I made these tea bags, from loose tea, coffee filters, cotton thread
and scrapbook papers
Giving gifts is one area that is really important to me. I like taking the time to find just the right gift for each person on my list. So, reducing this part of the budget was hard for me.
My gift-giving budget was cut in half this summer, at least for the next 12 months. Our annual gift-giving budget is drawn up in August of every year. We save, year 'round, for birthdays, holidays, weddings, new babies, and any other gift-occasion that should arise. Each recipient, for each occasion has an allotted amount budgeted for a gift. We try very hard to stay within that amount. In addition, I have a category for those events that can't be foreseen a year in advance, such as new babies, weddings, housewarmings, and hostess gift-giving.
The biggest (and easiest) cut in gift-giving, was for my husband and I to severely cut back our spending on each other. We've also reduced (but not as drastically) the amount we'll be spending on our children. But that doesn't mean that the grinch has stolen our Christmas, birthdays, Easter or Valentine's. I just need to get creative, and brainstorm how to find gifts for a fraction of what I have spent in prior years. And I'm off to a good start -- several gifts made (or bought at a deep discount) and waiting.
So here's my Gift-giving on a small budget plan, part one, organizing my supplies:
I approach gift-giving much in the same manner as I approach menu-planning. I don't open up the cookbooks, and see what looks good. Instead I survey my pantry, freezer, fridge and garden and see what I have to work with.
My approach to gifts this year, follows the same approach. I look into my cupboards, closets, pantry and sewing room to see what I can work with. Then, I brainstorm how to use these materials.
Brainstorm
Open cupboards, closets, trunks and drawers in search of potential raw material/supplies for making gifts, and actual gift items.
Everything is laid out on the dining room table, to see what I have to work with. It's an impressive selection of supplies, and some purchased gift items.
From the kitchen:
nuts, dried fruit, candy pieces, popcorn, white chocolate, dark chocolate, loose tea, special canning jars, recycled tall jars with lids, special bottles, coffee filters, empty coffee cans and large food storage containers
From the craft cupboard:
all types of glues/adhesives, beads, citric acid, rubber stamps and stamp pads, note card blanks, scrapbook paper, ribbons, shells, magnets, styrofoam shapes, fake greenery and moss, acrylic paints, gold spray paint, wax, soap-making supplies, pine cones, brown papier mache boxes, pot pourri, essential oils, large wooden letters, epsom salt
From the sewing closet:
large variety of fabric, including some Christmas fabrics, polar fleece, small bells, ribbons, lace, trims, yarns, knitting needles, and patterns for: pj pants, men's boxer shorts, aprons, vests, hats, mittens, padded hangers
From the gift closet (this is where I keep items that I pick up that I think would make wonderful gifts):
ready-to-go gifts -- an assortment of holiday items, holiday tins, a couple of clothing items, a spa basket, and a couple of gifts that I bought intending to give to my daughters on their birthday last year, but completely forgot
From my purse:
gift cards and coupons (for purchasing gifts for those who may be difficult to craft/bake for, and for those items that I am really wanting to give to specific persons on my list -- as hard as I try, I don't think I could craft and sew waterproof winter parkas for my daughters, or nice work slacks for my son)
From my gardening supplies/plants:
seeds, plants that are easy to propagate, pots, potting soil
From my bank of skills:
While I have some yarn, I'm really not a terribly good knitter. Knitting is not one of my primo skills. It would be an exasperating waste of time for me to try to knit gifts. (In fact, a couple of years ago, I attempted to do just that. I've vowed -- never again!) I do sew well-enough, however. I enjoy baking and other kitchen endeavors. I have a knack for yeast bread. And I make a good loaf of sourdough bread. I love the packaging end of making gifts.
Now that it's all laid before me, I can begin to see potential gifts. Just off the top of my head I can think of several gifts -- home-crafted tea bags, blackberry pancake syrup (using NW wild blackberries), sourdough bread, homemade granola in a jar, jams, holiday aprons, hand-crafted candles and soap, bath bombs, bath salt, small jewelry boxes for keeping earrings, sachets and shoe/boot stuffers, wall-mounted necklace hanger/display, fleece mittens and hats, men's boxers, tins of flavored popcorn, potted plants, beaded bracelets, beaded hair combs, a lace or velvet vest, a corduroy or wool vest, and a denim log carrier. I have absolutely everything I could need to make all of those items.
