For anyone who knows how to cook, you already know the frustration of trying to read a recipe while you’re balancing so much else in the kitchen. If you don’t already have an iPad stand, it can be a nightmare of trying to prop it up on something without getting it dirty. This beautiful iPad holder is made out of a cutting board, which is just perfect for a kitchen setting. If you want to see the tutorial on how to make this, check out The Idea Room.
Interested in trying out concrete casting? This project is relatively easy, since you’re using two bowls to cast spheres out of concrete. Once they have dried, you can paint them and then use extra splatter to give them a fun texture. And voila! You have beautiful, easy DIY bookends to give to a friend, or use in your own home. If you want to see the tutorial on how to make this, check out A Beautiful Mess.
Do you have any sweaters leftover that you’re thinking about donating to the thrift store? Set them aside, because you just might want to do this DIY project. These sweater sleeves make adorable wine bottle covers to give as gifts during the holiday season. If you want to see the tutorial on how to make this, check out That’s What Che Said.
Believe it or not, you can make this scarf out of an old t-shirt with no sewing required whatsoever. It’s perfect if you were already planning to donate your old clothes to the thrift store anyway, and you wanted a project to upcycle something to give a friend. If you want to see the tutorial on how to make this, check out Tidy Mom.
Do you know someone who needs a little bit more bling in their life? They might enjoy this DIY gold mouse pad. All you need to make it are a black mousepad, painter’s tape, and gold spray paint. You need a lot of patience to make the pattern, but the end result is truly stunning. If you want to see the tutorial on how to make this, check out Homey Oh My.
Whether you’re giving this as a gift or using it in your own home, personalized wooden hangers can help your guests feel welcomed. All you need to do this project is wooden hangers (which are cheapest at Ikea), rub-on letters or a Cricut machine to make personalized decals, ribbon, and a pair of scissors. If you want to see the tutorial on how to make this, check out Driven by Decor.
Many of you out there may be wondering, what the heck is a Kyber crystal? But fans of the Star Wars universe already know. This DIY is a fun way to make a fake crystal out of a glue stick, and wrap it in a wire to make a necklace. It could be something truly fun to do with your kids, especially if they like Star Wars. If you want to see the tutorial on how to make this, check out Creative Green Living.
Most people have multiple pairs of sunglasses, and can always use another case to help protect them. This scalloped sunglasses case is easy to make, especially if you already know how to sew. It would be great to give away for the holiday season, a birthday, or even Mother’s Day. If you want to see the tutorial on how to make this, check out Positively Splendid.
If you’ve ever visited one of those fancy kitchen stores in the mall, you may be familiar with the concept of infused oils. These are just olive oil that have been infused with other flavors from garlic, chili flakes, rosemary, lemon, and more. It’s actually very easy to make your own bottles of these to give to friends and family. They will appreciate you every time they cook a delicious meal with these infused oils. If you want to see a tutorial on how to make this, check out Just Putzing Around the Kitchen.
Have you ever played the board game “Guess Who”? This is a game where you are trying to guess which person the other player has on their card. You can ask questions like “Are they a woman? Do they have blonde hair?” Etc. etc. By process of elimination, you can guess who the other person is. This idea is to replace all of the images with pictures of family and friends. It would make the game a lot more fun and interesting this way, plus it’s a stellar DIY gift idea. If you want to see a tutorial on how to make this, check out Almost Makes Perfect.
Everyone loves to have freshly baked cookies around the holidays, but not everyone can be bothered to make them. This is a great way to help your friends and family by doing half the work for them. The idea behind these jars is that all of the dry ingredients are included. All they need to do is add the wet ingredients like butter, vanilla extract, and eggs to the mixture. Adding holiday colored M&M’s is also a great touch, because it makes the jar look more festive. IF you want to see a tutorial on how to make this, check out Sugar Spun Run.
This next gift looks far more expensive than it actually is- a tube bead necklace. These are made out of fimo, which are baked in the oven to take their shape. A bit of gold spray paint on top makes it look as if it was actually dipped in gold. Your friends and family will seriously be impressed that you made these, because it looks like something straight out of a boutique. If you want to see the tutorial on how to make these, check out The Lovely Drawer.
When you were a kid, you probably made forts out of blankets and furniture around your parent’s house. This gift idea takes it to the next level. It’s a handmade “Deluxe Fort Making Kit” filled with sheets, suction cups, clothes pins, ropes, and even a flashlight to get ready for a perfect day of fort making. If you want to learn how to make this yourself, check out the tutorial on A Modern Homestead.
If you and your friends love to drink together, a great DIY idea is to give them a cocktail in a jar. This is exactly what it sounds like. Just grab a mason jar, add a can of their favorite soda, and attach a mini bottle of liquor. Once you buy a box of mason jars, you can make at least 10 of these to give away to friends. They cost an average of $10 each, depending on the prices of drinks in your local area. If you want to see a tutorial on how to make these, check out Something Turquoise.
Macrame is all the rage lately, and it looks great in almost any home. There are plenty of DIY kits online that help you make hangers, or you can buy supplies and follow a tutorial online, like this one by Hey Lila Hey. Whether your friend is a newbie plant parent or a seasoned expert, they should appreciate getting this. Bonus points if you include the pot, too. They need somewhere to put their new baby plant.
Want to give your friends something truly elegant? Etched wine glasses can be had for as much as $20 apiece, but it’s much more affordable if you learn how to do it yourself. This next project is only possible if you have a cutting machine at your disposal. But it’s actually a lot easier to make than you would imagine. Check out this tutorial from The Pinning Mama if you want to see how to make these on your own.
Around the holiday season, it’s a good idea to give friends and family jars full of treats. This could be hot cocoa mix, candy, and so much more. But why not make the jar a bit more creative than your standard Mason jar with ribbon? This idea from Smart School House creates snow globes on top of the jar lids. These are an adorable gift that doubles as holiday decor, and your friends and reuse them year after year.
Crystals are all the rage nowadays. So if you have a friend who loves to collect crystals and drink wine, this gift is for them. It’s actually really easy to make, too. All you need is a crystal, a cork wine stopper, and E6000 Adhesive glue. The end result looks like something you might find for sale in a high-end boutique. If you want to see the tutorial on how to make these, check out Creative Fashion Blog.
