Friday, December 9, 2011

DIY Gift Giving [Thursday Think Tank...late]

There is a serious battle waging over here...a serious battle with our internet service that is.  Each time I have sat down to write, edit, post this week's TTT I have major internet connection issues.  Since Wednesday night EST I've been struggling to get my email loaded let alone read and answered!  Trying to write anything on blogger has been completely futile.  Hopefully the issue has resolved itself and I at least seem to be able to work off our laptop...I'm boycotting the desktop until I get my blood pressure back down.


Thursday Think Tank

Anyway...that is why this week's Thursday Think Tank is being posted on Friday, late Friday.  :p  At least it has given me additional time to brainstorm.  And what have I been thinking about?

DIY GIFTS
Always a big risk aren't they?  You have to be careful about who you make a gift for, what you make them, and how much time you will spend doing it.  In the majority of cases DIY gift receivers will not have the same gratitude that store bought gift givers have.  After all, no returns eh?

With that in mind I am very wary about who I make gifts for.  Plus, I'm very thoughtful about what I make.  Here are some things I have been debating recently for the adult gift receivers in our life...

Makeup Brush Roll
After my success with the crayon roll I thought wow, making a crayon roll for the makeup crazed ladies in my life wouldn't be difficult at all!  My biggest obstacle with this idea is knowing how many, and what sized pockets to create.  I'm useless when it comes to makeup so I really have no idea...any suggestions ladies?

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Yoga Mat Carrier
While this project would take a large amount of fabric...it is also very simple.  And since the few true Yogis I know also place value on DIY gifts it would be worth the fabric and the time it would take to create a few of these.  Sounds like a happy solution right?


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Homemade Cookies
I am not one for giving comestibles as gifts.  At our wedding I insisted on giving a tangible gift because I feel that food is a given.  Perhaps it is the Cuban in me but I believe offering food is a matter of course, good manners, a no brainer...you know, like providing a decent bathroom for guests, you just have to.  A gift is a step above that as it requires thought and heart and therefore comestibles as gifts is a cheat.  So, it is a rare thing for me to think of giving food as a gift.  But...there are times and certain people for whom it applies such as work colleagues you barely know or your children's teachers.  I just don't know these people as well and cookies are just a cute thing to give if you've done it yourself - or with the help of a small child!

cookie wrapping
Wine Bottle Wrapping
Now...food is one thing.  Booze is another.  I do heartily support the idea of giving a very nice bottle of something or other to friends who would appreciate it.  These days it is getting harder to do that as I find that the older we get the more refined, and therefore expensive, our taste is getting.  But still...I do enjoy the Mr. gifting a Good Bottle of Scotch and then watching him enjoying it with friends!  I suppose when you have young children as we do your alcohol intake becomes selective and therefore better appreciated.  So...why not decorate your bottled gifts?  I found a great DIY Wine Bottle Wrapping post to peruse, if you like this idea check it out!

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WOW!  I think I am actually going to be able to Post this T.T.T.!  Agh!  I have a lot of catching up to do...still...  With any luck I'll have internet this weekend and can play blog catch up.  If you have any diy gift giving ideas of your own please share...I still have some adults I need presents for and I'd love the inspiration!


Feel free to rattle off anything that has been brewing in your creative heads.  It can be anything, quilting, home improvement, fashion, crafting, DIY gifts, cooking...whatever you have recently thought "hmmm, you know what I should create" is perfectly appropriate for the Think Tank.  Have a blog?  Grab the Thursday Think Tank button displayed on the right.  

Please leave a link to your T.T.T. on your blog in the linky party below or leave a comment with your Thursday Think Tank ideas!  

-rebecca lynne

7 comments:

Pam @Threading My Way said...

Wine is always a good gift!!! I personally think a yoga mat bag is also a great idea.

Archie The Wonder Dog said...

I loved receiving hand made presents from the children in my class or something that they had picked out themselves (you could always tell as they were thoughtfully chosen not picked off a supermarket shelf!) and I still treasure them! So cookies (biscuits!) would have been gratefully received!

Janine @ Rainbow Hare said...

I love receiving hand made gifts and I know some people who really appreciate it but I always worry, when I give handmade things that some people don't appreciate the time and expense that goes into making them and think it's just a way of saving money! I love your make up roll, although I don't know how many brushes anyone would need. I think the wine bottle cover idea is great too :)

Kelli Fannin Quilts said...

Those cookie envelopes look like a perfect way to present a homemade cookie as a gift! Gives it a wow factor.. the other gifts look like fun to receive, too. You're right, though. You have to carefully select handmade gift recipients..

Lucy | Charm About You said...

These all sound perfect!! In terms of brushes it's hard because it depends on what make they are etc. I think about 4 skinny ones, a couple of medium and two bigger ones is about enough for normal use - it depends how big you want to make them. Useful and pretty! The yoga bag is great and who doesn't LOVE cookies!! :) I did miss you on Thursday!

Katie said...

I always hesitate about giving gifts I've made to someone because it usually isn't met with gratitude. There are few people in my life who would love to get something I did. Even my parents were never receptive to them.

I know absolutely nothing about makeup and what one would need. I don't wear it myself and can't imagine someone having more than one brush or whatever. Doesn't Rachel from Stitched in Color have a pattern for one?

Unknown said...

What's better than giving people stuff? Giving people more stuff. Yes, the dragon living outside your village seems happy with your sacrifice of a buxom wench, but why not throw in a baby or two to sweeten the deal?

Or, for a more practical example, if you're not sure the person you're buying for will like your big gift, why not throw in something small along with it? It can only help -- if giving makes you look kind, then giving more only makes you look kinder. It's logic.

But Actually ...

Humans do not function according to logic. This isn't a criticism of the species, it's just a fact -- logic is a horrible way to predict how the human brain will react to something. Logically, it shouldn't be a big deal to find a dead tarantula in your breakfast cereal -- it can't hurt you, and you can eat around it -- but your brain will tell you, "Flee the room and burn the house down."

Sarah Khan
http://www.giftstopakistan.com