them together to add fringe. They don't fray, even with washing.

Brownie/Cookie Jars Brownie jars are an easy and expensive gift idea for family, friends, and teachers. Layer the dry ingredients in which to make brownies or cookies in a mason jar. Decorate the jar with ribbon and attach instructions such as: add butter, eggs, etc. and baking time. You can even attach a recipe card if you'd like. Since people usually receive so many baked goodies this time of year, a treat to make at a later date is usually appreciated. Even if they do not want to bake them, the jar looks attractive on display in the kitchen.

Bread Basket This is a great inexpensive gift, and especially easy for those of you with bread machines. Bake a loaf of bread and wrap it up in cellophane or plastic wrap. Place in a nice basket which you can pick up at Wal-Mart for a couple dollars each. Place a pretty piece of fabric in the bottom of the basket, trimming the edges with a pinking shears (optional).

Art Frame Purchase an inexpensive wooden or cardboard picture frame (under £2 each at most discount and/or craft stores). Have your child decorate the frame with acrylic paints. Place a photo of your child inside the frame once it's dry, and you have a great gift for a grandparent!So by now I'm sure your bursting with some cheap gift ideas!


For more help pop over to my gift accessories blog!
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