Homemade Present Ideas for Men and Women: DIY Craft Gift Tutorials

Creative Gift How-Tos From Around The Web

If you bake, love crafts or are in any way practical, homemade gifts are a great option for birthdays, Christmas, Valentine's day and other festivities—not only because people will appreciate the extra effort you've made, but because it's fun to make the gifts and it can usually save you money too.

On this page I've compiled lists of the best and most unusual how-tos and ideas for making your own gifts, from edible items to wall art, coasters and much more. The tutorials cover a range of prices and recipients, from fathers to friends and co-workers.

I hope you find the ideas helpful!

Christmas Chutney

Why Make Your Own Presents?

Apart from the practicality of actually saving yourself some money (usually), the best thing about giving and receiving home made gifts is the thoughtfulness behind the idea and the obvious time and effort spent on it, plus the fact that it is unique and personal.

A lot of people seem to think of DIY gifts as cheap, naff, or things that only kids make, like macaroni necklaces, but please take a look at the amazing things on this page and you will completely change your mind! You won't believe what you can make with basic materials.

If you are crafty or you can sew, then the world is pretty much your oyster with regards to what you could make, and bakers or cooks have a huge array of treats and goodies to choose from too. If you're neither craft-minded nor a fan of cooking, then don't despair; most ideas on this page come complete with step-by-step tutorials which guide even total beginners to victory! If you don't have time for making something from scratch, then embellishing or personalizing store-bought products is a great idea too, whether it's with personal photos in a photo album, a journal with added decoration by you, or even fun gift wrapping. OR perhaps you could buy multiple gifts with the same theme (e.g. golf, movie night, chocolate, puzzles, spa day) and make up a surprise gift box!

Kits to Assemble Yourself—Fill a Box or Basket Full of Themed Goodies!

• Picnic Hamper
  Awesome idea especially for a couple's anniversary or wedding.
• Sewing Kit
  Useful gift with lots of sewing bits 'n' bobs packaged in a pincushion jar.
• Birthday in a Suitcase
  Really thoughtful and special suitcase revamp.
• Giant Bubbles Kit
  For kids and the young at heart.
• Birthday in a Box
  Fun-filled box with a colourful collection of birthday party treats.
• The Ultimate Care Package
  Whether you know someone at university or abroad, this is a thoughtful gift.
• Painting-by-Numbers Set
  Brilliant personalized kit for artistic people.
• Custom Letter-Writing Box
  Fill a box with luxury stationery for a keen writer.
• DIY Stationery Set
  Bundle homemade notebooks and paper items together.
• Father's Day Collection Box
  Fill a wooden box with curiosities, memories and/or interesting things.

Birthday Plant Basket

DIY Gifts & Lists of Awesome Ideas

• Seed Tape
  Sweet and simple gift.
• 8 Homemade Gifts
  Anyone can give these ideas a go.
• Make Cheap Christmas Gifts
  Loads of ideas for Xmas and other occasions.
• Decorative Bottle Stoppers
  Made from corks and door pulls.
• Photo Dolls
  And you can use the recipient's face!
• 34 Handmade Gift Ideas
  From truffles to a gourmet salt assortment.
• Handmade Gift Guides
  From One Pretty Thing.
• 137 Inexpensive Gifts
  Small but thoughtful handmade gifts.
• 100 Inexpensive DIY Gifts
  Including edibles and crafts.
• 101 Simple Handmade Gifts
  Tutorials for 101 easy and crafty presents.
• A Few Thoughtful Ideas
  From home spas to present-giving spread throughout the year.
• Green Hostess Gifts
  Lovely little gifts like vanilla-infused maple sugar, and beeswax candles.

Sharpie Embellished Mug

Top-Rated Gift Ideas

These affordable and fun present ideas could be for friends, colleagues or family - I particularly recommend the 'One Line a Day' memory book which I own and is perfect for busy people who would like to keep a regular diary.

