26 DIY Christmas Gift Ideas for the Whole Family

November 27, 2018 by FaveCrafts

Sometimes I look at Christmas as a competition. Who can come up with the absolute best Christmas gift idea? Each year, I want to give gifts to my family and friends that are different, unique, and handmade. Personally, I feel that DIY Christmas gift ideas are great because they’re unexpected. They’re off the beaten path.

Anyone can go out and buy that hot new video game or movie release for a friend. It’s easy. That friend can probably even buy said gift for him or herself, too. Homemade Christmas gifts, however, are one of a kind. No two are alike, and giving the gift of something homemade is a feeling akin to sharing a moment together.

What could have been a simple movie purchase from the store is a sensation that’s much greater. It’s a heartwarming connection shared between two people, and it bears the warmth and spirit that all of those classic holiday tunes remind us of year after year.

The hard part is, when you make a habit of crafting Christmas gifts and decorations on an annual basis, what happens when you run out of ideas?

Lists happen. In my last Christmas article, 10 Jar Gifts to Get You Through the Holidays, I focused on quick, thoughtful, and fun gifts for all of those cousins, second cousins, and third cousins that make up your extended family. Today’s list is a little more personal. These homemade gifts are for the men, women, and children you see every day. These crafts are cute, clever, beautiful, and exciting, and I’ve broken them down into three categories.

8 DIY Christmas Gift Ideas for Her

8 DIY Christmas Gift Ideas for Him

If you’re looking for even more fantastic gift ideas, check out this Homemade Christmas Gift Guide eBook.

8 DIY Christmas Gift Ideas for Kids

What DIY Christmas Gift Ideas have you crafted for family and friends?

20 Last-Minute Gift Ideas That Everyone Will Love

December 5, 2016 by FaveCrafts

My family and I finally finished putting up our Christmas decorations this past weekend, and as I looked at one of the advent calendars we made for our little one, I realized that Christmas was only a few weeks away. It feels like Thanksgiving was just yesterday and that there was so much time to knock out every item on that Christmas to-do list. With the holiday right around the corner, I’ve barely made a dent in my to-do list. There are still so many projects to make, meals to plan, and gifts to put together. Pair that list with a busy work schedule and taking care of children, and this holiday season is hectic enough to make anyone feel stressed. That’s how the holidays always feel though, right?

We’re always scrambling in those final few weeks to make each year better than the last. In our dash to the finish line, however, something always slips through the cracks. Whether we forgot the cranberry sauce or suddenly realized that we didn’t make Uncle Charlie a gift, there’s always something we’re whipping together in those final moments before Christmas. For me, it’s usually a gift for a relative or a family friend. That’s why I decided to get ahead of the game and make a handy list of last-minute gift ideas.

There is something for everyone with these last-minute gift ideas. These gifts are quick and easy to put together, and they require only a handful of materials to make. The best part is, most of these crafts can be made in an hour or less, which is fantastic if you’re in a serious time crunch.

20 Last-Minute Gift Ideas That Everyone Will Love

You’ve got your last-minute gift idea ready to go, but how do you wrap it? Check out 10 Gift Wrapping Ideas for a Budget-Friendly Christmas!

I’ve shared my list of ideas. What are some of your favorite last-minute gift ideas?

Best Ornament Contest 2016 Winners + Ornament Tutorials!

November 30, 2016 by FaveCrafts

Best Ornament Contest 2016 Winners

You came. You submitted your ornaments. You conquered. And now we’re announcing the winners of the Best Ornament Contest 2016!

To recap: these are the projects that earned the most page views during the voting period (November 17-November 27). The most people saw these projects on FaveCrafts, clicked, and viewed! These top ten ornaments truly won the popularity contest, and we’re so excited to share them with you. And, if you love these winning projects, definitely scroll down for more awesome ornament tutorials.

