Just wanted to say this thread is fantasitc and the Ideas truely inspirational. My daughter likes to give her own gifts at Crimbo and sharing her mothers crafty genes she is going to have a whale of a time making up some of these to give.
Thanks to everyone who has contributed - I wish my brain was as imaginative as my fingers are crafty.
Okay I'm excited with the thread and reading how excited everyone else is and then keep waiting for something new when I thought - hold on indicate what you've done in the past! So two ideas that have gone down really well
Memory Jars - I know everyone says yeah yeah, but through the year I literally keep all my coffee jars, you know the ones with the glass top and plastic stopper! Clean them and keep them. Memory jar slips of paper ask all kinds of questions for people to read and then write about. I then buy a cheap A5 note book and decorate the cover of it and then the outside of the jar with matching paper. You can remove the plastic stopper and put things inside the top of the jar, I cut a circle of matching paper for the top of the jar and the bottom of the jar and hang ribbon around the neck of the jar. I put a poem on the inside page and there you go a bit of recycling, together with a relatively cheap book and you've got a great gift to cherish that you can doctor to suit the recipient! I've also done this for children but swapped the glass jar to a metal sweetie tin - again great response on this one!
Snowman Soup - again I've used the jars again (we must drink too much coffee I've got a cupboard full again but can't keep giving these gifts!). Buy some small clear freezer bags, put hot chocolate in one, mini marshmallows in another, three chocolate drops in another and a candy cane. I tie the bags with remnants of ribbon and then cut off the excess piece at the top so they look pretty, put all the items in the jar bar the candy cane which I attach to the outside of the jar with a piece of wire, decorate the jar and attach a ribbon. Again really well received!
So question this year is what to do with the jars? Any ideas, they aren't huge just small?
Could you do themed kits?
I'm guessing how big the jars are, 'cos we don't drink coffee, but I love doing "hampers" based on the recipient's hobbies and interests. Yo
I've done:-
- a large pasta bowl filled with pasta, oils, herbs and serving spoons for a cook;
- baby's bathtime, a plastic storage crate with towel, baby toiletries and bath toys;
- seed tray filled with seeds, trowel, gardeing gloves etc for a new home owner;
It might be fun/challenging to come up with "mini" kits which fit in the jars.
Virginia - I have done the memory jar for my mum, she loved it.
I was wondering if you have any children to buy for, then perhaps you could use the jars to make up a crafting kit. Pop in some embellies, ribbon, die cuts etc. I know my DS who is 7 would love something like this. Our local supermarket does novelty stationary, rubbers, pencil sharpners, small pens, this would be great in a decorated jar.
So question this year is what to do with the jars? Any ideas, they aren't huge just small?
Hope the above ideas help!
Virginia
here's a cute idea on a brilliant little crafty site (reminds me of an American version of It's A Creative World ) http://makeitandloveit.blogspot.com
Ok original link I put on going straight to the entry wouldn't work so just scroll down to Wednesday 30th September entry
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Originally Posted by Ali M
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