Thrifty Gifts: Recycling Edition

(I plan to save my other Thrifty Gift ideas for a little later in the year, but this one requires a bit of planning, so I'm posting it early.)

When my kids were elementary school aged one of their favorite "toys" involved a box of stuff that easily could have qualified as garbage. And a roll of tape. We called it the junk box (creative group, aren't we?), and it was filled with things like plastic strawberry baskets, toilet paper tubes, small yogurt tubs, bits of yarn, Popsicle sticks, bubble wrap, foam trays (but not meat trays - I don't think you could get them clean enough), Pringle's cans, rubber bands, chenille sticks, oatmeal containers, plastic lids, paper plates, thread spools, old greeting cards, etc.

It was a very fluid inventory, but the one constant was tape. I'd recommend the cheapest cellophane tape you can find and lots of it! Duct tape and packing tape are helpful for projects that need a bit more support, but since the entire cost of this gift is in the tape, you can keep the price pretty reasonable. Put everything in the right sized box and share it with your favorite creative 7-year-old. I happened to find a copy of the book pictured above to jump start some ideas, and there are lots of similar publications if you actually want to spend money on the gift, but really, it's not necessary.

What is it with kids and tape? I'm pretty sure I could not find an intact roll of tape in the house for the first 10 years of my life as a parent. It helped to be able to remind them that their tape was in the junk box.

NOTES:

• My copy of the book was free from an online book exchange, but it's also available at Amazon.
• It's not uncommon during the Christmas shopping season for stores to offer great deals on tape (sometimes even free).

DISCLAIMER: Consider your recipient carefully. Not everyone will appreciate you giving their children a box of recycling, but if you know a kindred spirit who will see the potential, this is a fun, creative idea. I have a godson who's 5, so I'm just saving the choicest pieces of junk so far, but in a couple year I know he's going to LOVE it!

A special Lego project

Check out Faith and Family for a letter and photos from a reader about a special gift for her son's First Holy Communion day. What a sweet and thoughtful idea for a Lego lover!

A Reader Asks:

1. How tall should the monogram be for a man's handkerchief?
2. What stitch do you recommend for forming the monogram? The monograms in today's picture look like machine embroidery.
3. Any recommendation for fonts and colors?

My suggestions:

1. The height can vary. I guess I'd go with something about 1/2-5/8". That would depend on your overall design though. The round design in the photo is bigger. I'm inclined to smaller monograms, but I've seen purchased handkerchiefs with a single initial that's almost an inch high.
2. Those pictured are definitely machine embroidered. For hand embroidery, I'd recommend using a satin stitch with a single strand of floss for most monograms. You might want to use a back stitch for very narrow areas and thin lines. I like to use an embroidery hoop to keep everything stretched tight; it always gets pucker-y for me if I don't.
3. Colors: navy, grey, maroon, black, and cadet blue are all classics. If I were making one for my son, however, I would be tempted to use bright red. (He's kind of a flashy dresser. :-) Fonts: I worked out a few examples below. (Click on the image to make it bigger.) If the directions aren't clear, just put your questions in the comment box. I used Microsoft Publisher for the WordArt features to make the funky shapes. You might be able to do it on MS Word also, but I'm not as familiar with that program.

A gift for your beloved

It's February and you know what that means ... time to think about Valentine's Day! Happily, it comes before Ash Wednesday this year so you can celebrate as elaborately as you'd like.

If you didn't make some of these as Christmas gifts, this might be just the idea you're looking for to show how much you appreciate him. It's handmade by you, especially for him, and sends a nice message about qualities you may appreciate in a man: chivalry, thoughtfulness, and practicality.

This post from the Art of Manliness may be just the motivation he needs to carry a handkerchief:

But the best reason to carry a handkerchief has nothing to do with you. It’s the chance to lend it to others that’s commends this practice the most. Be sure to put one in your pocket when you go see a tear-jerker movie with your girlfriend or accompany your wife to a funeral. When women are feeling vulnerable, they’ll really appreciate your offer of a soft hankie. It’s a gallant and chivalrous gesture; there’s just something comforting about it.

Too cute

One of the nuns at work gave me this sleigh. It's made of 2 candy canes with 4 minature candy bars- one larger and three smaller. The whole thing is hot glued together.

