Make gifts for your bridesmaids

It's getting close to your big day. You've done everything you can to keep your wedding plans simple and frugal. You've made your own invitations, created centerpieces yourself, made your bouquet and even your guest book.

Now, how will you thank your bridesmaids? In keeping with your frugal DIY wedding, a thoughtful and unique hand-made gift sounds perfect.

Spa products
Wouldn't it be fun to have a spa day with your bridesmaids? Since this is an expensive luxury, you could thank them with some homemade spa products instead. Try some of these:

• Facial products: Make a cleanser, scrub, mask, and moisturizer to pamper your bridesmaids.
• Foot products: Create a soak, scrub, and butter -- those feet will be worn out from dancing at the wedding!
• Body products: Make bath salts, body scrub, hand scrub, and body oil, so she can be soft all over.

Don't forget elegant packaging:

• a hat box tied with silk ribbon, tulle, or raffia
• an organza bag fastened with silk flowers
• a flower pot with the products "blooming" out of it; this works especially well if you make floral-scented products
  
  

Jewelry

It's traditional for bridesmaids to receive the jewelry they are to wear, but how many brides can say they've made the jewelry themselves? Try your hand at one of these simple tutorials, and gift your attendants with some handmade jewelry to wear at your wedding:

• Crackle glass earrings: choose your color for these elegant drop earrings
  
• Tree branch earrings: silver or gold and glass beads
  
• Flower drop earrings: like Pandora's, pinks and browns
  
• Spring green earrings: green stone and glass with antiqued metal
  
• Rose quartz and chain necklace: dressy and pink lariat style
  
• Multi-strand pearl necklace: the height of elegance
  
• Cool pool blue bracelet: opal, pearls, and silver
  
• Beginner's bracelet: using wire and making your own loops; very classy
  

If you're looking for something more general, choose your beads and follow the instructions on how to make:

• Simple drop earrings
• a Simple beaded necklace or bracelet

Package your jewelry in a pretty organza bag, and you're done!

Scrapbooks

Even if you've never done scrapbooking before, you can easily make scrapbooks for your bridesmaids, leaving spaces for photos from the big day to be added later.

Not feeling so creative? Check out these ideas on page layouts for wedding scrapbooks.

You can get most of your scrapbooking supplies at your local craft store. With the album, paper and embellishments, and some glue, you're on your way to a very personalized gift.

Stationery or note cards

Beautiful paper stationery may seem somewhat old fashioned, when so much correspondence takes place through email these days. Because it is so underused, stationery or note cards become a little bit decadent to own -- a truly special gift. I covet and cherish elegant papers and detailed note cards, and your bridesmaids will, too.

Try some fabric flower note cards, or perhaps some pressed flower note cards. Quazen has some good ideas, too, involving rubber stamps and embossers.

Tie your note cards with elegant ribbon or raffia and they'll be ready to gift.

Jewelry box or bag

Unless you're a woodworking junkie, a jewelry box could prove a bit difficult, unless you choose a pre-made, unfinished wood number from your local craft store. (If you're up to the challenge of making your own, though, this is a simple jewelry box to try.) Be sure to check the gallery for different design ideas on how to paint or decoupage a jewelry box.

If you do a little knitting, you can make this beaded bag that your bridesmaids could use for jewelry, or they could carry it on the big night.

Perhaps you crochet? This elegant evening bag shimmers just enough.

You may not think you have time to make gifts for your bridesmaids, but that little extra effort will let them know how much they are appreciated.