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Day five of Handmade Christmas Challenge- Boys

By on November 19, 2009 in Handmade Christmas Challenge

I often hear so many people say that they have a hard time finding gifts for boys.  It is true that there is so much to make for girls but I had no shortage of gifts ideas for little boys during my search.  In fact,  I may have a second day because there will be too many for one.

What boy does not like adventure and when I think of adventure, I think of Indiana Jones.  Even the 40 something year old boys in my family love it.  How about an Indiana Jones Bullwhip?

You are in luck… I found one which is made of fabric and one which is made of duct tape?!!  Maybe you could find a brown fedora (Indiana Jones) style hat at a thrift store to go with the bullwhip.

You could go a little more 21st century and go with a marshmallow gun,  I can’t tell you how easy these are and you could either leave them plain or paint them, a bag of mini marshmallows and you are ready to go.  This one has a tutorial for a face shield to go with the gun.

Don’t like the idea of marshmallows flying around your house?  How about rubber bands?  I found a tutorial on how to make a rubberband gun.

Alright,  here is a nice quiet gift, a car mat with roads to run little cars on.  It is made of felt, and super simple to make.  You could bundle it with some little cars and make any little boy happy.  The tutorial is in spanish or probably Portuguese but just the pics are enough to get you going.
Here is a gift to alleviate the winter cabin fever episodes, an indoor swing!!  Yes, it is possible and cost little to make.  Check it out.
And once they get going how about some homemade lollipops?  These are really easy and made from hard candies, can you say, recycle that Halloween candy?
Of course after all that shooting, playing, swinging and candy they will need a bath.  This soap is sure to send them running for the tub.  Here we have some Batman soap and this one is my fave… goldfish in a bag soap!!!  Too cute.

 what did I tell you , cute huh?

And from the tub to bedtime,  I always have a hard time finding pajama pants that I like for my kids.  With this super easy tutorial you can make them their pj’s yourself.  This is an important one in my family.  My mom started a tradition when I was little of giving us a new pajama on Christmas Eve and my kids look forward to their new jammies every year.  There is nothing like going to sleep in new pajamas on a night when there is so much magic.

That’s all folks, now get to work.

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Day four of Handmade Christmas Challenge- Stocking Stuffers

By on November 18, 2009 in Handmade Christmas Challenge
Todays challenge is Stocking Stuffers.  To me a stocking stuffer is a gift which is smaller than a regular gift can fit into a stocking and cost less than a regular gift.

Here is a great little stuffer for the coffee or tea drinker on your list:  a mug cozy.  Here is a knitted version from Homespun Living.  You could also make one from an upcycled felted wool sweater.

If your coffee drinker is more of the Latte grab a cup on the way to work person then here is a knitted version to replace the coffee sleeve at coffee shops. Can’t knit,  try to sew a coffee sleeve like this one.
A matchbook notepad is a cute little present to find in your stocking,  here is one and here is another
                                                        No coffee drinkers in your life?  How about a wine afficionado?  Wine charms are useful and so simple to make.  Here are some examples, here and here are some made from simple jewelry findings from the craft store and here is one from wire and creativity.
How about a cute Scrabble Tile pendant,  this idea has been around for a few years but still so adorable.
For the kiddies on your list here is a crayon roll to fill their stockings.  No time to make one, buy it handmade from this Etsy seller for just $5.50, so please people, stop telling me that handmade is too expensive.  You would spend more on the materials than buying it and please remember that you are supporting an artist.
Lastly tonight I have for you, the everlasting flat glass marble magnets:  This one is so cute and you could put anything you wanted behind it, think pictures, funny sayings, use your imagination and really capture the person you are giving it to.  I have seen these sets for as little as $3.00 at Etsy.
Really, everything listed today can be found made by someone handmade at Etsy or at least a variation of it.  Go check it out and the best part is if you don’t like the exact color or style you can ask for them to make it custom for you.  I’d like to see you try that at Target : )
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