Handmade Gifts That Are Practically Free

I am going to assume you have zero cash, so that leaves out any kind of baking or cooking because all those ingredients add up and can end up costing more than buying a present.

Inventory the supplies you have on hand and go from there. Most of us 'crafty vixens' have boxes with leftovers from other projects.

1. Letter of Appreciation

If you know how to do Italic writing or calligraphy, you can write each person a "Why I appreciate you" letter and that can be more touching than any gift you could buy.

2. Simple Yarn Ideas

If you have some yarn, make them some handmade tassels or a tassel doll.

http://www.fiber-images.com/Free_Things/How_Tos/how-to_make_tassel.htm

http://www.ehow.com/how_5889_make-tassel-doll.html

3. Plants

If you have a yard with beautiful plants, you can make them an arrangement using either dry or fresh plants. I save any pretty bottles I get throughout the year and use them as 'free' vases.

4. Handmade Jigsaw Puzzles

Glue a magazine photo to cardboard and dry under a heavy book.

After it's dry, cut it into jigsaw style puzzle pieces and put the pieces in an envelope.

5. Seed necklaces. See my article here: http://hubpages.com/hub/Make_a_Seed_Necklace

6. Can crafts:

If you've been saving your tin cans, you can decorate them with spray paint or glue yarn around and around the can for a pencil holder or to store scissors in. You can personalize it with the recipient's name. You can glue glitter to it.

Or you can make a can into a simple candle holder to hang outdoors. Take a hammer and a nail. Fill the can with water and freeze. Then use the hammer and nail to punch holes in a design around the can. Make a handle with wire or a wire clothes hanger. Put a votive candle inside and hang out at night for a magical lantern.

In other words, make the most of what you have laying around.

7. Fabric

If you have leftover bits of cotton or cotton blend fabric you can make mini quilts. You can make doll house rugs. You can make yo-yo dolls.

A simple quilt is called a 9 patch and has 9 square patches. You can sew it all together by hand and make a nice pillow or place-mat or hot pad.

http://www.freequilt.com/ninepatch.html

http://scrapquilts.com/julybom.html

http://www.ehow.com/how_8124_make-yo-yo.html

8. Embroidery

The stitches are simple, and you can do it on recycled fabric. In other words, grab an old pair of clean jeans, make something out of them, and decorate with embroidery. If you are a beginner, stick to square projects like place-mats, hot pads, table runners, or purses.

http://www.craftown.com/instruction/embroidery.htm

9. Make an ornament

You can make them out of dough and flour, air-dried clay, mirrors, fabric, felt, or odds and ends laying around. I saw a Christmas tree at a beauty parlour decorated with hair curlers and other small beauty salon items. Make an ornament to match the recipient's occupation. Make teacher's little apple ornaments, make doctor's a tiny stethoscope ornament, etc.

10. Gifts for books

Make book covers in sturdy paper or fabric. Everyone has books they'd like to protect.

http://nd.essortment.com/howtomakebook_rkef.htm

http://www.jantjeblokhuismulder.com/articles/bookcover.shtml

Or, take an old book from a thrift store, and make an altered book.

http://www.alteredbookartists.com/

Or make a book safe to stash your treasures in. Pick a boring title like "Farm Equipment from the 1800's".

And if these ideas don't quite hit the spot, I found a webpage which lists a lot more:

http://www.interestingideas.com/out/craftshow/craftside.htm

Happy crafting. If you have any questions, let me know.