Thrifty Gifts: _____ of the Month Club

This gift can be customized to fit the recipient. It works best if the giver and recipient are geographically proximate, but can still be used if you see each other monthly and can transport perishables. Basically, you're taking the expensive concept sold in magazines, and cutting out the middle man by doing the cooking/purchasing/delivering yourself.

Some ideas:
Flower of the Month (drop off a bouquet each month)
Herb of the Month (for the budding gardener)
Tea of the Month
Soup of the month
Cheese of the Month
Wine of the Month
Pie of the Month
Bar (Cookie) of the Month
Hot Dish of the Month (the latter two reflect my Midwestern heritage)
Chore of the Month coupons

You can even package the idea up nicely. Wrap up a vase, pretty tea cup, ladle, cheese serving set, a corkscrew, pie server, casserole dish, or other symbol of your gift to come.

Now, where's Margie with the hot dish?

Thrifty Gifts - Nativity Set

I saw this idea today and thought it would be perfect for our dear readers. You'll still have time to finish if you begin this weekend.

;-)

Cloche Tip to the Pioneer Woman (whose blogs I am liking more each day!)

Thrifty Gift: Chocolate Spoons

These spoons will add a little pop to your morning cup of joe or turn a cup of hot milk into cocoa.

2 cups semisweet chocolate or chocolate chips
20 plastic spoons or 4 new large wooden spoons (for a family treat)

Line a baking tray with waxed paper. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler over low heat until smooth. Dip the business end of the spoon in chocolate, then set on tray to cool. Wrap with plastic wrap and tie with a ribbon.

Thrifty Gift: Tea Cosy

At about 150 yards of yarn and a few buttons, a tea cosy is a quick knit. Check out Ravelry for pattern ideas. If you aren't sure whether the recipient's tea pot's handle is on the top or side, make a cosy that fastens with buttons for maximum flexibility. A box of tea and a packet of shortbread round out this gift nicely!

Hint of the Day: Cook Twice, Wash Once Revisited

Earlier this week I was making Pot-au-Feu from Second Thanksgiving's turkey carcass. Since I writing "Cook Twice, Wash Once," I had come across a tip from Amy Dacyczyn (The Frugal Zealot). Amy claims that adding 1 oz of vinegar for every 1 quart of water (up to 4 oz of vinegar) would draw more calcium from the bones, and that you can't taste the vinegar in the end result. So I threw in about 1/3 cup of white vinegar.

Now, I currently lack means of testing the calcium content of my soup, but the vinegar did something. A 12 lb bird's carcass, already carved pretty clean by my husband, produced 2.5 quarts of shredded meat- enough meat for three more meals, Turkey ala King, Turkey Tacos, and Turkey Chili. The vinegar may have also loosened the gelatin from the bones, because I ended up with only 2 cups of thick stock and was forced to bail on the pot-au-feu. But Church Ladies are masters of operating on the fly.

Image source

Thrifty Gifts - Marshmallow Gun

Disclaimer: This gift has no spiritual value, no sentimental value, and little educational value (unless you want to figure out the science of how it works). In spite of that, we've made dozens of them over the past few years because they are so FUN!

Materials:

• 30 inches of 1/2" diameter PVC pipe available at any home improvement store that sells plumbing supplies
  
• PVC joints (2 caps, 2 elbows, and 2 T joints)
• a saw that will cut PVC (a hacksaw will work - a power mitre saw will work really well)
  
• mini marshmallows (I typically include about 2 dozen in a zip-loc sandwich bag.)

Directions:

• Cut the PVC into the lengths pictured on the diagram.
  
• Use a jack knife or some other sharp edge to smooth the cut edges of the PVC. The sharpening steel from your knife set might work.
• Push them together according to this diagram.
• Viola! That's it!

Notes:

• If you're making them for multiple children in the same family, you may want to decorate the guns with electrical tape stripes or permanent marker so each child can identify their own gun.
• It's not necessary to glue the pieces together. In fact, keeping them separate allows them to be easily rinsed or even put in the dishwasher periodically. (Only use when they are completely dry though!)
• To use - place a mini marshmallow in the mouth end of the gun, take a big breath, put your mouth on the end of the PVC, and blow hard. You'll be surprised to see how fast and how far your marshmallow will fly out the other end!
• It's the rule in our house that all ammunition shot indoors MUST be retrieved - no exceptions! (I do not want to find marshmallows in the sofa cushions!)
• I know of a boy scout troop that made these and used small pom-poms for ammunition.

