1. Photo Note Cards: To do this, I have some of my favorite photographs printed and then use blank cards from the store (like Hobby Lobby or Walmart) that come prepackaged with the envelopes. I just adhere the picture to the front, and then package up a whole set of cards and envelopes, tied with a ribbon. Here's a little tip to make them look even better -- I offset the photograph (not directly in the middle), and then I take a fine tip pen and sign and date under the photograph. It gives it a very professional look!
2. A Basket of Homemade Goodies: This post has a list of ten or so homemade goodies that went into our Christmas baskets this past year. We got lots of great comments on them!
3. Framed Scrapbook Layout: If you are inclined to scrapbook, make a layout that is 8x10 or even pick up a 12x12 frame at Michael's or Hobby Lobby. This is a post showing how I have decorated my own dining room with them, imagine the joy of a grandparent to receive enough of these to decorate with them!
4. Coupons or Certificates: Tired parents would love a certificate for a free night of babysitting. Your grandparents who rarely go out would love it if you gave them a certificate that you would bring a homemade meal once a month. Heck -- my grandma loves that we take fast food once a week (or every couple of weeks) and the kids eat lunch picnic style on her floor.
5. Themed Gift Basket: Here are some ideas from other sources.
6. A Gift From Your Special Talent: This would seem to be a given, but it isn't. So often, when somebody sews, does wood working, makes specialty-type soaps, etc., it's something that is common place to them. They forget that others don't do those things, and would really enjoy a gift like that. So, if you sew, make an apron for a bridal shower (if you're making it, you can make something very traditional, or something very hip). If you're a wood worker, make your Mom a special jewelry box for Mother's Day. Use the talents that God gave you to bless someone else! (And save yourself a trip to the store besides!)
7. A Gift for the Whole Family: Okay, so this one goes with themed gift baskets, but I like this one, so thought I would share it separately. This would be a gift for a family with preschoolers/elementary kids. A toy pail filled with a sugar cookie bag mix, a can of icing, decorations (sprinkles, etc.), cookie cutters, and a toy shovel for mixing. If you really love the parents that you are giving this to, include a coupon that says YOU will come and make it with their kids.
8. No Sew Fleece Blanket: A fun project for someone who doesn't sew. Or, great for older kids to make as gifts as well! Here are some directions.
9. Dress Up Box: Not exactly "homemade" but kind of. I just wrote this week about adding to our dress up box by shopping at Goodwill. Why not compile an entire dress up box to give as a gift from Goodwill finds? You can easily put together a great set for under $40. (Or, you can really sink as much money into it as you want, particularly if you are giving it to a family with many children.)
10. Homemade Soaps: They sell supplies that you can easily make soaps yourself at hobby/craft stores. Don't invest in fancy supplies, unless you want to get serious into making them. For just a fun homemade gift stance, you can get away with picking up a few supplies and then melting the glycerin in a glass bowl at home.
11. A Starter Kit: Again, not exactly homemade, but not exactly like presenting someone with a giant calculator from the As Seen On TV store either. But, this is especially great for someone who has expressed an interest in a new hobby. This is especially great (and inexpensive) if it is a hobby you already have, and then can "shop" from your own supplies.
I'm not suggesting giving ugly paper or half used sheets of stickers to your friend that wants to start scrapbooking, but maybe some little used punches and stamps, a stack of cardstock from your collection, fun embellishments that you have extras of, and then maybe even go out an buy some adhesive and a cutter to throw in. Or, perhaps for someone who has shown interest in learning to sew -- a pin cushion (with pins!), a tape measure, a stitch ripper, extra spools of thread from your stash, some fun fabrics that you just have sitting around waiting for "the perfect project," etc.
12. A Homemade Recipe Book: One year, I asked my siblings for some of their favorite recipes, and I put them together into a cook book for everyone for Christmas. But, the better part was that the front of the cook book was all recipes that I had scanned from a binder that our Mom has. Rather than to just copy recipes and type them out, we can all now see them in the original writing of friends and relatives, as well as newspaper clippings, parts of boxes (you know -- when a product gives a recipe suggestion), etc. My personal favorite? My now 38 year old sister wrote her name as a preschooler on one of Mom's recipe cards, and now we all have that as part of our cookbook.
13. Your Time: Offer up your time and labor for a project that you know someone has been wanting to do, but just hasn't been able to. Commit to spending a Saturday helping someone put in their landscaping or an afternoon of cleaning house for a busy Mom or weeding a garden for a friend that you know will be spending a week away. One of the most touching gifts we ever received was when we moved out of an apartment and some friends went into our old apartment and cleaned for us so that we didn't have to. It truly blessed us and we understood what good friends they were by their actions.
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Not quite done remodeling yet, but we just had to stop everything to try out our new washer and dryer that were delivered on Sunday morning -- the kids loved seeing their clothes spin around and around
