DIY Holiday Gifts: His and Hers mugs

The search is on for the perfect gift for the holidays. One of the reasons I LOVE giving gifts I have made, is that I can personalize them to match the person I am giving the gift to.  The options are limitless with this DIY gift.

These personalized His and Hers mugs are incredibly easy to make.  All you need is a couple white mugs and a black and red Sharpie oil-based paint pen.  

Moustache and Lips mug set

 Wash the mugs and thoroughly dry them before you begin.

I began by looking for some inspiration images- here are a couple that I was considering 

Ultimately, I free-handed them, which made them not be completely uniform, but I kinda like it that way.  First, the moustache...

...then the lips.

Once the paint had dried, I went back and drew a line through the lips to give them some definition.

And then they were done : )

Green Tea and Strong Coffee mug set

The next mug set I made is one I saw on A Beautiful Mess which you can find here.  Jason has been on a green tea kick lately...and I am absolutely a coffee gal...so it seemed appropriate : )

Since you are writing words with a permanent pen, you will want to practice the script you want to use.  If you are anything like me, I don't want the normal way I write to be on display on my coffee mug.  

When I was sure of how I wanted the script to look, and I had practiced with the paint pen, I started to write. 

 A green tea mug for him...

 ...and a strong coffee mug for me.

When you give the mugs as gifts, make sure to write on the card, that the mugs will need to be hand-washed.  The paint will come off if washed in the dishwasher.  I have gently washed mine several times since making them, and the paint is holding up very well. 

These are just a couple ideas for personalized mugs...there are so many things you can do. Be creative and always keep your loved one in mind when choosing what you want the mugs to say. Pair them with some great coffee, hot chocolate or whatever drink they would prefer, and you have a very nice and very personal gift.


* Check out some more DIY holiday gifts here.

We could all use a little comfort...

Kim Welling of kimslittlemonsters may be onto something...I love her Instant Comfort Box.  It gives you just the right amount of affirmation to get you through the day.  I think I may have to try my hand at this.  What a sweet thing to tuck into your little one's book-bag or into your husband's briefcase.

Stay tuned for the angenuity take on this cool idea : )

My favorite Easter gift: Easter egg planter

My favorite gift to give is a plant.  And Easter is one of my favorite holidays.  Therefore, why not combine the two?  For the past three years, I have made these Easter egg planters, and I have not gotten tired of them.  They are pretty and cute, but most importantly, they allow you to give some of your favorite plants to your favorite people. 

So here is how to get started:

I dyed the eggs pale shades of pink, green and blue.  

 Using the corner of the hilt of a knife, I lightly tapped on the eggs until I had broken through the top third of the shell.  I then poured out the egg and rinsed the shell thoroughly.

While the eggs are drying out, cut the top of the egg carton off, and then cut the carton in half.

Spray the carton whatever color you would like.  I chose Celadon green.

 Cut a hole in each end of the six pack cartons. 

Cut two 12" length of ribbon.  Thread one ribbon through the hole in each side of the carton, and tie a knot. 

Take the two ribbons and tie a pretty knot about 6" above the top of the carton.  Trim the ends of the ribbons.  

Now you can start to transplant the plants into the eggshells.   I chose a mix of ground-cover, annuals and edible plants including...

...pink petunia...

 ...sweet basil...

 ...strawberries...

 ...blue star creeper...

...yellow marigold...

...and Irish moss.

Once you have planted your eggs, pack them into the carton and you are ready to give this adorable Easter treat.  So much better than candy : )

K.I.S.S. for Valentine's Day...

Valentine's Day is often overdone, so... Keep It Simple and Smart.

For teachers... or a good friend... or someone you know who needs a pick-me-up...

  

...go for a small bouquet in a charming vase...

 ...or buy some cool jars and fill them with an assortment of your "favorite things"...

...or give a pretty plant in a decorative pot to brighten a windowsill.

It doesn't have to be elaborate...simple is beautiful. 

For your little ones...

  Both of my girls have read How Full Is Your Bucket? in school this year.  So I thought a bucket filled with some of their favorite things would be a wonderful surprise. 

I found these pink buckets at IKEA for $2.99.

 Drill parallel holes into either side of the bucket...

 ...and tie a ribbon through the holes.

 Tie a bow separately and sew it onto the middle of the ribbon.

 I picked up some things from the dollar bin at Michaels (great resource for your kids' gifts) - a journal with coordinating pencils, pen, and clothespins that I glued magnets onto for their artwork.  A birdhouse for them to paint, a pedicure kit and a bottle of their favorite fingernail polish and a picture frame to put a family photo in.  (I try to keep both Valentine's Day and Easter not geared towards candy.) 

 I also found these paper purses that I thought were adorable. 

 I tied a bow and super-glued it to the purse...

 ...And then filled them with a couple different sweets.

Fill the bucket up with all of the treats and then hang it in their room to find on the morning of Valentine's Day.

Have fun tomorrow! and Happy Valentine's Day!  : )