“Creative Family and Friend Christmas Gift Ideas”

Created By: Tricia Allen
Robert’s Crafts
December, 2008
KUTV Channel 2

Need some creative, yet affordable Christmas gift ideas? Wanna dazzle your friends and family with something you have personally made for them? You’ve come to the right place! Here are four ideas that can be changed here and there to fit your style and budget! Have fun creating!

**please note that price ranges are estimates as selection may vary from store to store**

Christmas Memories Gift:

Idea: Make your family and friends a darling matching picture frame and 4 x 4 memory album to preserve all of their Christmas Memories this year! You make it all – they just add their own pictures!

Supplies:
Wooden picture frame (we have TONS to choose from) I used a square one with a 3.25 x 3.25 opening.
Binder (again – so many to choose from!) I picked a 4 x 4 binder from Maya Road
3 pieces of PATTERNED 12 x 12 paper (try to find double sided so you have more to choose from)
4 pieces of coordinating SOLID 12 x 12 paper
One Pack of coordinating stickers
Coordinating Paint
Adhesive

Price Range: Under $20!

Directions:
1.Paint the edges and back of your frame and set aside to dry.
2.If desired, paint the binding of your album the same color as your frame.
3.Trace the frame onto a piece of 12 x 12 patterned paper and cut out.
4.Adhere to frame.
5.Embellish with Stickers and more paper.
6.Using the assortment of paper you have, cut out the cover and back of the album and the pages to go in your album.
7.Embellish each page with stickers – or if it is printed paper, just leave it! Still so cute! Write on the front of the album what year it is.
8.So easy and fun to put together! This makes for an easy way for friends and family to keep those Christmas memories alive before Christmas is even over!


To Grandmother’s House We Go Travel Kit:



Idea: Do you know someone who travels a lot with their kids over the holidays? Why not make them a travel kit with fun activities, so no one is bored on the way to Grandma’s house?! Embellish our Paint Can and then fill with surprises!

Supplies:
Gallon Bucket (or any container to hold activities)
2 pieces of patterned paper
Alphabet Stickers
Activities (We have lots of fun foam Christmas projects, mini activity books, crayons, markers, scissors…)
Adhesive

Price Range: Under $15 to do the bucket with embellishments. Activities to go inside start at 99 cents and go up from there.

Directions:
1.Take both pieces of patterned paper and cut or rip to size. (I ripped mine.)
2.Adhere together to fit in bucket and put in bucket.
3.I cut out shapes from the patterned paper and put on the outside of the bucket for a 3-D look. (the trees)
4.Write a saying on the outside of the bucket with the alphabet stickers – I wrote “Over the River”
5.Cut a circle out of paper and adhere to the lid.
6.Add more alphabet stickers and embellishments to the lid.
7.Fill bucket with fun activities!


Cookie Decorating Kit:



Idea: I think this is the most versatile gift idea! You can mix and match any of our cookie decorating items to find the right fit for you! My favorite items, of course, are the kids aprons. They turn out so cute!!

Supplies:
Kids Aprons
Iron On Alphabet
Ribbon
Cookie cutters – so many to choose from! They start as singles at 70 cents or can be bought as a set of 9 in a container!
Sprinkles
Icing
Lehi Roller Mills Sugar Cookie Mix with Icing

Price Range: These kits can be so versatile! The kits shown would range from $20 - $25 including ribbon and iron-ons. You could do a less expensive kit by mixing and matching to fit your style and budget!

Directions:
1.To make the aprons, decide what you want to put on the aprons such as ribbon and the iron-ons.
2.To adhere the ribbon – use tacky tape.
3.Iron on a name or saying to the front of the apron.
4.Put together your cookie decorating gift set.
5.I put together two of them (you can be so creative with this!):
a.Apron, Lehi Roller Mills Cookie Mix with Icing, Sprinkles, and Cookie Cutter
b.Apron, Cookie Cutter Set, 2 Tubes of Icing
c.Or you could do just an apron and a cookie cutter.
d.Or apron and icing with sprinkles.
e.The ideas are endless here!!