Do-It-Yourself: Gifts that keep on giving

Hello again, thanks for stopping by. Let’s catch up! Grab your trusty cup of tea, super soft slippers and favorite blanket while we delve into some DIYs to help encourage those we love.

This month’s cozy corner of conversation is focused on *drumroll* handmade gifts for your beloved graduates and newlyweds! This and next month are positively sprinkled with new beginnings of all sorts. These big life events beckon for a sweet, simple, and thoughtful gift.

Pizza Box Surprise

This pizza box with a circle of cash inside is sure to be a favorite. Let’s rev up your hot glue gun with a gift every academic aficiona-dough will “knead.”

Items needed: Pizza box, tape (NOT super sticky!), 8″-10″ circle of paper or cardboard, dollar bills, quarters, and a note.

Assemble your pizza box. (This could be from your local pizza shop. Paint the outside of the box the school colors if desired.) Check to see if your circle paper or cardboard fits in the box. Make little tape “rolls” so it’s like double-sided tape. Place tape “rolls” all over the circle randomly. These will hold down your cash to the circle. Lay down bills at 12 o’clock and 6 o’clock, then 3 o’clock and 9 o’clock. From there, fill in with bills so the entire circle is covered in flat, fanned-out bills. The bills will be overlapping. Tape down coins to bills for “pepperoni” – later to be used for the laundry machines. Tape down your cash circle to the inside of the pizza box. Tape your handwritten or printed-out note to the bottom of the lid so when they open it they can read it. Some ideas for your note could include, “Get out there and cheese the day” or “For when you knead a pizza break!”

Heirloom Kitchen Bundle

A tried-and-true family recipe or two (or three!) along with a cutting board, tea towel, and your favorite kitchen utensil are turned into a bridal shower gift that’s sure to warm newlywed hearts – and stomachs!

Items needed: Handwritten recipe card(s) with the corner hole punched, tea towel, favorite kitchen utensil(s), cutting board, and ribbon or twine.

Lay down the ribbon flat on your table and place the cutting board on top so it’s in the middle of your ribbon. Fold the tea towel into a square and place it on top of the cutting board in the center of the board. Put utensils on top of the tea towel square. Thread your recipe cards through one end of the ribbon. Take both ends of the ribbon and tie them together so all gifts are wrapped tight against the cutting board. Arrange recipe cards accordingly. GIFT TIP: Head to your local antique shop and scoop up a vintage apron! This could be folded and substituted for the tea towel in your handmade gift.

I hope these two DIYs put a little spring in your step to craft together considerate gifts that are sure to cheer on anyone in their new beginning.