4 Ideas for the Crafty Gift-Giver

Although it's only November, we start thinking about the really big holiday: Christmas. Now some take the easy way out while others actually love putting time and effort into the gifts they give, especially if they are the crafty kind like me. Now around Christmastime I am always struggling with gifts because everyone wants the latest electronic out there and let's face it: teachers really don't make that much. So I've always had to be crafty and creative with my gifts, except with my brothers who are just materialistic as crap. So here are five cheap and fun ideas to give to your loved ones this year.

Crochet them something!

I recently discovered the beautiful craft of crocheting. I am actually in the process of making my first blanket. Yarn is pretty cheap and crochet hooks are dirt cheap. It's one of the cheapest hobbies I've picked up and not to mention the most therapeutic. You could make so many things by crocheting, you could make gloves if you're an advanced crocheter. And there are also all kinds of tutorials out there on YouTube on how to crochet the most simple things to the most complicated. And you could do so many different patterns with it so you don't have to do the same pattern over and over. So grab a ball of yarn, a crochet hook, and start making gifts for your loved ones!

Mason Jar Cookie Mixes!

One of the fun little gifts that I was thinking of giving my family for Christmas was Mason Jar Cookie Mix! If you have a recipe in your arsenal and want to make it as simple as possible for your loved ones, put the dry ingredients in a mason jar. So that way, they can just put in the wet ingredients and make some cookies. Then of course you'd write directions for them so they know what they're doing. Mason jars are pretty cheap to get and the ingredients themselves aren't too expensive, so this gift is inexpensive unless you plan on making this for more than 20 family members. You can use any recipe you would like for these cookies or you can use this idea for brownie mixes too or little mini cakes as well. So get creative and get to mixing!

Handmade Coupons!

Now this is a cute little idea for couples who are on a budget, but still want to keep things sweet. You can make these yourself with construction paper and some markers or get some pre-printed coupon paper. You can make these for Mom and Dad too if you're still living with them. The good part is you can put anything on these coupons. This is the ultimate gift if you're on a budget since the materials you can either find around your house or get it really cheap at the grocery store. Just be careful what you put on the coupons because you have to make sure you can cash in!

Paint them something!

If you're a painter, then paint them something! I've always tried to paint, but I could never master that beautiful yet frustrating art form. Canvas paintings can be some of the most beautiful gifts you can give to someone, especially when you are a professional artist. And if you know the right place, you can get paints for cheap. You can use a lot of mediums once it comes to canvas paintings just choose the right one for you! Just let your imagination flow!