I Do Handmade offers a lovingly curated collection of craft kits designed to help unwind your mind and captivate your creativity
Hand-picked by us
Hand-packed by a small business
Handmade by you
Our craft kits are all individually made and sold by small businesses around the UK, and we bring them to you as part of our commitment to encourage the nation to shop small.
So, when you shop with I Do Handmade, you’re supporting a family, a movement, and a dream somewhere!
Most props are available to hire which helps keep the costs down. They’re also made using recyclable materials and reused again and again, doing a little bit for our planet too.
Established in 2013, mum and daughter have been ensuring that ‘crafted with love’ feeling is invited to every event.
Get in touch to start building a personalised package for your event.
We know that summer sometimes can be a quiet, reflective time for small businesses, so we’d love you to join us in our first ever #smallbizsummer challenge on social media – there might even be a prize or two 😘
Starting Monday 31 July, for the month of August, on Mon/Weds/Fri we’ll share a post with a theme for the day, encouraging you to do the same, talking to your followers engaging with them in time for the busiest season ahead 🎄 🥳
If you never know what to post, this challenge is for you 🤩 Use the topic in the daily prompts below, to write a post helping your followers get to know you a little better. Use this challenge to shout about all the amazing work you’ve done so far.
Find the daily prompts below, so you can start planning what to post! Also if helpful use we’ve created some downloadable graphics for you to use on social media and a printout we’ve created (if you’re a ‘write on paper kinda gal’ like me!) which you can use to help plan out your posts for the month.
We really hope you’ll join us in this summer of fun. Whenever you post, simply add the hashtag #smallbizsummer and we will see it!
Feel free to spread the word and invite other business pals to get involved and have a little fun online this summer ☀️
We’ve put together a blog post FULL of teacher gift ideas all made and sold by small businesses across the UK. So many original and thoughtful ideas to help teachers know we appreciate them so much! Check them out below, if you love them, why not let the maker know! Comments, reviews, likes and follows go a long way for small businesses! Happy shopping!
If product photography is on your business to do list, then this post is for you!
We’ve partnered up with the very talented @morganemilyjane to offer small businesses an exclusive discounted photography package!
We’ll be hosting monthly small biz photo shoots, to help businesses get a fresh new album of pics in time for Christmas! Send off your products to Emily’s studio, and have them photographed in their very own mini shoot! – Your products are gonna have a ball!
Photography was probably one of the hardest things I’ve found to do myself for my previous product selling business. Good photographers have SUCH a skill! We’ve used Emily to photograph a variety of different products for our pop-up marketing advertising, and her ability to capture such a wide spectrum of product types is such a talent!
There’s 10 spaces available per month, available on a first come first served basis.You can spread the cost across 3 months too when you select to pay via Klarna too!
This service is one of many new things coming to help support small businesses in the journey of entrepreneurship. We’re working on a toolkit of services designed to help grow small businesses using recommended and trusted providers. Stay tuned for more coming soon
Hit ‘Shop now’ below to check out all the details!
This International Women’s Day we wanted to announce some exciting news for business owners on maternity leave.
From 10 March 2023, we’re offering 3 free stalls to new mums with a handmade product-selling business, to use during the first twelve months following baby’s due date.
Being self-employed is a financial rollercoaster. Throw in a newborn baby, usually with zero maternity pay, and hormones all over the place, it can be a stressful time financially and mentally.
That’s why we’re helping new mums juggling a small business, a free opportunity to book up to 3 stalls at any of our pop-up venues. With this little aid, we aim to hopefully help mamas meet new customers, grow their businesses, improve mental health AND still be a great mum.
It’s a topic close to my heart, when I was 4 months pregnant, I was made redundant a few days after telling my full-time employer that I was pregnant. Devastated, unable to find work or income, it was a really low season. As much as the law is meant to protect pregnant women, I couldn’t find any company that wanted to hire me, 6 months pregnant.
I had no option but to try to make some income via my product selling business/hobby I had on the side. I ended up putting my all into running my company and have done so ever since, now with two mini humans in tow.
