Handmade gifts

What are great handmade gifts for different occasions and people? Here are some ideas or suggestions of what would be ideal for different types of people.

• Babies and Children

There are a lot of items you can give to those who are expecting babies. Personalized clothes, blankets, quilts and crib sheets can be given. You can also try sewing a simply-designed wall hangings which would be totally great for the nursery.  Another thing that can be added in the nursery would be framed embroidery or a cross-stitched pattern.

Handmade toys and other products for babies and children have an edge compared to products that you can just take out during a shopping spree.  Handmade children items are unique and less likely to have a similar toy or product. Since children, especially toddlers, tend to be al little rough with their toys, handmade toys are less likely to break.  Handmade toys and crafts are designed to last for a long time.

Children would also get a sense of appreciation for handcrafted art.  They can even by inspired by the gifts to pursue their own creativity and artistry.

• Teens

Teens are a little more difficult to buy gifts; they would expect something that would match their lifestyle.  This can be a little difficult if you are a parent buying something for your rebellious teen-ager.

Some great handmade gift ideas or handmade accessories would be cell phone jewelry, key chains,  designed hairbrushes or laptop cases.  Teenager gifts can sometimes be confusing and difficult to think of, but there are variety of choices online and in local stores.

• Parents and Grandparents

There are studies that show that elderly people prefer to have familiar surroundings and regular routines.  This can be the reason why there are elderly people who are glowing and have higher spirits whenever they see pictures of their family. This trait can be addressed by having quilts made with you family picture. This provides security for the elderly especially during moment when they are away from the family.

You can give your father usual items that you have personalized.  For example, you can have a blank apron and paint on it.  You can even create simple handmade cards and incorporate touching messages for you parents and grandparents.

• Men

Most of the times, we cannot decide on what to give a guy during special occasions.  But actually, men are appreciative of handmade gifts.  In a recent survey by Discover ® Card Father’s Day Shopping, it showed that men are more looking forward to receiving handmade gifts rather than electronics, CDs, tools and other items.

• Women

Most common handmade gift that can be given to girls and women are jewelries.  You can try creating your own beaded bracelets or necklaces.  Actually, it is easy to make.  There are bead-making guides, which can make beading easy and fast.  Clothes, plants or flowers, wood and glass trinkets are also great items.

Handmade gifts are regarded with high quality.  Surely, the receiver and the giver also, experienced a sense of light and calmness.

Most of the handmade gifts that are available these days come from personalized stores. This trend has emerged due to the fact that many people rarely have the time to do these themselves. These personalized, handmade items could be found in various stores and shops available in the Metro.

If you would want to give a handmade birthday gift to your loved one but don’t have the luxury of time to do it, you need not worry because there are so many shops out there who can do this for you. All you need to do is look for something that will fit the personality of your loved one whom you will bestow the gift and ask the shop to customize it for you.

How to find the suitable handmade and personalized birthday gifts?

Most shops that offer handmade gifts that have a wide variety of stuff fit for all ages. If you are going to buy personalized and handmade items as a birthday gift for your loved one, consider the following

1. For grandparents

These are the people who can be very sentimental and appreciative, since they have been through a lot in their lives. For grandfathers, you can give a handmade coffee mug with his name scribbled in it, customized pen holder with his name or favorite phrase engraved on it, or a blanket with his photo on it.

For grandmothers, you can choose a handmade pair of slippers with her name on it, a special commemorative plate with the photos of her grandchildren on it, or a personalized journal with matching pen that goes with it.

2. For parents

These are usually the people who don’t usually ask or expect for gifts during their birthdays but would really appreciate it, especially if their kids make an effort in giving these gifts. For mothers, you can choose practical items such as those that she can use everyday in her tasks at home or at work. If you want to give that has sentimental value, you can make a quilt or choose a handmade quilt with your family’s memories, or a new set blankets of her favorite color.

For fathers, handmade everyday items such as towels, pens, mugs, ashtray, or cigarette case are perfect birthday gifts for him.

3. For siblings

The birthday gifts you could give would actually depend on how close you are to the celebrator. For male siblings, you can give him a personalized shirt with his favorite image on it or handmade gifts such as accessories of his favorite material and color.

For female siblings, give her cute and sentimental stuff such as a handmade key chain or personalized jewelry box, or a pair of handmade slippers that she can use inside her room or at home.

