Last-Minute Do-It-Yourself Gifts for the Crafting-Impaired - Page 2

The most complicated step is figuring out the ratio of oil to salt or sugar that will give you the best consistency (hint: there is a very wide margin of error). If you want to add fragrance, just don’t overdo it. Ambitious types might want to try out some of the recipes for fizzy bath bombs. If you want to get really fancy, look into aromatherapy for scent combination ideas.

Framed Images
Anyone with wall space or a desk will appreciate something funny or inspiring to place on it. Make it something unique. Like the bath basket concept, this one can be as simple or as complicated as you prefer. The bare-bones version is that you find a print, such as a postcard, greeting card, or photograph, you think the recipient will love. Then find a nice frame to put it in and you’re on your merry way.

There are fun and easy ways to monkey around with this simple formula. I did this a few years ago with a postcard I found striking. First I took the postcard to Kinko’s and made an 8 ½ by 11-inch color copy of it. There may be an easier way to get the size right, but I just played around with a black and white copier until I figured out the necessary percentage increase, and then I shelled out the big bucks ($1) to make a color copy.

Next, I bought an 11x14-inch frame and an appropriately-sized white photo mat. I got the frame at a thrift shop, and the mat at Target. I painted both the frame and the mat in colors I thought would bring out the best in the blown-up postcard copy. If you have the time and inclination, I highly recommend going the more creative route because of the fun factor associated with breaking out the craft paint and the sponge brushes.

Personalized Shirts
This is a fun one. It begins a lot like the above example. Choose an image you think your giftee will appreciate. It could be a picture, a photograph, a quote set in a cool font, or a reference to some super-secret inside joke. Scan the image to a computer, if necessary.

Article Author: Amanda Bittle

Amanda Bittle studies Professional Writing at the University of Oklahoma. She loves water slides, Indian food, and her pet cornsnake, Pandora.

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