For more inspiration, I turn to Google. I enter "homemade" "gift" plus the name of a particular material/supply. And up pops dozens of items I could make with what I have on hand.
So, I've begun with the crafting, using what I have on hand. I am doing much of this assembly line style, making as many of an item as I have materials for. I'll "shop" my stash of creations, as I need gifts. And I'll look beyond Christmas and birthdays, and begin work on a baby item, to have on hand, and a hostess gift or two. By starting now, I won't be rushed into buying something at the last minute.
Here's how my crafting/making calendar is shaping up:
Day 1
Assembled raw materials/supplies and potential gifts
Also on Day 1
I assembled all the giftables that I already have. These could be items gifted to me the year before, or gifts that I bought with the thought that I'd give them to someone. Place all in a gift closet/box to shop from later.
Regifted gift baskets can be taken apart, and the individual items gifted separately. For example, let's say I was given a spa gift set. I could take this apart and use the individual items as stocking stuffers for my daughters.
Lastly on Day 1
I assembled coupons, gift cards, vouchers for use to purchase gifts for those on my list who are difficult to craft, sew or knit/crochet for.
Day 2 (not necessarily the day right after Day 1. A few days after Day 1. I typically work on crafting projects 2 to 3 days per week.)
Began brainstorming
I got out my list of recipients, and brainstormed ways to use my supplies for each. Having a written list keeps me focused and upbeat about this enormous undertaking of making and/or discount-buying so many gifts. I tried to also think of items I could make, that are light weight, so as to minimize postage costs.
I Googled specific materials and included words like "make", "homemade" "gift", bookmark specific projects and online patterns.
Day 3
I went back to the bookmarks and my own list, and chose a handful of simple projects to begin, sticking with items that require minimal additional materials (a spool of thread is all that I've bought so far). Shopped for those minimal items -- that spool of thread.
Day 4
I began my crafting days. I chose one of the projects and made as many of it as I had ingredients for.
Day 5
Following the crafting day, I had a packaging day. I took items made the day before and packaged nicely. They are placed in a box to "shop from" a few weeks before the holidays.
Day 6
New project -- repeat of day 4
Day 7
Repeat of day 5
My plan is to continue repeating days 4 and 5 until I have exhausted my supplies, or believe that I have enough crafted items for gifts.
Over the next several weeks, I'll highlight one or two items that I've made or are making that week. A few of the things, I've made before, and are on this blog.
an assortment of home-crafted tea bags in a pretty canning jar
This jar of hand-crafted tea bags, for example. The instructions for making tea bags can be found here. I sewed a bunch of bags, filled them, sewed closed, then added the strings and labels. I was able to make 2 gifts on the afternoon that I crafted these.
functional, yes, but will be appreciated -- boxer shorts, made using
a plain sheet, some elastic and McCall's pattern M6104. I did have
to figure how to leave the fly open, as the pattern has it sewn shut,
but that was not very difficult
Men are the hardest to make gifts for, for me. So, for the men in my life:
I've made a few pairs of boxer shorts (see photo above)
I'm in the process of making a denim log carrier
My husband uses cotton hankies in winter, and they are so easy to sew
Flavored popcorn in large coffee tins is always a hit with the men I know
Homemade candy is always appreciated by my "men"
And of course, food gifts of any kind, are almost always well-received, by men and women. I made blackberry pancake syrup for a few on my list. I had a couple of those tall quilted canning jars in my cupboard, which I used to can some of this year's blackberry syrup. I will make up a bag of homemade pancake mix, to slide into a decorated muslin bag, to accompany the syrup. One man on my list enjoys his pancake breakfasts.
Any suggestions on gifts that could be made, using my list of supplies? I am totally open to ideas. What gifts have you made in the past, that have been well-received? Have you ever had someone on your list, who just didn't appreciate the hand-crafted gift? How did you handle that?
Later this week, part 2, how I plan to "purchase" some of the gifts, with little actual cash.