This is also one of those homemade pantry staples that makes a great gift. You could make a big batch and decorate the jars to add to gift baskets or give to casual friends or office buddies. You could also create a set including this pumpkin pie spice, everything bagel seasoning, pizza taco and chili seasonings, or homemade vanilla extract.

Related: If you love pumpkin recipes, try these: Pumpkin Smoothie, Pumpkin Spice Latte, Pumpkin Soup and 15 Pumpkin Desserts to Bake this Fall.

Ingredients

• Cinnamon
• Ginger
• Nutmeg
• Cloves
• Allspice
• Black pepper

You may also want to buy some spice jars with labels or make your own.

How to Make Pumpkin Pie Spice

In a small bowl or coffee mug, measure all the ingredients and stir them together.

Use parchment paper or a plain (clean) piece of paper to create a funnel to spoon the spice mix into your container. If you own a small funnel, that will work too.

Label your container. And you’re ready to use your spice mix!

Tips for Making

• Since you are making your own spice mix, you can slightly change or alter the ingredient measurements below in the recipe card. If you want to omit all spice, you can! Don’t want to add a pinch of black pepper? Up to you! This is your pumpkin spice mix, so feel free to make it your own.
• Grate your own nutmeg or buy some already grated, either works great in this mix.
• If you’ve owned your spices for a while, check them for freshness before you use them in this recipe. If the container doesn’t have an expiration date listed, give them a smell to see if they are fragrant in the way they should be. If they smell off, toss them and buy new spices before making this pumpkin pie spice mix.

More Autumn Recipes You’ll Love:

• Apple Tart
• Overnight Pumpkin Butter
• Apple Dumplings
• Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew
• Easy Apple Pie Bars
• Pecan Pie Sticky Buns
• Sweet Potato Pie
• Pumpkin Pie Martini

Print

Pumpkin Pie Spice

Course condiment

Cuisine American

Keyword pumpkin, spice mix

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 5 minutes minutes

Author Emma Chapman

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons ginger
• 2 teaspoons nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon cloves
• 1 teaspoon allspice
• ⅛ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

• In a small bowl or coffee mug, measure all the ingredients and stir them together.
• Use parchment paper or a plain (clean) piece of paper to create a funnel to spoon the spice mix into your container. If you own a small funnel, that will work too.
• Label your container. And you’re ready to use your spice mix!

Notes

Since you are making your own spice mix, you can slightly change or alter the ingredient measurements below in the recipe card. If you want to omit all spice, you can! Don’t want to add a pinch of black pepper? Up to you! This is your pumpkin spice mix, so feel free to make it your own.

If you’ve owned your spices for a while, check them for freshness before you use them in this recipe. If the container doesn’t have an expiration date listed, give them a smell to see if they are fragrant in the way they should be. If they smell off, toss them and buy new spices before making this pumpkin pie spice mix.

We’re also sharing some food gifts, meal ideas, and a few dessert recipes in case you’re hosting a lunch or dinner for Father’s Day.

Related: If you prefer to buy a gift this year, we have a huge Father’s Day Gift Guide with over 100 ideas!

DIY Gift Ideas:

We have a bunch of DIY gift ideas for Dad, ranging from 10 minute projects (like a simple leather keychain) to more advanced DIYs like a wooden sofa sleeve.

Homemade soap is always a great gift idea. Our DIY buffalo check soap is softly scented with rosemary essential oil, but we love the scent of peppermint or fir needle for this soap, too.

This free “Dad and Me” printable is so cute! Children can draw a picture with Dad and write him a little note. You could easily frame this special gift so it can be displayed and enjoyed everyday.

Here’s another idea for kids—a Father’s Day printable that can be filled out in their own words. It’s so fun to see how children answer the questions!

Here’s a unique gift idea— a leather mason jar sleeve. It’s perfect for camping trips and morning coffee. If you’ve never worked with leather before, this tutorial makes it less intimidating than it seems.

It’s so easy to scroll through photos on our phone, but nothing beats the feeling of flipping through photos in an actual album. Dad will love this chipboard family photo album as much as you will.

A DIY lap desk is a really useful gift, and the fact that you made one makes it even more special. This tutorial is easy and doesn’t require any sewing skills (always a plus!).

This DIY acrylic frame has a spot for a dry erase calendar on the back and a spot for a photo on the front. We love gifts that have multiple uses! Dad can put this on his desk at work or in a home office..

Homemade candles make great gifts for any occasion—and Father’s Day is no exception. In fact, we have an entire beginner’s guide post dedicated to making homemade candles.

We especially love DIY wood wick candles. They create a cozy vibe anytime of the year.

What about a leather keychain? This useful gift can be made in 10 minutes once you have the supplies, and it can be customized and painted any color.

This kid’s art frame DIY a perfect way to display art projects and doodles. It’s opens from the front, and you can switch out your children’s art work anytime you want. It’s one of our most popular DIYs on the blog!

This would be a great spot for a Father’s Day printable, too.

You could him make a set of wood burned bottle stoppers. These are so unique and would make any bar cart look extra fancy. If you don’t want to purchase a wood burning kit, you could easily use paint for this project instead.

Speaking of wood working projects, these geometric wood trivets would be a great gift idea for any Dad who likes to spend time in the kitchen. This is one of those DIY gifts that take a little time, but it’s totally worth it.

Here’s another personalized gift idea— an easy photo keychain. Regardless if your children are big or small, a cute photo that Dad can see every time he grabs his keys is a special gift to receive.

How about a gift that the whole family can enjoy together? You can make your own giant Jenga game to play outside during the summer months. If you prefer to purchase a giant Jenga set instead, it would result in the same amount of fun.

