Printable gift card

If finding the perfect gift for the many members of your clubs, circles, or groups finds you out of fresh ideas, try these clever, cost-conscious presents that are as fun to make and give as they are to receive. Best of all, you don't have to fret over who gets what--everyone gets the same kind of treatment.

CARD CLUB

Your bridge club pals deserve a deck of personalized playing cards. Purchase a standard deck, an inkpad, and rubber stamp of the first letter of the recipient's last name (or carve your own stamp from a potato, as we did). Stamp the monogram on each card. When dry, insert the cards back in the box and wrap with decorative paper and a coordinating ribbon.

BOOK GROUP

Avid readers will fancy this handy system for personalizing and keeping tabs on their prized books. Purchase printable envelopes and book check-out cards at a school supply store. Using a computer, print "from the library of" on each envelope, insert four cards into each envelope, then package 6 to 8 envelopes into one larger vellum envelope, sealing it with a coordinating sticker.

CHORAL CROWD

A gift of song will have music lovers humming your praises. Select tunes that appeal to the recipient and use a computer to burn them to a compact disc. Using a kit for making custom disc labels (available at office supply stores), design and print a label. Stick the label on the disc and insert the disc into a plastic case. As a wrapping, make a pouch from vintage sheet music and embellish with ribbon. Another version of this idea can be used as a gift for morns in your playgroup-just burn an audio book for children instead.

TEACHER'S BET

Craft a pencil box Jar teachers. (Some woodworking is required.) For the bottom, use a crafts knife to trim 1/8 inch from one long side of a ruler. For the sides, rout a channel in two rulers that is 1/16 inch from the top of each ruler and is 1/16 inch deep x 1/8 inch high. Cut small pieces of ruler to fit below the channel on each end and one piece for the divider. Use wood glue to assemble. For the top, rout a tongue on each side of a ruler so it slides into the side channels of the box.

GAL PALS

Treat your girlfriends to a delightful grosgrain ribbon belt kit, one of today's favorite fashion trends. Pierce a hole through the top of a small box lid. For loop, cut ribbon to length and thread ends through the hole, gluing the ends together with crafts glue underneath the lid. When dry, pull the ribbon to create a loop on top of the lid. Fill the box with a sewing kit, a vintage or new buckle, and enough coordinating ribbon to make a belt.

KNITTING CIRCLES

Help knitters find their supplies with an easy-make pouch and new set of needles. Cut decorative grosgrain ribbon twice the length of the needles plus about 8 inches. Subtract 6 inches for the flap, fold the ribbon in half lengthwise, and topstitch close to the edge on both sides. Place 4 inches of tiny rickrack on the underside edge of the flap and fold the corners overtop, creating a point. Secure with crafts glue. Hand-stitch a novelty button to the front of the pouch. Tuck a pair of knitting needles inside, fold down the flap, and wind the rickrack around the button.

OFFICE ROUNDS

Banish desktop chaos by giving your co-workers an innovative organizer canister. Fill small clear top tins with paper clips, rubber bands, and other supplies. Corral the tins into vintage film canisters. Tie with ribbon and an ornament. The same idea works for cooking clubs--just fill the small tins with spices instead.

PHOTOGRAPHS BY KIM CORNELISON