Package five or 10 cards with envelopes, and you've got a great gift for doting grandparents and other relatives.

Materials

• Ruler and pencil
• Card stock or construction paper
• Scissors

• Glue stick
• Artwork

Instructions

1. The following directions are for a 4 1/4-by-6-inch card (which fits nicely into a store-bought envelope), but obviously you can adjust the dimensions to any size you like. Using the ruler and pencil, trace a 12 3/4-by-6-inch rectangle onto your card stock or paper and cut it out.

2. Fold the rectangle in thirds, accordion style. From the top third, cut out a window that will fit your artwork, leaving at least a 1/2-inch border around the edges.

3. Slip the artwork behind the window so that it's centered. Now, glue the back of the artwork and the frame around the artwork to the paper behind them. Place the finished card under a book for about an hour to set.

When then 7-year-old Hannah and 4-year-old Kate McCowan, of Winslow, Maine, got to chatting about their beloved grandfather, their mom, Jennifer, couldn't resist jotting down their funny observations. She supplemented their gems ("I think Papa's an astronaut") with answers to questions she later asked ("What does Papa look like?"; "What is your favorite thing to do with Papa?"), and compiled them in a small book -- one observation per page -- that the girls illustrated. The lucky object of their affection was thrilled with his "All About Papa" book.

Inspired by the McCowans, we devised our own "All About" project. But why stop with Grandpa? With this easy technique, you can write the book on anyone you choose!

Check out more ideas for easy-to-make Gifts that Celebrate Family.

Materials

• 4 3/4-inch square piece of cardboard
• White paper
• 1 lid from a 10 1/2-ounce coffee can
• Colored pens or pencils

• Glue stick
• CD/DVD envelopes in various colors (available at office stores)
• 11- by 5 1/4-inch piece of card stock

Instructions

1. Interview your child about a relative, gathering 6 to 8 observations.

2. To make the pages, trace the cardboard on white paper. For each observation, you'll need two pages. Cut out the squares, then use the coffee-can lid to trace a circle in the center of half of the squares.

3. Write each observation on a blank square, then trim the square to the desired size. Have your child draw in the circles with the colored pens or pencils to illustrate the text in the squares.

4. To assemble the book, run glue along the inside of a CD/DVD envelope flap. Lay a second envelope face down on the first, flap creases aligned, and press the flaps together. Repeat this process to add as many envelopes as you have drawings.

5. Slip each drawing into an envelope so that it shows through the window. Glue the corresponding text to the facing page.

6. To make the cover, fold the card
   stock, short side to short side. Glue the envelopes inside, with the flap creases aligned with the card stock crease. Let
   the book dry, then title and decorate
   the front.

Materials

• Cookie cutters (choose shapes that can stand up)
• Honeycomb wax sheets in various colors (available at craft stores or at candlewic.com; an 8- by 16-inch sheet will make 1 or 2 candles)

• Wicks
• Scissors

Instructions

1. For each candle, use a cookie cutter to make 10 identical shapes from the wax sheets. Divide the shapes into two stacks of 5.

2. Sandwich a wick between the two stacks, starting at the bottom and extending it beyond the top by at least an inch. Press the sheets together gently. If they don't stick together, take the wax layers apart and use a hair dryer to gently warm each one before restacking them, adding the wick as instructed above.

3. Trim the wick to about a half-inch. Stand your candle up, shaping the base as needed to make it sit securely.

This desktop arrangement brightens a child's homework nook and keeps all her pencils ready for the picking.

Materials

• Pencil
• Hair scrunchies
• Craft foam leaves
• Craft scissors

• Hole punch
• Clay pot
• Black beans

Instructions

1. For each blossom, wrap 1 or 2 colorful hair scrunchies around the top of a pencil. Next, cut out a pair of green craft foam leaves, using craft scissors to create a scalloped edge. Lightly etch leaf vein lines in the foam with the tip of a toothpick. Using a hole punch, make a hole in the base of each leaf.

