I love giving gifts! It’s a challenging but enjoyable enterprise to find gifts that will be in some way significant to the recipient. I do admit that most often, mainly due to time constraints, it is much easier to purchase prefabricated items. In this individualization-loving, consumer world there are frequently numerous gift options that you simply can’t believe weren’t designed exclusively for your recipient.

However, there are times that even after extensive searching, nothing seems to fit the bill. So, do I settle? No! Give up? Never! My motto: When the giving gets tough, get crafty! Ditch prefab, and create something fabulous! Crafty giving is all about personalization. What floats your recipient’s boat? Do they have a hobby? What is their favorite color? From small touches to all-out, one-of-a-kind creations, the possibilities are endless.

Over the next few entries, it will be my goal to furnish you with some tips and ideas for creating gifts exactly suited to your recipient. I’m no Martha Stewart. As much as I admire her ability to consistently produce a hyperperfect outcome to everything she touches, I’m much more practical and (dare I say it?) thrifty. Nevertheless, there are some underlying principles to crafty giving that permeate all praiseworthy do-it-yourself gifts, no matter how simple or grandiose. So, whether you’re a Stewart disciple or not, I’m hoping there will be something for everyone.

Here is a sneak peek at the next installment:

Monogram Necklace in Matching Box