Quick Handmade Gift Ideas (in 3 hours or less)

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Happy weekend, you guys! Yesterday (ok, technically it was 2 days ago) I wrote about 5 ways to give meaningful gift, and today I'm digging deeper into handmade gifts. Yes, they're my all time favorite gifts to give. I so appreciate it whenever someone takes the time to make me something, and I love giving things I've made specially for the people I love. But, there's an obvious but, isn't there? Handmade does tend to take up way more time than a trip to the mall, or shopping online (all though, yes, finding something specific can also be tricky and time-consuming). All I'm saying is that it can feel over-whelming. So, here are some ideas for handmade gifts that can be created in 3 hours or less. (I sorted them into categories, so I could squeeze more in).

1. Jewelry - unlike garment-sewing, jewelry making takes a lot less time and commitment. And, there are so many cute and easy, beginner-friendly projects out there. Also, it's one of those gifts that no women is ever really bummed about (I've never heard a girl say "Ah, man, these earrings I got are so lame"). You can check out all my past jewelry tutorials right here. And, I linked all the wonderful jewelry projects seen above right below the picture.

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2. Accessories - if the person doesn't wear a lot of jewelry, you could go for other accessories like bags, scarves, headpieces. You can browse my past projects in the DIY accessories section. You could make a cute clutch (like this or this), a pencil case, a business card holder (likes this or this), a (sun)glasses case, a pouch, a wallet, or something to hold tech in (like this iPad case). There are a lot of of great tutorials to choose from. Lately I've been searching Pinterest instead of Google for DIY tutorials.

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3. House ware. Who doesn't need a new personalized mug (I love this one and these), or tea towels, or pot holders, place mats, throw pillows, or pretty decor (like these cute trees, or these ornaments)? You can always customize a store bought items by adding a painted pattern, or writing, or screen print.

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4. Stationary. I think that snail mail is definitely going to make a comeback, so why not make a bunch of recycled or custom envelopes. Maybe add in some hand-painted pencils, and a notebook, or create custom stickers (tutorial coming next week) to go with the set. I'm definitely a sucker for pretty stationary.

I hope you got some ideas for quick and easy handmade gifts. I know I did :)

xo. Hanna

DIY Felt butterfly brooch

I know some people think that butterflies are kind of cheesy. Things that pink-loving little girls have in their room, but I really can't help but love them. Maybe there's still a pink-loving little girl somewhere inside me. Anyways, when I was dreaming up a new DIY project for MOOD magazine, this butterlfy brooch flew in to my mind.

Now I'm finally able to share this sweet little project with you. These pictures where actually taken back in March which is why they have sort of a wintery feel. But, hey, it's almost winter again, so it doesn't really matter.

 Here's what you need:

• 10 cm of thick felt in your color of choice
• Embellishments for the wings (rhinestones, embroidery thread, etc.)
• Craft wire and two 3mm beads
• 2 rhinestones: one 3cm-long oval and one 2cm-wide round stone
• Brooch pin
• Paper and pencil
• Scissors
• Strong adhesive or a glue gun

 Step 1
You can see all the important measurements in the photo above.
First, draft a template for the wings onto paper using the measurements given. Cut the template out and use it to cut out 4 wings.
Second, cut out 1 oval piece of felt with the measurements given. I know the photo shows 2, but I later discovered you only need one.

 Step 2
Time to embellish those wings. As you can see, I used embroidery thread to sew some colorful lines to the outer edge of the wings, and then added some iron-on rhinestones. You can let your imagination run wild and create the butterfly of your dreams here, so get creative!

 Step 3
Cut two 10cm-long strips of craft wire. Put the wire through the small 3mm bead and fold the wire in half. Holding the wire ends in one hand start twisting the bead until you get an evenly and strongly twisted antler/antennae for the butterfly. Repeat with the other strip of wire and bead.

 Step 4
Now you can put it all together. First, glue the antlers to one end of the oval felt piece. Then, start glueing the wings to the backing. Glue the upper wings first, and then add the lower ones so that they overlap the upper wings by about 1-1.5cm.

 Step 5
Once the wings are glued, glue the big rhinestones on top. Let dry before moving on to the next step.

 Step 6
Glue the brooch pin to the back of the butterfly. If you want a completely flat brooch, then you're done. If you'd like a more 3D wings effect, check out the last step.

 Step 7
To add a 3D effect to the wings, bend them and then steam from the backside of the wings with an iron. The wings are easily molded with steam, so you can determine how much you want the wings to stay up.

I love this fun little felt insect. She's cute! I think this would make a great gift for anyone who's into brooches, or insects for that matter. Also, easily customizable with different embellishments and colors. An easy DIY gift idea right there (hmmkhmm, Christmas is really not that far off).

Happy creating!

xo. Hanna

This tutorial first appeared in the April 2014 issue of MOOD magazine. Finished project photos by Rein Saar.

DIY Valentine's flower brooch at OEH

Hello, friends! Yes, I'm still alive, although it doesn't really look like it from the looks of this blog. However, to give you some proof of life, you can check out the Valentine's lower brooch DIY I posted over at Oh Everything Handmade.

I'll be back tomorrow with a more personal update. Until then, enjoy your weekend!

