Last Minute DIY Gifts/Greetings for Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day!

Here are links to a few last minute, do it yourself Valentine's Day gifts and greetings:

• A pretty Valentine's Day necklace for a little girl (or for you to help a little girl make) from beads and toilet paper rolls, courtesy of the Filth Wizardry blog.
  
  
• A simple but pretty and elegant "bag of hearts" Valentine's Day card, from Kabobbing Cards.
  
  
• Some adorable paper cup gift or treat boxes, from the Zakka Life blog.

I can't believe it's Valentine's Day already! Wasn't Christmas just last week?

Free Sheet Music from The Mutopia Project

The day after Christmas is probably the hardest day of the year to come up with an appropriate stocking stuffer post! Presumably we're still so stuffed with turkey and ham and cookies and other Christmas goodies that a post about a food stocking stuffer is right out! And the last thing I want to do is think about shopping today!

In any case, here is something that I've wanted to post about as a possible last minute stocking stuffer, but I hesitated because I haven't quite figured out the file formats that you receive. But now that it's not "last minute", for this year, anyway, you have some time to explore this site and file it away for future reference if you would like. This is The Mutopia Project website, which provides free downloads of sheet music, mostly classical music that is in the public domain, but also some modern and contemporary music that the rights owners have chosen to make available. As of today, The Mutopia Project has 1,628 pieces of music available.

As with other "downloaded" stocking stuffers (digital stamps, free coloring pages, PDF patterns for crafters purchased from Etsy, etc.), you can either print these out and roll them up like a scroll for your recipient's stocking, or load them onto a flash drive for a stocking stuffer that does double duty. As I mentioned, the site takes a little getting used to; pieces may be arranged for voice, piano, string quartet, etc., and there are several file types, many of them zipped. But I still think it's a nice idea for the musician in your life.

What: Free Downloadable Sheet Music
Where: The Mutopia Project
How much (as of today's post): free!

E-Books that Don't Need Readers

There's lots in the news about e-book readers these days -- Barnes & Noble is having trouble delivering their Nook on time, Amazon has had some problems with Kindle content, and so on. But if you're caught today without a stocking stuffer for someone, how about some e-books that don't need readers? Several e-book suppliers offer PDF formatted e-books, which can be read on any computer with the free Acrobat reader -- which means they can be read on almost any computer. Here are two sources for e-books that you can load onto a flash drive for one last stocking stuffers:

• Fictionwise has a handy advanced search screen that lets you limit by format, including PDF. Plus you can use the pull-down menus to limit by genre/category and publisher, and you can even fill in a price range. There are even issues of fiction magazines such as Asimov's, Analog, and Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine. Prices vary, but many are cheaper than buying a paperback.
  
  
• I've mentioned Girlebooks once before -- this is a wonderful website that both sells e-books, and offers many for free, including lots of classics by women writers (think Jane Austen, Louisa May Alcott, and so on). And it's a little thing, but I love that they give each e-book it's own unique "cover". I have gotten tons of free e-books from this site and I've even bought one or two. They're available in many format, including PDF.

I hope you have a wonderful Christmas!



What: E-Books that Don't Need Readers
Where: various websites
How much (as of today's post): some free, other prices vary

Sleep Shorts in a Tin

I hinted at these in my giveaway of stocking stuffers for men: sleep shorts in a tin. I purchased the giveaway pair -- G.I. Joe: Rise of the Cobra -- at Target, where I also bought a Christmas Story pair for my brother-in-law and a Transformers pair for a friend. Later at Kohl's I saw many of the same selections plus some new ones, including Guitar Hero, Budweiser, and Bud Light. (I bought the Budweiser ones for my husband's stocking because he just became an American citizen in November and I tease him that he has to drink Budweiser now!)

What I like about these sleep shorts is that there's a large selection to choose from (AC/DC, Pink Floyd, Tabasco sauce, South Park, Halo, and more); they come in a tin shaped to match the logo or product; they're fairly inexpensive; they're practical as well as fun; and they fit in a stocking.

What more could you want in a last minute stocking stuffer for men?

(P.S. The Tabasco ones would be cute for Valentine's Day, too.)

