Crafts, DIY, Do It Yourself, Gift Ideas, gifts

16 Unique DIY Hostess Gift Ideas

16 Unique DIY Hostess Gift Ideas

Holiday festivities are about to begin, and you don’t want to arrive to those parties empty-handed! Thank your hostess by bringing a thoughtful and personal gift that is sure to put a smile on his or her face. Here is a collection of Unique DIY Hostess Gift Ideas!

YEAR-ROUND IDEAS

Give your hostess something unique like these Personalized Wood Slice Coasters.

Add wine or a few small items to this DIY Gift Tray Box for a sweet thoughtful gift.

These Gold and Marble Coasters would make a sleek gift for your next dinner party hostess.

Add some flowers to a Simple Washi Tape Vase for a beautiful gift at the next party.

Build a Driftwood Gift Crate and fill it with some items as a kind gesture.

Does your hostess love to work in the kitchen? Make some custom Block Print Stamped Tea Towels.

This “Eat Your Veggies” cloth napkin set is sure to be the perfect gift for the hostess with a good sense of humor.

For a hostess who loves gold touches in her home decor, these Tissue Paper Candles would be a perfect thank you.

How about a custom DIY Cutting Board for your next hostess gift? Useful and beautifully crafted.

Impress your host with this adorable Faux Cross-stitch Tea Towel that is sure to make a lasting impression.

Does your hostess love to bake? Make this amazing Rustic Cake Stand!

HOLIDAY IDEAS

These Snowflake Christmas Trivets would be the perfect gift to keep the table festive and protected.

A Paper Bag Ornament would be a sweet holiday gift for their tree.

Make your dear friend some Hot Cocoa Mix in a Jar as a thank you for their next holiday gathering.

Add some fun items to this Customized Gift Paint Can for a unique and fun gift! (This would also make a fabulous housewarming gift.)

An adorable set of Chalkboard Painted Mugs would make the perfect gift for a holiday hostess.

I hope this post gave you some great ideas for gifts that you can give to show appreciation for your hostess! We all know how much work goes into a party or gathering. Giving thoughtful gifts is a sure way to keep the invites coming!

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December 1, 2017/5 Comments/by Sheri

Build It, caulking, christmas gift wrap, Crafts, DIY, Do It Yourself, Fix It, Gift Ideas, gift wrapping, gifts, moulding, nailgun, sheet metal

DIY Sheet Metal Gift Trays

8. Complete with "L" brackets on corners. Add gifts and deliver!

DIY Sheet Metal Gift Trays

The holidays are fast approaching and it’s time to start thinking about gift giving ideas! Gift trays are a great way deliver gifts to your friends, neighbors or teachers. The best part of a gift tray is it can be reused for anything they want and nothing goes to waste! Follow along with this tutorial to see how to make these DIY Sheet Metal Gift Trays.

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.)

1/2″ or 3/4″ Plywood scrap wood
2″ pieces of lathe or scrap moulding
[amazon_textlink asin=’B000W49NPC’ text=’Sheet metal scrap’ template=’ProductLink’ store=’prett-wp-001-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’4f103892-cbe2-11e7-a00c-3fda84932599′] (large enough to cover plywood base)
[amazon_textlink asin=’B00009OYFY’ text=’Sheet metal snips’ template=’ProductLink’ store=’prett-wp-001-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’56db011a-cbe2-11e7-88c9-230adf5bdb2c’]
[amazon_textlink asin=’B000S7ZSTS’ text=’Construction adhesive’ template=’ProductLink’ store=’prett-wp-001-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’65c9549d-cbe2-11e7-8619-39ed35fc6585′]
[amazon_textlink asin=’B000DZF2Q4′ text=’Caulk gun’ template=’ProductLink’ store=’prett-wp-001-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’6d3fe28c-cbe2-11e7-bb25-e144f3be5a89′]
[amazon_textlink asin=’B00125NQBC’ text=’Sandpaper’ template=’ProductLink’ store=’prett-wp-001-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’7f0ff979-cbe2-11e7-b34f-fb2f071c5869′]
[amazon_textlink asin=’B001JYVDSE’ text=’Steel wool’ template=’ProductLink’ store=’prett-wp-001-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’8e654c5e-cbe2-11e7-b495-0ffc93a9294c’]
[amazon_textlink asin=’B01I7DNOYA’ text=’Gloves’ template=’ProductLink’ store=’prett-wp-001-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’b09e21ba-cbe2-11e7-91af-d908a698cd02′]
Drill
Pencil or Marker
4 – [amazon_textlink asin=’B01N6NID4X’ text=’L brackets’ template=’ProductLink’ store=’prett-wp-001-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’de9d5670-cbe2-11e7-84b2-2f143e838863′] and 1/2″ wood screws
[amazon_textlink asin=’B001PNH8D8′ text=’Brad nails ‘ template=’ProductLink’ store=’prett-wp-001-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’0337c2d4-cbe3-11e7-b1d7-3dfa06c67bf1′]Nail gun

Instructions:

Cut your piece of plywood to the desired size for the tray base. Lay the plywood base on top of the sheet metal and trace with a permanent marker. Use tin snips to cut the metal to size.

Put on your safety gloves and use the sanding block to remove some of the shine from the sheet metal. Smooth over any sharp edges.

Rub the steel wool over the entire sheet metal piece to give it a soft polished finish.

Load a tube of construction adhesive into your caulk gun. Apply a fair amount of adhesive to the plywood. Glue the sheet metal to the top of the plywood.

Press the sheet metal down evenly on top of the adhesive. Wipe off any excess if needed with a paper towel.