Fun Handmade Projects To Try

• DIY Photo Calendar
  Using photos that are meaningful to the recipient.
• Painted Corks
  Fun DIY keyring idea that can also float!
• Personalised Hanger
  Write out the recipient's name in wire.
• Chocolate Name
  Why not spell out the gift recipient's name in chocolate?!
• Sponge-Cake Postcard
  Hilariously realistic icing decoration on a cake-slice postcard.
• An Apple For Teacher
  A pouch of lavender for a lovely scented gift.
• Surprise Ball
  Make gift opening a lot more fun!
• Design Your Own Porcelain
  Decorate a teacup and saucer with just one special pen.
• Photo Album Cover
  Buy a photo album, then personalize the cover.
• Photo Display
  Cool and cheap way of creating a display of photos.
• Monogram Mugs
  How to transfer sketchy-style monograms to personalise mugs.
• Send a Hug
  Lovely and meaningful gift, perfect for kids to send to family members.

Print Your Own Tote Bags

More Kits, Sets and Creative Present Ideas

• Quills & Stationery Set
  Dye and make your own feather pens.
• Paper Doll Kit
  Sweet crafty gift for little girls.
• DIY Detective Kit
  Kids would absolutely love this little spy kit.
• Ice Cream Sundae Kit
  I bet any sweet tooth would adore this gift.
• Science Kit for Kids
  I would have loved to have received this as a child.
• 60 Years of Memories
  Beautiful and thoughtful, this memory collection would be treasured forever.

Sock Softies and Cuddly Toys

Sweet Valentine's Day Gifts

• Pocket Flipbook
  Take photos of yourself and make a flipbook to be kept in a wallet/purse.
• Valentine's Kit
  Romantic idea of filling a box with classics like wine and candles.
• Framed Love Heart
  Embroider a cute heart for your loved one.
• 52 Things I Love About You
  Adorable and romantic pack of cards.
• Valentine Heart-Attack
  A fun statement of love.

Make Your Own Recipe-Book Holder

A recipe-book holder is a great gift for any keen cook or baker, and this project is easily achievable even for woodworking newbies, although you will need a couple of basic tools.

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What you will need:

• Wood in the dimensions shown in the diagram—natural wood, plywood, MDF—doesn't really matter. If you want a nice-looking wood grain, use a natural wood like pine. But MDF is a cheap board and is simple to use, and you can always paint it at the end to make it look nicer!
• Wood saw, hand or electric (scroll/band).
• Sandpaper
• Wood glue
• Two clamps
• Two 23" lengths of elastic tape (optional)
• Paint, stain, or whatever you want to finish the wood with
• A recipe book, to test the product with
• Nails (optional)

Instructions:

I. Cut the wood pieces out as per the diagram:

• Piece 1: a rectangle 16" x 11" (at least 1/4" thick)
• Pieces 2 and 3: two identical triangles, with one right angle between edges 9" and 5" long. These supporting struts can be as thick as you want, but at least 1/2" thick.
• Piece 4: one rectangle 1.5" x 10" (about 3/8" thick)
• Piece 5: one rectangle 1" x 10" (about 1/4" thick).

II. Glue Piece 4 to Piece 1, as per the diagram. The edge of Piece 4 should be glued to Piece 1 so that it is centered and is about 1" from the bottom of Piece 1.

III. Clamp the pieces together to keep them in place until the glue dries. You could use nails instead (or as well as) if you wish by hammering nails from the back of Piece 1 into Piece 4.

IV. Attach Piece 5 with glue and clamps to the front of Piece 4 so that the bottom edges line up with each other. This forms the "lip" on the recipe-book platform which will keep the recipe book held in place.

V. You will then need to glue on the triangular Pieces 2 and 3, as in the diagram, so each one sits 3" from each side of Piece 1 and lines up with the bottom of Piece 1. This will create a slanted book holder.

VI. If you have trouble clamping the triangular pieces because they are on a slant, a trick is to basically make two mini versions of the triangle shapes of Pieces 2 and 3, so that they are smaller but the angles are the same. Turn each of these mini triangles upside down and position them on the edges of Pieces 2 and 3 respectively in order to make a parallel surface for the clamps to push against

VII. Put a recipe book in position to test that the holder works.

VIII. Use the sandpaper to smooth any rough surfaces or edges. Remove the wood dust with a slightly damp cloth to leave it nice and clean.

