QuickMade Handmade Holiday Gift Shortlist

I like giving handmade gifts to people because they are personal, they stand out and sometimes they can be very budget-friendly. It's nice to know someone spent time thinking of something and making it just for you. But we all know that hand-made usually means time-consuming as well...

... and that's why I made this QuickMade Handmade Holiday Gift shortlist!

1. Yummy!
Bake cookies or cupcakes, buy a pretty plate or box for them and voila: something for noms and something for keeps! If you use a pre-made mix, you might want to add your personal touch like a secret extra ingedient or decoration. Other great edible gifts include homemade jam, chutneys or applesauce (handwritten labels <3 )

2. Pretty!
Make a necklace or bracelet using beads, macramé or a suitable silly charm. I have made and seen charms out of barbie shoes, mecano bits, lego's and sewing machine parts. "You love to sew and always forget your keys, here's a necklace just for you!"

3. Practical!
Give something practical with a fun twist, such as these tic-tac bobby pin boxes (or decorated mugs, file boxes, picture frames, notebooks). It may seem boring to give something practical but it's more fun when you decorated it yourself. Stay tuned for my tutorial on how to make these (;

4. Oldskool!
Inspired by the shrinkydink typewriter brooch in issue 21 of Molly Makes, you could make a brooch, keychain or coasters out of Shrinky Dink, fuse beads or Fimo clay. Use the tutorial in the magazine, or go crazy and make... oh why not a set of fuse bead PacMan coasters?

5. DIY!
It may seem like a last resort, but it's also fun to wrap up a DIY packet with supplies, tools and a tutorial for your giftee to make their own project. Because as you know there are only two kinds of people in this world: those who are crafters, and crafters who are waiting to come out of the closet ;)

Enjoy making & giving, and don't forget to share your results!