A T-Shirt Flower Pillow

These days everyone is looking for ways to be more eco-friendly– even when it comes to giving gifts. This simple project is definitely green, but it’s also easy. We’ll show you how to turn an old t-shirt or leftover fabric scraps into a cute flower with just a few simple steps. All you need is an old t-shirt, a pair of scissors, a needle and thread, and a few minutes.

Use the flower to create a barrette, pin or attach it to a drab pillow for a unique creation. Whatever you choose to design, you’ll end up with a great, affordable handmade gift that any of your loved ones will appreciate– especially since they won’t be able to find another one like it in any store.

Step One

Step One: Cut out simple flower shapes of various sizes in an old t-shirt. Depending on whether you plan to use your flower to jazz up a pillow or to create a hair clip, your flower sizes will need to be adjusted. Create four different sizes. You will only need one flower in the largest size. Cut our four of each of the other three sizes. In all, you should have 13 flowers cut out.

Step Two: Lay the biggest flower on a flat surface. Take the next smallest size of flower and fold each one in half. Then fold them in half again. Position the four flowers so that the points meet in the

Steps two, three and four

center of the largest flower. Using a coordinating thread, simply hand stitch each section at the point, attaching these four pieces of fabric to the largest flower.

Step Three: Repeat step two with four more folded flowers in the next smallest size.

Step Four: Once again, repeat the stitching process one last time with the smallest flowers.

Step Five: How you finish your flower is up to you. You can stitch on a pin or barrette to the back, or you can attach it to a pillow like this one. Whatever you decide to create, it will be a low-cost, green gift that someone is sure to love.

Photos courtesy of Michelle Suarez

Help Little Ones Give Dad Special Gifts. photo courtesy of davef3138

Father’s Day is approaching so it’s time to start thinking about gifts for dad. Watches, golf clubs and silk ties don’t fit into a little kid’s budget. If you have little kids in your home they are likely eager to get involved in showing their love for dad. But they probably need a little help. Here are some inexpensive gift ideas that will help little kids get involved in giving Father’s Day gifts.

A Decorated Cake

Dads deserve dessert. Bake a cake or cookies and let your little ones decorate. Give them frosting, sprinkles and candies to personalize a special treat for dad.

Breakfast in Bed

Children may not be able to prepare an entire breakfast, but they can help with certain parts of it. Let them flip some pancakes or squeeze a few oranges so dad can enjoy breakfast in bed this Father’s Day.

Chores

Little ones will love the idea of helping dad on Father’s Day. Let them take out the trash, mow the lawn or sweep the garage as their gift to dad.

A Personalized T-shirt

Tie-dyes are back in style. For slightly older children, this can be a fun outdoor activity. Get a plain white t-shirt in dad’s size and a few colors of dye. Kids will love making dad a special (and cool!) new t-shirt.

Stepping Stone

Pick up a Stepping Stone Kit like this for $14.99. It comes with everything you need to guide your children through the process of making a garden stepping stone– a gift dad will treasure.

Artwork or Collage

Children’s artwork is always a great gift. Pick up some supplies so your little ones can make custom paintings or sculptures for their dad. Another option is letting them make a photo collage. Pull out pictures of your kids with their father to create a special college for Father’s Day.

A Performance

For little kids, coming up with a performance can be a great gift for dad. Children love being in the spotlight and dad will enjoy the play, song or dance that was created just for him on Father’s Day.

Your Backyard Bounty Makes Great Gifts (Photo Courtesy of Technotheory)

Spring is here which means it’s time to get outside and enjoy the warmer weather. A great way to spend more time outdoors is by starting a backyard garden. Not only can a garden offer great, organic and fresh food for you and your family, but it can also be a great source of gifts for family and friends this summer. If you’re starting a garden this spring, think about planting vegetables, flowers and herbs that can be used to give great gifts your loved ones will appreciate.

Homemade Salsa

Nothing at the grocery store quite compares with fresh, homemade salsa. Grow the tomatoes fresh in your garden along with the other ingredients you need to give your friends and family members homemade salsa. Check out salsagarden.com for tips on growing your ingredients and canning your salsa.

Fresh or Dried Herbs

Cooking with fresh herbs is the best way to go. Share your backyard bounty with your friends and family members by giving them some herbs. You can either cut fresh herbs and tie stems together with twine, or you can hang your herbs upside down inside and let them dry out. Once they are dry bag them up and give them away.

