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Frugal Crafts

Frugal Homemade Mother’s Day Gifts

Mother’s Day is right around the corner but for many people money might be tight again this year. You can use some of these frugal homemade Mother’s Day gift ideas. You know Mom will appreciate both the time and love that is wrapped up in her gift.

There aren’t many moms who don’t enjoy pictures of their children. Why not find a clear box and put photos inside to make a photo cube? Mom will love the pictures and having them inside a clear box will protect them. When she wants a different picture, she can flip the cube to see a different smiling face.

Depending on how old the children in your family are, consider making a Mother’s Day coupon book. This could be especially helpful if there are teens in the family. They could include coupons for taking younger siblings to play dates or practices. They could also provide babysitting services so Mom and Dad can go out. Younger children can include coupons for doing dishes, cleaning up their room, or taking out the trash. The options are endless.

Beaded safety pins can make fun jewelry for Mom to wear on Mother’s Day and other days during the year. These pins are made using special safety pins and beads in various colors. You can find patterns for beaded safety pin jewelry online or in craft magazines or books. 

Bath salts are something many moms enjoy because they make the skin feel smooth and soft. Buy a box of Epsom salt, add nonstaining food coloring and essential oils to create bath salts with your mom’s favorite scents. You can also add a drop or two of your mom’s favorite cologne or perfume. Of course, you’ll also want to make sure Mom has the time she needs to take a relaxing bath and enjoy using the bath salts you make.

Think about what Mom enjoys. If she loves plants or flowers, buy a terracotta pot and paint it. You can place a plant in the pot or use it as a container for candy which has been wrapped in color cellophane and green chenille stems.

There are many websites where you can find free or very inexpensive music. Create a compact disk of Mom’s favorite music. Think about what music was popular when she was younger and she’ll love having them available in one place.

Using craft sticks or twigs from your yard, you can make a vase or pencil holder for her desk. Start out with a clean, empty can and glue the craft sticks or twigs onto it. Tie a raffia or fabric ribbon on the can to both keep the sticks on the can and add a decorative touch.

Create a homemade message board. Find an old picture with a frame. Take the picture out, cover it with fabric and stretch ribbon from one side to the other to create diamonds. Staple the ribbon around the edges and place it back into the frame. When it is hung up, Mom can place notes or pictures on it so she can keep track of things that are important.

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Frugal Holidays: Homemade Gift Giving Guide

With the prices of everything on the rise, you’ve probably found it more and more difficult to buy gifts for all your loved ones, not to mention your friends, neighbors, business associates, the kids’ friends and teachers, and the occasional mail carrier!

Have you considered making your own gifts? Lovely presents can be made at home for a fraction of the cost! Besides being less costly, many homemade gifts are cherished by their recipients far more than something you bought at the store. After all, a little love goes into every homemade gift!

Try these ideas to help you get started with making homemade gifts:

Romantic Gifts

✴ Mix your own CDs with your loved one’s favorite songs and those that mean a lot to your relationship, like what was playing on your first date.
✴ Compose your own love song or poem.
✴ Bring back fond memories of your time together by creating a special scrapbook.

Gift Baskets

Buy baskets at the dollar store or on sale elsewhere and customize them for the recipient, filling them with little treasures they’re sure to enjoy. Alternatively, use other packaging like small metal buckets or decorative boxes.

✴ Snack baskets. Fill them with packets of hot cocoa, flavored teas, coffees, cookies, fudge, or candy. Making a few batches of cookies at home is much cheaper than buying them from the store.
✴ Classy baskets. Include some fine wine and cheese or chocolates and fruit.
✴ Fruit baskets. Fill with fresh or dried fruit and nuts.
✴ Hobby baskets. Choose an assortment of items relating to their hobby. For example, a bucket of golf balls and tees would be welcomed by any golf enthusiast.
✴ Movie baskets. Include microwave popcorn, candy, and a movie. Gifts for Friends, Neighbors, & Business Associates

❖ Home-baked cookies, pies, cakes, fudge, or candy
❖ Mason jars layered with the dry ingredients to bake their own treats. Decorate with cloth, ribbon, and a card with the recipe.
❖ Craft unique jewelry. Jewelry isn’t only easy, but incredibly fun. The more you do it, the faster you get! This is one area where you can really get creative! Use unique shells and beads to make earrings, bracelets, necklaces, decorative hair accessories, and more. Buy supplies at craft stores or online. This is truly a one of a kind gift to every friend!

Gifts for Children

Sock monkey. These old-fashioned sock monkeys are popular once again! They require you to sew, but are extremely adorable and make excellent gifts for children.

These items are all you need for this fun and frugal gift:

❖ 1 pair of men’s extra large socks
❖ Cotton or stuffing
❖ White thread
❖ Red yarn
❖ Black embroidery thread
❖ Two buttons for the eyes

Holiday Ornaments

This activity is very fun and simple – so simple you can get the kids in on it too! Make some fun Holiday memories with your family while making inexpensive gifts and decorations.

Here’s what you’ll need:

❖ Clear glass ball ornaments
❖ Acrylic paint
❖ Ribbon
❖ Egg carton

Take a glass ornament and poor a few colors of paint inside. Swish it around so the paint covers the inside of the ball. Poor the paint out into the trash and cap the ornament, placing it in the egg carton to dry. Voila! Each ornament is a unique creation and will be cherished for years to come.

Use these ideas as fuel to spark new creations of your own. You may find glorious new traditions in your frugality that you enjoy for the rest of your life.

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Turkeys are a well-known symbol of Thanksgiving. They’re a favorite subject of crafters who want to make Thanksgiving centerpieces and other decorations. And for kids, turkey projects provide a great opportunity to discuss the tradition of Thanksgiving.

This paper plate turkey is a craft that kids of all ages can do. Here’s how to make it.

What You Need

* Paper plate
* Brown crayon, colored pencil, marker or paint
* Construction paper in brown, red, orange and yellow
* White craft glue or glue stick
* Scissors
* Pencil
* Googly eyes

Instructions

1. Use the brown crayon, colored pencil, marker or paint to color bottom side of the plate brown. If using paint, let dry.

2. Draw an elongated oval or peanut shape on a piece of brown construction paper to make the turkey’s head and neck. Cut out and glue onto the center of the plate, with the top hanging over the edge.

3. Cut a triangle out of the yellow or orange construction paper for the beak, and a teardrop shape out of the red construction paper for the waddle. Cut legs and feet out of orange or yellow construction paper. Glue into place.

4. Glue on the googly eyes. Let dry.

5. Draw a feather shape on a piece of red, yellow or orange construction paper. Cut it out, and trace it onto construction paper in each of those three colors several times. Cut out all of the feathers you traced.

6. Turn the plate over and glue the feathers around the top and sides of the plate, placing the bottoms of them about an inch from the edge. Let dry.

Tips

* If you prefer, you could use craft feathers instead of cutting them out of construction paper. If you do, keep in mind that they will stick better with craft glue than they will with a glue stick.

* If you don’t have any googly eyes, cut some eyes out of white construction paper or card stock and draw black dots in the centers.

* No paper plates handy? Just cut a large circle out of brown construction paper for the body.

* You can convert this craft to make a peacock for a non-seasonal project. Just make the head and body blue instead of brown, omit the waddle, and use brightly colored feathers. For the spots on the feathers, kids can dip their thumbs in finger paint and stick them in random places.

* Stick a magnet on the back of your completed turkey and hang it on the refrigerator, tack it to the front door, or use string to hang it from the ceiling.

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