#10: Windchime Wonder Christmas Ornament

“The Ornaments are Wine Bottles with Whimsy Christmas Ornaments as the Chimes or just Eye Candy.” – Marilyn Kristine Fiddelke

#9: Santa’s Christmas Cowboy Boot

“A crocheted applique that can be used as an ornament, decorative present tag or even a piece of holiday jewelry.” – Cecilia Lira

#8: Gorgeous Vintage Jewelry Ornament

“My Mom has so much jewelry that after she passed on I took her pins, earrings, and anything else I thought would work and turned them into a Christmas ornament.” – Debb Hines

#7: Ribbon Angel Ornament

“This lovely ribbon angel ornament is quick and easy to make and it’s so versatile that you can make it in any size using different types of ribbon including mesh by adjusting the measurements!” – Gail Griffin from purplehuesandme.com

#6: Mini Tree Stocking Ornaments

“These are miniature Christmas stockings made from 4 ply yarns. I make larger ones to use as treat gift bags too. The ornaments make the tree look so festive!” – Teri Kuffler

#5: Breast Cancer Awareness Ornament

“I have this breath taking ornament hanging up in my living room as a heart felt emblem I created in loving memory of all woman past present as well as in the future of finding a cure to end Breast Cancer!” – Christine Harper

#4: Snowman Treat Ornament

“I have been creating snowman gift bags and thought a snowman treat holder ornament would be a companion to the bags.” – Dorothy Minor

#3: Teeny Tiny Wine Cork Reindeer

“If you have wine corks and twigs from your yard, you can make these teeny tiny wine cork reindeer. Add a hook to hang on your Christmas tree, make a few to march across your mantle, attach them as toppers to gifts, put them into a coffee mug with hot cocoa packets and a candy cane!” – Ann Classon from makethebestofthings.blogspot.com

#2: Coffee Filter Angel Wings

“I wanted to give my co-workers a little something for Christmas and was broke! But then it occurred to me that I had access to a lot of coffee filters (my position was a coffee hostess) that were disposed of every week! I took some home and came up with angel wings!” – Regena Allen

#1: Christmas Bauble with Hearts

“The Christmas bauble is made by creating two identical halves first, starting with making the heart on each half. One finished making the halves they are crocheted together using a zigzag stitch, a variation of the braided stitch.” – Nicole Riley from nickishomemadecrafts.com

28 Snowman Crafts You Absolutely Need This Winter

October 3, 2016 by FaveCrafts

Sometimes the endless snow of winter can really dampen a person’s spirit. Whether the stress of the holidays is getting to you or you’ve got the infamous post-Christmas blues, these cheery snowman crafts will add some much-needed crafting therapy to your life. You may want to create snowman ornaments to brighten your tree, or unwind from that visit from the in-laws with a crochet snowman pattern. Whatever your wish, you’ll find an answer here with these spectacular and adorable snowmen.

When you’re all done with your designing ornaments or crocheting up a snowstorm, check out the lovely snowman cards and snowman DIY Christmas gifts to give your friends and family something special during the holiday season. There’s something here for everyone on your list, whether it’s the hot chocolate fanatic or the earring enthusiast in your life.

Snowman Ornaments

Knit and Crochet Snowman Patterns

Mr. and Mrs. Snowman – shown!
Crochet Frosty the Snowman
Winter Snowman Dishcloth
Knit Snowman Family
Frostie the Snowman Beanie Pattern
Smiling Snowman Jar Cozy – I totally want to make this!
Frozen Olaf Doll

Snowman Cards

Geo Snowman Card
Pop-Up Snowman Card – my favorite!
Post It Note Snowman Craft – shown!
Smiling Snowman Card
You Melt My Heart Snowman Shaker Card – this one is as precious as it sounds.
Snowman DIY Christmas Stationery
Holiday Greeting Card

Snowman DIY Christmas Gifts

If you need more snowman fun, then check out this festive and fabulous list of 32 Snowman Christmas Crafts.

What’s your favorite Christmas memory?

