Hands Down- Top Gifts for Family Members

10 Gifts made with your child's handprints

Leave your print on someone's heart this year. Very inexpensive and loving gift to give is your child's handprints. Here are ten creative ideas of ways for your child to leave their mark this year. Family members will love the thought of being able to cherish those small cute handprints that are always left on the glass doors and coffee tables.

1. Plate or ceramic tile: Put glass paint on child's hand and then place hand on a small white plate or ceramic tile. If the child is old enough have them write their name and year in permanent marker. Follow the directions on the paint bottle to ensure your art stays permanent. Most the time this involves baking the plates for 30 minutes. Add a plate stand and voila the small hand is captured forever.

2. Floor mat: Purchase an inexpensive, plain doormat. Place child's hand in outdoor acrylic paint. Leave handprint on doormat and at the bottom paint on the following words: "There's no place like…(the handprints) and then Grandma's" (or the name of whatever relative you're giving the gift to).

3. Apron: Purchase apron in the craft section of Wal-Mart or a craft store, you might also be able to find one at a dollar store. Have child put handprints on apron with material paint. And paint "There ain't nothing like grandma's cookin'" Or "Nana's cooking is the best, hands down."

4. Placemats: Paint child's handprints on four inexpensive placemats. If you're feeling really crafty you can cut their handprints out of craft foam and glue onto napkin rings.

5. Stepping Stones: Take a bag of quick Crete and sift out most of the gravel. Make a cement mixture and pour into plastic saucer that goes under a plant pot. Place hand in concrete to form handprint. Write child's name and year with a toothpick into the cement. You can add broken tile, marbles or whatever suits you for decoration. Let dry completely and paint handprint and name with your favorite colors with outdoor acrylic paint. Once again let dry. Very cool stepping stones for your recipient's garden. My dad loves his so much he's asked me to make more for the rest of the grandchildren.

6. Shirt: Paint handprints on a shirt for the relative (be careful where the hands are placed) and paint on the words, "Grandma's (or Grandpa) the best, hands down."

7. Tree ornament: Trace child's hand and cut out of felt, craft foam, or make a santa out of their hand. On the back print the following poem:
When you hang this ornament
From year to year,
I hope it brings you a smile
From ear to ear
This handprint Santa will
Help you to remember,
How small I was in 2006 -
In the month of December.
Try this link for complete details: http://www.dltk-holidays.com/xmas/mhand-santa.htm
8. Table cloth: Either purchase a white table cloth or make one yourself. Have the child leave their handprints in material paint along with the date and their name. Each year at Christmas time the relative can put the table cloth on the table for the family get together and your child can add their handprint for that year. Very cool to be able to see how much they've grown over the years.

9. Food tray: Paint handprints onto wooden food tray that can be purchased at a craft store.

10. Picture frame: Purchase an inexpensive hinged 5X7 frame. On one side put a 5X7 picture of your child and on the other side put their handprint, name, and date.

You just can't go wrong with the cute handprints of your children. Family members will love the gifts because they came from the heart and they will have an every day reminder of how small the grandchildren are and were.

Some other places to find ideas:

http://www.kidsdomain.com/craft/handprnt.html

http://www.dltk-kids.com/type/handprint.htm

http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/flowers/handprintflower/