IMPORTANT - This toy is not for anyone who may forget to take their deep breath BEFORE putting their mouth onto the gun (You don't want to inhale a marshmallow!) If your children are more interested in eating the marshmallows than using the toy, they may be too young. Or it's lunch time.

Thrifty Gifts - Framed Art

A nice gift for godparents, grandparents, or anyone who loves your child might be a piece of their special artwork in a frame.

Directions:

• Consider the size. Dad is more likely to be able to display the art in his office if it's in a 8X10 frame than he is if it's poster sized.
• Start with nice paper (even copier paper will do). You can still frame the work done on a newsprint coloring book page, but it will yellow over time.
• Be sure to sign and date it somewhere. If your child is too young to write, do it for him or her.
• Frames are available at any discount or craft store. Larger craft stores offer regular coupons so you don't have to pay full price.
• A mat can make it look more professionally framed, and is often included with the frame you purchase.
• Take a photo of your child holding the gift and include it in the card or fasten it to the back of the frame.

Thrifty Gifts - A Spiritual Bouquet

This gift is perfect for a group of people giving a gift together. (For example to a club leader, a pastor, grandparents, even a boss if you have the right work environment.)

Each gift giver needs to make a specific commitment to offer prayer for the recipient. Collect these promised prayers and present them together as one large gift.

Suggestions for prayer:

___ Masses heard
___ Holy Communions
___ Hours of the Divine Office
___ Hours of Adoration
___ Novenas
___ Rosaries
___ Acts of Penance
___ Stations of the Cross
___ Other

The least expensive way to give this gift is to simply tally all the prayer and write the totals in a card or letter. If you have a little more to spend, buy a bouquet or a plant and use florist card picks to hold messages about the prayer. For example, one tiny card could deliver the message that "10 Rosaries are being offered for your intentions." Another might say, "4 Novenas are being prayed for you," and so on. Imagine the delight of the recipient as they open card after card filled with love and prayer!

Thrifty Gifts - Felted Slippers

While I'm on the subject, felted (technically fulled, in this case) slippers are also perfect for last-minute Christmas gifts, as they work up very quickly, and all but the most egregious mistakes are covered up by the felting process. An average-sized pair of women's ballet or Mary Jane-style slippers can use less than 100-grams of wool (make sure it's 100% non-washable wool!), making these a very thrifty project as well, especially if you use one of the 40-50% coupons from the larger craft stores.

There are many free patterns available on the internet (I found 68 on Ravelry; 10 for crochet and 58 knitting). If you're willing to do a little math, this ballet/Mary Jane pattern is completely customizable. If, like me, you're too lazy to make and felt a swatch before doing the calculations, I've found that for knitting, holding worsted-weight yarn doubled (you can triple it for the soles, if they're worked separately), and knitting at a gauge of about 2 st/in (I use US size 15 needles) makes a fabric that felts readily and to a good thickness, but you'll have to check on the felting progress often to make sure you don't end up with slippers that are too small! (Crocheters will have to Google around for their own advice, I'm afraid, as I'm less experienced at such.)

Find out the shoe size of the giftee as surreptitiously as possible, and use a shoe size chart to determine the finished length in inches. Pre-felting, the slipper should be 130-150% of this size. I was able to finish the knitting for a pair of slippers for myself in less than an evening, because of the large gauge. It's a bit easier to double-strand the yarn if you have two balls to work from, but not really necessary. Sew the parts together, if the pattern requires it, and tie them into an old pillowcase. I recommend tying it shut with a piece of yarn, in a bow, so that you can undo the knot when wet; tying the pillowcase itself into a knot never seems to stay shut.

Throw it into the washing machine with some old towels or jeans, add a little detergent, and set your machine for the lowest water level, the hottest temperature, and the highest agitation settings it has. After 5 minutes of agitation or so, check the progress. It's possible that the slippers will have actually grown, because of the hot water, but don't worry; they'll start shrinking up soon. Keep checking back at least every 5 minutes, setting the dial back to the beginning of the wash cycle if necessary, until the slippers reach the desired size (I usually shoot for 1/2" or so smaller, as felt tends to stretch a bit as it is worn). At this point, rinse them out, roll them up in an old towel, and squeeze out the excess water (some people use the spin cycle on their washer for this, but I'm not quite that intrepid just yet). Wet felt is very malleable, so this is the time to stretch and squeeze the slippers into the desired shape, stuffing them with plastic bags to hold the toes and heels in place, if desired (I sometimes use cans to shape the heels). Find a sunny spot, and let them dry for 2-3 days. This process can be speeded up by setting them on a drying rack or other ventilated surface, and/or pointing a fan in their direction.

