They say that the best gift you can give someone is your time and your love. Nothing compares to those hand-made gifts, especially those prepared by someone close; priceless to say the least! Here are some funky and intelligent gifting ideas that will spread cheer among your dear ones!
1. Original Photo Bookmarks: Get your kids/friends to pose as if they are hanging from someplace, with exaggerated and funny expressions. Prepare tasseled threads and hang these photos from them. Surely encourages a good read!
2. Gold Glitter Bowl: Apply a paste of Mod Podge and glitter powder to a balloon. After drying, prick the balloon and let it deflate. Voila! Here is your gold glitter bowl, ready to dazzle everyone! See Creative Bowls.
3. Creative Coasters: Make paper stencils of your choice of characters (Typographic Characters), by increasing their size and taking printouts (Alternatively, you could also draw them out). You can use a variety of materials to make the coasters. Pick any from thick cork sheets, 6mm hardwood plywood, or MDF (needs to be coated with acrylic to avoid moisture penetration). Keep the paper stencils on your choice of board and cut it out with a hobby knife. Time to invite friends over to show off!
4. Planters from Floppy Disks: Use 5 floppy disks to create a cube with an open end. Stick the ends with glue. That’s it! Get your favorite desk-sized plants, put some soil in a container small enough to fit into the disk planter, and plant your greens. Put this container inside the disk planter. A cute way of greening up that table, indeed!
5. Fabric Coil Bowls: Using an old t-shirt cut into thin pieces, pop-coloured thread scrap, and a needle, you can make these fantastic fabric coil bowls! Just wind them in together, and using the blanket stitch method, go on making stitches across the length of the t-shirt pieces. Coil these around as you work and after having made a satisfactory base, build up height until you know that your bowl will showcase perfect cuteness!
6. DIY Pull-Out Photo Album: Take some hard card paper and cut it into a long rectangular strip. Fold the strip into mini-rectangles, so that it is folded like an accordion. Get your favorite pictures and paste them onto these ‘mini-rectangles’. Finish off with little bows on either side. Sure to melt hearts! See the video below for DIY.
7. Handmade Surprise Balls: Make an assortment of little treats for your surprise ball. Get some brightly colored crepe paper and cut it into thin strips. Start with the largest item and wrap some same colored paper so that it is completely covered. Now, put another of the big pieces on top of this wrapped ball, and start covering it in another color. Keep going until all your treats are tied into one ball. Makes for one of the best surprise gifts! The video below will help you to make it.
8. Sending Hugs: Get your kids/friends to lie flat on some decorative paper with arms outstretched, make an outline of the arms, and cut them out. Fold this ‘hug’ and send it in an envelope, and draw a face to add an even more personal element. This may surely be the best way to be together for those who live far away!
9. Amazing Candle Holders: Get hold of some twigs, break them into roughly 2.5-inch pieces, and spray paint them with white/gold or any other color of your choice. Stick these onto glass votives, put your votive candles inside, and light up! The Twig Votive Candle Holders are an easy and elegant way to add charm to the festivities! Check out the video below for DIY.
So this holiday season, ditch the shops, invest your time, and send real heartfelt gifts to your dear ones!
See also: DIY Gifts Your Man Would Love to Receive and Awesome Wedding Favors Your Guest Will Adore.
Keep being AllDayChic!
Photo courtesy: 1. redflycreations; 3. madscientist; 4. brit; 5. we-are-scout; 6. fujifilm; 7. honestlywtf; 8. pagingsupermom; 9. freutcake.
