Gifts from the heart...(aka too broke to buy you something)

[Rosebud]

So I've somehow gotten the idea that I really want to make my boyfriend a gift for when I eventually get to go see him, and for some reason I'e decided a picture frame is the perfect way to do this. However as his birthday happens to fall on the 14th of February, I have the feeling he'll be getting quite alot of other gushy, heart-covered gifts from me in the future as it is, so when I go to see him I'd like the frame to reflect more of an anniversary theme (as we'll have just passed our one year together) rather than a Valentines theme. Only thing is, I can't seem to find a whole lot of craft ideas! Much of what I'm finding online for anniversary gifts are for older couples who can spend money on a really professional type of frame, or cutesy little cafty frame meant for young children.

So, I'm posting this here in hopes of gathering up some ideas Not just for frames but any cute craftsy gifts you guys might like to add as well. I hope this is in the right spot and my apologies if this is a duplicate thread, my phone doesn't really like to search very well.

[LadyMarchHare]

Instructables.com has some good craft ideas. Here's an idea for a picture frame that looks fairly easy: Fancy Picture Frame.

[paulawriteslove]

For my boyfriends birthday last year I knitted him a blanket. And then on our one year anniversary I went to the store and bought some fleece and made a fleece blanket https://www.exploringwomanhood.com/h.../pom-jan03.htm
I love making things

[Tanja]

I'm sure making one isn't too hard if you use card board (cheap and easy to cut) AND you can write things that are important to both of you on it, like quotes from your favourite songs/poems, put your pictures on it, draw nice things on it etc. Your imagination is the limit

[NaNi]

You could make him a flip book! The link has been posted here before: A Kiss In Your Pocket. It's a very sweet idea and doesn't cost much. My SO sent me one for my birthday and I loved it!

[ioanna]

i have a book on homemade frames! just give me a couple of days to relocate it ( i have TONS of books :$) ill post you pics of the different types and if theres something youll like ill translate the instructions because i think its in french... sorry its late here and im still without dinner and my head isnt functioning quite right : p

[ioanna]

"Fun frames : creating decorative picture frames with paper, beads, fabric, wire, metal, plastic, mosaic and clay"

okay, this is the book i have, didn't find it yet, but is the title it lists the different medias proposed..
so any preference between them all? because theres about 50...

oh, and yaaay its in english :P


heres the link
https://sld.suffolkcc.gov.uk/02_Cata...44760936&fr=tl

[Rosebud]

Wow, that's awesome ioanna! I think decorating ideas using paper, fabric and beads would be the easiest, and maybe clay if they don't seem overly difficult. I have a couple plain frames already at home thatI could decorate or I wonder if it'd just be easier to make one from scratch using cardboard? Hmmm...Anyway, just pick and choose which one's you think would be most fun!

And thanks to you others also for posting! Those links and ideas are totally what I was looking for and now I'm getting all kinds of ideas for other things I can make. I have so much free time on my hands now outside of work now that I'm taking the semester off of school, this will really keep me busy.

[ioanna]

hey there
i just wanted to say that i haven't forgotten about you, i just havent been home the last couple of days sorry... i promise ill hurry it up..

[Rosebud]

hey there
i just wanted to say that i haven't forgotten about you, i just havent been home the last couple of days sorry... i promise ill hurry it up..

No problem at all! Take your time if you're busy, but thanks for posting and letting me know!

[ioanna]

okays, so here are (FINALLY) the promised pics... i chose the ones that looked easiest to make to me... let me know if theres anything that interests you
i made an album on my profile, here.

[squiddie]

I had one of those old plastic photo books that you used to get back in the day when people still used film cameras, the kind you'd get when you took your film to get developed.

I had a whole bunch of photo paper and used it to print an album of us and a bunch of our friends (including the only photo I have of a friend of ours who died a year ago). I gave it to him just before he moved.

Normally my "too broke" gifts are letters. Which he thinks are presents enough on their own, because I consciously think about what to not tell him, so he hears it for the first time in the letter. I tell him everything, so it's difficult.

[farrahjean]

Those are some cute frames Ioanna ...

[Zimushka]

for any guys who are reading this (or even girls!)- I saw these wooden earrings on a singers ears... I asked him for them, and he made it for me!!! )) and sent it to me~~~ so proud of him!!!

[Rugger]

This thread has been Awesome. I've been beating myself up over what to get my bf for our anniversay