Gift Ideas Archives - Page 4 of 28

Top 16 Gift Ideas for the DIY Enthusiast

Cyber Monday is the perfect day to look for online deals and steals. Even if you missed Cyber Monday, I have some stocking stuffer ideas for your little (or big) DIYer? These are gift items I know any DIYer would love to have in their stocking. In the list are items I’ve found useful while working on a variety of projects this year (including building a whole house.) Here’s my list of 16 gift ideas for the DIYer in your life (in no particular order):

About my gift suggestions:

Swanson Framing Square – This year I’ve used this framing square for many framing and cutting needs especially when using my circular saw. In addition, I’ve used it to scribe a line for ripping lumber with my circular saw. Any good carpenter would be lost without a good framing square.

Iso-tune Bluetooth Noise Reducing Headphones – When you are trying to protect your hearing (but dread using ear plugs), this set of noise reducing ear buds will keep you happy and safe as you jam to your favorite tunes while working.

DeWalt Battery USB charger adapter – While preparing for Hurricane Florence, I pulled this USB charger adapter from my tool box and brought it inside. Although I didn’t have to use it, this little adapter has been invaluable for freeing up the outlets while my crew and I were running on conditional power. (It does require a DeWalt battery to attach to for charging.)

Workman’s Friend Barrier Cream and Moisturizer – I’m very particular about hand lotions. They have to provide a lot of moisture without leaving a greasy feeling. The Workman’s Friend moisturizing cream in my opinion is the perfect consistency, but it also acts as a barrier cream keeping your hands cleaner after a day of getting dirty.

10-in-1 Painter’s Tool – I didn’t think there was any way to improve on the standard 5-in-1 painter’s tool, but Purdy proved they could do it. Tucked into the handle of this tool is a small flat head and philips head screwdriver. In addition to the screwdrivers, you can also use this tool to set nails, scrape, open cans, spread compound, open/clean cracks, clean rollers, pull nails, and hammer.

Kreg Jig – The Kreg Jig has been my favorite tool for building furniture and frames. It’s an invaluable tool for anyone getting started in woodworking. You can read my tutorial for How to Use a Kreg Jig here. Forget the more expensive models of the Kreg Jig, the K4 is all you need.

Capital Gaines by Chip Gaines – This book may seem random in a list of tools, but I highly recommend everyone read this book. Chip has written a book that is full of inspiring quotes and mindsets to push you forward in any endeavor you choose!

Rockwell Oscillating Tool – This is one of those desert island tools that will get you out of a jamb and allow you to make precision cuts to molding, cut nails and score in tight spots. I never take this tool out of my truck.

Stanley FatMax Fit in Hand Tape Measure – I get it, you already have a working tape measure. But, if you try this tape measure you’ll understand my new found love for the “fit in your hand” tape measure. As a woman, I struggle with larger tape measures, but this one fits nicely in my hand, and it’s perfectly balanced if I want to drop extend it while standing on a ladder. Finally, it beats all other tape measures in a stand out competition. (Let’s be honest, it’s lots of fun to beat out the boys in a stand out competition. LOL.)

Greenlee Non-Contact Voltage Tester – Never take on any electrical job without this tool. It can test for power through wire insulation and is easy to see and hear when voltage is present.

Pro-Sensor Precision Stud Finder – This is by far the simplest and easiest stud finder I’ve used. It visually shows where the start and end of studs are in your walls.

No Cry Safety Glasses – I have a small head, but these safety glasses fit perfectly on my face without slipping down my nose. But, they also fit a larger head circumference comfortably. The No Cry Safety glasses are my new favorites.

DeWalt Random Orbital Sander – This orbital sander is another favorite tool with a dust collection bag or port to hook up to a vacuum cleaner. The hook and loop pad makes changing sandpaper a breeze.

RZ Re-usable Dust Mask – When it comes to safety equipment, you’ll be more likely to wear it if it’s comfortable. That’s why I like the RZ dust masks. The soft fabric doesn’t leave mask marks and the velcro closure provides a more comfortable fit. The inner filter can be changed as needed, and the exterior can be used over and over again. It’s better for you and the environment!

DeWalt Jobsite Bluetooth Speaker – This little bluetooth speaker has great sound, it’s small and can withstand being dropped and kicked around.

Hand & Body Warmers – Working in my unheated garage or on the job site this time of year leads to frozen fingers. I like keeping a stash of these hand warmers nearby to keep my fingers and body warmer (allowing me to work longer hours.)

I hope you liked this list of 16 Gift Ideas for the DIY Enthusiast. Anyone who works with tools or on a job site will love them too.

