DIY Christmas presents that are quick to make, on a budget and what people actually want

Christmas is often a time of the year with lots of expectations. This year, is a year where a lot of people are struggling financially. Whether it’s to be able to afford the extra food or the gifts. If you are a little bit crafty, you can make a lot of nice quick gifts, that are useful or that people actually would like, for next to nothing. For a lot of the crafts, you can even think repurpose of old stuff. Recycling is trendy at the moment.. This article includes a lot of different crafts, other than paper crafts. This is because a lot of paper crafters generally also are creative with with other crafts. Use you papercrafts to create wrapping and tags for the hand made presents.

All the crafts here are relatively easy to make and copy without having extensive skills and lots of tools.

READ ALSO: CHRISTMAS MEANS…?

Family and friends  – teenagers and grown ups

Tablet or phone stand

This tablet or phone stand is genius. All you need is a piece of 9″x 12″ cotton material, cotton thread, a strip of 5 3/4″ x 1 1/4″ cardboard, 2 cups of cheap  rice, some poly filling and a 4″ ribbon and a sewing needle.

Miniature car trash can

You need the material for the trash can and the lining. You can also use non- woven fusible interfacing with glue on one side. You also need twil tape to hang it in. In this one, there is inserted something in the top in the inside of the trash can, to make it les flobby, and a plastic tube to make it round inside the front and top of the bin.

Hand warmers

These cute reusable hand warmers can be sewn out of flanell or cotton left overs. They are stuffed with rice, and needs 15-30 second in the microwave to warm up. You can also put then in the freezer and use them to cool down or as an ice pack. The hand warmers below are made from bits of materials that are 4″ by 4″, and are really easy to sew.

Cutting boards out of scrap wood

These are brilliant. Make them out of left over wood or wood from old furniture. Cut them to size, sand them down and ad pil to freshen up the wood.

Small vintage signs with left over wood and printouts

You can use different mediums for transferring printouts to wood. Mod Podge is only one brand. You also need scrapwood, sew, sandpaper, left over paint and a paint brush.

You can easily also make larger wooden sign from scrap wood, like pallets. Here is an example where the letters are handpainted onto the wood. I often like to make my own stencils for these kind of projects. I use a Silhouette to make the stencils, but you can also cut the stencils from plastic with a scalpel. Stencil spray glue is useful to use under the stencils, to avoid the paint to  slip under the stencil. A lot of crafters also paint the first paintcover with the same paint or stain that is used on the wood in the first place, or a layer of Mod Podge, as this seals the stencil so the paint will not bleed under the stencil.

Photo transfer onto class

Photos and printouts can also be made into a transparent sticker, that can be stuck to glass. You only need blank packadge tape, the print out and the glass you want to transfer it to.

 Casting with cement

You can also cast simple and useful home decor with cement. I think that mixing the rough industrial look of cement with stained wood, gives a fantastic look. The tea candle holders below, has been made with large cube molds, with tea lights in the cement in the molds while they dried. The wood has been carved with tools, but could also be made with a wooden piece at the bottom and glued on wood trim at the edges or even paint sticks made of wood. Remember to sand the concrete for a smooth finish.

Candle making

Candle making is also a relatively easy craft project. You can save your old scrap candles to create new ones, or ask others if you can have the rest of their used ones. Ask at work or your neighbors and they might be able to collect  some for you. You can add colour or scents to them when they are melted. Melt the left overs in old tin cans in a pot of boiling water. Make your own label for the tin, to make it look special and like a high end candle that would be costly. This  candle maker is professional, but he has a lot of good tips for you to use at home.

 Hand made soap

I also see a lot of people making hand made soap. You can get soap base for these projects, but you can also make your own soap base from fat, oil, and fragrance.  You can also use left over sope bits or melt other kind of soaps to create your new soap. I like thise “soap on a rope” idea. Wrap them, but them in a nice bag or box and give them as presents.

READ ALSO: CHRISTMAS CARDS IN BLUE

You can also find several recipes to create soap from scratch.

Wrap them, but them in a nice bag or box and give them as presents.

So for the kids, what can you make for kids that they really want?

Upcycled crayons from old broken broken crayons in alls sorts of shapes.

Did you know that you can keep old and broken crayons and remelt them into new crayons in fantastic shapes and mixed colours? You can melt the crayons. Use a tin box to melt them in over a pot of hot water. You might be able to add fragrance to them if you want to, while they are melted. Make sure the fragrance can be eaten if the colours are for a small child.  FInd mould for chocolate or icecubes, or even make your own mold from their favoiúrite figure or toy. Wrap them in a nice handmade box or a small jar, with your own label and you have a fantastic gift for a child.

Upcycled play kitchen out of two nite side tables

Nite side tables are easy to get hold of for free or for a small price second hand. Here, a few wood scraps has been added, old drawer knob and a sheep wall frame with plastic class, has been added as the door for the oven. The sink is a metal baking bowl and the faucet is made from wood and painted with silver paint. The paint is possible to get free or for a low amount. Check your building store and see if they have something already mixed that are left over. You should also be able to get paint second hand of people who has not used all of the paint in the can.

Handmade or upcycled tool bench for kids

So much can be said about plastic toys, but having a good wooden work bench to stimulate good play for kids is just something else. This one is made from scratch. But you should be able to start with a second hand kids table, that you should get almost free. This one you just up-cycle, sand down a bit and then treat the wood with oil or vanish it. The little film under is a good start for some inspiration.

Wishing you a Merry Christmas and some fantastic Christmas preperations.