Beaded Silverware Gifts-So Easy

     Infarrantly Creative has been doing a Pennywise Series on easy, very inexpensive crafts you can do for Christmas presents...you know me, I love a craft! Two of the names I drew for Jim's family this year are his Aunt Frances and his sister Annie. We have at least 9 presents to get for that side of the family so I have been looking for unique gifts that are useful and meaningful and easy on our bank account. We are on a tight budget this Christmas, just like everyone else I'm sure. We have looming delivery, OB and anesthesiologist bills that will be coming up in February and it is our goal to pay our bill in full before I am wheeled out of there!

     I love Infarrantly Creative's Beaded Stamped Silverware. {See the tutorial here} Here in Mississippi these things are pretty pricey if you find them at a street festival, but I was able to create them for less than $7 a set! I have never done anything with beads, metal stamping or wire, so this was a first. I lugged the kids to one of the thrift stores nearby and we couldn't find any suitable silverware so I found these servers at Walmart for $1.50 a piece.

     I didn't think that was a bad price at all!  I looked all over town for a metal stamping set and came up with nothing! But I was able to get a pack of silver initials for $2.50 after the half off discount and two packs of beads 50% off at Hobby Lobby ($2 each) and used my 40% off coupon for my wire ($1.80).

     I put the recipient's initials on each piece so that if they went to a party, they would be recognizable. It also adds a little extra personal touch! This project was so easy. I made 6 pieces during the boys' naptime this afternoon.  I have paired both sets of servers with a sleek serving dish that I found for less than $5 at Walmart for each of them. I hope they love them, because I am very tempted to make myself a set of them!