It's not always easy to find the right gift to add to a friend's collection. When you can't find just the right addition, don't give up! There are lots of ways to give a personal gift that still reflects their collection or personality.

Here are a few ideas to start off with. I'll be adding to the list over the next few weeks, along with more patterns and recipes to use. Do you have any ideas to add -- email me with your suggestions.

Fleece Throws
For under $20., in one hour, you can make a personal throw that reflects their collection or personality.
Free Pattern

Jewelry
Find an old game tile, e.g. Mah Jong or Domino, and drill a hole through it. Use a a few yards of rayon cord, tie a few simple macrame knots to make a necklace pendant. Or use a sturdier cord to make a key ring.

A large vintage button can make a neat pin to wear on a jacket. Buy a pinback at a crafts store and glue to the back of the button.

Have a bunch of old buttons? Sort them by color, then using elastic cord to crochet an expandable braclet. Thread the buttons on the cord as you crochet.

Picture Frame
Use tiles from an old Scrabble game to personalize a picture frame with either a name, date or occasion. Simply glue the tiles on a painted frame. Play around with the design a bit, before doing the final gluing.

Covered Boxes
I saw the cutest wooden box in a catalog the other day and it's something on my to-do list. It was covered with all sorts of matchbook covers on the outside. The one in the catalog had a cigar box look inside, but just a simple paint job or lining it with fabric would also work.

Postcards
Make color copies of postcards to cover a box as mentioned above. I've also seen postcards that were color copied and enlarged, then laminated for place mats.

Ornaments -- Not just for Christmas
There are so many neat and unusual holiday ornaments made that I guarantee you can find an ornament to fit any type of collectible. Just look around at the hand-blown pieces at a nice Holiday Shop or check the Hallmark or Carlton Cards web sites. My picks for fun ornaments this year include the Lone Ranger and Easy Bake Oven from Carlton Cards. The beautifully painted Aloha shirt from Ornaments to Remember, and the Gingerbread Boy from Susan Cherry Designs.

Food
Who doesn't like to get a home made food gift? For a pottery collector, find an interesting plate and put an assortment of cookies or baked goods on it, cover with clear wrap and a big bow. To add a finishing touch, always use a paper doily under the goodies, along with a copy of the recipe.

Can't find a nice pottery piece? How about a big tin of cookies to fill the jar they already have? Write a funny little note to go with the cookies, perhaps mentioning how at least one jar needs cookies!

Or make a Cookie Pound cake to give to those cookie jar collectors that refuse to put cookies in any of their jars.
Recipe