OKEMOS, Mich.,–– Want to make your gift giving extra special this year? Try your hand at crafting. There's nothing more special than giving a gift that you made your self. It adds a personal touch that a store-bought gift doesn't compare with. If you're looking for some ideas, check out these
7 easy DIY Christmas gifts that will make the holiday season one to remember:
Mason Jar Lid Coasters
Supplies:
- Mason jar lids (as many as you want)
- Adhesive cork shelf liner
- Stamps (of your choice)
Directions:
Place your lids upside down on top of the adhesive cork shelf liner. Trace around the lids with a pen. Then cut out the circles. Next, stamp an image into the center of each cork circle. Let the ink dry first, Then, peel off the adhesive and align within the lids.
Mint Sugar Scrub
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup of coconut oil
- 1 1/2 - 2 cups of sugar
- 1 tablespoon of peppermint extract
- 1 drop of green food coloring
- Mason jars
Directions:
Place coconut oil in a bowl and microwave on HIGH for 15-25 seconds until it is softened. You'll then begin by adding 1 1/2 cups of sugar to the oil, along with the peppermint extract and green food coloring. Mix until the ingredients are evenly combined. If the mixture is too wet, add another 1/2 cup of sugar until it reaches your desired consistency. Spoon the scrub into air-tight mason jars and decorate with ribbon.
Handwarmers
Supplies:
- A fat quarter of fabric
- Fabric scissors
- Pinking shears (optional)
- Sewing machine or needle
- Thread
- Long pins
- Rice
Directions:
With the fabric scissors, cut 2-3/4 inch squares from your fabric. You'll need two squares for each handwarmer. Place two squares of the fabric wrong sides together. Stitch a 1/4 inch seam around the outside leaving a 1-1/2 inch opening. Make sure to back stitch in the beginning and end. (If you do not have the pinking shears, place the fabric right side together and sew as instructed. Then turn it inside out.) Fill the squares 3/4 of the way up with rice. Use a pin to block the rice from falling out and sew the opening closed. Use the pinking shears to trim the edges. It'll prevent them from fraying.
For use: Warm up in 20 second intervals to ensure they don't overheat.
Christmas Tea Tree
Supplies:
- Styrofoam cones
- Individually wrapped tea bags
- Glue gun with glue sticks
- Short, round (paper maché) cardboard box to use as the "stump" of the tree
- Wooden stars or other trinkets for decoration
- Rice
Directions:
Adhere the tea bags starting at the base of the cone by placing a thin line of glue along the upper edge of the back of the tea bag. Hold the tea bag in place until the glue sets. As you begin glueing the next tea bag, slightly overlap it over the one that was just glued. Complete the base of the cone before moving upwards. Repeat the glueing process until you reach the top. Attach the top of the round cardboard box to the base of the cone using hot glue. Add some rice to the bottom half of the box to weigh it down and add some stability. Use glue to then seal the box shut. To top it off, glue the wooden star trinket to the top of the cone.
Monogrammed Mug
Supplies:
- Plain white mug
- Contact paper
- Spray paint (your choice of color)
- Spray clear acrylic
- Tweezers
- Painters tape
- Plastic grocery bag
Directions:
Cut the contact paper with your initial of choice to create a stencil. Carefully lay your stencil onto the mug starting with the outermost piece of paper. After the stencil is fully placed with the design of your choice, tape off the handle using the painters tape. Stick your mug into the plastic grocery bag and cut a small hole for the handle. Tape the edges of the hole down to the mug so that only the tape surrounding the handle is exposed. Follow the same pattern with the stencil. Cut a hole in the bag to expose the letter. Then tape the bag down around the letter. Spray paint the mug with your choice of color. Once it dries, spray two full coats of clear acrylic and bake in an oven at 200 degrees for 20 minutes. Let cool.
Infused Olive Oils
Ingredients:
Lemon-Infused
- 2 whole lemons
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1 4-oz glass bottle with cork
Rosemary-Infused
- 3-4 sprigs rosemary
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1 4-oz glass bottle with cork
Chili-Infused
- 1 tbsp red chili flakes
- 1 to 2 whole, dried Thai chilies (optional)
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1 4-oz glass bottle with cork
Garlic-Infused
- 1/2 to 3/4 cup whole, peeled garlic cloves
- Juice from 1/4 lime
- 1 to 2 cups extra virgin olive oil
- 2 4-oz glass bottles with cork
Directions:
Lemon-Infused
Carefully strip one lemon of its zest using a vegetable peeler. Try to keep each strip long and wide. Stuff zest strips into the bottle. Zest your second lemon and set aside. Heat olive oil in a saucepan until a few bubbles start forming. Scoop zest from second lemon into the olive oil. Let it steep for approx. 30 minutes. Carefully pour the lemony oil into the bottle over the uncooked strips of lemon zest, making sure not to let any of the cooked strips of lemon zest get in. Cork the bottle and store in the refrigerator.
Rosemary-Infused
Stuff rosemary sprigs into the glass bottle and set aside. Heat olive oil in a saucepan until a few bubbles start forming. Carefully pour warm olive oil into bottle over rosemary. Cork the bottle and store in the refrigerator.
Chili-Infused
Pour chili flakes into the glass bottle and set aside. Heat olive oil in a saucepan until a few bubbles start forming. Carefully pour warm olive oil into bottle over the chili flakes. Cork the bottle and store in the refrigerator.
Garlic-Infused
Put the cloves in a bowl with the lime juice and let sit for 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Reserving the juice for later, drain the lime juice from the cloves. Spread out the cloves in one layer in a small baking dish. Pour enough olive oil over the garlic so that the cloves are completely immersed. Roast in a hot oven for 30-45 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool. Scoop the cloves from the oil into a bowl using a slotted spoon. Pour the reserved lime juice over the cloves with 1/2 cup your oil and stir to combine. Pack garlic cloves in an airtight container. Pour enough of the oil over roasted cloves to cover. Strain the remaining oil into your glass bottle and use as garlic-infused oil.
Hot Chocolate Mix Jars
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1/4 cup chocolate chips
- Marshmallows to fill the jar
- 1 cinnamon stick
- Mason jar
Directions:
Use a spoon to layer in the cocoa powder followed by a layer of white sugar. Top those layers with the chocolate chips. Add mini or normal sized marshmallows to fill the jar. Seal the jar and tie a ribbon with a cinnamon stick to the outside.
*Recipe Note for Hot Chocolate Mix: Take the marshmallows off the top and set aside. Add the jar contents and cinnamon stick to a pan with 4 cups of milk. Stir the mixture until it is hot, and ladle into mugs. Top with marshmallows and enjoy!
Make someone's Christmas a special one this year with a homemade gift. They'll be more appreciative of the effort you put into it. You don't have to go through the hassle of finding the perfect present at a store if you follow these
7 easy DIY Christmas gifts. Not only are they quick and simple to make, but they'll save you a pretty penny during the holiday season. If you prefer to buy a fully put together item, check out our
Holiday Gift Guide. It includes ideas for every type of lifestyle. If you plan on going bigger with your gift giving this year, check out our
new vehicle inventory. For a limited time, you'll get GM Employee Pricing on a new Chevy and peace of mind with innovative and
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Located conveniently just outside of Lansing,
Hank Graff Chevrolet Okemos is here to help you with your car buying and servicing needs. Our goal is to create a transparent experience and a comfortable environment for all of our valuable customers. If you have any questions, or would like to schedule an appointment, reach us at (517) 349-8300, or stop by the dealership at 1748 W. Grand River in Okemos, MI 48864.