What: Sleep Shorts in a Tin
Where: Target, Kohl's, etc.
How much (as of today's post): $7-$15

Pier 1 Imports for Last Minute Stocking Stuffers

I'm calling these last minute stocking stuffers, because unless you're in a really small town, chances are you have a Pier 1 store close enough to get to in person. I got an e-mail from them today about last minute stocking stuffers, and I admit, there were several that I thought were quite nice, like the $2 sponge soap pouches, in which you put those little slivers of soap that otherwise are too small to be useful; the $5.99 octopus dish scrubbers, just because they're cute and funny; and the ocean swizzle sticks (on clearance for $3.88), perfect for a fruity drink so you can dream of the tropics as you're sitting at home during a blizzard!

The link below goes to their gifts under $10, which also includes cute fish soaps, assorted veggie dishes, and funny memo pads, including a "To Don't" list -- I like that one!

What: Last Minute Stocking Stuffers at Pier 1 Stores
Where: Pier 1 Stores
How much (as of today's post): under $10

Personalized Alphabet Flashcards

(My husband valiantly spent many hours yesterday and today trying to clean up the virus that had infected my computer, and we think it's mostly gone -- please excuse the lateness of this posting!)

JHill from the Mad in Crafts blog posted one of the best do it yourself stocking stuffers I've ever seen: personalized alphabet flashcards, using digital photos you've taken yourself. Apart from being warm, fun, and personal, these have the advantage of being able to featuring photos of people and pets your child already knows, giving them something familiar to attach to those mysterious letters! JHill gives detailed instructions here using picnik.com, a free photo editing software. I was able to whip up the above cat flashcard in about two minutes using Publisher and then SnagIt to grab the image and change it to a jpg, although I haven't tested it for printing yet.

So, putting together a whole set would take a little time, but if you can steal a few minutes here and there over the next two days and get them printed at Walgreens on the 24th, you could a very impressive last minute stocking stuffer! My only concern is that photo paper is a bit flimsy, so you might want to mount them on something a little sturdier, and of course that would take more time and more supplies. (JHill also points out that you could have fun putting together something for a bachelorette party or some other event.)

What: Personalized Alphabet Flashcards
Where: Mad in Crafts blog
How much (as of today's post): maximum $5.20 for photo printing at a drugstore, plus supplies for mounting if desired

DIY Hot Chocolate Kits

Yesterday I was rather alarmed when my computer started flashing a red and yellow warning at me, saying that it had been infected and all my accounts could be hacked and I should "click here" to fix it. Luckily I knew better than to "click here", but my husband and I are still determining how best to get rid of the virus pretending to be a cure for a virus. So I'm using my husband's laptop for this post. It has a tiny keyboard with no mouse, which I find very hard to use for any length of time, so today's post will be short, and (it feels like to me) a bit of a cheat since it will only be pointing to someone else's stocking stuffer idea. No pictures, even. :-( I feel like I've been electronically crippled!

Anyway, today's post is about Hot Chocolate Kits, which Heidi from the My Paper Crane blog made up for her child's classroom party favors. They're the perfect size for stocking stuffers, and would look lovely sticking up out of the top of the stocking. Basically Heidi used the plastic cone "bags" you use to pipe frosting, and filled them with one serving of hot chocolate mix, plus chocolate chips and mini marshmallows. Then she tied them up with some festive ribbon, and presto! Click here to see the result (scroll down past the little gnomes, which are also adorable). Aren't these hot chocolate kits a perfect last minute stocking stuffer?

What: DIY Hot Chocolate Kits
Where: My Paper Crane blog
How much (as of today's post): (depends how many you make -- they should each be fairly inexpensive when you divide up the cost of the supplies)

DIY Patterns for Felt Halloween Candy, Cookies, & Jack O'Lantern

It's the last Sunday before Halloween, so for my Etsy post, I thought I'd feature a Halloween item that you can either do yourself if you're quick and crafty, or give the patterns to the crafter in your life as a little Halloween gift. Etsy seller Umecrafts sells lovely patterns and tutorials which she sends via PDF file on e-mail, which means you don't have to pay or wait for shipping. This particular set is an adorable jack o'lantern that you fill with a set of Halloween cookies and candies.

If you're crafty but not quick enough to do these in time for Halloween, be sure to check out the Gingerbread house and cookies set for Christmas, or take a look at her wide selection of other food and cake patterns. Honestly, some of them look good enough to eat!

