Words to live by!!

 I went to a friends house and saw this plaque sitting on her kitchen counter.  

I fell in love with the saying....

 This was so easy to recreate.  I plaque from a craft store, some paint, stamps or stencil letters and there you have it!  I can't wait to make one for my home!

If you enjoyed this post Subscribe to One of a Kind Gifts here!

Trash to Treasure

 I love making great gifts out of things I already have!  A good friend of mine sent me this link and I love it.  With some "garbage" (There is no such thing as GARBAGE, right Krista!) and some left over scrapbook supplies, you can have a fast, easy gift.  The end project is so cute and who doesn't have old toilet paper rolls in their garbage cans.


  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zfiLIG0gd74&feature=related






If you enjoyed this post Subscribe to One of a Kind Gifts here!

Survival kits

 

 One of my favorite gifts to give is a "Survival Kit".  There are kits for every occasion.  I go to my local hardware store and buy an empty paint can, cover it with nice scrapbook paper or wrapping paper and decorate the can using scrapbook materials, ribbon and stamps.  I bought a stamp set at www.cdstamps.com that is a survival kit stamp set and makes it a snap to put together!  I buy the little goodies and put a tag on each one.  Fill the bottom of the can with paper grass and fill it up with the goodies and tags.  Make sure to tie a paint can opener with a ribbon to the outside of the can.  I have many survival kits in my repertoire but here are a few of my favorites.... 


A Survival Kit for Motherhood
Band aid:  To fix hurt feelings.
Tissue:  To fix hurt feelings.
Cotton Swab:  To clean out little ears....for better listening.
Marble:  For when you've lost yours.
Rubber Band:  To stretch you beyond your limits.
Sweet and Sour Tarts:  A reminder that the good comes with the bad, but the good overcomes!

Button:  A reminder to button the lips and count to 10 when angry.
Lifesaver: For when you have had one of those days!
Toothpick:  To pick out the good in trying situations.
Star:  To remember how motherhood makes us SHINE!
Flower:  To remember that the dandelions our little ones pick for us mean more than a lavish bouquet of roses.
Glitter:  For a glimpse of how the world looks through a child's eyes.
Candy Hug and Kiss:  For the little ones...to make everything all right!




Marriage Survival Kit

Dove "Promises":  For your promise to love, cherish and honor each other.
A poem:  To share the beauty of words.
Skittles:  For the rainbow of excitement you share.
Popcorn:  Because you keep "popping" into each others thoughts.
Sweet and Sour Candy:  To help you appreciate the differences in each other.
Crayons:  To color your days bright and sunny.
Candy Hugs and Kisses - To remind you that someone loves you and to give this to one another.
Cotton balls -- To help soften the rough times.
Eraser -- To remind you that every day you can start with a clean slate.
Paper Clip -- To help keep things together.
Starburst -- To give you a "burst" of energy on the days you don't have any.
Bubble Bath -- Take a few minutes for yourself and relax.
Peppermint Patty -- For the "cool sensations" you give each other.
A Candle (or a lighter) -- For "lighting up" each other's life.
A Match -- Because you are a perfect "match".
A Pack of Gum -- You "chews" each other for life.
A Tissue -- To wipe away your tears of joy.
A Knotted String -- To unite your love and commitment to each other.
A Stick Of Gum -- To remind you to stick with it.
A Chocolate Kiss -- To remind you that someone cares.
Smarties -- To help you on days when you don't feel so smart.
Lifesaver -- To remind you that everyone neds help once in a while.
A Snickers Bar -- To remind you to see the funny side -- there is one!
A Rose -- To remind you to take time to smell the flowers.
Confetti -- To help you celebrate the good times.
A Penny -- With thanks for sharing your thoughts.
A Bag --To help you keep it all together.


A Survival kit for the "Tool Man"


You can either use all tools cut out of fun foam, or you could buy cheap plastic toy tools and put them in a plastic tool box.


Hammer -- To help you hammer away frustrations.
Ruler -- Remember the Golden Rule.
Saw -- Something to do with cut or sawing away something.
Tape Measure -- To make sure you measure up to expectations.
Screws -- When life gets screwy, rember I'm here for you.
Nails -- To help you nail down the solution.
Router -- To make things groovy.
Plane -- To smooth out trouble spots.
Chalk Line -- To help keep you on the straight and narrow.
Glue -- Love is the glue that holds a family together.
Vice Grips -- To help you grab a hold of your dreams and hang on.
Idea by jazbo and shared on the Craft Sayings Board:  http://www.voy.co


 




If you enjoyed this post Subscribe to One of a Kind Gifts here!

Send your own message in a bottle...My friend Shelly is my partner in crime. We have a flea market booth over at the Streetsboro Flea Market. Our booth is called Three Penny Market. Shelly is the queen of all things recycled- she never throws away anything, because when she is done with it, you want it back! Today, she was making some really great stuff. She had acquired ( we won't ask where) some of those bottles you see sometimes in stores for foodies, those tall bottles full of vinegar with dodgy looking peppers topped with wax. They had seen better days, so she emptied them out, cleaned them up, and bought new corks. She has been busy making them into spooky potion bottles for Halloween, but she made one that will make such a great gift. She filled one of the bottles with sand, and tiny shells, and put in a strategically placed note, (put in so you can read it) that says "Don't rescue me, I love it here." I thought this would make a great anniversary gift for your special someone, especially if you are taking a trip. She put in the cork, and added some charms and things to the outside, to finish it off. I think this gift idea could be adapted for all kinds of ideas, to announce things or to send any kind of special message. Click on the picture above to send a virtual message in a bottle to someone you love...

If you enjoyed this post Subscribe to One of a Kind Gifts here!

Family Recipe Books

A really special gift that may be time consuming but definitely worth it is a family recipe book. Throughout the year gather recipes from each family member, especially your Mom's holiday ones or your sister's famous mashed potatoes for example. Each recipe can be told with a story behind the recipe if desired and a picture of the food itself, the ingredients to make it, or the person that shared the recipe. Compile them all and you can easily print them out and put it in a binder, or publish it professionally into a book. Then give them out to your family as Christmas presents, or your new sister-in-law at her bridal shower. You can have additional "volumes" as you continue to gather recipes throughout the years. A great website to publish your cookbook on is LuLu.com.



If you enjoyed this post Subscribe to One of a Kind Gifts here!

Bridal Shower or HouseWarming Gift

photo by tofutti break

Tie a ribbon around the spoons or measuring cups and leave a note or tag that says "Wishing you joy beyond measure!"

If you enjoyed this post Subscribe to One of a Kind Gifts here!