Once dry, I recommend using a bottle of puffy paint ($1.50) to paint a design of some sort on the soles of the slippers and give them a bit of traction, especially if they will be used by children. This could be as simple or elaborate as you like, and could include the wearer's monogram, or even a personal message. Optional additions would be a piece of grosgrain ribbon sewn around the inside edge to help prevent the aforementioned stretching, and embellishments such as buttons, bows, or appliqués.

Expenses:

• Yarn: 1-100 gr skein of 100% wool yarn $2.50-$3 (on sale/with a coupon; $6-8 is a typical full price)
• Puffy paint: 1 bottle (will cover multiple pairs) $1.50

Bonus ideas: Other great felted gifts include bags (481 free patterns on Ravelry), handle covers for cast-iron skillets, and oven mitts (for this one, make sure you felt it nice and thick, and I'd recommend using scissors or an old razor to trim some of the excess fuzz).

Thrifty Gifts - Bath Salt Set

Therese's post on felted soap reminded me of the bath sets my daughter, Francesca, and I made for a craft sale last year.

Each included a jar of bath salts, a vintage spoon, a handmade 100% cotton face cloth, and scented votive candles.

Each set followed a scent/color theme (citrus or lavender in this case).

Our bath salts were basically epsom salts, liquid food coloring and essential oil mixed together and packaged in recycled jars. (I happened to have several jars leftover from this outstanding product.) There are lots of recipes for bath stuff here if you'd like to branch out a little. (Note: we tried to make purple bath salts by combining blue and red food coloring and it turned out a shade of grey. Blue was much better.)

I reshaped some old (I mean vintage), mismatched teaspoons by bending the handles around a dowel to make them shorter and hook-shaped. This is the hardest part because they really don't want to bend nicely. If you don't use something (like a dowel) as a form, most spoons will probably just fold over in a less than attractive manner. I may have used a vice to help wrestle them into cooperating. A husband could be useful here also. The spoons were tied onto the jars with a matching ribbon.

The facecloths were made from free patterns from Ravelry, specifically "spiral facecloth" and "shell facecloth." (The gift is creative - these names ... not so much.) The yarn is simply Sugar 'n Cream, available for a very good price just about anywhere.

We can't remember what kind of container everything was put into, but matching copier paper run through our shredder was involved in the packing.

UPDATE: We remembered the packaging detail. I started with a smaller gift bag (the top opening was about 3"x5"). I cut the bottom off and re-folded it so the sides were about 3 inches. Basically, I made the the bag shorter.

Thrifty Gifts - Felted Soap

I just recieved my Anthropologie Christmas catalog in the mail today, and there on the cover was an apron full of these darling felted soaps. Now, of course, a $14 bar of soap doesn't really qualify as thrifty, but you can easily make your own luxury gift with around 1/2 oz of wool roving and a bar of your favorite soap. My Personal Favorite inexpensive soap is Yardley Lavender, but I'm sure many of you have your own. Remember, looks don't count for this project, since no one will ever see the soap but you!

Instructions for felting around the soap can be found here, and I would only add that putting the wrapped soap inside an old nylon stocking while felting will make the process rather less clumsy, and probably help it to go faster by adding a bit of scrubbing action.

If you prefer working with yarn to roving, knit a Wee Little Soap Sweater instead (pattern found here, or devise your own), and let the recipient do the felting as they use it. Add a darling little tag (below) with the scent listed, and perhaps knit a cotton face cloth to complete the gift.

Materials:

• 1 bar of the soap of your choice: $2-3 on up
• 1/2 oz of wool roving: $3 or so, depending upon how it's packaged

Thrifty Gifts: Emergency Car Kit

The grandfather of Rosaleen (one of the original Church Ladies, who has taken the veil) gives his grand-children one of these car kits the first winter they had a new car.

Put the following items in a box to be stored in the trunk.

