Alright fellow makers, it’s the last weekend you have to make all those last-minute holiday gifts for your friends and family. But you still have no idea what to make. We’re pleased to tell you, that’s why we exist!
We’ve combed through our archive of projects and come up with 35 awesome options that cost less than $15 to create. A lot of them even cost less than $5, assuming you have a glue gun. You do have a glue gun, right? ;)
1. Painted Stone Rings: First up, this bold DIY project will show you how to turn stones and pebbles into colorful statement rings. All you need is paint pens, a ring pad, and the right glue!
2. Mirror Tile Necklace: One of our most recent projects for sparkling up the holidays, this project takes less than 15 minutes, making it as fast as it is affordable.
3. Photo Flipbook: Got 20-40 images from a photo booth with your best friends? Turn those tripod-tastic pics into an easy peasy DIY flipbook.
4. Triangular Wall Caddy: For a friend that needs to get their life organized (and/or someone who can’t help but collect lots of little colorful things), create this triangular storage system that doubles as wall art.
5. Gold Feather Earrings: Don’t you know, the bird is the word? Or… the bird feather in leather gold-dipped form is the word? Either way, these are quick, chic, and New Year’s Eve-ready.
6. Geometric Bangles: You’ll have to hit up a hardware store to find the right tubing or metal sticks to create these, but other than that you can totally freestyle your shapes, color choices, and quantity.
7. Chalkboard Cheese Board: In the end, everyone could use an extra cheese plate. Trick yours out by painting with chalkboard paint so the giftee can label all their favorite cheeses. This would also make an awesome hostess gift.
8. Roll-Up Cord Organizer: The more cords, the more mess in your purse, suitcase, backpack, or tote. So organize ’em up in this vinyl roll-up organizer.
9. Geode Statement Jewelry: Remember playing with Sculpey and making beads when you were younger? Well, polymer clay is back in a big way, and these geodes are a cinch to replicate.
10. Rhinestone Hoops: Hoop, there it is! Wrap rhinestone chain (or a repurposed rhinestone bracelet from a place like Icing or Claire’s) around hoops using embroidery floss for a sparkly textured pair of earrings.
11. Patterned Sharpie Ceramics: Lines, lines, and more lines. That’s the “design” when it comes to patterning up your own Sharpie ceramics.
12. Beaded Vintage-Style Cuff: You know we love to trick out something that already exists, especially when it’s inexpensive. We picked this cuff up for $5 and adorned it with flat back beads from a local bead store.
13. Red Doily Statement Necklace: How sweet are these mini doilies? Use jump rings and chain to turn them into a statement necklace. This would also be a sweet Valentine’s Day present.
14. Colorful Cork Coasters: Bookmark this for the hostess with the mostest! Choose any color palette, grab your painter’s tape, and you’re halfway there.
15. Striped Wool Pencil Pots: Another one for folks who need a little love in the organization department — this project does require a sewing machine but takes a matter of minutes to create.
17. Colorful Rope Bracelets: What’s that now? More rope?! Why yes, and this time, we’re turning it into a stack of hot neon bracelets.
19. Studded Stacking Bangles: Another set of stackers, we turned a super inexpensive set of bangles from Forever 21 into more refined bracelets. How did we do it? Studs!
20. Tubular Statement Necklaces: Top secret awesomeness about this necklace: If you wear it on New Year’s and forget to pack confetti (yes, we pack confetti around here), you can totally pop one of these open and you’re good to go.
21. Purple and Green Dyed Totes: We know, we know — you have enough totes! But, do your friends have ones painstakingly hand-painted by you with designs that suit them personally? Not yet ;)
22. Snappy Photo Totes: Or you can go the nostalgic route on the tote front and turn photos into iron-ons.
23. Homemade Face Scrubs: Pamper the ladies in your life with this quintet of scrubs, all made to enhance your skin in different ways.
24. Colorful Wooden Magnets: Those free magnets from your sister’s boyfriend’s favorite pizza place are not exactly the best complement to all the wedding invites and save the dates that keep showing up. Upgrade your friend or family member’s fridge with these wooden magnets.
25. Snow Globes: Go full-on holiday and create a glitter snow globe (or five!) this year. It’s a great token gift for folks who aren’t doing a major gift exchange.
28. Nail String Art: We’ll always come back to this now-old favorite because you can do it with materials that are easy to find, and you can create just about any design you like.
29. Cotton Tassel Earrings: Head to H&M or Forever 21, grab a pair of gold dangly earrings, and simply use embroidery floss to create and add tassels! It’s as simple as that.
30. Wine Stoppers That Rock: Yo, this party… ROCKS! These are the ultimate hostess gifts, especially when paired with a bottle of wine.
31. Gold iPhone Case: Turn your back porch into an iPhone case factory with gold spray paint, spray shellac, and these iPhone cases.
32. Sugar Lip Scrubs: Another option for folks you want to pamper, these taste as good as they make your lips feel!
33. Gilded Polar Bear Bookends: The one caveat with this one is that you definitely need access to a wood shop. But once you’re there, the materials and how-to are totally doable.
35. Floppy Disk Planters: And finally for the geeks in your life, turn old floppy disks into planters. How fun is that?
