I live in California, so tie dye never died here, but for the rest of the U.S., tie dye is back, and it could lead to a fun, homemade gift. Tote bags, shirts, pillow cases, and just about any other natural cloth item are great options. There are tons of instructions online for everything from your basic t-shirt to intense, complicated patterns. You can make anything from the flash-back to your youth camp shirt to chic clothing or household decor. 

I was at the mall today (I know, it was horrible) and I was shocked at the prices of gifts that are modeled after homemade gifts. Cookie mix in a jar was $17 and hot chocolate mix was just as expensive as well. It’s nice to know that corporations see the value in homemade gifts, I just hope that people opt to make them instead of buy them. 

It seems like everyone is good at something, whether or not they embrace it is a whole different story. When looking for ideas for a homemade gift it helps to think of the things you are good at. Especially if you can find an artistic outlet you are good at. I am terrible at painting or drawing, but I can do a few crafts well. 


However, some ideas you can make work even if you are not all that creative, and I feel like this is one of them. It is a mix of craft and art that leads to something quite interesting:

Things that appear simple can be meaningful and interesting art/gifts. You can also make digital versions and have them printed out in addition to the examples on canvas above. The hardest part will be deciding what you will say – consider an original phrase or a quote from a song, literature, or someone famous. Embrace your creativity and make something unique and interesting. 

After eating a cookie from a batch my dad tried to make today, I realized I needed more gifts that did not involve baking as well as a wider variety of things, that way more people can find a gift they can easily make. I don’t go anywhere without a journal or something to write in, so this post is something that caught my eye. Currently all of my journals are covered in fabric, and I love them.

I typically avoid anything that has sewing involved, not only because figuring out how much material you need can be confusing, but also because I am terrible at sewing. However, with Katie’s clear instructions, this laptop case seems easy to make. It would be a great gift for girls and guys, as long as you pick the right fabric. Organic, cotton fabric is always the best. Also, try to pick something sturdy that won’t show dirt. 

I am a huge fan of homemade body care items. After finding out about all the chemicals in most store bought items, I started making my own moisturizer and body oil (a replacement for body lotion). What most people do not realize is not only how much better for you the homemade items are, but how easy and cheap they are.  

Spicy Holiday Sugar Scrub
Recipe from Gorgeously Green

Instead of worrying about making something memorable, why not make something that memories go into? You can make or decorate a picture frame or a memory box. They can be anything from collages, to painted on quotes or song lyrics. 


I wouldn’t recommend recreating the picture frame you made for your mom out of popsicle sticks in 2nd grade. Instead think of creating one out of real wood, mosaic, collage, or something full of meaning. You can even buy a plain picture frame and jazz it up. 


The same goes for a memory box. You can paint it or decorate it in some other way. My friend who suggested this idea made at least one for my friend in high school, and she always made them incredibly intricate. It helps if you know what kind of memories the box can keep that way you can theme it towards them. 

Thanks for the great idea Lauren!

@fiorness

With my last final tomorrow my brain has been less than creative at coming up with homemade gift ideas, but thankfully my friends were ready to help me out. My friend came up with the idea of homemade preserves, which I love!

I fell in love this summer with INNA jam, and since then it has made me crave homemade jam. When I was younger my mom would have my brother and I help her make delicious strawberry jam that we would give away and eat for the rest of the year. It was always so hard for me to wait for it to cool and solidify a bit before I could eat it.

Jam or preserves are a great homemade gift that is incredibly easy to make in bulk. It’s always an incredibly fun way to spend a few hours. The only problem is that it is hard to get fresh fruit in some places during the winter, but if you can find fresh, organic fruits, then happy jamming.

Thanks Heather for the great idea!