Thrifty Gifty Spotlight: Resin Charm Bookmarks

If you have any avid readers on your holiday gift list, here are the perfect personalized gifts for them.  What's more, they're very budget friendly, and quick and easy to make.  Hooray!

This is my "Reading is a Hoot Bookmark", with step by step instructions here.  You can see that the price for one kit is $14.91.  But if you choose two colors of crystal faux pearls that will match an assortment of resin charms, or if you want to make multiples of the same bookmark, you can lower your price per piece quite a bit!

You will have enough beads for quite a few bookmarks, and you will have enough eye pins for 10.  To make a set of 10 bookmarks, you'll need to buy four more packages of bookmark findings.  You will also need to choose a total of 10 resin charms that you like that all match your pearl beads.  Once you add in those additional costs and break it down, you're looking at just $4.64 per bookmark.  And actually, that's assuming that you choose all charms that cost $2.49 each.  But many of our resin charms are as low as $1.99, which would mean a total cost of just $4.14 per bookmark.  It's a great little gift for such a little price tag, and you can personalize the charms and colors to suit everyone on your list!

Thrifty Gifty Spotlight: Noodle Bead Bracelets!

If you follow fashion trends (and probably even if you don't) you know how popular the humble bracelet has lately become.  We are seeing them everywhere in all sorts of forms.   One of the biggest hits and one of my favorites is the noodle bead bracelet.  There are many different varieties, but here is my version:

I made mine from pretty colors of waxed cotton cord, with gold and silver plated noodle beads.  Then I glued the cords into sleek little cord ends and used magnetic clasps - my favorite bracelet clasp for ease of use and how clean they look.

But here's the best part: these little beauties pack a lot of value!  You can find the list of supplies here on the project instruction page.  Now, on there, you'll see that the complete supply kit (everything but the tools) will cost you $15.31.  But if you look at the quantities, you'll see that the kit actually gives you enough supplies for two bracelets, which equals $7.66 each.  

Even better than that, though, is that all you need to do is buy an extra package of cord ends and an extra package of noodle beads, and you'll have enough for four bracelets!  With the extra pieces factored in, you can make four bracelets for just $5.02 each.  They'd make a perfect gift for your girlfriends, daughters, granddaughters, nieces, co-workers, or anyone else, and you can make a whole bunch of them in no time!

Another fun thing to mention is that you can add in a second color of waxed cotton cord for $2.75 and make your bracelets two-tone like the red and blue bracelet shown above. 

I'm thinking of having a little crafty party with a few of my friends to make a bunch of these for gifts.  Wouldn't that be fun?  We can just pitch in for a bunch of supplies and go to town!