FaveCrafts

1000s of free craft projects, home decor ideas and DIY tips

Homemade Christmas Gifts: Gift Packaging Ideas

by Leave a Comment

Chalkboard Paint Gift BoxWhen I was little, my favorite way to give gifts was the hard way. I would wrap several nesting boxes in layers and layers of duct tape, then wrap it with several layers of newspaper, then more duct tape . . . you get the idea. Now that I’m a little older, I’m less concerned with making loved ones work for their presents and more concerned with making unique and creative gift packaging ideas.

You probably have some gift ideas in mind already for the upcoming Christmas holiday, but how do you give them? Maybe you have small gift ideas but your house is filled with only large gift bags and boxes. Maybe you have gifts in awkward shapes and sizes that are trickier to wrap than you thought. Like me, you probably want to make the gift packaging as exciting as the gift itself. After all, nothing says Merry Christmas like dazzling gift wrap to foreshadow the exciting gifts inside.

Box Crafts

Small Trinket Paper Gift Box

 

 

From Small Trinket Paper Gift Boxes to Recycled Gift Canisters and more, you are sure to find box crafts here that will be perfect for your gift. Many of these wonderful gift packaging ideas double as decorations, like the Christmas Keepsake Gift Boxes or the Painted Joy Gift Box.

 

 

Christmas Ornament Gift Box
Painted Joy Gift Box
Peppermint Gift Box
Recycled Gift Canisters
Small Trinket Paper Gift Box
Triangular Gift Box
Wrapped Up Gift Can
Chalkboard Paint Gift Box
Christmas Keepsake Gift Boxes
Christmas Cookie Tins

Bag Crafts

Fabric Gift Wrap

 

Bag crafts are perfect for wrapping a bunch of small items, especially if these items are awkward shapes and sizes. Try making mini gift bags like the Fabric Gift Wrap or put those crochet skills to the test with the Crochet Santa Pants Bag. You can go thrifty when you reuse leftover scrapbook paper to make the Easy Scrapbook Paper Gift Bags. Gift packaging ideas abound when you check out all of the wonderful gift bag crafts AllFreeChristmasCrafts has to offer!

 

Crochet Santa Pants Bag
Fabric Gift Wrap
Sponge Paint Snowman Gift Bag
Santa Gift Sack
Embossed Velvet Christmas Gift Bag

Jar Crafts

Gorgeous Poinsettia Christmas Jar

 

 

I personally love glass jars. Jar crafts are so much fun, and they really make for unique gift packaging ideas! You can use glass etching with projects like the Personalized Christmas Jar and the Festive Etched Glass Jars. The great part about these crafts is that they can be used as decorations or for various storage after the Christmas holiday. This Gorgeous Poinsettia Christmas Jar can be used as Christmas mantel decor for years to come.

 

 

 

Single Serving Hot Chocolate in a Jar (comes with a free recipe!)
Festive Etched Glass Jars
Personalized Christmas Jar
Gorgeous Poinsettia Christmas Jar

 

 

 When if comes to gift packaging ideas, do you prefer bag crafts or box crafts?

 

 

Make Homemade Gifts for the Graduate that He or She Will Love

by 1 Comment

It’s amazing how quickly graduation season rolls around each year. If your family members or friends are donning that black cap and gown, it may be time for you to think about homemade gift ideas for the graduate in your life. For my own part, I’ll admit that I’m still mourning the long-lost college life and that sweet season of graduation. As a way of coping with my graduation-less future, though, I find it best to indulge in some graduation crafts for those around me. A little self-indulgence now and then isn’t too bad, right? Check out what my most recent search for graduation stuff yielded.

Homemade Gifts for the Grad- Another Excuse to Craft!

"Finding My Way" Graduation GiftMake this “Finding My Way” Graduation Gift in time for the morning of his or her graduation. This adorable table decoration will psych them up before they have to make that walk towards their diploma.

Maybe you want to go more traditional. Totally fine. You can utilize the always-appropriate picture frame as a way of gifting to your graduate. The Graduation Frame is a quick and Graduation Frameeasy project that is entirely tailored for the special day. You can also check out our other famous frame projects to tailor a gift to your graduate’s taste.

 

Graduation Decor and More that You’ll Adore

DIY PinwheelsI was super psyched when I came across this DIY Pinwheel from Style Me Pretty. This project will add a whole lot of fun to whatever shindig you’re holding. Make this grade-A graduation decoration by fashioning these DIY pinwheels in your graduate’s school colors.

