The DIY paper flowers, made of paper and straws, that inspired this article. Photo by Abigail McKenna | THE ALL STATE
As the holiday season comes into full swing, many people are worried about buying their loved ones the perfect gift. If you are looking to gift something a little more personal or just can not afford to buy an expensive gift, here are five DIY gift ideas to try out.
- Mini record player
If your loved one is always listening to music or if you find yourself connecting songs to your relationship, then this gift idea is for you. Using a small box and some cardboard, you can put together one of these mini record players and customize it to your liking. You can make mini records of your loved one’s favorite artists or songs that remind you of them. Additionally, you can include a link to a playlist with more songs if you so choose. This gift leaves lots of room for interpretation and creativity so that you can create a personalized gift. A link to a tutorial can be found here.
- Custom playing cards
If you and your loved one can often be found immersed in a card game then this gift might be more suited to your tastes. With a cheap deck of playing cards and some photos, you can create a custom deck full of memories. Whether these photos are of you two together, things they enjoy or something else is up to you. Just carefully glue each photo onto a card and you have a simple and usable gift that people are sure to love.
- Five Senses gift bag
If you are looking for an easy combination of cheap items and customization, this gift is ideal. For this gift, buy (or make) five items, each one tailored to one of the five senses: touch, sight, smell, hearing and taste. This might include fuzzy socks for touch, a picture for sight, a candle for smell, a speaker for hearing and a snack for taste. If you want to take it a step further, you can wrap the gifts in paper or ribbon and label them. For example, you can put “Open this if you’re looking for something sweet.” Collect these items together and you have a fun and interactive experience for your loved one.
- Photo book
If you and your loved one are constantly taking pictures, then they might appreciate a gift like this. Just print out a bunch of photos and attach them to a small flipbook. You can purchase a book by itself or make one. You can also alter this into a miniature item. You can add silly or heartfelt captions, or draw shapes to make the book extra special. Perhaps you might focus on photos of the two of you together or photos of places you went together. Plus, you can include however many photos you wish. Whether that be a handful of photos or an endless collection, you have freedom in this gift.
- Paper flowers
Everyone loves receiving a bouquet and this is a way for them to last forever! From tiny roses to towering lilacs, there is an endless number of ways to make this gift. The easiest way is to twist a small piece of paper with the desired flower color, and then twist green paper around the bottom for a stem. However, this is not even close to the only way to do it. A tutorial on a couple more ideas can be found here.
