My Favorite DIY Products to Give as Gifts

by : Sarah 12 months ago February 1, 2019

We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give. ~Winston S. Churchill

I really enjoy giving to others. Nothing extravagant (because my budget doesn’t really allow for it!) but just a little something to let my friends and family know that I appreciate them and am thankful to have them in my life! I listen to a girlfriend when she is overwhelmed with feelings of not being appreciated, and drop off a mason jar with hydrangeas and a bottle of wine. Or cookies for my neighbor who plowed my sidewalk in the winter for me without being asked. Or a note in my kids lunchbox to let them know that I’m thinking about them during the day. I think those little things can make a difference and encourage others to keep their chin up! In this post, I’ll share some of those ideas with you and my favorite DIY gifts as well!

Some of these recipes are not things that I made up on my own, but rather are ones that I found and have tried from my favorite DIY bloggers! The links to their full articles are included in this post. but of course gifts mean more with a personal flare! Feel free to add your favorite essential oils

or use colored containers

etc! Ribbon

is also perfect to have on hand for that additional thoughtful touch.

Fresh-cut Flowers in a Mason Jar

I love having flowers in my yard. It makes it so easy to cut a few blooms and put them in a mason jar with a pretty ribbon and a note! This is an easy way to brighten someone’s day without costing much money. I like to buy my jars in bulk and have them on hand. I even can find great glass containers at my local Goodwill and Salvation army! Or even at local garage sales. I keep everything organized in a storage bin marked “gifts.”

Bath bombs

Mix and mold this mixture and allow it to dry for 24 hours before packing into gift boxes. I like to put them into a mason jar or sealed container and tie with a ribbon as a gift. For inexpensive plastic molds, make sure your use them very gently because they tend to crack. I like my silicon molds but have even purchased a full stainless steel mold kit as a gift. Here are 2 recipe ideas below.

Lemon Bath Bomb

Ingredients

1 cup baking soda
0.5 cup citric acid
0.5 cup corn starch
3 tablespoons sea salt
¾ teaspoon water
2 teaspoons almond oil
lemon essential oil
yellow food coloring
decor (dried petals, flowers, etc.)
plastic ball-shaped molds

How To Make: In a large bowl, mix baking soda, citric acid, corn starch and sea salt. In a small bowl, mix almond oil, water, coloring and lemon essential oil. Pour the liquid mixture into a dry one. Whisk everything until the ingredients are blended smoothly. Try to roll the mixture into a ball. If the mixture does not hold shape, sprinkle it lightly with water spray. Do not add too much water, otherwise the mixture will fizz and will not crystallize properly.

If the consistency is right, spoon the mixture into molds. Leave to dry for at least 2 hours. Then remove from the molds and leave to dry on a towel for a night.

De-stress Bath Bomb

Ingredients

2 cups baking soda
2 teaspoons dried chamomile leaves or chamomile tea
1 teaspoon dried lavender flowers
0.5 cup water (more if necessary)
essential oil (cedar, bergamot, rosemary, lemon, lavender, peppermint, eucalyptus)

How To Make: Using a spice mortar or a coffee grinder, grind lavender and chamomile leaves into fine crumbs. Mix with baking soda. Add enough water to make a paste, not a liquid mass. Distribute into small molds.

Heat the oven to 430 F (220 C) and bake the molds for 15-20 minutes. Take them out of the oven and leave to cool down. Once the bombs are completely cooled, leave them to dry (or keep in the mold for 2 hours and allow to dry overnight, then proceed with next step). Pour essential oils over the bombs and leave until completely absorbed. Put them into small jars and store until using.

Alternatively, you can mix lavender, chamomile, and baking soda. Mix with 10-20 drops of each essential oil. Do not add water. Place into airtight jar. Before use, put 1-2 teaspoons of mixture under a hot water jet in the bath.

Scented Hand Cream

This is a nice moisturizer than can be added to a gift or card. I will often mix up one full batch and distribute into small containers that seal well to give as a little gift.

You Will Need

½ cup shea butter
2 tablespoons almond oil
5 drops rosemary essential oil
10 drops lavender essential oil
3 drops tea tree essential oil
3 drops carrot seed essential oil

Method

Melt the shea butter in a double boiler. Add almond oil after it melts and turn the burner off.
Let the mixture cool (but do not let it solidify) and then add the essential oils.
Whip the mixture well. You can use a whisker or blend it in a mixer (for a few seconds).
Scoop out the creamy mixture into a glass jar. Store it at room temperature.
Massage the cream on your body and face.

Why This Works

The essential oils protect your skin cells. All these oils have antiseptic properties that heal infections and prevent skin damage and rashes caused by excessive dryness. Shea butter and almond oil keep your skin moisturized and nourished.

Scented Foaming Hand Soap

Fill the bottle with about 1/2 inch of liquid hand soap
Add approximately 20 drops of essential oil {I used grapefruit for the kitchen and lavender for the bathrooms}
Fill with water just to the bottom of the ‘pump’
Shake gently to combine

“Sleep Tight” Natural pillow spray with Essential Oils

I have come to realize how important sleep is to our health and recovery! You can read my post about sleep here, but this is an easy and lovely pillow spray to make and give as a gift!

Ingredients & Supplies:

1 oz Witch Hazel (could also use Vodka or Rubbing Alcohol if you are down with that sort of thing)
1 oz Distilled Water (OR substitute this with an extra ounce of Witch Hazel to lengthen the shelf life)
20-30 drops of calming Essential Oils (pick from the suggested oils below)
2 or 4 ounce Amber Glass Spray Bottle
Funnel

Method & Use: Use a funnel to add the witch hazel, water, and essential oils into your spray bottle. Tighten the cap, and swirl the bottle around to combine.

