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Cookie Cutters: Not Just For Cookies Anymore! Post # 25:
Cookie Cutter Gift Ideas
Cookie cutters themselves make great gifts but they can also be used to create unique and inexpensive, even awesome, homemade gifts.
Here are some great gift suggestions I have found on the net or gifts I have given. I have yet to do tutorials for these but hopefully will get around to doing so soon. If you know of or have a tutorial on one of these projects, please paste the url below and I will add it to the post.
I’d love to hear about any cookie cutter related gifts you have given or received yourself. Please leave me a comment below describing the gift/s. If you have photos, that would be extra wonderful!
- 3D Clay Tiles: Roll your clay out into a 1/4 inch thick slab. Cut it into 4×4 inch squares. Roll out another slab and cut out shapes using cookie cutters. Rough up the back of each clay shape and the area of the tile square that will be under the shape. Then “glue” the shape to the tile with clay slurry (clay mixed with water). Allow to air dry or fire per the product’s direction. Paint or glaze when dry.
- “Bean” Filled Cookie Cutters: Mix colored beans & seeds (or colored opaque plastic beads) with plain Mod Podge to make a bumpy “dough”. Lay a cookie cutter flat on a plastic plate or foil wrapped tray. Fill the cutter with the “dough” packing it down loosely. Allow to dry. This will take about a week. Glue on a ribbon or raffia hanger. Hang from a curtain rod for a unique kitchen decoration or hang an opaque plastic bead filled cutter in a window as a nice sun catcher.
- Candle Holder: Place a heart-shaped candle holder (glass or tin) inside a larger cookie cutter (such as a teddy bear) so that it fits tightly. Then fill the candle holder with potpourri. Wrap in cellophane, gather at the top and tie with several colors of curly ribbon.
- Cookie Cutter Coin “Bank”: This is a great last minute gift for a child (hey, I’d like to get it!). Have a few made up and ready for impromptu gift giving. Stretch clear packing tape across the back of a colorful plastic cookie cutter. Fill the cutter with coins and then stretch a layer of clear packing tape across the front of the cutter. Wrap tightly with cellophane and tie the top with colorful ribbons.
- Cookie Cutter Cutting Board: Hammer small nails into an old cutting board, the more battered the better! Tie a torn fabric strip bow around the handle. Then hang vintage cookie cutters from the nails. Change the cookie cutters to fit the season.
- Cookie Cutter Photo Collage: Trace themed cookie cutters on a piece of mat board (Book, apple, & school bus for a child. Cats & dogs for a vet.) to create a custom photo collage mat. Cut out the shapes with a sharp craft knife. Add photos and insert in a frame and your collage is ready to hang.
- Cookie Cutter Shaped Candles: Make two molds from matching metal cookie cutters and aluminum foil (face them the opposite way so when they are put together you will have a complete 3D shape). Melt your wax per product instructions and then color & scent it (sugar cookie or gingerbread of course!). Then fill the molds and allow the wax to harden. Push the shapes out of the molds. Brush a layer of melted wax on one wax shape and then lay a wick down. Apply a little more melted wax on the other shape and join the two halves together. Let cool completely. Wrap the completed candle in cellophane and tie on a ribbon for a cute gift.
- Cookie Cutter Shaped Wax Tarts: Use mini cutters to create mini wax tarts. Make a mold and then continue with melting, scenting and coloring the wax. Fill the molds and allow to cool, then pop out your tarts and they are ready to scent your house. Wrap several in cellophane and tie with a colorful bow to make the perfect little “I’m thinking of you” gift!
- Cookie Cutter Tote Bag: Embellished a tote bag with fabric or felt cookie cutter shapes for your favorite baker. Cut out felt or fabric die cuts using cookie cutters as templates and then iron them on a fabric tote bag with heat fusible webbing. An alternative is to make homemade cookie cutter stamps with potatoes or sponges then stamp the tote using fabric paint. Or simply stencil cookie cutter shapes directly on the tote with fabric markers. When the paint/glue is dry embellish your tote with rick-rack, buttons, embroidery thread, fabric paint & markers. Let dry and it’s ready for gifting.
- Cookie Mix in a Jar: Start with a clean re-cycled Mason or food jar and stencil cookie cutters on it. First trace mini cookie cutters on a very thin, flexible plastic sheet (like a “cheap” binder divider). Lay the plastic sheet on a self-heal cutting mat or old phone book cut the shapes out with a craft knife. Apply spray adhesive to the back of the stencil so it will adhere to the glass. To store your stencil lay it on a piece of plastic wrap sticky side down. Trace the shapes and then fill in with paint markers. Allow to dry. Layer the dry ingredients for sugar or gingerbread cookies in the jar and close the top tightly. Cut a square of sugar cookie or gingerbread print fabric with pinking shears, place it over the lid and secure with a rubber band then tie it off with raffia or matching ribbon. Trace a large matching cookie cutter on white cardstock and cut it out to make the icing part of a “cookie” hangtag. Glue it to light tan or brown cardstock and trim this close to the edge. Decorate the front with paper “sprinkles” and then write your cookie recipe on the back. Punch a hole in the top of the card and then attach it and a mini cookie cutter or two to the tails of the ribbon.
- Fabric & Felt Cookie Cutter Coasters: Make a set to have on-hand as an “Oh my goodness, I can’t believe I forgot Aunt Agnes!” gift. Cut a piece of quilt batting to fit a round paper coaster (or a circle cut from cardboard). Then attach the batting to the coaster with a THIN layer of fabric glue. Next cut a circle a little larger than the coaster from seasonal fabric. Glue it to the batting. Then make small cuts in the edges of the fabric (so it will fit better) and wrap the fabric around to the back. Secure with fabric glue. Cut and glue a felt circle to the back of the coaster. Make a pattern from newspaper of a mini cookie cutter. Then cut the shape from contrasting felt or fabric. Whip stich around the edges of the shape with contrasting embroidery thread if desired. Then glue it to the front of the coaster. Embellish with rick-rack or other trim as desired. When all is dry, your coasters are ready to gift.
- Fairy Princess Wand: Paint a small (or mini) star or heart cutter with metallic gold or silver paint and let dry. Cover it with several coats of glitter paint and let dry. Alternatively coat the painted cutter with glue and then sprinkle with the color of your choice glitter. Next paint a 12 inch long dowel to match or contrast with the cutter and let dry. Hot glue the cutter to the dowel. Then embellish the wand with ribbons, rhinestones, lace, pearl beads, or metallic star garland (curled into spirals) to create a fairy princess wand. This is a great craft for a little girl’s party – have the wands ready for the girls to decorate and enjoy.
- Felt Catnip Toys: See the Fabric or Felt Ornament tutorial of this series. Add catnip to the center of the toy. I bought some really cute gingerbread cats, birds, and mice cat toys on clearance after Christmas. Embellish with embroidery before stuffing.
- Floral Arrangement: Wire cookie cutters to long floral picks and add to flower arrangements to enhance (plus add a little extra gift) the arrangement. For example: baby rattle, bib, ducky, & bottle cutters in a pastel arrangement for a new mother. Use a large cutter to create a custom floral pick (see below) with the recipient’s name or a special message.
- Floral Picks: Cut two cookie cutters shapes (one reverse to the other) from scrapbook paper glued to cardstock. Glue the two shapes together with a bamboo skewer sandwiched between them. Then decorate the pick with rick-rack or other trim, scrapbook letters, buttons, etc. Insert into a floral arrangement or place an odd number of picks into a vase for a bouquet. Link to my post showing my “Conservation Heart” floral picks.
- Gift Wrap: Trace cookie cutters on butcher paper, brown wrapping paper or paper bags with colored markers. Alternatively, stamp plain brown paper with cookie cutters (dip the cutter in paint, then stamp) or stamps made from a potato or a sponge. Another alternative is to make die cuts from leftover pieces of gift wrap or scraps of scrapbook paper and glue them to solid color gift bags or wrapping paper.
- Grandma’s Cookie Cutters Shadow Box: When it’s time to pass on your vintage family cookie cutters do it in style. Type or write out the family recipe and/or a memory of baking cookies with your mother or grandmother. Leave one side of the paper blank for the cutters and a photograph. Size the document to fit your shadow box frame and print it out in brown ink on parchment look cardstock. Cut the paper to fit the frame. Mount one or more of grandma’s cutters using hot glue (it is easy to peel the glue off if you would like to use the cutters in the future). Add any cookie related embellishments, stickers, etc. Then insert into the frame. This one-of-a-kind gift is sure to be greatly appreciated.
- Jewelry: Use tiny, ½ to 1½ inch, cookie cutters to make cookie cutter jewelry. “String” the tiny cutters and beads on fancy ornament hooks and attach to earing wires to create unique earrings. Or string several ½ inch cutters on a ribbon with beads to create a custom necklace. I found tiny cutters in the decorative button section of my local craft store. To create a unique lapel pin wrap a 1 ½ to 2 inch cutter with a narrow red silk ribbon, add a tiny sprig of holly or other greenery and a bow then attach a pin back and it’s ready to wear. Package these is a cookie cutter box (instructions below) to make a one-of-a-kind gift!
- Mobile: This is a great way to display or gift those vintage cutters you have collected for so long. First create a mobile base by joining two dowels or wooden skewers (cut the pointed ends off first) together in an “x” shape with clear packing tape. Then wrap the join with ribbon, raffia, or yarn. You can also use a wooden embroidery hoop (separate the loops and make two mobiles!) or a large macramé ring as a base. Tie three or four ribbons evenly spaced to the “X”, hoop or ring, then gather them together and tie off to create a hanger. Hang the base from a hook on the ceiling. Next tie 6” to 24″ lengths of fishing line, yarn, or ribbon to vintage or interesting cookie cutters. You can use a season, theme (barnyard animals, Easter, etc.) or a mix-match of cutters. Last attach the loose ends of the ribbons to the base from long ribbons to short ribbons. Now your uniquely different mobile is ready to hang from the kitchen ceiling of one lucky person you know!
