i need a craft-gift idea for a GUY

[stirringleaf]

just wanted to see if anyone here has some good ideas for something i could make for a very straight -ahead type of guy , hes not really artsy or whatever, but i wanted to make him something rather than buy it, but it is hard..you cant just make a guy a decrative pillow or candles or whatever. oh also it has to be somewhat easy, i am doing this last minute-ish, LOL.

thanks...

[oncewerewise]

I think mixed CDs or tapes are great personal gifts and for added fun, I like to do the artwork on the case myself.

A book of coupons, hand-made.

I also like to buy inexpensive frames (2nd hand/thrift stores are good places to look) and cover them with fabric or paint or decoupage and put a photo in it. I think this is a great gift. Does he have a pet? A pic of him and his pet would probably be good.


Good Luck!

(Last minute craft gifts are the bane of my existence but I love the thrill!!!)

[bestjob]

Handknitted mittens or gloves?

I made my husband a fine-wale (sp?) corduroy shirt once. He loved it and still has it 20 years later.

A gift basket full of stuff that you think he'd like? (Beer and pretzels, or soup mix and some fancy cheese and crackers...)

How about a home-made meal to tuck in the freezer for a day when he doesn't feel like cooking?

I agree about the pillow and candle ideas.

[fraya]

cookies, dessert, faved meal -- either kits or frozen??

[wishful]

I just made a wall mirror with pegs for keys and the like for my single guy friend. Easy, fast, and manly.

[mamaduck]

Homemade salsa?

[jjquilter]

Two christmases ago I made pyjama bottoms for two of my guy friends, as well as my husband. I went and got some nice flannel stripe and sewed them up -- really fast, easy and cheap ($5-10). They all loved them and my dh petitioned this xmas for another pair, which he got, this time with dancing mooses.

Bath bombs are also easy, though not totally cheap since the citric acid is a bit expensive. I recently made some sandalwood/lavender ones for dh which he really loves.

jj

[oncewerewise]

OOOOOO LA LA!!! Please tell me how to make bath bombs!!! I love them!!!

[tara]

Citric acid is pretty cheap if you buy it online. Try Brambleberry

Also, here are bath bomb instructions

Some other 'masculine' gift ideas - you can make shaving soap with melt and pour soap base. Really easy, and sandalwood or cedarwood smell fantastic. Put it in a special mug with a shaving brush... Also, I have made aftershave gel (basically aloe gel with vodka and essential oils - I made tangerine). I will share recipes if you're interested.

[Moon]

I made scarves for the guys on my list this year, tubes of stretch velvet with a blanket stich on the ends, in "boy"colours. Taupe, navy blue,etc. to match jackets. I got a surprisingly favourable reaction on the velvet. They all liked that it felt soft but didn't LOOK girly.

[fraya]

The pj's reminded me that I almost made a pair of fleece pants for my husband to lounge in. He said later that he would've loved 'em.

[roarzilla]

I say- pj's or lounge pants or maybe a no sew fleece blanket???
SARAH Mom to Aurora 6/11/01 and Genevieve edd 6/29/03

[LdyBluNH@aol]

its small but my dd "made" a coin can for my dh

we used felt and funfoam and even put some on the inside so the coins arent so loud when they drop


i remember in school making some sort of pen holder by gluing marbles

picture frames are always good - get a plain one and put whatever is relevant on it

[FreeRangeMama]

For xmas I made my brothers rice bags (you know, those "magic bag" type things for sore muscles). I just bought some really cheap white cotton and sewed it into a rectangle with one end open. I then tie-dyed the fabric in dark colors. I filled it just over half way with rice and sewed the open end. I made sure to include a label explaining what it was with instructions on microwaving (3 min on high). It was popular with all three of them (they used them that night) and I have had requests for more from other male relatives. HTH
Laurie

[controlfreak]

I once painted ajr for my DH and then filled it with 365 little things--affirmations of my love for him, silly jokes, far side cartoons, Hershey's kisses, poems, inspirational quotes, those little photos, coupons for massages..things like that. Every day, he got to pull something out. He loved it!

[roarzilla]

So what did you decide???
SARAH Mom to Aurora 6/11/01 and Genevieve edd 6/29/03

[stirringleaf]

lol, well i am LAME. not ONLY did i post this, and then get so busy that i never came back, but i also just ended up buying him something rather than making it. i just got overloaded. life life life...

i bought him two books : the Darwin Awards, and a Far Side book. he likes the far side, and i think he liked the other book too. anyway, thank you so much for your great ideas, i feel like such a complete turd for not coming back .....i will use these ideas in the future though. PJs sound good, he is such a "typical " guy though, just real "conservative" sorta , it was hard to picture a good craft for him. i was afraid to make anything hed have to wear, seeing how i could easily make it too floofy , hippy, or goofy or something for his taste. but pjs are worn when you are in the privacy of your home, lol, so it wouldnt matter so much!!

thanks again