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Books to Give | Gifts to Make | Wines to Give | Non-Alcoholic Cocktail Gifts | Bubbles for the New Year
Gifts to Make
Homemade gifts are often the most delightful, least expensive, and most meaningful gift options. And while not everyone has time, talents, or energy to make every gift on their list, these are some homemade gift ideas that may inspire your creativity this holiday season.
And don’t forget to stop by my shop for your own copy of The Nice List, my Christmas planner, stickers, or my other books, too. They make wonderful gifts.
Pillow with Child’s Artwork
Learn how to transfer your child’s drawing to fabric through Spoonflower which can then easily be turned into a pillow keepsake for years to come! Preserve your child’s artwork and display it in a special place in your home — or give it to someone who will love and appreciate a handmade gift this year!
Custom-Made Tea Towel
Using original artwork — your child’s or your own — create beautiful tea towels for your loved ones. Tea towels are useful as well as decorative, and they are always a great gift. These customized towels are even better!
Hand-painted Christmas Ornaments
This tutorial shows you how to make simple, wood slice Christmas ornaments using a painted wreath motif. But they can be personalized in infinite ways, and they make a beautiful addition to any tree — all on a very small budget.
Scandinavian Embroidered Stockings
These beautiful stockings are easy to stitch up and simple to make. They make any mantle more festive, and they are a gorgeous heirloom for generations to come. This tutorial includes printable patterns and instructions.
Sunprint Pillows
Trace your child’s handprints and use them to create a one-of-a-kind pillow for people they love. This is a wonderful gift for grandparents separated by miles and a pandemic. And it’s a sweet way to preserve the smallness of a child’s hands forever. This can easily be a no-sew project, too!
Travel Play Center
When Bambino was 16 months old, we went to Europe to visit his grandfather. Before our trip, I created this travel play center from a hanging toiletries bag. It was fantastic on our long trip, and we used it on many trips afterwards. If there are families with young children in your life who travel frequently — or who are coming to see you — this might be the perfect gift for their travels.
Pretty Pillows
For our Guest Room Refresh, I created three different kinds of pillows — none of which require complicated sewing. Created from vintage linens, these pillows make lovely gifts for the vintage-lovers in your life. And they are simple to make, too.
Shadowboxes & Framed Baby Clothes
After my grandmother died, we found some of her baby clothes in her home. I framed them in shadowboxes and gave them as gifts to my sisters and cousin. If you have precious baby clothes or vintage linens somewhere, pull them out and frame them. They make a lovely, sentimental gift, and this is a easy project.
Card Organizer
I think this is a particularly nice gift for a recent graduate or a college student, but you may know other people who would appreciate it, too. Create this easy and inexpensive card organizer, and then stock it with a variety of greeting cards. Add some stamps, pens, and maybe even a custom return address stamp. Snail mail is the best!
