Grand Gifts
Grandparent's Day is an intergenerational holiday that honors the elderly ones in our lives. This year, it falls on September 11. As the day draws near, why not celebrate the senior citizens in your life with a couple of grand gifts? Here are some ideas to get you started.
Rustic Family Photo Frame
Supplies:
- Twigs (six 6" and six 8")
- String
- Scissors
- Glue gun, low setting
- Family photo, 4" x 6"
What to do:
- Place three equal-length twigs in bundles so you have two 8" bundles and two 6" bundles.
- Tie a temporary string around the center of each bundle to keep the twigs together.
- Place 6" bundles 6 inches across from one another. Lay 8" bundles above and below the other bundles to form a rectangle, with one inch of each bundle overlapping at the corners.
- Wrap string around the bundles at the corners in a crisscross (X) pattern to tie ends together and form a picture frame. Knot and trim string ends.
- Clip the temporary strings at the center of each bundle.
- Turn the frame over and apply glue to each of the four corners. Place photo, face-side down, over the back of the frame. Press to seal.
- Turn the picture frame over. Tie a small loop between the upper twigs to hang the photo.
Grand Glasses Case
Supplies:
- Ruler
- Scissors
- Colored craft foam
- Marker
- Large, plastic sewing needle
- Colored yarn
- Fabric paint, foam stickers, other embellishments
What to do:
- Measure and cut a 7" x 7" square from the craft foam.
- Fold one side of the square in half to create a rectangle that measures 3 ½" x 7".
- With the rectangle still folded, use a ruler and marker to place dots spaced ½-inch apart along the end opposite the fold and one short side.
- Thread the needle with two feet of colored yarn. Tie a knot at one loose end.
- Sew up the long side and one short side of the rectangle, using the dots as a needle guide.
- Secure the loose end of the yarn with a knot.
- Decorate the glasses case with fabric paint, foam stickers, or other embellishments.
Denise Morrison Yearian is a former educator and editor of two parenting magazines, and the mother of three children and four grandchildren.