Cut the 2″ pieces of lathe or scrap moulding to the length of the two shorter sides. Next, measure and cut two pieces of lathe for the long ends. (Be sure to allow extra length to overlap the short pieces of lathe/moulding. Use the construction adhesive and brads to secure the lathe to the sides of the plywood. Clamp the sides until the adhesive cures.

Once the adhesive is cured, remove your clamps. Attach the L brackets on the lower half of each corner using 1/2″ wood screws. The L brackets will reinforce the sides and add an industrial look.

There you have it! These DIY Sheet Metal Gift Trays are easy to make, look great, and are an extra special and environmentally-friendly way to give gifts!

I hope you love this project. Do you have other ideas for quick gift giving? Please share!

Want some more gift giving inspiration?

DIY Scrap Moulding Trays

Make a Driftwood Gift Crate

November 27, 2017/1 Comment/by Brittany Bailey

accessories, arts and craft, Contributor, Crafts, Gift Ideas, gifts, painting

DIY Colorful Coffee Stirrer Keychain

Hello Pretty Handy Girl readers, Jaime from That’s My Letter back again to share a fun craft project. Today we’re making DIY wood keychains using coffee stirrer sticks.

If you love coffee just as much as I do, what could be better than a nifty craft made from coffee stirrers!

The pattern possibilites are endless, stripes, diagonal, rainbow, chevron and on and on. And what a great gift or favor idea for a party – you could paint them to match the party color scheme.

I may or may not have borrowed a few wood coffee stirrer sticks from my local coffee shop with a green and white logo. Of course, I let my daughter do the dirty work but you only need about 5 sticks for one keychain. Or more appropriately you can purchase coffee stirrer sticks or thin wood craft sticks from most craft and hobby shops.

The painted coffee stirrer sticks are sealed with clear gloss varnish which gives a super hard finish that will hold up to everyday wear and tear while protecting the wood and paint.

Try one and I guarantee you’ll be hooked — then you’ll be making different styles and versions for everyone you know in a school or team color scheme ;-).

Materials:

5 wood coffee stirrer sticks
acrylic craft paint
small paint brush
basswood (purchase one stick at 36″ l x 3/32″ thick x 2″w)
super glue (gel version is best)
scissors
rubber bands
clear gloss varnish (Americana DuraClear or similar)
sandpaper
clear gloss polyurethane spray (optional)
drill & small drill bit
keychain hardware

Instructions:

Step 1: Paint wood coffee stirrer sticks desired colors using acrylic craft paint. Paint the edges too but not the back. Read more

March 19, 2014/12 Comments/by Jaime Costiglio

Crafts, Gift Ideas, gifts, Holiday decorating, Sewing

Sewing Snowflake Box Bottom Gift Pouches

Gift pouches are super easy to make. You can use fabric, cloth napkins, or even a pair of pajama pants or boxers* (see bottom of this post)!

I made pouches using fabric that I stenciled with Martha Stewart stencils and the roller top paint roller. As promised, here is how to sew a box bottom gift pouch:

Materials:

Fabric
Thread
Scissors
Safety pin
Ribbon or cord
Pins
Sewing Machine
Iron (and ironing board)
Ruler

1. Start by cutting fabric into two 8″ x 12″ rectangles.

2. Pin right sides together and stitch along one length of the fabric (12″ side). Then press the seam open.

3. Fold over the top edge of the fabric 1/4″ then again about 1/2″. Press the folds with an iron. This will be the sleeve for the drawstring.

4. Fold in the sides about 1/4″ over. The fold should extend from the drawstring sleeve to about 3″ down the side to finish off the raw edge of the fabric.

5. Stitch this fold at the very top ( inside the drawstring sleeve) to hold it in place.

6. Sew the bottom folded edge of the drawstring sleeve. Stitch as close to the edge as possible.

Your pouch should look like this:

7. Fold the fabric in half lengthwise (right sides together). Start your stitches just below the drawstring sleeve. Sew along the open side of the pouch and across the bottom.

Your pouch should look like this:

8. Grab the center of both sides of the pouch and pull them away from each other. The seams should be in the middle now and the base of the pouch makes a triangle.

9. Pin about 2 inches up from the point of the triangle.

Repeat on the opposite side. (The further up you pin the bigger the box at the bottom of your bag will be.)

10. Stitch along the width of the pouch where you pinned.

Repeat for the opposite side.

11. Turn the pouch right sides out.

12. Cut a piece of ribbon long enough to feed through the pouch top and to tie a bow. Attach a safety pin to the end of the ribbon and feed the safety pin through the sleeve at the top of the pouch. When the safety pin exits the other side, pull the ribbon until the ends are even. Remove the safety pin and snip the ends of the ribbon if needed.

That’s it! Now you know how to make a super easy box bottom gift pouch!

Put your gift inside and tie the ribbon. You now have instant gift wrap and a pouch that the receiver will love to keep!

*If you find a cute pair of boxers or pajama pants at Goodwill, buy them! You can use them to make gift pouches as well. After washing the pants (of course), cut the two legs apart by cutting up the front and back center seam.

Separate the pants into two pieces. If your pants have a drawstring, you can use it for your gift pouch string (but you may have to cut the stitching around the tag if it has been sewn in.)

Square off the bottom of the legs by cutting across at a 90 degree angle. Follow the directions above to make two more box bottom gift pouches!What do you think? Easy right?! Would you know that those were pajama shorts in a past life? Don’t lie, you only know because I showed you ;-).

November 28, 2011/10 Comments/by Brittany Bailey

Posts

16 Unique DIY Hostess Gift Ideas

YEAR-ROUND IDEAS

HOLIDAY IDEAS

DIY Sheet Metal Gift Trays