Gift Ideas – Page 13

Top 50+ Recycled Gifts to Make

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Save the planet, while marking loved ones off of your Christmas gift list with over 50 eco-friendly handmade gift ideas at Totally Green Crafts! You will find everything from jewelry to home decor made from recycled materials that will benefit the Earth, and your bank account. If you consider yourself a green craft jedi master, you will want to make sure you enter your holiday eco friendly creation in the holiday edition of the Totally Green Contest, with over $600 in prizes available for the taking!

Make Pearl & Ribbon Bracelets

by Johnnie Collier

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What lady wouldn’t love to get this beautiful DIY handmade ribbon & pearl bracelet in her Christmas stocking? It is simply lovely. Twinkle and Twine walks you through the simple process with a great photo step by step tutorial. There are endless color combination possibilities to fit every woman’s taste.

While you are at it, grab some jump rings and turn those pearls into stylish chain maille pearl bracelets:

For even more fantastic bracelets to make, don’t forget about our 50+ bracelet roundup with the best DIY bracelet tutorials on the web, in one spot!

Make Little Polaroid Magnets

by Johnnie Collier

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One of the most meaningful gifts to give are photo creations. With the abundance of user friendly photo editors out there, you don’t have to be a Photoshop pro to create cool effects on your images these days. Make theme into a keychain, put them on a mug, or create these see mini polaroid magnets with Ambrosia Girl’s DIY. I would love to open a gift and find these little guys inside, full of the people and memories I hold dear.

Make Aluminum Can Angel Ornaments

by Johnnie Collier

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Need some great handmade Christmas gifts that won’t break the bank? Today’s project is an adorable, virtually free Christmas ornament made from an aluminum can. I was recently gifted a cute coke can angel, and of course had to hack it. I came up with a template, which you can download and cut out to trace onto a can. The smaller winged angel takes only one can, no glue, and is easy to make! The version with the larger wings takes 2 cans, this Sizzix Angel Wings die, and super glue.

SUPPLIES:

12 oz Soda Can
Large Beads for head
Seed Beads for Halo
Craft Wire 20 Gauge
Wire Cutter
Jewelry Pliers
Scissors for cutting Aluminum
Angel template
Sharpie
Craft knife
Needle Tool or Bead Reamer
Masking Tape (optional)

Tutorial:

For the larger wings, Cut out the template without the wings, fold can into cone shape then super glue larger wings onto back of angel.

To string your ornament for hanging on your tree, loop a piece of string through the halo and you are all set!

***As always, when cutting aluminum cans, be very careful. They are not as sharp as I thought they would be when I first began working with them, but obviously they are sharper than paper.

For more projects to make from recycled cans, make sure you check out our 60+ Recycled Can projects roundup! It will leave your recycling bin devoid of cans, and add to your upcycled handmade crafts for Christmas and year round gift giving.

Make a Fall Infinity Scarf

by Johnnie Collier

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I found a cool free infinity scarf pattern at Sweetest Keepsakes that I just had to share. Go see how Desiree takes a couple of yards of knit fabric and creates this beautiful autumn accessory with just a few simple steps!

David Tutera Coordinations

by Johnnie Collier

Have you seen the new line of David Tutera Paper Crafts yet? If you don’t know, David Tutera is the host of My Fair Wedding. He recently launched a line called Davide Tutera Celebrate, found exclusively at Joann Fabrics. This is a simple card making system that lets you create beautiful handmade cards in 3 easy steps.

The day before my husband’s birthday, a box of supplies from the new line showed up at my doorstep. I absolutely love the look of a nice handmade card, but rarely have the time it takes to make them. This line of paper craft supplies allowed me to create a beautiful card in less than 10 minutes. Husband was amazed, and had no idea I just threw it together! All you need is the card base, a layer, embellishments and adhesive. If you are using a sand-able embossed layer, you will need the Sand It Set as well.

Here is how I made my card:

You have a chance to win your own card making set…

*Three lucky winners will receive a $300 grand prize pack of supplies from
David Tutera’s Celebrate cardmaking line AND a personally signed book from David!
*20 additional winners will receive a $50 Celebrate prize pack.