- Napkin Rings: Gift a set of eight small matched cutters with an equal number of napkins for a unique bridal shower gift. Paint the cutters to coordinate or contrast with the napkins or leave them the original color. Copper cutters would be really nice.
- Paperweight: First make a mold of the cookie cutter using foil to form a bottom in a cutter. Then fill the mold with a quick setting Plaster of Paris mix (available at hobby stores). Embellish plaster with beads, stones, etc. after the plaster sets a little. Let dry and then paint if desired.
- Photo Frame: First choose your outline cutter. Again copper makes a nice frame! It needs to be able to stand upright and the section of the photograph you want to use must fit neatly inside the cutter. If needed, make a base out of air dry clay for the cutter to rest on. Paint the cutter with enamel paint if desired and let dry. Next glue the photo to cardstock. Place the cutter on the photo and move it around so the area you want to feature is centered in the cutter. Next trace around cutter lightly with a colored pencil and then cut the shape out. Run a line of hot glue around the edge of the photo and carefully place the cutter on top. Attach a bow of ribbon, rick-rack, or raffia to the top of your new photo frame if desired. Make several of these to gift as a photo grouping.
- Potpourri Filled Cutter: Create your very own unique pompadours to hang from a door knob or shelf peg to scent the room or use it a sachet in a dresser drawer. First create a back to the cutter with clear packing tape. Then pack the cutter tightly with potpourri (add refresher oil as needed). Last wrap the cutter with a small weave net, gather it at the top or bottom and tie off with a ribbon. Attach a ribbon as a hanger.
- ·Stamped Gifts: Use cookie cutters to make sponge, potato or Styrofoam stamps (or dip the cutters in fabric paint and stamp). Then stamp tote bags, flower pots, cookie jars, etc. As an alternative cut out paper & fabric die cuts with cutter templates. Stamp an apron with gingerbread men for a cute Christmas gift, stamp a t-shirt with multi-color stars for a colorful child’s tee or decoupage heart & flower paper die cuts to a flower pot for a Mother’s Day gift.
- Sun Catchers, “Stained Glass”: Use unflavored gelatin to create a sort of “plastic”. To make this gather the ingredients: 3 envelopes of unflavored gelatin; 8-10 tablespoons water; several drops of food coloring; plastic plate and a straw. First mix the water and food coloring in a saucepan over low heat. Add gelatin stirring continuously. Cook until thickened (30 seconds to one minute). Pour the mixture onto a plastic plate and remove as many air bubbles as possible by tapping the plate on the counter. Let it set for 45 minutes to one hour. Remove gelatin from plate – it will be flexible. Use cookie cutters to cut shapes out of the gelatin and punch holes in the top with the straw. Let the shapes air dry for 2 to 3 days. Then hang them in the window. Or make a no-cook sun catcher simply by using Mod Podge to glue strips of colored tissue paper to the back of a cookie cutter and let dry.
- Treat Filled Cookie Cutter: Fill cookie cutters with homemade fudge, white chocolate, or Rice Krispies Marshmallow Treats. To make white chocolate filled cutters place the cookie cutters flat on parchment paper. Melt white chocolate and pour into the cutters. Add sprinkles, M&M’s, etc. to the top of the melted chocolate. Once the chocolate hardens (check it at 5 minutes), cut off any extra chocolate that may have oozed out the bottom. Place filled cutters in a cellophane bag and tie the bag with curly ribbon or other trim to create a unique party favor or a memorable “trinket” gift for teachers, postmen, etc. Have your children make a homemade cookie cutter shaped gift tag to attach to the gift.
- ·Trinket Box: Make a cookie cutter shaped trinket box to gift small cookie cutter related gifts in. If desired first glue backing themed scrapbook paper or fabric on cardboard. To make the bottom trace and cut out the inside of a simply shaped cutter on stiff cardboard. Cut a 2″ wide strip from the same cardboard and glue around the edges of the bottom. Then trace the outside of the cutter to make the lid of the box. Cut a 1″ wide strip of cardboard and glue it around the edges of the lid. Decoupage the top and sides of the box with cookie or baking printed fabric or scrapbook paper. Leave the inside edge of the lid and one inch of the side of the box plain (where the lid of the box fits). Add appliqués, sequins, beads, glitter, etc. as desired. Fit the lid on the box and your gift box is ready.
- Wind Chime: Create a theme with the cutters; for example: an animal theme, star theme, sports theme, holiday theme, baby theme, etc. This is basically made the same way as the mobile is except you use only metal cutters and a length of lightweight metal pipe. Tie different shapes, sizes, and styles of metal cutters to different lengths of nylon wire. Tie the loose ends of the wires to a large metal hoop. Graduate the size of the cookie cutters from large at top to mini at the bottom. Add a lightweight hollow metal pipe to the inside of the chime.
Thank you for reading my post. I hope you enjoyed the tutorial. If you have any questions or something is not clear, please let me know so that I can improve the tutorial.
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