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DIY Gifts to Make in a Day

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Are you a procrastinator when it comes to finding gifts for loved ones? Don’t worry, I am too! Fortunately, I have plenty of quick and easy DIY gifts to make in a day if you’re scrambling for gifts for teachers, moms or girlfriends.

Collage of arts and crafts projects with text overlay reading "DIY Gifts to Make in Minutes"

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The Perfect Last-Minute DIY Gifts

We’ve all been there before. You have just a few days before a friend’s birthday or Mother’s Day, but you want a gift that shows how much you care. You want something that looks put together and not thrown together.

I’ve collected some of my favorite handmade gifts below that you can make in just a matter of minutes or hours.

An Amazon Prime membership comes in handy for some of the supplies, but you can also find many materials at your local craft store.

Lavender Sugar Scrub (Free Printable Tags)

DIY sugar scrub in mason jars with printed labels

Learn how to make a DIY sugar scrub with this easy recipe using lavender essential oils and dried lavender buds. This lavender sugar scrub is great for stress relief and exfoliates and moisturizes dry skin at the same time! The best part…it takes less than 10 minutes to make! Plus, get FREE printable labels and tags.

Pounded Flower Art

Who knew pounding flowers with a hammer could create such beautiful results? This DIY flower art is simple enough for kids to make (with adult supervision), and you’ll have loads of fun in the process.

Framed flower pounded art made with fresh flowers and hammer

Lavender and Rice Heating Pad

Finished DIY lavender rice heating pads

Learn how to make a lavender heating pad with rice that smells good, feels good and looks good, too! This lavender-scented microwavable heating pad is easy enough as a beginning sewing project, and you can choose a no-sew version as well.

DIY Potpourri with Dried Flowers

Mixed floral potpourri with fragrance oil and wooden scoop

Learn how to make potpourri to give as gifts or preserve special memories. Get tips on drying flowers for this craft and making it last longer.

DIY Tea Towels with Image Transfers

DIY tea towels with farmhouse style graphics of trucks and wagons with pumpkins

Make these beautiful handmade tea towels with any design you like! These farmhouse towels make the perfect DIY gifts for a hostess or housewarming present. It’s easy to make these in minutes with my simple technique.

Decoupage Wooden Spoons

How to make decoupage wooden spoons

Make beautiful decoupage wooden spoons using Mod Podge, scrapbook paper, and bamboo kitchen utensils. This makes a great DIY gift in a matter of minutes! Use these decorative spoons as a hostess gift, birthday gift, housewarming gift, or Mother’s Day gift.

DIY Farmhouse Flour Sack Towels

Flour sack dish towels hanging on farmhouse style bench

Make DIY flour sack dish towels for French country or farmhouse style decor. These striped kitchen towels make a great home decor accent, and you can give them away as gifts for birthdays and holidays!

Lavender Room Spray

The soothing scent of lavender is always a good idea for a gift. This lavender room spray recipe requires only a few ingredients and can be used on pillows, linens, or sachets.

Hand spraying a bottle of DIY lavender spray

Magnetic Picture Frame Project

Upcycled picture frame with printable recipe cards and washi tape pencils

Learn how to repurpose old picture frames with decoupage and paint to create a magnetic recipe card holder. This would be a fun way to present someone with a baked gift and corresponding recipe cards.

Painted Tote Bag with Stencils

Hand painted tote bag with patriotic stencil and bandana on park bench

Upgrade a plain canvas tote bag with just a little paint and a stencil. Learn everything there is to know about the best paint for canvas bags and what technique to use. This would make the perfect personalized gift for someone.

DIY Farmhouse Sign

DIY farmhouse wood signs

Make a beautiful DIY farmhouse sign as a gift for friends or family. All you’ll need is a piece of wood and a few simple materials! This tutorial includes options to use a Cricut or Cameo machine or hand-painted lettering directly onto the wood. The best part about this sign construction is you can make the sign reversible to use it for multiple holidays!

