The older I get, the more I appreciate the value of thoughtful gifts. What makes me even more giddy with excitement is when a gift was a handmade item created with me in mind! This year, I am challenging myself (as well as my family):
To Gift on a DIY Budget!
Our budget limit is $10 a person (insane, right?!) The tight budget, however, has encouraged all of us to get very creative! Here are some ideas I have been toying around with.
For the bowls, I was imagining purchasing some of these bowls and using white spray paint I already own for the dipped effect, totaling at $3.95 a piece.
When it comes to the mugs, I plan to find some basic white porcelain mugs from Marshalls or TJ Maxx for less than $3 a piece. I already bought this porcelain sharpie to create the designs I like, making each gift cost less than $5.
The infinity scarf would require some basic knitting skills but the DIY featured here is very helpful and thorough in helping complete the project. I am thinking about adding some sparkle with rhinestones?
The minimalist painting is the perfect opportunity to spell out my love and appreciation for my family: all the things that are sometimes easier to write than say.
Dipped leather feather necklace (phew, that was long): I was unable to find an actual tutorial for it but I think it would be a pretty straight-forward project: purchase pieces of leather from the local craft store, do a simple stitch, cut the shape and paint with some liquid gold...
Test tube mocha is an almost definite yes in my mind - it just seems so much fun. I am not sure if I will go all the way with the printout labels but I think some handmade ones are in store for me.
Do you have any DIY gifts in mind for the holidays?
A few months back, a co-worker of mine convinced me to join my company's Spartan Race team. He didn't talk it up much: he mentioned it's a long-ish run with a few fun obstacles. You know, no big deal. Something someone who runs as much as me should complete more than easily (read, you don't really need to train for it). Ha ha ha.