Exploding Box
For the record, this gift doesn't actually explode. Instead, it blooms like a flower, revealing hidden treasures. Like all the gifts on this list, it can be customised to fit any occasion with colour and content. Choose red and black for Valentine's Day, green and gold for Christmas or pink and white for Mother's Day. It can be filled with photos, quotes, special messages from loved ones and even music lyrics or poems. Check out
Instructables to find out how to make your own.
Candle Making
Not only does this make a delightful gift for any occasion, it is also fun to make. Personalise this gift by changing the colours, adding special scents or even a few items like flowers. You can also vary this gift with the jar you use. Think old mason jars, tea cups or styled glasses. See
Candle Deli for a tutorial on how to make your own soy candle as well as other tips and tricks.
Customised Candles
If making a candle seems like too much work, why not customise an already made candle?
This blog shows how to personalise a pillar candle using only a heating tool, candle, paper, wax paper and tissue paper. You can use photos, printed designs or even drawings to add to your candle gifting piece.
Quilling
Quilling is a fun craft that involves rolling paper into shapes to form a 3D artwork. The process is quite easy. Simply draw your pattern of choice on a board, then roll coloured paper strips into shapes and attach to the board. The end result is quite stunning. The
Spruce Crafts will make you a quilling pro in no time.
Etched Glass
Glass etching is a fun way to make endless creative gifts for the people you love. With this technique, you can create custom glasses, mirrors or anything made from glass. Simply paint a design on a piece of glass using etching fluid, allow to dry, wash and you're done. Etching fluid is available at select
PNA stores.
Practically Functional has a helpful etching blog.
Engraved Wood
All
this DIY gift entails is a piece of wood, a soldering iron and a design. Simply draw your design on a piece of wood, heat up a soldering iron and then burn in the design with the iron. We suggest practicing on another piece of wood before starting. Once you're done soldering, erase any traces of the original design drawing, and your gift is done.
Bath Goodies
Most of us love a relaxing bath, filled with essential oils and minerals that leave us feeling refreshed and gorgeous. So bath time goodies always make an appreciated gift. Make your own
bath salts,
bath bombs or even
bath oil. Pair this trio with the aforementioned candles for an extra special gift.
Hot Chocolate Jars
This gift is really easy, yet spectacular. All you have to do is fill a jar with hot chocolate mix, either homemade or bought, chocolate pieces and marshmallows. That's it. Try using flavoured chocolate, such as peppermint, for a gourmet hot chocolate. To add a little something extra, include a small bottle of liqueur or cookies on the side.
The Loopy Whisk has recipes as well as nifty decorating ideas.
Cookie Kit
We love cookies, baking and the luscious smells wafting through the house. So this makes an awesome gift for all cookie lovers. Fill a jar with a cookie mix, add some chocolate chips, attach a recipe and you're good to go.
Sally's Baking Addiction has a few delicious cookie mix recipes as well as a printable recipe card.
Personalised Mugs
Coffee and tea lovers will adore having their very own unique mug. Purchase a plain mug and draw patterns, write names and colour in designs with a Sharpie Marker. Then bake the mug to make the design permanent. You can include names, special dates, puns, jokes or even a few drawings. Check out this DIY guide from
Like Mother Like Daughter.
Chocolate Bark
We love chocolate bark because it's easy to craft and oh so yummy. It is also very easy to make it your own. Start with a base of melted chocolate, either white, milk, dark or caramel chocolate. Then top the chocolate with an assortment of ingredients like nuts, sweets, dried fruit, cookies and sprinkles.
Crazy for Crust has six recipes to spark your ideas.
Edible Bouquet
Edible bouquets are show stopper gifts that are relatively easy to make. All you need is a jar and some edibles on kebab sticks to make a fantastic arrangement. Edibles can include fruit, sweets, cookies, cake pops or cupcakes. Fill the jar with oasis floral foam, Styrofoam, maize meal or flour to hold the sticks in place, then arrange the edibles and finish with an elegant bow. Check out
Pinterest for some inspiration.
Gift Boxes
After going through all that effort making the perfect gift for your loved ones, you probably want to present it beautifully too. Getting the right sized gift box or bag can be difficult and cost a pretty penny. But you can make these yourself too.
The Spruce Crafts has 15 astounding DIY gift bag ideas or make one of the origami, printable or foldable gift boxes from
Gathering Beauty.
Ribbons
Perfect your gift with an alluring eye catching bow! These can be tied with fabric ribbon, plastic ribbon or even yarn and twine. Add a flower sprig, cinnamon quill or some art and craft pieces for the
pièce de résistance. The knot has a handy guide explaining how to tie four magnificent bows.