Flower Bulbs

Flower bulbs make great gifts. If your backyard is full of them pull some out of the ground and package them creatively using a flower pot or other plant container. Include a short list of instructions explaining how to plant and grow the bulbs.

Fresh Cut Flowers

Just about everyone loves getting flowers. If you grow flowers in your backyard this gift will be quick and affordable. Create a bouquet from the blooms in your own backyard. Arrange them in a low cost vase and your gift is ready to go.

Ingredient and Recipe

If you’re great at growing peppers, eggplant, avocado or another vegetable, bag up several of them to give as a gift. Include a recipe where that ingredient is the star. Your loved one will appreciate the thought and care that went into your gift.

Give Homemade Spa Treatments (Photo courtesy of Fing'rs)

Lots of your friends and family members probably love the idea of indulging at a spa– but few have the time or money. Now you can give them the gift of relaxation with these DIY spa gifts. With a few simple ingredients packaged creatively in jars or plastic containers from a craft store, you’ll have a great gift ready to go.

Coffee Body Scrub

Don’t toss out those coffee grounds– put them to good use. Combine two cups of coffee grounds with a half cup of raw sugar or sea salt and a few tablespoons of massage oil for a lovely coffee body scrub that will wash away the dry skin winter leaves behind.

Bath Cookies

Check out SpaIndex.com’s most requested recipe– bath cookies! You’ll bake up something great for your friends and family members to use in their next bath. The recipe is pretty easy and includes many ingredients you probably already have in your fridge or pantry including sea salt, baking soda, cornstarch, oil, and eggs. Combine the ingredients, bake for ten minutes and you’ll have a gift that looks like you picked it up in a fancy spa!

Sugar Coconut Hand Renewal

Winter does a number on our hands often leaving them dry and cracked. Whip up this recipe from Health Magazine and give it away to those who may need a little pampering. The recipe is made up of ingredients like coconut oil, sugar, and lemon juice. Make sure your gift also includes a pair of cotton gloves like these from PrettyLikeMe.com so they can let your mixture work overnight.

At-Home French Manicure

Put together your own French manicure kit that includes cuticle cream, white and pink nail polish and a fancy nail file. Give it to someone who may not have the time or money for regular manicures, but deserves to look their best.

Package Your Food Gifts Creatively (Photo courtesy of Adie Reed)

Edible gifts are great– you don’t have to worry about whether they’ll fit or if you’re selecting the right color. I mean, who doesn’t like good food? Plus, edible gifts can be very affordable and thoughtful. But as with just about any gift, the package can make a big difference. Here are some ideas for creatively packaging edible gifts.

Jars

Mason jars may be great for jams or jellies, but what about for cupcakes? Julie at Joy’s Hope stacked two cupcakes in eight ounce mason jars, layering them with frosting. She topped it with a cupcake print fabric and ended up with a sweet gift. You could also fill your jars with layers of dry ingredients for muffins, cookies or bread. Or as the photo shows, bake pies in them.

Takeout Boxes

Continue the food theme into the packaging by using a takeout box. You can pick up a set of 12 for just $8.40 from FavorStudio.com. Choose between hot pink, turquoise, lime and almond. Or if you need something more heavy duty, check out the SafePak take-out boxes from The Container Store.

Mixing Bowls

Take something practical from the kitchen and turn it into a way to package your edible gift. Use a mixing bowl, decorative tray or even a coffee cup and make it part of your present.

DIY Cake Plate

Make the display part of the gift with a DIY cake plate. Back in December we gave you the simple step-by-step instructions for taking thrift store finds and making cute cake plates. Top them with cookies, chocolates or mini cakes and your edible gift is ready.

Creative Tags

Sometimes simple is better. You could easily package your yummy gift in a plain brown box or bag from a craft store, wrap it with baker’s twine and attach a cute gift tag like this one. Just load some card stock in your printer, make a copy and cut it out.

Recycle

You may be throwing packaging options into your recycle bin without even thinking about it. Mini loaves of bread can be cutely squeezed inside cleaned out tin cans. Or a coffee can may be a great way to store and transport your handmade treats. Just make sure you thoroughly wash out anything you decide to use.

Need a low-cost gift that’s big on personality? Whether you need something thoughtful to give your sweetheart for Valentine’s Day, an anniversary, birthday or any special occasion, custom art made by your two hands is a great gift. You don’t need to have any special artistic skills to complete this DIY art either. The only thing you’ll need are a few bucks worth of supplies.