2. Then slide the leaves onto the pencil so they rest right beneath the flower. You can even attach a "silk" butterfly (sold at craft stores) to the blossom.

3. Finally, plant the finished flowers in a clay pot filled with dried black beans (if beans fall through the hole in the bottom of the pot, just tape over it).

So many teachers spend their own money to buy classroom supplies, and those costs really add up. This thoughtful gift offers a little financial aid -- and new pens and pencils too. They're presented with a keepsake desk accessory that's really fun to create.

Materials

• Empty, clean 28-ounce can
• 12- by 18-inch sheet of construction paper
• Scissors
• Small piece of white paper
• Colored markers

• Glue stick
• Color copy of a class photo
• Colored plastic or craft tape
• 15-inch length of 20-gauge wire
• Gift card from an office supply store

Instructions

1. Carefully remove the can's label. Use it as a template to trace a rectangle on the construction paper. Cut out the rectangle, leaving some extra length to use as overlap.

2. Cut out a small rectangle of white paper, write your message for the garden sign with marker, and glue it near the center of the paper strip.

3. Cut out the faces from the class photo and use the glue stick to adhere them to the paper strip in a random pattern. With colored markers, draw a flower around each face, then add stems and leaves. Wrap the decorated paper strip around the can so that it overlaps, affixing the ends with glue stick.

4. Cover the top and bottom rims of the can with the colored tape, folding over the edges so they're hidden inside or under the can.

5. Shape the wire into a spiral. Cut a 3- by 5-inch piece of construction paper. Wrap it around the gift card and secure it with the glue stick. Affix a cutout drawing or sticker to the seam. Place the wrapped card into the spiral holder and put it in the can with the pens and pencils.

Making this cuddly pillow is so quick and easy, it's like performing a magic trick. What's the secret? Knots. The pieces are tied together (fleece fabric needs no hemming), which makes this gift simple enough to complete in an afternoon, and cute enough to give to a best friend or cousin.

Materials

• Fleece
• Scissors
• Ruler

• Chalk
• Fiberfill

Instructions

1. Cut 2 identical heart shapes from the fleece, 1 red, 1 green. To allow for a 4-inch fringe, be sure to cut the hearts 8 inches larger than you want your finished pillow. We cut ours 26 inches across and 22 inches long for an 18- by 14-inch pillow.

2. On 1 fleece heart, use a ruler and chalk or a disappearing-ink pen to draw a heart 4 inches in from the edge of the fabric (see illustration). Measure and draw fringe that's about 1 inch wide and 4 inches long (up to the center heart, as shown).

3. Stack the hearts with your chalk lines on top. Cut the fringe, through both layers of fleece, stopping at the center heart.

4. Begin at the bottom point of the heart and tie the top piece of fringe to the bottom piece by double-knotting them. Continue up the side of the pillow. At the dip at the top, knot together the top 4 fringes (2 pairs) into 1 double knot to cinch the opening more tightly. Then go back to knotting just 2 fringes until only 4 pairs are untied.

5. Stuff the heart with fiberfill. Tie the remaining fringes. Brush off any chalk that still shows. Ink lines should disappear according to the package directions.

6. For a twist on this gift: Try a different shape, such as this lion pillow. We knotted together squares of orange and yellow fleece and brought our king of the jungle to life with cord whiskers, and felt eyes and nose attached with tacky glue. For square pillows, cut off and discard the corner fringes before you begin knotting.

Lightweight and festive, these colorful coat pins make a treasured gift that will spread cheer year after year.

Materials

• Magazine images or photographs
• Clear, flat-bottomed glass gems, 3/4 inch in diameter (sold at most craft stores)
• Tacky glue

• Small metal tin, such as an empty Altoids box (optional)
• Round magnets

Instructions

1. For each coat pin, cut out 2 or 3 small squares or rectangles from the corrugated cardboard. Our cutouts ranged from 1 1/2-inch squares to 3- by 1 1/2-inch rectangles.