12 Christmas in July Crafts that You Need to See

July 21, 2016 by FaveCrafts

July is here which means that Christmas is less than 6 months away. Whether you’re ready to start crafting for December now or just want to check out your options for the next few months, the Christmas craft ideas below are charming holiday ideas that you absolutely did not make last year. All new to FaveCrafts.com, these brand new Christmas crafts are special, stunning, and sure to impress. From tropical hues to more traditional printables, we are so excited for the following DIY Christmas ideas that we did not want to wait until September, October, or November to share them. Make sure to pin or bookmark these cuties if you’re not up for making Yuletide cheer just yet. They’ll be here when you get back.

12 Christmas in July Crafts

Cheery Pinecone DIY Firestarters – Give the gift of somewhere to roast chestnuts with these fire starters.
DIY Pinata Christmas Trees (shown) – Add some charming textures to your Christmas home with this Anthro-inspired idea.
Folded Flower Ball Ornament – This DIY ornament allows you to add summery touches to your winter tree.

Merry Reindeer Art Board (shown) – Make your own DIY wall art and keep Christmas crafts on the wall all winter long.
Modern Merry Christmas Printables – Lazy? That’s alright. All you have to do is print these out and hang them up.
Felt Sweater Christmas Trees – These cuddly little trees are perfect for small spaces.

Jolly Dotted DIY Plates – I love this insanely fast update for plain and boring plates.
Dollar Store DIY Ornaments (shown) – Created in the crafting Christmas palette, these insanely easy ornaments are great for kids.
Papier Mache Christmas Trees – Unusual Christmas trees are a fab way to stand out while crafting for Christmas.

9 Tips for Planning Your DIY Gifts

If you are a responsible crafter who loves creating your gifts early (or just really want to try to be), check out our tips on how to plan your DIY Christmas gift!

Reindeer DIY Wall Hanging – Rudolph would hang this in his apartment, for sure!
Washi DIY Christmas Tags (shown) – A crazy cheap way to wrap your Christmas gifts up in a unique and new way.
Funky DIY Christmas Tree – Add trendy ideas to your Christmas crafts to-do list this year with these charming, faux evergreens.

What Christmas craft did you never get a chance to make next year?

Dollar Store DIY Home Décor for the Holidays

October 27, 2015 by FaveCrafts

Budget-friendly materials for inexpensive DIY Christmas decorations are easier to find than you think! All you need is a great idea or an easy tutorial in order to make your own holiday decorations without busting your budget. Our favorite: Dollar Store craft ideas. They’re cheap, easy, and unbelievably beautiful crafts that all ages will enjoy. First of all, nobody will believe that you got these decorations from the Dollar Store, and secondly, they’ll be amazed to know you made them yourself. So, scroll through our list and choose your favorite because it’s time to get crafty!

We’ve put together a list of our favorite Dollar Store DIY Home Décor for the holidays, so you can join the crafting fun! Take a look at any of these DIY wreaths or homemade ornaments to decorate your home. When you create homemade Christmas decorations, they’re simply the best because they’re so personal and unique. You simply can’t buy decorations for your home that are this special. Get the kids crafting too because some of these ideas are so easy, even your little ones will want to get creative!

Dollar Store DIY Home Décor for the Holidays

Dollar Store DIY Wreaths

Forget buying an expensive wreath at a store and use one of these Dollar Store crafts as a better, more affordable option. Make one of these DIY wreaths for any space that needs a festive touch: your front door, fireplace mantle, or even above your garage door!

How to Make Wreath SUPER Fast: A Dollar Store Hack

Glowing Snowflake Wreath

Dollar Store Ornament Wreath – Watch the easy video tutorial!

Anthropologie-Inspired Pom Pom Wreath – Nobody will believe this is a knock-off!

Dollar Store Poinsettia Wreath – Only $1

Dollar Store DIY Home Décor

Whether you’re looking to make handmade ornaments or some festive crafts for your home, these DIY home décor projects are budget-friendly and oh-so-pretty!

Gold Dipped Ornaments

Metallic DIY Home Décor – The perfect DIY decoration to add some sparkle and shine!

Make Your Own Mercury Glass

Enchanting Snow Ornaments

Darling Dollar Store Icicle Ornaments

Pine Cone Christmas Trees – Use Dollar Store and Recycled Materials!

