Festive Handmade Holiday Gifts

It's finally raining here in Southern California.  The heavy mist almost looks like snow!  It's as close to a white flurry as we get.   Time to fire up the logs in the fireplace, stay in our pajamas all day, sip hot cocoa, and...craft! 

Handmade holiday gifts are the best, especially those that are quick to make, inexpensive and say "Happy Holidays" in a special way. They are great for teachers, neighbors and other special people.

Today I'm going to show you how to embellish clear acrylic pails and turn them into festive holiday gifts for both Christmas and Chanukah (Hanukkah).  They can easily be adapted to any other holiday as well.

Supplies: 

Clear acrylic pails  [I found 4-1/2" pails in different colors] 

Small 2" acrylic pails 

Shredded, crinkly paper

Crafting embellishments

Holiday Treats [to fill the pails]

Christmas Pail Fillers:   Assorted holiday candies, coffee, gift card, candles and playing cards.

Embellishments:  Choose ribbons, stickers, buttons, tags, and a rubber stamp with a holiday greeting.

The How-To:  Embellish the outside of a large pail.  I adhered beaded ribbon around the top of the pail.   Line the bottom inside of the pail with shredded paper.

Stamp a festive greeting onto a tag and tie to pail with ribbons.

 

  

Cover lid with pretty paper and rhinestones. 

I recommend decoupaging the paper to the lid to resist tearing.

Add the Christmas items to the large pails.  Fill smaller pails with candies such as m&m's or jelly bellies.  You can find holiday assortments or mix and match several bags of solid m&m's.

Here is what you'll need to make the Chanukah gift pail:

Fillers:  Chocolate gelt, dreidels, candles and matches.

The How-To:  Stamp a festive greeting onto a tag and tie to pail with ribbons.

Adhere ribbon around the outside of the pail.  For this one, I used two different ribbons, one at the top and one at the bottom.  Add shredded paper to inside bottom of pail; top lid with pretty paper or a sparkly bow.

Add contents to pail.

These pails are so versatile.  They make great table favors.  You can dress them up for many occasions including New Year's, the Super Bowl, Birthdays and Anniversaries.  You're just limited by your imagination and occasion!  

You may be able to find me sharing these ideas here 

as well as these new link parties:

Creative Collection Linky Party

Marigold's Loft
Inspired Housewife
Chic California



Coffee Notes [Altered Chalkboard]

                          



You can never have too much of a good thing.  Like good friends.  Good coffee.  And a good place for notes.  Combine these three, and you get a Coffee Notes Chalkboard! 

While casually strolling the clearance bins at "T" last week, I spotted large chalkboards at 70% off the regular price of $2.50.  A quick calculation told me that is only 75 cents each!  At that price, I quickly pounced on picked up the seven that were left in the bin, and raced made my way to the checkout line.

Since I wasn't planning to use this as a scoreboard, I gathered crafting goodness from my stash with a coffee theme including chipboard letters, stickers, scrapbook paper, ribbon, ric rac, buttons and twine.

With Mod Podge [don't leave home without it], I adhered paper and ribbon to the top of the chalkboard and added two coffee stickers to the board as well.

Since this is, after all, a chalkboard, I needed a place to hold chalk.  This mint tin container was the perfect size.

I Mod Podged the tin container with paper, ribbon and ric rac. Typed out the word "chalk" using my handy label maker [which I've owned since the 3rd grade].  Using the chipboard, spelled out "notes" and, just for fun, placed the "s" onto the altered tin container.  Using adhesive squares, I adhered the container to the chalkboard.  And, of course, included a few pieces of chalk.

I tied twine around the chalkboard, finishing it into a bow, and added two buttons (a coffee pot and a cup) to complete the altered project.

So, where do "good friends" come into this project? 

[Good] friends don't let friends drink decaf!

