Create Memorable Gifts Your Family Will Love With These D.I.Y. Christmas Crafts
Shopping for gifts during the holiday season can be stress-inducing. It can be difficult to find the right presents for some family members, and purchasing gifts can become a financial burden for many. D.I.Y. (Do It Yourself) Christmas crafts are a great way to avoid these stressors and create a meaningful gift that will be cherished for years to come.
While creating D.I.Y. Christmas gifts can be time-consuming, it is often cost-effective, and many of the materials that are needed can be found at a craft supply store, or even at your local dollar store. These gifts are also easily customizable to fit a person's taste, and the time they take will be well worth the smile on their face.
There is a large variety of D.I.Y. Christmas gifts that can be found online, but many of these gifts can be difficult to craft and require costly materials. One D.I.Y. Christmas gift that is easy to make, and is sure to light up your loved ones' faces is a shadowbox photo collage.
Create a meaningful gift filled with special memories that will last a lifetime, and show your loved one how much you appreciate them and the time you share. To create this Christmas gift you will need a shadow box frame, coordinating paper, small clothes pins, glue, double-sided tape, scissors, a ruler, and a pencil.
Follow these Eight steps to create a beautiful shadowbox photo collage:
Pick out a lovely shadow box frame to be the foundation of your photo collage, these can be found at your local craft store.
After you have purchased a shadowbox frame, Determine what photos you would like to include in the collage.
Select a piece of coordinating paper to become the background of your collage, creating an eye-catching theme or color scheme.
Once you have selected what coordinating paper you want to use, measure the size of your shadow box using a ruler, and cut out a piece of coordinating paper to fit the box’s dimensions
After the coordinating paper has been measured and cut out, attach it to the back of the shadowbox frame using glue or double-sided tape.
Attach the photos you have chosen to clothespins and place the photos within the frame creating a layout. To further customize your collage the clothespins can be painted or colored to fit the theme.
Once you have chosen a layout, glue the clothes pins where you have chosen to place them. If you want your placement to be precise you can use a ruler to help line up and space out the photos.
Once the clothes pins are secured to the frame, let the glue dry, then attach your photos to the clothes pins and your gift is complete for your loved one to enjoy!
Another fun Christmas gift that can be crafted for the whole family to enjoy is a Christmas cookie mix in a jar. This adorable gift is perfect for your loved ones who enjoy baking tasty treats. This gift is also great for families with young children who are searching for fun indoor activities during the cold winter months. When families are stuck inside they can enjoy baking these festive Christmas cookies together laughing and frolicking in the kitchen.
To create this adorably delicious cookie mix you will need a mason jar, decorative label sticker, markers, ribbon, and of course the baking ingredients.
Follow these five steps to making Christmas cookie mix in a jar:
To begin this craft, get a quart-sized mason jar, these can often be found at your local dollar store.
Find a festive label sticker or create a printout and write the name of the cookie mix along with who the gift is to and from.
After you have created your festive label stick it to the jar or attach it using glue
To finish decorating your jar tie a beautiful bow around the lid of the mason jar and secure it to the lid using glue.
Once you have decorated your mason jar it's time to add in the cookie mix, recipes for this mix can be found online.
There is a large variety of cookie recipes that can be curated so you are sure to find a mix that your loved ones will enjoy. A few festive flavors that can be created include chocolate peppermint, double chocolate toffee, and M&M cookies. To ensure the cookies are baked to perfection you can also include an ingredients card with baking instructions, this will also be helpful if your loved ones wish to make this tasty treat again.
Do You know what pairs great with Christmas cookies, a warm cup of morning coffee, or tea! Create a hand-painted coffee mug for that special caffeine fiend in your life. They are sure to love and cherish this gift, admiring it while they indulge in their morning brew. To make this D.I.Y. Christmas gift you will need a white ceramic coffee mug, rubbing alcohol, oil-based sharpies or, acrylic urethane enamels that are meant for ceramics, paint brushes, Q-tips, and an oven.
Follow these six steps to creating a hand-painted mug for those you love:
Thoroughly wash your plain white mug with soap and warm water, it is important to have a before creating your design.
After your mug has been washed, it's time to determine how you want the mug to look. This personalized gift can be painted in an endless amount of ways, with pictures, initials, sayings, or, any other design you think your loved one will enjoy.
Begin to create a layout and design plan using a pencil and then begin painting over the stencil you have drawn. It is helpful to have rubbing alcohol and Q-tips on hand while painting so any errors you make can be removed by dabbing the paint and wiping away any errors you make.
After you have finished painting the mug let it air dry for a minimum of one hour.
Once you are sure that the entire mug has dried place it in the oven and bake it at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Baking the mug ensures that the paint will not chip or peel off easily and makes it safe to wash in the top rack of the dishwasher.
Once the mug has finished baking your Christmas craft is complete, let the mug completely cool in the oven and settle for 72 hours before use.
Another D.I.Y. Christmas gift that your loved ones will hold near and dear is chalk paint ornaments. A chalk paint ornament can be adorned with special messages or pictures using chalk! This fun and innovative gift can be enjoyed by all ages and can also be used to play fun games like Tick Tack Toe. The best part about this gift is that each year it can be transformed into something new!
To complete this craft you will need a plain Christmas ornament, black chalkboard paint, white chalk (if you want your message to be permanent you can use a white chalk marker or pen), ribbon or twine, a foam paintbrush, and a hot glue gun or traditional glue.
Follow these three steps to create a chalk paint ornament:
Paint your plain ornament with the chalkboard paint using a foam paintbrush. To be sure the ornament is fully covered in chalkboard paint, you may have to apply several layers.
Ensure that the paint is fully dry and cut off a string of decorative ribbon or twine, attaching it to the top of the ornament with glue or through the hanging loop.
To finish this fun craft use the chalk to write a meaningful message or draw a picture for your loved ones to enjoy!
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