The holidays are upon us and now is the perfect time to begin thinking about your gift list. Do it yourself gifts are an affordable and meaningful way to show all of the important people in your life that you care. However, finding the perfect handmade gift idea can become overwhelming. Never fear, I have compiled a list of some of my absolute favorite do it yourself holiday gift ideas for you!
DIY Fabric Crafts
If you are handy with a sewing machine, a world of easy DIY gifts awaits you! You can purchase inexpensive tea towels or hand towels and customize them for a memorable gift. Quality bedsheets from the thrift store can turn into adorable, ruffled grocery totes and customized gift totes. With the help of transfer paper you can create personalized designs on your fabric to give a one-of-a-kind gift they are bound to treasure!
DIY Unique Food Gifts
Everyone enjoys an edible gift during the holidays, but not everyone enjoys the results of eating all of those sweets and baked goods! Try some of these unique ideas that are easier on the waistline and just as simple to create.
- Decoupage clothespins and attach to a cardboard ring (covered in scrapbook paper) to create a beautiful wreath. Clip tea bags, hot chocolate packets, spice packets, or seed packets to the clothespins for a truly unique gift.
- Try your hand at making your own vanilla. All that is needed is a quality vodka, vanilla beans, and a pretty glass bottle. The vanilla requires 8 weeks of “brewing” before use so get started today!
- You can find a bunch of spice-rub recipes on the internet. Combine your spices in a pretty jar with a suggested use for a quick yet thoughtful gift.
- If you want to take the homemade spice gift a step further, include the spice packet in a decorative basket along with some fresh herbs, a loaf of bread, some olive oil, and balsamic vinegar for a quick dipping-oil hostess gift.
DIY Photo Gifts
Photo crafts make excellent gifts that are personal, customizable, and often most cherished. Here are some unique ideas for you:
- Make a picture frame wreath. Find small picture frames at the dollar store or craft store. Print out your favorite pictures on photo paper, fill the frames and attach them to a grapevine wreath using floral wire.
- Create a custom throw pillow using canvas (drop cloth) and photo transfer paper. Print out your favorite photo on the transfer paper and iron it onto your pillow cover.
- Replace the glass in a pretty frame with a coated piece of galvanized metal (found in the plumbing section of your local home improvement store) to create a small magnetic picture frame. Attach your favorite photo to customize the gift.
- Did you know you can create a 3′x4′ black and white photo for around $5? You can! It’s called an engineering print and your local office supply store should offer it. Print out your favorite photo and attach it to a pre-cut piece of particle board or painted plywood with spray adhesive. I love this gift idea because it’s huge and inexpensive
.
DIY Dish Gifts
Flea market, dollar store, or other inexpensive dish finds can become personalized and cherished gifts with the use of stencils, etching cream, and ceramic paint. Follow all of the directions on the bottle’s label to ensure safety when working with etching cream. I utilize this gift idea year round!
DIY Coasters
Coasters are practical and pretty to give and receive! In early December, visit a fresh holiday tree stand and ask if you can collect the discarded tree rounds. Sand each side of the tree rounds and coat with a few coats of polyurethane to create tree round coasters. You can also cover circles of cork or thrift store coasters with jute or old maps using mod podge or glue. Another quick coaster can be created using inexpensive tiles from a home improvement store. These can be stamped or mod podged to create beautiful gifts. Lastly, a thrift store game of scrabble can turn into some fun word coasters with a little creativity.
DIY Bath & Beauty
For the special someone in your life that deserves a little pampering, how about creating your own bath and beauty gifts? Sugar scrub recipes, lavendar sachets, hand-carved soap, and lip gloss recipes are easy to come by on the internet! Did you know that colorful powdered drinks mixed with petroleum jelly will create a tasty and colorful lip gloss? Place your mixture in a cute tin and stuff in someone’s stocking this year for a gift they are sure to enjoy!
No more excuses! The perfect handmade gift is obtainable this year with a little preparation and planning. Do you have any favorite handmade gifts that you love to give or receive? Do you see any pictured above that you think you might try? I’d love to hear about it!
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