November 25, 2018/1 Comment/by Brittany Bailey

arts and craft, Gift Ideas, Très Frugal, Upcycling

DIY Back to School Pencil Vase

Last year my son’s teachers asked for a pack of pre-sharpened pencils. Instead of just giving them a box of pencils, I wanted to give his teachers something prettier than a box of pencils. When I found a colorful package of pencils, I knew I was on to something. After some sharpening pencils it was time to get creative.

Materials:

(I’ve included affiliate links for your convenience. I earn a small percentage from a purchase using these links. There is no additional cost to you. You can read more about affiliate links here.)

Pencils
Double-Stick Tape
Non-Stick Scissors
Rubber band
Washi Tape
Recycled jar or bottle (non-flare shape will work best)

Instructions:

Remove the label and clean your recycled glass bottle. Dry it thoroughly. Apply double-stick tape to the top and bottom edges of your bottle.

Lay one pencil onto the bottle vertically. Press it against the tape for a temporary hold.

Continue adding pencils around the bottle. At about 1/3 – 1/2 coverage, slip a rubber band around the middle of the bottle over the pencils. This will help hold the pencils in place.

Continue adding pencils until the bottle is completely covered.

Choose a coordinating washi tape and tape one end of the pencil stack.

Press the tape firmly against the pencils and repeat along the bottom edge of the pencils.

Remove the rubber band.

Fill the bottle with water and add some flowers.

Deliver this beautiful DIY Back to School Pencil Vase to the recipient.

You might have to convince them it’s okay to remove pencils as needed.

Either way they look cute on the desk for a while.

Here’s a video tutorial to show you how easy it is to make the back to school pencil vases:

Like this idea? Pin it for future reference (and to share the love):

If you liked this idea, you’ll love some of these other teacher appreciation ideas:

August 6, 2018/5 Comments/by Brittany Bailey

art, decor, DIY, Gift Ideas, Home Decor

Pressed faux flowers behind glass

Pressed Faux Flowers

Hello, Pretty Handy Girl friends! Julie from love my simple home here, with a new DIY project! Pressed faux flowers behind glass is quick and easy to make. You’ll end up with a beautiful piece of leaning art that you can display on a shelf in your home.

Materials:

Faux Silk Flowers
Glass from two picture frames in different sizes
Scissors
Hot Glue Gun
Craft Glue

Instructions:

Choose two different size picture frames (they can be any size you want.) Make sure they will fit on your shelf. I used one 5″ x 7″ and one 8″ x 10″.

Remove the back and the glass from your picture frames.

2. Select the flowers of your choice. Pull the blooms off the plastic stems.

3. Cut the plastic stems from the flowers. Use your scissors for this task.

4. Arrange the flowers any way you like on top of the larger piece of glass. When you like what you see, add a dab of craft glue to the back of each flower and gently press onto the glass.

6. Place the smaller piece of glass on top of your lovely flower arrangement. Grab your trusty hot glue gun and put a dab of glue on the four corners of the smaller glass piece.

7. Flip the glass, then lay the glass down over the flowers. The glass should be centered on the large piece of glass. Gently push down on the four corners and hold it in place for about 30 seconds or more until the glue adheres to the glass. After the top piece of glass is in place, the flowers will lay flat pressed between the two pieces of glass.

That’s it, you now have a beautiful piece of leaning art you can display on a shelf in your home.

I hope you enjoyed this quick and easy DIY art idea.

Be sure to check out my other tutorials here at Pretty Handy Girl and over on my website love my simple home.

May 24, 2018/2 Comments/by Julie at Love My Simple Home

Collection, Decorating, DIY, Gift Ideas, Upcycling, vase

Clever DIY Upcycled Vases

20 Clever DIY Upcycled Vases

Vases are beautiful and one of those home decor items that can be used in many different ways. They can sit empty on a shelf adding to the style of the room, hold beautiful flower arrangements, or be given as loving gifts. These clever upcycled vases show only a few creative ways you can make a vase from items you already own, can be found in your recycling bin, or at local yard sales. I hope one of these many ideas inspire you to think outside the bottle ;-).

Can you believe this DIY Sheet Metal Vase is made from a decorative aluminum sheet found at your local hardware or craft store?

These DIY Wall-Mounted Test Tube vases look really cute on the wall and can be used in any room.

Make these sweet personalized gifts by wrapping Pounded Flower Artwork around a jar. It would make a great gift!

Simply slip a Mason Jar into a Boot to create this fun and quirky vase.

Practice your soldering skills to create this unique and pretty Copper Pipe Flower holder.

Decorate lattice and add some privacy to your yard with these gorgeous Glass Jar and Copper Wire vases.

No power tools? No problem! Create this gorgeous Produce Crate Centerpiece to hold your flowers using only hand tools.

Create this Outdoor Patio Living Flower Centerpiece vase using PVC pipe and decorative tin.

Check your recycle bin for bottles and make these Frosted Glass Vases for your springtime flowers or to give as a pretty gift.

