Category: Handmade Gifts

It’s St Patrick’s Day on Tuesday 17th March, so we thought we’d share some of our favourite handmade gift ideas. It’s amazing how much gift inspiration you can draw from green, gold, rainbows and all things Irish…

1. Paper Shamrocks
These would be great fun for a party or a kid’s bedroom. They’re pretty easy to make, so the kids could have fun making these too.  

They would also look great in other colours – tonal or contrasting bright colours as a simple mobile to decorate a bedroom.  

Which St Patrick’s Day gift idea do you like best? 
We’d love your thoughts – please comment below…

Writing the contents on the lids of my spice jars has been life-changing.

I didn’t realize how much time I used to waste lifting up each individual jar to inspect what was inside (or read the label on the front) when I was looking for a specific ingredient.

• They are easy to make – simple paint the lid with chalkboard paint and label with a chalk pen
• You can use any size or shape of jar, depending on what you like the look of and what fits in your cupboard best. 
• They are reusable – when an ingredient runs out, simply wash the jar and lid and refill/label with another ingredient. 
• They’re a great way to reuse old jars that would otherwise be thrown out. 
• You could use them anywhere in the house – not just in your pantry. Think bathroom, office, workshop, or sewing room for haberdashery supplies. 
• You could fill them with homemade produce or homegrown herbs for as a thoughtful, cost-effective gift. 

Aprons make a fantastic gift for men who like to cook.

When we tried to source aprons for men, we noticed that there weren’t many men’s aprons available on the market…until we discovered the Crumbz range.

We have three different types of aprons to suit the chef in your house: The Barry BBQ apron, the Butcher’s Apron and the Chef’s Apron. Check out the Crumbz range here…

Why we love them:

• The Crumbz range has been lovingly handmade in Healesville in Victoria’s picturesque Yarra Valley since 2009.We love supporting Australian businesses!
• They are made from 100% Cotton fabric in stylish colours and patterns
• The designs feature high-quality cotton straps and wrap-around waist ties
• They are suitable for men AND women
• They are smart and practical
• Easy-care – simply machine wash

Aprons aren’t just for kids or Nanna – real men wear aprons too!

Check out our other handmade gift ideas here…

Who’s the chef in your house?
We’d love your thoughts – please comment below…

Buttons, buttons and more buttons!

These would be the perfect little gift for people who love reading, like the girls in my bookclub. A little set of these would also make a gorgeous gift for your child’s teacher.

Why we love it:

• Men, women, children – the possibilities are endless depending on what buttons and coloured paperclips you use.
• You can buy some really fun paperclips these days – different colours, large, small, patterned. Source something different from your local stationery shop or $2 shop.
• Cover your own buttons in fabrics you love
• Use other trinkets such as gumnuts or semi-precious stones for a different effect.
• They don’t have to be used as bookmarks – organizing paperwork with these paperclips has never been so stylish!
• Here’s a tutorial on how to make them…

While we’re on the button theme, here is a gorgeous clock that uses a mixed assortment of buttons and an embroidery hoop to create this unique clock.

• You can completely personalize this clock to suit the recipient depending on:

• If you’re not crafty you could purchase a custom-made one from Mason Bee on Etsy.

One of the nicest gifts to receive from someone is a compliment. It’s very easy to focus on what we don’t like about ourselves, so a gift like this is a massive self-esteem boost.

Who wouldn’t love to receive a gift like this?

Why we love it:

• This is a gift that everyone would love. Young, old, male, female – this is a rare gift that transcends gender and culture.
• It’s personal – there would be no two books the same as each one would be unique to its recipient.
• It shows you care – a certain level of effort and thought is required on the gift-giver’s part, making this gift extremely precious.

Things to write in this book:

• Focus on personality, as opposed to appearance. Comments like you have ‘gorgeous blue eyes’,’a beautiful smile’ or ‘a cute butt’ are flattering. However, compliments on the things we can control have lasting impact and don’t fade with age. For example: loyalty, a great laugh, patience, a kind heart, etc.
• Think about the types of things you’d like to be complimented on. Chances are your recipient would like to be complimented on similar traits (that are applicable to them, of course).
• You could get other people to contribute to the book (such as family, friends or work colleagues), making it a great group gift that everyone feels they have contributed to.

Who would you give this book to? We’d love your thoughts – please comment below…