CHEAP CHRISTMAS STOCKING STUFFER CRAFTS

The opening of the Christmas stockings is a big deal in our family. Fun, handmade gifts are always a hit and I enjoy making them.

Buy plain switch plates and cover them with printed out photos, pictures from magazines, comic book pages or gift wrap. Coat with several layers of clear sealer. These are particularly popular with kids who have theme bedrooms. I know I'll be making at least two Hannah Montana switch plates this year. My neighbor likes old movies, so I'm making her one using a print out of an old movie poster.

Make ornaments with simple items like a foam board, cut out heart, bell or tree shapes (tracing around a cookie cutter helps) and glue a photo onto it, then apply glitter glue or yarn around the edges. Poke a hole for hanging and add a loop of ribbon for a hanger.

Buy ordinary ink pens and paint them, glue on ribbon (wrap it on a diagonal) or use faux suede for the guys. You can also do this with pencils and add funny pencil toppers. We've also decorated tins of mints and sunglasses for fun with paint and glitter and ribbon. Decorated slipper socks are also fun.

Embroider flowers or other designs on little girls socks. Buy inexpensive knit gloves and decorate the cuffs with buttons, ribbon, lace, embroidery, whatever you think they'll like.

One year we made small popcorn balls and wrapped them in red or green cellophane and added a funny faces on them with all sorts of things, like yarn, googley eyes and glitter glue.

Make pipe cleaner antlers and add little eyes to candy canes for reindeer canes, or make a magic wand by gluing a glittery star and some ribbon streamers to the top of a peppermint stick for your princesses.

Buy an assortment of cookie cutters and decorate them with ribbon, sequins or glitter to make tree ornaments. You can get really fancy and wrap them with copper foil or wire and add beads or sea glass on the edges.

I hope these ideas inspire you to get creative and have fun!