DIY Holiday Gifts

Christmas is a week from today! Are you ready? I have a few little projects left to finish before the shipping deadline on Thursday. I know - right under the wire! I was determined to be totally prepared for the holiday season this year, but it snuck up on me again. If you're scrambling for some last minute gift ideas that have a little personality, here are some easy (and usually inexpensive) DIY ideas from LGN days of yore.

1. Channel your inner artist and color a canvas notebook (or have your kids make them for grandparents).

2. Cover a lampshade in pretty fabric to top off a thrift store lamp. Your little sister will be in heaven.

3. Spray paint plastic animals to make custom bookends for your best girlfriend.

4. Make dozen of these leather tassel keychains in an hour for your favorite co-workers. The tassels are so easy to do and they look like a million bucks!

5. Find a vintage bench on craigslist and cover it in a fun new fabric. A super simple project that requires only a few hours and not a ton of money, but comes with a big pay-off. (I'd probably go with something a little on the smaller side, and then you can go really crazy with the fabric!)

6. Make a little match cup with the strike paper glued to the bottom.

7. Spend $4 blowing up the image of your choice in black and white (maybe your parent's wedding photo? Or a portrait of a special relative?). I mounted my print on foam core board and painted the sides bright orange.

8. I call these my ten-minute pillows. If you know how to sew a straight line, you can make a pair of pillows for your friend.

9. Decoupage a dollar-store trash bin with a pretty marbleized paper. It's too late to order the paper online now, but stationary stores carry these a lot of times (I know Paper Source has tons). If you're in a pinch, look for scrapbook or wrapping paper in a special pattern.

10. Paint an ombre effect on a pretty basket and fill it with a new throw for your mother-in-law.

11. Whip up a couple of these quick, easy-sew dolls for your kids. My girls are still sleeping with theirs and they've held up really well after all these years.

12. Monogram a coin purse using freezer paper and add a tassel (from above) while you're at it.

13. I inherited a bunch of buttons from my grandmothers so I sewed them onto a piece of linen and framed the fabric. Something like this would be great to give to moms. If you only have a few buttons, try something like this look. 

Here's hoping we all get done in time! :)