That's A Wrap

Here's an inexpensive, quick and easy way to wrap small gifts. I've been doing this for years because it's done with materials I almost always have on hand. All you need is newspaper, a paper lunch sack, twine and a stapler.Send the newspaper through the paper shredder to get your sack filler.Place the gift inside. Fold the top of the sack, accordion style, about have way down and then staple the middle. Pull the two ends together and staple.Cut several lengths of twine and thread them through the small opening in the fold. Wrap the twine around the sack and tie. That's it! You have an inexpensive, cute gift wrap idea that's very versatile. To make it fancy, you can use a white paper sack that's been embellished with stamps or scrapbook decorations, and then tie it with colored raffia or pretty satin ribbon.

I Heart the DT

What do you do when you put away all of the decorations from the past holiday? Well, go to the dollar store of course, to see what's new for the next holiday. And, as usual, I found a few fun things to buy.
I think that the dollar store is a lot like the thrift store. If you look with an open mind, there are always treasures to be found!
Here's what I bought:At first glance, this may not seem like much, right?
Look again!

A roll of holiday ribbon is always a good investment. I have a favorite little boutique that always looks beautiful for each holiday and season. One of the tricks they use is to tie festive ribbon on the items that they always have on display. They tie it to apothecary jars, candles, lamps, wherever! That little touch changes the look of the whole store. It's a great idea to use at home too.

A bag, or two, of conversation hearts is a MUST for Valentine's. Put them in a pretty bowl, jar, or heart shaped container for a treat or a gift. Use them as fillers in hurricanes or apothecary jars. They look fun just spread along a shelf or down the center of a tablecloth. One year, I made a simple and quick gift by gluing the candy hearts onto inexpensive candles. They can be glued on in a random pattern or in a few rows at the base of the candle. I used hot glue, but I put the glue on the candy piece, not on the candle itself.

Rub on letters can be used for more than just scrapbooks. Rub them on a mirror for a special message to your loved ones. They can be put on a glass container that holds candy or a candle. Or you can add them to a heart shaped wooden plaque for an easy, inexpensive decoration.

Holiday ice cube trays are great! Think about freezing red drink mix instead of just water. You can use the trays as molds for melting chocolate to make a batch of homemade chocolates. One year I mixed up a batch of plaster of paris and poured it into heart shaped molds. When the plaster was dry, I painted the hearts and gave them as favors. You could even add a magnet on the back of each plaster heart.

Heart shaped tins can be used for holding the homemade chocolates or magnets, or any small gift. You can use them as a family mailbox for placing love notes inside. The tins could be personalized with paint pens or permanent markers, or decoupage an old fashioned valentine, or monogram onto the top.

What ideas can you come up with for these little dollar store goodies?

At last! A LIST!

May I first say thank you for your words of kindness, empathy and encouragement and most of all for your patience. Hopefully this post will make it worth your wait.

Before I begin my list, let me share some great ideas from my very creative readers.

*Bonnie wrote: I had my kids draw pictures of what they thought Christmas was about (my daughter is quite prolific). Then I copied the pictures onto muslin and I am going to stitch out the picture with a cute Christmas saying, frame it and give it to my mom and Grandmother. I bought the frames at a second hand store for about a dollar a piece. Other than my time, it will cost me about $3.00 per gift.

Also I bought cute Christmas plates for about 33 cents a piece at the second hand store and I am going to give some of my neighbors their treats on them with a plate stand. Total cost under $3.00.
*Andrea posted some wonderful ideas. Be sure to spend some time looking through her December and November posts where she shares ideas for making your own ornaments, topiaries, coasters, bath salts, and MORE!
*Amber made and posted three great gift ideas here, here and here.
*Immortal Beloved shared her recipe for yummy peppermint bark.
*Cheryl has a great recipe for five minute fudge wreaths that would make a delicious gift.
*MARYANNE420 has a TON of Martha's ideas that she's been crafting.

