Need some cheap DIY gift ideas to make for Christmas, birthdays and other special occasions where you want to give something thoughtful but can’t spend a lot of money? With the holidays coming up sooner than it seems possible, creative and namely, inexpensive gift ideas are becoming very important to me, as my budget never fits my big, generous heart 😉 I have hundreds of people to give gifts to each year, and several super special ones for whom not just the average idea will do. I need something special for those people, but I hate to admit this, it also needs to be cheap. No one ever need know that you did not spend lots of money or even time on their gift.
With these 100 inexpensive DIY gifts that are cheap but cool, you are sure to find something amazing for all your awesome people. Complete with step by step photo tutorials, these are practically no fail crafts. With more ideas than you could possibly make, all you need is a few dollars and some time to hit the dollar store. You will soon have more DIY gifts on your hands than you know what to do with! Culled from my favorite ideas on Pinterest from only the best DIY bloggers, all of these projects come with step by step tutorials and instructions for making, just in time for your holiday gift-giving needs. However, these projects make great gifts all year round, so save this one to keep handy for all those last minute gifts you end up needing.
100 Cheap DIY Gift Ideas for Christmas and All Occasions
[social_warfare buttons=”Pinterest, Facebook”]
1. Deco Vases Made of Spice Jars
I had some guests coming from out of town and I wanted to make my table setting look extra special. The deco vases are a fantastic DIY upcycling project that only takes under an hour to complete. I always save my empty bottles for these kinds on DIY bolts of inspiration, and really you are free to use any size for this including wine bottles. I just spray painted them in coordinated colors in accordance with my kitchen and wrote beautiful phrases with gold sticky letters, my guests adored the extra effort I made to make them feel warm and surrounded by love and beauty. If you need a sweet Mother’s Day gift idea, this is a favorite. It is also a lovely inexpensive DIY gift idea for friends, neighbors and all sorts of others. This is a creative DIY Christmas gift idea to give to friends and family, too.
2. Faux Granite Coasters
itsalwaysautumn
I recently retiled my bathroom and had loads of tiles left over. I saw this idea on Pinterest and decided t was the perfect afternoon fun for the kids. My kids love DIY and I know they are being instilled with something that will last for future generations. The kids can scribble on a tile, add alcohol to blend the ink, and then burn off the alcohol to reveal a gorgeous design. If you keep a little more alcohol in a spritz bottle, you can turn those designs into something that looks like a pretty colored granite with one more step. Afterward, we applied a clear glaze and felt discs to the underside so they would not scratch the table. We now have our teacher’s gifts all lined up, we can’t wait till Christmas. For DIY Christmas gifts that are sure to be loved, try making these quick faux granite coasters.
[social_warfare buttons=”facebook, pinterest, twitter, whatsapp, email”]
Easy DIY Nail Polish Paintings
Learn how to make quick works of art, no artistic skills required. All you need is nail polish, water and a blank canvas. Check out the video to learn how to make some for yourself. DIY wall art ideas always make a thoughtful gift, because people remember who made it for them when they see it on the wall in their room.
4. DIY Gold Mouse Pad
My Sister In Law got a new job as a data entry clerk and was having a small victory celebration. So what do you do at the last minute for a gift with a limited budget? It is so simple to get a hold of a black mouse pad and make a geometric design with some painters tape and then give it a couple of coats of Rustoleum and peel off your strips. The end results were so stunning, it was the best gift of the party, and when I told our friends it was a DIY craft, they all applauded and hailed me a genius. If you need a fun DIY gift idea for teens, we love this awesome do it yourself mousepad. Cheap DIY gifts don’t have to look inexpensive, and this cool craft idea proves it.
Easy DIY Fabric Covered Pots
Learn how to make these fun and easy decoupage pots using only scrap fabric. Check out our latest video tutorial on Youtube to learn how. Perfect cheap idea to make and sell, but these cute and crafty pots also make super homemade gifts.
5. Scalloped Sunglasses Case
If you are hobby sewing or a qualified seamstress, these DIY glasses cases are perfect for a spur of the moment gift. It works wonderfully with old fabric scraps which are in abundance in my house, so its truly a making the most of what you have DIY project. I made a bunch for all my kids teachers, and I can’t begin to describe the joy in my heart when I saw their faces lit up with gratitude. For a cheap DIY gift idea that you can sew in no time at all, try making these super stylish sunglasses cases to give as Christmas gift ideas for family and friends.
6. DIY Ombre Kitchen Utensils
I really needed a quick gift for one extra guest this Christmas and I live in the country and had no time to drive to town and shop. So I had some bamboo utensils that had never been used and I decided to do a DIY craft paint job on the handles in an ombre style. I just used a Martha Stewart favorite 1950s kitchen color scheme and tied them together with a raffia bow. Instant success is what this DIY craft is, the unexpected guest felt very loved and welcome, which is the way I want everyone to feel. If you have people on your Christmas gift list who love to spend time cooking, these pretty DIY kitchen utensils should make them happy when they open their present. I love to keep these on hand in case I need them for last minute birthday gifts, too.
