Uh oh. Grandpa's birthday is rolling around and you haven't organised what the kids will get for him! This year, don't just settle for saying a pair of knitted socks is "from the kids" - let them make their own gifts with your humble home printer (Note: Unless grandpa really needs those socks). DIY gifts are a low-cost, special way of showing someone that you care about them.

But what about the ink costs, you say? Well, that's where EcoTank comes in. An EcoTank printer from Epson gives you the freedom to print thousands and thousands of pages without worrying about expensive ink cartridges – because there are no ink cartridges involved!

So if you like the sound of that, read on for three easy and lovely DIY gift ideas for the kids:

1. Photo collage

You will need:

• Scissors
• Glue
• As many photos as you want to include
• Photo printer
• A picture frame and piece of paper or card

Let's get started!

1. First, log onto your computer to scan and/or print as many photos as you want. Try to make a size of collage that will match the size of your gift recipient's home, so it fits perfectly.
2. Lay out your photos on the floor and start deciding how to place them. Remember you can cut them if need be - trace around people in the photos to remove the background, crop out unwanted extra family members, or trim away that weird photobomber.
3. Glue your photos onto the card to hold them in place.
4. Cover with the frame.
5. OPTIONAL ALTERNATIVES: Not into classic picture frames? Try an old wooden bread board, dinner plate, mirror, tea towel or just coloured card.

2. Pop-up birthday card

You will need:

• 2 x A4 pieces of paper
• Printer
• A glue stick
• Decorations (like pompoms, glitter, stars, bows and so on)

Now on to the method:

1. We need two A4 sheets. The first is the front and back cover, the second will be our pop-up element.
2. Use your computer to design a quirky front and back cover. If you aren't sure what software to use, consider trying a free online tool like Canva.
3. Now open up a second A4 sheet and make a shape in the middle of the two halves - centred on the fold line. This could be a birthday cake, a big happy face or a heart. No matter the design, ensure that its outer shape is symmetrical so it's easier to cut later. 
4. Print out both sheets of paper.
5. Take the pop-out sheet and fold it perfectly in half down the middle of the printed image.
6. Cut around the image, leaving about an inch on the opposite side to the fold so you don't totally cut it out. 
7. Open up your paper and fold it back the other way, so the pop-up shape is now actually popping up.
8. Glue the pop-out element page to the inside of the front and back covers, sticking down only one half at a time (it might be too hard trying to glue both halves at once). Don't glue the pop-up shape, for obvious reasons.
9. Fold the covers together and press to ensure there are no air bubbles.
10. Now decorate. Add some 3D texture to your printed designs with elements like glitter, fabric, and pompoms.

3. Papercraft ornament

You will need:

• A cutting board
• Craft knife or scissors
• As much paper as you want ornaments
• Printer
• Safety pin
• A glue stick

So what to do?

1. Jump online and find some papercraft templates. There are plenty freely available on websites like Google Images, Pinterest and PaperCraftSquare.
2. Pick out and print a design you and the kids love.
3. Note: Try to use slightly thicker-than-normal paper. Look for a 'gsm' value (that's the paper's thickness, essentially) of no less than 150.
4. Place your ruler along any of the lines that will need folded and score along the line with your safety pin. This will help it fold later on.
5. Put the templates on the cutting board and use your knife to cut them out. Scissors will also work, but they are less precise and so might be more difficult.
6. In some papercraft templates, "fold" lines are represented by dotted lines, and "cut" lines are solid.
7. Now fold and glue!

Sounds good? Get your own Epson EcoTank

Epson's EcoTank range comes with up to two years' worth of ink straight out of the box. It's the perfect printer you need for all of the craft ideas in this booklet, including glossy, high-quality photos! Our EcoTank range is famous for giving Australians the freedom to print - you can print thousands of pages before running out of ink, and our handy refill bottles that start at $14.99 mean you'll never buy an ink cartridge again.

With Epson EcoTank, it's totally OK for the kids to make a few mistakes on their gifts. Simply print out the paper again and have another go!

To learn more about the EcoTank range, Browse our range online today, or find your nearest Genuine Epson supplier http://www.wheretobuy.epson.com.au/