Gift Ideas

Warning: Although these gifts are intended to be made by children, some may require the use of a stove, microwave, sewing machine or other equipment or materials that might require help. Please check with an adult before starting any project you find on this site.

Paper Mache Glass Vases

Make a beautiful vase that can hold water too!

Materials:
small glass jar (jam, olive or pickle jars work well)
old newspaper, torn into strips
paper mache paste
tempera or acrylic paint
white glue or clear varnish
optional: cardboard as from a cereal box
optional: tissue or toilet paper

Wash out the inside and outside of your jar. Spread a light coating of paper mache paste over the jar, then dip a strip of newspaper into the paste. Squeeze off the excess paste then apply to the jar so that it lays flat. Once you have a single layer, add any embellishments you desire. You can make textured shapes by using tissue or toilet paper and paste, or add "petals" and / or a base using shapes cut from cardboard. Continue coating with paper mache until the entire jar has two layers of paper. Take a strip of newspaper (or tissue) and fold it over the top edge to tidy it up. You may add textures or shapes to your vase by using tissue with paper mache and rolling it into "snakes" then add to the vase. Let it dry overnight.

Paint as desired and let dry. Paint a thin layer of glue or varnish over the paint and inside the lip of the vase to help protect it from water spills. Let dry, and if desired, repeat with a second coat.

I love this craft because it recycles and creates a truly beautiful and useful item.

Chocolate Dipped Spoons and Candy Canes

Materials:
your choice of metal or heat-proof plastic spoons and/or standard-sized candy canes
pure semi-sweet and/or white chocolate (mini chips melt fastest, but any kind will work)
microwave safe bowl
baking sheet or tray lined with waxed paper
optional: a few drops of your choice of vanilla, cherry, orange, rum or mint extract
optional: cellophane candy bags and curling ribbon

Put desired amount of chocolate into bowl and melt by running the microwave on medium for 30 second at a time and stirring between each pass. Once melted, stir in extract as desired. Working quickly, dip spoons and canes into the chocolate letting the excess chocolate drip off the end. Lay dipper onto the waxed paper to let the chocolate harden at room temperature. Candy canes can be hung to dry on the lip of a tall glass. If desired, dip a second time into a different colour of chocolate. Once hardened, place dipped end into cellophane bag and tie off with curling ribbon.

Hand-Painted Soap

Materials:
bar soap
acrylic paint
paraffin wax
disposable aluminum pie plate
pot of water
fine paint brushes and/or cotton swabs

Use the acrylic paint to decorate your soap as desired. Let it dry. Fill your pot with water and set it on the stove. Put your wax into the pie plate and set it on top of the pot (making it into a double-boiler). Heat the water until the wax melts. Use a brush or swab to spread a thin layer of wax over your painted design. Let it dry. The wax will help preserve your painted image as the soap gets used.

Soap on a Rope

Materials:
white bar soap (Ivory or similar)
sturdy metal grater
large bowl
heavy yarn, string or thin rope
water
optional: essential oil
optional: food colouring

Cut the rope to 2.5 times the length your want your loop to be. Fold it in half and tie a knot. Grate soap into bowl. Add a small amount of water and mix with hands. If adding oil or coloring, make a small hole in the dough and fill with a few drops (a little goes a long way!) and work it in from the outside. Once it is mixed well, take a large handful of soap dough and form it around the knot and of the yarn. Let your finished sculpture dry overnight, then wrap tightly in plastic wrap.

Scented Bath Salts

Materials:
2 parts epsom salts
1 part baking soda
1 part sea salt
optional: 1 part cornstarch
your choice essential oil (lavender, peppermint, orange, eucalyptus, and vanilla all work well--but not together!)
large mixing bowl
optional: food colouring

Combine salts, baking soda and cornstarch until well mixed. Add essential oil one drop at a time until desired strength is reached. If you wish to add colour, you may want to leave some white to layer the salts in a clear container. Add colour, if desired, one drop at a time. Store in an airtight container.

Painted Mug and Hot Chocolate

Materials for mug:
plain ceramic mug (glazed as you would find at a $ store)
ceramic paint (there are several brands on the market; most require baking to set; paint pens allow for best control)
fine brushes or cotton swabs if not using pens
scrap paper
rubbing alcohol
tissue or cotton ball

Use the rubbing alcohol and tissue or cotton to wipe down the surface of the mug. Test out your design on a piece of paper first, then paint it on the mug. Follow the paint manufacturer's directions for setting/curing requirements.

Recipe for hot chocolate:
2 cups instant skim milk powder
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white or superfine sugar
1/2 cup powdered cocoa
1 teaspoon salt
large mixing bowl
optional: mini marshmallows
                mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
                cellophane candy bags and curling ribbon
                candy cane

Combine powdered ingredients in bowl and mix until well combined. If packaging as a gift with the mugs, measure out three heaping tablespoons into each cellophane bag. Add a tablespoon of mini chocolate chips and 6-8 mini marshmallows if desired, then tie off the bag with curling ribbon. Tuck bag into the mug along with a candy cane if desired. This mix can be made with boiling water or hot milk of your choice.
This recipe avoids the hydrogenated oils that are present in most commercial brands of hot chocolate mix (and recipes that call for the use of artificial coffee whiteners). It also tastes great!