Love outdoor games? You can even make your own cornhole yard game.

A set of DIY resin coasters would be a great gift (you can personalize them using different colors of alcohol ink) and they are equally fun to make. Looking for more resin projects? Check out our post resin art – beginner’s guide.

If Dad likes to read, you could make him a set of vintage-inspired library card bookmarks using our free printable. These are so fun! You could pair this gift with a book he would love.

This wooden sofa sleeve can hold coffee (or cocktails) while you’re watching TV. It’s so practical and sleek. This is another gift that you could buy, but it’s extra special if you make it.

Regardless what you give Dad this year, it’s always a good idea to include a homemade card. We have a lot of fun ideas on our kid’s website, Childhood Magic.

This suede catchall is great for keeping keys, change, and other small items in one place. It’s so simple to make that you might end up making two of them!

Who wouldn’t love sitting by a cozy fire in their backyard? This DIY fire pit (in 4 easy steps) would be an epic gift for Father’s Day. Don’t forget to have the ultimate s’mores setup nearby.

Food Gift Ideas:

Give the gift of food on Father’s Day this year! We have some fun ideas—from taco-shaped sugar cookies to homemade seasonings.

Use our easy sugar cookie recipe to make Dad a batch of amazing Father’s Day cookies. These might look too fun to eat, but we insist that you enjoy these delicious cookies together after he sees them.

Looking for more cookie recipes? Check out our post best cookie recipes of all time.

If he enjoys grilling or cooking, grab some empty spice jars and make him a set of homemade seasoning mixes or everything bagel seasoning.

If you’re hosting a lunch or dinner, add a no-bake dessert (like this chocolate eclair cake) to the menu. It’s incredibly easy to make and always a crowd favorite.

If you’re looking for more easy dessert recipes, check out our post 15+ easy no-bake desserts.

You could have a family picnic at a park nearby or use your own backyard to enjoy a meal together. We have tons of recipe ideas (including these deviled eggs) in our post 40+ easy picnic food ideas.

Father’s Day Meal Ideas:

If you’re planning a meal for Father’s Day, we have a bunch of amazing recipe roundups for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. If you’re thinking brunch, you can’t go wrong with a biscuits and gravy casserole!

• 60 Easy Dinner Recipes
• 50+ Healthy Breakfast Ideas
• 40 Fun Cocktails to Make At Home
• 30 Easy Finger Foods for a Party

Looking For More Gift Guides?

• Homemade Gift Ideas for Everyone on Your List
• Easy DIY Mother’s Day Gift Ideas
• Housewarming Gift Ideas

Related: Elsie’s Mother’s Day Gift Ideas – personalized jewelry picks, kitchen and dining gifts, coffee table books, and more.

This clay petal planter is a perfect gift idea, and it’s incredibly easy to make. The hardest part of this DIY is deciding which color of clay to use (team rainbow over here).

Treat mom to a relaxing bubble bath with our DIY bubble bath bars made with natural ingredients. We recommend putting them inside a jar like this—they’re too pretty not to be displayed!

We love all things wicker and rattan—especially this caned candle holder. This candle holder is a gift that she can use over and over again, and it goes with pretty much any decor style.

She will absolutely love a soft blanket to get cozy with, and this DIY happens to be for a no-sew fleece tie blanket—super easy to make!

If your mom loves jewelry, you could make her an acrylic earring holder. The “marbled” bottom is made with peel and stick paper to keep things budget-friendly.

Speaking of jewelry, these gold statement earrings are also a DIY and another great gift idea. They only take a few minutes to make! You could make an origami box and lid to gift them in as well!

Homemade potpourri is so much better than the store-bought kind. You can use foraged or store-bought plants and herbs, and customize the scent with different essential oils.

How cute are these DIY clay bead bracelets? Making these can turn into a really fun hobby—you might end up making them for all your friends, too.

A glitter letter keychain or a set of glitter acrylic coasters are fun (and useful) gift ideas, and they are equally fun to make. Acrylic projects are some of our favorites; these DIY daisy earrings included.

Check out Resin Art – Beginner’s Guide for more ideas!

Candles make great gifts for any occasion—especially Mother’s Day. In fact, we have an entire beginner’s guide post dedicated to making homemade candles.

We have a lot of DIY candle options to choose from, like beeswax candles (they have a light honey scent), soy candles, and the adorable flower-shaped pillar candle pictured above.

The soothing crackle of a homemade wood wick candle is hard to beat. And just a little tip—we love using leftover vessels from old candles to make new ones.

Speaking of cozy gifts, make her a bedtime pillow mist that she’s sure to love. It will feel fancy! Sweet dreams!

We have more DIYs like this in our spa archives.

When it comes to displaying and organizing jewelry, our palm leaf ring dish and DIY marbled clay dishes are really easy to make and are cute enough to display on a bedside table.

If your mom loves to cook or bake, she will treasure these printable recipe cards gifted inside a cute recipe tin. You could even attach a recipe card to a giftable food item like our homemade cookie butter.

A set of DIY pineapple-shaped oven mitts would be equal parts adorable and functional. This cherry pie potholder, too.

We’re partial to cake, but you can add any phrase to this no-sew kitchen towel. Add a cookbook with this pom-pom trimmed towel for the perfect gift combo!

Something like our soothing rosemary mint bath salts or epsom salt bath soak are perfect for a relaxing evening at home. You could pair this gift with a good book for her to read, too.

If she loves plants, make her a cute DIY hanging planter. You don’t even have to shop for real plants to go inside this planter—something like this would be perfect!

Looking for similar ideas? Check out 10 unique DIY planters and pots.