Lay Out Your Letters on the Canvas

Step 1: Get Your Supplies

Your canvas for this project is going to be a cheap piece of underlayment from a hardware store. This will cost you about $6. Make sure you have it cut to the size you want at the hardware store to avoid extra work at home. You’ll also need some paint colors of your choice (any kind works) and a paint brush. Small bottles of paint from the craft store will work, or you could even use leftover wall paint stashed in your garage.

Step 2: Select a Quote

Pick a quote that will easily fit on your board. For our artwork we used Proverbs 25:11, A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver. But you can choose a quote, song lyrics or poem that is meaningful to you and your special someone.

Step 3: Print Your Letters and Cut them Out

Choose a font and size and then print your letters. It’s best to choose a basic font that will be easy to cut out. We used Impact. Cutting out your letters may take a little while, but it’s a project you can complete while sitting on the couch.

Step 4: Prep Your Canvas

Choose Your Colors and Paint

This step is optional. You may want your letters to show the natural wood color, or you may want to paint the canvas. Either way your artwork will be lovely. We painted ours white.

Step 5: Tape On Your Letters

There are many ways to adhere your letters to the board, including just using regular tape. Stick them down well so that paint is less likely to seep underneath.

Step 6: Start Painting

This is where your creativity can really show. Select your colors and start painting. There are no real rules– just have fun! And if it doesn’t turn out the way you imagined, simply start over with more paint!

Step 7: Allow Paint to Dry

The Finished Product: DIY Custom Artwork

Make sure the paint dries completely before peeling away your letters. This will help the edges of your letters stay more crisp.

Step 8: Remove Letters and Hang

Start tearing away your letters. Don’t be alarmed if your paint leaked under them. This just adds to the artistic affect. Framing your custom artwork is definitely optional. The board works fine on its own, or you can add a frame to give it more of a finished, gallery look. Either way you’ve got a one-of-a-kind gift that your sweetheart will love.

Photos courtesy of Alison Storm

Show Your Front Door Some Love for Valentine's Day. photo courtesy of Alison Storm

Need to add a little Valentine’s Day love to your home? This project is easy (we’re talking done-in-less-than-five-minutes-easy) and affordable! The finished product is festive, flirty and fun! It’s perfect for adding spice to your home, or for giving away to someone you love. Here are the simple instructions from making  a feather boa wreath just in time for February 14th.

Gather Supplies

For this project you will need just a few key supplies. Pick up a foam wreath form at a craft store. You can pick them up for just a few dollars at CreateforLess.com. They even have heart-shaped foam forms which would be perfect for this project. You will also need about four feather boas. For our feather boa wreath we used two Pink Multi Luxe Boas from The House of Bachelorette and two Modern Marabou Boas in Hot Passion Pink. Finally, you will need some straight pushpins. You likely already have these somewhere around your house!

Start Wrapping

Securing one end of one of the thicker, Luxe boas to the back of your foam form with a pin, beginning wrapping the boa around the form. Leave a small gap in between the rows. You will fill this in later with the thinner Marabou boa. Space your layers so that you are able to make it half-way around your form with one Luxe boa. When you reach the end, secure it with a pin on what will be the back of you wreath. Continue this process with the second Luxe boa on the other half of your wreath.

Fill in the Gaps

Now that your entire foam form is covered with two Luxe boas, it’s time to fill in the gaps with the coordinating Marabou boa. Since the feathers are slightly different, this will add some visual interest to your feather boa wreath. Secure the Marabou boa in the same way, using a pushpin. Each Marabou boa should cover half of the wreath.

Hang and Enjoy

That’s all there is to this simple, but lovely project that will add some spice to your home for Valentine’s Day. The great thing about this project is that you can reuse all of the materials in other ways. Once February 14th passes, unpin your boas and use them for a bachelorette party or a girls’ night out. You can re-purpose your foam form and create a wreath for another upcoming holiday. Or, snatch up some black boas and create a fun wreath for Halloween.

Wondering how you can save money this Christmas? How about trying your hand at some homemade gifts? We showed you how to make your own cake plate using vintage thrift store finds and how to make a scarf in less than a minute. Now we’re filling you in on another simple DIY project that will make a great gift for busy moms, teachers, kids and more. This chalkboard clipboard is super easy to make and extremely useful for writing to-dos, reminders and grocery lists. Plus it’s so cute you may just want to make one for yourself to keep track of your Christmas gift list.

