Giving a gift to our loved ones is a gesture of love and care and an effective way to connect with them. A gift from someone close shows gratitude and thoughtfulness. While there are thousands of gift items available in the market we can choose from, it carries a special meaning when the gift is handmade. It shows that we went a step ahead and took efforts to make something extraordinary.
DIY is a great way to put in your creativity and come up with something memorable and meaningful. There are plenty of DIY gifts ranging from coasters, candles, and potted plants, which can be given as gifts to loved one’s like our parents, grandparents, siblings, and best friends. But the best DIY gifts are the ones that are not only personalized and creative but also practical. Here are a few DIY gifts which one can easily make at home with limited available materials and gift it to our loved ones.
DIY Photo Calendar
Take two rectangular pieces of wood, one slightly bigger than the other. Glue or nail the bigger piece of wood on the smaller piece perpendicularly. The smaller piece will be the base of the calendar and help it stand up straight. Once this is done, take proper measurements to place utility hooks to hang the calendar on to. Take twelve photos of the person the gift is given to, representing the twelve months of the year.
At the bottom of the photo, write the names of the months. Next, make holes on the top of the photos using a circle punch to hang them on the utility hooks. On the other two hooks, hang cards with numbers written on them. This can act as the dates of the months.
DIY Showpiece
A DIY showpiece is one of the ideal gifts which you can give to your loved ones. It can also be romantic and can be gifted to your spouse or better half. All you need is an image of the person, a cardboard box, paper cutter, cardboard, glitter, and glue.
Print the image on the paper and take a cut out. Paste it on a glittered foam sheet and again take a cut-out. If it is a romantic gift, draw a heart shape on the cardboard and cut it out. Wrap the blade taken out from the cutter with wool and press it on the cardboard heart. Cover the heart shape similarly with the wool and cut out the excess wool. Fix the heart shape on the cardboard box. Paste the photo of the loved one on the heart, and the gift is ready.
Customized T-shirt
This is a great way to gift people who are close to you. A T-shirt can consist of a photo of the person or a quote of your choice. All you need to do is get a plain T-shirt and get a customized print or paint. Temporarily stick the freezer paper’s shiny side on the cardboard and put it in the printer. Take a print of the name or design of your choice. Separate the freezer paper and cut the design from it to make a stencil. Place the stencil over the T-shirt with the freezer paper’s shiny side and press it with an iron. Put a few coats of fabric paint on the ironed stencil and let it dry. The T-shirt is ready to be gifted.
Framed handwritten poem
A handwritten poem can work wonders as a gift. For this, all you have to do is take a piece of cardboard and cut it rectangular in any size of your choice. Then take a blank paper and stick it on it with the help of glue. Paint the paper with a watercolor of your choice, then write the poem on it after the color dries out. Cover the entire with a frame, and you are ready to gift it.
Encouragement Booklets
Cut out colorful cards in uniform sizes. Write words of encouragement, positive affirmations, and positive and uplifting quotes on it. Punch the top of the sides of these cards and then bind them with a ribbon. This is one of the best DIY gifts you can give your loved one as sometimes all one needs in life is a simple encouragement that they can look out for on not so good days.
All these DIY gifts mentioned above can be a unique way of bringing a smile to your loved ones’ faces. These are tokens of your love for them and can surely add meaning to your relationship with them.
Paul Petersen is a seasoned home improvement expert and DIY enthusiast with over 20 years of experience in the industry. He began his career as a carpenter, honing his skills in woodworking and structural design. Over the years, Paul expanded his expertise to encompass a wide range of home renovation projects, from kitchen remodels to landscape design.