IX. To finish it off (making sure the holder is completely dry), you can paint it (spray or brush), stencil it with a pattern, cover with a photo collage, decoupage it with fabric, stain it (if you used natural wood), or whatever you like: it's up to you!

X. If you want to add elastic straps to the holder (to hold the pages open when necessary), then you can do this as the last step. With a recipe book in place on the holder, wrap the elastic tape piece around both the holder and the book so that the ends meet at the back (see diagram). Sew the elastic together in a join when you have judged how long you want the elastic strap to be, making sure that the elastic will be stretched enough around the book to exert pressure onto the pages.

Do this for each piece of elastic so you have two identical elastic loops. You can glue the elastic to the back of Piece 1, making sure the elastic seam is positioned at the back.

Finished!

Homemade Terrarium

Here are some tutorials on making your own terrariums: look here or here.

Edible Presents and Ideas for Keen Cooks and Bakers

• Cupcake In A Jar
  Creative way to package a yummy gift.
• Chocolate Truffles
  A classic edible treat.
• Apple Jellies
  These sweets are perfect to give.
• Holiday Food Gifts
  29 ideas from Martha Stewart.
• Homemade Fudge
  Excellent recipes including vanilla and chocolate flavours.
• Marshmallows
  With a candy cane twist.
• 10 Homemade Baking Mixes
  Provide the ingredients for cookies or other bakes, all in an pretty glass jar.
• Cupcake Stand
  Make your own cake stand from flowerpots.
• Apron in a Jar
  Lovely idea for a cooking-themed gift.
• Infused Vinegars
  Sophisticated gifts for foodie friends.
• Gourmet Basket Ideas
  Ten ideas for filling baskets with themed luxury items.
• Presents from the Kitchen
  Lots of candy and sweet ideas like sea salt caramels, yum!
• Rum Balls
  Made with mashed up chocolate cake - yummy!
• Homemade Chocolates
  Brilliant tutorial for making your own choccy collection.
• Recipe-Inspired Apron
  Transfer a whole handwritten recipe onto an apron for a unique design.

Homemade Bath Products

A top idea: You could make your own bath salts and soap and put them together with loofah and sponge to create a lovely gift set.

Decorative Gifts for the Home

• Surprise Postcard Wall Art
  Clever and thoughtful surprise for sending in the mail.
• DIY Customized Tableware
  From 101-woonideeen, one of the best DIY and interior magazines from the Netherlands at the moment.
• Bouquet of Posies
  Fun tissue-paper flowers.
• Artistic Plates
  Even kids can make great results with this idea.
• Mirrors & Photo Frames
  Huge list of DIY ideas for lovely and easy home décor gifts.
• Chalkboard Coasters
  Easy to make and would make a great hostess gift.
• Glass Storage Jars
  You could also etch glasses, bowls and other glass items.
• House Number Sign
  Using just nails and wood to make a unique sign.
• Customized Clock
  Personalize a clock by simply adding a photograph.
• Gold Clay Bowls
  Easy to make, but look really expensive.

Woodburned Snowflake Ornament

Presents To Make By Hand

• Procrastinator's Desk Tower
  Trendy geometric desk tower which is great for rearranging when you're bored.
• Inspiring Quote Block
  Lovely idea for someone who works at a desk, and very easy to make.
• DIY Apothecary Bottle
  Turn a glass jar into something special with a drawer-knob topper.
• Vintage Book Organizer
  A portable tech organizer for someone who likes to travel.
• A Gift For Your Pet Dog
  A recipe for making cute bone-shaped treats.
• Ribbon Rosette Awards
  You could change the text to "Number 1 Mum" or "Best Boyfriend," for example.
• Monogrammed Soap
  A lovely idea and very easy and cheap to do.
• Dough Handprints or Footprints
  A great homemade gift for kids to give to parents and grandparents.
• Mountaineer's Mug
  Fun novelty idea for a mug to give to a mountaineering mate.
• Geeky Mario Plant
  Chomper plant replica from Super Mario Bros. - fun idea!
• Personalized Hammered Spoons
  Lovely keepsake made with simple tools.