Do you remember making Shrinky Dinks as a kid? They’re so nostalgic. Emma picked her favorite book covers to make this amazing Shrinky Dinks necklace. This would be such a fun gift!

If you’re pressed for time, these wooden ball photo holders are sleek and simple and they only take five minutes to make. You could even include a fun camera to go with them.

You might say that we have a thing for homemade bath bombs. They are the best! We have several DIY bath bombs to choose from, like rainbow gold lustre, green tea and lemon, and our classic homemade bath bombs.

Make her a pair of simple dangle pearl earrings. These are so pretty and expensive looking.

Homemade soap is one of our favorite gifts to make. And if you make extra soap, you can keep a couple bars for yourself!

We have a bunch of essential oil-based soaps to choose from, like gemstone soap, grapefruit poppyseed soap, pumpkin spice soap, and tie dye soap.

Our DIY pink sugar body polish (with an old school label) is a “dupe” of a popular brand, and we can’t get enough!

For more amazing body scrub DIYs, check out our ultimate body scrub guide.

If you’re looking for a unique way to gift photos, these DIY photo glitter globes are so fun! You can pick the color (and how much) glitter you add, but the more the merrier.

You could make her a set of terrazzo cheese knives (and then invite yourself over for cheese and wine, of course).

We love using using these reusable (and environmentally-friendly) DIY food wraps for leftovers. You could pair these wraps with something like a cute cheese board.

Laundry is something we all have to do, so why not make her a set of wool dryer balls? You could include some essential oils (we love using lavender and lemon for laundry).

If you want to include a card, we created two free Mother’s Day card designs to choose from that can be printed at home. Or you could make a unique pop-up card like Emma did here.

We have some fun Mother’s Day activities and crafts for kids on our other site, Childhood Magic!

Looking For More Gift Guides?

• 30+ DIY Father’s Day Gift Ideas
• Housewarming Gift Ideas
• Homemade Gift Ideas for Everyone on Your List

It’s fun for crafters of all ages, so long as you can use an oven, OR if you are making Shrinky Dinks with young children, you can bake the pieces for them.

Shrinky Dinks can be used for jewelry, keychains, pins, and lots of other projects. I’m going to share how to make them from recycled plastic as well as my favorite kits and papers to use. Everyone can have success with this project!

I created this Shrinky Dink charm necklace with some of my favorite book covers. In case you are curious, the books are: The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart, Never Let Me Go, The Stepford Wives, Pride and Prejudice, Murder on the Orient Express, The Night Circus, and The Poisonwood Bible.

The green necklace has the cover of Kitchens of the Great Midwest on it. Next, I want to make a necklace or maybe bracelet with all the Harry Potter book covers. Lol.

What Are Shrinky Dinks?

Sometimes called shrink art, Shrinky Dinks first became popular in the 1980s and ’90s. The basic idea is you decorate a piece of polystyrene (plastic) and then bake it so it shrinks down in size. The final piece will be smaller, thicker, and more heavily pigmented.

Shrinky Dinks were invented by Betty Morris and Kate Bloomberg, two mothers who created the craft as a project with their sons for Cub Scouts. Later, large toy companies including Milton Bradley created kits and other products for commercial sale.

While most people think of Shrinky Dinks as a kids craft, it has been used for many other applications as well.

Adults can also enjoy creating craft and art projects from this technique. And, Shrinky Dinks have also been used by university students and professors for STEM projects.

Best Shrinky Dink Kits & Papers

1. Printable Shrink Plastic Sheets – These are the papers I used for my book charm necklaces. They work with ink jet printers and are semitransparent.
2. Printable Shrink Plastic Kit – Same type of ink jet compatible paper, but with jewelry and keychain making supplies in the kit as well.
3. Shrinky Dinks Kit for Kids – Princess, Barbie, and Mickey Mouse options. Easy to use and great for younger crafters.
4. Shrink Art Jewelry Kit – From Kids Made Modern, great for older kiddos.

There are many options if you want a kit or papers that have pre-made designs you can color in before baking.

If you want papers you can free draw, on I recommend the first option above. You don’t have to use an ink jet printer—you can simply draw on it with felt-tip pens or colored pencils.

Tips for Success

No matter if you are working with a paper, kit, or creating Shrinky Dinks from recycled plastic (more on this below) the most important tip for success is to use an oven or other heating tool (heat gun) that allows you to see the plastic pieces as they bake. So, easy bake ovens without a window or air fryers don’t work as well.

You want to be able to watch the pieces bake as they will curl, and then uncurl when they are done baking. This process will likely take 1-2 minutes, but it’s best if you can watch them as they bake so you can know when they are one.

If you have pieces that are still slightly curled after baking, you can press them flat (while they are still hot) with a book or other heavy object. But take care not to burn your finger as they will be hot immediately after being in the oven.

DIY Shrinky Dinks:

To make your own Shrinky Dinks from recycled plastic you will need: #6 plastic and felt-tipped pens.

While you can try and use other plastics, none will work as well as #6. I have tried! You can identify the type of plastic you have by looking for the recycle symbol which is three arrows creating a triangle. Inside will be a number.

Number 6 plastic is often found on disposable food packages like takeout containers. At least at our house, it’s not very common.

I see much more number 5 and number 1 plastic. I tried these for Shrinky Dink projects and they work OK, but not great.

Color the number 6 plastic with the felt-tipped pens. You can use other items like acrylic paint or markers, but keep in mind you want to avoid things that are super waxy or that will not be able to take the heat of the oven.

Once you have colored your designs, cut them out.

Bake at 325°F for 1-2 minutes, watching the pieces as they bake on parchment paper. You want to see them curl and then fully uncurl, that’s when they are done.

