DIY gift ideas

It may not be anyone’s birthday or special occasion, but you may know someone who needs a pick me up right now, during these difficult times. You don’t have to spend much to make someone feel appreciated. It just takes some DIY gift ideas and a little bit of your time. This post originally appeared on my magazine Style Adventure.

I’ll admit it; I leave gift buying to the last minute, unless I’m buying things online. Everyone who knows me knows this (unfortunately). More years than I can count, I’ve been shopping Christmas Eve, as well as buying birthday presents on the same day. I’m trying to improve on it! One thing I am good at is making presents. I usually make part or all of everyone’s gift.

Here are three DIY gift ideas I make that take the least amount of time if you are a last minute shopper or would like to make someone in your life smile.

DIY at-home spastravaganza

This one takes time the day of the spa day, but for the gift giving part, you just have to make a gift card listing the items you want to use for the spa day. To save space, I will link to the article I wrote that gave detailed instructions for each item. The main spa menu treatments include:

• Facial steam
• Body and face scrub
• Hair mask
• Spa lunch
• Bath or steam shower
• Facial mask
• Massage

You can do all for of them or pick and choose the ones you’d think the person would like.

For details read, my article about creating an at-home spa day article.

Get them glowing with this homemade skin care product basket

This is all natural and quick and easy to make! Bonus if you include the spa day! The basket includes:

• Body and face scrub
• Therapeutic bath oil
• Facial mask
• Optional: buy a body scrubber / loofah  

Material

• 1 small gift basket
• Ribbon
• Tissue paper
• Cellophane paper
• 3 x 250ml clear jars
• 3 labels for the jars
• A marker to write on the labels

Ingredients

Bath oil: 250ml coconut milk, 4 tablespoons of almond oil, and eight sprigs of fresh mint, blended until smooth.

Body and face scrub: Mix a cup of white or brown sugar with enough olive oil to make it into a paste.

Face mask: If you know their skin type, choose the right one from the lists below. If you don’t, go with the one for normal skin.

• Acne or discoloration: Make a lemon and honey mask. Cut 10 lemons in half, squeeze the juice, and add a 10 teaspoons of honey.
• Oily skin: Blend 3 fully ripe bananas, 3 tablespoons of honey and juice from 3 oranges or lemons.
• Dry skin, also for anti-aging:  Blend 3 ripe avocados, 6 tablespoons of honey and 3 teaspoons coconut oil
• Combination skin: Blend 3 ripe bananas, 3 tablespoons honey and 3 tablespoons of oatmeal
• Normal skin: Blend 3 apples and 6 tablespoons honey

Instructions

• Label the jars
• Make your products
• Fill the jars
• Decorate the inside of the basket with tissue paper and put in your jars
• Wrap with cellophane and tie a ribbon around it

Three-course tasting lunch

All menu items are gluten-free and vegan.

To save space I’m going to link to the post I wrote that gave the recipes and nutrition and health benefits, but the main items include:

• First course: Spiced edamame with Sambal Oelek
• Main 1: Beet Burger with or without bun
• Main 2: Baked French fries and gravy

For the details, check out the recipe.