Clay Critters

Making your own little clay monsters and animals is a cute idea for a unique gift.

Here is more information on how to use and shape polymer clay.

Fun Things to Make for Kids

• Erupting Volcano Kit
  Perfect for dinosaur or science fans.
• DIY Stick Horses
  Adorable traditional gift that requires only simple sewing skills.
• Beanbag Target Game
  Cheap to make, and endless fun for children.
• Beach Pebble Traffic Set
  A game made from nature that encourages imaginative play.
• Lift-the-Flap Photo Book
  Great photography project.
• Coloring-In Book
  Create a fun and personalized picture book for kids.
• Kid's Puppet Theatre
  Flat puppet theatre for hanging in a doorway. For an imaginative kid.
• Kid's Fort Kit
  Perfect for letting kids make their own fun.
• Whittle a Wand
  Perfect for any Harry Potter fan.
• Sewn Pizza Toy
  Brilliant idea for children: a detailed hand-sewn pizza pack.

Betty Crocker Caramel Sauce

Homemade jams and sauces make a lovely gift. Here's the recipe for the caramel sauce shown in the photo. And here are recipes for occasions including Valentine's Day.

Homemade Gift Videos

Cool Present Ideas for Men

• Guinness-Pretzel Truffles
  Chocolate treats that are much more manly than the norm!
• Stamped Leather Tie Clip
  Personalize with a message or initials of your choice.
• DIY Luggage Tag
  Decorate with a cut-out appliqué shape of your choice.
• BBQ Sauce Pack
  Make your own BBQ rubs and sauces for the king of the grill.
• Leather-Wrapped Flask
  Add a rustic look to a plain hip flask.
• Masculine Candles
  Easy-to-make candles inside rustic containers.
• Manly Man Apron
  A kitchen apron for your favorite carnivore :)
• Knitted Golf-Club Covers
  Bright and cheerful gifts for golfers.
• Chevron Painted Tie
  Paint your own plain neck ties for something unique.

Domino Set

Further Things to Make for Guys

• Father's Day Shrinky Dinks
  Make charms for keyrings or tie clips using photos of your kids.
• Whisky Sugar Rocks
  Delicious whisky-flavored sugar to make perfect Irish coffee.
• Photography Gift From Children
  "I love Daddy" shadow photos.
• S'mores On-The-Go
  A fun gift for men who enjoy camping.
• Rubik's Cube Tissue Box Cover Tutorial - Dream a Little Bigger
  Love The Big Bang Theory? Make a Rubik's Cube tissue box very similar to the one seen on the popular TV show. A great and easy tutorial for some fun kitsch!
• DIY Pixellated Bow Tie
  Iron together plastic beads to make a very cool tie brooch.
• Cufflinks with Gold Leaf
  Classy cufflinks you can make easily from clay.
• Dual-Purpose Cutting Board
  Cut out a pine board and then add a line of chalkboard paint to allow you to add labels.
• Geometric Wine Stopper
  A modern gift made from wood.
• Manly Paracord Bracelet
  With side-release buckle.

Fabric Flower Bouquet

Handmade Birdies

Gifts for Her and Mother's Day Ideas

• Teacup Candles
  Very pretty and easy presents.
• 10 Best Gifts for Mum
  From drawings to oven mitts.
• Homemade Potpourri
  Lovely jars of scent with added dried flowers.
• Design-It-Yourself Umbrella
  Fun idea to get creative with permanent markers.
• Bird-House Key Hooks
  Such a pretty piece of home décor.
• Dotty Plate & Bowl Set
  Use porcelain markers to create professional polka dot designs.
• Seed Bombs
  A lovely idea for keen gardeners or nature lovers.
• Message Bots
  Little robot softies which you can put a secret message inside.

