Gifts I don't want to give.

I'll admit I've done this before...found something perfect for a friend and realized by the time I got it home how perfect it was for ME. I feel guilty about it every time I look at that ring I gifted back to myself...

Nah, notsomuch. I love it. I'm sure what I got her instead was great. Can't remember.

Anyway, I'm having this problem again with some gifts I put together over the weekend. I heart them very, very much.

I started the first with this ugly old Goodwill item. It was $1.99 and I saw it's potential. Luverly, isn't it?

Ohhhh, dahhhhling, is that puke green you are painted with? Yes, I think so. I've been a little obsessed with trying to make my own silhouette of my son. I found numerous people online who I thought did them fairly cheap -- $20 to $30 each. Now I realize how that is highway-freakin'-robbery. (Kimba gave a great tutorial on this.)

All you need to do is take a picture of your subject from the side. (This is NOT an easy feat with a two-year old. Try it, I dare you.) Print out said picture, place black paper behind it (I taped it on) and then use an x-acto knife to cut it out. I am in love with the black and white linen scrapbooking paper right now. (ALERT!!! Hobby Lobby has all scrapbooking paper half off right now!!)

I spray painted the frame, touched up the raised parts with my bronzey paint, and I ended up with this...

A-dorable.

I did another one with a .99 frame from Goodwill -- spray painted it black, found a photo mat in the basement, enlarged the side shot a bit, and cut it out again:




I may put my son's name at the bottom with the date or year, but I don't trust my handwriting. Do you love it or what?? You can't beat the price, seriously. They both cost less than $3 bucks!!

So remember this post and this project I teased you with?

I saw this in my Christmas magazine and have been thinking about trying it for at least a month now. I painted the box white, then cut out this pattern they gave in the magazine and sized it to my size.

Traced it, then filled in with red paint on the top and sides. It was pretty darn cute by itself, but I wanted to make it even more precious:

Yet again, say it with me...CAAUUUUUTE!! What a great package for a gift! I have a plant ledge I put candy swirl stuff on, so I may make more and put them up there or I may use it for our annual ornament exchange. Close up it's far from perfect. And after doing one...I may not do more, or I will find an easier way to paint the red (spray paint.) Although it was quite a relaxing project to work on tonight while watching Biggest Loser. :)

There you have it...two easy gifts and a not-so-easy-but-cute package. All cheap!

P.S. There will be no more fall decorating on here till next year...sorry 'bout ya. I had it out in September here and here. Cry, stomp your feet, whine, beg -- no more. THERE ARE ONLY 36 DAYS TILL CHRISTMAS PEOPLE!!

P.P.S. Am I going overboard with the "cauute" thing? Please tell me. I'll stop if you tell me it's annoying. And I'll find an equally annoying word instead.

P.S.P.S.P. Hobby Lobby has SO MUCH half off right now -- even the craft puncher things!! Go I tell you!!