Dollar Tree Revamp with Washi Tape

Let us know below, what’s your favorite Christmas craft?

18 Recycled Crafts for Christmas

October 8, 2015 by FaveCrafts

What’s not to love about recycled crafts? They’re budget-friendly and the materials are easy to find because a lot of the crafts feature daily household items. For example, toilet paper roll crafts put those toilet tubes to work and stashbusting crafts can often help you get rid of some of that leftover fabric or paper you have stored away. We can go on and on about our love for recycled crafts, but instead, we’ve put together a list of our favorite recycled crafts for Christmas.

Some of our most-loved recycled crafts for Christmas are crafts with toilet paper rolls. This Toilet Tube Christmas Wreath and these Easy Toilet Tube Star Ornaments are great toilet paper roll crafts for kids. Adults can enjoy crafts with toilet paper rolls too! You’ll never believe this Adorable Christmas Tree Décor uses this easy, budget savvy material.

You can also decorate your home with some DIY Christmas decorations made with recycled materials. The possibilities are endless when it comes to decorating for Christmas, but homemade Christmas decorations are simply the best! You can make handmade ornaments to decorate your tree or you can decorate your front door with a Watercolored Coffee Filter Wreath. Proudly show off all your holiday cards with a DIY Christmas Card Display or craft some Stunning DIY Lanterns from tin cans. All of these DIY Christmas decorations are so beautiful and extra special because they’re recycled crafts!

18 Recycled Crafts for Christmas

Kids Christmas Crafts

Paint Chip Christmas Trees

Toilet Tube Christmas Wreath

Precious Paper Cup Angels

Easy Toilet Tube Star Ornaments

Rustic Cardboard Christmas Ornaments

Egg Carton Candy Cane

Recycled Handmade Ornaments

Recycled Lightbulb Christmas Ornament

Simple Rhinestone Recycled Ornament

Upcycled Fabric Ornament

Scrap Paper Christmas Ornaments

Thrifty Light Fixture Ornaments

Mason Jar Lid Wreath Ornaments

Beautiful Rolled Paper Christmas Ornaments

More Recycled Christmas Craft Ideas

Darling Wrapping Paper Wreath

T-Shirt Stockings for the Holidays

Adorable Christmas Tree Décor

Stunning DIY Lanterns

Sheet Music Christmas Trees

DIY Christmas Card Display

Watercolored Coffee Filter Wreath

Plus, for more recycled craft fun, check out these awesome Mason Jar Christmas Crafts here!

What materials do you use for recycled crafts?

13 Vintage Christmas Crafts

September 25, 2015 by FaveCrafts

Are you like us and you have a love for anything vintage? These type of items always seem to bring back the memories of good times and of our loved ones. If you’ve got a flare for the vintage, then these are the the Christmas craft ideas for you!

Christmas crafts come in all varieties and sizes. From decorating the tree to making handmade ornaments or even DIY gifts, the holiday season is the perfect opportunity to get crafting. We love vintage Christmas crafts because not only do they remind us of times past, but they’re also timeless! No matter what, your vintage crafts will never go out of style. You’ll be able to use your DIY Christmas decorations year after year!

Everyone will be wondering how you made your own Crafty Coca Cola Advent Calendar or those Old School Christmas Crackers that are both beautiful and fun. You can keep your DIY Christmas decorations as classic as can be with some Vintage Dried Citrus Ornaments and add the finishing touch to your tree with a Granny Tree Skirt. Also, you can get that thrifty, vintage-look with this Thrifty Vintage Red Sled and Grandma’s Pearls DIY Wreath. All these Christmas crafts will have you and your home in the holiday spirit in no time! All your guests and friends will be impressed with your festive crafting skills. They’ll definitely be asking you to make them some homemade Christmas decor as well!

13 Vintage Christmas Crafts

Looking for more vintage Christmas crafts to soothe your nostalgia?

