If there's a holiday or special occation coming up, nothing says you care like something you've made yourself. Artists, crafts teachers and others suggest these three easy and inexpensive gifts to make at home.
1. Visual artist Colleen Kelly of Albuquerque, N.M., creates handmade cards with rubber stamps that she carves out of erasers using an X-acto knife. "You can carve simple images such as candles, trees, stars, your loved one's initials, hearts and so forth," she says.
The size of the card depends upon how much decor and/or writing you may want to include inside, says Kelly, who one year made a card out of 11 x 17-inch posterboard. "This is a chance to express yourself," she says, "so figure out in advance what kind of words and images you want to include inside."
For extra pizzazz, spray the card with a scent that he or she particularly likes. "Hold the spray bottle about two feet away from the card," Kelly instructs. "Once you see the spray droplets in the air, wave the card through the vapor for a few seconds."
2. "Velvet or satin pillows make a good romantic gift for Christmas," says Lara Cisneros of Austin, Texas. Cisneros, who claims she doesn't really know how to sew, has stitched up simple pillows on a friend's machine and stuffed them with foam pillow inserts purchased at a crafts store.
3. Crafts teacher Ellie Gunderson of Los Angeles recommends making a cinnamon stick picture frame for your loved one and framing a photo of the two of you inside. "This looks romantic, smells heavenly and costs a few dollars to make, depending on the size and quality of the frame you choose," says Gunderson.
She recommends buying inexpensive frames at thrift shops or discount stores. Use a hot-glue gun to fix the cinnamon sticks to the frame. Trim the cinnamon sticks to fit using garden clippers. Start from the outside corners and work your way in to the frame opening.
