Great Ways to Turn Your Hobbies and Talents Into Gifts

Get ready to have fun and a gratifying time as you join me in this do-it-yourself adventure. You're about to create gifts directly from the hobbies you love and the talents you've been given.

Do you think you don't have any talents or hobbies? Sure you do. You just need a little reminding. Even just one special thing you're good at will work well. You'll simply make duplicates for one-and-all.

Scan through the ideas listed below, selecting one or more you'd like to try. Or come up with some of your own ideas. Starting your gift project early will save you some stress later on.

The first step is to make a list of things you love to do and are pretty good at. Take as much time as you need to make your list.

Some examples might be:

• Writing Poetry
• Singing
• Knitting/Crocheting
• Wood-work
• Candle making
• Photography
• Playing Piano
• Recipes/Cooking
• Family history/Geneology
• Making Potpourri
• Designing Greeting Cards
• Baking
• Gardening
• Composing music
• Drawing
• Floral Arranging
• Playing Guitar
• Voice Impersonations
• Crafts
• Rock Collecting
• Writing Stories/How to
• Couponing
• Making Videos/DVDs
• Recording Music
• Decorating rocks. (See the last photo on the right.)

Creating your own gifts is great therapy and satisfying. Children love to get involved and spending this time with your child leaves a lasting memory full of fun. I like to start making Christmas gifts as early as August to avoid the feeling of being rushed at the last minute. By starting early I can really enjoy the season without stress.

During the year I watch for sales on items I use for my gift-making. It not only saves me money, which I love to do, I also have just what I need for each gift ready and waiting. I visit the local Dollar Store often to check out new bargains or supplies for making gifts.

As I said earlier, the purpose of this list is to get you thinking; to connect you to your own interests, activities, hobbies, and talents. The next step will teach you how to turn your hobby or talent into a lovely, unique, gift.

This is one of my favorite gifts to create. Recording your voice is a fun project. However, before you click on that record button, there are a few things to remember to do:

• Whether you record your speaking voice or your singing voice, always warm up your voice. A link is provided below to help you with this.
• Enunciate clearly. The listener doesn't have the advantage of watching your lips move to help them understand the words. Your lips, tongue, and jaw must do all the work. For more information on how to pronounce your words with clarity, a link is provided for this as well.
• Use 'color' in your speaking and singing. Think of a lovely painting alive with a variety of colors, some bright and some dark. Reflect these colors by allowing your emotions to come through. Do not speak in a monotone voice. Your speech will be boring and difficult to understand.
• Be as original as possible. Allow the best part of YOU to come through. Above all, be confident.
• Do not be over-critical or judgemental with your recording. Just be yourself. Otherwise, you will spend all of your time trying to make your recording perfect. This is unreasonable unless you hire a top-notch recording studio with an engineer.
• When you finish your recording, create a label, slip the DVD into a sleeve, wrap it up and you're good to go.

The sound of your voice is unique. It is endearing and vibrant to those who love and admire you. A recording of your voice is personal, heart-warming and can be saved and passed down to generations.

What I wouldn't give to hear my grandparents voices. Today my most priceless possession is a cassette tape that holds the voice of my son Todd. Never imagining that cancer would one day claim his life, I was wise enough to hold on to this recording.

You are giving a treasure without measure when you give the gift of your voice. Consider the following options:

• Record a funny experience.
• Record a reading of poetry. It can be your own or one of the classics. You have many choices.
• Record a story. If your gift is for a child, make it age-appropriate. For Christmas, what child wouldn't love "The Night Before Christmas."
• Affirmations make wonderful gifts. As you make your recording, add some light flute music in the background.
• Engage all the children for singing family favorites, hymns or Christmas Carols.
• For those living far away, children's messages recorded on a CD or DVD make a priceless gift.
• Do you have a friend or loved one who goes wild for Country music, or perhaps New Age or classical? Make copies of one of your own CD's, adding a list of each song in order.
• There is nothing sweeter than the sounds of a baby or a toddler's first words. After recording remember to add the date or age of the child.
• Record a sing-along using your own voice or another CD of recorded favorites.
• The Lord's Prayer, Sermon On The Mount, The Ten Commandments or other Scriptures make a very nice gift.
• Select an array of up-lifting quotes or those that fit the personality of the receiver and record them adding some soft background music.

The possibilities are endless. And so are your talents.

Keeping your vocal cords relaxed and warm is crucial for speaking or singing. The correct warm ups will help you deliver a rich, pleasant sound. For recordings, this step is a must.

One of the biggest frustrations for the listener of a recording is to wonder what word the artist is trying to say or sing. When we have trouble understanding the words, the entire meaning of a phrase is lost. To speak and sing clearly is the responsibility of the artist.

Are you a writer or a poet? Lucky you as this is an easy talent to use as a Christmas gift. You have several options:

• Write your life story (Keep it fairly brief). Writing your story is telling of your experience, hope, and strength. You are passing on valuable life lessons. Write about who you are, where you've been, where you are now and how you got there.
• Write about an inspirational learning experience. Fill it with wisdom and light. If it's short enough, you can frame it and decorate the frame.
• Create a lovely poem or even a humorous one. Mount your poetry on burlap with a tiny silk bow for hanging.
• Write a short story age-appropriate for the receiver.

I'll bet you have collected a mountain of recipes and what a great gift recipe cards make. Men, women and teens love trying new recipes.

• On a 3x5 card, hand-write your favorite recipe. Because this is a gift, write at least three (3) recipe cards.
• Wrap the recipes with a pretty ribbon or raffia.
• If you like, you can put them in a cute wooden box or small wire basket.

This idea is almost too easy for anyone with a passion for gardening. All you need is:

1. A cute little box (cardboard works very well.)
2. Some soil for starting seeds.
3. A few seeds. Keep the seeds in the envelope as part of the gift.
4. A pair of see-through gloves

With this gift, you will be demonstrating how to grow the seeds into a lovely plant, or an herb or two.

• Place a small bag of soil, a pair of see-through gloves and the package of seeds inside the container to be used for planting.
• Add a note with a message stating you will come by and plant the seeds with the receiver of your gift. This is a wonderful gift for a child or teen.
• Place some festive ribbon around the box along with a big bow.

It's been a joy to bring you these ideas for gift making. Gifts that come from the hands, come from the heart. It isn't necessary to pressure ourselves or our wallets with store-bought presents.

I welcome your comments. Sharing your ideas for home-made gifts will help others wanting to do this.

Thank you and remember to Wrap With Love.

vocalcoach aka Audrey Hunt