What are your best budget-friendly and/or homemade gifts?

Gifts for anyone and everyone, gifts for a specific type of person… Gifts you can wrap, gifts that are more of a gesture… Gifts that last, gifts that get eaten right away… anything goes!

Question

What are your best budget-friendly and/or homemade gifts?

Gifts for anyone and everyone, gifts for a specific type of person… Gifts you can wrap, gifts that are more of a gesture… Gifts that last, gifts that get eaten right away… anything goes!

Paloma · Answer

Westmark Hermetus Cap Opener And Sealer: Very clever German bottle opener that can reseal the cap if you didn't finish your drink in one sitting!

Anthony · Answer

Make Your Friends/Family a Playlist: I did this one year for my friends cuz times are hard but not my love for them! Each friend got a 10-song playlist catered to them with no song ever overlapping on any other friend’s playlist (this added a bit more thought). I also designed the playlist cover for more personalization! Sent them the link on xmas and we’re still friends today!

Wine Guy · Answer

Desert Sandalwood Hand Soap: Yeehaw I'm A Sandalwood Cowboy

Amazon and DTC

This luxe sandalwood hand soap with tasteful notes of iris, vetiver, and cardamom will transport your nose to the most delightful version of the American Wild West—a gorgeous frontier fantasyland where the coyotes let you pet them and the cowboys are all horsegirls. Reminds me of Santal 33. Made with olive oil and aloe vera, it cleans effectively without drying out your hands.

Spines, Flicks, and Wax · Answer

Homemade Truffles: You can get really creative or stay simple with the recipe, rolling the truffles in cocoa powder or chopped pistachios for a pop of color.

You can also present them with pretty tissue paper, colorful mini-muffin wrappers, ribbons and cute boxes.

Makes a great homemade gift without breaking the bank!

Robin · Answer

ZINES: Make a zine!!! You can do it on a single page of printer paper, you can make it super colorful and fill it with stickers, it can be hand-written or done a computer.  The possibilities are ENDLESS.

This year I'm making a zine called "Things I learned from the group chat" that's basically a love letter/thank you note to my closest friends and all the wisdom they've given me.

If you want to make on on your computer Zineroo (https://zineroo.com/) or Snipzine (https://snipzine.com/) can help you plan it out!  This is a great guide with pictures https://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Zine.

Of all the gifts I've gotten, heartfelt notes have always been my favorite!  And this way you get to have the fun of flexing some creative muscles, too.

JaperMoon · Answer

Gifting Homemade Granola in a Big Glass Jar: Tie some ribbon on it, make a nice label listing the ingredients.

This is my go to recipe, i half the syrup and skip the brown sugar.

Rachael · Answer

Sunrise Coaster (TL Yarn Crafts): I love how these turned out and they were quick to make! I’d say they’re pretty beginner-friendly.

I think the type of yarn makes these more or less chic, depending on what you choose.

Nora Rev · Answer

Caitlin Pike’s Homemade Soap Recipe: Yes she’s my friend, but she’s THAT friend. Our text thread is called “true facts and opinions” because all of her opinions are the right ones. Her recipe for making homemade soap is so clear and easy to follow, and I’ve used it for years to make holiday soap for friends, family, and the retreat and residency artists we host at Folkist Space. For essential oil combos I’m currently into sweet orange and cedar or peppermint and fir. Enjoy!

Nora Rev · Answer

Caitlin Pike’s Homemade Candle Recipe: My friend wrote this article for Food 52 back in the day, and it’s become my best life hack. I LOVE having nice candles around, but the good ones cost a million dollars? Now I make a huge batch a couple times a year (mostly using recycled jars) and have a gift shelf locked and loaded for host gifts, birthdays, and welcome gifts for Folkist Space (our artist retreat & residency program in upstate NY.) People are obsessed with these! There is a bit of a startup cost, but it earns out very quickly.