2. Cover the cutouts with gift wrap or origami paper, gluing the edges in place. Now arrange the packages in a stack and stick them together with dabs of tacky glue. Add a miniature bow or ribbon.

3. Once the glue is dry, stick a self-adhesive pinback to the bottom of the stack.

Preserve old treasures and create a useful gift in the process.

Materials

• Newspaper
• Pieces of broken pottery, tiles, beads, marbles, beach glass, shells or charms
• Ceramic tile grout (available at hardware stores)

• Plastic knife
• Terra-cotta flowerpot
• Sponge

Instructions

1. Cover the work area with newspaper. Before starting to decorate the pot, sort through the pottery pieces and discard any that have sharp edges (a parent's job).

2. Spread a heavy layer of tile grout onto the flowerpot with the plastic knife. Then press the tile pieces into the wet grout. When finished, spread a little more grout between the pieces so that most of the broken edges are covered.

3. After the pot is dry, wipe off any grout film with a damp sponge.

Tips:

If you don't have broken pottery, place chipped, leftover tiles in a clear plastic bag (this way you can see what you're smashing) and break them with a hammer. Another good source for broken tiles is your local tile or hardware store; many will give you broken display tiles for free.

Brighten your home with a touch of spring: a bouquet of easy-to-care-for paper lilies.

Materials

• White card stock
• Green card stock
• Tacky glue
• Acrylic paint
• Plastic tri-beads

• 20-gauge florists' stem wire
• Round wooden bead
• Floral tape
• Large marker

Instructions

1. Cut six 7-inch petals (as shown) from white card stock and two 8-inch leaves from green card stock. Fold all 8 pieces in half lengthwise.

2. Use tacky glue to glue together the bases of 3 petals, creating a ring with a hole (about 1/2 inch across) in the center. Repeat with the remaining petals to create a slightly tighter ring.

3. Give your lily some distinctive speckles by splattering the leaves with an old toothbrush dipped in diluted acrylic paint (a great job for kids). Allow the glue and the paint to dry.

4. To make a trio of stamens, slip 3 plastic tri-beads onto the ends of three 18-inch lengths of 20-gauge florists' stem wire and bend the tips to secure the beads in place. Feed the opposite wire ends through a round wooden bead, then glue the bead in place about 2 inches below the tri-beads.

5. Feed the wires through the narrower ring of petals followed by the wider ring, offsetting the petals slightly. Glue the petals together and to the bead and let the glue dry.

6. Wrap a 2-foot section of floral tape around the base of the lily several times to secure it to the wires, stretching the tape while you wrap to help it stick. Continue wrapping the tape along the length of the wires, adding the leaves partway down. Finally, gently roll the petals over a large marker to curl the tips.

Mom: If you wish springtime flowers could last and last, here's the gift for you: tiny tissue paper buds that serve as a pretty, graceful reminder that love blooms eternal.

Kids: A bare branch, tissue paper, and glue are all it takes to present Mom with a bouquet of delicate, easy-care blossoms she'll love.

Materials

• Bare branch
• Tissue paper

• Glue

Instructions

1. Use a glue stick to attach green tissue paper triangles (1- to 2-inch squares cut in half on the diagonal) to 1- to 2-inch squares of pink tissue paper (the exact placement isn't important).

2. Shape each pair of tissues into a bud by wrapping them, pink side in, over the point of a dull pencil. Slide the blossom off the pencil a bit and twist the end into a small point. Then use craft glue (we used Kids Choice) to fix the twisted end of the bud to a clean and dry bare branch.

These whimsical, plush spectacle cases, complete with button-eye fasteners, make a fun storage option for a pair of shades or reading glasses.

