Birthday present - ideas please!

[Brij]

Hey guys,

Long time since I've written a post, but I've been keeping an eye on you lot anyway

I'd like to pick your brains on an ish-present I can give to my boyfriend. He earns more than I do, so he pretty much buys himself anything he wants, and he would appreciate the value of something home-made, but I can't just keep giving him socks!! I'll certainly spoil him a bit anyway with a home-cooked meal and that, but it would be nice to give him something to keep for a little while to come.

He likes cooking, computer games, handmade toiletries & candles (though those are out of the question, I'm terrified of lye, and I lodge with a host family, so don't want to run the risk of spoiling a saucepan!), films, that sort of stuff. He doesn't drink alcohol and is pretty open to trying new things.

His birthday is in just under a month, so I don't have time to knit him a whole jumper or take on a real long-term project, and as I mentioned, I'm lodging, I don't have my own saucepans and stuff to ruin or I'd make him some candles. I can paint a bit, have knowledge of calligraphy and access to a workbench, hammer, screwdrivers, etc, but I'm not going to try any power tools! I don't mind a little out-lay for materials, the question isn't of cash, but of uniqueness!

So please help! I know you guys are resourceful enough to come up with something!

[Rosendula]

When OH and I first got together I used to write poems for him. Well, not exactly poems, more crappy little rhymes, mostly very rude, but you know what I mean. A few years later, as a birthday present I dug them all out, typed them up, printed them off and stapled them together to make a little book. OH was over the moon with it. These days I could do a much neater job of it, but I don't write them any more (it kind of wore off after a few years).

Anyway, could you do something along those lines? Do you have copies of any poems, letters or soppy notes you might have written for him? Or perhaps you could do him a photo album, little sketches if you can draw, and the odd little line or two written here and there of things that make you both giggle - could be a reminder of things you both experienced, something you've watched on TV together - anything. Remember to leave plenty of blank pages at the back

[Brij]

That's a lovely idea, Rosey, unfortunately I am really awful at recording anything - in words or pictures, so a poem is a bit out of the question. I like the idea of images, might dig up some photos to sketch out (it is his 30th birthday, and since he has a facebook account, I could probably get in touch with a couple of his friends-from-way-back to dig up some photos, too!)

Thanks for the help, I feel less lost already!

[marshlander]

[quote="Brij"]is pretty open to trying new things. quote]

I thought of a personalised scrapbook of the two of you so far. Otherwise you say he likes cooking so how about going on one of Andy's food foraging courses or a cookery course?

[Brij]

I thought of a personalised scrapbook of the two of you so far. Otherwise you say he likes cooking so how about going on one of Andy's food foraging courses or a cookery course?

More good ideas, we're not really much of a soppy couple though, so I don't think a scrap-book is really his style. One of Andy's courses is a great idea, but we're in France, so I'm afraid travel would break the budget a bit!

I did think I might do a variation on the scrapbook idea, though, taking some images that are representative of films, series and places we have enjoyed together and painting them onto tealight holders. Sort of romantic meets functional - and you can't have too many tealight holders, right?!

[Keaniebean]

How about melt and pour soaps. These just need heating up in the microwave or in a double boiler. If you google melt and pour you will find loads of stuff.

I made soaps with beads which spelt out my familys names and gave them that as a Christmas pressie once, they all loved it.

[red]

if he likes cooking could you put together some foodie sets of things? - all the ingreds for a italian meal inc bottle of wine etc?

does he have favourite recipes he always follows? you could type them out and make a folder of recipes etc?

[prison break fan]

How about a recipe file? He is a lucky chap! pbf.

[brett53]

how about encapsulating a lock of your hair in a key ring or a card he can keep in his wallet - then he will always have a part of you with him

i have just such an item form my late wife - which is now one of my most treasured possessions apart form happy memories

( not too morbid i hope )

[Brij]

Oooo, yess, a recipe book would be great! (then he won't kick me off the computer when he forgets how much flour to put in a crêpe, lol).

Would melt and pour soaps risk ruining a saucepan, or does that just not happen? My host family has a posh set, I wouldn't dare ruin them!

A lock of hair would be cute, too, and I don't think that's at all morbid, Brett, it's beautiful!

At this rate, he'll be getting an Ish birthday hamper, lol!

[Green Aura]

Either use a bowl in the microwave to melt M+P soap - 30 sec blasts until just melted (soap burns! :lol): Or, again in a bowl, over a pan of simmering water.