One of my favorite things about the holidays is giving gifts! I’ve always loved making my gifts; homemade gifts have such a sentimental meaning to them, rather than something you go out and purchase. They take time and effort, and I love the idea of knowing that someone took the time to make me something. Homemade gifts are also great if you’re on a budget like me! I thought I’d share some of the gifts I’ve made this year for my friends and family.

1). Gingerbread man ornaments

I initially planned on making these gingerbread men brown with buttons. However, when I went to pick out my fabric, they had nothing brown. I couldn’t believe it! Then, I found this adorable red and black pattern that I thought would be equally as cute. I took a gingerbread man outline, cut out two of them to sew together, and filled them with rice to give them dimension. (I made a quick funnel using paper and tape). From there, I glued the buttons, eyes and string on the top. Here’s a step-by-step visual:

2). Personalized coffee mugs

One of the easiest gifts to make is filling a coffee mug with things the person you’re giving it to likes. In this case, I included fun socks, I bookmark I made out of the same fabric, and other fun things. For the bookmark, I cut out the initial shape, along with a few little accent pieces (in this case, a window and a door). From there, I cut out a triangle shape that would sew onto one end of the cabin in order to make it latch onto a page. Here’s the step-by-step for the bookmark:

Making gifts is so much fun for me, I encourage everyone to give it a try! (And remember, it's the thought that counts!)