Maybe you’re a scrapbooking fiend. If you’re hosting a graduation party, take it as an opportunity to display a Graduation Scrapbook Page. You can include a photo of the graduate, their accomplishments and even a space for guests to sign. Browse through our scrapbook crafts to get more ideas for this party-pleaser. Graduation Scrapbook Page

Don’t forget about a banner! Make this Congrats Paper Banner to add some festive fun to your party. It’s so easy to make and will look gorgeous. String it up and let guests and the graduate celebrate underneath.

Congrats Paper BannerTime to get crafting on those homemade graduation gifts and decorations. You’re not only crafting gifts and decorations; you’re crafting memories!

Do you have a favorite graduation memory?

Guest Post: Making Personalized Gift Boxes

by 4 Comments

This guest post was written by Ashley Lemieux.

If you’re anything like me, sometimes you feel bad for giving a close friend or family member a gift card on their birthday. It just seems so impersonal! I solved that problem by creating personalized gift boxes! Now it doesn’t matter if I stick a gift card in it, because the box it’s in had thought put into it. This project is even for those who feel like they’re not so crafty. YOU CAN DO IT!

What you need:

  • Metal Tin (Can be any size)
  • Mod Podge/Brush
  • Scrapbook Paper
  • Pictures
  • Ribbon/Buttons

Directions:

  1. Cut your scrapbook paper to fit the dimensions of your tin.
  2. You will need to cover the front, and both sides of the inside of the tin. I use different, coordinating paper for each side!
  3. Lightly brush mod podge on the front, and place your paper on it.
  4. Repeat for all sides.
  5. Add your picture to the inside of the tin by brushing mod podge on the back of it.
  6. Then, lightly cover the picture in mod podge on the front. Dont worry, it drys!
  7. Next, lightly cover all the sides with mod podge
  8. You can then add ribbon/button to the front (pictured above) by applying mod podge to the back of it.

Now you won’t feel guilty when they open it up to find a gift card!

Ashley LeMieux is a freelance writer that loves to share her empowering thoughts and ideas with others. Ashley has also founded The Shine Project to encourage others to shine. You can find some of Ashley’s articles at My Baby Clothes. Find your little ones the most precious summer baby clothes, tutus and matching baby headbands.

Guest Blog: “Insane” Father’s Day Gift Ideas

by 5 Comments

Check  out these fun and unique Father’s Day gift ideas from Kendra Halterman of My Insanity Blog:

A “TIE-rrific” Father’s Day

Instead of joking about the stereotypical Fathers Day Tie, why not celebrate this icon of the holiday with some of these fun Fathers Day projects and ideas?!

Father’s Day Tie Gift Bags

These gift bags are inexpensive, easy, and fun to make. Use them for Father’s Day or for a gift for another special man in your life. I just used white standard-sized paper lunch bags.

Click here for the full project instructions.

gifts-1s

Father’s Day Tie Banner

Greet Dad Sunday morning with this fun tie banner. I made mine out of coordinating scrapbook paper. I made a pattern out of tag board, and could get three ties out of each 12×12 piece of paper. I printed out letters from the computer and used the old window-as-a-light box trick to trace them onto the scrapbook paper.

(A Cricut or similar machine would be nice, here!) I cut out the letters then glued one on to each tie. I then folded the ties over a piece of twine and stapled them to secure them. I cut bands of paper and folded them to look like the knot at the top of a tie and glued them on the backside so they would stick out a little in the front and give a bit of a 3D feel.

banner-close2

I’m hoping to take care of the banner and be able to use it for several Fathers’ Days. You might consider making the banner out of fabric or even old ties from thrift shop or Dad’s closet.

banner-1

Tie Pancakes

Fix Dad a special breakfast. Use the bottle technique I blogged about here to make tie shaped pancakes. You could make the ties Polka dotted by adding blueberries or chocolate chips, like I did to my ghost pancakes, here.

pancakefd1

Tie Napkin

Fix Dad his favorite dinner, and dress-up the table with this great napkin fold. I found the directions here , but simplified the process by choosing not to iron the folds and letting them be a little less stiff (and much quicker).

napkin1

You could take this tie thing a step further and make a tie-shaped cake, or tie shaped sugar cookies. The basic tie shape is simple enough that you could cut the shape out of the sugar cookie dough with a knife, if you don’t have a cookie cutter. I was also planning to try a tie shaped cake, utilizing one of the corners of a square or a rectangular-shaped pan to be the corner of my tie and cutting away the sides. Drizzled chocolate or white chocolate across the top of the cake would give a tie pattern that Dad would be excited to eat.

Check back at My Insanity Blog, because when I find the cool Father’s Day Tie card I made, I will post it there. Happy Father’s Day to all of the wonderful men out there who have chosen to be Dads! Let’s show them how much we love them!

For more great Father’s Day gift ideas, check out our craft projects at FaveCrafts.com!

Crochet

Jewelry

Knitting

Paper

Sewing

Thrifty