Handmade for the Holidays

Make gift giving an interactive activity this holiday season. Head to the beach with your keiki and do some strolling while you pick up sea glass, seashells and driftwood from the shore. Then head home and make any of these three gifts friends and family will love.

A wish necklace
While doing a beach stroll have your keiki scout out shells that have holes in them. They don’t need many to make a pretty necklace, in fact just one perfectly picked shell from the Maui shores will do. Thread the shells onto a thicker piece of thread, add a clasps to the ends and give to teachers or friends as a wish necklace. Have the recipient make a wish when they put it on and once the thread breaks, their wish will come true!

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Seashell frame
Pick up an old frame from a thrift store, plug in that hot glue gun and have your keiki pick their favorite shells from their stroll. Have your child layout the design on paper and you can then use the glue gun to place them how they’d like on the frame. Add in a picture of your keiki on the beach and you’ve got yourself what is sure to be a hit with Grandma!

Driftwood collage
After you’ve gathered some drift wood, give it a good cleaning with a brush. Let it dry out for a few days under the sun. Then print out some small photos of your keiki. One by one decoupage them to the piece of driftwood or just add one bigger photo. Wrap some twine around either end to create a way to hang your driftwood so that Tutu can enjoy your keiki’s homemade driftwood collage or all year long.