Do-it-yourself (DIY) gifts are becoming more common as people turn to increasingly creative ways to save money. DIY gifts provide a way to create a personalized gift while saving money. With that said, knowing the best type of personalized gift to make can present a challenge for people who do not view themselves as crafty or creative. Three common categories of DIY gifts are arts and crafts, photographs and woodworking.
Arts and crafts gifts use skills people have to create things that work well as gifts. Knitting and crocheting are two common skills that can be used to make DIY craft gifts. Before embarking on this type of project, be sure to plan a gift the person will enjoy. While someone in a cold climate may well appreciate scarves and woolen socks, others may feel such a gift is generic. When planning a knitting or crocheting project, think about something the person may use, such as a crocheted cup holder for a friend who’s a teacher or a knitted and felted bowl for someone who enjoys hosting company.
Photographic gifts include both digital and print pictures and video. Taking a few pictures of something meaningful for the recipient and then scrapbooking them offers a nice gift. Framed photos of pets or happy events are frugal gifts that can bring great enjoyment. Pictures of landscapes put into beautiful frames or made into a calendar make excellent gifts.
Also consider using free or inexpensive video creation software to turn a series of photos into a video. Many of these programs also have simple ways to add favorite songs or classical tunes to the show. Consider creating a video and then burning it onto DVDs for multiple family members’ Christmas gifts.
Woodworking gifts also offer a chance to show off your care and creative talents. Basic woodworking projects involve selecting pre-cut pieces of wood and painting, decoupaging or staining and sealing them. These gifts often make better choices for people who aren’t as sentimental and wouldn’t enjoy the photographic gift ideas. DIY gifts of woodworking can hang on walls or sit on shelves and have a nice, polished look.
DIY gifts come in all shapes and sizes. Try out something interesting, such as attaching buttons to a tea cup to make a button-collecting cup for a sewing aficionado or using ribbon to design bookmarks for the bookworm in your life. The only limit to DIY gifts is your own imagination.