7. How to Make Teacup Candles
Candle making is a great way to add functional DIY home decor to your home. Homemade candles also make fantastic DIY gifts that match any room decor. These vintage teacups can be upcycled into these DIY crafts in under an hour. I melted some beeswax which is super healthy and added wicks and wax to these teacups. They are so adorable and also very safe with their saucers firmly in place underneath.
8. DIY Jewelry Sequin Bracelet
A teen dream becomes a reality with sequins, my Daughter loves sequins on just about anything and everything. I save spools of sequined trim I find in thrift stores, craft stores, fabric stores and even stuffed in places you would never think to look. We never know when the next slumber party is going to turn into a DIY crafts festival. We like to use E 6000 glue because it does not melt the sequins. There is a tutorial here to attach the sequins to bangle bracelets but you can attach a row of sequins to anything for instant glamour.
9. Stenciled Tile Magnets
Refrigerator magnets are a perfect idea for an inexpensive DIY Christmas gift idea, you just need a few supplies from the craft store and a limitless imagination. Starting with inexpensive small ceramic tiles (can be purchased in home improvement stores) get Disc magnets, Multi-surface acrylic craft paint (I used Martha Stewart satin acrylic craft paint in Blue Calico), Martha Stewart Fair Isle Dots adhesive stencils, foam brushes, and heavy-duty adhesive (such as E-6000). Follow the step by step tutorial and this gift will not disappoint and is sure to please the recipient.
11. DIY Laced Cement Votive
Sometimes the most simple craft ideas turn out to be my favorites, and these cement votives definitely fall into that category. Don’t let the idea of cement crafts be a daunting one. The toughest part is going out to get that bag of cement from the hardware store, although I am sure Amazon will be happy to send one your way. Learn how to make these candle holders out of cement for a low cost gift giving idea any time of year.
19. DIY Multi Strand Scarf
Need a cheap gift to give her for birthday, anniversary, thank you, Mother’s Day, Christmas or pretty much any other special occasion? This multi strand scarf is a gift to make that looks expensive but actually is not at all. Choose your color and get busy making one if these DIY fashion ideas for Mom, sister, wife or girlfriend, friend. I had to make one of these scarves for myself first, and I always get compliments on it.
20. DIY Hand-Stamped Vintage Wooden Clothespins
Thoughtful, cheap and creative is the way to go when you need a holiday gift idea that impresses with the time you put into, not the amount of money you spent on it. Learn how to make this inexpensive craft idea for Christmas presents to give to Mom and Dad, sister or brother, friends, family, neighbors, coworkers or employees. You will have fun making these, too. Love this idea for teens to make and sell, at least my daughter does! She is busy making lots.
21. Upcycled Light Bulb Mini Planter
A burnt out bulb looks like trash until you take the metal end off and hang it up with a tiny plant inside. I keep one over my kitchen sink and visitors always ask where I bought it. Nowhere is the answer. My tutorial shows you the whole thing.
24. DIY Macramé Hanging Planter
classyclutter
31. Decoupage Vase
Napkins and glue are the entire supply list here, which still surprises me given how the finished piece looks. I started with a plain jar from the dollar store and ended up with something I would happily hand over as a gift. Pocket change, genuinely. Here is my walkthrough.
35. DIY Photo Bookmarks
Readers are hard to buy for because they already own the books. A bookmark with a photo on it solves that neatly, and it costs almost nothing to put together. I make a stack of these at a time. My step by step is here.
40. Silhouettes In Under 30 Minutes
apartmenttherapy
41. Air Dry Clay Jewelry Tray
I wanted a little dish for rings by the sink and could not find one I liked at a price I liked. Air dry clay gave me exactly what I was after, shaped by hand in an evening, and it looks nothing like a budget project. Here is how I made mine.
42. Colorful Chalkboard Calendar
hawthorneandmain
58. Book Lamp
theshabbycreekcottage
72. Easy Macrame Bracelet
Embroidery floss and a couple of knots is all that stands between you and a stack of these. I made my first one because they kept turning up on my feed, and now I make them for friends whenever I need a small gift. Under a dollar each. My beginner guide is here.
73. DIY Garden Markers
witandwhistle
75. DIY Mini Notebooks
My paper scrap pile had reached a point of no return, so these little notebooks were basically self defense. They work as stocking stuffers, party favors or a small desk gift, and they cost pennies to make. Come see how I put them together.
76. Hot Glue Photo Frame Magnets
These might be the cutest magnets I have ever made at home. Hot glue sets into a little frame around a photo, and it ends up on the fridge where everybody sees it. I made a batch of them when I needed a gift in a hurry. My tutorial is right here.
81. Citrus Print Tea Towels
I went out for new tea towels, then remembered the stack of plain white ones I already had at home, and the crafter in me took over. Stamped citrus prints turned them into something bright and kitchen ready. Cheap and completely customizable. Here is my method.
85. Balloon Luminaries
candletech
92. Felt Fruit Coasters
There is no sewing at all in these, which feels almost like cheating given how cute they turn out. Felt sheets, scissors and glue get you a full set in under an hour, with no thread and no needles anywhere in sight. I love giving them as a set. My instructions are waiting.
94. DIY Monogram Chalk Slate
maisondepax
97. DIY Trinket Dishes
98. Easy DIY Hair Bow Elastics
99. Decorative Wire Vase DIY