Despite feeling incredibly blessed and privileged to have both baby bundles, mum-life brought overwhelming feelings of anxiety and panic, whilst navigating through a global pandemic. Still unsure to this day whether it was postpartum depression, I felt I had zero purpose having lost my ‘proper job’ as I used to call it. I longed to switch roles with my husband who went off to work each morning and wanted to create some sort of identity again.
But I continued to push my business on, and the most amazing thing ended up happening to my little handmade business. My self-employed adventure sort of rescued me! A thriving and incredibly supportive small business community was created, when we began offering pop-up market opportunities for small independents. It changed everything. Meeting people in person, connecting with others, helping each other thrive, it was the best therapy in quite a dark time.
It’s for all of these reasons we want to help women who may be experiencing any of the above. Whether it’s zero maternity pay from being self-employed, redundancy, postpartum depression, needing a reason to be more than just ‘mum’, a chance to meet new people and feel less alone.
The first 12 months post birth are challenging times, so if this can help just 1 hard-working, ass-kicking small business mama, it’ll be worth it!
Please know I’m incredibly aware that this is a topic that might be a difficult subject for some to read. Sending so much love to anyone struggling at the moment.
How to booka stall
Any product selling business owner with a baby under twelve months old, can book up to 3 stalls to use within the 12 month period following the baby’s due date
To book, visit that link above, find a pop-up suitable for your company, hit on ‘book a stall’ add 1 stall to your basket. Use the coupon code MUMPRENEUR when booking, this will result in the stall being free of charge
You will need to make 3 separate bookings in order to make use of the 3 free stalls offer.
All 3 stall dates you book must be within the 12 month period following baby’s due date which is shown on your maternity exemption certificate.
When booking your stall, on the checkout page, there is question asking you for your public liability insurance, please also attach a copy of your Maternity Exemption Certificate (the certificate you show in pharmacies for free prescriptions) or email it to us after your purchase.
This benefit is open to anyone who has conceived a baby (which includes stillborn/miscarriage) and has a copy of their Maternity Exemption Certificate.
Offer is available for all stalls booked from 10 March 2023 and cannot be applied to any booking made before this date.
Please be aware this offer does not guarantee you a stall at any of our events, you must book a stall from the available dates showing on the ‘book a stall’ page. Once we have sold out, we will have none available or reserved.
The name on the maternity exemption certificate will need to match the name on your booking and public liability insurance
Please note, as with all stallholders, you will need to sell products that match the ethos of our pop-ups, ensuring the products are handmade.
Also to be aware that we carefully curate our markets to ensure a mix of products are available each day so alternative dates may also be offered if your product type clashes with any other stalls already booked in that day.
Once your stall has been confirmed, your booking will be non-exchangeable/non-refundable
We’ve collated over 40 mothers day gift ideas, all made and sold by small businesses.
So much care and passion go into products made by a small business. It often shows in the packaging and the personal touches small independents pour into their products.
Here’s a selection of gift ideas we think will make any lucky lady feel loved this mother’s day…
If you’re a small business, discover over 20+ stores you can rent a shelf at across England to sell your products in, all in this very blog post.
For some small businesses booking stalls at markets are just not a practical way to get sales. Whether it’s due to available time from a full-time job, or childcare responsibilities.
Another option is become more available, offering an additional income stream for small businesses. More and more bricks and mortar shops are offering services where small businesses can rent a shelf for a week, month, quarter etc. Some offer monthly fees, some take commission from sales and some both.
I haven’t seen anywhere on the internet with a list of all the shops in one place, so thought it might be useful for small businesses to collate a list of available shops to know which ones might be near them. We asked everyone to share any suggestions on our social channels and did a little googling, and you can find our list of over 25 stores that offer this service across England.
Please note we have not contacted these shops, nor have gathered sales stats on them. When deciding to sign up for a week/month etc, we highly recommend doing your research. Footfall, the marketing/advertising they do, commission they take, restocking process, customer return process, setting up process, are all things to check.
If you need a little inspiration for some Galentines or Valentines gift ideas, look no further. We’ve picked some of our fav’s we’ve seen on the ‘gram all sold by small businesses! Discover so many thoughtful pressie ideas right here, and shop small in the process, happy shopping!
