for teenage boys I've had awesome luck with these homemade gifts (I have younger brothers and loads of cousins - and was a teen not too long ago myself haha)

-duct tape wallets, cheap and loads of colors
-food (brownies, cookies, etc)
-pajama pants (who doesn't enjoy lounging around? and are easy to sew)
-marshmellow shooters (few pieces of pvc and a bag of marshmellows) never met a boy yet who didn't enjoy a warzone haha (and makes it more improptu than pulling out the paintball guns or bb guns) also tends to get turned onto unsuspecting bystanders (fun for younger kids too)

i really don't know what kind of gifts. pjs might work. or a candy basket.

Mens gifts:

~ Microwave rice heating pads
~ Food: a basket of assorted nuts plus a nut cracker?
~ BBQ apron and a selection of special BBQ spices or rubs
~ Roll-up tool organizer (good for the car or pick-up truck) or maybe a roll-up tool organizer for his woodworking chisels.
~ 5-gallon bucket tool tote - it is usually canvas fabric. The inside goes into the bucket and might have dividers inside, the outside drapes over the lip of the bucket and has a circle of pockets. There is a slit for the handle.
~ A hardware (screws, nuts, bolts, washers, etc) organizer made from baby food jars. Nail the jar lids to a length of wood. Fill the jars with assorted hardware then screw them back onto their lids.
~ Leather belt or cellphone holder (leather stores have kits)
~ Coffee cup cozies (like those cardboard sleeves they put over hot coffee cups at Starbucks except make them from fabric.) Or beer bottle cozies.
~ Embellished T-shirt - maybe stencil on your own funny saying
~ A remote control organizer he can drape over the arm of his favorite chair.
~ Magazine organizers made out of cereal boxes.
~ Heavy-duty moisturizing lotion in some manly scent.
~ Glove compartment organizer
~ Burn a CD of special songs or download a group to put into his MP3 player.
~ Bird feeder
~ Beer glass charms (so the guys don't forget which glass is theirs)
~ If he jogs/runs or just walks the dog a lot, a wristband 'pocket'. It is made of stretchy fabric. He can put his ID and maybe a debit card into a zippered compartment then slip the whole thing on his wrist. Along the same lines, if he travels a lot, a travel organizer - maybe even an organizing system for his expense report receipts.
~ And my hubby is an electronics geek. There has to be some way to keep track of all those wall warts (power supplies). Maybe a huge set of cable and wire identifiers. I just don't know how I'd make them yet.
~ Romantic: Coupon book of 'anything he wants' items. Or a massage - with homemade massage oils? Non-romantic: Detail his car, dessert of the month coupons.
~ A tray or basket for his dresser where he can drop his keys, wallet, etc. Maybe decopage some family photos on it and a few of the kids' handprints.
~ Tie rack? Belt rack? Baseball cap rack?
~ Glass etched mirror - his favorite sports team? his favorite beer? Find the mirror at a thrift store.
~ Gift baskets: For the golfer? balls, tees, hand towel, club covers. For the snacker? cheese logs, salami, crackers. Decide on a theme and go for it!
~ Not just lounge pants but father and son lounge pants!

__________________
"I've been rich and I've been poor but independently wealthy is where it is at."

My blogs:
Oh!: http://oh-cookie.blogspot.com/
The Foundation Club: http://thefoundationclub.blogspot.com/
12 Months to a Homemade Christmas: http://12monthstoahomemadechristmas.blogspot.com/
Experiences, Not Things: http://experiencesnotthings.blogspot.com/

If you'd like to be friends on Facebook, PM me.

Hi all. I am a mewbie here, but I wanted to say I LOVE the shoulder bag idea, and the snowman soup, and the craft bucket/nail care bucket idea. I can think of several people they could work for.

As for the ideas for men...

A tool box cover of family or childrens photos. Get two sheets of clear plastic (I can't think of the name, GRRR) and decoupage various photos of the family of kids to one and prtect it with the other for his tool chst top.

Something I'm making for my niece: felt pieces pizza.
I'm cutting out circles out of the Girl Scout cookies boxes, then I'm cutting out smaller circles of ivory colored felt for the crust, and red for the sauce. Then I'm going to cut out red circles for pepperoni, green and orange peppers, and different shades of yellow for cheese.

yay!!

__________________
It's not what you make; it's what you spend.

Join the Budget Scrapbooking challenges and earn a discount to the CC store!

100 lbs of fudge! Awesome. That is inspiring. I also liked the custom cards idea!

I bought shaving kits that were on clearance after Christmas. I have embroidered the names on them and will give them as gifs to the men in my family this year.

I picked up throws on clearance for $3 each a couple of weeks ago. I got each of my nephews favorite sports team color. I am embroidering a football/ baseball/ basketball (whatever they are into) on the throw along with their name.


I am in the process of making my nieces bath towel wraps with their names embroidered on them.

I got slate scraps from work that I am painting my sisters' last names on. I will attach wire to those so that they can be used to hang on the outside of their house.

I am on track to be finished by September 1.

I'd love to know how to make the bath wraps.

I'm going to plant Loofah Squashes soon to grow loofahs for people.

I love this idea. Last Christmas was terrible for us. I was only able to get my kids each a few things and no one else. I will be back to you with my list. Can't wait to see what ideas everyone has.

__________________