In this season of giving, handmade gifts bring joy not only to to the recipient, who gets something money can't buy, but to the person whose loving hands made them
1. Share the light of faith, hope and love
Time: 45 min-1 hr
Material: Empty wine bottles, fairy lights and ribbon
Method:
Step 1: Get a glass cutter to drill a small hole at the bottom of the bottle.
Step 2: Soak the bottle in hot water overnight and scrub the label off.
Step 3: Insert fairy lights into the bottle through the hole at the bottom. 5- or 10- meter lights work well.
Step 4: Tie a bow on the neck of the bottle and voila! your bottle lamp is ready.
by Forum Gandhi
2. Recycle plastic bottles into candle stands, flowery hair grips and more
Time: 30 min
Material: Old plastic bottles and hair bands
Method:
Step 1: Outline the shape of flower petals on the base of old plastic bottles
Step 2: Cut these out with a pen knife. Hold over a candle flame to curl the petals
Step 3: Place one atop the other for the appropriate petal distribution and stick or sew together
Step 4: Stick or sew onto a scrunchie
by Ashwini Doreswamy
3. Sow some love. Gift repotted seeds and saplings from your own garden
Time: A few days to a season, based on the flower/plant in question
Method: Keep an eye out for seeds on flowering plants or bulging nodes on creepers. Plant these with enough time to let them grow into little saplings, which you can gift. Tie a bow around the pot in keeping with the festive spirit.
4. Create vision-board table mats that capture the hopes and dreams of that special someone
Time: 3 hr
Materials Required: Good quality images
Method:
Step 1: Draw, click or download high resolution images that represent things the person you are creating this gift for wants in his/her future
Step 2: Get these printed on photo paper (A4 size or larger) at your local printer. Make two copies, if you want reversible table mats
Step 3: Stick the two images together back-to-back and get them laminated for a truly personalised vision board
5. Hand-painted napkin rings are easier to make than you think
Time: 2 days
Materials: Cardboard paper tubes or napkin roles, Fevicryl paints (white, green, gold and red), gold dust
Method:
Step 1: Cut five tubes 2" in diameter and about 3"-3.5" in length. Smoothen their edges with fine sandpaper.
Step 2: Apply two coats of white Fevicryl paint; this
acts as the primer and will make the base colour
shine brighter.
Step 3: Apply 2-3 coats of green Fevicryl. After each coat, wait for the colour to dry. Smoothen the surface with sandpaper for a glossy and smooth finish.
Step 4: Paint small motifs of your choice and design . Again wait for the colour to completely dry. Also, give one side of the rings an edging of gold and white.
Step 5: Sprinkle gold dust on the surface, buff it and add a light coat of green paint to retain the dust. If you feel the dust has been wiped out a little, dust again when the paint is slightly wet and leave to dry.
by Anjali Patwardhan
6. Steps to papier mâché art
Time: Varies with
drying time
Material: Paper, water and paint
Method:
Step 1: Tear the paper
Step 2: Soak in water (30 min -1hr based on paper thickness)
Step 3: Churn it in mixer
Step 4: Mix it with PVA glue
Step 5: Mould it either in chocolate moulds or sculpt it by hand
Step 6: Paint and decorate it. Make jewellery, magnets, keychains, Christmas tree ornaments or even a cherry looking vase
—Ashwini Doreswamy
7. Shine on, with this seven-step paper lantern
Time: 1.5 hr
Material: Old notebooks or cartons, handmade paper, punch, sequins, tassels, light bulb, needle and thread
Method:
Step 1: Cut four rectangles from old notebooks or cartons.
Step 2: Cut out the inner sections of each to make four frames.
Step 3: Punch equidistant holes on the frame edges.
Step 4: Cut bright-coloured handmade paper and paste it on the inside of the frames.
Step 5: Stitch the pieces together through the punched holes. Remember to keep the thread a bit loose.
Step 6: Decorate with sequins or tassels
Step 7: Place a light bulb within and let your hand-made lantern shine bright!
—Ashwini Doreswamy
8. Create a bandhani infinity scarf
The tough way: Make your own bandhani designs, with the Instructions at dnai.in/cut9
The easy way:
Step 1: Twist the two ends of a bandhani dupatta in different directions
Step 2: Stretch the edges out and sew together. Remember to sew the right side of one end to the wrong side of the other if you would like to maintain the twisted effect. Else, just sew the two ends together right-side up
—Forum M Gandhi
9. Gift a crafty favour-loaded Christmas tree
Time: 1 hr
Material: Green and yellow card paper, marker, scissors, pencil and glue
Method:
Step 1: Cut six rectangles out of the green card paper and fold in half along the length. Make sure the green is on the inside. Label the vertical edges 1A-1B, 2A-2B, 3A-3B and so on
Step 2: Stick 1B to 2A, 2B to 3A, 3B to 4A and so on
Step 3: Outline a Christmas tree on one green flap. Cut inwards from the edge
Step 4: Use the cut out as a stencil, to draw the shape on the remaining green flaps for uniformity and then cut them out
Step 5: Create a star stencil on card paper. Trace nine stars on the yellow paper and cut them out
Step 6: Write your favours (things you will do for them) on each of the stars and stick them on the tree
—Ligia Da Fonseca
10. From macaroni angels to twisted paper ornaments... 10 cool Christmas tree decor ideas
Time: 2 hr (for 10 angels)
Material: Macaroni, silver and gold paint, decorative buttons and beads and a glue gun
Method:
Step 1: Glue macaroni into the shape of an angel
Step 2: Slip a wire through a hole in a big bead to form a loop, before gluing it onto the macaroni for the head
Step 3: Give these a coat of gold or silver paint
Step 4: Stick a button on the front
Step 5: Use a ribbon to accessorise and some tiny beads for golden hair
—Krupa Ghandhi
11. Wrap handwritten sweet somethings up with 11 nuggets of homemade dark chocolate
Time: 2 hr
Material: 2 vessels (1 small, 1 large), 2 big bars of dark chocolate, 1 bar of milk chocolate, 1 spoon, chocolate moulds
Method:
Step 1: Put some water to boil in a big bowl and set it to boil
Step 2: Cut the bars of chocolate into smaller pieces. Double boil
Step 3: Pour the melted chocolate into the mould. Let it rest for 5 minutes
Step 4: Refrigerate for 30 minutes
Step 5: Wrap the chocolate in foil. Don't forget to add a personalised note
—Namrata Gandhi
12. Bake 12 gingerbread drummer boys
Time: 1 hr
Ingredients Quantities
Flour 120 gm
Baking powder 1.25 gm
Ground ginger 5 gm
Ground cinnamon 2.5 gm
Butter 40 gm
Brown sugar 60 gm
Egg ½
Golden syrup 15 ml
Method
Step 1: Sift the flour, baking powder, ginger powder and cinnamon
powder together
Step 2: Add in the butter and
mix well
Step 3: Beat in the egg and
sugar and add to the flour and
butter mixture
Step 4: Gently knead until it comes together
Step 5: Wrap in cling film and chill in the fridge for
30 minutes
Step 6: Roll out the dough and cut with gingerbread men cookie cutters
Step 7: Place on a well greased tray and bake for 15 minutes at 180C. Cool and ice as desired
—Davina Braganza
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