-Shovel
-milk jugs filled with sand (or a jug of ice melts)
-Flashlight with batteries
-Blanket
-Bottled water
-first aid kit
-canned food (preferably with pull tabs)
-road flares and emergency matches
-duct tape

Thrifty Gifts: Luminarios

In him was life, and the life was the light of men.
[Jn 1, 4]

Growing up in Texas, luminarias, paper bag lamps directing the path of Baby Jesus on Christmas Eve, were a holiday tradition in my neighborhood. My siblings and I used to make sets of them for the parish's annual Christmas fundraiser. We used the traditional paper bag kind without incident, but if you are concerned about fire safety, the Church Ladies have a few other versions to share.

Traditional Paper Bag Luminarias
Tin Can Luminarias (safer)

Ann Ball's Catholic Traditions in the Home and Clasroom offers the safest option. Make tin can luminarias, but punch a hole big enough for a bulb to fit through in the bottom. Stake outdoor big bulb lights along your front path at least 2" above the ground. Place the tin cans over the bulbs.

Image source

Thrifty Gifts - Handkerchiefs

Does the gentleman in your life have a practical nature? Has he been known to rescue damsels in distress, or aid small children in a moment of need? If so, carrying a handkerchief may be a good practice for him.

Directions for a monogrammed handkerchief:

• Try different fonts on your computer and when you come up with something you like, print your monogram. You also might try using the WordArt feature on Microsoft Publisher or Word. The examples on the right were made this way.
• Use a light table (or my favorite - tape your paper to a sunny window) and position a purchased handkerchief over the monogram. Tape the fabric in place also.
  
• Use a washable fabric pen or a sharp pencil to transfer your design to the fabric.
• Embroider your monogram using a single strand of embroidery floss, taking care to make the back look as nice as possible.

Cost:

• Handkerchief - about $2 each
  
• Embroidery floss - $0.20
• Hoop and fine needle - You already have these, right?

Directions for a lace-edged handkerchief:
Ladies handkerchiefs are typically smaller than men's, but you could still use a purchased men's handkerchief as your starting point and rehem it to the proper size. (or purchase 1/3 yard of a fine cotton fabric like batiste or organdy)
Dimensions - the finished fabric portion of a ladies handkerchief should be about 10" X 10"

Purchase 1 3/8 yard of a soft, washable lace, and hand-sew it to the hem.

This one was made by crocheting a lace edge onto cotton/poly fabric. The pattern is from a pattern booklet published in 1944 by American Thread Company, and makes a piece of flat lace. I adapted it for this use by making a foundation round of crocheted single crochets around the hem of my fabric square, and then a round of chain 2, skip 2 single crochets, double crochet in next single crochet. Do three double crochets/chain 2 in each corner.
Pattern for lace as printed:

• Slip stitch into mesh, ch 5, dc in same mesh, *ch 1, dc in next mesh, ch 1, dc, ch 3, dc in next mesh, repeat from *across row, turn.
• 3rd Row. Sl st into loop, ch 7, sl st in 4th st from hook for picot, ch 4, sl st in same space for picot, ch 4, sl st in same space for picot, * ch 3, skip 1 dc, sc in next dc, ch 3, dc in next 3 ch loop, ch 4, sl st in top of dc for picot, ch 4, sl st in same space for picot, ch 4, sl st in same space for picot, repeat from * across row.
  

Thrifty Gifts - Recipe Collection

It's amazing to consider how much our celebration of holidays is tied to particular foods. For example, I know this week's Thanksgiving celebration will include my mom's cranberry relish. Half the family doesn't even like it, but Thanksgiving just wouldn't be the same if it weren't there!

Keep your family's traditions alive by collecting holiday recipes and publishing them in some form. The simplest way would be to just recopy them onto recipe cards. If you're giving this gift to several people, you may want to type them to print in some kind of book form. Use a 3-ring binder and plastic sleeves, or a printer could laminate the cover and spiral bind or comb bind it. Including photos of family holidays over the years, or recording people's holiday memories would make this something to truly treasure. If you have great-grandma's hand written recipes, by all means include a copy of the original, perhaps with the recipe retyped underneath.

My mother-in-law was a great cook, but she almost never worked with written recipes. I tried to get her bread recipe once and the directions included things like "just add a handful of this, and a little bit of that, and you know you'll get a good loaf when the dough feels right." Hmmm... If your family's favorites are only available in this form, your assignment during the upcoming holidays is to cook alongside this person and record some recipes. Your recipe collection may not be ready to give this Christmas, but you'll have the beginnings of a fabulous gift for next year!