Sandberg Ramblings

Don't worry, not all of my DIY gift ideas are for kids,  but today I had to share these super easy baby toys.  Next week will be more devoted to grown up gifts :)  I saw some baby toys practically identical to these on Etsy,  but I wasn't about to spend $15 a pop on something I could very easily make myself.  The trick was finding the supplies I would need.  After a little searching I found what I needed,  and now I have supplies to make several of them for about $5-6 a piece!  Here's what you need for one toy:  (3) 1/2" wood beads (5) 3/4" wood beads (1) 1" wood bead (3) crocheted beads (2) 1 1/2" wood rings  (2) 14" strands of 10 lb. hemp cord  You could use whatever combo of beads you would like of course, this is just the recipe for mine.  If you only want to have to buy 1 or 2 sizes of beads instead of 3, I'm sure it would still look great!  I purchased my beads a...

I'm starting off my DIY Gift Series with these cute little guys... Say hi to the Caravan Shoppe Ollibots ! If you haven't discovered Caravan Shoppe , you're missing out!  They have a variety of cute printable downloads to make your own toys, holiday decor, and more.  I made these cute blocks last year.  All you do is purchase the download, print it at your local copy store, and assemble.  The download comes with great step by step instructions and tips. I plan on keep a couple for Mr. Ames, but I'm also going to gift some as well.   If you're going to try making these guys yourself, here's a few tips I have after doing it myself… 1. Have the download printed on full sheet label paper like they suggest.  It makes assembling them so much easier!  Then you can just cut the pieces out, stick them in place, and mod podge over the top. 2. Watch your magnets as they are drying!  Magnets are at...

We all know those people who are hard to shop for.  They seem to already have everything, or if they need it, they go buy it.  These are the perfect people to create something original and homemade for. Those of us on tight Christmas budgets  can also appreciate homemade gifts that cut the cost of giving,  but still allow you to give a meaningful gift.  If you need a few ideas,  I've made a few for my own friends and family this year that I'll  share with you throughout the week. And to start off this week's homemade gift series,  I've rounded up a few of my favorite ideas to get your mind going… 1 - Scarf Camera Strap 2 - Gold Leaf Monogram 3 - Wood Photo Transfer  4 - Stenciled Tote Bag 5 - Wood Slice Quote   - (you can buy these wood slices at Michael's!) - 6 - Silhouette Artwork