Creative Mom Cafe

For the last day of November and the last of the gift ideas I am going to suggest something a friend recently posted about on her site. Making your own advent calender. An advent calendar is a small calendar used to countdown the days until Christmas. It is a great way to let children see visually how time draws closer and closer to the big day. And it’s just plain fun! Though not specifically a gift to give for Christmas, you could give them to count down to this Christmas or create special ones they can use time and time again.

There is no one right way to make an advent calendar. You can make yours as simple or as intriquet as you please. Some make small paper loops joined in a chain that they can take apart day by day. Others create wall hangings with small pockets that open to reveal chocolates or small toys. You can be as creative and inspired as you want! If you are creative with paper crafts you could try this cute advent calendar card. It only takes 2 pieces of paper, an exacto knife, and creativity to make. You can find a ton more great creative ideas for making your own advent calendars at Alpha mom.

Making a personal advent calendar can be a wonderful gift to give. It can reflect the recipient’s personal feelings on the holiday and their sense of style. Go ahad and make one this year to give to the kids in your life.

advent calendar, 30 Gifts in 30 Days

Here’s another fun decorative gift idea you can make. A decorative tin candle holder. These are easy to make and fun to have around you home. And they can be made out of things that most people already have in thir homes.

To start you will need an empty, clean tin can, a hammer, and a nail. You can use the cans that soups or beans come in. Just wash it out thoroughly and remove all of the label. If you are having trouble getting the label to comeoff often soaking it in water then using a scrubber pad will do the trick. All you have to do it use the hammer to hammer in the nail into the can. The small holes will let light from the candle shine through creating a beautiful effect.

The best thing to do is to map out your design before you begin. You can create shapes and patterns in the can with the holes. Print out simple images from your computer and tape them around the can. Then just follow the lines as you punch holes into the tin. Remove the image when you are done and you will have a unique candle holder to give. A simple tea light candle or a small votive will fit perfectly in the center. You can also use largr tin cans, such as the ones that coffee comes in or the bulk sized cans of condiments. You can place larger candles in them or use them to create an outdoor light display. Lay out large bulb outside lights going down either side of a walk in your yard. Them place the large carns upside down on top of the lights. It creates a beautiful light effect at Christmas time.

Of course you don’t have to leave the tin can plain. You can tie ribbon around the can, paint it, or attach small decorations. Remember that the tin may get very hot if a candle is left burning in it for too long. So you may want to be catious with how you decorate. Whenpainting the can be sure to paint if before putting the holes in or else the holes may become covered by the paint.

tin cans, candles, candle holder, 30 gifts in 30 days

I’ve talked about making jewelry to give as gifts before, but I wanted to go into detail on a specific kind of jewelry you can really make yourself. Or, more specifically you can make the jewels yourself. This is a very simple trick that you can use to make gorgeous pieces for jewelry, magnets, or anything else you can think of. All you need is a little clear gloss acrylic paint and some creativity.

To start with you will need an image. Some people clip small pictures out of magazines or use pieces of old wallpaper. You can even use photos if you want. Anything at all, as long as you keep in mind the size of the piece you want to make. Cut out the image that you want to use and glue it to a sturdy back. Cardboard is a great choice that is easy to find, though if you are safe you can use small pieces of metal cut into the same size and shape. Cutting down a soda can could be a great way to create your own backing, though very dangerous because of the sharp edges. Use a strong yet light glue to put the image onto the backing, common superglue often works fine.

Once your image is glued on and dried you ar ready to pull out the clear gloss acrylic paint. Basically all you will be doing is applying a few coats over the entire thing. How thick or thin you want it to be is up to you, but you should add at least 2 or 3 coats to be sure. Before painting make sure that your iamge is cut down exactly how you want it. Trim along the sides and measure the size first. Then begin painting. It will have a beautiful glossy shine once dry and look like an amazing piece of jewelry.

You can glue the pieces onto small magnets for great prsonal magnets, or turn them into beautiful jewelry. You can glue on caps to create a drop for your beads to be used as pendants. You can also glue them onto empty broach pins to create special broaches. Be as creative as you want!

It’s a great way to make someone some special jewelry this holiday season!

gifts, jewelry, 30 gifts in 30 days

A friend of mine had a beautiful wreath on her wall for years. It was covered in dried flowers, eucalyptus leaves, and tuffs of lavender colored feathers. It was gorgeous to see and gave off a nice scent as you walked by. I was thinking about that wreath today and thought with my idea yesterday to make a wreath to give why not suggest something that smells nice too. No, I’m not going to have you create a eucalyptus leaf wreath, but a nice basket of potpourri is a great gift to give as well!