FAQ:

I prefer to use the ink jet compatible paper I listed above for my Shrinky Dink projects; but if you have number 6 plastic or don’t mind a slightly more homemade look, you can make your own DIY Shrinky Dinks with the tutorial I shared above.

More DIY Jewelry Projects

• Clay Bead Bracelet Ideas
• Marbled Clay Statement Earrings
• Make Real Silver Jewelry with Metal Clay
• DIY Epoxy Resin Jewelry
• Rainbow Seed Bead Earrings

Making candles is an easy DIY project that anyone can do. It does require a few basic supplies, including a stovetop or something similar to melt the wax.

I love to make candles for myself, as I almost always have a candle burning in my kitchen every evening. I also love to give homemade candles as gifts.

A DIY candle makes a great housewarming gift, wedding gift, birthday, Mother’s Day, or holiday gift. Or at least I think so, as I LOVE candles!

Candle Making Supplies – Basics

• Wax – beeswax, soy, paraffin, palm, or gel
• Wick – ECO wicks, hemp, or wood (different sizes based on how thick your candle will be)
• Wick stickers or hot glue and glue gun
• Scent – essential oils or blends
• Containers/vessels
• Melting pot and larger pot – to create a double boiler
• Kitchen thermometer
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Mixing spoon
• Clothespin or other stick to hold wick in place (pencils, skewers, chopsticks, etc.)
• Candle wick trimmer or scissors
• Kitchen scale (optional but helpful)

How to Make a Candle – the Basics

1. Measure out your wax. The easiest way to do this is to fill your container that will become your candle with the wax pellets. Then, use your kitchen scale to find the weight so you know how much scent oil to use.
2. In your melting pot, add the wax.
3. In your larger pot, add enough water so it will cover your melting pot at least halfway.
4. Heat the larger pot with the water and melting pot over medium heat. This is essentially a double boiler, like you might use to melt chocolate. While you can melt the wax in the melting pot directly, using a double boiler ensures the wax doesn’t overheat.
5. Heat the wax to 185°F. Use your thermometer to check.
6. Stir in the scent oil so it gets well distributed.
7. Turn off the heat and allow your wax mixture to cool to 125°F before pouring.
8. While the wax melts (or as it cools off), add your wick to the container. Use a wick sticker or hot glue to stick the metal bottom of the wick to the bottom center of the container. Then, use a clothespin or stick to wrap the top of the wick around so it will stay center once you pour in the wax.
9. Pour the wax into your container. If the wick shifts around, fix it while the wax is still hot and very liquid.
10. Once your candle hardens, you’re ready to trim the wick and use it!

Types of Wax & Wicks

• Beeswax – natural, has a subtle sweet fragrance without adding oil, but can be more expensive. See how to make your own bee’s wax candles.
• Soy wax – natural, but often a blend so check the label. Usually more affordable than beeswax. See how to make soy candles.
• Paraffin wax – most economical but the least natural of these options
• ECO wicks – made from cotton and paper
• Hemp wicks – made from hemp
• Wood wicks – check out DIY wood wick candles to learn more

While there are other types of waxes and wicks beyond those listed above, these are likely what you will want to use as a beginner.

What is Scent Throw?

Scent throw is exactly what it sounds like; it is the radius around your candle where the scent will reach as it burns. There are four factors that affect scent throw:

• The type of wax
• Thickness of the wick
• Amount of scent oil used
• Temperature of the wax when you add the scent oil

While you may want to use different types of waxes for cost or health reasons, just know that generally the hotter the melting point of the wax the smaller the scent throw will be.

As far as how much scent oil to add, you may think adding more will always mean a larger scent throw. Not true. If you add too much oil, it can weigh down in the wax.

You should aim for 1 ounce of scent oil for every 1 pound of wax (generally). This is why you may want to use a kitchen scale once you’ve measured how much wax will fit your container so you can best calculate how much scent oil to use.

How to Make Molded Candles

Making a candle in a mold is a little different because you will not need a container. You can reuse molds over and over if you care for them. See this tutorial for a flower pillar candle DIY for step-by-step instructions and tips for success.

Here are some cute molds:

• Bubble candle molds
• Twisted candle stick molds
• Knot candle mold
• Geometric candle molds

Where to Buy Containers:

• Used: thrift stores, cleaned out food containers like pickle jars, or other used glass or porcelain containers you may have. Do not use containers that can melt or catch fire, like plastic.
• New: pretty pink glasses, colorful handblown glass, a footed planter
• See how to easily remove candle wax from used candle containers so you can reuse them again!

Print

How to Make Candles: Beginner’s Guide

step-by-step tutorial on how to make candles at home

Keyword candle making

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Author Emma Chapman

Equipment

• melting pot
• larger pot
• kitchen thermometer
• measuring cups and spoons
• mixing spoon
• clothespin or sticks or holding wick
• wick trimmer or scissors
• kitchen scale optional

Ingredients

• wax
• wick
• wick stickers or hot glue
• scent oil or blend
• container or mold

Instructions

• Measure out your wax – the easiest way to do this is to fill your container that will become your candle with the wax pellets. Then, use your kitchen scale to find the weight so you know how much scent oil to use.
• In your melting pot, add the wax.
• In your larger pot, add enough water so it will cover your melting pot at least halfway.
• Heat the larger pot with the water and melting pot over medium heat. This is essentially a double boiler, like you might use to melt chocolate. While you can melt the wax in the melting pot directly, using a double boiler ensures the wax doesn’t overheat.
• Heat the wax to 185°F. Use your thermometer to check.
• Stir in the scent oil so it gets well distributed.
• Turn off the heat and allow your wax mixture to cool to 125°F before pouring.
• While the wax melts (or as it cools off), add your wick to the container. Use a wick sticker or hot glue to stick the metal bottom of the wick to the bottom center of the container.

