Quick and cheap present ideas

 My husband would probably tell me I can't go around saying 'quick and cheap' on the internet, but I'm sure you all know what I mean anyway and are not rude minded!


Anyway Mother's day is coming very soon and I just became an auntie (I know, my thirteen year old sister has been one for three years!) so lots of presents have been needed this week. Thought I'd share some ideas I had that can pimp your gifts!

For this one I bought a vase for my mum, got some flowers to go in. 'cos you know, it's not obvious what it's used for. Then tied two ribbons round layered. You could cut a strip of fabric thicker than your ribbon though and sellotape or hot glue round the back. 


Can even finish it off with a personalised gift tag. You know I love cheap and easy! (ok seriously I'll stop saying it now.)

At Christmas I made about fifty of these kind of gift tags, plus it's a good way of using extra thickers that don't spell out words. Only remember that you may have more than one person with that initial, especially at Christmas. So to avoid dramatic climaxes like we had; "Um...I think this is for Mandy...or is it Margaret?" (I think they thought I was teasing.) I seriously nearly unwrapped someone else's present on Christmas morning. Right in front of them.

See very...simple :)

Then I love to bake for people who've had a baby. It's good comfort food and it's good to have something to offer visitors ('cos you have a near constant stream!). 

So I put these in a kilner jar from ikea (though it was probably called something like 'jarren clippen tighta shutter') which was just over £1. And I have some smaller ones that were about 70p, you know for people I love less/ate more of the mixture of. Then just add a little tag and your good to go!

Plus I think it's important for a new mum, who can barely remember which foot to put in which shoe, not to have to remember who left which plate, and then have to remember to return them. 

I made another taggy blanket. I seemed to get the sizing right this time. And I just did two adjacent sides with ribbons and embroidered my niece's name in one corner. I feel like I'm perfecting the art now (though I'm sure proper sewists would beg to differ, you know the one's that don't call themselves sewists).

And after all that teasing I don't actually have a photo to show you, mostly because I forgot till after I'd wrapped it. And it was in tissue paper. So no chance to just slip it back in the paper. And Izzy was helping me and me unwrapping it would have really confused her. And now I feel like I'm back at school and I've forgotten my homework.

I'll remember next time I promise. *hangs head in shame*

Here's a different photo of my daughter enjoying a free tiny cup of hot chocolate in a cafe run by a very kind man.

She felt very grown up. :) 

Happy mother's day to all you mums out there!