06 Dec Having Trouble Finding the Perfect Gift? Make It Yourself

(Photo by Thought Catalog on Unsplash)

By Anushka Devanathan  

With the holidays right around the corner, it’s time to start thinking about gifts. Gift giving is one of the best things to do but also one of the hardest because of the uncertainty. That feeling when you just know you gave the perfect gift to your loved one is probably the most satisfying moment ever. Of course, trying to find that perfect gift within the boundaries of money, time and effort could occasionally dampen the spirit. So the simplest solution might just be to make it yourself — to make sure you still have that sweet, personalized gift factor, while being easy on your wallet as well. Here are a few ideas.

Pressed Flowers

• Method One: Traditional
  • Choose a variety of foliage, your favorite flowers and leaves in different shapes and sizes.
  • Once you have collected enough, place them between two sheets of paper. Slip the paper between the pages of a thick, heavy book, like a textbook, and wait for 1-2 weeks. 
• Method Two: Microwaving
  • • Place the flowers between two pieces of parchment paper, then place that paper between two microwave-safe plates. 
    • Microwave in 30-second intervals, routinely checking on the flowers to make sure they don’t turn brown.
    • Remove and cool under something heavy, like a book, to set flat
    • Arrange the flowers in any way you want.

The best thing about this idea is that there isn’t just one way to do it. Arrange the flowers into a bouquet to stick onto a card, for example, or use it to decorate a handwritten note. Either way, these flowers are a lovely addition to any handmade card or gift.

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Photo Collage

• • Select a few photos of special moments with you and your loved ones, and print them out. 
  • Gather any decorative materials around the house like markers, glitter, yarn, etc. Choose a colorful piece of cardstock.
  • Arrange the photos onto the cardstock, and use a glue stick to attach them. Decorate them with captions, glitter and drawings to make it as colorful and bright as possible.

A handmade photo collage is the perfect way to highlight all the memories with your loved ones — all placed onto one single paper. Instead of cardstock, it could also be stuck onto a canvas and framed as well.

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Candle

• • Choose a Mason jar of any size.
  • Melt wax over a pot of water on a stove.
  • Stir in your favorite fragrance oils and dye to add scent and color.
  • Secure a wick on the bottom of the jar using glue, and use a pin to make sure it stays in the center.
  • Slowly pour the wax into the jar, making sure to leave around an inch of space from the top.
  • Embellish the jar with ribbons, stickers and markers.

You can create more than one candle in different sizes as well, and gift them as a package. Have fun experimenting with different scents and colors, even making themed sets with specific scents like peppermint. You could even pour different colors of wax into a single jar for a colorful effect!

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Custom Phone Case

• • Take a clear phone case
  • Place a single photo in the case or make a miniature photo collage with pictures and stickers.
  • You could also choose your favorite color of paint to coat the phone case with.
  • Before painting, you could apply tape in whatever design you like. When removing the tape, you’re left with a unique decoration. 
  • Make sure you use painter’s tape so the paint doesn’t peel off along with the tape. 

With this idea, there are numerous ways to decorate your phone case. If you’re feeling artistic, you could use paint markers for a truly personalized drawing or sketch. If you’re good with clay, you could use polymer clay to make adorable figurines to attach. The ideas above are just a few, and you could do whatever you like. 

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Snow Globe

• • Take a clear Mason jar with a matching, preferably metal, lid.
  • Select a few figurines, or if you want, you can even make some with clay.
  • Using epoxy glue, stick the figurines to the inside of the lid.
  • Epoxy glue is the best choice, but super glue works as well.
  • Pour water into the jar, and your desired glitter. Add different colors and shapes.
  • Adding baby oil or vegetable oil helps, since it makes the glitter fall slower.
  • Screw the lid onto the jar, careful of the figurines, and secure it with epoxy glue.

This gift is perfect for the winter season. Get creative with the figurines, even making a little scenery or adding cute trees. If you wanted, you could add other materials instead of glitter, but glitter works best.

Below are two gifts made by the author: