Gift Ideas ...

[WoodWrangler]

This Christmas I want to build something special and meaningful for my parents who life in south Florida. It has to be relatively small (so I can ship it if needed), but memorable. Any ideas? :5help:

I've been thinking jewelry boxes, memory boxes, music boxes ... and though those are good, I bet some of you have some better (or creative) ideas.

I want to hear them! And if plans are available, that always helps me! :icon_thum

 

[DaveO]

One of the most appreciated and meaningful gifts I've given to my parents is a picture of a sunset, taken at the family vacation spot by a friend, of my mother and father. It's in a frame that I made with an inscription that reads "13,142 (fill in the number of days that your parents have been married) sunsets together and counting". They always comment that their friend think it is very cool, and it's neat to think of their life in terms of those numbers.
Simple, cheap, and easy.
Of course anything you make for your folks will be special and meaningful, because you made it for them vs. picking something up at Walmart.
Dave

 

[jeff...]

This Christmas I want to build something special and meaningful for my parents who life in south Florida. It has to be relatively small (so I can ship it if needed), but memorable. Any ideas? :5help:

I've been thinking jewelry boxes, memory boxes, music boxes ... and though those are good, I bet some of you have some better (or creative) ideas.

I want to hear them! And if plans are available, that always helps me! :icon_thum

How about a matching pen and pencil set for both of them? It's something they will use everyday...

 

[chris99z71]

How about a matching pen and pencil set for both of them? It's something they will use everyday...

Yes, and next Jeff will suggest where you can get some beautiful Elm to make the pens and pencils! :lol:
There was a very cool, simple idea for making and end grain cutting board in this month's Wood Mag. Glue a panel of random widths (2-5" wide each) of alternating species. They used walnut, cherry and maple IIRC. After drying, cross cut your panel in 2" strips. Glue together as an end grain cutting board alternating the direction of every other strip.
I can't find a picture, but it looked pretty cool.
Found a pic:

 

[clowman]

I like the picture frame Idea. You can make it to hold many pictures of kids/grandchildren and them.