Use some beautiful pieces of tree bark to make these beautiful Rustic Birch Bark Vases that can be used year-round.

Make this functional and pretty Reclaimed Wood Hook and Vase to decorate your entryway.

These Simple Bright Colored Vases can be made using recyclables, some paint and tape, and look absolutely gorgeous holding a variety of flowers.

Beautiful Simple Springtime Flower Striped Vases are created just using some decorative washi tape. They make great gifts!

You’ll just need a couple supplies to create beautiful Spray Painted Glass Jars and Bottles.

Use some small glass bottles to make these pretty Hanging Beaded Glass Flower Vases to hang near a window.

Paint some jars, fill them with flowers and show your teachers some love any day of the year with these Painted Vases.

Would you believe you can turn a soap dispenser into a vase like this unique Mother-of-Pearl flower vase.

Use old milk bottles to create these modern DIY Glass-Etched Vases.

Turn an old glass bottle into this fun textured Faux Stone Vase.

Still have some recycled bottles left? Make these super simple (but super elegant) Gold Leaf Bottle Vases to display or give as gifts.

What do you think? I hope these 20 DIY Upcycled Vases collection inspired you to use something old to make something new and beautiful. All of these make great home decor items or gifts to others to show how much you appreciate them. Enjoy, and get out there and create something!

If you liked this collection, please pin this image to Pinterest:

Happy upcycling.

~Read more of Sheri’s posts~

Pin for later!

March 23, 2018/1 Comment/by Sheri

Build It, Gift Ideas, gifts

DIY Bread and Cheese Board

This bread and cheese board makes a great gift, and is simple to make!

DIY Bread and Cheese Board

Hi there, Pretty Handy Girl readers! I’m Vineta from The Handyman’s Daughter, back with another tutorial for you! This bread and cheese board was a gift to my mom for Christmas, and she absolutely loved it! The marble inlay is perfect for keeping cheese cool, and the walnut cutting surface contrasts beautifully against the white marble.

I was nervous cutting into this gorgeous walnut piece. I decided to wait until my dad, The Handyman himself, visited for Christmas. The whole process was actually quite simple, and we finished just in time to put the present under the tree!

Materials:

(I’ve included affiliate links for your convenience. I earn a small percentage from a purchase using these links. There is no additional cost to you. You can read more about affiliate links here.)

Walnut wood at least 3/4″ thick and 8″ wide (I went to my local hardwood lumber store and found a gorgeous piece that was 1 1/4″ thick and 9 1/2″ wide.)
Marble tile (I had a 2″ x 18″ long piece of marble tile left over from building my fireplace hearth.)
100% silicone adhesive (must be food safe)
Painter’s tape
Table saw with dado blade
Router and 1/8″ roundover bit
Sander and sandpaper
Mineral oil or cutting board wax

Instructions:

Start by cutting a piece of marble tile to your desired size. (Mine was already 2″ x 18″, so I just sanded down the cut edges to remove any bumps from the tile saw.)

Next, cut your walnut to the length of the tile. Make sure the ends are square before proceeding.

Run your walnut through the table saw to make sure is square. (The dado blade was already in place, so my dad just used the blade closest to the fence to make the cut.)

Using a 1/8″ roundover bit in your router, remove the hard corners from each side.

Determine where you want the marble to go in your finished piece. (I wanted my marble stripe to be asymmetrical, so I placed it 2″ from the edge.)

Mark the width and depth of the marble tile on the end grain of your walnut.

Set the depth of the dado blades on the table saw to the same depth as the marble. Line up the edge of the blade with your markings, then make the cut. Repeat the cut until you reach the mark for the other side.

Test the fit of your marble tile inside the groove. There should be a tiny bit of room on either side to allow for wood movement. If the marble rocks when you press down on one side, you can clean up the bottom of the groove with a straight router bit.

We soon realized that the corner of the marble was sharp, while the rest of the cutting board edge was curved. Luckily, marble is very soft, so we were able to round over the corner with 80 grit sandpaper.

Sand your cutting board with progressively finer grits of sandpaper. Be careful not to round over the edges of the groove.

Give the surface of the wood an initial coat of mineral oil or cutting board wax. This will prevent the silicone from seeping into the grain. (Isn’t it amazing how the wood comes alive as it soaks up oil?)

Tape off the edges of the groove with painter’s tape. Then apply a line of silicone along the perimeter. Check the label to make sure it’s food safe 100% Silicone.

Cover the top of the marble with painter’s tape, then lay it in the groove. Run another bead of silicone in the gap between the marble and the wood, and run your finger along the seam. This will prevent crumbs from getting into the cracks, while also allowing for wood movement. Let the silicone set for at least 24 hours before use.

Remove the painter’s tape and clean up any silicone that might have squeezed out with a razor blade. Then give it another coat of mineral oil and it’s ready to use!