diy best of: handmade gifts

Grace’s shopping-free gift guide really resonated with me, and I felt a surge of excitement at the prospect of actually following through on making all my gifts this year. I think handmade gifts have the potential to be loved and cherished far longer than any store-bought present. This is not to say that everyone wants a bar of homemade soap more than something they could really use or some boutique item they’ve been coveting all year. But if you’re stumped for ideas, and you’re about to reach for a blank gift card in a panic, consider setting aside a little time one weekend this month and making something instead. There are some amazingly simple projects in this roundup that would make great gifts; hopefully, something will strike your fancy. I’ve separated them into categories, but remember that if finding a super easy and/or cheap project is a higher priority, you can always use the search categories in our DIY section —materials, price, difficulty and technique — to find what you need. Happy hunting and making! — Kate Image above: When you’ve finished all of your DIY gifts, you can add the final touches with these quick, easy and pretty DIY giftwrap ideas from Amy Merrick. Read the full post after the jump! (more…)