The first thing you will need are the ingrediants. Herbs and flowers from your own garden are a grat place to begin. Some people have luck getting bags of discarded flowers from their local floral shops for cheap or even free. You want clean, disease free plants to make the best potpourri. If you are harveting your own the best time to do so is early in the morning just after the dew is gone. That is when you will gt the freshest scent.

You will need to dry your plants. Air drying is often recommended. Place the herb and flowers on a screen, like that from a window, and allow them to dry naturally. You want them to get good air circulation as they are drying out. Hanging is another easy method, simply hand them upside down and allow them to dry. You may want to place a pan or bag underneath any plants hanging up to catch anything that falls as they dry.

Once you have dried your plants you can begin putting them together. You will need a good fixative agent in your potpourri to help it last. Some suggestions are powdered orris root, oak moss, cellulose, or ground gum benzoin. Essential oils are also added to give a beautiful scent to the mixture. Once your potpourri is made you will need something to store it in. A small container with a lid that seals tight is best. You can often find small glass containers at thrift shops or in dollar stores that work perfectly. Be sure to keep the potpourri sealed when not in use to keep the fragrance lasting.

Here are some sites with recipes for making your own:

• Pioneer Thinking
• Atlantic Spice
• Make Stuff - Potpourri
• A World of Plenty
• Make Your Own Potpourri (this one is an ebook that you have to pay for, but has some great recipes to use)

potpourri, dried flowers, dried herbs, 30 gifts in 30 days

If you’ve made lots of fun gifts to fill their stocking with now you can make a handmade wreath to hang up next to them. Creating your own wreaths can be fun, and you don’t have to make one just for the holidays. An unique handcrafted wreath can be the perfect decoration any time of the year. In fact, if you are feeling crafty you could make several to be used during the year.

You will need a hot glue gun, a wreath base, and any decorations you want. Wreath bases are fairly common to find. You can even use an old wreath that you have or one bought from a thrift shop. Most are made from straw or grape vines, though if you want to really be unique you can try other materials and make your own. Twist thick wire, rope, or even knit a circle you can use as your wreath base. Just be sure that what ever you choose is strong enough to hold the decorations you plan to put on it.

Once you have your base it is time to decorate. Plan out what theme you want the wreath to have. Will it be a Christmas wreath, one that matches the person’s home decor, or decorated with things you know they will love. Use ribbons, silk flowers, and small ornaments to create an unique style. You can look through the photos of wreaths at Flickr for more inspiration. Make it as big or as small as you want. You can even use pieces from old wreaths to create your new one. It is a great recycling craft idea. The last thing you will need is a way to hang it. Some people buy hooks that they attach to the back, some use pieces of strong wire. Whatever you choose you will need it to be strong enough to hold the weight and secure it tightly onto the back of your wreeath.

wreath, crafts, Christmas, 30 Gifts in 30 Days

When I wrote yesterday about the handmade coupon books I mentioned that they would make great stocking stuffers. That idea stuck with me and I thought I might share a few other stocking stuffer ideas today.

Stocking stuffers are generally little gifts that are inexpensive and fun that you can fit into children’s stockings. Candies and fruits make great stocking stuffs too. We have a family tradition of placing oranges in everyone’s stocking, which we then eat that morning with our breakfast. But here are a few other gifts you can add.

If you know someone who loves to style their hair creating some handmade hair bows and clips could be a great little gift to give. Bows can be simple to make. You need ribbon, a hot glue gun, and whatever added decorations you want. Beads, buttons, even colorful shoelaces can b used to put together fun hair accessories. You can use empty hair clips, bobby pins, or small combs to glue your hair creations to. You can visit Girly Things for some great ideas on various bows and things to make or check out Bow Business if you might be interested in making and selling bows and hair accessories. One of my favorite shops with cute hair goodies is Sweet Baby Boutique.

Of course not everyone will want bows in their stocking. This post on fun homemade magnets is a fun little idea you can give to anyone. Spell out their name, use images of favorite cartoon characters, or give them a set of the alphabet that they can spell things out with themselves. It is a fun little project that you can make fairly cheaply. I’ve made several sets of magnets like these to give away with great results. It is another perfect stocking stuffer you can make.

stocking stuffers, gifts, presents, 30 gifts in 30 days

Sometimes the best gifts we can give aren’t what we make, but the thought behind them. Young children espcially love to give but cannot always make something they feel is good enough. Today’s gift idea is one where it’s the thought that really does count.

