Sure, we can take a break from all the Christmas talk. If you’re disappointed by that, there’s still next week with more of that stuff! Let’s keep it chill today.
This weekend is the annual holiday party with my friends and it’s so stinking fun because we do a white elephant exchange and the gifts are generally hilarious. The best from last year was a Pop-Tart maker. WHO NEEDS THAT? I laughed harder than anyone else about it. We also make a lot of good food. I’m going to try my hand at truffle mac n cheese, wish me luck.
I said this wasn’t going to be Christmas talk and here I am talking about it. Oops. Well none of the links today are related to Christmas (ok only one is, let that one slide)! Just some good reads and pretty finds. Enjoy!
He can be kind of hard to shop for, huh? So for this gift guide, I went mostly with items my guy already has and loves then had him approve this list, so in a sense this is in collab with him, ha! Coming from a guy who appreciates practical things and generally chooses function over being trendy, you might find something here your guy will love too.
1. Wireless headphones– For the gym, and he said he prefers having the ear cuffs because they hold the buds in better.
2. Slim phone case wallet– I got him something like this a couple years ago, said he loved it, then broke it almost immediately, and he hasn’t stopped talking about how useful it was and how much he wants another one since. I should really get him one!
3. Shaving cream– This shaving cream is SO good that I use it too. Doesn’t foam but makes the razor glide and keeps the skin soft.
4. Bluetooth portable speaker– Had this for a while and it changed our lives. We use this almost everyday while we cook and I’ll usually use it during the day to listen to podcasts.
5. Pocket knife– He insisted he’d have this on him all the time and do cool things like cut an apple and eat the slice directly from the knife, but I only see him use it to open his mail, and guys… it brings him so much joy. I can undeniably see it in his face every time.
6. Comb– Handmade, good weight, and feels really good to hold. He started using this everyday once he heard it’s best for curly hair.
7. E-reader– A must for the book lover. He reads from it every night and always takes it with him for travel.
8. Thermos– This thing is no joke. Keeps coffee or tea hot forever, and he likes to use it on a lazy Sunday to keep refilling his cup all day.
9. Briefcase– It’s a splurge, but for someone who has to carry a laptop to and from work and travels a lot, this thing is pretty cool. A million compartments but still really sleek.
10. Shoe horn– Remember shoe horns?? They are very underrated. He likes to use them for his dress shoes, but we basically use them for every shoe because it’s so convenient.
11. Aeropress– Perfect if he’s into making his own coffee and likes coffee gadgets. He makes us coffee with this every Sunday.
We’re going back to an old and frequently told story around here: I saw something kind of like these while I was out holiday shopping and wanted to make them with my own simple and minimal touch. I made each tree hang one ornament and I love that I can focus on the simplicity of each one. It would also definitely be very cute to hang greens from the hooks (mistletoe??)
I dig the idea of making a big one as a Christmas tree alternative, or making a trio like this for my pretend fireplace mantel. This DIY screams mantel styling.
Glue the wood in a triangle shape like so, dabbing the glue at each corner. Let it sit and dry before sawing off the excess ends. Sand down any rough edges.
Cut the 3″ balsa wood to about 3/4 the length of the base of the triangle and sand off the rough edge. Apply a line of glue down the center of the wood, then press the base of the triangle on top of it.
On the back side of the top corner of the triangle, glue on the picture frame hook. Let it dry before hanging the ornament from it.
The wood can absolutely be painted, but I prefer the way it looks naked. I picked balsa mostly because it’s easy to cut, but I also appreciate the light weight. As long as these are used the way they’re meant to be used and not as footballs or something, they’ll be more than fine!
This might be my favorite Christmas craft so far. They definitely have the potential to be styled through the seasons as decorative objets or display for anything else that can be hung: jewelry, a hanging thing, help me with this list guys I know I’m missing more things ha! Can you see any other uses for these?