4.  For cousins

These are the people who will really appreciate no matter what kind of gift you give them on their birthdays because for them, it’s really the thought that counts. In personalized stores, you can look for handmade gifts such as mugs, photo albums, key chains, and notebooks that contain something that would remind you both of your childhood days.

5. For friends

You should consider their individual personalities, hobbies, and interests. But in general, perfect personalized birthday gift ideas for them might include a personalized picture frame with your best photos on it, a scrapbook that contains all of your fond memories since you have met, or handmade gift that you both love or share.

But a lot of people make the mistake of thinking that handmade gifts are limited to those that you can make by hand and nothing else. Thus, many immediately think of craft and art projects that are not really that easy to do if you are not a crafty person. The truth is however, there are people who have other different talents that they can use besides cutting, pasting and drawing.

Here are some of the other craft projects that you can do that does not involve the three. Read on and you might find something that is fits your abilities and your inclinations.

1. Crocheted items

Crochet items make great gifts. You can make clothes, scarves, bags and even table runners, which are less personal than items of clothing. Crocheted items are great giveaways during the winter and Christmas season because they are basically used during the cold season.

Crocheting may seem complicated to do but once you mastered the basics steps to it, you will realize that it is actually easy to do. In fact, you can crochet without even looking at the item you are making. You can crochet while reading a book or watching TV. There is no brain involved and the steps are largely routinary.

2. Baked goods

If you don’t care for sewing, you can always bake a cake or a brownie and give them as gifts. Like the table runners, these are less personal and therefore can be given to people that you are not really close to.

Baked goods are therefore the easiest way to make handmade gifts. After all, who have not tried to bake in America? Besides, there already ready mixes out there that will make your baking easy with just simple steps. You don’t even have to make your own cake, you just have to bake it in the oven.

3. Cooked meals

This is another handmade gift that you can give but unlike the baked good, this is more personal. If you plan to give a dish to a person as a gift, make sure that you are close to them. This is not only because your intentions might be misconstrued into something different but also because of health reasons.

Without knowing the person really well, you might include in the dish some ingredients that will make them have allergic reactions. Remember that some people tend to have strong allergic reactions to some ingredients like nuts for instance or milk.

4. Song

If you have the soul of the musician, you can compose a song for the person you are giving the gift to. A song is the perfect handmade gift to a special someone or to a loved one but remember, that these are only for people who you are really close to. It does not even have to be a complete song. You can just create a refrain or a chorus.

It might even be a short jingle. The important thing is, you have included the message that you want to say in the song.

But despite the huge advantages that it can give us not to mention the huge savings that it will give to our budget, there are times when making handmade gifts is not beneficial. Here are some of the reasons why handmade gifts have their disadvantages too.

1. It’s hard to do

If you are not a crafty person or if you do not have an ounce of creativity or artistry in your body, better think twice before you decide to forgo with the shopping and just make your handmade gift. You see, the books may make it as something very easy and in a way it is but sometimes it can take too much time, time that you could have spent on other things such as well, earning extra money!

Doing handmade gifts may be hard, especially if it is your first time to do and you basically have no idea what to do or how to start. Thus, it is important that you make sure that you can do it before you try it out. Otherwise, it will just be a serious waste of time and money because after all you will have to buy first the materials before you can get started.

2. It takes too much time

If you are not used to making your own handmade gifts and you are not artistic at all, it will probably take up a lot of your time. Just imagine, before you can start, you will have to research on the project that you want to do and get instructions on how to start.

You have to follow each step and basically go on trial and error before you can come up with a gift decent and presentable enough to give to a special someone. If you do not have the time for this, then just buy that person something in the mall, it will save you a lot of trouble.

3. It can be expensive in the long run

Believe it or not when you don’t watch it, a handmade gift can turn out to be much more expensive than a ready made one. This is because of the materials that you buy for the project. If you choose quality ones (which you will probably do because it is after all a gift to a special someone) you can end up paying more than what you originally budgeted. There is also the fact that before you create something, you also have to go through some trial and error and that can mean wasted materials.

So, before you get into the project make sure that you have canvassed the item that you are going to do in stores and you have set a budget that is lower by half. At least even if you overbudget, your handmade gift will still be less expensive than those being sold in department stores.

Where to find handcrafted items?