If you’re a small business that sells products at markets, we’ve put together a list of some helpful things we’ve learned along the way our business journey. If you have any more tips to add, comment below!
Things to do in advance of the market
Tell everyone where you’re gonna be
In the week leading up to your market, let your followers, community and customers know about your stall, tag the location, include it in newsletters, make a facebook event and invite friends and family. When you’re at the market, post first thing in the morning tagging your location letting your followers know where they can find you.
Google other stalls
Check out what other companies are doing sales wise and see if you can do something similar. Visit markets, google stall setups, search hashtags for #stallsetup #stalldesign #marketstall or use Pinterest for inspiration you’ll see how style ideas for your stall. Even google your product type, e.g #candledisplay or #jewellerystall You only have a split second to catch people’s attention, so try to make the best products you offer really stand out.
Make a mockup market at home
A few days before, set up your stall at home. This will not only make your setup quicker and easier on the day, it will also allow you to play around with how best to showcase your stock. It should also let you know what problems you might encounter when displaying your products, and give you time to solve the issue. which you can solve you time to work on your display, and allow you to setup with confidence and joy on the big day.
Things to bring with you
When we have done a market, we always have a mini emergency kit with us. This is full of: Sellotape, cable ties, scissors, safety pins, paracetemal, hairband, handcream, handgel, string
If you are selling anything that a customer can try on, have a mirror available.
Wear your product if it’s appropriate
Comfortable clothes and shoes, you’ll be on your feet for a long time
Snacks as well as lots of water
Bags or packaging for customers to take your products home in
Business cards or a flyer either on the table, why not include an online offer specific to the market to give away with every purchase so you know where customers find you.
Have a newsletter signup sheet so people who are interested with your work can keep up to date with what you’re making
A card reader. These are super easy to get these days. We use Sumup (affiliate link) for the markets we have sold at, and love the ease, size of the reader and low fees, but theres lots of other options out there.
Cash and spare change. With the above being said, this doesn’t mean that cash is dead. Many people still prefer to pay with cash. Selling products at rounded whole numbers rather than halves can help on the small change front. You’ll less likely have someone to turn away if you are not able to offer change – this can be a super crushing feeling if you have ever had to do this.
Tips when your at your market
Business cards and flyers
Have business cards or flyers on your stand for customers to take away with them. Include an online discount code which links back to your shop, with a coupon code, so you can track future sales that came from your market stall.
Show your prices
Remove any obstacles for people not to buy your product. Make really clear signage for prices, either next to each item, or one price list.
Offering a range of priced items
Choosing to include a range of priced items can really help. Include cheap, mid-range and high-end products to attract a range of customers.
Be kind to yourself
On your first ever stall, you’ll likely feel apprehensive. You won’t know the best way to sell at first, it’ll come with time. Try to relax and let your products do the selling for you. Remember you are the only person who knows the most about your products so try to act confidently showcasing why these products will help make people’s lives better.
Have the knowledge
Be ready to answer questions customers might have. Have info like colours, range, ingredients, stock levels etc up your sleeve. Also have your business story ready – why you are doing what you are doing, what are you aiming for, how your stock is made, and anything customers might find interesting.
Create height and layers
Your stall will likely be a flat surface, you’ll be expected to provide everything to dress your stall. Think of ways to showcase your stock, a little bit more imaginatively than just standing items on your stall. Use boxes, baskets, wooden planks, think outside the box to present your products attractively. Look around your house and see what you can use to create a memorable and fun display. You don’t need to spend too much at the beginning. Why not use wrapping paper around cardboard boxes, or use vases or jugs or painting food containers like tins. Try not to overcrowd your stall. It’s a representation of your store, not a jumble sale.
Ditch your phone
Don’t stand around on your phone or look like you haven’t had any customers all day. Try to look approachable, positive and happy to be there and not bored out of your mind (even if there are moments when you are desperate to sit down!)
Research opportunity
Network with your stall neighbours, there’s so much you can learn from them. Top tips you can share, best apps/websites to use etc. Networking can also lead to collaborations and new friends.
