It is spring, and the annual gift giving panic sets in. As the wedding season approaches, you realize that you will also need to consider graduation and teacher gifts. And let’s not forget Mother’s Day! These occasions combined with the usual birthdays, anniversaries, and baby showers, can be overwhelming financially. By gathering supplies and planning, you will be able to make beautiful gifts for all these occasions.

The real key to gift crafting and giving is organization. It is so much easier to begin by making a gift giving plan at the beginning of the year. Sit down with a folder and a tablet and get to work. First, jot notes of nice gifts items that you find easy to make and will be appropriate for a variety of occasions. Cut out pictures of or sketch these items to keep in your folder. Back issues of The Eclectic Homeschool can help with this. Your library is probably loaded down with craft books for easy reference. The best gift ideas are those that require a limited number of easily found supplies.

This year I will make handmade note card sets for the adults on my list. This is an easy, inexpensive gift that is always popular. I have been collecting clothing magazines and will set aside a Saturday morning to cut out the artwork for the note cards. I will also jot myself a note to pick up bulk stationary at the paper house. This plan is easy and, when everything is accumulated, I will sit down and make enough designer note cards for all the adult gift giving occasions on my calendar.

To do this I use paneled cards with matching envelopes. I completely cut out images from the magazines. Using a glue stick I adhere the image to the card vertically or horizontally making sure all the outside edges are glued down. A message can be included in the design by using rub on letters. Six or eight of these cards with their matching envelopes can be tied together with pretty ribbon.

The children in my life will require something different, but if I am organized, I will never be caught off guard. A dollar store is a wonderful place to purchase small items to accumulate for birthdays. Inexpensive plastic containers with lids are wonderful for holding all kinds of things. Use a clear container so the child can see what is inside. Sets of cookie cutters and a small rolling pen will give a child hours of delight if coupled with homemade playdough (the best kind in the world). You can make a batch to add to a partially ready gift bag and enjoy the results. Add some glitter to the recipe and be rewarded with a smile.

Play Dough

1 C. four
½ C. salt
2 T. cream of tartar
1 C. water
1 T. cooking Oil
Food Coloring (optional)

Stir ingredients together. Cook in saucepan over medium heat until fairly dry. Remove from pan. Knead like bread until lumps are gone. Store in airtight container.

Place Mat Totes

For my close friends, I decided upon a carryall made from a simple cloth place mat. Department stores carry these in packages of three, and they run just over a dollar each. I can buy these ahead of time and make six totes in an afternoon. They make an impressive gift and will hold stationary, envelopes, medium size tablets, and writing accessories. These generic gifts are a big hit for birthdays, anniversaries, or Mother’s Day! Try this one on for size.

You will need:

• 100% Cotton Place mats. (Approximately a 13 1/2" X 18 1/2" size
  Note: Don’t use place mats with batting inside due to their bulk or vinyl place mats, since they will not lay flat when assembled.
• Basic hand sewing supplies (3/4" buttons, needle, and matching thread)
• Coordinating grosgrain ribbon (1 1/4 yards) in 1" to 1 1/4" widths.

Accessories to fill tote:

• Stationary and envelopes to match
• Pen, stamps, stickers
• Note pads, tablets, or blank book journal (5in. X 8 in. or smaller)

Here’s how: Lay the place mat upside down in a horizontal position on the table in front of you. Fold the bottom edge of the place mat up 4 1/2 inches (wrong sides together) so that you are now seeing a portion of the front of the place mat also. Pin in place. Sew both layers of place mat together at outer side edges by hand or machine to make a big pocket. To make individual tote pockets, divide the length by three, and sew a total of four buttons 1/2" from the top pocket edge to separate the three pockets. There will be a button on each side edge and two evenly spaced to make three pockets. The buttons on the edges are added to create a balanced look. Although you are sewing the buttons to both layers, catch only a portion of the material of the pocket back so that the stitches cannot be seen one the reverse side of the tote. (See Figure 1.) This is a tri-fold tote. Two panels fold in on top of the center panel (folding in the right panel first, the left then folds on top). Use ribbon to tie the tote closed. Divide the ribbon into 2 equal pieces, and seal the ends with an anti-fray liquid. Allow to dry. Vertically center ribbon end 2 1/2" from front panel edge and tack with a button. Repeat process to tack ribbon to back fold edge, so that a tied bow makes a pretty closure. (See Figure 2.) You can also add a ribbon handle on the front and back so that it can be carried about. Each handle, 11 inches in length, can be centered on the front and back, and tacked with buttons. (See Figure 3.) Make sure that you do not sew all the way through both thicknesses of fabric so that the stitches do not show through to the other side. This makes a wonderful carry-all for lots of objects that can’t fit in a purse or backpack. Eva Stockett is a homeschool mother. She is also an artist, graphic designer, and calligrapher who teaches continuing education and offers workshops.