Special Wedding Gift

SallyUK

Hello - it's me again!

I would like to make my friend something special for her wedding. It's not untol November, but I do know they're on a tight budget.

She's suffered really poor health for the past few years and only last year had a mastectomy. She's only 40.

I wondered if someone could suggest something that would be fairly simple to make but would be really quite stunning?

I'm fairly good at most craft things, so hopefully someone will come up with something.

I have thought about a cross stitch, but not convinced it's something that's just that wee bit different??

Thanks for your replies.

Sal
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Nelmer

Hi Sal,

Has your friend already sent out her invitations? If not you could do those as a wedding present. I'm doing my SIL's for her and it not costing much, they get something they would like and can fit it into their budget.

Failing that what about doing a scrapbook of things she's done with her partner?
Do they have a hobby they do together, could you get something for that?
Are they going on a honeymoon? Perhaps an 'essential' kit for the honeymoon......freinds of mine went on safari so I put together mosquitos cream, mosquito net, film for their camera (before good old digi) etc?

HTH

SallyUK

Hi Nelmer

Thanks for replying.

She's already got her invitations sorted, and no they're not going on honeymoon yet as they can't afford it.

Sal
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The_Good_Fairy

Hiya Sally, I've been trying to come up with some ideas, but I'm a bit stumped lol

Can you scrapbook? Maybe make a scrapbook of them both, try to get some pics from their parents if you can.

Cross stitch would be nice you know, but maybe you could do an embroidery instead? It'll look a bit more personal, especially if you design it yourself.

Or maybe a box frame, you could get hubby involved, I'm sure he wouldn't mind and get stuff that they might have kept as momentos... train tickets, menus, lock of hair etc. and make a collage in the frame, add some nice wedding bits, silver heart, confetti. But it might just be me who keeps all kinds of nonsense! And it might be hard to sneak it away from the bride to be. Will try to think of some more ideas....

tpsjrm

Not knowing the couple, it's difficult to recommend things, but here goes.
How about a nice hand-decorated picture frame, for their special wedding photo? You can get cheap ones at charity shops.
Are you any good at glass painting? Do a set of glasses with their joint initials or names on.
Have they got a garden? There are lots of plants with wedding-theme names. Or maybe a planted up garden pot, painted with their names and wedding date.

My standby wedding present is a huge cardboard box, inside put a 'Congratulations' helium balloon, tied to a fancy-painted real horse-shoe with a bottle of champagne. Depending on who it's for, I might also add a voucher from Argos or Debenhams etc, for whatever amount seems appropriate. Then I cover the whole thing with glued-on tissue paper, with glue stripes covered in glitter sprinkly bits plus a big bow. Looks very fancy although the glitter tends to drop off over everything - still the present table looks pretty. And their faces when the balloon pops out is usually a treat!

Good luck.

SallyUK

Some good suggestions there ladies, thanks!

I don't actually live in the same place as my friend and have only known her for about a year, so wouldn't have any access to things from her home or photos or anything like that. And she doesn't have a garden, unfortunately, as that sounded like a good idea too.

The glass painting and the standby wedding present sounds lovely!

Any more? lol

Sal
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mumoftwo

Towel cake, hamper?

punkaking

Hi Sally,

Good call, I think crafted gifts are always going to be special (as well as being thrifty )

Can I direct you to a crafting forum, http://www.craftster.org - there are LOADS of ideas there in all types of crafts, if you want to repeat your appeal there I'm sure they'll all be very helpful (there's a wedding section under the occasions and holidays heading)

Mumoftwo's towel cake idea is great, they always look good (google image it if you've not heard of one before v. big in the US)

When you mentioned cross stitch, normal embroidery sprang straight to mind - an inexpensive set of napkins, pillow cases or towels can very quickly be made to look stylish with a simple corner or edging design - or perhaps monograms. You could combine two ideas and do a towel cake of monogrammed towels! Loads of library books available with pattern designs and techniques (I'd recommend splashing out the £1.50 ish for a wash off fabric pen to draw out your design first)

Ooh or if either/both are handy in the kitchen then aprons are dead easy to sew (preferably with a machine, but can be hand sewn too) and again can be embroidered/appliqued to personalise.

Good luck

SallyUK

Thanks ladies

Some great ideas coming up.

I did think about the towel cake but thought about doing something else as well for her.

I'll check out that other forum too, thanks!

Sal
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Little_Chicken

What about making her something to wear on the big day? a little bracelet/hairslide? You could make her something blue with some swarovski. And if she already had jewellery etc sorted she could pin it to her undies for luck.

Bubblebrain83

Not sure if this is the kind of thing you were thinking about but I took one of my friends wedding photos and got it blown up and put on a canvas. They did it in Black and White its looks really smart in her living room. There are a few places that do it and sometimes they have special deals to get them done cheaper