Still in the process of digesting this- FUN! Thought I'd share.

Free papercrafts newsletter, BTW. This is one of Vivienne's best articles to date. Some would be great as teacher gifties and /or kiddie crafts! -Ali

Paper Crafts Site
by Vivienne Oestergaard, BellaOnline's Paper Crafts Editor
LINK: http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art18322.asp/zzz

Altered Art Gift Giving

This year’s gift-giving season is right around the corner and it’s time to start thinking of gifts to make for this year! Altered art is the perfect way to recycle and save some dollars in today’s tight economy! Think creatively, think out of your box. Take these ideas and use the techniques and methods for your own uses.

Stationary:
Purchase plain notebooks, address books, and notepads at the dollar store. Create matching new covers for each book. You can purchase ephemera, use up your collection, or even find your own at yard sales or thrift shops. Digital sites are available where you can purchase digital fniiles so you can re-use the ephemera (http://www.thedigichick.com/shop/ or http://www.designerscraps.com/).

Canisters:
Purchase canisters at thrift shops or car boot sales and recover with old book pages and some adhesive. Use an inkpad and cotton balls to create some aging to the covered canisters. Use additional ephemera for decoration, add some ribbon and textile flowers to the top. Fill with dry pasta for fun gift for foodie addicts.

Boxes:
Take old stationary boxes or gift boxes and cover again with old book pages as the base. Decorate with ephemera. Stack the boxes in varied sizes and strap together with pretty velvet ribbon. A textile rose on the bow adds a nice touch.

Candles:
Purchase the big candles at IKEA. Wrap some old book pages or crinkled cardboard around the base and tie together with velvet ribbon. Use some old charms, textile flowers, raffia and beads for additional decoration.

Jumbo Playing Cards:
These are the perfect size for a set of altered cards or memory album. They measure approximately 3.5 x 5 inches. Punch a hole in the corner and attach together with a ring. They make a great photo album for grandparents, an informational book for easy to reach phone numbers placed near the phone, tags for gifts, or even mini journals.

Art Canvas:
Purchase art canvases approximately 5x5 inches. Use some acrylic paint to make a base. Adhere some photographs of your children or your travels. Use up your stock of ephemera to decorate the canvases. You can also purchase some cardboard or wood letters and incorporate them into the canvas.

Old CDs:
Reuse old CDs and turn them into altered art memory albums. Again use up your stock of ephemera to decorate the photos you adhere onto the discs. You can also take 2 CDs and make 2 magnets for your dishwasher. Create one with the word DIRTY and one with the word CLEAN. Use sticker alphas for an easy solution. Adhere a magnet piece to the back of the CDs. Easy peasy.

Old CD cases:
Create a calendar to fit in the CD cases. Make sure the front can open backwards and turn into a stand for the calendar. Check in the next few weeks for a tutorial here for this project.

Finally, these next few months can be a busy time for you creatively. Think thru your gift possibilities and create several of the same types so that you can turn it into a production line with changes in the decorations. You will be happy with the outcome of creative gifts and the savings in dollars on your purse. Happy junking!

Cool! I used playing cards for my ATC. They were the perfect size! Thanks for sharing!!

Great Ideas!!!

wow ! never thought of these ! awesome tips ! my fave thing to alter at present is pringles containers , both big & small. covered with patterned paper, random placings of flowers sealed with brads ,uber quick & awesome

Every once in a while the girls in the cosmetics dept at work call me over to see if I want gift set boxes/tins before they throw them out (contents removed of course...lol). The photo dept also keeps the empty round tins from film test strips for me. I really have to take some before/after pics to show you.

plastic small hinged boxes, sounds like something i like hehehe

here's my most recent pringles container, i can't decide if i wana keep it or give it away

Kerri, that is adorable!!!!!!!!!!!

just gotta get more small pringles containers, cos i love doing these & think it might be the bestest idea for teacher presents this year

That is a great idea! I like altering boxes and such too!

mmmmm might be a idea for a future challenge

I was just thinking that!!

great minds think alike
best i get stacking up on containers cos xmas is vast approaching & i've got NONE done yet for teachers ( have 3 to do this year )