Make a special coupon book to give! This is something that anyone can make, including young children. Take a sheet of printer paper and cut it into several small strips. I make mine by folding the paper in half long ways then cutting it into 5 strips. Each strip is then cut in half along the fold line for 10 seprate coupons. You can first create your coupons on your computer and print them off before cutting or decorate each one by hand. Get as creative as you want! Draw, paint, glue, or even stitch each coupon into a unique prize.

What you want to give is up to you. Offer a plate of cookies or a loaf of homemade bread once a month to an older relative that lives alone. The company is often worth more than the treat. Give your spouce a coupon book full of special back rubs and candle light dinners. Offer trips to the ice cream store, pizza for dinner, or a free hour of TV to your kids. Coupon books like this make perfect stocking stuffers or go great in a special card.

Once you have your coupons ready then you just need to put them togther. You can do it the simple way by stapling them in a flipbook style, you could even use color yard or ribbon and sew them together. If you want the coupons to last you should laminate them on both sides. It could easily turn into a second gift idea by keeping each coupon as they are used and creating a special memory book. Take pictures and write some journaling on what each coupon was for and what you did.

coupons, coupon book, gifts, 30 Gifts in 30 Days

It’s the day after Thanksgiving. Are you trapped in a crowded store searching for sales or at home resting and relaxing? If you’ve been doing your best to make your gifts yourself this year chances are you don’t need to get out today. So to help you enjoy staying in today here’s a wonderful relaxing gift that you can make. Though you may want to make two, one to give and one to keep for yourself.

Today’s gift idea is an herbal eye pillow. It’s a soft small pillow filled with relaxing herbs and flowers. Place it across your eyes while sleeping to help you drift off to sleep more easily. First you will need fabric to make the pillow, something soft and smooth that will feel light against the eyes. Silk, satin, and velveten are good choices. You will need two rectangles, about 5 inches by 12 inches to create the pillow. The sleeve of an old blouse works perfectly for this and is a great way to recycle. And since there are two sleeves you can make two! Making the pillow is simple, place right sides together and hem along 3 of the sides about a 1/2 inch in. Leave one short side open for stuffing. Turn it right sides out and you are ready to add your herbs.

Now for the stuffing. Here is what you will need. (more…)

I hope everyone is having a happy Thanksgiving Day! Eat lots of food, laugh with family you don’t get to see often enough, and take a nap in the afternoon. Oh, and don’t forget to say thanks for all the things you have in your life.

Today’s gift idea is a simple one, inspired by the holiday. Find a nice, large plate. Fill it with lots of yummy food. Wrap the whole thing up and top with a bow. Now take it ovr to someone’s house who isn’t getting out this holiday season, someone who could use a little company. That’s the best gift you could give, and it’s handmade too.

Thanksgiving

This is an adorable gift that I have to all the grandparents last year for Christmas. I used a sheet of typing paper, some blue finger paints, and my kids. They were both more than happy to get their hands dirty and make hand prints on several sheets of paper. In fact we turned it into a whole day of fun fingerpainting. On each of the pieces of paper I had already printed off a small poem to go with the painted handprints. Once dry I added their names and ages below their hands then each page went into a frame to be hung on the wall.

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Embroidery is something I’ve wanted to try. In fact a couple years ago I found a basket full of thread and tiny seed beads along with a half finished angel for $2 at a garage sale. I took it home, decided the angel was too difficult and tried something else. A cute cartoon mouse holding balloons. Oh I had grand plans, that quickly fizzled. Somewhere along the way my mouse disappeared, along with the wooden hoop it was still on.

Hopefully others will succeed where I’ve failed with embroidery. This one is simple, make a set of prsonalized hand towels. All you need are some nice towels, a pattern, embroidery thread, and a sewing needle. You can even buy beginner’s kits to get you started. This is a great gift for anyone in a new home this holiday season, a nice set of towels that they can use and that are decorative.

There is a great article here with photos on embroidering on towels so that your design stays beautiful through washing and use. Though it is aimed at machine embroidery the same tips on stablirs can be used in hand embroidry, or cross stitch, as well. If you are an absolute beginner in cross stitching, like me, there is a simple 5 minute tutorial that will get you started. And here are several free cross stitch patterns you can use.

embroidery, cross stitch, 30 Gifts in 30 Days

We all have those special recipes, the ones passed down through the generations and the ones we created ourselves. The dishes we always make to bring along because we know someone will be asking for them. Why not compile all of those favorite dishes into a personal recipe book?

There are many blank recipe books available today that you can fill in with your own special dishes. Some come complete with dividers, stickers, and page protectors to fish the recipe book a finished and professional appeal. Of course you can always create your own book. Put togethr your recipes on your computer and print them off. You can decorate and style them however you want using your computer programs. Microsoft even offers a tutorial on making a family cookbook on your computer.

