As we near Christmas, hitting single digits until the jolly day, something I think is important to stress is that the holidays are a time of giving back. I really wish I had all the money in the world to buy things for all my loved ones. Unfortunately, I don't, and not many people do. So the perfect way to give back to someone you love when you don't have a lot of money, or even if you do, is to make them something. It's a gift that screams "I love you and I want you to know it," because it was something you had to sit down and make. So if you can't think of something, I have you covered. I have put together a wide arrange of gifts that I may or may not have made for my loved ones this season.
So tell your wallet to take a break, grab your scissors and let's get started!
DIY Gift Baskets
This is a gift that is open to do anything. You can make a gift for what someone likes; cooking, crafting, make up, a basket based on their major, Legend of Zelda, etc. All you need to buy is a basket, and objects to fill it with!
I'm making someone a spa basket, and along with things I can buy like lotion, nail polish and tools, and exfoliating glove, and a candle, I also have FOUR spa DIYs:
Bath Bomb:
What you'll need:
-One cup baking soda -1/2 cup corn starch -1/2 cup citric acid -1/2 of epsom salt -essential oil -food coloring -water -bowl -whisk -mold (I got mine as a heart shaped Christmas ornament mold at Hobby Lobby) -Bowl -whisk
Directions:
1. Mix you baking soda, corn starch, citric acid, and salt together.
2. Add your essential oil, maybe a little more 3 tablespoons
3. Mix in one teaspoon of water VERY VERY VERY SLOWLY! Your citric acid will react with the water, and if it does, it will not react in the bath. I poured in literally one drop at a time and immediately stirred. This is so important to do for it to work.
4. Separate the mixture into bowls, depending on the colors you want to use. I did about 80% blue and 20% I left white, but the possibilities are endless.
5. Fill both sides of the mold compactly with the mixture. You need to make sure it's compact or it won't hold it's shape. Also make sure you overfill the molds a bit so it will stick together.
6. Put the molds together, and I wrapped some rubber bands around the mold to help it stick. I put it in the freezer for an hour and afterwards, I took it out and let it sit for about 10 minutes. I tapped on the molds to help get the bomb out.
7. Let it sit for a day or two about giving them away!
Sugar Scrub
What you'll need:
-Sugar -Mason Jar -Coconut oil/Extra Virgin Olive Oil -Essential oil -food coloring -Bowl -Whisk
**Tip: I was making a candy cane sugar scrub so I used peppermint essential oil and red food coloring. If you are having trouble finding essential oil (Like I did) check out TJ Maxx
Directions:
1. Mix 2 cups of sugar (the kind you just get at Kroger) with 1 cup of coconut oil or extra virgin olive oil (I use olive oil). If you don't like the consistently, you can also add oil to make it more gooey or sugar to make it more grainy.
2. Add your essential oil and mix,
3. Separate your mix into whatever sections you'd like to color. I divided it in half and dyed half red and white half white.
4. Add to your mason jar is whatever pattern you'd like.
Lip Scrub
What you'll need:
-Sugar -Extra Virgin Olive Oil -Small chapstick container (I found a little round one at the trial section in Walmart, 2 a pack) -Flavoring (I used bubble gum flavoring I found in the baking section of hobby lobby) -Bowl -Spoon
1. Mix 1 tablespoon and 1/2 teaspoon of oil, and mix.
2. Add your food coloring (I used red, because mine is bubble gum lip scrub) and mix
3. Add your flavoring (if you can't find the bubble gum, you can also use vanilla extract) and mix.
4. Put it in your container.
Bath Salts
What you'll need:
-Epsom salt -Food coloring -Essential oil -Bowl -Spoon -Glass Container
Directions:
1. Mix together 2 cups of epsom salt with essential oil (you can use more or less depending on the size of your container).
2. Mix in your food coloring. I keep mine all one color, but you can also do different colors!
3. Pour into glass container!
THAT SIMPLE! As you can tell most of these require the same materials, which is what makes it so simple! You also can make them individually, you don't have to put them all into a basket!
Mason Jar Cookies
Here are DIYs for mason jar cookies, chocolate chip, M&M and sugar cookies!
Chocolate Chip
What you'll need:
-2 cups Flour -One tsp Baking Soda -3/4 Cup Brown Sugar -3/4 Cup Sugar -One tsp Salt -Chocolate chips -Mason Jar
Directions:
1. All you need to do is add the ingredients to the mason jar in a stripe form. Add your ingredients in this order: flour, baking soda, brown sugar, sugar, salt, chocolate chips.
Sugar Cookie
What you'll need:
-2 cups Flour -1 tsp Baking power -1 tsp Baking Soda -1/8 tsp salt -1 cup white sugar -Sprinkles -Mason Jar
Directions:
1. Layer your ingredients in the mason jar in this order: Flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar, and sprinkles.
