I don’t know about you guys, but Valentines Day has always been one of my favorite holidays. Prior to dating Jonas, I always enjoyed celebrating love and friendship. It was always a time for me to be creative and think about ways to show my friends and family I cared about them.
Even now, I still enjoy the idea of a dedicated day to show someone they are cared for and important. Still, as the years go by, I have a harder and harder time coming up with ways to surprise my loved ones. Personally, I like making gifts. Creating items and designing them offers a nice outlet and at the end of it you can see all the thought that went into it.
In honor of both Valentines day quickly approaching and my desire to be a little creative, I have compiled a list of five different DIY gifts for your friends, partner, or other loved ones. These gifts are all easy to make, require minimal prep, and are budget friendly. I hope you find something enjoyable in them or maybe something you want to try. So let’s get creating!
Book Lovers Gift Basket
This one is fairly easy to put together and customizable to fit the receiver. I personally have enjoyed gifts of this sort. The idea behind it is to provide entertainment, a snack or treat, something of comfort, and other bits and pieces.
Supplies
A basket (could be wicker, a tub, even a pot or planter)
A book (or perhaps a movie, sketchbook, or journal)
Snacks (something salty, sweet, savory)
A beverage (coffee, tea, wine, etc.)
Bits and pieces (bookmarks, pens/markers, stickers, mugs/cups, or any other thing your receiver may enjoy)
Filling (tissue paper, confetti, small blanket)
A card (arguably the most important piece to any Valentines gift, a card to show your love and car)
Steps
Honestly, this DIY is the simplest. Assort your items in any way you see fit. For me that means organizing the book so it is visible, putting the tea or coffee beans in the mug, arranging the snacks so they are up front. Overall, have fun with this!
Book Quote Wall Hanging
You may need some creative handwriting, or even access to a printer, for this one. The idea behind this is very simple and sweet. Compile a list of you favoirte love/relationship quotes onto a single sheet of paper. If you are doing this on a computer and having it printed out, make sure you select a font that will print clearly. If you want it to be larger than a typical paper sheet, you can have poster sizes printed at most office supply stores!
Supplies
Paper (I used a stiffer paper since I plan on hanging this up)
A pen you find easy to write with
Your favorite quotes
Frame (optional)
Steps
There are two ways to do this. One way is to write freely and consecutively, meaning each quote follows each other. The other way is to have one line for each quote. It is up to you and the aesthetic you are going for. I went for consecutive quotes because, I feel it fits my maximalist style.
Make sure your pen or writing supply has enough ink and get writing. Take your time on this. Take breaks. We want the writing to be the same throughout. Writing with a tired hand may make the writing less clear or change your handwriting. So take your time!
Once you have the page filled, you can either frame it or leave it as is. I left it as is and I’m waiting on a frameless poster holder.
Homemade Bookmarks
Similar to our wall hanging, homemade bookmarks can take a simple item and add just a little more meaning. The key to a good bookmark is sturdy paper. Once you have sturdy paper, it is up to you to get creative. I will walk you through one of my favorite ways to make a bookmark, but remember to make something your receiver likes. Be creative and they will love the results.
Supplies
Cardstock (multiple colors)
Glue (I typically used double sided scrapbooking tape, but I used modpodge this time)
Scissors
Ruler
Yarn (optional)
Steps
- I like to start off by measuring my bookmark. You can make it any size. I go for 2inx6in.
- Make your decals. I wanted Valentine theme, so I cut out hearts of varying sizes.
- Arrange your decals. Don’t put too much thought into this. I wanted mine to look similar to confetti so I made sure my hearts were overlapping and angled in all directions.
- Glue them on.
- Add your tassel. To do this you can use a hole punch or delicately make a cut through the top of your bookmark. Slip the middle of your yarn through the hole and pull halfway through. Insert the ends of your yarn through the loop and pull tight. This will make fringe and you can trim down if you see necessary. Once again, this is optional.
Book Tote
All avid readers need a bag to carry things. So, why not make the bag bookish. This can be done very easily. You can make this as simple or complex as you wish. The majority of the supplies can be found at a dollar store as well. You’ll want to pick a short quote or even just a word.
Supplies
Canvas tote
Fabric paint of any color contrasting the tote
Letter stencils
Sponge brush
Cardboard
Detail brushes (optional)
Steps
- Insert a slip of cardboard into the tote (this is going to be a barrier in case our paint bleeds through)
- Carefully align your stencils and dab paint to fill the letter. This is going to take time. Be patient. Use your detail brush to clean up any paint that may have escaped the stencil.
- You can add details and designs if you wish or leave it as just the quote/word.
- Wait for the paint to dry. Once you have applied your paint you can remove the cardboard.
Book Bouquet
This may receive mixed reviews. For this one I must leave a disclaimer, we will be removing pages from a book. Therefore, make sure this is not an important book to you or the receiver. Better yet, use a damaged book. Perhaps you had a dog or a kid enjoy a book a little too much. We will be upcycling the remaining pages. I find this tutorial more thorough and easy to follow. So if you are struggling with this DIY check this one out!
Supplies
One book
Hot glue
Scissors
Floral wire or sticks
Steps
Each rose will be one page
- Cut the page into a circle/oval shape. The larger the circle means the larger the rose.
- Cut a spiral into the page starting that the end. The end will be the thinnest and the center of the rose. As you continue the spiral, let the strip get larger as this will be the petals moving out. In the center the page leave a tab, this will be for the base do the rose.
- Roll the strip. You will want the center to be the tightest so hold it firmly. Once your strip is fully rolled, you can loosen the rose by letting you grip release slightly. Be sure to not fully release your grip. Then use a dab of hot glue on the tab we left and place the bottom of our spiral. Hold till dry (should only be a few seconds with hot glue)
- Repeat this as many times. You can layer your papers for fuller roses.
- Glue flowers to sticks or floral wire.
- Arrange as desired.
I hope you found a DIY gift to suit you, or at least an idea to grow from. Creating things should be fun and stress relieving, so if you find yourself stressed, take a step back and try again. If you have any suggestions or questions, feel free to leave them in the comments.
As always, happy reading.