I am was searching for creative gift ideas for the ones who are with my kiddos almost more than I am each week day. I have a fun and inexpensive gift idea below. These gifts cost about $2 for the ornament, and $6.50 for the wall hanger!! I love to make items. I also love to spend time with my son, showing him how to make things with his hands. He helped me pick out the letters and colors. It’s not traditional Christmas colors, but very fun and will look great on his teacher’s door!

Click below to watch a How To video, featured on Moms Everyday on KWTX (may not show on mobile device)

The items you will need:

• wood plaques from craft store (square wooden pieces)
• acrylic paint
• chip board letter
• paper glue (Elmer’s will work, too)
• scarp-booking paper or gift wrap
• ribbon

Begin with painting the wood plaques. They are about 4″ by 4″. You can paint them all the same or paint each one a coordinating color. (You’ll want to be sure the colors all “go” when the paper and letters are in place) You can add several layers of paint to give it a rustic effect. Also, you can “rough it up” by using a fingernail file to distress it even more.

Cut the paper to fit on the plaques. Glue into place with glue. When they dry, add the chip board letters. If they don’t stick well, add a little glue and wait to dry. Adding embellishments will really make your ornament/wall hanger look expensive; add adhesive back jewels or ribbon on to the front.

Once they are dry, hot glue the ribbon to the back. If for the wall/door hanger, leave enough slack to have a loop at the top to hang. And, you are done!

Below are more that I made 2 years ago for my son’s daycare teachers. A lot more traditional for Christmas. I used plain square blocks of wood and larger ribbon.