Neighbor gifts

Shortly after moving to our new neighborhood several years ago, I realized that the level of gift-giving had just been raised by several notches. Although the plate of cookies I normally gave was still appreciated, it somehow didn't seem enough for the folks who had worked by our sides (or more specifically, my husband's side) in 100-degree weather putting in a fence.

Or helping with a stubborn sprinkling system.

Or dog sitting.

The shared headaches and rewards of putting in new yards, fences, sprinkling systems and the like created a bond between us that needed to be acknowledged in a bigger way than my goody-making skills could provide. (Note to my neighbors: You can keep bringing those plates of delectable fudge and Christmas treats, even though my "Maintain Don't Gain" program suffers for it.)

As a lifelong crafter, I wanted to give a gift that I had made with my own hands. And although homemade goodies meet technically the definition of hand-crafted, they're not my speciality.

My ideas come from magazines, craft stores, do-it-yourself television programs and boutiques. I try to take the idea and make it my own by inserting my own personality or additions into the hand-crafting. If you have been in your neighbors' homes, you know what their decor is and can gear your gift toward their tastes. The ideas presented here are my favorites because they don't require much time to assemble and pack a lot of bang for the buck. Most of them can be made for less than $3. None exceed $5 in materials. I have given some of these gifts and been the recipient of others.

Hasten your assembly time by gathering all of your materials together first. I save money on my materials by taking advantage of my newspaper and online coupons and by shopping the sales after Christmas for ideas and embellishments for the following year.

If you are a crafter, you probably have many of the materials on hand. Figure out how many gifts you want to make, and create your own assembly line. I perform the same step on each piece before going on to the next step. You might want to enlist your children or grandchildren's help with the easier steps.

Presentation is also key. It can add to the elegance of the piece and is an additional gift to the recipient. These gifts look great with sparkling cellophane wrap, a little tinsel in the bottom, a large bow bunched at the top and a handwritten tag.

When you give a hand-crafted gift, you are giving not only the gift, but a part of yourself; one of time and thought. Even if it's not hand-crafted perfectly, it truly IS the thought that counts.