Picture Frames

Materials:
plain wooden picture frame
photo that fits in your frame
acrylic paints
acrylic varnish
paint brushes
Alternative: polymer clay (Fimo, Sculpey, etc.) in various colours
                 dedicated clay tools (use a work surface and tools that will never be used for food)
Optional: fun foam shapes to match the theme of the photo
                white craft or school glue

For a painted frame, choose the colours that will go well with your photo and plan your pattern or design.

For a candy cane-style frame, choose white, red and green paint. You may wish to paint the entire frame with a base coat of white so your colours will stand out better. Let that dry. Start at the corner joins where there is a 45 degree angle and paint stripes alternating as follows: one thick stripe of white, a thick stripe of red and a thin strip of green. Be sure to wrap your lines around the side of the frame as well. Continue around the frame with these lines at a 45 degree angle until the frame is covered.
Let the paint dry, then coat with acrylic varnish. Once the varnish is dry, glue on a red or green fun-foam bow at the top or bottom of the frame to finish.

Easy-Sew Buddy Bag

aka Heating Pad

Materials:
.3 m cotton fabric
3-6 cups of uncooked rice
sewing machine
scissors
thread
straight pins (4 or so)
heavy paper or paperboard (like from a cereal box) or a paper towel tube
optional: dried herbs such as rosemary, chamomile or lavender

Fold your fabric in half right sides together. Decide how long and wide you would like it to end up, then add 3 cm to those measurements and cut your fabric to that shape, being careful not to cut off the folded edge. The folded edge should be on one of the longer sides if your bag is not square shaped.
Starting at a folded corner, sew two edges together, being sure to lift the presser foot to turn at the corner and lower it again once you are lined up past the corner. Leave one side open. Clip the two finished corners and turn the bag inside out. Now find the centre line parallel to the folded edge. Starting at the closed end, sew a line down the centre, stopping 2 cm from the open edge.
Now comes the tricky part.
Pour in the rice (and herbs if you are using them). Fill the pockets such that when the bag is held upright, they appear half full. Do not overfill. If the opening is too small to do this easily by hand, try tucking in the paper tube, or making a tube that fits and use that to guide the rice (and herbs). We found a kitchen funnel to have too small an opening for the rice mixture to flow through.
Now tuck in the top fabric all the way around the bag. Pin it into place. Continue sewing the middle line up to the top of the bag. Clip thread and sew along tucked in seam to seal off the bag.
To use the bag: heat on high in the microwave for 1-3 minutes. Enjoy!

Plant in Decorated Pot

Materials:
small, healthy houseplant
potting soil
terra cotta pot to fit the plant
acrylic craft paints
paint brushes
several small pebbles
optional: plant underplate

Decide on how you will paint your pot, then paint it as desired. Once the pot has dried, place the pebbles in the bottom of the pot, and fill the bottom 1/5 to 1/4 of the pot with soil. Gently loosen the plant from its container and place into pot. Add more soil around the roots and water gently. Be sure to provide care instructions for the plant you have chosen to the recipient.

Plaster And Marble Drink Coasters

Materials:
shallow plastic containers (we use spreadable cream cheese containers)
plaster of Paris
water
an assortment of half-marbles (flat on one side) and/or pieces of ceramic tile and/or small decorative pebbles
waterproof varnish
brush to apply the varnish
popsicle stick or plastic spoon
spare plastic yogurt or similar tub for mixing

Decide on the pattern you want your marbles / ceramic pieces to make on your finished coasters and have the pieces ready to go. Prepare plaster as directed on the box. Pour or spoon into the plastic containers to fill each about 1 cm deep. Arrange the marbles/ceramic on top, pressing just enough so that they are the desired depth (and don't sink beneath the surface). Let set for 3-4 days.

This next part might be best left to an adult, depending on the varnish you use.

Old-Fashioned Citrus Pomander

Materials:
a large handful of whole cloves
a piece of citrus fruit (oranges, lemons and limes work best)
a wooden skewer or toothpick
ribbon (enough to wrap around your fruit and tie a bow)
optional: an adult wielding a glue gun (to help keep the ribbon in place)

Bring home the wonderful smells of Christmas with this classic pomander your grandparents likely made when they were children.

Plan a pattern for your fruit, being careful to leave space to tie your ribbon. Use the skewer or toothpick to poke 3-4 holes in your pattern on the fruit. Try and keep at least 1 cm between holes to keep the skin from tearing. Fill those holes with cloves, then repeat until your desired pattern is complete.
Once all the cloves are in place, wrap your ribbon around the fruit and tie into a bow.

These will be too heavy to hang on most Christmas trees, but look nice when arranged in a bowl or hung from a doorway or mantle.