To begin you will need to decide what recipes you are going to offer. If the recipent has special dietary needs you will need to consider that. For instance you wouldn’t give a pot roast ecipe to a vegan or a fudge recipe to a diabetic. Be sure that the recipes you are giving will suit the receiver. Once you have you recipes ready you should sort them into categories. This will make it easier to put the cookbook together later. You can use traditional categoris such as deserts, coups, breads, etc… Or you can get creative and group them by ease or difficulty, by expense, or for a multi-cultural book by area the recipes are from. The choice is up to you.

Once you have your recipes compiled and sorted then you can decide how you will make the cookbook. Are you printing pages off the computer, writing them by hand, or using a precreated blank book. Have fun, be original, and remember who you are making this for.

gifts, cookbook, recipes, 30 Gifts in 30 Days

I’ve got a great gift idea for anyone who has taken the homemade pledge this year! I shared a post on how to screen print your own clothes to give, but for those of you who don’t want to do it yourself Skutterfly has the answer. This Friday and all weekend long they will be having a BOGO sale.

Skutterfly is a great t-shirt shop ran by an awesome mama. She knows all about being creative! I alrady own two of her funky shirts, the Swirly Skull shirt for myself and the I Need a Nap shirt for my oldest son. I’m thinking this sale might just give me an excuse to buy my youngest the Breastfed Baby shirt and buy the Iron Cross Skull shirt for the dad of the house.

All of her shirts are screen printed by herself. Or, as her site says:

Dreamed up in my head, silk screened in the shed

gifts, screen printing, t-shirts, sale

So, what are you getting your pets this holiday season? That’s right, your pets are part of the family and deserve presents too! Many people buy small toys to give to their pets during the holiday season. But what if you could make a fun treat to show your pets how much you care?

If you have a small dog that gets cold outside during the winter you can make a doggy sweater. There are many patterns to knit one, but if you are not a knitter you can sew one up from a child’s sweater instead. All you have to do is find a small sweater and try it on your pooch. If it is too long on the body cut it down to fit and hm up the ends. Cut off the sleaves and hem along the holes for your dog’s front paws to go through. If it seems a bit baggy you can easily take about the side seams then resew them the be narrower. It’s an easy craft you can do for your poor pooch bfore the cold really sets in! Don’t forget to make up some homemade doggy treats to go in the stocking!

For a kitty make a private cat condo! All you need are a few large boxes, a knife, and your imagination. Cut holes in the boxes to act like doors for them to crawl through. Place several boxes next to or on top of each other and secure with duct tape or rubber cement. You can use string and small pom-poms to suspend fun toys from the tops of the boys for them to play with inside. If you are really feeling ambitious you can try to make one out of wood! Use old carpet pieces and paint to spruce it up prrrrfect for kitty. And of course, don’t forgt the homemade kitty treats!

Here are a couple articles I found on making gifts for your dogs or cats. Cheap and Simple Homemade Dog Toys and Cheap and Simple Homemade Cat Toys

cats, dogs, pets, gifts, 30 Gifts in 30 Days

I shared yesterday a fun knit project to give to mothers who wear their babies in carriers. It was for a blanket type thing that buttons onto the mother’s coat to help keep her little one warm. Today I wanted to share how to make a simple ring sling that you can give as a gift also. Ring sling carrirs are by far the easiest to make and to use. It is just a long piece of fabric that wraps around the baby and mother and is held firmly in place by two metal rings.

What you will need is 2 1/4 yards of your choice of fabric and a pair of metal rings. I prefer using aluminum rings as they end to be stronger and hold better. For the fabric you can use just about anything you want. Just remember that the fabric must be able to withstand every day use. Some fabrics, such as quilting fabrics, do not hold up well with the wear and tear over time. If you choose a stretchy fabric such as interlock or jersey you can shorten the length needed.

You will want to cut your fabric down to a good width to hold your baby. For a full term infant up to a toddler you will need your fabric to be between 30″ and 36″ wide. If you are making a sling for a mother to wear a preemie you will need a small sling, about 25″ wide. Once you have it cut down hem along one of th short end edges and along both of the long edges. You will have one, unfinished end. This unhemmed edge is where your rings will go.

There are many varriations on how to put in your rings. Some people fan the fabric to create a pleated look while others simple fold it over and sew. The choice is yours. You want the rings to be sewn in securely as this is what will be holding the weight of the baby. Here is a great set of detailed instructions on how to make a ring sling. You can also find other patterns for carriers here and here.