For a chance to win, sign up at http://pages.exacttarget.com/tutera-optin-blog/. Good luck!

To learn more about the Celebrate line and Core’dinations, visit the Core You Tube page.
Also check out David Tutera Celebrate Facebook page and Twitter page!

DISCLOSURE: I wrote this post as part of a paid campaign with David Tutera Celebrate and Blueprint Social. The opinions in this post are my own.

See what my crafty cohorts have created with this fantastic paper craft line!

How to Make Chain Maille & Pearl Bracelet

by Johnnie Collier

I am so excited to share with you this beautiful chain maille bracelet by Irina from Irina’s Cute Box. Chain maille goes back to medieval times as a metal weaving technique they used to make armour worn by knights. Now it is a common jewelry technique. I have always wanted to try chain maille, but have been intimidated by its complex appearance. This is Irina’s first attempt, which encourages me to try out the technique. Her piece came out beautifully, and I would never have guessed she was a novice. See how to make your own chain maille jewelry, incorporating pearls! Take it away Irina…

I’d like to share how I made this chain maille bracelet with pearls.

I made jump rings of sterling silver filled wire (18 ga, half hard). The rings have to be a little bit bigger than beads.

Chain maille bracelet with pearls tutorial

To make first bracelet link, connected 4 rings as it shown on the picture.

Then keeping them in fingers fingers as shown on the image below, I “opened” the rings forming them in a shape of nest. Places a pearl bead inside the nest.

Then, closed upper rings like it shown on the picture…

… and connected them with two more jump rings. This rings are starting next chain maille bracelet link.

Again… opened rings to make a nest, placed a bead inside.

Closed the rings and connected with more jump rings.

And so on until the bracelet is needed length. In the end, I attached a clasp, and the bracelet is ready to wear 🙂

And there are earrings to match the bracelet. 🙂

Mini Faux Pallet Art

by Johnnie Collier

When you love someone’s creation, why not just ask them to mail it to you? That is what I did when I saw my friend Laura’s faux mini wood pallet art tutorial at Pet Scribbles. It went a little something like this, acutally:

For Laura’s version of this fun tale, visit her Macrame bracelet post.

A facebook chat and swap arrangement later, this beautiful piece now adorns the wall of my bedroom.

What’s that? Oh, the flower. Glad you asked. Laura made it from a dryer sheet, and she made it my favorite color. Doesn’t it just look like it was made to go in it’s spot? I love it with my cardstock paper rose topiary!

Laura’s tutorial is linked above. Stop by and see the detailed, step by step photos and create your own faux mini wood pallet art.

And remember, it never hurts to ask. Thank you, Laura. I adore it!

Easy DIY Copper Tube Rope Necklace

by Johnnie Collier

If you are looking for a beginner level, inexpensive, modern and versatile necklace to make, this copper tube necklace tutorial is just the project for you. With just a few supplies from the hardware store, you will have a trendy piece of jewelry that can be dressy or casual.

The inspiration for this project came from this awesome DIY project book:

I Spy DIY by Jenni Radosevich

My copper tube necklace varies from the tutorial in this book, but the outcome is similar. I love Krylon Dual for painting on, well anything, but especially metal. The coverage is great, and no primer is needed since it is built into the paint. Even with Krylon Flourescent, I didn’t use primer. The paint dries fast, so turning the tube over to paint the other side can be done in 15 minutes.

Lets get started!

SUPPLIES:

Scissors

1/4 inch inner diameter soft copper tubing

Tube Cutter

Braided Hemp Cord

Darice 10mm silver end connectors

4-6 mm Silver Jump rings (2 per necklace)

Super glue or E6000

Hex Nuts

Silver Toggle Clasp

Chain nose pliers

Krylon Dual in Camp Green, Classic Gray, and Krylon Flourescent pink

TUTORIAL:

I love these end connectors for round braided cord like in this project. I picked mine up at Joann’s, and they are linked above in the supply list.

This necklace can be worn single, double or triple! Just make sure to vary the length of the rope if you are wearing more than one at a time.

Disclaimer: I received Krylon Dual Spray paint to try for this project. If I hadn’t, I would have bought some and done the project, sharing exactly what I shared because I already love this paint. All opinions are honest and mine!