Materials

• Piece of craft fur (7 1/2 by 10 inches)
• Adhesive-backed craft foam (6 by 6 1/2 inches)
• Marker and ruler
• 3 pairs of buttons (1/2 and 1 inch in diameter per pair)

• Sturdy sewing needle and thread
• Fabric glue
• 4 clothespins

Instructions

1. Place the fur right side down on a table. Holding the craft foam with the longer edges at the top and bottom, stick it to the underside of the fur centered along the lower edge, as shown.

2. Then mark 2 spots on the foam about 2 inches up from the lower edge of the fur and 2 1/4 inches in from each side.

3. Loosely but securely sew the buttons onto the furry side, creating each eye by stacking a 1/2-inch button atop a 1-inch one (young sewers may need help pushing the needle through the foam).

4. Fold the foam-covered fur area in half, making a crease, then unfold it. Apply fabric glue along the edges of the fur piece adjacent to the foam.

5. Refold the foam and secure the seams with clothespins until the glue dries.

6. Fold the fur flap over the glued pocket, then mark and cut buttonholes large enough for the eyes to fit through.

7. Spread a thin layer of glue around the nonfurry side of the buttonholes to keep them from stretching. Allow the glue to dry thoroughly before buttoning the case.

These pretty packages add a merry touch to a coat lapel, stocking hat, or backpack -- and with a bit of luck, they just might be enough to tide your kids over until it's time to open the real presents.

Materials

• Corrugated cardboard
• Tacky glue
• Gift wrap and tape

• Thin curling ribbon
• Mini bows
• Adhesive pinbacks

Instructions

1. For each pin, cut out three small rectangular or square pieces of corrugated cardboard and glue them together in a stack (the smaller ones shown here are about 1 1/2 inches square).

2. Gift-wrap the stack, then decorate it with ribbon and a bow.

3. Stick the pinback to the underside of the package, and the pin is ready to wear.

While melting and pouring wax is best left to adults, the creative parts of this candle-making project (choosing the perfect crayon to color the wax and decorating the glass holder with beads) are meant for kids.

Materials

• Large saucepan
• Metal canning jar lid rim
• Coffee can
• Paraffin wax
• Crayons
• Paint stirrer

• Candlesticks (one for each jar)
• Thick widemouth glass jars
• Metal tongs
• Plastic beads
• Tacky glue

Instructions

1. Set up a double boiler to melt the paraffin. Fill the bottom of the saucepan with 4 to 5 inches of water and drop in the canning jar lid rim. Then pack chunks of paraffin into the coffee can, setting it on the jar rim so that it doesn't directly touch the bottom of the pot.

2. Melt the wax over medium-high heat, carefully adding more chunks until the can is about two-thirds filled. To color the melted wax, break half of a peeled crayon into pieces. Add them to the wax and slowly mix with a paint stirrer, then turn off the heat and let the paraffin cool for about 10 minutes (this will help minimize shrinkage when the wax hardens).

3. Using a sharp knife, cut the candlesticks 1/2 inch shorter than the jar heights (adults only). Now, heat the jars by running warm water on the outsides but not the insides (this will help prevent cracking when you pour in the hot wax).

4. With metal tongs, dip the bottom of each candlestick into the melted wax and stick it to the inner jar bottom. When the candlestick ends have hardened enough to hold, carefully pour enough wax into the jars to cover the candlestick tops but not the wicks.

5. Once the candles cool completely, your kids can glue beads to the outside of the jar, arranging them in a border around the rim, perhaps, or creating a multicolor pattern all the way around.

Catch this gingerbread man, and he'll hold your page as fast as he can.

Materials

• Brown felt
• Scissors
• Glue suitable for fabric (we used Tacky Glue)

• Large paper clip
• White dimensional fabric paint

Instructions

1. Cut out two gingerbread-man shapes from brown felt

2. 

3. Coat one man with glue. Place the single-loop end of a large paper clip on the glued side, with the clip extended as shown.

4. Put an extra dab of glue onto the paper clip for strength, then sandwich it in place with the second gingerbread man. Once the glue is dry, add icing features with a tube of white dimensional fabric paint.