Creativebug If you feel short on time but still want to add the magic of handmade to your holiday, think small!
Just because a gift is handmade doesn’t mean that it has to take forever to make. That’s why we love stocking stuffers so much. They’re tiny and relatively quick but still so special because they’re created by you. Take some pressure off yourself and check out our selection of stocking stuffers to DIY.
Holiday Ornaments
Handmade ornaments are the perfect small gift. Everyone will be reminded of how much you care as they hang their ornaments each year.
Create a rustic fawn ornament using felt, simple embroidery and hand stitching. This sweet deer is wearing the coziest little scarf.
If you prefer to draw rather than stitch, make some doodled ornaments and gift toppers. This class uses traditional Fair Isle knitted sweaters as design inspiration, but you have a lot of freedom here to play with your own drawings and patterns.
For 25 different ornament ideas that each take less than 10 minutes and use simple craft supplies, check out our Daily Ornament Challenge. These projects are taught by Courtney, Liana, and Faith, and are inspired by their treasured holiday decorations from childhood.
Jewelry
The extra special part about making jewelry is that you can easily personalize your gift according to the taste and aesthetic of the person you’re making it for.
Try metal stamping and a zodiac necklace to match your favorite person’s astrological sign.
Some other small jewelry options are shrinky dink jewelry – super fun to make and a snap to customize – or a luxurious leather bracelet – which requires some specialized tools but is ultra chic and polished.
Bath & Body
Homemade bath & body products are high-quality, all-natural, and smell delicious.
Pop a bit of self-care into someone’s stocking and make herbal-infused body oils. You can incorporate your favorite dried florals and botanicals.
For a class that covers even more bath and beauty products, watch Homemade Apothecary. You’ll find instructions for deodorant, hair spray, lip balm, toner, and cleansing oils. You can get creative with your own labels, too!
Home Office
The home office is becoming more and more popular, so this is a great time to make something decorative and useful to liven up someone’s desk.
We love these fabric baskets. They work up super quickly, only require 2 pieces of fabric, and have endless organizational possibilities.
While this gem paperweight class is Valentine’s Day themed, it is still amazing for holiday gifts, since you can stamp any words you like and choose any colors. We do like that metallic paint for a festive touch.
For the journaler and/or list-maker, a DIY multi-paper sketchbook can be really meaningful. Add little notes and doodles on some of the pages as a surprise.
More Gift-Worthy Handmade Accessories
How cool are DIY fabric shoelaces? They don’t take much fabric to make and will delight loved ones of all ages. You’ll have a lot of fun selecting just the right prints and colors for everyone.
Hair accessories are also a fantastic way to use up your fabric scraps for unique gifts. This class includes three different projects: scrunchies, headbands, and bows. You don’t even need a sewing machine.
This macrame keychain is a great intro to macrame for you and a useful, beautiful piece of fiber art for the person receiving it.
And if you really need to keep it simple, make a handmade holiday card. These watercolor cards are especially meaningful when you add photos to your designs. You can also play with stitching on cards and incorporating different textiles on paper. If you’re fond of paper crafts and stamping, this “A Card a Day” class with Hero Arts is bursting with exciting ideas.
Take a deep breath and relax into your small-gift making. Even the tiniest touch of handmade will sprinkle your holidays with magic.