Top 6 Handmade Gifts For Girls From Cheap Chickadee {perfect for bdays and valentines too!}

Today is your lucky day!  I have compiled 6 simple projects that I've made this year into this wonderful "gift idea" post.  Normally a consistent blogger (which I am trying so very hard to be), would break this into something like "5 handmade days of Christmas" and do a different post everyday with just one project and one tutorial.  That was my original plan...  BUT WE ARE RUNNING OUT OF TIME!  ACK!!  I can't believe tomorrow is my last day to get things done before Christmas break.  I'm soooo not even close to being done with my Christmas shopping and creating!  With those crazy thoughts in mind, lets get straight to the point!

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1.  Embellish a t-shirt.  This little model is my neighbor Brynlee.  My girls are getting these shirts for Christmas so I couldn't have them modeling them for me now could I?  The shirt above is a simple t-shirt with two ruffles and a strip of fabric tied in a bow.  I just zigzagged the edges of the ruffle to give it a scrappy look.

 These shirts started out as long sleeved shirts on sale for $2 at the Children's Place.  I will post a tutorial on them soon.  I love the way they turned out.  If you plan to make one before Christmas and have any questions for me, please email me and I will try to answer them for you.

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 2.  Fleece Scarfs.  My girlies LOVE these!  They are so warm and were soooo easy       to make.

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  At Joann Fabrics (or wherever you like to go), they have a ton of fun printed fleece.  It's usually on sale this time of year, or you can use a coupon and it ends up being really cheap!  I think I used about 1/3 yard or less on each.  Here's what I did...I cut my fabric into two long strips.  Then sewed about 5 straight lines all the way down the length of the scarf.  I just eyeballed how much to space the lines apart.  Then I sewed another straight line across both ends of the short sides of the scarf, leaving about 5 inches on the end for snipping.  If you just look at the picture below it should all make sense.  I'm so horrible as using my words to give direction.  I'm more of a hands on kind of gal.

3.  Embellished Dollar Store Hats.  The hat Brynlee is wearing, was made last year.  It's just a basic hat with flowers sewn on.  This year the "Dollar Store Hat" evolved into...

 this!  I really like the way it fits.  You can find the tutorial for this hat here on my blog.

{Click here for my new and improved nickname pj pant tutorial}

 4.  Personalized Pajama Pants!  Aren't these the cutest?  I made these pants out of an extra sheet that came with Lydia's bedding.  If you want a cheap way to make pajama pants, that's the way to go.  Whether it be a thrifted sheet or new, you can easily get at least 3 pairs of pants out of it.  I sewed a band of fabric to the bottom of the pants, a mismatched bow on the top, a pocket on the behind, and of course...her nickname "muffin" to the leg.  I applied the appliqued nickname with "Wonder Under" and just used a straight stitch to reinforce the letters instead of a silk stitch.  Silk stitch is for CRAZIES!  ;)

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Oh man!  I love these pants!  Lydia (my 10 year old), wears them every chance she gets!

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5.  Love Note Pillow or in this case a "Love Song Pillow".  I made this pillow for my Mother in Law in memory of her mother in law actually, Grandma Manda, who recently passed away at the age of 97.  My mother in law, Cathy, selflessly took care of her for many years.  This song was one of many silly songs Grandma sang to us and the grandkids.  She couldn't remember much but she sure could remember the lyrics to crazy songs, stories and poems. She was such a wise, loving woman with a bigger heart than anyone I have ever known. Oh how we will miss her!

I think it would also be a really sweet idea to put lullaby lyrics or sayings for your children or spouse on a pillow.  For this pillow I used my "print on fabric" technique. Only in this case I didn't glue the printed fabric to the pillow, I machine stitched it with some sort of ultra thick thread.   Here's a simple picture tutorial.

6.  Doll Cases (embellished old suitcases)  I bought some an old suit case and a few brief cases last year at the thrift store and covered them with scrap book paper, ribbon, stickers and mod podge.  I adore them!  And so do the girls.  They are one toy that I don't mind if they leave out cause it makes the house look pretty and colorful.  I decorated them to fit each daughters personality and favorite colors.

And I'm pretty sure the dolls are happy too.....cause their shoes and clothes aren't getting lost quite as often ;)

So there you have it.  Like I said I will be posting tutorials on a few of these projects so stay tuned...OR, if you are just waiting and waiting and waiting............for a specific tutorial (doubtful but nevertheless), PLEASE message me and let me know so I can move it to the top of my list :)

Merry Christmas!!