Partying with my blogging friends:
Creative Capital B
Mums Make Lists

Crafty Scrappy Happy Make-it-Link Party


CSI chalkboard-paint-party


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Today's Creative Blog

Project Queen

Rook No 17 A Little Birdie Told Me

The Art of Appreciation

Twice a week I volunteer in a classroom at a community Pre-K program.  There are 17 children, most from non-English speaking families.  The teacher is amazing.  She is patient, kind, cares about each child, and is preparing them for success in Kindergarten next year.   Without this program, these children would start kindergarten way behind their peers.  It's hard to believe our school district has plans to cut the program next year.  But that's not what this post is about.

Teacher Appreciation Week comes and goes.  There aren't room parents for this class.  So I decided to help the students show their love for their teacher with this project.  It's simple enough, but goes a l-o-n-g way in showing their appreciation.  

I brought punched scalloped and plain circles, mini letter rubber stamps and a black ink pad to school one day.  Each child chose their color combination of their "flower" and stamped their name on it.  So it was also a lesson in ABC's.  Then I glued a coffee stirrer stick between the flower and another scalloped circle   to create the flowers.

I painted a terra cotta pot and saucer using yellow acrylic and chalkboard paint.  Two coats of each fully covered the pot.  I also painted a tag with the same yellow paint and stamped the teacher's name on it.

I embellished the top rim of the pot with a yellow measuring tape.  Because the rim is larger at the top than the bottom of the rim, I cut the measuring tape every two inches or so, and glued them separately to compensate for the angle.  When glued, you cannot even tell the measuring tape was cut.  I used Mod Podge for the glue, and again for a final glossy coat (but not on the chalkboard paint).

 All that was left was to pot the plant and stick the "flowers" in the pot.

 A coordinating tag that reads "Thank You for helping us to grow."

The teacher was so touched to receive the gift.  

And the students were anxious to find the flower with their name.

Partying here:

The Hankful House

The Shady Porch

Romance on a Dime TIOT

The Gunny Sack Time to Sparkle

 

 

 

Positively Splendid holiday-gift-idea-exchange-2012

The CSI Project Chalk & Paint Party

Alderberry Hill Make the Scene Monday

Blackberry Vine Tuesday To Do

Salt Tree Open Call Tuesdays

Mop it up Monday

Eight Projects of Chanukah: #2

Now that Thanksgiving weekend is almost over, it's time to stop talking turkey and get back into creating gifts for Chanukah.  With less than a month to go, there is no time to waste.

My second project in the Eight Projects of Chanukah series is this embellished candle holder.  This is a pretty alternative to the not-so-decorative box that the menorah candles come in from the store.

Supplies include:

- Libbey 4" x 4" square glass container (I bought these at the Dollar Store)
- Scrapbook Paper
- Ribbon
- Flowers
- Buttons
- Chanukah Charm
- Die-cuts
- Tag punch or ready-made tags
- Chanukah stamps
- Ink Pad

Instructions:

Make a template measuring 1-1/2" wide x 13-1/2" long, creating a slight arch.  The paper band must arch to accommodate the width difference between the top and bottom circumference of the glass.  Wrap the template around the glass to be sure it fits, overlapping the ends. 

Trace the template onto a 12" x 12" scrapbook paper, angling the template to fit the paper.  You can also cut two sections and piece them together, adding an extra 1/2" for overlap.

Mod Podge the paper band and let dry.  Using good adhesive, adhere band to the glass, gently pulling it taut, and overlap the ends. 

Embellish the glass using ribbon, flowers, charms, die cuts or stamped images on punched out tags to decorate the candle holder.

Place the candles inside the glass holder, and you have a beautiful way to display the menorah candles throughout the eight nights.

These glass containers can also be used to hold a votive candle.   Insert a small round candle holder and surround with blue and white jelly belly candies, sea glass or beads.  Place a votive into the smaller glass holder.  [Note to self:  After a few days, do not attempt to eat jelly belly candies.]

These make wonderful teacher and hostess gifts.  Wrap the entire candle holder with clear cellophane.  Tie with ribbon and a matching tag, and these are ready to go! 

Partying with:
the country chic cottage quick-and-easy-holiday-crafts
Rook No 17
Home for the Holidays
Today's Creative Blog
Project Queen
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