2 Easy Green Gifts You Can Make Yourself

No matter what the occasion, these green gifts are ideal for giving friends, co-workers and family members. Each of these homemade crafts give you a chance to show off your creativity and take just a few hours of your time and can be made using recycled materials you likely already have at home.

Green Gifts - Bookmark and Card Set

This green gift is ideal for an avid reader or for your child's teacher. To make this green gift, you'll need thin cardboard from a cereal box or recycled cardstock, newspaper advertisements or old magazines, ruler, scissors, glue stick, paper punch and a scrap piece of ribbon or thread.

To make the card, cut an 8-1/2-inch by 11-inch section from the cereal box. The printed side of the cardboard will serve as the front and back of the card. Use a sharp object like the end of the scissors or a pizza cutter to score the inside middle of the cardboard. Fold the cardboard in half. Cut out designs from magazines or old scrapbooking materials to create a collage design on the front and back of the card. Use a glue stick to glue items onto the card. Then cut a square from a magazine or scrap piece of card stock. The square will serve as a pocket to hold the bookmark. Place glue on the bottom and two sides of the square and secure to the front of the card.

To make the bookmark, cut a cardboard piece that is 1-1/2-inch wide by 6-inches high. Create a collage design on the bookmark by gluing elements found in magazines, flyers or books. Place the design onto the cardboard and glue in place. Use a paper punch to make a hole at the top center of the bookmark and thread ribbon through the hole. Tie the ribbon to give the bookmark a nice finished look.

Fun Money Jar Made From Recycled Materials

Another green gift idea is to turn a recycled glass jar with lid into a fun money jar. This homemade craft is ideal for new parents or newlyweds who often forget to set aside money to get out and have some fun once in awhile. To make this green gift you'll need a glass jar and lid, permanent marker, Mod Podge, crafting glue, glass paint or markers, paint brush, scrap pieces of cardstock and ribbon.

To decorate the lid, you can write a saying on card stock or use a computer and printer to create one. An example of a saying for this green gift idea is "Forget rainy days. This money is set aside to get out and play." Feel free to use this saying or create one of your own. Take the printed saying and trim to fit on the jar lid and glue into place. Allow the saying to air dry and then coat with Mod Podge to seal. Finish the lid off by lining the outside edge with ribbon and gluing into place.

You can use glass paint or makers to write "Fun Money" on the jar. If desired, add other design elements such as polka dots or interesting shapes. Add some change or dollar bills to the fun money jar that the gift recipient can use to go see a movie or use on vacation.

With a little imagination, you can turn recycled materials into green gifts that are unique and cater to the gift recipient's personality. These homemade crafts are also something kids can do with a little help from you to create gifts for family members and teachers.