teacher gifts – Mum In The Madhouse

40+ Simple Homemade Gifts: Thoughtful DIY Ideas for Every Occasion

Jen Walshaw — Mon, 28 Oct 2024 07:13:00 +0000

Homemade gifts offer a personal and thoughtful touch, showing your care and creativity. From pampering bath products to charming home décor, crafting something by hand is a wonderful way to give a meaningful gift. Here are some delightful DIY gift ideas for all occasions, from candles to coasters, perfect for making someone’s day extra special! We have kids made gifts, something for older teens to make and adults too.

Simple Homemade Gift Ideas for Every Occasion

1. Pampering Bath Products

Give the gift of relaxation with these luxurious bath products, perfect for anyone who enjoys a little self-care.

DIY Bath Oil That Foams: This bath oil not only moisturizes but adds a lovely foam to the bath for a spa-like experience. Learn how to make it here.
DIY Bath Melts That Foam: These bath melts create a foamy, moisturizing bath, making them a wonderful gift for anyone in need of some pampering. Find the recipe here.
DIY Salt Scrub: This exfoliating and moisturizing salt scrub is a perfect gift to refresh the skin. Check out the step-by-step guide here.
Melt and Pour Soap: Create your own custom soap bars with this Beginner’s Guide to Melt and Pour Soap. You can even make fun Star Wars-themed versions! Get the guide here and the Star Wars version here.
DIY Vanilla Peppermint Lip Scrub: This scrub is perfect for keeping lips soft and smooth. The combination of vanilla and peppermint makes it a treat for the senses. Learn how to make it here.
Still want more then we have over 20 homemade bath salts and soaks which make the ideal gift.

2. Jewelry and Accessories

Handmade jewellery and accessories can be customized to match the recipient’s style, making them extra special.

Button Bracelets: These fun and colorful button bracelets are a great DIY project for crafters of all ages. Find the instructions here.
DIY Braided Headband (Alice Band): This braided headband adds a stylish touch to any outfit. Check out the easy tutorial here.
DIY Knot Headband (Alice Band): Another chic accessory, the knot headband is a quick and easy DIY project. Make your own with this guide here.
Terrazzo Earrings: Made with Leftover Polymer Clay these Terrazzo Earrings are a fashionable and eco-friendly gift. Get the instructions here.
DIY Cord Tacos (Cord Organizers): Help your friends and family get organized with these cute DIY Cord Tacos. These leather cord organizers keep earbuds and charging cables tangle-free, making them a useful and thoughtful gift.
Leather-Wrapped Hip Flask: This a sophisticated yet simple DIY project that makes a great gift for any occasion. Learn how to make it here.

3. Creative Home Décor

Handmade home décor items make heartfelt gifts that add warmth and personality to any space.

DIY Painted Terracotta Plant Pots with Herb Puns: These quirky, painted pots are perfect for plant lovers and gardeners. Find out how to make them here.
DIY Applique Monstera Leaf Cushions: Using a Cricut Maker, you can create trendy Monstera leaf cushions that brighten up any living space. Get the tutorial here.
DIY Terrazzo Polymer Clay Ring Dish: This trendy terrazzo dish is perfect for keeping rings and small trinkets organized. Learn how to make one here.
Nail Varnish Marbles Coasters: What a great way to use up old nail varnish and make amazing coasters. See how we made them here.
Hanging Teacup Bird Feeder: Such a lovely gift for bird lovers or gardeners. It’s a whimsical and charming addition to any outdoor space. See how to make it here.
Candle Making for Beginners: Candles are always a lovely gift, and making your own adds an extra layer of thoughtfulness. Follow this beginner’s guide here.
Tea Cup Candles: These vintage-inspired tea cup candles are beautiful gifts that add charm to any room. Learn how to make them here.

4. DIY Décor and Keepsakes

These DIY projects are perfect for gifting sentimental and creative keepsakes.

Photo Jar Luminaries: Create warm, glowing luminaries using personal photos. These make wonderful, thoughtful gifts. Learn how to craft them here.
Tissue Confetti DIY Decorated Photo Frame: A fun and colorful way to display memories. Make your own photo frame here.
Picture Tile Coasters: These customized photo coasters are a great way to preserve memories while creating a useful gift. Find out how to make them here.
Etched Wooden Heart Keyrings: Such a simple and personalized gift that you can easily make for loved ones. Check out the tutorial here.
DIY Daffodil Clay Pots: These are perfect for flower lovers, whether used as planters or candle holders. They add a bright and cheerful touch to any home. Get the instructions here.

5. Fun and Functional DIYs

Practical and fun, these gifts are as useful as they are creative.

Capri Sun Pencil Case: Repurpose Capri Sun pouches into a unique and eco-friendly pencil case. Learn how to make one here. It only requires very basic sewing skills.
Folk Flower Mason Jar Luminaries: These glowing mason jar luminaries are perfect for creating a cozy, festive atmosphere. Check out the guide here.
Walkers Mighty Lights Good Turned Keyrings: These upcycled keyrings make a quirky and fun gift. Learn how to make them here.
DIY Vintage Map Tray: For the traveller in your life. Create using maps of their favorite destinations. It’s both practical and sentimental. See how to make it here.
Magnetic Pin Bowl: For the craft lovers or sewers in your life, this Magnetic Pin Bowl is a super useful gift idea. It’s both functional and easy to make. Find the tutorial here.

