Yes, I was crazy enough to go shopping this morning. I didn't come home with any great finds, in fact I didn't buy a single thing. But I did come home feeling a little unsettled. There is so much news around us about the state of the economy and how a lot of people are struggling financially. I was surprised by how many people were out shopping early today, but even more than that (after all I was one of them), I was surprised by the vast quantities of stuff people were purchasing. There were consumers who had three or four shopping carts piled high with toys. Nobody needs that much stuff!
Anyway, I thought today I would give you a few ideas of small, inexpensive Christmas gifts you can make with scrapbooking products. I know most of you have them lying around unused, so you might as well put them to good use.
The first item is a family recipe book. I found this fun idea on Debbie's World blog. You should check it out. She has lots of cute ideas. This book is made by using spiral bound index cards. Decorate the covers with cardstock, stickers, and embellishments. The wire is perfect for tying ribbon on. Then simply, write your recipes inside. You can also add stickers and embellishments to the pages inside as well.
Another fun idea to use products you already have is to create a scrapbook calendar for the new year. You can either buy a calendar to decorate or make your own. I'll give more details in an upcoming blog later this month. Grandparents love these. Especially if you fill in all the birthdays, anniversaries, and other important events for them. It's a great way to showcase your favorite pictures taken throughout the year.
You could also create a Thank You/Love You box. We did this for Thanksgiving this year, but it would also be a great Christmas gift. Purchase a box (we found one at the dollar store), or decorate your own. Then make small cards out of cardstock. You can decorate each one with a sticker or embellishment. We simply used paper flowers with a brad through the center of them. Then have all of your family members write a note to whomever the gift is for. Put them in the box. This is a very simple, inexpensive gift that will be treasured forever.My hope for you is that you and your families can make this Christmas a simple, yet memorable one, focused on the true meaning of Christmas. Hopefully some of these ideas might help.
Return to the Neighborhood.
2 comments:
Kim,
Cute ideas. I especially liked the "Thank You/Love Box."
I really have to agree, Kim - I think we've gotten so accustomed to the idea that we must spend heaps and scads on gifts that we forget how meaningful the small, thoughtful gifts can be. I think one of the best gifts we can give our children is the security of keeping our debt under control, and if we can explain to them that they don't need carts full of gifts but we're providing for the future by being more moderate, we've given them a truly priceless gift.
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