10 DIY Gift Ideas That Don't Require Special Skills to Make

Like to do things yourself? I love to make, and receive, homemade Christmas gifts! You can too with this list of 10 DIY gift ideas that don’t require special skills to make!

Want to give a unique handmade gift, but you are short on time? Scroll to the bottom of this article for some great handmade gift ideas from Etsy!

10 DIY Gift Ideas That Don’t Require Special Skills to Make

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DIY Gift Idea #1: Homemade Tea Blends

Whether you grow and dry your own herbs, or purchase bulk herbs to mix together, making and gifting your own tea can be a lot of fun!

This is my homemade Candy Cane Tea, with organic peppermint, orange peel, green tea and vanilla beans. I grow some, and buy the rest of my herbs from Azure Standard, where I can get organic bulk herbs delivered to my area for free.

Throw together herbs that sound good to you, or to start with try using similar ingredients as a store bought tea you like.

Tea for can be given in a little jar or bag along with a tea strainer, or you can buy iron-closed tea bags to put your own teas in.

Gift Idea #2: Homemade Lip Balm

A fun gift that anyone can make, DIY lip balm is perfect for Christmas, birthdays and Mothers Day! Of all the gift ideas on this list, lip balm is is probably the one I’ve been making for the longest.

You can find a simple DIY recipe and a list of everything you need here: DIY Lip Balm Recipe

DIY Gift Idea #3: Homemade Salve

This homemade herbal salve is great for cuts, scrapes, burns, bumps and bruises, rashes or bug bites. One of my more unique gift ideas, this one is also super practical!

You can find the recipe here: How to Make an Herbal Salve

DIY Gift Idea #4: Homemade Candy

Just about everyone loves homemade candy, making it one of my favorite DIY gift ideas! These yummy mint squares are made with coconut oil and raw honey.

Some of my favorite candy recipes that I make for gifts every year include homemade peanut butter cups in miniature muffin paper cups, English toffee made with organic cane sugar and honey, coconut almond truffles and organic honey caramels.

Did you know that organic ingredients (especially sugar!) are actually more flavorful? For amazing natural flavor, I skip the corn syrup and use organic ingredients from Azure Standard.

DIY Gift Idea #5: Homemade Soup Mix

One of the best DIY gift ideas for someone on the go this soup mix has dried vegetables, brown rice and lentils, along with some spices and powdered soup base.

A great winter gift that can be made with your own dehydrated produce if you’re a gardener!

DIY Gift Idea #6: Homemade Spice Mixes

You can gift dried herbs from your garden, blend store bought spices into an all-purpose spice blend, or make special blends such as steak seasoning or pumpkin pie spice. These are one my most practical DIY gift ideas.

You can find instructions for a flavorful roasted garlic powder here: Homemade Roasted Garlic Powder Recipe

Don’t want to make your own, you can find some wonderful handmade spice blends to purchase on Etsy, like this set of four handcrafted spice blends!

DIY Gift Idea #7: Homemade Notecards

Any artwork or photography can be scanned and printed off on cardstock for one-of-a-kind notecards! Not very talented? Use a photo of a favorite pet, a cartoon drawing, or a cute saying! These DIY gift ideas are a great way to customize something fun for a loved one. This is also a fun project to do with a child, using some of their special artwork!

Buy matching envelopes and bundle the notecards into packages of 6 or 8 with a cute ribbon tied around them.

DIY Gift Idea #8: Canning

While pressure canners can be intimidating for a beginner, jam and jelly are easy to can in a big soup pot and don’t require any special tools or skills.

A jar of homemade jelly makes a nice hostess gift too!

My apricot jam recipe simply has pureed apricots, organic sugar and lemon juice; pretty simple, and very yummy! To get a jam or jelly to set, you can add pectin. My favorite brand is Pomona’s Pectin, which comes with detailed instructions and a recipe for each type of fruit!

DIY Gift Idea #9: Jewelry

I know, jewelry doesn’t sound like something anyone can make, but a simple pair of earrings like these is really so easy!

To make these earrings, all you need are wire cutters, round nosed pliers, earring hooks, earring posts (a little straight wire with a knob on the end to keep your beads from falling off!) and some pretty beads.

Make a pair (or two) for all the ladies on your Christmas list! The supplies for this DIY gift are so easy, and can be used year after year.

DIY Gift Idea #10: Seeds for Gardeners

Since this a gardening blog, it seems fitting to end this article with a DIY gift idea just for gardeners!

Seeds used to be passed down from generation to generation. that’s how we have all the unique heirloom varieties that are available today!

You can gift seeds from your favorite heirloom or open pollinated varieties.

Don’t know where to start? We have a whole section of this website devoted to seed saving!

And finally, as promised…

If you don’t have time to make your own gifts, there are so many fun handcrafted gifts available on Etsy! Find the perfect handmade gift while supporting a small business!

Here are just a few fun ideas!