There would be times when we are unable to create our own gift, that’s why there are crafts stores where you can buy handcrafted items that would be exceptional as gifts. There are crafts stores which offer wide choices of flowers, decorative pieces, books, magazines, food, picture frames and other items.

There would be instances when craftspeople would gather together to put up a show.  The church, charities, foundations and legion halls would often hold craft shows to encourage craftspeople to continue with the practice of their skill. Craft shows don’t happen too often, so it would be best if you by crafts early.  If you would like to check local craft fairs, then you should go ahead and call first before visiting.

To make shopping for crafted items more convenient, you can go online and shop on the internet.  This actually saves time and budget. Online stores also offer choices and even have a guide to help you choose gift items.  But remember to stick with the sites that you know and you are familiar with.

Aside from that, you can also check the testimonials from customers of the crafts website.  Checking the recommendations would be a good way of knowing if the store provides credible information.

Things to consider when shopping online

But there are things that you would have to consider when shopping online like the legitimacy of the online shop.  Check their telephone number and their physical address, this would prove if they are really an operational store.  Just remember that before you provide any information, personal or otherwise, make sure that the page is a secure web page with a valid SSL certificate.  This would protect you against any possible scam.

When ordering, check the payment options the website accepts.  Once you have checked the payment option and which one is preferable, then you can place your order. When buying something online, one of the major determining factors of the cost would be the shipping rate or shipping charges.  So make sure that you check how much it be.

Another thing that you would have to check is the return policy.  There can be very strict policies and fees that you would have to pay upon returning an item.  It may not happen, but it is better to be prepared one there would be a need.

Once you have decided to buy something, maintain correspondence with the seller or the crafter.  Also keep online correspondence, which you might need in the future.  It would be best to make sure that you have established a healthy correspondence with the crafter.

Choosing handmade crafts as gifts are symbolical and can definitely make an original statement.  The best thing about handcrafted gifts is that they would definitely stand out among mass produced items.   This is the reason why a lot of people would choose to give handmade items as gifts.

Aside from the uniqueness of the item, it also conveys the feeling and emotion the artist have put on the craft when it was made.  This would provide the handmade gift a personal touch.

Now, people who make their own handmade gifts are considered wise and practical, especially in the face of such problems. Besides, you can’t just afford it.

Making handmade gifts may be easy for people who are already quite crafty and those that have been doing this for years. But how about with people who have no idea where to start. When you really think about it, it will be such a waste of time and money to even attempt to if you do not know what you are doing. It would actually be better if you just buy a cheap gift and just be done with it.

But if you are really decided to try your hand in handmade gifts and learn the craft, here are some ideas for gifts that will make it easy for you to make.

Here are some projects that you can try

1. Card

This is perhaps the easiest project there is. Anybody can create a card. Even kindergarten kids have done cards in classes and gave them to their parents and friends. What is great about cards is the fact that it can be so simple on the outside and yet be so meaningful. In fact, you don’t even have to draw anything on the card. You can paste something that is memorable to both you and the person you are giving the card to.

If it is for a special someone, you can perhaps paste the ticket of the movie that you first watched together or the receipt from your first date. You can also cut pictures from the magazine and then paste it on the card. There are a lot of ways that you can make one without really having to actually make it.

2. Poem

If you are a writer, put your skills to good use. Nothing is as romantic as a poem about a person. Compose a poem and write it down or type it on a sheet of paper. The person you are giving it to will surely appreciate the gesture. After all, not everybody can write and if for you it is something simple, for that person, it’s amazing!

3. Song

If you are a writer and a musician, another way to make a handmade gift is to make a song for the person that you want to give a gift to. You can for instance compose a song that will say what you want to say to them. It does not even have to be a whole song. You can make a jingle or a short verse and put an accompaniment to it. Even something as straightforward as the things that you want to say can become a song with the right lyrics and arrangement.

4. Jewelry

It may seem complicated at first but who says you need to make intricate designs when making handmade gifts In making jewelry, you can stick to basic designs like for instance with bracelets. All you really need to do is buy some materials like beads and sequins and stones and some elastic. You can then sew them in and then tie a knot at the end.

But though handmade gifts are being accepted by people, there are still reasons why you should not give a handmade gift.

So, before you decide to start on that craft project, read this bit of information. It might affect your decision on whether to make a handmade gift or not. Here are the pros and cons of giving handmade gifts.

