Cheap and Easy DIY Projects
Giving and receiving gifts is one of the most fun parts of Christmas. Calm down—I didn’t say it was the purpose of Christmas. I said it was a fun part of it.
But it can also be a stressful part. Instead of falling for the pressure to buy that perfect, life-changing gift for everyone on your list, give yourself permission to think differently.
Some of the best gifts you can give are simple, inexpensive do-it-yourself projects. And because handmade gifts are naturally more thoughtful (because of the time you took to create them), they are often more meaningful to the person receiving them than a store-bought present.
Here are five homemade gifts I’ve given over the years that were easy, cheap and a huge home run. Enjoy!
1. Sugar Scrub
Winter celebrations are a time for warm hearts but scaly skin. That’s why a moisturizing sugar scrub seemed like a fun idea for my girlfriends. I originally found this on Pinterest but added my own flare.
I combined 2 ½ cups of sugar with 1 cup of extra virgin olive oil. Then I added about 20 drops of lavender oil to make it smell nice.
When my scrub was finished, I scooped it into mason jars and tied a cute dollar-store spoon to the lid. All of my friends told me it was one of their favorite gifts. Some of them used it every day and even asked me to make more!
2. Map Heart Art
This idea is one of my favorites. Since my mother-in-law has family all over the country, I made her a piece of framed art using roadmaps cut into the shape of a big heart.
First, I headed to the gas station and bought a map for each of the four states in which she has family. Next, I made a heart stencil out of construction paper and then cut it into four pieces.
I placed each of the stencil pieces over a family member’s city and cut away. Then, I glued my map heart back together onto cardstock and added scrapbook letters to say “Home Is Where the Heart Is.” It’s a special reminder of family and a great decoration for the house!
3. Handmade Earrings
Jewelry is almost always a win with women. For this gift, I simply bought a few beads, hooks and clamps from the hobby store and whipped these up one night while watching TV.