Offer variety, but don’t overcrowd your stall
Have a variety of products which offers your customers choice, but not too much that people can’t get a feel of your brand or the best products you offer. You only have a few seconds to catch the attention of passers by, so make it clean and clear.
Collect email addresses
Keeping GDPR in mind, have a mailing list sign up form or QR link they can do on their phone. Offer something in return for adding your email address which can help “win xxx when you sign up’ Any sign ups are your potential future customers.
Take pictures
It’s a great opportunity for content on social media. Take pics of your stock, your stall, you standing at your stall, and customer interactions happening if there are 2 of you there.
Say hello
Try to greet every single person that looks at your stall. I don’t know why, maybe its that awkward British thing (!) but my experience from the stalls we’ve run, there’s a little bit of an awkwardness, some people just want to look at your stall without being bothered or buy anything. So help break the ice, think of a few short questions you can use to start a natural conversation about your product. ‘Would you like to sample this xxx’ ‘Have you ever used xxx before’ You then have the opportunity to build rapport and turn those conversations hopefully into sales!
Make them curious
Try to find something that will entice people in. A little sign saying…
‘Feel me, I’m super soft’. or ‘Try me’ or ‘The silkiest handcream youve ever tried, you decide?’ or ‘Is this the best brownie you’ve ever tasted?’
Think of ways/display ideas to present your stock in a way to get them wondering what it is you’re selling.
Best sellers in the middle
Something I’ve found, whatever product is in the middle of our stall, tends to sell the best on the day. Its the first place people usually look. Pop your bestsellers in the middle of your display.
Invite friends
When stalls have browsers looking at them it makes onlookers curious and feel a bit of FOMO! Invite your friends and family to visit your stall to help you look a little busy!
A few ideas to help get your brand out there on the day (keep GDPR in mind)
– Flyers given with each purchase
– An ipad/tablet on a stand advertising graphics/videos showcasing your products/messaging about your business
– A small sign on a mini easel, explaining exactly what it is on offer
– Price signs
– QR codes available linking to your website/social media accounts/newsletter signups
– Business cards
– Branded bags for customers purchases
– A ‘sign up, today only’ type offer to be able to take orders in advance (with an option to capture customer’s email address)
– Could you offer a ‘Want it personalised? Order today and we can deliver to you’ type process allowing to capture customer’s info for potential future orders
– Create a process for customers to be able to order products as gifts for loved ones that can be wrapped and posted at a later date
– A competition for customers to have a chance to win something, where they join your mailing list in exchange for a chance to win
– A catalogue on display showcasing your full range customers can browse either on a tablet or paper version
– Branded receipts which you can write their purchase confirmation on
2. Mini photograph magnets (click the photo for full tutorial)
3. Handmade trinket dishes (click the photo for full tutorial)
4. Finger print keyrings (click the photo for full tutorial)
5. Decorated teabags (click the photo for full tutorial)
6. Polaroid coasters (click the photo for full tutorial)
7. Decorated succulent jars (click the photo for full tutorial)
8. Favourite recipe on a tea-towel (click the photo for full tutorial)
9. Marbled ring dish (click the photo for full tutorial)
10. Personalised lavender sachets (click the photo for full tutorial)
11. Handmade foot soak (click the photo for full tutorial)
And there you have some of our favourite handmade mothers day gift ideas. If you see something you try out, tag us and let us know! We love seeing handmade creations come to life!
We’ve put together a selection of some of the best Mothers Day Gift ideas all helping your loved to enjoy a little creative time. All gift ideas have been taken from our online collection and are sold from UK small independents.
If your loved one relishes in a peaceful afternoon crafting, she will love these ideas! All kits contain the materials you need, to make something beautiful for the home.
This spring wreath kit comes with everything your loved one needs to make their own beautiful dried flower wreath. They’ll learn how to make a half-wreath display using real dried flowers and grasses, all freshly hand-picked and kiln-dried on a UK farm in Kent.
Watch the easy to follow tutorial video, showing the simple techniques needed to attach your flowers to the ring and create a stunning arrangement. It’s the perfect kit for newbies.
This kit is a super relaxing option, help your loved one discover the art of painting with this beginners kit including everything you need to create your own master piece.
