FEATURE
h l t i o v w e e b d y a ... m YOU!
w WRITTEN BY TAMARA KOMUNIECKI There's gold in them thar hills, my friends, and while I'm not talking about the shiny stuff, I am talking about treasure. It's just of a different sort. The riches of which I speak are... tutorials. If you are ever at a loss for ideas of what to give your loved ones for the holidays, get yourself onto a crafting or sewing blog, and go crazy. Here is a very small sampling of DIY projects found online, that can be given as a simple, small gift, or as a part of a bigger package.
give the gift of relaxation give the gift of a nice treat MAKE: MUG RUG AND COOKIES Mug rugs are all the rage, and they’re super-easy to zip up. One of our favorites is in a post on the awesome blog In Color Order, by the lovely Jeni Baker!
BUY: A fun mug and a bag of coffee, tea or hot chocolate.
w Tie Tea Mug
MAKE: ECO-FRIENDLY SOY CANDLES Even though the candle making tutorial on Ruffled is for wedding favors, this would make the most lovely holiday gift. A good way to keep costs down would be to find the double boiler for melting the wax, and your candle containers (jars, old glasses, etc.) at a secondhand shop. BUY: A nice box of matches, a bottle of bubble bath, a relaxing CD, and a bottle of wine.
w Triangle Matches
from dippylulu
give the gift of food MAKE: OVEN HAND MITTS If you are confident in picking a fabric that you know the recipient will love, use it, but if you’re not quite sure, you can’t go wrong with French ticking or linen. This simple project from The Idea Room makes for a unique and very useable gift.
BUY: If you’re feeling really generous (or can find one at an outlet), this would be the perfect handmade complement to a Le Creuset dish. If that’s a bit rich for your blood, try a few wooden spoons and a cookbook along with the mitts.
w Le Creuset French Oven