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Ok. I need a little bit of help here, we have a secret santa thing going on this year in our group of smallholders, and against all the odds, I've drawn Mrs Gerts name out of the hat.

The deal is that we have to make something as the gift and can spend no more than £5 on materials.

The problem is that although I can put up fencing, shear sheep and dig for victory, I am absolutely useless when it comes to any of those small crafty type things that lots of you on here make.
Mrs Gert loves those crafty type things and if I managed to make her something I know she'd be reallly pleased. So what I need is any ideas for things that you think even an idiot like me could make.

I'm sure you're not anywhere near as bad as you say Gert.

But if you want the easiest pressie in the world, get a terracotta plant pot (I'm sure you'll have one lying around somewhere). Buy some spring bulbs - snowdrops, daffs, grape hyacinth etc and plant them up. You could even paint the pot if you felt a bit crafty, or tie it with some raffia or ribbon to make it look pretty.

You could keep it flowering for a long time if you use bulbs that flower one after another rather than all at the same time.

foody stuff? like homemade sweets.. or liqueurs?

can you carve at all?

like the pot idea. cheers Green.

Red, I could have a go at carving, but what would be a nice thing to carve? Sorry, I'm really not very good at coming up with these sort of ideas.

Lovespoon?

Gert wrote: Red, I could have a go at carving, but what would be a nice thing to carve? Sorry, I'm really not very good at coming up with these sort of ideas.

how about a nice coat rack thing.. you know.. reclaimed wood, nice pegs, cut out a heart shape, or a cat shape or a clover or something to add a bit of folksy interest?

or would your skills go as far as a rustic garden seat? to put under a tree in the sunshine?
or a little footstool?

or what about a noticeboard for the kitchen.. you know.. nice bit of plank.. routed (is that how you spell it?) edges, maybe again a shape cut out, heart, clover, whatever, hand painted word saying something like 'kitchen list' or be more lovey dovey ( i dont know mrs Gert's taste..but you do) and say something like 'home is where the heart is' or summat.

then a bit of blackboard paint.. or corks glued together or a bit of cork tile for pinning notices to... or a combination of the above

this is all assuming you can handle workwork ok.. but a man wot fences surely he can make a little something?


if you get desparate.. go for home made vouchers.. print em up, use pictures.. make them look smart. voucher for breakfast in bed, another for a meal out another to buy some craft stuff, etc..

Fantastic, thanks for those. I'll check outwhat nice bits of wood I've got. I think she'd probably go for something in that line. Cheers
Now why couldn't I have thought of those

wanna see pictures of what you make in the end

ok, will do

get some fimo and make stuff.. pen holders, name plates, door hanger things..

i do like the wood carving ideas

If the Mrs is into crafts herself, what about making a wooden box that she can store things in. If you have money left over you can fill it with materials that she can use (fabric, paints, whatever). You could make a plain (unpainted) box and then put some paints in it so that she can decorate it herself.

If she paints or uses felt tips pens then a sturdy block of wood with suitable sized holes drilled into it to store her brushes or pens.

A pair of bookends with your initial on one and hers on the other

Pop some fruit in a jar with some sugar and her favourite spirit (there's plenty of threads on flavoured vodka and gin on here for recipes).

I'm sure you'll come up with something wonderful.

Zoe

the terracotta pot of bulbs could be decorated with a tile mosaic from broken pieces pf coloured tile glued on, or even to small squares you can buy, you could even write a message on the mosaic..

If you can work with wood, how about a wooden jewelry box. There are some free plans here

http://www.woodworkersworkshop.com/reso ... hp?cat=670

to give you some ideas.

I also think that Zoe's idea of a box to put crafty things in is a good one.

Hey and don't forget to posts pics when you're done

Here are two "crafty" things I've made. I'll be making more for Christmas gifts as they cost next to nothing but my own time and patience.

The fitst is a little notice board made from a piece of thin ply, some wooden quadrant and old corks cut in half. I have an enormous bagful given to me by a restaraunteur friend but it wouldn't take long to save up enough for a small board. Add a glue gun and that's all you need. I'm so pleased with it I still use the old corkboard I started with and save this for decoration!



The second took a bit longer but again, cost pennies. A sheet of ply, a bit of weathered wood, a pile of driftwood, some pebbles, a sheet of mirror tile, some shells from a local trinket shop and the trusty glue gun. I know it's not to everyone's taste but I love it and have "orders" for a couple more for Christmas. I suppose it depends if you live near a beach for the driftwood - I went beach combing last time we were back in Whitby.