Ok, I know it was like a month ago, but...

Here is where I again show you how behind I am by finally getting around to posting some handmade Christmas presents.  All this week.

You are so over Christmas, I’m sure.  You’ve probably all gotten out the candy hearts and rose-y wreaths.  I’m sure you aren’t shocked to learn that I haven’t taken down my Christmas tree OR put up the valentine decor (what little there is...).  

The good thing about most homemade Christmas presents is that they aren’t exclusively Christmas presents.  I didn’t make one gift related to trees, ornaments, stockings or santa, so I’m pretty sure you could make all of these items any time of year, for all kinds of occasions.

On mr’s side of the family, the kids draw names for the gift exchange.  This year, mr drew his sister and I drew her husband.  After some brainstorming, research, inspiration-finding and almost no help from mr, I came up with the following ideas:

1.  Some pretty dashing bow ties (if I do say so myself).  

This is for the hubs (obviously mr’s sister doesn’t wear bow ties.)  I used Disney’s tutorial, at Ruffle’s and Stuff, and just adjusted the measurements for an adult size.  It was the most basic one I could find, and since I am still a very basic sewer, I thought that was pretty imperative.  Why bow ties, you ask?  Well, you know how some people just seem like bow tie people?  And I like bow ties. So, that’s pretty much that.

2.  A (very easy) fabric covered mini notebook and matching mini pen.

I don’t have a picture of this, which is pretty depressing.  I probably don’t have pictures of the majority of items I created simply because picture-taking was kind of the last thing on my mind at 3 in the morning on Christmas Eve.  Soooo, basically I took a mini composition book, covered it in fabric and sewed it on.  I cut an elastic hair band so it was a straight piece of elastic and sewed the ends under the fabric to the top and bottom of the back of the book.  Well, was that a convoluted sentence or what?  Anyway, the elastic hair band keeps the notebook shut.  Then I just did this with a mini pen so they matched.

3 & 4.  Glass Picture Charms - a “locket” and a keychain

And THIS I actually have a tutorial for!  Woo-hoo!  (It’s easy, you probably don’t need one.  But here it is anyway).

You gotta have:

Clear Glass Stone(s)

Photo (printed on heavy cardstock)

Jump ring

Felt scrap

mod podge and paintbrush

Extra strong adhesive - I used E6000

Hot glue

Scissors

Pencil
Chain of your choice (for the “locket”)

Split ring (key chain ring - for the key chain.  Obviously)

Pick your photo first.  I picked a very cute picture of my niece for the locket, and the same picture, but included my sister IL for the key chain.  Make sure it’s a shot that will look good when cut into a small circle - i.e. where the people are in focus and close-up, not so far away that they’ll read as stick figures, not a crazy busy background, etc.  

Tip: when you size the photo for printing, keep in mind that it will be magnified slightly by the glass stone, so don’t size it so large you’ll be cutting of parts of the head.  This is only hypothetical of course.

Print it out on cardstock.  It must be printed on heavy paper.  Take it from me.

Lay your glass stone on top of the picture, position it right where you want it, and trace around the stone with a pencil.

Cut out the picture.

Spread mod podge on the back of the stone, then 

place your photo cut out, face down, on the mod podge.

Press gently, making sure to squeeze out any air bubbles or lumps of mod podge.

Take your jump ring and your heavy duty extra strong adhesive and glue it to the TOP of the stone - on the back, so that most of the jump ring is hanging off the edge of the stone.

Put some hot glue on the back, right over where the jump ring is attached, and

press it onto your scrap of felt.

Trim the felt down so you can’t see it from the front.

Now, you can simply attach it to whatever it is you’re making out of it.  For both the necklace and the key chain, I first attached a jump ring through the jump ring glued to the back, then put THAT jump ring on the chain and key ring.

And there you have it!

It’s easy to do and cute, too!

I actually made a necklace with several interchangeable charms this way for a friend of ours for Christmas as well.  I didn’t use actual photos in that case, just some fun, colorful designs.  (Then I realized that I had made that same friend magnets out of glass stones last year.  I am so lame.)

Look below for the parties I link to!