If you love retro Christmas ideas, be sure to check out our collection of cozy ideas your grandma would love. 29 Traditional Vintage Christmas Crafts has vintage craft ideas for just about every decade. Whether you are looking for a sled right out of Little House on the Prairie or hippy dippy holiday printables, there’s a Christmas craft idea you’re going to love in this collection.

What’s your favorite, classic Christmas movie?

‘Tis the Season to Crochet Christmas Ornaments: 12 Free Patterns

September 14, 2015 by FaveCrafts

Ho Ho Ho! We’d love to receive any of these DIY Christmas ornaments in our stockings this year! Why? Homemade Christmas ornaments are so unique and each one is different from the rest. You’re guaranteed to have a unique, extra-special Christmas decoration when your own creativity is put into the mix. Let’s be honest, DIY ornaments are not only great for your own tree at home, but also for DIY gifts. Your loved ones will appreciate these gifts all the more because they’re made with such love and care.

These Christmas ornaments are a fun crochet project for beginners and advanced crocheters alike! Crochet Christmas decorations are an inexpensive (and fun!) alternative to expensive, store-bought ornaments. What’s more, crochet ornaments are getting more and more popular each year because of their endless design possibilities. These crochet patterns listed below try to cover all the basics such as stars and Santa, but other fun crochet ideas are included!

These DIY Christmas ornaments are great stashbusters, so don’t hesitate to grab your scraps when starting these projects. If you’re a beginner crocheter, then these projects are a great way to practice some basic crochet techniques. For advanced crafters, feel free to get creative by putting your own spin on these patterns! There’s patterns here that would suit any tree and they’re the perfect craft project to get you in the holiday spirit. Once you start your holiday crafting, be sure not to leave these fun projects out because they’re bound to put a smile on anyone gazing at your tree!

‘Tis the Season to Crochet Christmas Ornaments: 12 Free Patterns

1.) Lacy Snowflake Pattern

2.) Star Christmas Ornament

3.) Christmas Wreath Ornament

4.) Granny Square Stocking Ornament

5.) Santa Ornament

6.) Pipsqueak Penguin Ornament

7.) Paperclip Ice Skates Ornament

8.) Jingle Bell Ornaments

9.) Bauble Christmas Ornaments

10.) Sweater Ornaments

11.) Gingerbread Man Cookie

12.) Tiny Tree Ornaments

Which of these homemade Christmas ornaments is your favorite?

11 DIY Christmas Wreaths to be Jolly About

September 7, 2015 by FaveCrafts

It’s time to get down to some serious crafting folks. With the kids back in school, the summer winding down, and the fall holidays looming over us closer and closer, we really need to prep for…Christmas! Christmas?! You’re probably thinking I’m out of my mind, but those homemade mantle crafts and DIY garlands aren’t going to make themselves! I started sewing for Christmas about a month ago because I’m still a beginner and I wanted a head start on my homemade tree skirt. Plus, I wanted plenty of crafting time and an organized craft room for all the DIY Christmas decorations I have planned.

The best part of crafting — free sewing patterns, crochet patterns, and knitting — is that you can take a tutorial or a pattern and still be able to make the craft or pattern with your own personal touch. I normally change colors or patterns, but if you’re super creative, you can imagine an entirely other use. Take wreaths, for example and an adorable deco mesh wreath tutorial. That tutorial may be for spring with bright blues and greens, but you could easily adjust it for a red and green DIY Christmas wreath. Everything can be tailored to suit your needs and tastes.

Those cute deco mesh DIY wreaths are really trendy right now. Not sure what they are? They’re the homemade wreaths that look ruffled like an unraveled roll of ribbon. These were all over my sorority hallways with the names of the sisters in each room. They had these cute wreaths with their letters at the bottom and their names in sparkly letters. A DIY wreath would be a really cute dorm room decor to give as a graduation gift!

Excited for the holidays, I’m checking my supply list twice and heading straight off to the craft store to gather supplies for a few different DIY Christmas wreath ideas. I need to make at least two to cover the whole season. I can’t wait to learn how to make a wreath for every single one of my doors!