  Then, use a clothespin or stick to wrap the top of the wick around so it will stay center once you pour in the wax.
• Pour the wax into your container. If the wick shifts around, fix it while the wax is still hot and very liquid.
• Once your candle hardens, you’re ready to trim the wick and use it!

Plus, there are SO many different ideas for clay bead bracelets! I’m going to share lots in this post, but you can dream up so many more.

Clay beads are usually made of polymer clay and come in any and every color you can think of. Clay bead bracelets are fun to make for many ages, including older kids.

I actually bought my 13-year-old niece the same clay bead kit I bought myself and we both love making jewelry from it. Also, keep in mind any of these clay bead bracelet ideas could be repeated or made larger into a necklace if you wanted.

Related: Shrinky Dinks – Ultimate Guide, How to Make Friendship Bracelets

Clay Bead Bracelet Supplies:

• Clay beads
• Elastic cord/Crystal string – I like to use colors but clear works well, too.
• Acrylic letter beads and other accent beads or charms (some kits come with these)
• Crimping beads – for closures
• Connectors – I use these on bracelets with an elastic cord so you can pull it over your hand, so you don’t need to fasten a clasp, which can be difficult one-handed.
• Scissors – the smaller, the better (some jewelry pliers would work for this too)
• Jewelry pliers – for crimping beads and other jewelry making tasks
• Bead board – or a felt to cover your work surface

There are many different ways you can design your clay bead bracelet with different accessories or clasp and closures. But these are the basic supplies that I used to make the bracelets you see pictured.

How to Make Bead Bracelets:

• Design your bracelet. I like to lay out the beads on my bead board to make sure I am happy with my design before I start stringing the beads together. This way, I can make sure I like the colors or I can change out the charms or other accent beads I’m using in my design.
• Cut a piece of elastic cord twice as big as the widest part of your hand so you have plenty to work with.
• Loop the bottom of the cord through a crimping bead, then one side of the connector, then back through the same crimping bead again.
• Use your pliers to crimp (smash down) the crimping bead, fastening the cord in place.
• String your design onto the cord.
• Check that the bracelet is the length you design (if not, add or take off beads).
• Add another crimping bead to the end, loop the cord through the other side of the connector, and then through the same crimping bead and pull tight.
• Use your pliers again to crimp down on the bead, fastening the cord in place.
• If you have extra cord on either side, you can snip it off and/or tuck it into the beads beside it.

Clay Bead Bracelet Ideas:

Here are some ideas for different kinds of designs and color combinations you can try!

• Multicolored! You can repeat the colors or just add them at random.
• Use all primary colors (red, blue, yellow)
• Use all secondary colors (orange, green, purple)
• Monochromatic – use all one tone or only one color bead for a solid look.
• All white or black
• Break up clusters with charms or a glass bead.
• Add your name or a friend’s name for gifting.
• Add a charm or multiple charms for a charm bracelet look.
• Fill most of the bracelet with small gold beads and use the colored clay beads as an accent.

Where to Buy Beads?

Below, I will link many of the specific beads and charms I’ve bought online. But also keep in mind that you can buy beads and jewelry making supplies from many different places like thrift stores, estate sales, Etsy and eBay.

Also, if you have old jewelry that you no longer wear, you might take it apart and repurpose it in your designs.

1. My favorite basic clay bead bracelet kit (includes cord and tools)
2. Metal letters
3. Fruit charms
4. Mushroom beads
5. Freshwater pearl beads

DIY clay bead bracelets are such a fun project anyone can do. I also love that it’s something you can work on while watching a movie.

Related: 15 Crafts You Can Do While Watching TV

More Easy DIY Projects:

• Weaving Class: The Basics – A step-by-step guide for beginners
• How to make a Marble Clay Ring Dish
• Learn to make Homemade Bath Bombs

Print

Clay Bead Bracelet – Ideas

how to make clay bead bracelets plus lots of ideas for designs

Keyword crafts, jewelry making

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Author Emma Chapman

Ingredients

• clay beads
• elastic cord
• letter beads or other accents optional
• crimping beads
• connectors
• scissors
• jewelry pliers
• bead board

Instructions

• Design your bracelet – I like to lay out the beads on my bead board to make sure I am happy with my design before I start stringing the beads together. This way I can make sure I like the colors or I can change out the charms or other accent beads I’m using in my design.
• Cut a piece of elastic cord twice as big as the widest part of your hand, so you have plenty to work with.
• Loop the bottom of the cord through a crimping bead, then one side of the connector, then back through the same crimping bead again.
• Use your pliers to crimp (smash down) the crimping bead, fastening the cord in place.
• String your design onto the cord.
• Check that the bracelet is the length you design (if not, add or take off beads).
• Add another crimping bead to the end, then loop the cord through the other side of the connector, then through the same crimping bead and pull tight.
• Use your pliers again to crimp down on the bead, fastening the cord in place.
• If you have extra cord on either side, you can snip it off and/or tuck it into the beads beside it.

Notes

Design ideas to try:

• Multicolored! You can repeat the colors or just add them at random.
• Use all primary colors (red, blue, yellow)
• Use all complimentary colors (orange, green, purple)
• Monochromatic – use all one tone or only one color bead for a solid look
• All white or black
• Break up clusters with charms or a glass bead
• Add your name or a friend’s name for gifting
• Add a charm or multiple charms for a charm bracelet look
• Fill most of the bracelet with small gold beads and use the colored clay beads as an accent.