What: DIY Patterns for Felt Halloween Candy, Cookies, & Jack O'Lantern
Where: Umecrafts (an Etsy shop)
How much (as of today's post): $5

EcoTools Lash & Brow Groomer

With the environment being on everyone's mind these days, it's not surprising that eco-friendly products are springing up everywhere, including make-up and beauty lines. I first stumbled across the EcoTools line of products at Kroger's, where I picked up this eyelash brush for a mere $2.89. I love that the bristles are 100% cruelty-free, the metal is recycled aluminum, and the handle is made of highly sustainable bamboo.

If Santa is feeling extra generous, there are also sets of brushes bundled in a natural cotton and hemp carrying case. The six-piece set I looked at online has a blush brush, an eye-shading brush, an eyeliner brush, the lash and brow groomer shown here, and a concealer brush. Since the EcoTools line is already carried in Kroger's and perhaps elsewhere, it can also be a great last-minute stocking stuffer if you get caught short.

What: EcoTools Lash & Brow Groomer
Where: Kroger's or elsewhere
How much (as of today's post): $2.89

"Just for You" Paperweight

Did Father's Day sneak up on you again this year? I was so determined that it wouldn't sneak up on me that I woke up last Sunday and immediately said to my husband, "Don't forget we have to call our fathers for Father's Day today!" Then I realized I was a week early....

But the day is upon us tomorrow, and I wanted to post one last-minute gift possibility. This would be best for a parent-helps-child-make-it kind of gift: a Hallmark/Crayola "Just for You" star paperweight kit. I found this little kit in a Hallmark store, although I unfortunately couldn't find a price tag anywhere on it. (A search of ebay shows one listed for $9.99.) There were only two left, so it's possible these are going to be long gone by the time you read this. Hopefully not, though, and since this can really be adapted for use all year (including, of course, as a stocking stuffer!), if you can't find it today for Father's Day, perhaps it's something you'd like to try to get later for another occasion.

In any case, the kit has three blank star-shapes that can be decorated with the included red, yellow, and blue mini markers, or whatever other markers you have at hand. You then peel the adhesive and attach the drawing or message to the underside of the acrylic star, and presto! You have a personalized paperweight for Dad, or any other recipient. The kit notes that it's suitable for ages 6 and up, but I think with proper supervision you could go younger than that if you wanted.

Another possibility would be to forgo the markers and use this kit to make a photo paperweight. Or, if you can't find this in stores and/or you're crafty anyway, you could probably go to a craft store and find acrylic blocks from which you could fashion a similar paperweight. I'm not sure how the adhesive aspect would work in that case, but then again I'm always amazed at the ingenuity of crafters!

Glass Jar Photo Frames

I can't remember how I happened to stumble across this post at the Photojojo website several months ago, but I thought it was brilliant then and I think it's brilliant now. These are glass jar photo frames, and the post has a step-by-step tutorial for how to make them, although it's really so simple you could probably figure it out yourself from the photo above. I have a number of little odd-sized jars, and I'm just itching to try this out. And naturally, I will have to find seven jars for seven cats....

(Be sure and click on their "extra photos for bloggers" link -- the first one shows an art project using images in Coke bottles. I love how creative people are!)

I do think this can work as a stocking stuffer or a gift-basket stuffer. It's also a great little last minute do-it-yourself project for Mother's Day or Father's Day, especially because a little one can help pick the picture or help put it together for Mommy or Daddy.

Easter Cake Pops from the Bakerella Blog

I've never been a fan of Easter chocolate molds, where you simply melt different pastel-colored "chocolate" buttons into molds, and end up with pink, white, and yellow bunnies, hens, and chicks. Some were on lollipop sticks, while others were just "standalone" pieces wrapped in cellophane individually or together. Even as a kid, I thought they tasted too sickly sweet, and of course now I know that white chocolate is not actually chocolate anyway, since it has no cacao in it.

In any case, if Easter has snuck up on you but you still want to make some treats yourself, and you're tired of simply melting chocolate into molds, you might want to take it to the next level with cake pops. I don't remember how and when I first came Bakerella's blog, but I remember being astounded at her ingenuity and at the adorable detail of her various cake pops. She has basic cake pop instructions here, from which you'll see that cake pops are made from a mixture of cake and frosting, which helps the pop hold its shape. It's then dipped into colored melted chocolate and decorated with edible pens, candies, etc.

You really should spend some time exploring her blog to see all the amazing things she's made from this basic concept. And naturally she has some for Easter, including Easter egg cake pops and bunny cake pops. But my hands-down favorite is the adorable little sheep cake pop shown above.