To use: Spray 3-4 times onto your pillow before laying down. This mixture contains approximately 2% dilution rate (when using 24 drops of essential oils), which also makes it safe for spritzing lightly onto the body or pajamas of most adults. If you would like to use it directly on pregnant women or children, I would recommend selecting extra-safe essential oils and reducing the dilution rate to 1% (12 drops) or less.

Calming Essential Oils: There are many essential oils that are known for their calming and soothing effects. A few of my favorites are…

Lavender – This is probably the most popular “calming oil,” and is widely used to relax the mind and body, reduce anxiety and stress, and improve sleep quality
Sweet Orange – Orange is not just invigorating, it can help give good rest too! Orange oil is said to reduce stress hormones, uplift the mood, and calm the body
Bergamot – This rest-promoting oil is said to impart cheery effects as well as calming the mind/body and lowering anxiety
Frankincense – This oil is praised for its stress-relieving properties and its ablity to impart peace and relaxation.
Roman Chamomile – Chamomile is another popular oil for its mild sedative properties. It may help to calm the nerves and promote relaxation and a feeling of calm.
Cedarwood – This oil is often used for its soothing and calming effects on the mind, and is said to relieve tension and anxiety.
Vetiver – A great calming oil to try… some have even claimed that this oil successfully treated their insomnia naturally. Vetiver also claims grounding and calming effects on emotions, and soothing effects on the body.
Geranium – This soothing oil has been known to help with anxiety, depression, and balancing emotions.

An effective Calming Blend that is both Kid-safe and Pregnancy-safe is:

3 parts Lavender
2 parts Sweet Orange
2 parts Roman Chamomile

Exfoliating Sea Salt Scrub

This looks really pretty in a clear glass jar with a decorative label!

Ingredients

1 cup coarse sea salt
1/2 cup liquid coconut oil
5 to 7 drops grapefruit essential oil
Dry measuring cups
10-ounce glass container (I used a Weck canning jar)
Fork

Method & Use

Gather your supplies: You’ll need 1 cup coarse sea salt, 1/2 cup liquid coconut oil, 5 to 7 drops of grapefruit essential oil, and a 10-ounce glass container.
Add the salt: Pour 1 cup of salt into the empty glass container.
Add the oil: Pour 1/2 cup of coconut oil over the salt.
Add essential oil: Add 5 to 7 drops of grapefruit essential oil to mixture.
Stir the mixture: Stir all the ingredients until they’re well combined.
Close the jar: Seal the jar and affix a label or gift tag to the top if you’re giving it away.

Notes

Use scrub sparingly — about once or twice a week — by spooning a small amount into your hands, gently rubbing it in, rinsing it off with warm water, and drying your hands thoroughly.
I tried (and failed) to wrap both ribbon and twine around this jar. (It was so slippery!) To save your sanity, just affix a label, tag, or bow to the top of the jar.

Chamomile Lavender Body Wash

Ingredients:

1/4 cup fractionated coconut oil
1/4 cup raw honey
1 teaspoon vitamin E oil
1 cup liquid Castile soap
10 drops lavender essential oil
10 drops chamomile essential oil
1 8-ounce bottle

Method & Use:

In a liquid measuring cup combine a fourth cup coconut oil and honey. Add one teaspoon vitamin E oil, and one cup liquid Castile soap. Stir well to combine and pour into body wash 8 ounce bottle. Add 10 drops of lavender essential oil and 10 drops of chamomile essential oil. Place the lid on the bottle an close. Shake well to combine.

Store and use chamomile lavender natural body wash in an airtight bottle for up to one month. (I duplicated the recipe for a 16-ounce bottle in the photo below.) Yields: 8 oz

To Use: Shake well and apply to a loofah or sponge and lather on your skin.

Chocolate Salted-Caramel Pretzel Bark

I love the mix of something sweet and salty! I use this recipe often around the holidays, especially for gifts for a large number of people. I mix this in with holiday cookies to make a great tray for my neighbors, or make this all by itself and place it in a pretty tin for individual gifts! (You can read my post about decreasing holiday stress here)

Ingredients:

8oz mini pretzels or pretzel sticks
1c butter
1c light brown sugar
2c melting chocolate (milk or dark chocolate)
Sea Salt to taste

Methods and Use:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line an 11×17-inch baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper.

1. Spread pretzels onto the prepared baking sheet.

1. Combine butter and brown sugar in a saucepan over medium-low heat; cook and stir until sugar is dissolved and mixture is thickened, 5 to 8 minutes. Pour mixture over pretzels.

Bake in the preheated oven for 5 minutes. Sprinkle chocolate chips over pretzel mixture. Bake for 1 minute more. Stir mixture to evenly spread chocolate over pretzels. Lightly sprinkle salt over pretzels. Cool until set, 2 to 3 hours. Break into pieces.

A Bottle of Wine with Ribbon Tied Around it

I buy wines in bulk at a discount from Groupon and keep a stash in my pantry for gifts, parties, or holidays!

I hope this gave you a good starting point for gift-giving ideas! You don’t have to wait until a birthday or holiday to make someone feel special. Keep a few supplies on hand, make things in advance, keep everything organized, and look for excuses to brighten someone’s day! Gift-giving makes you feel just as good as the person receiving it. I’d love to hear your ideas for gift-giving as well so please comment below! ♥

We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give. ~Winston S. Churchill

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Sarah

Hello! My name is Sarah and I am a Wellness Coach and Healthcare Provider with 15 years of experience. I am passionate about intentional, balanced living and created this blog to help others live a mindful life focussed on Self Care! Here you will find resources covering topics from health, finance, self-discovery, psychology, to balance, mindfulness, and intentional living. Feel free to get in touch if you have any questions, comments, or suggestions.

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