With Christmas around the corner, now is the perfect time to get to work on these three gifts that are perfect for girls of all ages.
The extra thought and attention that goes into a homemade gift is sometimes lost on the younger generation who are so swayed by bright and shiny products. But we have found the perfect compromise with these three DIY gifts that are fun and trendy.
Smartphone cover
If your girl is going to be lucky enough to get a new smartphone for Christmas then this stylish DIY gift might be the perfect way to break the news, just have her open this present first.
Materials
- Computer and printer/page of a vintage book, newspaper print or a dictionary (the more condensed the words the better)
- Scrapbook paper
- Scissors
- Glue
- Watercolour paint
- Clear smartphone case
Instructions
- Decide on a theme based on your girl’s interests. We chose an ocean theme but some other trending themes include sunglasses, converse shoes, or an animal that starts with the same letter as the recipient.
- Find appropriate background paper. We chose a page of a dictionary that we found through a Google image search and then printed it off. If you have the real deal, it will definitely add to the authenticity of your design.
- We painted a layer of blue watercolour paint over the paper.
- Place the smartphone cover on top of the paper and trace carefully around it. Don’t forget a hole for the camera!
- Choose an image that you would like to be the focus. We chose a whale template from Google images.
- Select some bright and colourful scrapbook paper and print the template directly onto the back of the paper and cut it out carefully. Alternatively, you could print out the template on regular paper, cut it out and then position it on your scrapbook paper to ensure the best mix of colours. Trace around the image and cut it out carefully with sharp scissors.
- Glue the image on to the background paper and allow it to dry fully. You may like to cover your design in clear contact paper to help it last longer.
- Insert the design into the smartphone case.
Tip:
You might like to make a couple of different designs so they are interchangeable. Some other easy and effective ideas include writing a quote with a calligraphy pen directly on the background paper or printing out a simple chevron print.
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Plaited headband
Headbands are back in fashion and with this easy design you can make multiple versions to go with different outfits. You might even make one to go with a special new outfit your girl will also be receiving at Christmas.
Materials
- Hair elastic
- Scissors
- Superglue
- 1 metre of three different materials to make the braid. Some great materials include leather, rope, ribbon, metal chain and even an old T-shirt. The material does not have to be elasticised. Fashionable colour combinations include grey and teal or grey and neon. Metallic accents are also big at the moment
Instructions
- Choose your three materials and knot one end tightly on a hair elastic.
- Begin weaving the three lengths into a plait, ensuring that you keep the tension tight and even.
- Make your plait about 50 centimetres. Tip: You can get an idea of your daughter’s head circumference by measuring around the inside of her hat. Don’t make your plait the full circumference of your daughter’s head though because the hair elastic needs to be taken into account and we want it to have a snug fit. The finished length of the plait for our headband was 47 centimetres (plus extra for the knot and hair elastic).
- Tie the end of the plait to the other side of the hair elastic.
- Dab a bit of superglue around the knots to ensure that they stay in place.
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Easy play kitchen
A great idea for toddlers and younger girls, this easy-to-store and mess-free play kitchen will ensure hours of imaginative play.
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Materials
- Storage box
- Contact paper in white, red and black
- Compass
- Scissors
- Toy utensils and food for the kitchen
Instructions
- Choose a storage box with a coloured lid. If you are using one from home that has a clear lid, cover it with white or coloured contact paper first, like we did.
- Use a compass to lightly draw the circles for your four hotplates on the lid of your storage box to make sure they fit. We made two bigger circles with a diameter of 15 centimetres and two smaller circles that measured 11 centimetres in diameter.
- When you are happy with their arrangement, use the compass to draw the four circles on black contact paper. Hint: There is usually a grid on the back of contact paper to help you with your measurements.
- Cut them out and secure them in position.
- Make progressively smaller circles with red and black contact paper and layer them on top of each other to create the rings of the hotplates.
- Make temperature knobs by drawing four circles on black contact paper with a diameter of 4 centimetres. Cut them out and attach them to one side. Now cut out four smaller circles on white or coloured contact paper with a diameter of 3 centimetres. Cut a small rectangle out of the circle to look like a dial and then secure them over the top of the black circles.
- Fill the box with kitchen supplies from your local discount store.
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