If YOU have a some inexpensive gift ideas to share, please add them to the comments on this post!

Now, on to my list. I purchased almost everything from the dollar store to show you these ideas. Remember that I am giving you a SIMPLE version. It's up to you to customize it and make it special.Practical gifts are always nice. Who can't use an extra extension cord this time of year? Attach a tag that says, "EXTENDING special wishes your way, for a Happy Holiday!"
A multi-purpose lighter is nice for lighting candles. Give it with candles and a tag that says, "We're de-lighted to have you as our neighbors."
The tall glass candles (referred to as religious candles) look very special when covered with foil wrapping paper, beautiful scrapbook paper, or vellum. Add on ribbon, bells, a monogram, or scrapbook letters that spell out JOY or NOEL. Give a gift of art. You or your children can paint a special picture on canvas. Or paint your child's hand and print it onto the canvas and mod podge the saying, "Hands down, you're the best grandparents in the world!" You could even use spay adhesive to make a collage of special photos.
Paint or cover the wood plaques with scrapbook paper. Add a monogram or spell out a name, or another word with small wooden letters. Mod podge on a meaningful scripture or poem, or paste on several words that describe the person. Don't forget to replace the string with pretty ribbon. Give a photo album with a tag that says, "Have a picture perfect Christmas!" If you want to spend a little more money, add a disposable camera or place the album in a basket filled with travel sized toiletries.
Try filling a basket with a board game and lots of edible goodies and present it to a family with a tag that instructs them to "Enjoy a Family Fun Night!" You could also fill the basket with drinks, packages of popcorn and a movie.How about giving a cute apron with a tag stating, "Hope you're cooking up a Special Christmas and a Happy New Year!" Include some hot pads and say, "From our PAD to yours."
Who doesn't love cinnamon sugar? Pour it into a pretty container, tie it with a ribbon and include a recipe or two that uses this ingredient (snicker-doodle cookies, for instance).
Give a box, refrigerated roll, or a frozen home-made batch, of cookie dough with a tag says, "Everyone could use a little extra DOUGH this time of year!"
Bake a batch cookies, stack them in a bag of cellophane, and place them in a pretty glass or mug. Write on the tag, "Santa's not the only one who loves milk and cookies."
Or fill a mug with packages of hot chocolate and add a pretty spoon or two that's been dipped in melting chocolate.
The cute ice cube tray could be given with packets of drink mix and a tag that states, "It's such a TREE-t to be your friends!" Or how about filling the tray with delicious melting chocolate and sprinkles and tying it with a pretty bow? Or use the tray to make several batches of chocolate trees and present them on a pretty glass or festive plate.
Tie a ribbon around a seasoned salt grinder, or two, along with a tag stating, "SEASONS Greetings."
Another easy treat idea is to make a batch of chocolate rice krispie treats. Press portions of the mixture into a large funnel sprayed with oil. Wait a minute or two and gently remove the mixture from the funnel form. Notice how you now have what appears to be a big chocolate kiss? Repeat this process until you have several. When cool, wrap the krispie kisses in foil and include a long, thin tag that says, "We wish you a Merry Kissmas!"I bought these simple gift ideas from a friend. The star is made from branches tied together and spray painted. Wouldn't it be extra special when given with scripture or quote about a star?
The tag is made from thin wood with the word stenciled on. It would be so fun to give a stack of these tied with string or hanging from a small wreath or tree.
My theory for giving gifts is much the same as decorating, you don't have to spend a lot to make it look like you did. What you save in money, you should make up for in presentation. Put a little time and love into your gifts. Adding a tag with a cute/corny saying can make the gift seem special. Tie your gifts with REAL ribbon or at least be generous with the curling ribbon (use five strands instead of one). Add on a bell, unbreakable ornament, or a candy cane. You can even use wrapped candy for filler in gift baskets.
When a gift looks like it's had love, time and thought put into, it doesn't really matter how much it cost. It really is "the thought that counts."