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Gift Ideas: Make your own!

The holidays are a time to bond with family, soak in the atmosphere and make merry. The holidays are also a time of high expenditure, and whether you like it or not, that credit card bill will soon make an appearance. This year instead of fretting over costs, why not make your own gifts. Not only is this a financially viable option, it will also add that special personal touch to all your gifts.

Making your own gifts isn't as complicated as it's made out to be. In fact it is very enjoyable; you can fashion the most elaborate and interesting gifts for your loved ones. Here are some interesting options to get you started:

Picture Cubes
Find an empty cube shaped cardboard box, and tape it shut to ensure evenness. Now pick out your favorite photos, and print them out in the appropriate sizes, and formats (black and white, colored, etc.). If you can't do this at home, any local print store will do it for you. Make sure these photos are at least two inches smaller than your box, allowing for some framing space. Now using some regular craft paper, cover your box as smoothly as possible. Paste the photos proportionately on the cube, and voila, you've got the perfect gift for family and close friends!

Summer Garden Baskets
Basket Gardens make especially great gifts during cold Decembers. All you need is a regular bread basket, some gravel and herbs and flowering plants of your choice. Place the plastic bags in the basket (you'll need three or four bags depending on the size of the basket). Fill the bags with gravel, and set in your plants. If you wish to hide the plastic bags, you can use grass mats or moss sheets, or simply hide it behind heavy foliage. Don't forget to add little handcrafted scarecrows, birds and butterflies to bring in the summer.

Paperweight Eggshell Dolls
This one takes a little practice. You'll need empty wine and beer bottles for the body. Fill the bottle with sand or gravel, to make sure it doesn't topple over. Take a sheet of thick paper and cut out a circular piece, big enough to wrap the length your bottle. Paint beautiful gown and cloak patterns on it, and when dry, wrap it around the bottle. If you want to have fun with it, go ahead and accessories. For the head, you'll need eggshells. While making your eggs in the morning, break the egg delicately at the bottom, without damaging the rest of the shell. Clean out the shell and enlarge the opening enough to sit on the mouth of the bottle. Paint a face on the egg shell using

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