This year was going to be a small Christmas so in addition to buying a couple little things for friends and family, we opted to hand make some presents.
We made a couple gifts for J's parents. The first was an ADORABLE little pig ornament! His mom collects any and everything pig so this was perfect for her AND it was one of a kind!
Glass ornament
Pipe cleaners
Spray Adhesive
Glitter
Hot Glue
Google-y Eyes
Ribbon
1. Spray a glass ornament with spray adhesive and layer with glitter. leave to dry.
2. glue on google-y eyes
3. wind pipe cleaner into a tight circle and glue onto the face beneath the eyes using a hot glue gun.
4. cut and bend pipe cleaners to desired lengths for legs and ears.
5. wind pipe cleaner around a pencil or paint brush handle to make the tail and glue on with hot glue.
6. hang with fun/festive ribbon
The second gift we made was a beer 'glass' for his dad. We used a vase from Michael's and followed
these same basic instructions to etch the glass to read "Dad's Big Ass Beer Glass". He loved it =)
My mom loves earrings. For years she had cute little bow earrings for Christmas. In one of their moves, the earrings were finally crushed and had to be thrown out. Since then, all of us have been looking for another pair just like them because she loves them so much. It seemed the didn't exist so I had a brilliant idea and decided to make them =) They are super simple and inexpensive!
::Supplies::
Small gift bows (I found them at CVS)
Earring posts (found in Jewelry section of your local craft store)
Earring backs (found in Jewelry section of your local craft store)
Hot glue
Hot glue gun
::To Make::
Remove sticker/paper from the back of the bow
Hot glue earring post to the back of the bow
Let dry
Add earring backs
VIOLA!!
See I told you they were easy =) I made 3 sets for her! AND she loves them!
The last gift I made was for my sister. I made a bracelet a couple weeks ago and she loved it. This one is a little more intense than the previous projects I posted.
::Supplies::
Pearl Beads (2 different colors if you would like)
Small Colored Beads
Small Silver Round Beads
Headpins
Chain
Jump Rings
Cutters
Lobster Claw (or some other type of clasp)
::To Make::
Make chain desired length for a bracelet and remove from main chain strand.
You can make all the charm pieces for the bracelet as you go or you can make them all and then add them to the bracelet -- I make as I go.
1. Using a headpin, add a silver bead, colored bead, pearl, colored bead.
2. Cut the head pin down, leaving it long enough to curve into a loop to add onto the chain.
3. Using the needle nose pliers, turn the top of the headpin down into a loop shape. Leave the loop open and add to the first link of the chain. Close the loop using your needle nose pliers.
4. For the next charm, use a headpin and add a colored bead and then a silver bead.
5. Again, Cut the head pin down, leaving it long enough to curve into a loop to add onto the chain.
6. Again, Using the needle nose pliers, turn the top of the headpin down into a loop shape. Leave the loop open, count 2 links of chain and add the charm to the third link of the chain. Close the loop using your needle nose pliers.
7. For the next charm, use a headpin and add a different colored (or same if you wish) pearl bead.
8. Again, Cut the head pin down, leaving it long enough to curve into a loop to add onto the chain.
9. Again, Using the needle nose pliers, turn the top of the headpin down into a loop shape. Leave the loop open, count 2 links of chain and add the charm to the third link of the chain. Close the loop using your needle nose pliers.
10. For the next charm, use a headpin and add a colored bead and then a silver bead.
11. Again, Cut the head pin down, leaving it long enough to curve into a loop to add onto the chain.
12. Again, Using the needle nose pliers, turn the top of the headpin down into a loop shape. Leave the loop open, count 2 links of chain and add the charm to the third link of the chain. Close the loop using your needle nose pliers.
This will be the pattern for the rest of the bracelet.
13. Repeat steps 1 - 12 until you reach the end of the chain.
14. Once you have finished the patterned portion of the bracelet, add jump rings to one of the ends to use as the open end of the bracelet.
15. On the other end of the bracelet, connect your lobster claw with a jump ring.
This is definitely a time consuming pattern but it is so worth the outcome!
It was so fun making personalized gifts for family and everyone really appreciated the effort and thoughtfulness that went into the gifts.
