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Nov 12, 2009 2:27 pm US/Central
Turn Household Items Into Unique Holiday Gifts
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
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Wendy Gardner made this stuffed bear from one of her husband's old dress shirts.
Wendy Gardner/Etsy
Nearly half of all Americans are planning to spend less on presents this holiday season than they did last year. And some are finding a crafty way to do it, by using a little creativity to transform household items into unique gifts.
Wendy Gardner is doing some holiday shopping in the closet. The working mother of two is turning her husband's dress shirts into bears. "Times are a little tight right now," Gardner said, "and so I was looking around the house for something I could use."
Gardner didn't think her husband would miss a few older shirts. "I took two and I didn't really ask him," she said. But she had to fess up when it came time to increase production.
"I can get two big bears [out of one shirt]," Gardner said, "and then with the leftovers I'm going to make some minis."
Homemade gifts do require a little math. If you are making things at home to save money, you need to calculate the cost of supplies before breaking out the sewing machine. But using items you already have around the house can save a bundle.
When you include the stuffing, glass eyes and felt face, each bear costs Gardner about 50 cents to make.
Meanwhile, Lorena Ruiz is making jewelry. "This summer during my family vacation, I took my ring sizer around and got everybody's sizes," said Ruiz. Using extra buttons, gold- and silver-plated wire and a pair of pliers, she is able to make a ring for less than a dollar in under 10 minutes.
And, both Ruiz and Gardner are selling their creations online to make extra cash.
If you are looking to give some inexpensive handmade gifts this holiday season, but aren't ready to take the leap into making your own,
this website has more than 250,000 crafty sellers, including
Gardners' bears and
Ruiz's rings.
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