tis the season...

to give!  this post was inspired by my twitter feed this past week.  i've noticed that people are already getting their gift ideas in order and are open to fun ideas.  so i decided that i am going to gift my wonderful readers with some items from my ongoing list of present ideas.  feel free to use my graphic for your blog and post some of your favorite gift ideas too!

i think giving presents is one of the most fun things ever (no matter the season of course), so in honor of the upcoming gift giving season, here is a list of 10 things you can make or give your loved ones this Christmas that i think are a little more special than your average gift card or list item:

1.  i love this plate by aedriel originals on etsy.  plus, if you wanted to make it more personal, you could go to your local ceramic painting shop and paint one for your loved one--maybe with just their initial, name, or significant date. then just buy a plate stand and there you go!

personalized ceramic plate

2. silhouettes..."so hot right now" (name that quote).  there are many ways to do this and i think it's super special for moms (to do of their children) or if you wanted to do two for a couple and frame them with colors from their house.

DIY how to
(no photoshop or design program needed!)

3. this is definitely not an original idea, but photobooks are always a huge hit and can be made after weddings, vacations, or even just everyday pictures for your or someone you love to remember.  moms get especially emotional when a gift like this rolls around. 

mypublisher.com

(right now, there's a buy one, get one free coupon)

4. how cute is this idea?  i love this because you can make it so personal and it doesn't have to be done in a design program either.  i think it'd be just as pretty handdrawn.  but if you like this then there are many options in this shop for different sized families.

gene ploss

5. everyone needs a journal or a notebook, but a way to make giving a journal more special is to write jokes, verses, or words of encouragement at the top of each page.  that way they'll have their very own "pick me up" and a place to journal or take notes.

field and sea

6. do you have a sister who loves getting flowers?  a mom?  a wife?  well, a blog that i read (young house love) had the great idea last year of the gift of giving flowers every month. print out a coupon or do what jon did and print out 12 flowers and put it in a vase to signify what's to come each month--either way, for someone who loves having fresh flowers in their house will love this gift.  plus, if you deliver them each month, that means the gift of quality time each month as well.  and before you think it's an expensive gift, read this post on how even a $3 bouquet can make someone's day.

young house love

7. this one kinda goes along with the ceramic plate idea since it's all about personalization.  i made this during the summer when i was planning on making a bunch for a bachelorette party, but it kinda fell through since we went with a low key theme instead. BUT it was super easy and i think would make a great present that you can personalize in so many ways.  we've all seen them at the mall or little boutiques, but it really is so easy (and cheap!) to make these for a few special women in your life.  all you need is a wine glass (dollar store) and a paint pen from hobby lobby (don't forget to print out a 40% off coupon).  then you get to start painting and bedazzling!  to make it even more personal, you can stuff the glass with a bunch of ideas (or "coupons") for girl night dates on pieces of paper for when you can both get together, so the glass can get plenty of use!  also my handwriting isn't that great.  i printed out my name in a fun girly font (digs my hart) then taped it on the inside of the glass and just traced it. (excuse the terrible pic.)  

8. i saw this earlier this year and flagged it because of it's cuteness and brillance. in the past, ive seen this done with twine, string, or wire stretched across the frame from the back in a bunch of rows. but this is so much cleaner and seems more sturdy.  if you don't want to make a jewelry frame, then you can do the same with the stringed idea and use clothespins to attach pictures, verses, quotes, etc.  so as you can tell, fun and creative ideas for empty frames are endless!  just go to hobby lobby and in the back of the framing department are frames that have been marked down up to 90%.  i recently got a $100 frame for a total of $10!  they are marked as "damaged,"  but it's nothing a bit of sanding and spray paint won't cure. :) click the link below for an explanation of how they made this jewelery frame (also, this blog is full of even more great DIY ideas!)

 design gal and her handyman

9. speaking of frames, this gift is super meaningful for sentimental recipients.  my friend blair told me about this last year (she did it for her mom and mom-in-law--they loved it!), and i knew i had to do this for mine too.  i used a bunch of fonts that i thought resembled each adjective in their favorite colors.  next i got a frame and stand from walmart.  i think total i spent $6 on each one.  the best part about this gift was watching them read each word that we thought described them (i came up with my mom's and i emailed joel and his bro for adjectives for their mom)--they just lit up with every word.  so great.  i couldn't find the pics i took of them in their frames and stands, so this will have to do.

10. and finally....pie in a jar!  these are so cute i can barely stand it.  being married to someone to LOVES pies, i can appreciate this gift even more.  i know a lot of you like to give small gifts to your families or coworkers. and the great thing is that you can make different pies for everyone!  head on over to our best bites for a tutorial and the supplies you'll need.  they even have free downloads for tags if you follow the links.

our best bites

whew! any other ideas that would be great to add to the list??