Did you leave your do-it-yourself gift making until the last minute? You don’t have to scrap handmade presents altogether. Instead, check out these super simple DIY gifts. Most of them cost less than $10, and take under an hour to make.
1. Jar gifts. What could be easier than tossing the ingredients for cookies, cake, brownies or even soup into a pretty jar? Stick a ribbon on it, and you’re done. The Internet abounds with easy, delicious jar gift ideas. And since they take about five minutes each (and most cost less than $5) to make, you can whip up a big batch for all the random people left on your gift shopping list.
2. Fleece blankets. Two-layer fleece blankets with tied edges are super simple to make. And these days, fabric stores sell a variety of themed and printed fleece. Cutting and tying these blankets can take some time, but you can work on them a little bit at a time while you’re watching holiday movies or traveling in the car.
3. T-shirt scarves. Infinity scarves are all the rage this year, and they’re ridiculously easy to make — especially if you use old T-shirts. The jersey knit fabric T-shirts are made from doesn’t require hemming. Just turn the reclaimed fabric into a big loop, and you’re good to go. If you’re feeling a bit more creative, you can try a two-tone, braided infinity scarf like this one.
4. Personal care items. Lip gloss, sugar scrub and lotion are all simple things to make on your own. You can order the supplies in bulk online, and then make a big batch all at once. More complicated items — like lotion — can take an hour or two to make. But you can make several jars at once. These make great gifts for teachers, mail deliverers and friends.
5. Painted bags or aprons. Most craft store sell pre-made canvas bags and aprons in basic colors. To paint one, all you need is acrylic paint and paintbrushes or stamps. If you want a softer effect, blend the acrylic paint with some fabric medium, but this isn’t necessary. When you paint, be sure to separate the layers with newspaper, as the paint will soak through otherwise. This is a great last-minute project for kids to tackle for grandparents or teachers.
6. Hand warmers. Felt or fleece hand warmers are simple-to-make small gifts to add to a larger package or for people you just want to give a little something. All you have to do is cut fabric into squares, put some rice or barley in the middle, and sew them up. To use them, giftees can toss the hand warmers in the microwave for a few seconds. They’ll hold heat for quite a long time.
7. Ornaments. Holiday ornaments can be incredibly inexpensive and simple to make. Cinnamon dough ornaments shaped with cookie cutters are cheap and easy — and they’ll smell good for years to come. You could also make melted crayon ornaments, or use a Sharpie to decorate a standard store-bought colored bauble.
8. Gift card holders. OK, so this one is kind of cheating. If you have to grab a gift card because you left gift-buying for the last minute (or because this person on your list literally has everything), you can still put some thought into the presentation. Try making cute gift card holders from felt or pretty paper. Insert candy into your gift card holder, or turn it into a reusable ornament.
Blogs are packed with great last-minute DIY gift ideas, so these are not your only options. But these eight ideas are a great place to begin if you’ve procrastinated on making holiday gifts for your loved ones.
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8 Last-Minute DIY Holiday Gifts originally appeared on usnews.com
