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With the holiday season rapidly approaching, I know how stressful it can be to make sure all your loved ones receive well-thought-out, meaningful gifts that they’ll cherish for years to come.
Gift-giving is one of my favorite parts of the holidays, and in my experience, the most appreciated gifts are the ones you make yourself. Whether it’s for a friend or a family member, it’s nice to feel seen when receiving a gift, which I feel translates well through something handmade. And even if it’s not aesthetically pleasing, it’s the thought that counts.
Here are five handmade gift ideas to make this season feel special.
Ceramic jewelry dish
I think this is such a cute and easy idea for any jewelry lover in your life. This gift can be as complex or as simple as you want to make it, and I love this idea because you only need clay — oven-bake clay would probably work best, but I think air-dry clay will work as well — acrylic paint, and Mod Podge to make one. To elevate this gift even more, you could also purchase a cute pair of earrings or a ring to go with it.
Fabric Camera Case
We all have a digital camera friend, and in my experience, most of my friends with digital cameras lack a case to keep it safe while on the go. This gift is a little more complex, but the outcome is so worth it. If you don’t have a sewing machine, don’t worry, a simple pouch can be achieved through a hand stitch. For the camera case, you need felt for the inside, fabric for the outside, and a sewing kit or a sewing machine to hold it all together. Once you have all your materials, you can make the case as plain or complex as you want. I would recommend adding a button or ribbon to ensure the case can close securely, though. The last thing you want is for the camera to fall out.
Altoid Wallet
This one is great for all of the trinket lovers in your life. I also really like this one because it allows for total creative freedom. You can use paper, stickers, or photos to decorate the inside and outside of the tin, however you see fit, but all you really need for this is an Altoids tin or something equivalent. Once you have the tin all decorated, you could elevate it by purchasing little goodies to go inside, but that’s just extra.
Tea Bag Bookmark
I think this one is so cute for any book lovers in your life. I also like it because you can make it as easy or complex as your skills allow. The materials needed are felt and string (either embroidery floss, sewing string, or even ribbon). If you are on the craftier side, you can embroider designs on the front of the pouch with embroidery floss. If that isn’t up to your skill set, then no worries, you could always leave the front of the tea bag plain, or you could add decorations like gems by sewing them on or using fabric glue to secure them. You could also make this one a joint gift by pairing it with some actual tea and a book.
Button hair clips
I think this gift is the easiest out of the five, and it is such a whimsical and fun way to elevate your style. For this, all you need is an old claw clip or some snap clips and buttons. Although you can order buttons anywhere online or pick them up at most craft stores, I would recommend going to your local thrift store or antique shop because they will most likely have vintage buttons that you can repurpose for this craft. Once you have all your materials, I would recommend using hot glue to secure the buttons to the clips, and voila!
Handmade with love
Any gift is so incredibly appreciated during the holiday season, but I think a handmade gift speaks a lot more to a person than a store-bought gift. Whether you’re someone who is super crafty or someone who has never used a hot glue gun before, I hope I was able to spark some gift ideas, and remember, it’s the thought that counts.