Body scrub is used to exfoliate your skin, meaning you are gently sloughing off dry skin and dead skin cells. It’s time for a home spa day! 

It’s great for keeping your skin feeling fresh, helps makeup go on smoother, and moisturizing products to soak in better. Exfoliation is also important when you are doing things like prepping for a spray tan. While it is a healthy practice, you don’t want to overdo it. Read Is Your Exfoliation Routine Damaging Your Skin? for more information about exfoliation. 

We’ve been sharing sugar scrub for years now, so I wanted to put together this ultimate guide for anyone getting started. Body Scrub = Exfoliant + Oil + Scents. It’s truly that simple!

Again, the basic formula for making your own body scrub is:

Body Scrub = Exfoliant + Oil + Scents

Exfoliant Options:

• Sugar- You can use different types of sugar. Caster sugar, sometimes called super fine sugar, is great as it’s more finely ground than granulated white sugar. Although regular granulated sugar and brown sugar works great too. We tend to avoid turbinado sugar and cane sugar that are more coarse- as it can be too intense. Sugar granules make an excellent exfoliator for your skin. 
• Salt – Super fine to medium texture salts work best (again avoid super chunky textures) 
• Coffee grounds- We love a coffee scrub. 
• Oats – ground or whole will work
• Nuts – ground well, these work best as an addition to other exfoliants
• Dried flowers – ground up, these work best as an addition to other exfoliants

Oil Options:

• Coconut oil
• Jojoba oil
• Olive oil
• Avocado Oil
• Sweet Almond oil
• Vitamin E Oil (we recommend adding this to any carrier oil above)

Scents & Other Add-ins:

• Essential oils (we love lavender essential oil
• Extracts (such as vanilla extract) 
• Citrus zest or rinds
• Herbs or spices (such as cinnamon or ginger)

Basic Body Scrub Recipes:

• Pumpkin Spice Sugar Scrub DIY
• Grapefruit Lemonade Lip Scrub
• Coffee Scrub Recipe
• Citrus Mint Sea Salt Foot Scrub
• Pink Sugar Body Polish

Advanced Body Scrub Recipes:

• Whipped Peppermint Cream Hand Scrub
• Unicorn Sugar Scrub
• Lavender Sugar Cube Scrub DIY
• Flower Petal and Walnut Scrub

How to Store DIY Body Scrub:

• Mini mason jars – small glass jars with lids are great, also makes a cute gifting option
• Colorful glass jars with lids – another cute one for gifting
• Plastic jars with gold lids – if you don’t want a glass option
• Disposable plastic cups with lids – if you are making a big batch for holiday gifting

As long as you save your homemade body scrub in a well sealed container so no moisture or other environmental components can get in, then it can last up to six months. Be sure to add a label to the bottom with the date your scrub was made.

More DIY Projects You Might Love:

• Make Your Own Spa Headband
• Gemstone Soap DIY
• Whipped Rose Shaving Cream
• DIY Soap on a Rope

Print

DIY Body Scrub

a basic recipe to make diy body scrub

Keyword body scrub, sugar scrub, sugar scrub recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 5 minutes minutes

Author Emma Chapman

Equipment

• mixing bowl

Ingredients

• 1 cup sugar or salt
• ½ cup oil
• 2-3 drops essential oil

Instructions

• In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients.
• Mix together well so that everything gets well incorporated.
• Store in an airtight container when not in use.

If a DIY doesn’t sound like your thing, Elsie put together a big gift guide with plenty of options for everyone on your list.

OK, back to homemade gift ideas. All of these (over 50!) DIYs have one thing in common— they are easy to make. Keep scrolling for all the goods!

These salt dough photo frame ornaments would make a special gift for a family member or friend. Salt dough is so nostalgic and kids love to make salt dough ornaments with cookie cutters! Try gifting it in an origami box with a lid!

More gift ideas made with salt dough:

• DIY Salt Dough Donut Ornaments
• Easy Ornaments to Make with Kids
• Salt Dough Cookie Village

A jar of whipped peppermint hand scrub is perfect during the cold winter months. This scrub is made with essential oils and smells amazing.

Who wouldn’t love a homemade body scrub? This guide has everything you need to make any kind at home. 

More natural body scrub gift ideas:

• Citrus Mint Foot Scrub
• Lavender Sugar Cube Scrub (perfect if you don’t have a bathtub)
• Cinnamon Spice Sugar Scrub
• Vanilla Latte Coffee Scrub
• Grapefruit Lemonade Lip Scrub

Did you know that you can make a soap dispenser from a vase? This is a cute and useful gift that will be used everyday!

A marbled utensil holder? Oh, yes. It’s a really easy DIY that anyone can do using contact paper.

More Kitchen-Related Gift Ideas:

• Embroidered Kitchen Towel (no-sew)
• DIY Terrazzo Cheese Knives
• How to Sew a Half Apron

Have a loved one or friend who likes unique jewelry? You could make them a pair of rainbow seed bead earrings or a pair of fruit-shaped earrings using the same kind of beads.

Gift Wrapping Tips:

We love using scraps from craft projects and leftover fabric to wrap gifts.

Have an odd-shaped gift to wrap? Here are several ways to wrap them without using a gift bag.

Other ways to wrap gifts:

• 4 Ways to Wrap a Wine Bottle
• How to Make a Gift Bag Out of Wrapping Paper
• Creative Ways to Wrap a Gift Card

You only need a few supplies to make this cozy beaded beanie or a pom pom beanie (made from an old sweater!)

