Making your own gifts.

The secret to making your own gifts for everyone (or almost) is to start in January and do a few things each month. It is amazing how this grows and works! Or start now if you haven't. You don't really need to be crafty. There are so many simple things.

With wedding plans, summer swimming and gardening I have to say I am slightly off track. I keep a cupboard as my stash and it is so wonderful to look in there in about November and start to plan who gets what and maybe what else I need to do.

I keep seeing lovely dip painted kitchen utensils. They look so sweet and so I started to collect wooden spoons to do sets. Last week Woolworths had Arcosteel wooden spoon sets of five for $3! Bargain. I also got some pretty pink spatula's for $2 each.


If you know someones kitchen colours or favourite colours you are set. I mixed my own colours as I always keep white as a base. But tubes of paint as very inexpensive. I also did not dip them I just painted and kept the paint to about where your hand would go as you do not want paint in food.

Very easy!

With gifts like this I will end up making sets. ie the pink ones go with the pink t towels I have been edging. I also have sets of Boquet Garni I did earlier. Plus pink cup cake patty pans with little flowers that I found at a bargain price. Gathering together a little theme I can make up a little gift or a major one.

Chloe loves Tiffany Blue. I made this up to get the shade and it's lovely! The towels I am crocheting around as I get time!

When you make your own gifts you really can give the most lovely things for very little cost. I love giving gifts so this all keeps me in stock!

These would be beautiful for a kitchen tea, bridal shower. I know lots of cooks so these will be handy. I am now working on a few other colours for some particular kitchens. They only took a few minutes and really the kids could do them for you.

Quite often by the end of the year I have forgotten much of what I have put away. Getting it all out is really fun and deciding what I have and for who. It is such a great help knowing the colours people love or their colour schemes etc. Same as knowing the scents people love, flowers etc. Handy knowledge!

We used to do a lot of projects like these in the school holidays. The girls would then have gifts to give to family, teachers and friends. I am amazed to hear people feel they need to spend huge amounts of money on gifts. You don't. A little planning and you always have a treasure trove to go to when you need a present! 

I leave the foodie gifts for Christmas until December, except for the cakes which I make in October. There are a few people who love their shortbread, gingerbread and cakes. Having everything else made through the year makes Christmas lovely. It is not a financial strain it is a joy instead.