Last Minute Valentine's Day Gifts

Happy Valentine's Day!

If you've gotten caught unprepared, believe it or not there is still time to put a little something together for your loved one. Photos celebrating your relationship will always be welcome, and there are several different options for how to go about it. One way is to get a flash drive and load it up with your favorite photos -- and why not a red or pink flash drive while you're at it? This SanDisk Gator flash drive comes in red, pink, and black, and it comes in three sizes: 2GB for $14.99, 4GB for $27.99, and 8GB for $49.99. (As an aside, it astounds me that for $14.99, you can get a device with far more memory than my first Apple McIntosh computer had -- a measly 40M hard drive!)

It's too late to order one of these online, of course, but the SanDisk website helpfully provides a "find a retailer" link that indicates their products are carried by Sears, RadioShack, Best Buy, Office Depot, GameStop, Fry's, and EB Games. (Best of all, those won't be the stores jam-packed on Valentine's Day!) Even if they don't have these exact flash drives, they'll have others to choose from, and if you can't find pink or red, standard silver will work just fine. The nice thing about this gift is that it's both romantic (as long as you load it up with photos) and practical.

Or you can go the old-fashioned route of printed photos, with up-to-date convenience. Most people are using digital cameras these days, and we often don't bother to get prints anymore, which is kind of a shame. So you can either print your own if you have a photo-quality printer and photo paper, or you can upload a bunch of photos to either the Walgreens or CVS websites, pick up the prints in an hour, and buy an inexpensive photo album while you're there. You might get the kind that's small enough to fit in a purse or a laptop case so your partner can carry it around. If you have kids or pets, include some photos of them as well.

If you're crafty, another last-minute idea is a homemade "Valentine's pocket full of vouchers". I came across this idea on the FaveCrafts blog, in a post by guest-blogger Helen Bradley. I've seen the idea of giving homemade coupons before, but Helen has really put them together in an attractive package by utilizing heart-shaped stamps, hole-punches, and ribbons (follow the link for some images).

Even if you aren't crafty, you could take a simple manila envelope, make it up as if it's a love letter by addressing it and tying a red ribbon around it, and tuck some vouchers, a Valentine's Day card, and some photos inside. Vouchers can be for anything your partner will appreciate, such as "Take a night off from the kitchen!"; "You drink, I'll drive...." (another of Helen's ideas); "You choose the movie"; or "I'll take the kids out all day Saturday." Make them unique to fit your loved one's personality.

Printable Valentines from Delight Designs

Etsy is quickly becoming my go-to place for fun gift ideas. I love that the sellers are from all over the world -- I've successfully made purchases from England and even Australia, at very reasonable shipping costs. And as you saw before with my December 21 post about PDF crochet patterns, Etsy is also the perfect place for last minute gifts that can be sent electronically and printed on your end.

So here is another e-mail-able item: adorable printable valentines from Delight Designs. The valentines shown above come eight to a page, which the seller recommends printing on bright white card stock. The valentines can then easily be cut apart on the red borders. I can see so many uses for these: valentines for your children to take to school for their classmates, or valentines to brighten up your co-workers' day. Or if you pack your children's school lunches, I'm sure they'd love it if you tuck one of these into their lunch bag each day for the week leading up to Valentine's Day.

Delight Designs also offers a nice service in which you get a custom-designed valentine that incorporates a photo of your choice. You'll then get back an electronic file of your wallet-sized Valentine, which you can print yourself, or which you can upload to Walgreens or another photo service for printing on glossy photo paper. I've used Walgreens for photo printing for a few years now and I've been very happy with their service. (Walgreens also frequently e-mails me coupons for a free 8x10, or 25 free photos with a purchase of 25 more, etc.) In any case, I think a custom photo valentine would be perfect for sending to grandparents, godparents, aunts and uncles, or cousins.

What: Printable Valentines via PDF file
Where: Delight Designs (an Etsy shop)
How much (as of today's post): $3.95 (no shipping cost!)

Free Christmas coloring "book" pages to print!

So it's 3 a.m. between Christmas Eve and Christmas morning, you inadvertently had a bit of eggnog with your brandy instead of a bit of brandy with your eggnog, your little ones will be waking up in oh, say, three hours, and their stockings aren't quite as filled up as you anticipated. What do you do?

If you've got computer, paper, and a printer, never fear: just print out some of these free Christmas-themed coloring book pages, roll into a tube, tie with a bit of ribbon, and presto! You've got a fun little stocking stuffer than can poke out of the top of the stocking looking all festive.

