Four Crafty DIY Gifts for Christmas

Make Christmas extra-special this year by giving your family and friends DIY gifts that they’ll actually love. These are some of our favourites!

Marble Nail Polish Mugs

These marble nail polish mugs are inexpensive, unique gifts that keep on giving all year round!

You’ll need:
• Plain white ceramic mugs of any shape and size
• Cheap nail polish in your desired colours
• Warm water
• 1 disposable pan
• Wooden skewers
• Mod Podge glue

Fill the disposable pan with approximately 2 to 3 inches (5 to 8 centimetres) of warm water. You can adjust the water level depending on how far up the mug you want your design to be.

Working quickly, drizzle your nail polish into the water and swirl so it doesn’t clump together. Dip the mug straight in and out of the water, creating a beautiful marble effect!

Place your mug aside to dry on a protected surface. To avoid your mug sticking to the surface it’s drying on, line up a few wooden skewers to elevate your mug.

Once dry, coat the outside of the mug with dishwasher-safe Mod Podge glue.

You’ll need to repeat this process for every mug you create, refilling the pan with water every time to avoid any old nail polish sticking to the next mug.

Animal Key Charms

Perfect for the animal-lover in your life, or a stocking filler for the kids!

You’ll need:
• 1 plastic animal figurine
• 1 small screw eyehook
• 1 keyring
• Pliers
• Acrylic paint
• Clear sealant spray

Find some small, solid and sturdy animal figures. Oh Ivy has a huge range of animals so you’ll be sure to find something that holds meaning for your friends and family.

Paint your desired animal figurine with 2 to 3 thin coats of acrylic paint. Ensure each layer is dry before the next is applied. Once opaque, seal the figurine with clear sealant spray to ensure it keeps its colour!

Screw the eyehook in to the figurine. This may take some force at first, so use pliers to help you secure them in place.

Attach your key ring and then you’re done!

Cookie Kit Jar

Create a cookie mix for your friends and family to bake later at home. These can be made well in advance of Christmas Day!

You’ll need:
• An air-tight glass jar
• Twine
• Christmas decorations
• All the dry ingredients of your favourite cookies
• A gift tag and pen

Collect all of the dry ingredients of your favourite cookie recipe. Pour them into the jar one by one, all in the correct quantities. Gently pack down each ingredient to create a layered affect. Once complete, seal the jar.

On a small card, write out the full recipe. Be sure to give your friends and family all of your extra tips and tricks to have it tasting just like yours!

Decorate the jar by wrapping twine around the lid and attaching the Christmas decoration. To complete, match the jar with the recipe card and you’re done!

Glitter Candle Holder

Create some shimmering candleholders to be used for the Christmas table setting and beyond!

You’ll need:
• Clear drinking glasses of any shape
• A disposable container
• A paintbrush
• Mod Podge glue
• Glitter
• Acrylic paint to match your glitter
• White Gesso paint
• Tea light candles

Mix glitter and Mod Podge in a disposable container to create a glitter-glue paste. Ensure you use lots of glitter to get the full-shimmer effect.

Brush the glitter glue onto the outside of the glass. Apply as many coats as you need to get a full, even coverage. Allow each coat to dry completely before applying the next.

Once you’re happy with the coverage of glitter, paint on two coats of acrylic paint in a matching colour. This will block any white from showing through the glitter layer.

Once dry, apply a thick coating of white Gesso. Gesso is a canvas primer, which will give your glass a textured ceramic-like finish.

Once the outer layer is completely opaque and dry, flip over the glass and place a tea light inside. You’re done!

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