Crafty birthday presents

MoneysavingmadGem

Hi

Iv got a couple families birthdays coming up and im trying to think of a frugal/money saving/ crafty gifts for them.
I have already scoured the charity shops and not found anything so now going down the craft route.

Possibly thinking a personalised candle or looking into making note books or crocheting stress balls.

Any ideas gratefully received

CapricornLass

Hi, Moneysaving, how about making something edible? Proper homemade lemon curd, or seville orange marmalade always went down well with my mum, especially as she hasn't the physical stamina now to stand at the stove and stir it. A pretty jar with a lid, a circle of gingham over the top and tied with a ribbon to set it off. And although its not the right season for making it at present, I made piccallili to give as presents for Christmas.

[Deleted User]

Depending on the person you're giving the present to my daughters both say one of the best things I've ever given them was hand written recipe books with all their favourite recipes that I make at home written in them. It's a simple idea and I only used 'sale' notebooks but they still use them many years on and often say 'Ma I made your Bolognese sauce etc. today) when we chat.

Pollycat

CapricornLass wrote: »

Hi, Moneysaving, how about making something edible? Proper homemade lemon curd, or seville orange marmalade always went down well with my mum, especially as she hasn't the physical stamina now to stand at the stove and stir it. A pretty jar with a lid, a circle of gingham over the top and tied with a ribbon to set it off. And although its not the right season for making it at present, I made piccallili to give as presents for Christmas.

Fudge?
Brownies?
Biscuits - maybe shortbread?

You could look in charity shops for nice tins to put them in.

Ilona

If you have a sewing machine you could easily run up some fabric shopping bags, using charity shop fabric, cutting up clothes, bedding, curtains etc. Gooooglie Mors bags

Ilona

JennyP

One of my friends made cake and biscuit kits and hot chocolate kits one year. I loved both.

She bought kilner-style jars from IKEA. The cake ones had all the dry cake ingredients for chocolate chip brownies - you just added the butter and eggs. She wrote recipe on a lovely label and tied it with a ribbon round the jar. The hot choc one had hot chocolate powder, chocolate chips and mini marshmallows in a jar. Tied again with a ribbon.

CRANKY40

How about pots with some spring bulbs in? You'd get quite a few presents out of a bag of compost and a pack of bulbs.

jackyann

My mother would always plant bulbs to give as Mothering Sunday gifts: 4 when I was a child - her mother, her mother-in-law, her grandmother-in-law, and the mother of her heart (whose daughter, my mum's best friend had become a GI bride). Actually, 5 or 6, hoping spares would not be needed and they could stay with us!
Those inexpensive presents spoke of love and promise to me, I loved looking to see when they came up and carrying them to their recipients.

MoneysavingmadGem

Thank you folks some fab fab ideas!

Definitely going to try some of these

Lynplatinum

Hiya

If you are feeling wealthy you could treat them to an entry to a Garden via Groupon or a Spa day or such.

If not, then I too would go down the edible/disposable route. There are some things like bath bombs or lavender sachets you could make up (in my last home I had two fantastic lavender bushes which I used to harvest but you can buy lavender on line.)

The other thing I give is vouchers for my time such as:
1) A home cooked 3 course meal for them and a guest
2) An hour of ironing a week for a month
3) ditto gardening
4) Afternoon tea out
5) a lift to a beautiful place with a picnic provided by me

it depends on what the folk dont have in their life or have too much of - so: I did the 5) for one person who did not have a car but did have mobility issues but I also did 5) for someone who spent all her time in her car ferry various members of her family about!!

Love the idea of planted bulbs btw - great!
Nite all

Gem-gem

My mum made has me a coin purse and I love it. She sewed a wooden heart button on it.
She has also made me a bookmark, 1/2 apron with pockets in to carry Secateurs/pegs or dusting cloth in, dust bags for my couple of handbags, knitted hats, knitted scarfs and a pin cushion. I will treasure all these things. They are worth more than any expensive gift.
I give people piccalilli, jam and fruit chutney as presents. I made my brother-in-law his favourite type of cake.
My in-laws make me pickled onions and pickled cabbage.
I know that if isn’t crafty, but one year my mum bought me a blueberry bush for my birthday. I have just finished last summers crop. This year I bought my friend a £6.50 black currant bush for her birthday to go in her allotment. Much better than a bunch of flowers that would be dead in a week.