DIY Christmas gifts (reposted from a couple years ago)

If you need some ideas for DIY gifts this Christmas, here is a list of things I made in previous years.  I wanted to repost this because I still really love all these ideas and think they will make excellent gifts.  They also pass the cheap and super easy requirement I have for all DIY's.

I have been making a bunch of gifts this year and hope the post pictures and guides within the next couple days!

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This year, we decided to make it a DIY Christmas.  With all the ideas on websites like Pinterest to get the creative juices flowing, I think we've done really well.  I'm really excited to be creating.  This is one of my "things".  

Baby food jar candle holders -

I put stickers on the baby food jar and acrylic painted over them.  Before the paint completely dries, pull off the letters.  Once it's dry, trace the outline of the letters with a paint marker (my new favorite craft item).  After that, I mod podged the whole jar for the glossy look.

Hand and foot print canvas -

I bought an 8x10 canvas at Hobby Lobby, spray painted it matte black and had the kids pick out what acrylic paint for their prints.  Then I wrote the title and names with a silver paint marker and mod podged it.

Homemade ornaments - 

The reindeer is two clothespins hot glued together with goggly eyes and a pom pom nose.  I also hot glued a magnet to the back for a refrigerator decoration.  The Star Wars ornaments are made out of salt dough (equal parts salt and flour, half part water), the kids colored them with Crayola markers and I sealed them with mod podge.

Picture Magnets -

By far the most time consuming project I took on, but I think that's because I made so many and because I made them so big.  I had 5 different sets of wallets printed, then cut out cardboard in wallet size.  After double-side taping the picture to the cardboard, I wrapped the picture with clear packing tape and hot glued two magnets to the back of the cardboard.  If I had to do it again, I would have used smaller pictures, only because I had to use two pieces of packing tape (due to the size) and it left a seam on the pictures.

Teacher card -

Completely and utterly stolen from Pinterest, but redesigned on Photoshop.  A Starbucks gift card will be tucked inside the coffee liner.

Scrapbook paper picture frames -

I bought wooden frames from Hobby Lobby and spray painted them matte black.  Then I had the kids rip up pieces of scrapbook paper.  After piecing them together and adding a few extra rips and tears, I double-side taped them to the frame and applied mod podge to seal it and add gloss.

Holiday picture frame -

This was actually the first project I did this year.  Again, I started with a blank wooden frame from Hobby Lobby and spray painted it with glossy green (I will never use glossy spray paint again, too much of a pain).  Then I painted the snow flakes with white acrylic paint and a stencil.  After everything dried, I added the mod podge.

I really do love being creative.  It's so fulfilling to see your finished products.  If you haven't check out Pinterest yet, you really should.

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