Holiday Gift Giving Made Simple With Custom Stickers
This year holiday season is looking quite a bit different for many families and individuals, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be special. With fewer family get togethers, holiday parties and travel plans, there may just be a chunk of time to invest in creativity in a big way? The wonderful thing about choosing to give handmade gifts and decorating with crafted items is that you enjoy doing the making and those on the receiving end get an extra dose of love from you! Plus you may just discover a new hobby that gives you joy, or even a side gig that will generate some extra income. And the good news is, that to put together some amazing DIY gifts, you really don’t need to be a talented artist or crafter, you just have to be thoughtful! Okay, it is true that some graphic design skills can go a long way with the projects I’ve lined up for you, but you can always get advice from that designer friend, or even hire someone to do an hour’s worth of work or so to bring your DIY holiday gift giving up more than just a few rungs.
Of course there are many ways to go when it comes to DIY gifts, in this post we are going to narrow it down to gifts that can be made with help of custom stickers! Of course if you are an artist or designer, maybe the gift is stickers, but for now lets think about how we can make our gifts personal and special with stickers! If the word “sticker” brings to mind sheets of glitter rainbows and unicorns, think again, stickers can be anything from transparent decals to iron on t-shirt designs, so there are many exciting options to consider. Okay, let’s get started!
DIY Eco friendly tote bags are in themselves a nice little gift, and especially if they are the packaging for an additional gift! (DIY or maybe not?) So start by thinking about making some custom tote bags to house your holiday gifts this year, and you’ll be off to a great start. All you need is some simple canvas tote bags that are widely available at art supply stores or online, and custom iron-on decals made from a piece of art you’ve created or even a photo you’ve taken. Old family photos could be great on tote bags, as could fun quotes or even a photo of your family home, or beloved pet. There is really no limit to the number of great things one can put on a tote bag, so get those creative gears turning, and design a tote bag that will warm their hearts before they even open the present inside! Almost forgot, I designed this tote bag using a photo of a dove painting I made in my sketchbook, here.
Custom t-shirts made using your art, or again, with a precious family photo or fun famlly saying, are gifts that everyone will love. And they are so simple to make. Upload your photo or artwork to a website such as custom iron-on transfers from Stickeryou, and once you receive the order, apply at home with an iron. For budget conscious gifts, make small transfers so that at least 4 can fit on one sheet, as with the pink shirt above, which is just as cute and maybe even cuter than the white shirt, depending on who the gift is for.
DIY custom face masks are simple to make and a useful gift right about now. Iron-on transfers can be designed with logos, little symbols or just about anything. Plus the designs are small, so you can fit a bunch on one sheet, making this a budget friendly project as well. If you are wondering how to apply a iron-on transfers to something that isn’t flat, namely the transfer that goes across the bridge of the face mask here, there is a product called a mini-iron that is perfect for applying heat to small areas, and is traditionally used by (and likely designed for) quilters. So, get those creative gears turning and dream up some great designs!
DIY water bottle decals can also be used to make some great personalized gifts. The water bottle, whether it is transparent plastic or non-transparent metal, is a great place to get creative, and show off your skills. Water bottles make great party favors or holiday gifts, and personalized ones will be even more cherished! Imagine an inspiring quote spiraling around the water bottle, or even a piece of your art? For something that will be washed, like a water bottle, do not use paper stickers, but rather plastic decals, or something called clear labels, which are UV coated to give them more abrasion resistance and waterproof durability.
Custom jam jar labels using your own sweet water color painting will be a cherished gift, especially if filled with your homemade jam! You can go with wrap around labels, or for something a bit higher end, consider a die cut label that is a circle or an ellipse or even a scalloped circle. If you are not an artist, but can do a label design with typography, go for that, it will also be amazing. Do a search online for jam label designs and I’m sure you can find something to inspire you. This may just be the year that you finally design yourself a logo for all your gifts made in the kitchen!
Other ideas for DIY food gifts include infused olive oil, vanilla extract, pickled vegetables, or a jar filled with the ingredients for making cookies or brownies, or even hot chocolate. You can also fill bags with bread or cake mix and design labels for those as well.
How about DIY essential oil gifts? If you aren’t really the kitchen type, how about making everyone on your holiday list some essential oil fragrances, either in a spray bottle (with a lovely little label, of course) or in roll on applicator. The world of essential oils is huge, and of course can also include making gorgeous soaps, bath bombs and bath salts.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this DIY gift ideas guide using stickers, I can’t wait to try out some of these ideas myself.