6. Holiday-Themed Gifts

Celebrate the holidays with these festive DIY projects that make perfect seasonal gifts.

Ferm Living Inspired DIY Advent Candle: A beautiful way to count down to Christmas, this advent candle is easy to make and delightful to give. Find the tutorial here.
Turn Any Glass Candle into an Advent Candle: With a few simple steps, you can turn an ordinary glass candle into a festive advent countdown. Learn how here.
Christmas Lights Plate: Celebrate the beauty of the season with this simple and washable Christmas string lights plate. Find the tutorial here.
Robin Thumbprint Mugs: Create personalized gifts with these adorable Robin Thumbprint Mugs. They’re a great DIY gift idea for the holidays or any special occasion. Learn how to make them here.
Christmas Bags: These adorable fabric bags are printed with stars and snowflakes – a super simple craft by kids for their loved ones. Learn how here.
Reindeer Thumbprint Mugs: Dishwasher safe and super simple to make. Your kids will love making these. Learn how to make them here.

From simple personal care items to beautiful home décor and holiday-themed gifts, these DIY ideas are sure to bring joy to both the maker and the receiver. Happy crafting!

Looking for more inspiration? Check out these additional DIY projects:

I am a firm believer that handmade gifts show just how much you love someone and would much prefer a handmade gift.

My Child Might Be the Reason You Drink” Teacher Appreciation Labels | Fun and Humorous Gifts

Jen Walshaw — Tue, 01 Jul 2014 12:45:50 +0000

Do you gift to your kids teachers? I do and have done since the boys went to preschool. I want to thank the teachers for a fab job they do looking after my children. I trust them to look after my most precious things (my children) and this is a BIG thing for me.

Up until this year the boys have crafted teachers gifts. I think that it is important that they are a part of giving and thanking their teachers. However, this year they have been a little reticent, so I decided to give what I would like to receive, wine and chocolate.

However, me being me, I felt the need to jazz them up a bit.

So here are my chocolate and wine labels, cause it must be hard coping with my boys!

So a lot of chocolate is needed! I printed the chocolate labels on a full sheet of paper and using a template I hade made from a clear pocket positioned them. I used double sided tape to secure them, but a glue stick or standard take would be fine too.

I also used standard paper rather than printer paper and was really impressed at the quality of my new Canon PIXMA MG7150.

I made a selection of labels in different colours, so just click on the image below to make it larger and then right click and the image to your computer before printing. I put four labels on one sheet or A4 for the wine and one label per sheet or A4 for the chocolate.

Chocolate bar wrappers for Teacher

Wine labels for Teacher

Feel free to print them and use them if you wish.

Disclosure, the Canon Pixma MG7140 is a sample for review purposes

Teacher Appreciation Gifts: Personalized Notebooks for a Thoughtful Touch

Jen Walshaw — Fri, 19 Jul 2013 09:13:30 +0000

Each year since the boys started school we have made something for the boys teachers and Teaching Assistants to say thank you for all the hard work they put into teaching them. I do not spend a lot, but we do put a lot of thought and effort into what we make.

This year we decided on personalised notebooks. Which are super simple for the kids to kelp with and every teacher needs more stationary, right?

The notebooks were from the pound shop and the stamps we already had. nut you can get these things cheaply online.

This post contains affiliate links. If you make any purchases after clicking one of these links, I will make a small commission (hopefully enough to keep me in tea all year) – at no extra cost to you! This allows me to keep creating and sharing free tutorials and content for you. Thank you!

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My top tops are to use elastics to keep the stamps together for smaller hands.

Have wipes or kitchen roll at hand to keep the stamps clean.

We used washi tape or stick-on stamps to hide the smudge marks!

Teachers Gifts 2010

Jen Walshaw — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 15:04:00 +0000

Maxi made mugs for his teacher and teaching assistants. We used porcelain paint from my stash and some 50p mugs from Morrisons, He used his finger and thumb to make prints on them, which we turned in to pigs, beas, a caterpillar and flowers.

Mini and I made lavender bags for his Preschool teacher and the teaching assistants using fabric that Mini and Maxi had previously dyed (tutorial to follow). Mini picked the ribbon from my stash and sat on my knee to help sew (I use the term help very loosely)!

The cards were super easy to make, we punched heart shapes out of tissue paper and used a paper brad to hold them on the card. I then printed out “Thank you for helping me bloom” and the boys stuck them on to the cards.

Crafts for the Teacher

Jen Walshaw — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 19:14:00 +0000

The Eldest MiniMad had his last day at preschool (nursery) on Friday and he has really enjoyed the time he spent there and I so wanted to tank his two teachers for the fantastic time he has had. He would run there on a morning and not want to leave when I collected him 2 hours later.

I know many people do not agree with presents for the teacher, but it was an effort to show the appreciation I have for them and also the fact that I entrusted them with my Perfect First Baby.

MiniMad never does any arts or crafts at preschool, I guess that is due to the fact that we do them all the time at home, so I decided we would decorate a cup for each of the teachers and fill with hot chocolate and herbal teas.

It is really easy as he just uses his finger and I embellish with a pen, so we did pigs, flowers, butterfly’s and bees.