Homemade Teachers' Gifts

Last year, I was room mother for my son's preschool class. It basically meant helping out with parties and such, as well as giving both teachers gifts on behalf of the class. I remember being at a total loss when Christmas, birthdays, and finally the end of the year rolled around because I had absolutely no idea what to give them! I thought about all of the possibilities ... from something simple like a small plant or a mug to something more elaborate like some sort of gift certificate. But I really didn't like those ideas. I was looking for something ... special. Besides cost was an issue and, truth be told, I really prefer giving more personalized gifts. So, I started thinking of ideas for a homemade teacher gift. As the room mother, I was fortunate enough to have lots of class photos, so I decided to do something with those. I've always had a preference for photo gifts anyway and it seemed like the perfect idea. You can see the finished products below.

The first is a scrapbook page that I designed based on a picture frame I once noticed on a store shelf. While the original frame was nice, what really struck me was the ribbon that adorned the photo mat. It stretched across the top and left side and contained letters that spelled the word, TEACHER. I remember thinking, "I could do something like that and make it more personal. Why not give it a shot?"

I began by creating a floral bouquet in a digital scrapbooking program. Since I didn't have a class picture at the time, I chose to use individual pics instead, which I then scattered within the bouquet and printed out onto 8"x10" photo paper. The idea for the floral bouquet originated from the quote that I placed at the bottom of the page. After a few trips to my local craft store, I was ready to create an entire page around the photo design, which I then encased in a silver 12"x12" record album frame.

I admit that it took me several days to put these together, but, in the end, I was pretty satisfied with the finished product. I made two of these, one for each of my son's teachers, and I'm happy to say that they seemed very touched and very appreciative of the gift.

Hallmark Photo Essentials Small Black & White Daisy Album

This is another idea that works especially well if you are a room mother or someone who is in a position to take a lot of class pictures. This one is much easier than the first. Choose your best pics and a nice little album (something that holds at least 30 photos or so ... that way the recipient has enough room to add her own class pictures). Put them together and ... voila! You have a nice homemade end-of-the-year teachers' gift! It's simple, fast, and relatively inexpensive as there is only the cost of the photos and the album. For an even more personal touch, you can also decorate the cover of a plain album. It's up to you!

I received this apron as a room mother gift from my son's class, but I think it would make an excellent homemade teacher gift as well. It began as a plain canvas-style apron which the teachers then decorated with the children's handprints. Each child's hand was traced with a pencil and the outline traced again with paint (in alternating colors of blue and pink) to create the adorable design that you see here. I love this idea. It's a simple and inexpensive way to make a nice personalized teachers' gift. If you'd like to do something like this, but aren't in a position to trace each child's hand personally, then just use your own child's handprint as a template and go on from there.

Another way to create a wonderfully personalized apron for your teacher is to order a "color in" apron from Zazzle.com. These unique products, designed by CherylsArt, come with a design that is ready to be filled in with color and customized to the artists's liking. Talk about a personalized gift! As you can see below, these aprons come in a variety of colors as well as sizes, allowing for a wide range of possibilities. The designer also takes personal requests. You can learn more about this particular type of gift by following the link below.

outline art - butterfly and flower color in aprons by Cherylsart
Browse Outline art Aprons

Outline art - fuchsia flower color in aprons by Cherylsart
Get kitchen aprons on zazzle.com

Photo courtesy of bob923.

What about a simple craft project? One that could be done by your child, with or without your help. Custom-made ornaments, magnetic photo frames, and painted flower pots make great personalized teachers' gifts. Also, think about the teacher's interests and hobbies. Do you know his or her favorite color? Does he or she have a favorite sports team or hobby? Incorporating such preferences into the gift is a wonderful way to make a homemade gift even more special.

Photo courtesy of hortongrou.

Is your child naturally artistic? Then, why not have them create a special piece, a drawing, a painting, or perhaps write a special poem just for their teacher? You could then choose a nice frame to compliment their artwork or display their writing.

If you're still in need of ideas, then a trip to your local craft store will fill your head with more inspiration than you can handle. Depending on your child's age and skill level, the possibilities are endless.

Photo courtesy of Sarej.

What about creating a simple piece of jewelry or decorating an unfinished wooden craft? One of my son's teachers told me that they once received a wooden stepstool painted and decorated with the children's names and faces. Something similar could be done with a small wooden box. It could be decorated however you like and given as a keepsake box in which he or she could store their treasures from that school year.

Photo courtesy of superfloss.

In my opinion, cookies are the ultimate homemade gift, absolutely perfect at Christmastime and I have yet to find a single teacher who doesn't agree (but I'm sure they're out there). Every year my mother makes literally hundreds of dozens of Christmas cookies. She then bundles a generous sampling of each kind (chocolate chip, snickerdoodles, angel in the oven, and oatmeal raisin), deposits them into cute little gift bags and sends them out as gifts. Ever since my boys started school, she has included all of their teachers in her gift-giving and they really enjoy them! Not only are the cookies delicious, but they truly understand and appreciate the time and effort that goes into making them.

Not a baker? That's okay. As an alternative, you could always purchase those easy ready-to-bake cookies and have your child help with the preparation. That way, your little one will have the satisfaction of proudly announcing that he or she helped to make them! Remember: it's the thought that counts :)

So, what if you've decided that you don't want to invest your time into making a homemade teachers' gift after all, but you still want something special and unique? Well, then take a look at the gifts below. All of these are unique designs that are only available on Zazzle. You can not buy these products in a store. So, if you're still at a loss for creative ideas, check out the selection below. You may find just what you're looking for.

Primary Teacher BBQ Apron by cooltees
Get cooking aprons at zazzle

Customize Yourself Kitchen Apron For Teacher
by schoolteacher
Browse Schoolteacher Aprons

Snow, Please snow,I'm a teacher! by Razzeldazzle44
View other Snow Mugs

Teachers do more than just teach... by juleemay25
Browse Card Cards

Teacher's Magnet Template by Dmargie1029
Create Magnets with Zazzle