Custom Metal Initial Tag DIY

by Johnnie Collier

Shrimp Salad Circus Necklace Tag Tutorial 28

Today, Lindsay for the adorable, funky, fun blog Shrimp Salad Circus is here to show you how to add a personalized metal tag to any necklace! This is a fantastic way to customize that cool piece you scored at the flea market, into a one of a kind gift. I love the tips and tricks Lindsay shares in this metal stamped tag DIY. Go visit her blog for some beautiful tutorials, free printables and all kinds of DIY and craft inspiration. Thanks for stepping in today, Lindsay!

Hello, and happy Thursday, Saved by Love Creations readers! I’m Lindsay of Shrimp Salad Circus, a pretty little piece of the internet where I blog a steady stream of DIY, inspiration, and other tidbits to make every day happier! I’m so excited to share a little project with you guys while Johnnie’s away and am thrilled that she invited me to be a part of SBLC!

I know it seems early to be thinking of holidays, but this tutorial will be perfect for any gifting occasion, so use it for the next birthday gal in your life, okay? I don’t know about you, but I’m a big fan of the little things – the small details that make some more wonderful. When life gets busy, you don’t always have time to make everybody’s gifts from scratch, but you still want them to feel special and valued, right?

With just one little extra detail that costs very little in terms of time or supplies, you can add a handmade, personalized touch to any gift to show somebody that you really care. Plus, it’ll totally look more expensive with this little finishing touch! Read on, and I’ll teach you how to make and add a little metal initial tag to the clasp of any store-bought necklace or bracelet.

What You Need:

Metal Disc – I used 10mm brass blanks.
Metal Letter Stamp – I used 1.5mm.
Metal Hole Punch
Hammer
Bench Block
Black Acrylic Paint
Jump Ring
Necklace or Bracelet

1. First, you’ll need to punch a hole in your metal disc so that you can attach it to your necklace later. If you bought discs with the holes already in them, then you can skip this step. I like to get them without the holes so that I can use them for lots of different purposes.

2. Place your disc onto the bench block. The bench block is important because it absorbs the shock of the hammer and keeps the stamp and disc from bouncing so that you can get a nice, deep impression with the stamp. Take your letter stamp, and make sure it’s facing the right way!* You don’t want an upside down ‘a’ going on your pretty gift, do you?

Place it in the very center of the disc, holding it low and firmly. Hit it right on top with the hammer with three solid smacks – hard, but not too much.

*Read down to the very end of this post for my little secret for never stamping upside down!

3. You should have a little letter engraved into your disc now. It’s pretty, but you’ll notice that it’s a bit hard to see. We’re going to use paint to cheat a patina to make the letter really pop.

Dip the corner of a paper towel or rag into the top from the paint bottle so that you have a little smudge of paint. Wipe it into the letter, rubbing the towel across the disc to get it into all the grooves in the letter. Now, using a clean corner on the towel, lightly wipe the excess paint from the top of the disc so that the only paint left is inside the letter. Leave it to dry for a few minutes.

*Note: Alternately, you could use a permanent marker to get the patina finish. That process is explained here.

4. Use a jump ring threaded through the hole in the disc and the clasp on the necklace to attach them together.

*Bonus: I promised to share my secret for never stamping upside down, right? This is a much bigger stamp (6mm) than the one from the tutorial, but I wanted to be sure you guys could see what I’m talking about. When you get a box of stamps, lay them all out on a table so that the bottom of the letter is pointing at the table. Use a white pencil to write that letter on the top side, like the ‘r’ in this photo. Voila. Never stamp until the side with your letter written on it is facing up, and you’ll never stamp the wrong way again!

Top 50+ Recycled Gifts to Make

Make Pearl & Ribbon Bracelets

Make Little Polaroid Magnets

Make Aluminum Can Angel Ornaments

SUPPLIES:

Make a Fall Infinity Scarf

David Tutera Coordinations

Here is how I made my card:

You have a chance to win your own card making set…

How to Make Chain Maille & Pearl Bracelet

Mini Faux Pallet Art

Easy DIY Copper Tube Rope Necklace

SUPPLIES:

TUTORIAL:

Custom Metal Initial Tag DIY

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Here is how I made my card:

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