The Festive Fivers competition is back!

brownclai

Name of present: Button hearts

Whether it's bought or homemade: homemade

Total cost: £3

Details (where it's from, how to make it etc): We made these as favours for all our guests at our wedding and they thought we had spent a fortune on them when really they cost next to nothing! Get some wire from a craft shop and thread on a load of vintage buttons (buy from ebay) once complete make into the shape of a heart. Tie a bit of vintage lace around and and you have a lovely christmas tree decoration or to be left hanging from the radiator all year round. A really simple but effective gift.


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

southernsun

Name of present - A year of dates
Bought
Cost - £4.59
Description - For your other half, buy a cheap cool bag (nice one here for £2.99 http://www.amazon.co.uk/dotcomgiftshop-DotComGiftShop-Woodland-Charlotte-Bag/dp/B001BGP5DE/ref=sr_1_15?ie=UTF8&qid=1351694622&sr=8-15 and a cheap blanket like this for £1.60 from Ikea http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/00070489/ which will make a nice set and wrap them up with a note promising to take your partner out for a romantic picnic/date every month for the year. You can then use this to pack a nice lunch each month and visit different places (all free of course) and enjoy spending some time going to peaceful places you might not of thought about visiting.

Flibsey

Name of present: "Damn girl, you look da BOMB!!!"
Whether it's bought or homemade: home repurposed... sort of. reconstructed might be a better term. I'm not sure! It's a combination of home made and bought.
Total cost: £4.00. Mirror was £1. spray paint was £3 including postage, and has done more things than just this mirror. I already had the packing tape needed, but this is cheap too.

Details (where it's from, how to make it etc):

Take an old mirror, I got mine from a jumble. it had a fairly sturdy frame which was nice.
Carefully remove the mirror from the frame and paint the frame. I was quite pleased with the effect a reaction between the paints caused, but if you don't think you will be, sand the frame. make sure you don't breathe anything in.

Now you need to place packing tape in a small strip near the bottom corner of the mirror. draw a simple design on it that you like, I opted for the little recipient's name. Use a permenant marker to draw with, then cut out carefully with a stanley knife. I've been told a craft scalpel is easier, but I didn't want to fork out for one.
once your name is cut out, lay more packing tape in a border in line with your design, you know, if you want. it's your mirror, you choose. Just don't make the mistake I did at first and put it where the flipping frame would cover, rendering it invisible and pointless!!!
draw a border on your tape, using your marker, and cut out the same way as the name. you should now have some strips of tape on your mirror, and a design on your tape.
now lay a small piece of paper over the uncovered portion of the mirror, basically I mean anything that's not involved in your design. for me, this was the centre of the mirror. make sure you stick it down well, use tape. bleeding paint is not a good look.
now, protect the area you're going to be spraying in (I use pound shop shower curtains!) and spray. do three or four light coats, allowing it to dry fully between each spray. then allow 3-4 hours after the last layer before removing all of your strips of tape. be very careful, you can use a hairdryer to make the tape easier to release if it's pulling the paint too much. care is the thing you need, just e gentle and take your time.





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

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SPRAY-PAINT-AEROSOL-AUTO-DIY-INTERIOR-EXTERIOR-GENERAL-PURPOSE-GLOSS-MATT-PRIMER-/300730518815?pt=UK_DIY_Material_Paint_Varnish_MJ&var=600047678130&hash=item4604ef8d1f

brownclai

Name of present: Lavender draw smellies

Whether it's bought or homemade: Homemade

Total cost: £2

Details (where it's from, how to make it etc):Again we made these as favours four our female wedding guests (if you've read my other posts our guests got a whole bag of goodies including jam, chutney, fudge & button hearts, lego cufflinks). Find some scraps of material or order free swatches from fabric companies. In the summer collect a load of lavender (we collected it from our garden as we have loads of it but you can find it growing wild). Sew the fabric together leaving a little pouch to fill with lavender then sew shut. Leave in a draw to make your clothes smell lovely.

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

brownclai

Name of present: Homemade cufflinks

Whether it's bought or homemade: Homemade

Total cost: £2

Details (where it's from, how to make it etc): Purchase some plain cufflink fixtures from ebay and superglue any of the following to make a great present for any male. I have used vintage buttons, lego pieces and scrabble pieces. These kind of thins easily sell in the shops for £20 or more but you can make them yourself for a fraction of the price!


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

Izzy-bee

Cuddle Me Cushion
Homemade
Cost £0 to £5 depending on the stuffing you choose. Old tshirt, recycled cushion pad - no cost; new cushion pad from £2.50 to £5.

Details: You are going to make a cushion from a t shirt, so choose an old t shirt that the intended recipient likes a lot and associates with you. In the case of your spouse or boyfriend/girlfriend, you may like to wear it once first, so that it smells of you when they cuddle it. Grannies may not appreciate this quite so much

The best part of this is that anyone can make one of these as it doesn't need sewing. I spotted the idea on a youtube video which suggested making a cushion for yourself - but how much nicer would it be for someone to cuddle it to remind them of you when you aren't there? You end up with a personal item that is cute, upcycled and thrifty.

As a new user I can't post the youtube link, but if you want to look you can just go on to you tube and search for rubychopsticks and the video will appear.

enjoy!

southernsun

Name of present - iJoke
Bought/Homemade
Cost - Anything up to £5
Description - This is a bit of a joke present for any friends/family who are Apple or technology geeks. Grab random items from around the house or buy some bits (up to £5) and using a marker pen draw the apple logo onto them and also write the name of the item under the logo but add the letter i to the start to create your very own apple products for that person who has to have the latest iphone, ipad etc. For example an iComb, iMug, iGloves, iFlysquatter, the list is endless.

Is a bit of light hearted fun and a different way to spend a fiver and if you choose the items wisely they can still be useful presents.

brownclai

Name of present: Handmade advent calendar

Whether it's bought or homemade: Homemade

Total cost:£5

Details (where it's from, how to make it etc): I've made an advent calendar for my wife which I reuse every year. I bought a big piece of fabric 1m x 1m and sewed to it a whole load of little compartments which each year I fill with little gifts to lead up to Christmas. To make it cheaper I got a load of swatches from her favourite fabric designers: Liberty, Cath Kidston and Cabbages and Roses. I also used offcuts of lace and sewed on buttons to make it even prettier. Throughout the year I keep an eye out for little gifts that will fit in the compartments. The free gifts you get in magazines are ideal also packets of tissues etc.

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

Chorley_cake

Homemade wine bottle lamp
Handmade
Approx £5
Take an empty wine or spirits bottle, the prettier and more unusual the better.
Order an adaptor online - or pick one up from an electricals store.
(These generally cost £3-£4) Ryness are currently selling them for £3.99.
Add to this a lampshade, which are available for next to nothing at charity shops/ebay (or even nothing at all on freecycle) and there you have it - the perfect bedside lamp.
For a ready-to-use gift add a lightbulb (currently 6 for £1 available at Poundland).
Merry Christmas!!!!!!!!!

brownclai

Name of present: Vintage button/scrabble/lego magnets

Whether it's bought or homemade: homemade

Total cost: £2

Details (where it's from, how to make it etc): Buy a set of small magnets from ebay and superglue them to the back of buttons, scrabble letter or bits of lego. They look really good as a collection n a little gift box stuffed with straw. We have some on our radiators to make them look pretty as well as on our fridge to hold up receipts and notes etc.

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