Everything you need to learn to create your artwork is explained in the easy to follow video tutorials which are available in the Masterpeace app. The artist will gently guide you through, step by step, giving you tips and tricks along the way, meaning you can follow at your own pace.
For any sewing lovers, this is a wonderful mindfulness activity to help your loved one switch off. Create a totally unique tote bag, once complete, use again and again as a sustainable carrier bag.
This sunflower bag design is suitable for all sewing abilities, including complete beginners, with full instructions to learn 3 different embroidery stitches.
This kit is beautifully presented and arrives in sustainable packaging, inside a sturdy cardboard box, an ideal letterbox gift.
This at-home clay kit provides you with all the tools you need to get creative with clay. With not kiln or oven heating required, options are endless on the things you could make for the home, from succulent planters to necklaces, hanging mobiles or festive decorations.
This one makes a great gift for any garden lover, discover the art of willow weaving with this beautifully presented bird feeder making kit.
This relaxing craft kit includes enough materials to create a set of three bird feeders. Use the printed, easy to follow step by step instructions to create your own garden or balcony accessory.
Once made, each bird feeder is ideal for holding large seeds, nuts or fat balls, and will attract different types of birds large or small.
Immerse yourself into the fantastic world of 3D paper cutting! If you’re new to paper cutting this kit is perfect for you.
Create a gorgeous green garden scene that you can put inside a dome and display, or why not give as a gift to any garden lover.
Use the easy to follow illustrated instructions and create each paper accessory. You’ll gradually build up your garden design and once complete place inside the included dome to admire.
Wrap up warm with this knitting craft kit teaching you how to make a cosy cowl scarf. This makes a thoughtful creative mothers day gift idea, using 100% acrylic yarn, this comes as a complete kit, suitable to give as a gift or to make yourself.
Once made you’ll have a super soft unisex cowl scarf. This kit is suitable for anyone who has learnt the basics of knitting and able to read a simple pattern. Knitting newbies will particularly love this kit, helping improve their skills and create something useful to wear that’s really warm and super soft next to your skin.
This relaxing crochet basket kit is complete with everything you need to create a trio of useful storage baskets. Treat a loved one to a cosy afternoon getting creative with this therapeutic crocheting project.
This practical kit comes with all the supplies needed, to crochet three different sized baskets including a simple to follow crochet pattern. Using chunky 100% premium acrylic yarn, choose the soft coloured yarn you would like.
Another crochet kit, this one’s great for anyone looking to learn how to crochet and create something at the same time. This beginners crochet kit comes with everything you need to learn how to crochet and create the cutest cactus keyring.
Use the easy to follow video with an audio described tutorial or the printed written instructions to help you to learn the basics in the best way you prefer.
There you have it! 10 creative mothers day gift ideas fantastic for any lover of craft!
Make Mother’s Day special with our collection of free Mother’s Day printables, suitable to give any special lady in your life this Mother’s Day!
We’ve designed a suite of downloadable gifts which are all un-named meaning they could be appropriate for Mummy, Nana, Granny, Sister, Auntie or whatever you call that special lady in your life!
Suitable for adults and kids, there’s something there for everyone to make someone’s day a little brighter.
Download one, or download them all, we hope your loved one enjoys!
What will I receive?
Create an activity booklet with your little one to give a parent, grandparent or auntie or anyone really!
8 coupons showing various acts of kindness gifts
Decorate the tray for breakfast in bed making food toppers
Wrapping paper for a present, or why not collect a bundle of flowers and add that handmade with love feeling
Gift tags for any gifts
A generic Mother’s Day card
A colour in Mother’s Day card
Plus creative inspiration and other freebie alerts in emails to come, which you can unsubscribe at any time
This is the easiest handmade seed bombs tutorial I’ve come across so I wanted to share with you. They make the cutest gifts for flower lovers.
I wanted to make something for Valentine’s Day to give to a few family members and childminder handmade by my toddler (with maybe a little assistance!)
I have seen lots of seed bomb recipes with tricky ingredients or lots of steps. This one just required a few things and was easy to do with a 2 year old.