One tip for printing: each picture will print by itself on a page, but you will also get the website URL address at the bottom of the page, which tends to detract from the "coloring book" vibe. So I would recommend right-clicking the mouse on the picture, choosing "save picture as", and saving the picture to your computer. Then cut and paste it into a simple Word document and print it just like that, without the extraneous matter.

Merry Christmas!

What: Free Christmas coloring "book" pages
Where: free-coloring-pages.com
How much (as of today's post): $0.00 -- Merry Christmas!

Crochet patterns via PDF file

It's the last "Etsy Sunday" post before Christmas, and just when you thought you couldn't possibly order and receive an Etsy item in time for Christmas, along come enterprising souls like Amber with her Etsy shop Curls of Sunshine, selling not only her handmade items themselves, but also her patterns for crochet toys and dolls. And with today's technology, wham! you order the pattern and it's e-mailed to you as a PDF file, which you can then print and put in an envelope for your favorite crafter's Christmas stocking. (And if you're the crafter yourself, you can use these patterns to make these fabulous gifts yourself, though you may need a little more time!)

My personal favorite is the "Amigurumi Dinosaur" pictured above. If you're not familiar with the term "amigurumi", it's the Japanese art of knitting or crocheting small stuffed animals or other anthropomorphic "creatures" (such as a personable little piece of sushi with a face). I don't know if the Japanese invented the concept of "cute", but they certainly have mastered it! I also love the puppy, and there are many others to choose from, including a monkey, an alien, and a bumblebee. These patterns are protected under a Creative Commons license, which means you can use the pattern, but not for commercial or retail purposes.

What: Crochet patterns via PDF file
Where: Curls of Sunshine (an Etsy shop)
How much (as of today's post): $2.50-$4.50 apiece (no shipping cost!)

The Toilet Paper Tootsie Roll Gift Certificate

I know that post title sounds strange, so I'll explain.

As hard as this may be for some of you youngsters out there to believe, there used to be a time when every retail store and restaurant did not offer handy-dandy swipe 'em credit-card-style gift cards.

Gasp!

Instead, a few stores, like JCPenney's or Waldenbooks or Macy's, offered paper gift certificates. My first job in high school was at Waldenbooks, and we sold lots of paper certificates. Then someone would come in and use some of the amount, and we had to issue a paper credit slip for the balance, which they would then come in and use part of, and we had to issue another credit for that balance, and so on and so on. Not quite as convenient as a plastic gift card for the recipient or the store.

And in any case, often my mother would want to get each of us a pair of pants and a sweater for school, for instance, but she didn't want to limit us to a particular store, or perhaps the store she had in mind didn't offer gift certificates. So she would write up a generic gift certificate: "To Amy, one sweater of your choice, Love Mom & Dad." Then she would slide it into an empty toilet paper roll or a portion of a paper towel roll, wrap that in red or green tissue paper, tie off the ends with curly ribbon, and maybe stick on a Christmas decal or two. Presto! A large, colorful, Christmas Tootsie Roll!

Nowadays, not only are convenient plastic gift cards available for just about every store and restaurant under the sun, there are even general Visa gift cards and American Express cards. But. Have you been reading the papers lately? What happens when you buy a loved one a gift card in December and the store goes out of business in January? Unless the store/chain specifically names its gift card holders as creditors in a Chapter 11 filing, those gift card holders may be out of luck. Furthermore, some gift card issuers still get away with charging convenience charges of $1 or $2 per month after a certain length of time (the laws on this can vary from state to state), or they try to enforce an expiration date.

So it seems to me that we've come full circle. The plastic gift cards are very convenient if the store doesn't go out of business, and the card has no convenience/service charges associated with it, and the recipient doesn't lose it. (I had my purse stolen a few months ago, and lost three gift cards that still had balances. Because I didn't have the giftcard numbers or remaining amounts written down, they couldn't be replaced.)

Which means that a Toilet Paper Tootsie Roll Gift Certificate, for a pair of jeans, a DVD of choice, or a dinner out at a favorite restaurant, is still a pretty darn good way to go. And you can make the intended gift as inexpensive or as expensive as you choose. For an extra touch, in addition to your paper certificate, you can fill the roll with actual Tootsie Rolls (which now come in Christmas-colored wrappers) or other candy.