When it comes to DIY gift-giving, the options are endless. Not only can you personalize the gift to be right up your lover’s alley, but you can also tailor the gift to express the way you enjoy giving gifts. There are DIY gifts for all the love languages, not just “gift giving”!
These gifts don’t have to be just for special occasions. They’re affordable (or free) enough to show your love 365 days a year!
Homemade Pressed Flower Candles
Adding dried flowers to your candle-making process doesn’t only add an extra bit of love and care to your DIY gift, it’s also aesthetically pleasing. All you need is wax, a cotton candle wick, dried flowers, a glass jar/container/tea cup (whatever is safe and will hold wax!), a pencil, a wooden skewer and – if you wish – some essential oils.
You then melt the wax, add the dried flowers to the container, pour the wax into the container, add the wick and/or oils, wrap the wick in place, and let the wax cool. Check out Flora Queen’s steps for more details!
A jar/box/suitcase (you name it!) of love notes
What says “I love you” more than literally writing out the reasons you love someone? In all seriousness, this is my type of present. Yes, typically these presents are designated for an anniversary or marriage/partnership proposal. But, if you’re thinking of Christmas gift ideas, you could change “Happy 1 Year!” to “Merry Christmas!” and write Christmas memories that mean a lot to you and your partner.
Personalized gift box
If words/pictures aren’t your thing, but you still want to do something thoughtful, then ponder all the things your partner loves and add them to a decorated box. This gift definitely could get expensive but it doesn’t have to be. Unless your girlfriend has expensive taste — which throws most DIY gift ideas out the window anyway — you could put a few affordable gifts in a personalized box like this, just to show you know what she likes.
Homemade self care items
Apparently making bath bombs isn’t too hard! Why not make one (or more) for your girlfriend, featuring her favorite scents? All you need is baking soda, citric acid, epsom salt, cornstarch, coloring pigment, almond oil, essential oils, and bath bomb molds. For the detailed steps, check out Inspired By Charm’s guide to making bath bombs at home.
To make bath salts at home, all you need is epsom salt, sea salt, baking soda, essential oils, dried flowers (optional), and skin oil (optional). Elizabeth Rider has the full method/recipe on her website but, “In general, [she says] you’ll mix 3 cups of Epsom salt with about 1.5 cups of coarse sea salt and 1/2 cup baking soda, then add 15-20 drops of essential oils and mix. Store in a cool, dry place and use about 1/2 cup in each hot bath. Again, print the recipe below.
Drawing or photo theme
I’ve learned from compiling this list that there are DIY gifts for all skills, interests, and love languages. If you’re into words, like me, then writing a list of reasons you love your partner will be great. If you’re the kinaesthetic type — if you like showing love through the process of creating something with your hands — then make a candle or bath bomb. The “gift giver” can make a DIY gift box.
Finally, if you feel your love is best communicated through visual depictions of you and your partner, then you can incorporate that too. If you enjoy drawing, then you could draw pictures of your lover (and yourself). You could draw memories or reasons why you love her instead of writing them down. Alternatively, you could make photographs the focus or a cute addition to one of the other DIY gift ideas.
DIY gifts aren’t only thoughtful towards the receiver, there are endless ways you can personalize the way you enjoy giving gifts too!