All you need is:
Flour
Compost
A packet of seeds (we chose wildflower seeds to create a meadow like effect)
A cup of water
What do you do:
1. Mix in a bowl, 3 cups of compost, 1 cup of flour and your packets of seeds.
2. Add a little water until you get a firm playdough sort of texture.
3. Using your hands mould small shaped handmade seed bombs, about the size of a ping pong ball. We created heart shapes for valentines day. Place them on a tray to dry for 24 hours. We used our airing cupboard.
I laughed coz they don’t look too great on the eye while they’re still wet! They look better once dried!
4. Once dry, pop in a little gift bag and add a tag with instructions. ‘Pop in a plant pot or the ground and water every so often.’
5. We made a heart stamped card to go with ours and popped in a gift bag.
These handmade seed bombs make a fab little gift for lots of occasions. Or why not favours for a party or wedding!
Looking for more handmade gift ideas? Check out a few more ideas here
We’ve collated a few of our favourite DIY Valentines makes out there at the moment all made by other inspiring crafters and makers.
Valentine’s is a lovely opportunity to tell anyone they love them. Mum, friend, brother, auntie or even your Amazon Prime delivery person – everyone loves hearing nice things about them!
So here’s a few DIY Valentines ideas you can make at home, with not toooo much preparation! There’s a few gift ideas, little message ideas and all round general fun to have with the family. All the instructions on how to make each one you’ll find in the comments below each photo.
Happy crafting!
Make your own chocolate bark by @Chloe_Louise_Aldous – This looks super simple to do and a lovely gift to give anyone if popped in a little gift bag with a tag!
3. 3D paper heart decorations by @Kirstiecrafts – Decorate a little area in the home or write little messages inside each one to surprise someone with. These look great to do with young crafters!
4. Salt dough love hearts by @our.playroom.diary – A fun thing to do with children could be making these hearts. Add a hole in them and they could be a tag that goes on a present or tied to the front of a gift card.
5. A Valentine’s platter by @utterly.organised.chaos – Such a beautiful way to arrange a plate of goodies! Easy to do with a few of your lover’s favourite treats, pop them in the shape of a heart and you look like you’ve made the biggest effort!
7. Valentine’s Bucket List by @_emily_thomas__ and @the.mama.project – This is more of a fun way to recognise Valentine’s as a family. A beautiful way to make memories and teaching your kids how to love people in different ways.
8. Watercolour hearts by @theartfulparent – These cute hearts are an easy way to make your own card for Valentine’s draw a heart or even write a secret message!
9. Valentine’s Rice Treats by @downhomedrake – A yummy treat for any loved one in your life. Pop them in your kids lunchboxes, gift them to your neighbour or send one in the post to your pal.
10. DIY seed paper hearts by @hellokidsstudio – A fun and eco friendly way to tell someone you love them, and give them something to enjoy in months to come. A fab DIY valentines idea.
If you’re looking for crafty gifts for someone this Valentine’s Day, check out our online store full of craft kits to give to anyone who loves spending time getting creative.
There couldn’t be a better time to fill your desks, shelves and drawers with cute stationery. January means January sales, new styles and a fresh start to begin a new notebook or journal.
Here’s a few of my favourite stationers with beautiful pens, pads and post-its and more!
Martha Brook – Beautiful quality paper products and they offer a personalised service too.
Did you know this stuff grows in the wild in so many public places across the UK for about 4-6 weeks of the year. And it comes back again every year.
Something we trrrry to do is go on an elderflower foraging hunt at this time of year. We come back with a bag of freshly picked elderflower and love turning it into something yummy.
Over the years we’ve made, gin, cordial, wine, but this year we found a fab recipe for orange and elderflower jam. And I can proudly confirm after nearly finishing a loaf of bread, it’s delicious on toast!
Where can I find it?
Elderflower is abundant throughout the UK, in woods and along roadside hedgerows. From late May you’ll see masses of tiny white flowers hanging in sprays which develop into purple elderberries later in the summer.
What does it look like?
Credit: Pete Holmes / WTML
The flowers are flat-topped clusters of tiny, creamy-white flowers, the fragrance is sweet and summery.
If you come across any on your daily wanders, why not take a little home to make something yummy too!
Here’s a few recipes we’ve enjoyed over the last few years to inspire you!
