The Festive Fivers competition is back!

EccentricRavenJewellery

Name of present: Tutu ballet bag
Bought or homemade: Homemade
Total cost: around £2-3 if you really want to go all out on ribbons, fabric etc.
Details: This is for little girls who love their ballet. Take a tutu or ballet dress that they've grown out of. You can put in a 'base' of fabric to make the bag wide, or just sew it up at the point where the bodice finished, for a thinner bag. Then embellish the straps- you may have to lengthen them with ribbon (cut apart and piece in ribbon or fabric to desired length)- so that they make two shoulder straps. You can trim the skirt down and add sequins, more ribbons, the little silk ribbon bows, etc.. I can't take credit for this idea, I got it in my Sheerluxe daily e-mail, but thought I would share 'cos it looks lovely.

MJMWGC

Razor Blade Sharpener (for men and women's razors)
Buy items online and assemble at home
Cost is less than 20p per strip
Details of where to buy and how to make listed below

The present that keeps on giving. Reusable razor blade sharpener. Extend blade life by months. Cost per strip @ 20p!

I noticed how costly it was to keep on buying razor blade cartridges and having to replace them every few weeks, or have a red raw face after shaving with a blunt blade. I didn't find any of the supermarket brands as good as the top selling brands, but objected to the cost of all their expensive adverts being added to the price I'm paying for the blade.

I found various blade sharpeners on the market, and was thrilled after having bought the most basic one from the US (as below), which I used every few shaves by just wetting the blade with water and pushing it along the blade sharpener in the opposite direction to shaving. I was then curious about the technology behind it and came across 3M .3 micron 'scary sharpening' film, used for getting 'scarily sharp' blades for tools. I bought an A4 sheet of the film (self adhesive), a sheet of A4 2mm rubber, and applied the two together (all links below). After cutting the finished sheet into rectangles I have 27 small strips of razor blade sharpeners to give as gifts for Xmas, with a total cot of just over £5. I also made some 'executive' ones by putting just a strip of the 3M .3 micron film onto a strips of glass (My thanks to Westmorland Glass in Kendal for some free offcuts, which I then smoothed the edges off). You could also use offcuts of wood, plastic, marble etc

I have been using the same blade for almost 6 months now by sharpening it regularly (not every shave), and love the feel of a really good clean close shave. It is also a great money saver, and a really good and practical Xmas present. (I will write an explanation sheet to go with them as a small strip of rubber might not be self-explanatory). My wife also uses it for her razors and loves it too.

Merry Xmas to all

Marcus

Unable to put links so here are search terms:

Razor blade sharpeners, pre-made:

eBay, search for Razor Blade Sharpener

Where to buy the 'scary sharpening' sheet:

Search Workshopheaven 3M 0.3 micron white lapping film


Where to buy the rubber base:

eBay. Search "Black rubber sheet 2.00mm"

How to apply the sheet to the rubber or glass:

YouTube. Search for "Putting .3 micron paper on glass"

Ps I also sent the idea to Shelter so perhaps they could make some and give them out to the homeless and less fortunate.

sjg666

Instead of using Vistaprint or other online calendar makers:

• Name of present:Personalised Calendar
• Whether it's bought or homemade: Bit of both
• Total cost: £1ish + printer ink
• Details (where it's from, how to make it etc): Poundland / home
• A link to the offer if it's online (where possible):

Packs of 12 A4 Polaroid (good quality) photo paper in Poundland. Download a free calendar template (plenty on Google) and customise it for the recipient adding photos or images to a specific theme. I made one for my dad with a gin theme: http://i525.photobucket.com/albums/cc335/sarahjgent/cal2.jpg


I then used our binder at work to bind it together and put a keyring-ring through the top so it can be pinned up.







I also noticed Poundland are selling specific Polaroid calendar kits - the base calendar is provided along with 12 6"x4" pieces of photo paper to print your photos onto.

annahelm

Name of present: Fossils
Whether it's bought or homemade: Homemade or 'Homefound' anyway
Total cost: Free
Details (where it's from, how to make it etc): If you are lucky to live near the cost, get your self out fossil hunting for the men/boys in your life. Straight after high tide, early morning is best. My three boys love them & if your really lucky you might come across a real treasure. If you find enough small ones, you can make up a fossil jar decorate it suitably(the Bonne Maman jam jars are good ones to save for Christmas with their beautiful lids) . Off course you can buy fossils too for varying prices, but that's not the point. Have a great day & get some presents for free!!