Step One: Buy Supplies

The clipboard is your canvas for this project. You may be lucky enough to find a clipboard at a thrift store for $.50 like we were, but if you’re not pick one up at a craft store like Michael’s. They often come in a variety of sizes as well. While you’re there, buy a small container of chalkboard paint. We found ours at AC Moore for less than $5. This jar of chalkboard paint will leave you with plenty of leftovers to tackle other craft projects in the future. You’ll also need some painter’s tape and a paint brush or a small roller.

Step Two: Start Painting

For a crisp, clean line, tape off the top section of your clipboard using the painter’s tape. Next, apply a smooth, thin layer of chalkboard paint to the front of the clipboard. Let it dry for at least an hour and then apply a second coat to ensure complete coverage. Using a roller will give you a flawless surface without brush strokes.

Step Three: Write a Note

Once the chalkboard paint has dried completely, which can take up to 24 hours, remove the painter’s tape and write a thoughtful chalk message for the new owner of this lovely handmade gift. Include a piece of chalk with the gift so they can start using it right away because with a present this cute you know they’ll want to.

Images courtesy of Alison Storm

Feel like getting crafty for Christmas, but lacking in the Martha Stewart department? You can make handmade gifts for the holidays, saving lots of money and ensuring that everything you give is from the heart. This DIY project doesn’t require much time, money or skills. If those sound like three things you don’t have a lot of then keep reading for instructions on how to make the sixty second scarf. Similar scarves sell for nearly $30 at popular stores. We found this striped version at J. Crew for $29.50. But yours will cost less than $2 and sixty seconds to make.

Step One: Hit the Fabric Store

Head to your favorite local fabric store and make a beeline to the knit section. Look for something super soft, like pima cotton or jersey. We found lots of great colors like pink, orange and lime green at the local Hobby Lobby fabric department selling for $5.99 a yard, but with a coupon we snagged it for 40% off. Have the fabric store employee cut you 3/8 of a yard. Typically this fabric is sold in 60-inch width which is perfect for a scarf.

Step Two: Head Home with Your Fabric

Since the fabric store employee took care of starting off your scarf for you, now all you have to do is complete it. Finish off the edges by pulling them. Giving the fabric a little bit of a tug will cause it to roll as it stretches. This will make the edges look more finished off without having to pull out your sewing machine.

Step Three: Wrap Up Your Gift

Now that your scarf is made, wrap it up to get the gift ready to give. Your loved one will appreciate this new accessory that they’ll be able to throw on to compliment a variety of outfits since scarves are a hot must-have this winter season. Because the gift is so simple to make and affordable, consider wrapping up a collection of sixty second scarves. They’ll never know each scarf took just sixty seconds to make and cost less than $2!

Images courtesy of Alison Storm

Everyone is looking for ways to cut costs these days– especially now that the holidays are approaching. One way to save money on your gift-giving budget is by making some gifts yourself. Here is an easy DIY Christmas gift that would be perfect for a neighbor, mother-in-law, or friend. Using some thrift store finds you can create a one-of-a-kind Christmas gift that your friends will love.

Supplies:

Plate

Small vase or candlestick

Silicone Adhesive
Step One: Head to the Thrift Store

Head to your local thrift store for a unique plate and base that will make up your cake plate. The plate can be just about any size, shape or color. Think about the person you are giving it to and what colors and style they might like best. Look through the selection of small glasses, candlesticks and vases for a base that will work with the plate you’ve selected. At most thrift stores these pieces will cost you less than a dollar each.

Step Two: Buy Adhesive

Head to your local hardware store and pick up some silicone adhesive. This is typically used in bathrooms or kitchens to make a waterproof seal between tiles or pipes. Clear is probably the best color choice so it won’t be noticed. Choose a brand that dries in a few hours. This will probably cost about $3 or $4 and will be more than enough to finish your project.

Step Three: Wash Your Pieces

Wash your cake plate and stand. Make sure they are clean and dust-free. This will insure that the adhesive works like it should.

Step Four: Measure and Apply

Measure the center of the bottom of your plate. It’s important that your base is secured in the center so that your cake plate won’t tip over. Apply the adhesive to the side of your base that you are securing to the underside of the plate. Push the two together to remove any air pockets. Apply more adhesive around the outside edge of the base for added strength.

Step Five: Allow to Dry

Give your cake plate a few hours to dry, according to the directions of the silicone adhesive you purchased.

Step Six: Wrap and Give

Wrap up your unique cake plate and present it to the lucky person in your life. They’ll love this new addition to their kitchen and you’ll love that this one-of-a-kind Christmas gift cost less than $5 to make.

Images courtesy of Alison Storm