Handmade gifts for Christmas Round-up (part2)

Happy Monday, my friends! I can hardly believe it, but it's only two weeks until Christmas. So, it's high time to get started on those Christmas presents. Here are more ideas for handmade gifts:

1. Pillows aren't perhaps the first thing that come to mind as a Christmas gift, but it could be perfect for someone who's just moved into a new home.

2. Button hairpins are easy to make and a great gift for girls.

3. The braided bracelet is a great way to recycle and make something eco-friendly.

4. Memory wire bracelets are so easy to make, but can make a big statement. I've worn mine a million times.

5. The skirt tote bag is another great way to up-cycle and also cultivate green habits. It's a gift that reminds the receiver to think greener.

6. Collar necklaces are so much fun to wear, and easy to make.

7. A leather wrap watch is such a cool accessory, and surprisingly easy to make. And, it would also fit a man.

8. Last, but not least, you could make a friends something really memorable - a necklace containing bits and pieces from your mutual past.

Happy creating!

Handmade gifts for Christmas Round-up (part 1)

Can you believe it's almost December! I don't know about you, but we are already in full holiday mode over at my place - making each other fun Advent calendars, drinking glögg, eating clementines and gingerbread. The whole shebang!

Even if you're not in the holiday spirit just yet, it is high time to start thinking about what you want to give to your loved ones this year. I know that in the States tomorrow is all about shopping for Christmas presents, but I wanted to remind you that the most prized gifts are those that you make yourself. I don't know about you, but I cherish every gift that someone has made for me with their own two hands. It just so much more special! So, I thought I'd round up some handmade gift ideas from the archives to help you get started.

1. The popular sweater socks is a gift to both your loved one and the planet. Warm, cute, and eco-friendly!

2. Here's another eco-friendly gift idea -  the braided infinity scarf. A great gift for men as well.

3. How about these cute leather heart earrings for a friend to say I love you? Adorable!

4. I think men are always the hardest to make gifts for. But, this simple knitted infinity scarf is men-approved.

5. Every woman needs more storage for their ever-growing jewelry collection.

6. A simple way to say "I heart you!" - the heart pin brooch.

7. While we're at brooches, this knitted bow is so easy to make, and über cute!

8. And, to keep your girlfriends jewelry collection growing, you could make her some one of a kind crochet rose studs.

9. This is one of the most unique jewelry pieces I've made. Another great way to recycle, up-cycle and give someone something unique.

10. To round up this round-up, one more piece of beautiful jewelry.

I hope you got some ideas for the weekend. There will be at least one more round-up to get your creativity flowing.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving, and a creative weekend, my friends!

DIY Upcycled Heart Pin Brooch

Valentine's week at Pearls & Scissors in in full swing! Today I have a very valentinesy DIY project to share. This cute heart shaped brooch is an easy upcycling project to make and wear on Valentine's Day to add a little romantic spirit to your outfit. It's also makes a cute handmade gift for a friend.

I used an old red t-shirt for this project and it really does come together quickly. Here's how to make your own:

1. Make a heart shaped template the in the size you want. I always fold the paper in half, draw half a heart and then cut on fold to make a symmetrical template. Using this template cut out 5 hearts from a t-shirt, and 1 heart from felt. Also cut a small circle from felt to later cover the pin on the back of the brooch.

2. Stack all the hearts on top of each other so that the felt heart is on the bottom of the pile. Now use a chip of soap to  draw 3 hearts inside each other onto the fabric. Try to leave even spaces between the hearts. Use embroidery thread to stitch along the the drawn hearts.

3. This step can be made either now or at the very end. Attach the pin to the back of the brooch with a glue gun or other adhesive. Now cover the pin with a small felt circle. To make the pin usable, cut two little holes into the felt circle to bring out the needle of the pin and clasp where the pin closes. Glue the felt patch into place.

4. Take a pair of small scissors (nail cutting scissors work well) and cut the first 3 layers of hearts between the embroidered hearts.

5. Use ironing starch to curl the edges of the cut layers and make the brooch a little bit sturdier. Spray the fabric with starch and mull the edges with your fingers to curl them.

I'm really enjoying small little projects like this brooch lately. It's perfect for calming that creative urge when you don't have a lot of time for crafting. Happy crafting!

Handmade Gift Ideas

I'm in full craft show mode, so sorry for the radio silence yesterday. But, I really wanted to share some handmade gift ideas from the Pearls & Scissors archives with you before the weekend. I always love getting a handmade gift, so why not give someone you love something made by you.

Make some button hairpins with this tutorial.

Or a braided recycled bracelet.

A memory necklace is a perfect gift for a good friend. You could assemble some things that have meaning to the two of you and make a necklace out of them. A very special gift.

This memory wire necklace is a quick and easy project and who doesn't love a stunning bracelet for Christmas.

If you're not much of a knitter, you could upcycle an old sweater into a cute pair knit socks.

Talking about upcycling. Why not give someone a green gift so they can make their lifestyle a little bit greener as well. Turn an old skirt into a shopping bag.

Repurposed and handmade - what could be better? Turn old tin cans into candy cans or jewelry boxes with this tutorial.

And finally, something for the guys as well. This unisex braided infinity scarf would fit perfectly into any wardrobe.

Have a creative weekend!