Kindle Case

Ideas for Him and Father's Day Inspiration

• Embroidered Tie
  Classy gift for men.
• Belt Rack
  Using just hooks and a wooden coat hanger.
• Fork Egg Cup
  Awesome looking egg cup made by recycling a fork.
• DIY Geek Tie
  Printed with lots of computer code.
• Birthday Pop Box Set
  Fab idea, especially for those with a sweet tooth!
• Dad Rocks!
  A clever idea to make realistic pebbles out of fudge.
• Monogrammed Cufflinks
  Perfect personalized gift for guys.
• Monogrammed Skewer Set
  Perfect for camping and BBQ enthusiasts.
• Golf Club Headcovers
  Make a custom golf accessory for a golfer in your life.

iPad Stand

Practical and Useful Items to Make

• Sofa Caddy
  Perfect for those who hog the remote control!
• Memo Board and Key Holder
  Using a chalkboard and hooks.
• Camera Sling
  Perfect for budding photographers.
• Camera Strap Cover
  Make using herringbone or other subtle fabrics for men.
• Felt iPad Sleeve
  Straightforward case for electronic gadgets, embellished with a doily.
• Hand-Printed Mousepad
  Print a custom message or picture on a plain mouse pad.

Homemade Chocolate Truffles

Homemade Bath and Body Products

• Tea Soap
  Make your own soap with cute packaging.
• Bath Bombs
  Classic recipe for making your own bath bombs.
• Bathtub Tea Bags
  A novel idea for a twist on regular bath products.
• Rose Body Lotion
  I think this lotion in a jar looks so lovely: great and simple presentation.
• Felted Soap
  Turn an ordinary gift of soap into something special.
• Homemade Hand Cream
  Make pretty paper labels to put on your containers too.

Plush Alphabet Set

Festive Treats, Gifts for Couples and Fun Games

• His and Hers Pillowcases
  Stencil pillowcases to make this cute present for a couple.
• Lumps of Coal
  Funny Christmas present made of marshmallows and Rice Crispies.
• Custom "Guess Who" Game
  Brilliantly creative and fun gift for family members.
• Quilted Tic-Tac-Toe
  Sweet little sewn game in a handmade pouch.
• Pebble Dominoes
  Paint pebbles to make your own domino set.
• Snowman Kit
  Fun gift for the winter season.
• Personalized Key Hanger
  You could make the little keyrings look like your recipient!
• Travel Tic-Tac-Toe
  Made with toys or pebbles, and complete with its own little travel bag.
• Custom Cluedo
  Re-making and personalizing a favorite board game is an amazing idea.
• Date-in-a-Box
  Give a date night all pre-planned for a lovey-dovey couple you know!

Painted Pebble Fridge Magnets

Please Leave a Comment!

Ahgel Waught on July 28, 2018:

Watching who you are at this wedding, a guest or the originator of the celebration. I think the most important thing in the pronunciation of speech is the sincerity of your wishes from the heart. Well, of course, competently to collect all in a heap. I'm sure this will be the best pronunciation of toast. You can choose your background music, that it would be romantic and touching. In general, view https://www.weddingforward.com/new-wedding-songs/ there are a lot of ideas

Sienna Aspen on November 19, 2015:

Great ideas!

dicto on January 12, 2015:

Thank you love your ideas

Amanda R on July 18, 2014:

Wow!!! What an amazing lens. I love all these ideas and can't wait to try some! Thank you!

mjalex on June 15, 2014:

Love this cannot wait to try them. I have been looking for something like this forever. Thanks!

teelover on February 18, 2014:

There are few ideas we will definitely use!

Rock Artist on February 16, 2014:

Nice informative and useful lens, thank you for sharing it with us! My passion is rock painting and I love to give them as gifts.

Mascheta on February 08, 2014:

Got to save this sight Excellent info!

John Huf on January 21, 2014:

i love getting handmade gifts. It's so much nicer to get something handmade than just simply bought,

johnsonbrown on January 11, 2014:

Great Lens! Thanks :)

Angela F from Seattle, WA on December 22, 2013:

I love being crafty and there's about 10 things here I can't wait to try. Thanks for all the new ideas!

ikeephouse on December 21, 2013:

I totally need to make a stone domino set. So Cute!!!