This cherry pie potholder is “as sweet as it gets.” We have a bunch of potholder and oven mitt DIYs on the blog, like:

• DIY Cactus Oven Mitt
• Watermelon Potholder
• Cast Iron Skillet Handle Cover
• Pineapple Oven Mitt DIY

A batch of fizzy cold and flu shower bombs or peppermint and eucalyptus shower melts are a must-have this time of year.

We love giving ornaments as gifts, and we have so many cute ideas in our archives, like this amethyst geode ornament and boba tea ornament.

More DIY ornament gift ideas:

• Dried Citrus Ornaments
• Mini Art Easel Ornament
• Alcohol Ink Ornaments
• Hanging Planter Ornament

Speaking of sparkly things (like geode ornaments), this glitter letter keychain would make be a fun stocking stuffer.

You could even make a set of acrylic glitter coasters using a similar tutorial.

Every plant lover deserves a cute brass ring hanging planter or a clay petal planter. We love those rainbow colors!

More DIY Planter Ideas:

• Easy Fabric Planter DIY
• DIY Mid-Century Planter
• 5 Easy DIY Glass Planters
• Make Your Own Gradient Planter

It’s hard to believe these marbled clay earrings and daisy earrings are handmade. Love them!

You can’t go wrong with an adorable (no-sew) baby headband or wooden ring crinkle teether.

More Kiddo-Related Ideas:

• DIY Paper Dolls (With Free Printables)
• Wooden Play Food DIY
• Teether and Pacifier Clip
• DIY Drums

These homemade bath bombs are one of our most popular DIYs ever! Everyone deserves a little spa time at home, don’t you think?

More DIY bath bomb recipes:

• Green Tea and Lemon Bath Bombs
• Rainbow and Gold Lustre Bath Bombs

You could make a stylish gift like this macrame handbag, a vintage-inspired stitched floral purse, or a set of statement hair clips.

More accessories that make great gifts:

• Fabric Tassel Bag DIY
• DIY Bow Scrunchie
• Beaded Beanie DIY
• Braided Velvet Headband (no sewing required!)

We love spa-related gifts like Elsie’s homemade pillow spray and homemade body oil for dry skin. It’s so soothing!

Homemade potpourri is an easy gift to put together, and you can easily make several jars at a time.

Instead of gifting an ornament this year, you could make a house Christmas tree topper like Emma did here (using recycled boxes).

You could make a cactus-shaped pincushion or a cute soft pretzel pincushion for anyone who loves to sew.

Speaking of sewing, these reusable sandwich and snack bags are perfect for kids or teachers.

Clay ring dishes are perfect to hold jewelry or a set of keys, and we have a couple options to pick from!

• Palm Leaf Ring Dish
• Marbled Clay Ring Dishes (one of our most popular posts!)
• Gold Stamped Ring Dish

Instead of a ring dish, you could make a speckled clay ring tower like this.

Homemade soap is always a good gift idea! We have a bunch of options to choose from:

• Graapefruit Mint Poppyseed Soap
• Pumpkin Spice Soap
• Buffalo Check Rosemary Soap
• Tie Dye Soap

We’ve mentioned essential oil-based gifts a few times, and these DIY wool dryer balls are great gifts/stocking stuffers for practically anyone.

You could also use tiny wool balls and essential oils to make a clip-on car diffuser (or two!).

You could print a special photo and put it inside a simple DIY wooden circle frame or a magnetic glitter photo frame for a fridge. So cute!

More gift ideas using photos:

• Wooden Ball Photo Holder DIY (only takes 5 minutes!)
• DIY Photo Glitter Globes
• Emma’s Christmas Card Ideas

These library card bookmarks are perfect for any book lover. We included the templates, so all you have to do is print, cut, and laminate them!

Stockings take a little more time to make, but they are extra special gifts. Here are some of our favorites:

• DIY Pom Pom Stocking
• Indigo-Dyed Stocking
• Faux Suede Fringe Stocking
• Woven Stocking

You could make this adorable “press for champagne” art print and pair it with a bottle of bubbly.

Looking for more DIY gift ideas for someone who loves to cook or bake?

• Easy Marble Utensil Holder DIY
• Embroidered Kitchen Towel (no-sew)
• Cast Iron Skillet Handle Cover
• How to Sew a Half Apron

OK, let’s talk about treats. Homemade desserts make amazing gifts any time of year but here are a few of favorite dessert ideas:

Dark chocolate almond brittle. You could hand this out to multiple friends—simply put the brittle in bags wrapped with ribbon.

Three-ingredient fudge. Enough said!

Use our go-to sugar cookie recipe with homemade royal icing and let the decorating begin!

Chocolate Oreo truffles are decadent, addictive, and REALLY easy to make. Honestly, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t make them this year!

And if you’re shipping cookies this year, here are some tips to get them to their destination safe and sound.

If you’re in a pinch, check out our last-minute gifts for everyone on your list. xo, The ABM Team

P.S. Looking for more gift guides? Check out …

• Housewarming Gift Ideas
• Elsie’s Mother’s Day Gift Ideas

In this post, I am working with Canon USA. I used my Canon IVY 2 Mini Photo Printer for each of these card ideas. I love this little printer! It’s compact, easy to use, and you can use an app to print photos from your phone. You can even add design elements like frames in the app.

We have a special code for our readers too! You can get an extra $10 off the Canon IVY 2 Mini Photo printer with code ABM on the Canon USA Online Store through 12/31/2022.

Additionally, users will also get a free IVY Carrying case if they purchase the Canon IVY 2 Mini Photo printer from the Canon Online Store.

The prints are stickers! So you can easily use these on projects like DIY cards or other photo projects.

I love making handmade cards—especially cards that include photos. These are especially great for loved ones, like our son’s grandmothers. Plus, if you are gifting a gift card, adding it to a handmade card makes it feel extra special and more personal.

