Eco Lovely Homemade Gifts To do Yourself
1.) Homemade Toothpaste - Click on the link to view the video that will show you how!
http://youtu.be/Q0U0urOm3pM This toothpaste works great and has seemed to halt the growth of my cavities ! It is a vegan toothpaste , that isn't tested on animals , tastes great and is safe if you accidentally swallow some though, I wouldn't recommend you eat too much of it as it contains about 33 % baking soda .
2.) Water color postcards and greeting cards. You can buy these at some art supply stores or find them online. These are great if you enjoy art . The ones I have seen are plain blank postcards/ greeting cards and you can paint anything you want on them though, there are probably paint by number ones out there too. If you have someone on your list who loves to travel or keep in touch the old fashioned way with letter writing and card sending - Perhaps, paint up a pack for them or paint a few for several people. You can of course also paint them and use them , fill them out and send them off yourself as personal homemade card/ postcards rather than buying cards . - The unpainted pack would likely make a great gift for any artists on your list too !
3.) Recipe Jars - These are great gifts for anyone who doesn't care much for cooking , you want to introduce to vegan meals, or is busy and would appreciate a little help in the kitchen . You simply take a canning jar ( The largest size is often best .) Find a recipe that will work with this project and print it out or hand write it and attach it to the jar . Add all the dry ingredients of the recipe to the jar and write a note to hang over the recipe saying Just add and then the wet ingredients . Here is an example .
PmS Hot cocoa or healthy hot cocoa depending on who you are giving this too as it's great for men and children too
In any size jar combine the amount of raw powdered pure cacao, maca powder , and xylitol. Then write just add 1 tsp. from this jar per cup to a coffee cup along with 1 tsp. vanilla extract , 1/2 c. boiling water and 1/2 c. vegan milk of choice then heat and enjoy ! - Include the full recipe or contents of jar somewhere too so , people know what they are eating or drinking .
See , video here
http://youtu.be/EQf8wNccYkE
4.)Affirmation keeper - This may be great for someone on your list . Write or print out positive affirmations on small slips of paper fold them and place them into a decorated box , basket or bowl .
5.) Sample baskets/ boxes - If there is something you buy and use regularly and in different varieties, flavors etc. and know someone else who likes the same thing you can make them a sampler pack . For us this was teas but, it could be fruit leathers, bulk spices and herbs , stationary / beautiful computer papers or a million other things .
Simply save some of whatever you buy for awhile and then arrange the collection in an attractive way .
6.)Up-cycled Journals or notepads
7.)Spell bags , baskets , and so forth - Find the purpose of the gift ( Such as friendship, courage, healing - specific or general ,business success , etc. Collect correspondences such as stones/gems, colored candles, herbs, essential oils, representation of element , you can include a spell or affirmation or note s well and arrange them nicely in container of choice .
Examples : For new friends
a few pieces of rose quartz , a pink soy candle , a pad of pink lined paper , a pink ink pen or colored pencil , and a cheap how to make friendship bracelets book , and a handwritten note saying " Make new friends but, keep the old , one is silver one is gold . "
Healing for thyroid or any throat neck condition -
Blue candle , blue gemstones of choice , a small sealed jar of water charged with healing energies , a page photo copied about the throat chakra and how to help heal it . and a pouch of chamomile .
8.) A general purpose magic supply basket -
Example of how you might fill it
Perhaps, white soy candles , or a couple in every color , a black cloth, a white cloth , a recipe for clay , a set of colored pens a couple small offering bowls , a smudge stick
I love these because, you get to be so incredibly creative in making them and put so much care and love into individualizing them ! :)
9.) A handmade recipe book of your favorite vegan recipes
10.) Individualized Gift baskets - Think of who you are giving it to and what cool small , affordable things you can put in there that they will like . This is similar to filling a stocking - small little things that add up to make a great gift . If you are particularly crafty perhaps your handmade goodies can be it or most of it . Do you make soaps, candles, carve stones, make jewelry , bake ( delicious vegan food of course) , herbal remedies or tea blends? All of these and more would be great ! Also libraries are wells of information and perhaps photo copying some info to go in baskets is at times appropriate - poems, quotes , do it yourself instructions ,self help exercises, beautiful pictures, correspondences , jokes and more..
11.) Tea blends - Create canning jars of loose leaf tea blends
12.) Comfort baskets - Especially good for anyone with depression or Seasonal depression . Compile a basket full of things this person takes comfort in and humans in general do Ideas- a stress ball , a teddy bear , a soft blanket or shawl, uplifting music they like , uplifting guided meditation or affirmations on cd , comforting scents - essential oils , cinnamon sticks , dried lavender etc. herbal teas , print outs on relaxation stretches from the internet , a postcard or picture , think of your own ! lol. I sense I could be here all day
13. ) Burn a cd - If you have a program to burn cds or are contemplating getting one these can be great gifts if you know the persons taste in music ! The one I used to have allowed me to burn most songs free with the $15 / month subscriptions and charged me 40- 90 Cents for a few but, always let me know if it wanted to charge me and let me back out !
14.) Coupons- Make them coupons for things you can and will do for them that they'd appreciate
Examples :
Free baby sitting for 4 hrs, 20 minute massage, one week's laundry washed, dried and folded , one vegan dinner , One driveway shoveling free of charge
15.) A poem, Song , or story written by you ! I'm very serious ! I think most people have someone on their list for who this gift would be the up-most ! Think about it .. Wouldn't your kids love a story ? You mom love a poem about how great she is ? Your lover a romantic story of the two of you indulging in magic carpet ride on a planet with purple clouds and flowers that taste like chocolate ? A friend or co- worker like a story about how their dreams came true ? Or someone like a song about how they are a super hero ?
16.) Personalized computer made gifts - If you don't have a program to do this Walmart allows you to make calenders , mugs and more from your photos and cafe press ( find online ) has a ton of things you can make from pillows to car magnets , to clothes and more !
17.) Other collection/ Theme packages - I can really think of a ton of these but, here's just a couple more a boredom kit - Include a couple board games , some Sudoku puzzles, word searches, crosswords . A green cleaning pack include vegan green cleaners , some recipes to make your own , maybe some cleaning clothes or post consumer paper towels .
