Creative Back to School Gifts

September 6, 2011    |    By +
Pin It

Back to School shopping is all about stocking up on the basics: supplies, fall apparel and accessories, but why not think outside of the “lunch box” this season? Make some Back to School memories of your own with homemade gifts you can create from what you have at home.

Make a Shadowbox Frame

Make your own DIY keepsake with a Back to School themed shadowbox frame.

Fill it with their favorite photos, books, small toys, and other scrapbooking materials to make a first day of school keepsake they can get excited about.

You can also stuff other containers like empty jars for a similar effect. It’s the perfect solution for those “first day of school” jitters.

DIY Coloring Books

Kids love to color. Make an easy custom coloring book using your own snapshots and basic photo editing. All you need is non-photo printer paper, crayons, colored pencils, etc and a basic photo editing software.

In Photoshop, open up your photo and go to the “Filters” tab, then select “Sketch” then “Photocopy”. Make sure you’re using Black and White as the contrasting colors. You can play around with how detailed you want it to be, and the contrast.

Then simply print it out for instant coloring pages. It’s a great way to display first day of school portraits.

 

Start a New Tradition: Back to School Cone

In Germany, kids receive a cone filled with school supplies and treats called a “Schultüte”. You can make your own version at home, using some sturdy construction paper, and some stickers and glitter to personalize it with your child’s name.

Fill it with school staples like crayons and cute erasers along with some candy or homemade treats.

Printables &  Stickers

Seasonal printables are a good way to kick-start any craft project. It’s easy to find free downloads you can print and stick to cards, notepads and lunch boxes.

Keep track of your child’s Back to School gear with DIY labels and stickers. All you need is some printer ready label paper and you can either design your own using clip art, or buy blank labels and decorate them with stamps and pens. It makes organization fun and easy.

 

Photo courtesy of: Martha Stewart Living



You May Also Like:

Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Trend Alert!    

Comments

Newsletter Sign Up

Follow Me on Pinterest

Meet the Gurus


Dana H.
Dana is Editor in Chief at Gifts.com. She loves helping make every occasion stand out with her unique gift ideas, handy tips & special touches. She has over a decade of experience with matching fabulous products with fabulous people.

Dan T.
As the Men’s Gift Editor, Dan is fortunate to be able to blend his work week with off-hour hobbies. Dan’s marketing background goes back over a decade, but he's always been passionate about the “guy” things like sports, electronics and grilling.

Gillian J.
While Gillian oversees Merchandising & Content for Gifts.com, she focuses on Women & Home Gifts. Prior to Gifts.com, she spent over a decade honing her gifting skills in the retail industry.

Michelle D.
Michelle is the Gifts.com Gift Guru who specializes in Teen and Beauty gifts. For the last half-decade Michelle has been refining her teen and beauty gifting expertise by working for Urban Outfitters and obsessing over social media.

Liz T.
Liz is the children & baby gifts trend editor at Gifts.com. Prior to Gifts.com she spent several years matching people with products while working retail. Her niece and nephews give her the inside scoop on kids. She also knows the best gourmet gifts for every occasion.

Felicia W.
Felicia works as a "Gift Guru" with a focus on pet and flower trends. While she is still learning the art of gift giving, Felicia loves focusing her attention on pet gifts. She is always on the lookout for the best and most unique items for our lovable cats and dogs.

Donna K.
Donna is Gifts.com's very own Editorial Assistant. You have her to thank for all of our fabulous Facebook posts and for making sure the blog is up every day. She is a "Gift Guru" in her own right.

Friends of the Gurus