Pros of giving handmade gifts

1. It’s cheap.

You can save a lot of money if you decide to make a gift of your own. But be careful with this. There are times when the project become more expensive than those you can buy from the store. This is because of the materials that you have bought for the project. Some of them can be pretty expensive so be careful with what you are buying and always have a budget.

2. It’s more personal

If the person you are giving the handmade gift to is someone really special, this kind of gift is much more appreciated because they are more personalized. You have after all put a lot of time and effort into it as well as some of your really creative ideas. This is especially true if you are giving them gifts that you have created out of your own special talent such as composing songs, making poems or drawing a caricature.

3. It’s more memorable

Unique handmade gifts are certainly more memorable for people especially if you have included some items into the gift that will stir some memories. A photo album for instance that contain some of your photos together or maybe a collage of your relationship can touch a chord when you give them to people.

Cons of giving handmade gifts

1. You need time to do it.

If you are busy, this is not a good idea. Even if it is something as simple as making a bracelet or making a card, you still need to devote some time into doing it and that means taking time off to make it. If you do not have the time, better buy a gift in the store.

2. It’s inconvenient

Face it, the thought of a handmade gift may be attractive and sweet but hey you cannot dispute the fact that it is far easier for you to just go to the store and choose from their selections. If you are concerned with the price, you can always shop at stores that are on sale. That way, the gift will not eat at your budget.

3. You need to be crafty

If you do not have a single creative bone in your body then this is not for you. You need to at least be crafty or artistic to be able to come up with something that is decent enough to give as gift. Otherwise, it will just end in a disastrous situation wherein you will have nothing remotely presentable to present come the occasion. Of course there are books that can help you with the task but hey there is only so much that a book can do. You need to have the raw goods and the talent.

One of the most sought-after handmade gifts these days are quilts—especially those unique ones—because of its uniqueness. In fact, quilts have been converted into so many things and in most art stores and galleries, more and more items are being inspired from quilts.

One of the most popular quilt designs that are being given as handmade gifts are the t-shirt quilts. In fact, this has become a trend not only to artists but also to people who would want to give something unique and beautiful. Aside from being its unique concept, t-shirt quilts also became a popular gift when it is turned into a memory t-shirt quilt.

Many people are fond of giving memory t-shirt quilts because these exude personal touch and sincerity. Since it contains personal items such as pieces of cloth and fabric that have sentimental value, t-shirt quilts have become a very touching gift to be given and received.

How to make a t-shirt quilt?

If you want your gift to be more personal, it is best if you make it with your own hands. Making a t-shirt is easy as long as you have materials that you need. These include a set of pins, a set of rotary cutters, a box full of sewing needles that come in different sizes, different-colored threads, special quilting needles, extra fabric that will be used for backing, a pair of scissors, different types of fabrics and shirts, cardboard, batting, rulers, a sewing machine, irons, and a quilt frame. Here are step by step directions that you can follow

- Know the size of the t-shirt quilt you want to make. This can be determined by how many t-shirts you would want to include in the quilt.

- Collect the t-shirts to be used. Once you have collected the shirts you want to include in the quilt, segregate them according to size, color, and design.

- Wash and dry the t-shirts before stitching them. Washing and drying the t-shirts are very important to avoid proliferation of bacteria once preserved in a frame. Even new t-shirts should be wash so you can determine if they are colorfast or not.

- Place the t-shirts according to size and design. By doing this, you can establish order and create a final design for the t-shirt quilt.

- Draft a square template using the cardboard. This template will be used as a pattern on how the t-shirt should be cut.

- Make an initial layout of the t-shirt quilt. This is done by placing all square cut outs on the floor to determine what is your preferred arrangement.

- Only use the needle and thread of choice, sew the squares. You should sew each square parallel to one another to form a row. After this, sew the rows and add the borders.

- Use the polyester batting, fill the t-quilt. This will provide you the initial layout of the t-shirt quilt.

- Finalize it. Using ties, quilt hoop or quilt frame, you can now make the final steps in the t-shirt quilt before giving it away.

If you are making a t-shirt quilt as a handmade gift, bear in mind that you should always plan the design ahead before you begin. This is to ensure that no material or fabric will go to waste.

Handmade gifts

1. It’s the trend

Believe it or not but it is all the rage right now to give handmade gifts. Blame it to the recession but people are finding that giving handmade gifts is charming, practical and sweet. People now realize that you can give quality gifts without really spending a lot and besides when you look at the thought and the effort of the person to make the gift, it is actually more expensive than anything that they can buy from the store.

