Conscious Christmas: Handmade Gifts Part 1

Hands down, handmade Christmas gifts are the most meaningful. When you take time out of your busy day to create something for someone you care about, it's always a win-win in my experience. It's so much more gratifying as the giver and so much more appreciated as the receiver. I've come up with quite a big list to draw from and even enlisted the help of a great friend of mine, Rhonda Winterbach, another mother of two little boys (coming in part 2). We hope these ideas inspire you to get your creative juices flowing. For a family member (from the kids): Decorated picture frame. Michael's sells all the supplies you need: plain wooden frame and crafts such as buttons, beads, plastic figures for decorating. Get a cute photo of the kids printed, lay out all the fixin's on a table and let the kids go to town! Get some letter beads and string on the kids' names, use tacks or glue to connect the string to the top 2 corners of the frame.

pic2

For your significant other: Up-cycled chalkboard picture frame. I found the frame at Value Village and bought chalkboard spray paint at Michaels. In your best handwriting, write your favorite quote, song lyrics or poem.

gift 1

For a friend who likes to cook: Recipe Book. Collect your favorite recipes and put them in a pretty recipe book or binder.

For the kids: Felt Games. I'm doing this tomorrow! I can't wait : )

Butterflies

Fish Pond

Christmas Tree

Flower Garden

Autumn Leaves

Dinner Plate

Rainbow

Jack-O-Lantern

Faces

For a girlfriend: Handmade Body Butter. My friend Monique made some for me and it's DIVINE! She's also selling them and donating the proceeds to the Kelowna Hospice and Palliative Care.

For a chocolate lover: Love in a cup. Get a nice BIG mug and fill with ingredients for Maca Spice Hot Cocoa (makes 4 servings) (recipe below). In a separate bag, fill with 4 Homemade marshmallowsMake a label that says: "Warm 1 cup of your favorite kind of milk, whisk in 3 Tbs of mix, top with homemade marshmallow, snuggle on the couch with your favorite book and ENJOY!"

  • 8 Tbs raw cacao powder
  • 4 tsp maca powder
  • 1 tsp vanilla powder
  • 1 tsp ginger
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/8 tsp cayenne
  • 5 tsp maple sugar

For the foodie there's always: Homemade cookies, Granola, Spiced nuts and Truffles

For the plant-lover: Mini Succulent Garden. See how to here. I might make one of these for myself : )

Mini Succulent Garden

If you have any good ideas let me know! Happy crafting : )