The general idea of these Christmas card ideas are small cutouts in the designs where you can see part of the photo underneath peeking through.

I created card designs with stockings, a wreath, and a Christmas tree, but there are LOTS of other ways you could use this basic idea.

More photo card ideas:

• Snow Globe Photo Card DIY
• Print Your Own Holiday Cards with Free Template
• Christmas Sweater Garland (Free Printable) – add to the outside of a card
• How to Make a Simple Pop-Up Card – add a photo to the design

Supplies:

• Canon IVY 2 Mini Photo Printer + sticker paper (full sheets or circle stickers)
• blank cards
• fabric
• yarn
• pipe cleaners
• X-Acto knife
• glue stick
• hot glue gun

Here is my Canon IVY 2 Mini Photo Printer in action. You see the photo printing in the app as it prints out of the printer itself. It’s super easy to use, and I love that the photos are stickers! Plus, right now this printer is on sale for $99, $89 with code ‘ABM’!

How to make these photo cards:

• Use an X-Acto knife to cut out the holes that your photo will peek through. You may want to lightly sketch your design with a pencil first.
• Cut out any fabric or paper shapes for your design and glue them to the card.
• Use a hot glue gun to add any larger pieces like pipe cleaners or yarn bows.
• Print your photos and line up with the holes in your design before peeling off the packing and sticking to the inside of your card.

Now you can add a message inside the card or tape a gift card inside! It’s truly that simple.

Here are a few more ideas you could create from this concept:

• A truck with Christmas tree tied on top with windows cut out to show the photo.
• A string of Christmas lights with some of them cut out to show the photo beneath.
• A pile of presents with some of the boxes cut out to show the photo.
• A candy cane wreath with the center cut out for a photo.

Print

Christmas Card Ideas

Keyword christmas cards, christmas crafts

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Author Emma Chapman

Equipment

• IVY printer

Ingredients

• blank cards
• fabric
• yarn
• pipe cleaners
• X-Acto knife
• glue stick
• hot glue gun

Instructions

• Use an X-Acto knife to cut out the holes that your photo will peek through. You may want to lightly sketch your design with a pencil first.
• Cut out any fabric or paper shapes for your design and glue them to the card.
• Use a hot glue gun to add any larger pieces like pipe cleaners or yarn bows.
• Print your photos and line up with the holes in your design before peeling off the packing and sticking to the inside of your card.

Notes

Once you’re done, you can add a message or tape a gift card inside.

That’s right, I’m getting au naturel and turning food into Christmas ornaments. These dried citrus ornaments smell great when you make them, and you can eat the leftovers. Sounds like my kind of craft!

Supplies:

• Citrus fruit (oranges, lemons, or limes)
• Wide blade knife
• Baking sheet
• Parchment paper
• Ornament hangers

How to Make Dried Citrus Ornaments:

Step One: Slice your fruit into 1/4″ slices and carefully remove the seeds. Use a wide blade knife (this knife set is so cute!) to ensure uniform thickness of individual slices.

Step Two: Arrange the fruit slices onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and place in a warm oven set to about 150-170°F.

Bake for 3-4 hours, flipping every hour until the fruit is dried (but not completely shriveled up). You want the slices to retain their color and not look brown around the edges.

Can You Air Dry The Citrus Slices?

I also tried a technique of air drying the citrus slices and was surprised at how quickly they dried out.

It took about four days for them to get to a nice stiffness, though the orange slices curled up rather than staying flat as they did after baking them. The lemon and lime slices didn’t curl.

Step Three: Pierce the dried fruit slices with ornament hangers. That’s it! Now you have pretty ornaments for your tree. These would also make a great gift.

Check out Homemade Gift Ideas for Everyone on Your List for more ideas!

I love how the slices are a bit like little pieces of stained glass. The light shines through them creating a pretty orange glow.

These citrus ornaments work great with an amber vase of evergreens, hung on a Christmas tree, or even strung up for a beautiful garland in front of a window. And I love how they look next to my DIY porcelain tree lights.

And if you’re pressed for time, you can also buy your orange slices already dried!

We’ve got a ton of fun holiday decor and recipe inspiration in our Christmas archives, so find something fun (and delicious!) to make this holiday season! –Mandi

More DIY Christmas Ornaments:

• New Home Ornament DIY
• A-Frame Putz House Ornament
• Boba Tea Ornament DIY
• DIY String Art Ornaments
• Make Your Own Clay Ornaments

Print

Dried Citrus Ornament DIY

Make your own dried fruit ornaments using lemons, orange, or limes

Keyword dried citrus, ornament diy

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 3 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 3 hours hours 40 minutes minutes

Author Mandi Johnson

Equipment

• Baking sheet
• Parchment paper
• wide blade knife

Ingredients

• citrus fruit lemons, oranges, or limes
• ornament hangers

Instructions

• Slice your fruit into 1/4″ slices and carefully remove the seeds. Use a wide blade knife to ensure uniform thickness of individual slices.
• Arrange the fruit slices onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and place in a warm oven set to about 150-170°F.
• Bake for 3-4 hours, flipping every hour until the fruit is dried (but not completely shriveled up).

  You want the slices to retain their color and not look brown around the edges.
• Pierce the dried fruit slices with ornament hangers. That’s it! Now you have pretty ornaments for your tree. These would also make a great gift.

Notes

I also tried a technique of air drying the citrus slices and was surprised at how quickly they dried out.

It took about four days for them to get to a nice stiffness, though the orange slices curled up rather than staying flat as they did after baking them. The lemon and lime slices didn’t curl.