Super Awesome Sylvia’s Gift Guide

Darice 80-Piece Art Set $17.25
Art kits are fun to use because you have lots of mediums to choose from, tools and canvases that can be used to make a great picture. I really like these sorts of kits because they inspire me to do a lot more in art. I think they are a great gift for young artists and doodlers alike.

There are many different types of art kits and range in price depending on what is included and sometimes depending on the quality of the supplies inside. You can even get little ones to use as stocking stuffers!

The Mysterious Benedict Society $12
I like reading because you go into another world. Reading lets me experiment with writing and storytelling too.” I personally like “The Mysterious Benedict Society” series by Trenton Lee Stewart and am currently reading The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul $8 by Douglas Adams. Scary books are good to any time of the year. Try Coraline $7 or The Graveyard Book $7 by Neil Gaiman.

Coffee Filter Wreath
I think this is a nice gift because of the way you can decorate it to fit anyone’s tastes, not to mention they look really cool, and they’re super cheap to make. The coffee filter wreath is a classic, but crafty gift. You can decorate them in anyway you want!

Tile Coasters
These are fun, pretty, and easy to make. And I can stamp or draw any design I can think of on ‘em! Tile coasters can be designed in many cool ways. You can change the shape and size of the tile and you can change the color and design of the ink. Go nuts!

Soldering Station $99.95
My favorite soldering iron ever has been my Hakko adjustable from Sparkfun. Soldering irons vary greatly in price, style, and quality. If you’re going to do lots of work, a good tool is always a great investment.

An Electronics Kit
I suggest the Drawdio $19.50 or the TV-B-Gone $25. I like these because they are fun to make and use, they are educational. Also, the TB-B-Gone is a great prank! Once you got your soldering iron, you need a kit. The Maker Shed, Adafruit and Wayne and Layne all have great kits for those just starting out, or looking for a challenge.

Ollo Robots $20
I love this little bug kit. It can use IR or xbee for the remote and you can build all sorts of fun stuff with it. The Ollo line of kits from Robotis are snap together plastic with batteries, motor, and remote that let you build some very cool walking or rolling bots while teaching science and the physics of basic machines.

Sifteo $129.95
I think these are a great gift because they have tons of games you can play and they so fun, and with a little work you can program your own games. Sifteo Cubes are fun little video game boxes that use each other to play games using, tilt, tap, shake and sensing other Sifteo cubes nearby.

Homemade Cookbook Kit $12
I made one of these for my grandma for cookie recipes and used scrapbook paper and stickers to make it look nice. Then I added a couple of my favorite cookie recipes to get it started. If you want to make something nice for someone who likes to bake or cook, why not make them a custom recipe book to decorate anyway you want?

Erector Set $60
I love building, but finding parts can be hard. With erector sets, you can build all sorts of cool stuff, and even use the parts in other fun projects. Erector sets are flat steel parts with holes that come in all shapes and sizes, with right angle connectors and motors. With a little work you can build a car, or a building, or even a crane!

Tennis Ball Friend
I love putting googly eyeballs on everything and having a green fuzzy tennis ball friend around the house just makes my life better every day. By just cutting a slit in an old tennis ball and adding a couple eyes, you can make a fun, cheap, and easy helper around the house. Add a suction cup on the back to help him hold stuff up, too.