KobayashiFiction on December 19, 2013:

The handmade birdies are ADORABLE!!! I want to make them RIGHT NOW!

OliviaQ on December 13, 2013:

I love this gift idea, that very funny look and nice

Baddew Fibes on December 02, 2013:

Absolutely amazing collection of ideas - thanks!

leila22 on December 01, 2013:

i love it... i can use some for my friends presents .... it's pretty nice

tonyleather on November 28, 2013:

I was really taken with some of these ideas. Thanks!

marygriff on November 20, 2013:

well written and organized. thanks for sharing

chrisilouwho on November 18, 2013:

these are some really great ideas, thank you!

Jackowacko LM on November 18, 2013:

I simply love the idea with domino stones!. Great idea.

Merry Citarella from Oregon's Southern Coast on November 11, 2013:

Beautiful informative lens! thanks for sharing it.

tahirmahmood on November 09, 2013:

LOVE the lens!

Roscoe333 on November 04, 2013:

Love in your lense. B E A utifull

anonymous on October 31, 2013:

LOVE the lens!

pitlock on October 30, 2013:

great informative lens. I love getting new ideas to homemade gifts. I think it's the best way to give.

mel-kav on October 17, 2013:

I love - love - love this lens. Brilliant. I am bookmarking. Thanks for all the great ideas.

richardrose on October 11, 2013:

Fantastic information here. Great to actually make a gift for someone as it really gives the personal touch.

WendyArts on September 30, 2013:

Great, great lens. Thanks for putting together a wonderful resource. I will be back for ideas before the holidays this year. Years ago, I used to make almost all the gifts I gave...that's before family, when I was single.

hgb282 on September 30, 2013:

Lots of variety in gift ideas. I had to google "Christmas chutney". Fun video, nice festive background music.

Tami-Lynn from North Vancouver on September 26, 2013:

cool lense, love the birdies and the truffles!

tiff9321 on September 25, 2013:

Great ideas!!

mariacarbonara on September 19, 2013:

@Sojournstar Media: Agreed. I especially love the Ipad stand, its so simple but effective!

Angela Hobbs from The TARDIS on September 16, 2013:

great lens, added it to bookmarks

Kareen Liez from Philippines on September 14, 2013:

Great lens! So many lovely ideas for a gift. :)

anonymous on September 03, 2013:

wonderful ideas. men are especially difficult to make gifts that they will USE.

anonymous on September 02, 2013:

@Jerrad28: Wow, so many great ideas! What a treasure trove

www.seodmos.de/

Marcel White on August 29, 2013:

You are a talented person and one of your talents is to make things look easy to do. I'm considering trying some of your suggestions. Thanks!

jura on August 26, 2013:

This lens have a great ideas for gifts ,TX .

ireneporter on August 15, 2013:

I'm not as crafty as you are so mine probably won't look as good, but I might as well give it a shot.

mathew31 on August 13, 2013:

Excellent ideas, with a wide variety of different possibilities!

tonyaalves3 on August 12, 2013:

This year I will be making some homemade present due to lack of funds. Thanks for sharing your helpful lens idea

rattie lm on August 11, 2013:

Terrific - now all I need is time...

JaspinderKaur on August 11, 2013:

Nice lens. thanx for sharing.

socialcx1 on August 10, 2013:

Those chocolate truffles are killing me just to looking at them.

JHarbourn on August 08, 2013:

Ooo, I'm definitely into the Christmas chutney and the Kindle case! Great finds!

HughSmulders LM on August 06, 2013:

I guess that self-made presents are always of great importance, as they show how important the person who receives the gift is for the person who presents it.

winter aconite on August 04, 2013:

What a great informative lens. I've only given homemade presents occasionally (jams and chutneys) but after having read this lens I will definitely do it more often!

OILDALE1 on August 02, 2013:

Nice lens..pinned!!

mina009 on July 30, 2013:

Lots of wonderful ideas here!

ErikaV LM on July 30, 2013:<