Easy Decoupage Wood Sign

DIY decoupage wood sign that reads "Dad"
Decoupage wood sign

Learn how to make decoupage wood signs the easy way with this quick beginner project. This is so easy to DIY, even the kids can help!

DIY T-Shirt with Love Design for Cricut/Cameo

DIY Valentine's Day t-shirt using buffalo plaid heat transfer vinyl

Get tips on making a DIY t-shirt with heat-transfer vinyl, and get this free SVG pattern for Cricut or Cameo.

Fingerprint Flower Pots

This charming painted flower pot makes such a sentimental gift! I chose to decorate it with ladybugs, but you could choose another insect like butterflies or bees.

Flower pot with ladybug fingerprint design and garden stake reading "Love Bug" shown with gardening gloves

DIY Pressed Flower Art Using a Microwave

Microwave DIY pressed flower wall art tutorial 1

Remember pressing flowers as a kid? With this easy technique, you can make pressed flower art in a matter of minutes (not months) and create unique artwork that’s sentimental, too. This would make a great keepsake for someone special if you use flowers that have special meaning.

DIY Pressed Flower Wall Art

Pressed flower wall art shown in white frames next to faux floral arrangement on fireplace mantel

Make your own pressed flower wall art to display as home decor using a completely different technique. This easy one-hour project is budget-friendly and completely customizable. Choose any color and any style of herb or flower to coordinate with your decor.

DIY Macrame Plant Hanger

DIY macrame plant hanger holding purple and white petunias and sweet potato vine

Give the gift of a retro boho-chic macrame plant hanger to the plant-lover in your life. It’s the perfect accessory for a hanging basket.

DIY Birdhouse Woodworking Project

DIY birdhouse sitting on outdoor hearth with gardening gloves

Get free plans to make this simple DIY birdhouse with scrap wood. The birds will love it, and it looks adorable in a garden, too!

Elegant DIY Cake Stand

Farmhouse cake stand with cupcakes on top

This simple DIY cake stand is easy to make and looks beautiful as a pedestal or cupcake display. It’s the perfect gift for someone who loves to entertain at home.

DIY Etched Glass Gift

Etched glass objects (goblet, candleholder, vase) made using a Cricut and glass etching cream

Learn how to etch glass using a Cricut machine and glass etching cream. This step-by-step tutorial with video shows you all the tips to get great results. You can make your own DIY wine glass, plate, or vase to give away as personalized gifts.

Fabric Charger Plates

DIY charger plate in tartan plaid with painted "Joy" plate on top, shown with Christmas ornament and copper mug
Fabric Covered Charger Plate

Give plain charger plates an upgrade with your favorite fabric. Find out how to make these DIY charger plates for the perfect giftable decor item. It’s easier than you think!

Easy Mosaic Flower Pots

Mosaic flower pot with watering can and gardening gloves on wooden bench

These mosaic flower pots are the perfect addition to a container garden. Get tips for making your own with thrifted or broken plates. Anyone with a love for gardening would enjoy this gift.

Painted Terracotta Pots

Painted terracotta pots and decoupage pots stacked with flowers on outdoor patio fireplace

These painted terracotta pots add charm and elegance to any patio. Get tips for painting flower pots to give as gifts to teachers, family, and friends.

Fabric Covered Flower Pots

Learn how to make your own fabric-covered flower pots using Mod Podge. This is a great way to use up old fabric scraps and beautify your patio garden.

Decoupage Flower Pots with Napkins

Stacked decoupage flower pots by outdoor fireplace with mosaic snail and other potted plants

Learn how to make beautifully decorated flower pots with paint, napkins, and Mod Podge Outdoor. This is a great way to upgrade plain terracotta pots to create a stunning container garden on a covered porch or patio.

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Drop me a comment to let me know which of these homemade gifts you plan to try! Happy gifting!

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4 Comments

    1. Thanks so much, Jen! I hope you enjoy Mother’s Day with your family. Sometimes I get so swept up in preparing for the holiday I forget it’s supposed to be for us, too. Ha!