Sunday, December 5, 2010

Holiday gift pizazz on the cheap

I have been scouring the Internet for gift ideas and I thought I would share some links. I won't say if I will be using all, some, or none of these ideas, lest my readership include potential recipients.

First, on the decoration. I think I will make something similar for the front door:

http://micheleravendesigns.blogspot.com/2010/09/book-page-wreath.html
I really like it with music sheets
http://micheleravendesigns.blogspot.com/2010/09/vintage-sheet-music-wreath-by-primp.html
I found the links in the comments here:
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/ny/entertaining/upcycled-paper-wreaths-simple-joys-paperie-133709
Looks like I can make it myself for a few dollars or buy one for $50 or $60!! Hmm, let me think about that for awhile!

For a computer lover, how about a wallet made from computer keyboard innards:
http://www.instructables.com/id/Wallet-made-from-a-computer-keyboard/

Or these adorable bugs made from computer parts
http://www.instructables.com/id/Computer-Bugs/


Greenhouse in a jar is very cute for the gardener
http://www.instructables.com/id/Greenhouse-in-a-Jar/

Ambitious but really cool
http://www.instructables.com/id/Magnetic-Rubik-s-Dice-Cube/

If you need to give your reader the gift of storage and have some old encyclopedias (or your thrift shop does for cheap)
http://www.instructables.com/id/A-bookshelf-made-of-encyclopedias!-YAY!/


I have to make a plug for my friends awesome blog. On the side panels, you will see lots of links to lovely craft and gift ideas
http://goddesshobbies.blogspot.com/

Dollhouse 1:
http://blog.jugglingfrogs.com/2007/07/camp-mommy-foam-core-doll-house.html

Dollhouse 2:
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/5738146/simple_shelftype_dollhouse_thats_easy.html

Puppet theaters:
http://www.essortment.com/hobbies/doityourselfh_sbnl.htm
http://www.childhood101.com/2009/10/diy-kids-tabletop-puppet-theatre-for.html

And some puppets to go with it
http://www.savvyhomemade.com/homemade-puppets.html

I will continue to add to this post until Christmas, so keep checking back. And please post your own ideas or links in the comment section.

Friday, December 3, 2010

Calling and Christmas gifts

It pays to call.

We have a couple of different places where we keep money. We keep most of it in ING but use a checking account through a credit union. The dude woke up this morning and checked our account. There was a $159 check that had tried to go through, and we didn't have that much in the account, so it bounced and we were charged $25. The dude called the credit union to find out what the charge was. It was from a carpet cleaning we had done in July! He told the banker that he was transferring money over but it would take until Tuesday to make it. She pulled the check back and will hold on to it until then. She also took off the $25 charge.

Also, the boys have spent the evening playing with a new toy I found at Salvation Army. It is like this: http://www.amazon.com/Quercetti-Small-Skyrail-Suspension-210/dp/B0002CYT8K but with 500 pieces. Same brand, same set up. We paid $4.50 for it! It is awesome.

I have also located the 47 cent back room at my local thrift shop. I found pants for the boys, pants for me, a cute shirt that still had its $35 store tag on it. All for 47 cents each! We also found cross country skis for $6 per pair. Still need boots and poles.

One great thing about living in a small town is that there isn't a lot to spend money on!

But the thing right now is the looming holiday of gift giving. I am trying to come up with inexpensive fun gift ideas for the boys. I would love to make them kits. We are buying them things as well, but I want to fill in with low cost things! Not coming up with much. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated! So many of the homemade gift ideas seem geared toward adults, it is hard to find info on middle age kids.

The oldest is almost 14 and into: sci-fi, reading, writing screenplays, sketching, comic books and graphic novels, steam punk, and wants to get into building models (specifically airships)

The middle one is 12: Manga, comic book superheroes, building things, robots, computers(playing and programming), music, cooking, movies, legos

The youngest is 9: Building things, drawing (his passion), legos, baking, sewing, Barbies, animals, nature, math, chemistry, physics.

Any ideas?