When it comes to Christmas, I am all about making gifts for my friends and family. Not only do I like saving the money, but I also like to make their gifts extra special and personalized. For those of you new to the DIY scene, do not fear; there are so many gifts that are super simple to make. Today I will share just a sampling of my favorites, but definitely search on Pinterest for more ideas (just a warning: you will most likely get more results than you ever dreamed of and therefore want to make them all).
For the husband/dad/brother/boyfriend/uncle/grandpa/man in your life
1. Musically inclined? Try a vinyl record guitar holder or a homemade guitar strap.
2. Beer, coffee, or some other “drink” lover? Put together a gift basket complete with a sampling of their favorites and maybe a special glass/mug/cup. Last year, we glass etched designs beer glasses for a couple of brothers which was pretty simple. I have also wanted to try my hand at making a beer bottle tote but haven’t tried it yet.
3. Have someone who loves to travel? Give them some map coasters, or some kind of map art. Super easy and very inexpensive, if you use second-hand maps. Or make them a luggage tag to assist them on their adventures!
4. A coupon book is always something that can be personalized easily. For a lover, make coupons for special times together; think date night ideas or even “night in” ideas. For another man in your life, it could be coupons for helping out with a project they are working on or going to a museum or movie or event. The possibilities are endless as it all depends on the interests of the gift receiver.
5. Know someone with back problems or who has a very stressful job? Try your hand at making a heat/cold pack. These are fairly simple to make and are great as you can make them bigger or smaller very easily. I am in the middle of working on a few for gifts this year. I also made one last week for my hubby but curved the pattern a little so that it would fit on his neck easier. So far he loves it.
For the wife/mother/sister/girlfriend/aunt/grandma
1. Have someone on your list who loves to spend time in the kitchen? Make her some pot holders or a stylish apron. You could even make some dish towels to brighten up her work area.
2. Does your lovely lady need to be pampered? Some homemade body butter or hand scrub will do the trick. This hand scrub recipe is for gardeners, but I sure it will feel great on any type of hands; reminds me of a certain direct sales company hand care line that rhymes with “Latin Bands”. Again, a gift basket is always an easy DIY; just put together some lotion, perfume, nail polish, hand scrub, or face cleanser for a great pampering gift. You can even make them specifically a pedicure/manicure/facial gift basket. Easy, but easily personalized.
3. Another drink lover? Make some super cute coffee coozies or this easy wine tote. I just finished making a batch of the wine totes for a friend’s own gift list this year– love them! If I was a wine drinker, I might just make a few for myself. There are also sharpie mugs that you can make, but I have heard a lot of complaints about having to hand wash the mugs as the sharpie actually DOES come off in the dish washer. Just something to keep that in mind.
4. Accessorizer? Try making an arm knit scarf– super easy and super trendy now. There are also t-shirt necklaces, fabric flowers to add to bobby pins for an easy hair pin, id holders (think Vera Bradley style), and even phone/electronics carrier. Check out this super cute kindle cover over on PolkaDot Chair! I think I need to go make one…asap! I have made a couple of arm knit scarves, am working on an ID holder, and have made fabric flowers before; all of which are fairly simple to make.
5. Know a woman who likes her bling? You could make jewelry or some kind of interesting holder to house her collection. There are so many unique jewelry holders out there, check out this great blog over on Broke and Healthy.
For the kids: boys and girls
1. Imagination station! Make capes(super hero capes too!), masks, anything for dressing up. Also, felt food or even (a more intense DIY project) a play fort or kitchen. Baby doll accessories are a hit for boys or girls too! Does this child live near snow? Give them this awesome snowman kit!!
2. Practical gifts. For babies you could do a bib, blanket or burp rag. For older kids, try easy fleece hats, lunch bags, even a kid size apron for whatever projects they like to help out with.
3. Artist? Make a crayon/coloring book or art supply tote (this tutorial has measurements in centimeters so it will require some altering), complete with all the supplies they will need to create their own masterpieces! I have used both tutorials and loved the end product; I am also planning on making a crayon tote for my little one this Christmas as she loves to draw. I recently found this “organizer” that could actually be used for art or other supplies check it out over on Art Gallery Fabrics.
For neighbours/coworkers
Yes it is nice to give everyone gifts around the holidays, but there is no reason to break the bank. Check out this great round-up of “Gifts under $2” by Lil’ Luna. Also, think holiday breads, cookies, fudge packaged in a holiday tin. No one turns down a sampling of holiday sweets.
And to end, if all else fails, make a calendar. You can make some really cool “scrapbook” ones, or hop on shutterfly.com or snapfish.com to create one (Walgreens, Walmart, Meijer, and even Target offer these services now too). Photo gifts are really popular now and if DIY just isn’t your thing, check them out; all you do is pick a design and pictures and voila`, you’re done!
In the midst of the crazy shopping/gift giving season, try to remember what really matters: giving the gift of time will always outlast the material things that we give to our loved ones. Have a happy holiday!