2. It’s more thoughtful

When you give a handmade gift, you really put much thought into it as opposed to just going to the store and buying the first thing that you set your eyes into. When making handmade gifts, you will find that people will appreciate more the effort that you have put into making the gift. It is actually considered more special and sweeter to give handmade gifts because they are better thought of and as people say, it comes from the heart.

3. It’s personalized

Whenever you give a handmade gift, it is perceived to be more personalized. That means that a lot of yourself is put into making the gift. After all, you have not only sweated out in making the gift, you have also dedicated time into it as well as some of your creative juices. This is why it is important to make sure that you only give these kinds of gifts to people you are close to because people might perceive it the wrong way.

4. It’s cheaper

It’s the recession and you have a ready excuse not to buy those expensive gifts and instead make them yourself. Everybody will understand because everybody is feeling the pinch of the downed economy. Make sure though that when you make a handmade gift, it is truly less expensive than when you buy something from the store.

Sometimes, when you don’t watch it, you can buy expensive materials that can add up and actually make your handmade gift much more expensive and of course there is the time that you have spent making the gift. So, be careful.

5. It’s environment friendly

If you care for the environment and you are part of what is called right now as the green team then making your own handmade gifts will allow you to make something out of trash like used papers and bottles. You can actually recycle them yourself and give them as gifts. Who knows, you might even end up selling them to other people that will certainly help you in these recession.

6. It’s therapeutic

For some people, working with their hands especially in art and craft projects is relaxing. Art is actually considered as an effective therapy for people who are depressed or anxious as it allows you to express your feelings without words. You can use this to relax yourself and calm your nerves and at the same time make a handmade gift for someone special. You are basically killing to birds with one stone with this one.

Today, one of the most popular handmade gifts that people give to their loved ones is scrapbooks. This is because scrapbooks are versatile and can be given to any kind of occasion. And since one can—pretty much—make his or her own scrapbook, it adds up to the uniqueness of the handmade gift.

If you are one of those who would want to give out scrapbooks are handmade gifts, now is the best time to get started with it. Since scrapbooking may require a lot of your time, it would be best if you start conceptualizing the theme and getting the materials ready as well.

Getting started with scrapbooking

When you visit different scrapbook stores, you will find different scrapbook kits that will trigger your desire to be a budding scrapbooker. But then, these kits, scrapbooking magazines, and materials can be quite expensive. If you are interested in scrapbooking but don’t have enough budget to buy such expensive materials and scrapbook guides, here is a simple guide in scrapbooking.

Paying attention to the basics is one of the first things that you need to need to focus on scrapbooking. Just like in doing artworks and crafts, scrapbooking requires a lot of materials and supplies, but this doesn’t mean that you have to allot a huge amount of money in order to create a scrapbook.

Today, so many products are being offered by the scrapbooking industry. Since these products are especially created to provide ultimate comfort to those who are greatly indulged in scrapbooking, they can be quite expensive.

For beginners, you don’t need to be overwhelmed by these products. What you need to do is focus on buying the basic materials and supplies which include album and sheet protectors that come in different sizes and colors, scissors or paper trimmers that will allow you to cut lines without hassle, adhesive that is inexpensive but easy to use, photo tabs or photo splits to keep the back of the photos clean and can be easily removed, papers and cardstocks that is the foundation of the scrapbook page, and journaling tools such as a wide variety of pens.

Learning the basic techniques in scrapbooking is also a must. Scrapbooking magazines can be quite expensive because these are created for a special segment of the market. If you are tight on budget and you would want to create scrapbook all by yourself, it will pay if you start pumping out your creative juices.

Aside from creating your own style, you can also get ideas from the Internet about the basic techniques used in scrapbooking. Here are some basic scrapbooking techniques that you can use in creating your scrapbook.

Basic scrapbooking techniques

The basic techniques in handmade gifts such as scrapbooks include inserting eyelets and paper piecing and using patterns. Eyelets are a great means of attaching things to an album or a page, or to add color and embellishment to a certain page. Eyelets usually come in various shapes and sizes that can help draw attention from a focal point in the page.

Another basic technique that you can use in your scrapbook is paper piercing and the use of patters. In using patterns, you need to lay a piece of tracing paper over the pattern.