Unless your sole job this holiday season is gift giving (and if it is, we’re totes jealous), you probably don’t have a ton of extra time to find gifts, let alone DIY one. Plus, you don’t want a gift that looks too homemade, and half the time those Pinterest projects don’t even turn out like you wanted them to. But a handmade gift is always a winner in our book, so here are 24 easy DIY projects that won’t take much time to make, but also look like something the recipient would love (and use!). Get ready to go ahead and pat yourself on the back for being the best gift-giver of the year.
1. DIY Quartz Necklace: This rocking crystal necklace is just the piece to make for any ladies on your gift list, even if you don’t know what they usually wear. Boho, work attire, French-girl chic — this necklace does it all. (via Brit + Co)
2. DIY Shopping Bag: Why more kale? Because a market bag with a ridiculously good pun never gets left at home. (via A Beautiful Mess)
3. DIY Transfer Plates: Yes, this is super easy. And yes, you will be making a set for yourself when you figure out just how easy it is to transfer patterns onto plates. (via The House That Lars Built)
4. Painted Tray: Trays are easy to find, but pretty trays that you actually want to use are much harder to find. With some paint and tape, you can give a breakfast tray a bright makeover and gift it to someone who deserves some pampering. (via Urban Sleek Blonde)
5. DIY Cardboard Animal Head: No one wants to open their present and find themselves staring into a plain cardboard face. But a hot pink elephant or gilded unicorn head? That’s totally cool. (via Brit + Co)
6. DIY Marble Necklace: Your favorite material isn’t just for serving trays anymore. Pick up some little tiles and make this awesome necklace for the marble-lover in your life. (via The Merrythought)
7. Throw Blanket: A cozy blanket is always a welcome gift during the holiday season, but a personalized one with gigantic pompoms is way more fun. All you need is a needle and yarn to turn a “meh” throw into the most popular blanket in the house. (via A Beautiful Mess)
8. DIY Speckled Dip Mug: Make a couple of these clay “dipped” mugs for your favorite coffee drinkers and gift them along with some DIY syrups for an extra special treat. (via The Merrythought)
9. Dip Dyed Wall Hanging: Even the person who has it all needs some new art to perk up their walls. This wall hanging DIY requires zero weaving, so you’ll be done in half the time. (via Brit + Co)
10. Mix and Match Fruit Coasters: Keep the summer vibes going strong with these colorful coasters. They’re so much fun to play with that maybe even the kids will remember to use them. (via Paper and Pin)
11. DIY Nautical Rope Hanging Mirror: Little home accessories are a great idea for when you’re giving a couple a gift, especially if they’ve just moved. They’ll love the homemade touch and you’ll love that the project only took you a few minutes. (via Brit + Co)
12. DIY Faux Marble Tray: Contact paper is probably the busy crafter’s greatest secret weapon. Get the sleek, faux marble look in seconds and DIY a mini tray for displaying trinkets, candles and plants. (via Burkatron)
13. DIY Marble Cutting Board: The dipped-in-marble look really takes this tray to the next level and is perfect as a hostess gift. But there’s no judgement if you decide to keep it for yourself. (via The Merrythought)
14. DIY Woven Cuff: Take the trendy woven wall hanging idea to the jewelry box and gift these classy cuffs to all your favorite ladies. (via Brit + Co)
15. Teacup Votives: Pull a Macklemore and head to the thrift shop to pick up the prettiest tea cups you can find. The little Asian-style ones are perfect votive size and don’t scream “afternoon tea” quite as loudly. (via Thirsty for Tea)
16. DIY Zipper Pouch: Just because the word “seamstress” has the word “stress” in it is no reason not to haul out your sewing machine and tackle these easy zipper pouches. They will be a welcome gift to anyone for makeup, art supplies or other random items that somehow migrate to the deepest corners of the purse. (via Brit + Co)
17. DIY Apron: Good music and cooking go together like PB&J. But jelly doesn’t go so well with that phone, which is why this apron with a handy phone pocket is a great gift for any chef who’s gotta Instagram every step. (via Brit + Co)
18. DIY Kitchen Towel: Once you’ve got a mantra in mind, all you need is some fabric scraps and transfer paper to make these easy towels. They look great on their own, or you could use them as part of a housewarming gift along with some foodie gifts. (via Brit + Co)
19. Gold Leaf Planters: These gilded mini planters are a fun idea to give to coworkers who need some cheer in their cubicle. Even if the plant doesn’t make it past the holiday season, they can still use it as a pencil cup. (via The House That Lars Built)
20. Copper Pipe Breakfast Tray: As the weather gets colder, it becomes more and more tempting to enjoy a cozy breakfast in bed. And by breakfast, we mean using this as a laptop tray and pretending to work from home. (via Enthralling Gumption)
21. DIY Notebook Jewelry Organizer: Stylish jewelry displays are always a welcome gift, especially for the lady on the go. Now she can take her favorite jewels from the office to vacations to parties, all thanks to this DIY organizer disguised as a notebook. (via Brit + Co)
22. DIY Macrame Wall Hanging: Not enough on your Netflix queue to tackle a woven wall hanging? Utilize the macrame knot and some jersey rope to get the same trendy look in only one or two episodes. (via Brit + Co)
23. DIY Cheese Knives: For the ultimate hostess, DIY a new set of cheese knives to go along with those spreads. The handles look like faceted gems, but the blue color keeps things neutral so she can pull them out all year long. (via Sugar and Cloth)
24. DIY Potted Parsley: The best gifts are the ones that just keep giving, and this little guy will do his best. Barring any black thumbs, of course. Give one pot or make an entire mini herb garden. (via Brit + Co)
What kinds of gifts are you DIYing? Tell us about your projects in the comments below!