M&M Cookie
What you'll need:
-1 1/2 cup Flour -1 tsp Baking Powder -1/2 tsp Baking Soda -1/3 cup brown Sugar -1/2 cup sugar -1/4 tsp salt -M&Ms -Mason Jar
Directions:
1. Add your ingredients to the jar in this order: Flour, Baking Powder, Baking soda, Salt, M&Ms, Brown Sugar, White sugar.
For all of these, make sure you add the instructions as well as the cook ingredients they will need. Tie it on with a little ribbon and wala! A sweet treat gift!
DIY Mug
This is a gift that is so easy to personalize. You can do this in so many ways, so I will explain three ways to decorate a mug!
Glitter Mug
What you'll need:
-Mug -Glitter -Mod Podge -Tape
**Tip: To make this dishwasher safe, you dishwasher Mod Podge, Otherwise, it can only be hand washed.
1. Clean your mug
2. Tape off any sections of the mug you do not want glitter on. You do a geometric pattern, an initial, whatever you want to do.
3. Pour your mod podge on the mug wherever you want glitter.
4. Pour your glitter on and shake off an excess.
5. After a few minute pull your tape off. Let it sit a little longer then add a coat or two of mod podge over the glitter to help it set.
Watercolor Mug
What you'll need:
-Mug -Nail Polish -Water -Tupperware container -Top coat -Toothpick
Directions:
1. Clean your Mug
2. Pour water into a tupperware container
3. Pour your nail polish colors into the water and swirl it around with your toothpick
4. Dip your mug into the polish
5. Lay it upside down and let it dry.
6. Once it dries cover the nail polish with a top coat.
These are NOT dishwasher or microwave safe
Marker Mugs
What you'll need:
-Mug -Sharpies -Oven
1. Clean your mug
2. Draw on the mug with whatever quotes, picture, etc. you want
3, Heat your oven to 350 and place your mug in before it's preheated. Keep it on 350 for 30 minutes then turn it off, still keeping your mug in the oven. This is so it won't crack.
4. Repeat that step if you'd like, but mine never rubbed off.
Coasters
This may seem like a "wtf?" gift, but trust me, any person that just moved into their first apartment will LOVE it! They are very personable as well, and I will show two ways to make them!
Photo Coasters
What you'll need:
-Tiles -Mod Podge -Photos to fit the tiles -Paint Brush -Felt -Glue Gun -Rubbing Alcohol
Directions:
1. Clean the tiles with rubbing alcohol
2. IF your photos are too big, trim them down to the size of the tile.
3. Mod podge the tile, and add your photo. Push it down to make sure it sits on the tile
4. Top it off with a layer or two of mod podge
5. Cut your felt to the size of the tile, and hot glue it on the bottom of the tile so it won't scratch surfaces!
The photos you use can be photos of you and the person yo uare giving the gift too, photos of patterns, etc. Go crazy!
Marble Coasters
What you'll need:
-Tiles -Felt -Marble Contact Paper -Mod Podge -Glue Gun -Rubbing alcohol
Directions:
1. Clean your tile with rubbing alcohol
2. Cut your contact paper into the size of the tile and stick it on, smoothing it out with something like a ruler or credit card
3. Add a layer or 2 of mod podge
4. Cut out felt and glue it on the bottom of the tile.
Marble is a very popular thing right now, I love it and most others will too! They look expensive and elegant, but are so inexpensive!
**Tip: This can also be done with wood contact paper for a more rustic look, or any other pattern contact paper yo uthink your recipient would like!
Tech Case
This is a gift that can be made for an iPad, iPhone, any phone, any electronic that needs a case! There are endless ways to decorate a case, but I will show you 3 ways!
Case One
What you'll need:
-Clear case -Scrapbook paper -Mod Podge -Exacto Knife -Pencil
Directions:
1. Lay your scrapbook paper with the design down, lay the phone case on top with the part that holds the phone fact up
2. Trace the outside, the camera part, and any other holes in the case.
3. Use your exacto knife to cut out the outline and all the holes
4. Add a lay of mod podget inside the case, and add the scrapbook paper. Let it dry and add another layer
Case Two
What you'll need:
-Scrapbook paper or paint -Letter sticker -Clear phone case -Mod Podge
Directions:
1. You can either do what I showed you for case one, or paint the case any color you'd like
2. Add a sticker of the person's first letter of their first name to the outside of the case, and add a layer of mod podge.
Case Three
What you'll need:
-Glitter -Mod Podge -Clear phone case
1. Add a layer of mod podge all over the case
2. Pour your glitter all of the case and let it sit
3. Add a layer or two more of mod podge and let it sit
These are all so simple, and have the ability to add any decorations you think the person would like!
I have many many more DIY Gift ideas, so if you would like more, please let me know!
Those are some GREAT ideas Samantha!
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