Affordable grad gifts?

[sweet maxine]

Good morning!

I thought some of you might have some ideas or insights about high school graduation gifts for my daughter's friends. I need quite a few this year, and I'm trying to come up with something that is affordable and nice to give. The girls around here really like those Vera Bradley bags, and I thought about using a pattern that I have to make some garment bags for the girls (can't afford a round of Vera Bradley for them all!). My local Wal Mart has some really cute reversible quilted fabric in colors of tangerine/aqua, blue/yellow, and I think pink/green. (I think those are the combinations.) Anyway, I thought these would sew up to be kind of cute, though of course not of the Vera Bradley quality. Does this sound too time consuming? I'm also thinking about just getting a towel/handtowel/washcloth in the same colors and having them monogrammed, but it has gotten so expensive here to have anything monogrammed.

Anyone have any ideas about what to do?

Thanks!

 

[mommytotwo]

The towels are a nice idea especially if they are going to college, but I understand on how expensive monogramming can get. What if you put together a set of towels and on the top of them add a nice poem, especially made for each girl and then tied or packaged up nicely.

 

[FantasticDisFamily]

I empathize with your dilemma. Although I'm a pretty accomplished seamstress I'd stay away from the garment bags. I made one for my MIL many years ago...well almost made it. The bag itself was no big deal. The problem came in with the zipper! Even for the "suit length" bag you need a really long zipper. Naturally not something that is standard. I finally found a source that sold zippers by the inch...talk about expensive!

The towel sets are a nice idea, as for the monogramming I'm presuming your machine doesn't do it?

Both of my kids are in high school and involved in choir - meaning literally dozens of open houses each spring for friends. What I have done the last several years (and plan to continue doing) is to go through the photographs I've taken during the past year, select one (sometimes 2) of something particularly appropriate - perhaps a particular solo, backstage shot from the musical or variety show, etc. Then I get an enlargement made - usually 5 x7 - which at my LSS isn't too expensive, around $4. I pick up frames throughout the year when they are on sale at one of our discount stores (Target, etc). Many times I'll use an 8 x 10 frame for a 5 x 7 photo which lets me mount the picture (I just use cardstock from my scrapbooking materials) and add an appropriate saying. And sometimes I just frame the picture.

The kids picked up on this pretty quickly and started watching for us to get to the open houses with that "frame shaped" package in hand. I understand they consider this a pretty cool gift.

Deb

 

[Beth E. (NJ)]

Another nice gift idea might be picture frames or photo albums. You could personalize the frames or do something nice to the album covers. It's nice to give them something they can bring with them when they go away.

 

[sweet maxine]

Thanks so much for your responses!

I'm still trying to decide what to do, and I agree about the garment bag idea....not a good one! I have heard about the outlet sale for Vera Bradley in April, but of course I don't live even remotely close to Indiana. My daughter could probably go a little crazy at a sale like that!

I don't have a machine to do my own embroidery, so I'm not sure how to go with that. I like the idea of the picture frames or albums, too. I'm just really in a quandry about what to do! I'm trying to think along the lines of what they might need/want/use for college, and I'm just not having any brainstorm ideas come up right now.

I have to say I really enjoy reading this board, and all the ideas you post. I have copied off the crock-pot recipes, and also the waffle recipes. My kids have gone through two rounds of Pooh waffles over the last week and a half! I'm glad somebody here reminded me about freezing them. They taste so much better homemade than the ones that are store bought!

 

[MerryPoppins]

Here are a couple of new ideas.

Make wooden lap boards if you have access to a table saw. Cut and sand the board. Paint the girl's name and the college she will attend. Then seal it with a clear coat. I got one over 20 years ago and our family still uses it.

Sew a casing down one side of a towel. Insert elastic. Add velcro and you have a coverup for after showers. These can be be monogrammed, but it's not necessary. Great for college dorm use.