Homemade Holiday Gifts: #2

Hi, friends!  If you missed yesterday's post, this week I'm sharing my top five ideas for Homemade Holiday Gifts!  Here's what we have so far:

1. Handmade Ornaments

2. Personal Photos

A framed photo can be such a treasure.  I've found that grandparents and great-grandparents in particular just can't get enough of them!  And if you've got some photo shop skills, adding a few effects and some text makes them extra special.  One thing you can do is take a cute photo of your child{ren} and put memorable information on it to summarize their year.

Adding a meaningful quote or definition turns an ordinary photo into a one-of-a-kind keepsake.

  As an alternative to simply framing the picture, you can mod podge it onto a painted wooden plaque like this one and turn it into a piece of unique home decor.  You can do anything from a 4x6 up to a large wall hanging.   See here for a full step-by-step tutorial of how I made this one.

Another alternative to a traditional frame is to turn a photo into personalized jewelry.  See here for how to do it yourself!

If you want to get your own Little Crafter{s} involved, get some wooden frames at your local craft store and let them go to town with acrylic paints.  This frame cost $1 at Michaels...definitely within the budget!  You can't beat an adorable kid photo in a frame he or she decorated!

And, one last idea to involve the littlest of hands, frame a special photo side by side with a piece of a child's artwork.  This is one of Little Crafter's first fingerpaintings.  A crayon drawing or any other kind of art works too!

Finally, you can use your photos to make a memorable keepsake wall or desk calendar.  Walmart.com, Snapfish.com, and lots of other photo sites make it very easy to upload your photos and create a one-of-a-kind calendar that I guarantee will be a hit with doting grandparents everywhere.  My personal favorite site to use is Mixbook.  Their layouts are just gorgeous, and they often run sales and specials, so watch for those!

Photographs are such treasures to begin with, and adding any of these personal touches makes them an even more meaningful gift that anyone would love to receive.  What's your most treasured photo?

Come back tomorrow for another fun homemade gift idea, and don't forget to share your projects at the {Our} Home for the Holidays party!

PS - I am thrilled to be guest posting at Katie's Nesting Spot today with a simple jewelry tutorial!  I'd love for you to go visit me there too!