We are still early on enough where you can make gifts this year at a leisurely pace while plopped down with a cup of hot cocoa and watching Elf as you craft. Handmade gifts are always special, and a good option to go with for that person who has everything and insists that they want nothing. Make it with love and it will always be appreciated! See if you’d like to try any of these ideas, or are inspired to do something with your own twist.
Will you be making some or all of your gifts this year? Let me know if you’re feeling any of these, or what other ideas you have planned for handmade gifting this year!
The traveler, on-the-go, or generally busy person, will appreciate a gift with function or one that provides simple joys for a quiet moment during transit or rest in their room. Overall though, I find these gift ideas nifty and potentially enjoyed by most anyone. Some really cool and useful stuff here that hopefully helps alleviate some of your stress for finding a great gift!
1. Backpack– This bag is seriously amazing. It’s so conveniently compartmentalized, including a pocket for a laptop, without being bulky. I have the leather one but I love this grey one, too.
2. Passport wallet– Sleek and minimal, and has the option to fit an iPhone. My guy travels regularly for work and said he wanted this, so that takes care of him!
3. Mobile printer– They’ll probably be taking a lot of pictures on their phone, which they can print directly from this printer. Especially great for someone that likes to scrapbook their travels.
4. Mobile charger– A portable phone charger is generally really useful, and this one has a ton of power for how compact it is. For something less hardcore and even more compact to about the size of a lipstick, this one would be a good option.
5. Earphones– Rose gold and white: GORGEOUS. Sudio sent me a pair to try out and they fit so comfortably (bye iPhone earphones) and have great sound. 15% off with code “homeyohmy15”, free shipping worldwide.
6. Pouch– A simple pouch to act is a dopp kit or makeup bag.
7. Carry-on cocktail kit– So adorable and fun. This one is a mini kit with all the materials to make a moscow mule up in the air. It even includes a linen coaster- aah!
8. Cord organizer– Having cords neatly organized and untangled makes us all happy.
9. Toiletries– Super nice travel-sized toiletries for the traveler you want to pamper.
10. Travel wallet– Holds a passport and also has more room for regular wallet functions and can be carried as a clutch (one less thing to pack).
11. Face mask– On that previous note about pampering, face masks are something they maybe wouldn’t get for themselves but would probably love and appreciate traveling with, or to use for refreshing the skin after they get back.
It isn’t really the last minute yet, and I would generally say that if you’re frantic for a last minute gift, DIY maybe isn’t the best way to go, but the idea behind today’s post is that these gift ideas are so simple to make that you can knock out a million of them at a time to hand out to every person you know- that’s helpful! On top of that, while these gift ideas are ordinary items, they suddenly become extraordinary when you’ve made and packaged them yourself. In that sense, these are all excellent for that quick-but-still-awesome-handmade-gift you might find yourself searching for, which was the prompt for this month’s Michaels Makers challenge centered around creative ideas to help with holiday stressors.
So yes, it’s a very exciting post today, and for me this has a lot to do with how it’s the first time I’m making these items after years of wanting to. We’re essentially crossing off bucket list items, guys. I know a lot of you have these on your list too and I promise, they’re easy. PLUS, your home will smell really, really good.
DIY Soy Candles
The one thing that’s really going to make these special is the container. Something reusable once the candle burns out will double as a long-lasting and extra beautiful gift.
Materials (everything purchased from Michaels unless otherwise noted/linked): –container
-soy wax flakes
-candle pitcher
-essential oil (I used Sandalwood and it smells amazing)
–wicks with clips
-wick centering tool
-hot glue gun
-scissors
Step 1: Apply a small dab of hot glue at the bottom of the wick clip and stick it on to the bottom of the container. Use the wick centering tool to center the wick and hold it in place.
Step 2: Pour soy wax flakes into the candle pitcher and heat on stove top until melted. I used 5-6 cups for one candle. (Question- can this be done in the microwave? I tried microwaving the flakes in a mason jar in 30 second intervals, stirring in between, and yes, it works, but it’s harder to monitor the temperature this way. We don’t want the wax to get too hot. Be careful and use mitts when handling.)