Malices

Name of present: Carnival Portrait
Whether it's bought or homemade: Combo - mostly homemade
Total cost: £2
Details (where it's from, how to make it etc):
1. The Works always have a miniature canvas on a tiny easel for 99p - buy one!
2. Taking a photo that you would like to recreate as a gift, use some creativity and some paint to create your interpretation of it on the canvas. (I like to get a digital photo, put it into an editing program, whack up the contrast & turn it black and white so you get a picture that can be done in just two colours - works best with portraits - and then work from that to paint it on the canvas - it's striking, easier than mixing colours and if you do a pale wash colour as a base, then black shadows/lowlights for the definition it looks great).
3. Go for a walk. Find a stick in the forest or park about 1 cm in diameter, about 20cms long that is sturdy and not rotten.
4. Paint the stick bright, carnival colours. (Stripes going around the stick in different colours and thicknesses are good, and maybe some dots - get creative!)
5. Find an old scarf/top/piece of fabric - the more bright and interesting, the better. Cut a triangle out of it like a single piece of bunting, with the top flat edge the same length as the bottom side of your canvas picture. If you are handy with a sewing kit, cut out two of these triangles and sew them together to give it more weight so it will hang better (don't forget to add an extra 1cm all the way around for hem if you sew it inside out).
6. Attach it all together. Use some string or strong thread to tie the top two corners of your canvas to the stick. Tie another piece of string from one end of the stick to the other so you can hang it up. Tie the bottom two corners of the canvas to the top two corners of the fabric triangle. You may be able to drill tiny holes in the canvas frame to put the string through, or you may have some strong tape or sturdy staples - use whatever you have lying around, but make it strong.
7. Voila -a portrait that is personal, fun, colourful and unique - perfect for children's rooms and adults who love colour!

Trazy

Name of present: Knitty Kitty

Whether it's bought or homemade: Homemade
Total cost: £3.00

Details (where it's from, how to make it etc):
free pattern wool £3
Knit a kitty companion for somebody special who loves
cats but for whatever reason is unable to keep pets

A link to the offer if it's online (where possible):

becclety

Make up some saltdough according to this recipe;
-1 cup flour + 1/2 cup table salt, mixed
- Add 1/2 cup water slowly to form a dough that isn't too sticky
- knead until smooth

Roll out to around 3-5mm thick, and then get the kids to cut out gingerbread man shapes using quite small cutters. I found that the above recipe made about 20 people.

Bake (low heat in oven until dry or for 2-3 minutes in the microwave) and then get the kids to paint the gingerbread people with whatever paints you have lying around... coat in PVA once the paint is dry to seal the little people and glue couples (Granny & Grandad, or Mummy, Daddy & Tom) into a cheap frame where the glass is set slightly away from the mount/backing. Tesco do a light wood frame with a 5x7 mount for £4.47 and you can double your clubcard vouchers on it. Or you could re-use one you have already.
Write the names of the people underneath in smart handwriting, or let an older child do this and close it all up).

Ta-Da... artwork that Grandparents, and Aunts and Uncles and pretty much any relative will love... and all done by the kids.

My little boy isn't yet 2, and really enjoyed this.

If you pop over to Flickr.com then search "Saltdough Art" then you can see a picture...

(New user - not allowed to post links... sorry!)

NicNak247

Dress for Dinner Napkins (bought)
For men who refuse to dress up or make an effort by wearing a tie at special occasions.
This gift instantly transforms a man from a scruffy so-and-so to a prim and proper gentleman.
Cost £4.92 including delivery when bought from amazon.
A pack of napkins with assorted ties printed on them. Would be fun at christmas parties.

link to amazon
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dress-Dinner-Napkins-1-Pack/dp/B004I03HE4

a better picture:

http://www.dsgnwrld.com/dress-for-dinner-napkins-by-hector-serrano-5837/

tinytibbs

Picture in frame.
bought and home made
under £5 (lovely picture frames can be found at reasonable prices in Wilkos, Poundland or charity shops.
Find a picture of a happy memory, a holiday, birthday, wedding or any old treasured photo etc. Find a frame and wrap. Simple. I have found this is not only a cheap and thoughtful gift but sparks remeniscing and nostalgic conversations during the christmas festivities.

riverlife

Pinecone Firelighters
Homemade
Total Cost: £2 - £5 for around a dozen

This year, I'm making some homemade firelighters for my friends with log burners...

You will need:
Pinecones - foraged free. They need to be open, so if they're wet &/or closed up, then keep in the warm
Candle wick - you can pick up a 4m length of this on Ebay for £2
Candle wax - either melt down some old candles or buy some for £3ish
Cup-cake/ muffin cases (depending on size of pinecones) - foraged from kitchen :-)

You can make these up 2 different ways - the way I'm doing it is this:

Melt the wax in a double boiler. NEVER melt wax in the microwave (as I've seen mentioned in some previous posts) - it has a low flash point & can catch fire in the microwave, likewise if you melt it straight in the pan - don't do it!!!

Wrap the wick around the pinecone in a spiral - try to get it inbetween the needles - and make sure you have a bit at the top & the bottom.

Fill a cupcake case about 1/3 full with the wax then simply pop the pinecone into the wax and let it set.

(the other way I've seen this done is to dip the entire pinecone into the melted wax then put it into the cupcake case).

Oh - and if you want them to smell nice, then add some essential oil to the melted wax... I'm thinking maybe some mulled wine smelly oil might be nice!

I'm going to put them into a shoebox lined with some dry leaves, sprigs of holly & wrapped in Xmas paper. They can then be displayed by the fireplace over the festive season.