Frugal Friday - Handmade Gift Ideas and a project for you to do!

Last year I made several Christmas gifts and I really enjoyed it.  This year my kids are still young enough that they enjoy handmade things.  So I am taking advantage of that for as long as I can although I don't have much to make for my older son (5 year old) so if anyone has ideas what to make him let me know. 

Last year I made some of these things. 

Here is a list of some food gifts.

Here are a few ideas for kids that I am planning on doing:


Kids knit pjs

Car Mat

Baby Doll Diapers

Foam Bath Dolls

Farm Hand Puppets

Playhouse - the ideas and the PVC Picture 

Now for what else I am doing.  I am making an Advent Jesse Tree Calendar.  I ordered the book The Advent Jesse Tree: Devotions for children and Adults to Prepare for the Coming of the Christ Child at Christmas.  I am using this book plus this tree tutorial to make our family's own calendar.  Now if you go to this tutorial it teaches you how to basically do what I am doing but mine is tailored to the Jesse Tree and its symbols.  This blogger is Mormon and her's is tailored to that, just so you know.

This is a picture of her tree.

So starting Monday I will be sharing how to make an ornament a day so that you could have this done by December 1st to start with teaching your children about the real meaning of Christmas.  I love this book because it starts at the beginning of the Bible and goes through to the birth of Christ. Of course you can teach them anyway you want, but I know my kids would like this and so this is what I am doing.

You can read more about Jesse Trees here.

If you are interested in doing this you will want to get the following supplies:

Felt - several colors including orange, gray, black, white, green, blue, pink, yellow, brown, gold.
Felt by the yard - 3/4 to 1 yard of green and white
Heat n bond light OR fabric glue - you don't have to get the Heat N Bond but it makes things a lot easier
Hook and eye closures (25 of them)

As I said to make this less overwhelming just do one ornament a day and have your kids help too!  For Monday we will be doing the earth:

And just so you know I did something wrong from the original pattern.  I put the symbols on the colored side of the ornaments when I should have put them on the white side but it doesn't really matter and since this is for my family I just went with it.


There you have some simple homemade gift ideas to get you started AND a felt calendar to work on (like you didn't have anything else to do right?).  For more frugal tips, visit Life as a Mom.