Step 3: Once melted, let the wax cool for at least 15 minutes or until it just starts to thicken. (I poured my wax while it was still too hot and it warped and melted the wick and re-melted the hot glue below the wick so it detached from the bottom of the container and had weird cracks in it when it cooled. So, wait for it to cool!)
Step 4: Stir the essential oil into the wax. I used about 30 drops for one candle.
Step 5: Once wax has cooled, pour it into the container. Let the wax harden completely before cutting off the excess wick.
DIY Soap
You can make soap in any scent or color you’d like, though I didn’t use any color dyes for mine. I chose lavender initially because once I saw the little bag of lavender pieces at Michaels, I thought it would look beautiful sprinkled into the soap. It’s also one of my favorite scents ever hey hey.
Materials: –shea butter soap
–soap mold
-lavender essential oil
-lavender
–soap stirrers
-heat safe container for melting soap (I used a small mason jar)
Step 1: Cut the soap into blocks and place into the heat safe container. I did four blocks at a time which makes about one bar of soap. I’ll explain why soon.
Step 2: Sprinkle a bit of lavender into each soap mold
Step 3: Microwave the soap for 30 seconds on high, then remove and stir the mixture. Continue heating the mixture in 10 second intervals with stirring in between, making sure not to overheat it or it WILL boil over (this is not a folk tale, it happened to me). It’s much easier to monitor this in small portions than it is to do one giant batch, which is why I recommend heating the amount of one bar of soap at a time.
Step 4: Stir in the lavender essential oil. I added about 15 drops per bar of soap.
Step 5: Let the soap cool a bit (less than 5 minutes) before pouring into the mold, or else if it’s too hot it will melt and warp the mold (why yes, this did happen to me). Be careful not to let it cool to the point where it thickens. You still want it to be a liquid texture so that it pours into the mold evenly.
Step 6: Let the soap cool for at least 40 minutes before popping them out of the mold.
Bonus: Wrap each soap in kraft paper and string to make them extra adorable.
DIY Lip Balm
This is the easiest one of them all and like the others, super customizable in terms of scent/flavor. Because the packaging is smaller, it really is possible to pump out a large number of these in no time.
Materials:
-beeswax
-cheese grater (if your beeswax isn’t already in flakes)
-coconut oil
–essential oil (I used lemon)
-small containers
-mason jar/glass jar
Step 1: Grate the beeswax if it isn’t already in flakes/pellets.
Step 2: Add a 1:1 ratio of beeswax and coconut oil to your glass jar (I worked with 8 tbsp each at a time)
Step 3: Microwave the mixture in 20-30 second intervals until completely melted but not boiling.
Step 4: Stir in essential oil. I added about 15 drops.
Step 5: Pour into small containers and let cool at least overnight.
I really did make a million of everything, and it was a ton of fun pretending I was a soap/candle/lip balm factory for an afternoon. Last minute or not, any of these ideas are going to charm the recipient when you tell them you made it with love yourself.
Have you made any of these before? Any recipes/tips/tweaks you can recommend?
For more holiday hack topics and the unique ideas all of the makers came up with, check out the Michaels’ blog, The Glue String.
Cut the 3″ balsa wood to about 3/4 the length of the base of the triangle and sand off the rough edge. Apply a line of glue down the center of the wood, then press the base of the triangle on top of it.
We are still early on enough where you can make gifts this year at a leisurely pace while plopped down with a cup of hot cocoa and watching Elf as you craft. Handmade gifts are always special, and a good option to go with for that person who has everything and insists that they want nothing. Make it with love and it will always be appreciated! See if you’d like to try any of these ideas, or are inspired to do something with your own twist.
Take care of the dogs too with these 
The one thing that’s really going to make these special is the container. Something reusable once the candle burns out will double as a long-lasting and extra beautiful gift.
You can make soap in any scent or color you’d like, though I didn’t use any color dyes for mine. I chose lavender initially because once I saw the little bag of lavender pieces at Michaels, I thought it would look beautiful sprinkled into the soap. It’s also one of my favorite scents ever hey hey.
