For the preteens on your list, a decorated plaque for hanging jewelry or caps is a fun and useful gift.
Just about any size of board will work, as long as it’s not too heavy to hang on the wall. Sand the board until it’s fairly rough, then drill a few holes for hanging jewelry, baseball caps, and such. Do not attach any knobs, pulls or hooks yet.
Choose your paper and embellishments, and place everything on the board. Play around with the layout until you see something that catches your eye, then glue everything down.
Using a small screwdriver, carefully push through the paper and open up your drilled holes. Now attach your knobs, pulls or hooks. Add hardware or wire to the back for hanging.
Looking for more projects? See Homemade Holiday Gift Ideas.