I recently celebrated my sons 2nd birthday, so it was the perfect opportunity to get creative. I wanted to attempt making a 3D number to use for a photo with him, and to decorate the food table.
If you fancy having a go yourself, all you’ll need is a large cardboard box, sellotape, spray paint, pencil and scissors.
I begun by drawing the number on a piece of cardboard, and cut it out.
Then choose which side you want the 3D edges to be, I wanted to fill the number with balloons so built the edges up on the front. I cut long rectangles out of the cardboard and used sellotape to attach around the edge. I stuck tape both sides to ensure it held.
I spray painted the whole thing…
Then found small metallic coloured balloons and wedged them all inside. It’s fair to say it’s pretty fragile, but perfect for a photo opportunity or decoration!
Every year these handmade pallet Christmas trees get to come out and say hello!
I had a pretty unrealistic dream one year that I wanted to fill my garden with lots of them and make some sort of magical wonderland! Storage was a little bit of an issue! So I stopped at three.
These are super simple to make, probably one of the easiest pallet upcycling projects out there.
You’ll need an old pallet which you can get anywhere FOR FREE. Never pay for a pallet! All my pallet projects have been upcycled for free, either by searching on gumtree/facebook marketplace or seeing them at the side of building sites.
Once you have your pallet check which side is the most attractive, then also decide which way up it’s going to be – again choosing the most attractive bit to keep as the base!
Then draw a triangle on your pallet, making sure the bar that holds each of the planks of wood, is going vertically through the middle.
Then saw either by hand or with a jigsaw all the down the lines, and that’s pretty much it! Say hello to your new pallet Christmas trees!
We dressed ours with solar powered fairy lights so they twinkle in our porch in the evening.
Here’s all three pallets off to help decorate a Christmas themed wedding one year!
If you’re looking for Christmas gift ideas this year, here’s a little guide we’ve put together of gifts sourced from small and local companies.
It’s been a tough year to navigate on all fronts. From a retail perspective, being a small business owner, it’s been a challenging time. There are so many small businesses out there struggling to keep going. If you’re on the hunt for gifts, here’s a thoughtful collection of gifts, made or sold from small businesses in and around my local area. There’s a few of our own thrown in the mix too!
Hopefully there’s something thoughtful here that you could buy for that special someone!
Happy shopping!
UNIQUE A5 SIZE CHARITY CHRISTMAS CARDS
William’s Fund raise money for Childhood Cancer in Oxford, we have our own researchers dedicated to improving Cancer treatment for children, in memory of William. William’s Fund have no paid employees.
These beautiful cards are from original designs by Elizabeth Cox, William’s Grandmother. Mixed packs of 25 (£13) or 50 (£18). ALL proceeds go to the research. Remember to look for the hidden mice!
Decorate your front door this Christmas with your own handmade festive wreath. This kit comes delivered to your home, with everything needed to make a wreath using real greenery, artificial berries, pine cones and an easy to follow tutorial.
Use code IDH for an exclusive 15% discount on all orders.
Get creative at home with everything you need to make and decorate your own paper envelope advent calendar. Fill your handmade envelopes with included acts of kindness ideas for you to spread a little festive cheer to your loved ones and the community. Great to make with or without kids.
Use code IDH for an exclusive 15% discount on all orders.
Ceramic Christmas decorations with satin red ribbon in a Snowman, Robin or Reindeer design. Each are personalised with an option of three messages ‘With love at Christmas’, ‘My first Christmas’ and ‘Happy Christmas’ and a name of your choice. To place an order please go to the ‘contact us’ form on the website.
Decorate your home with this rustic handmade advent bunting, made with individual pockets in each flag, to fill with your own treats of your choice. Start a new tradition in your home and reuse it each Christmas.
Use code IDH for an exclusive 15% discount on all orders.
Add a little sparkle to your home with our Elf huts. These handmade homes are installed with a solar light and come in a choice of two colours red and green. To order either visit my Etsy store, email enchantedgardendesigns@hotmail.com or check out my Facebook page facebook.com/enchantedgardendesigns/
A range of ceramic tiles and coasters in a variety of shapes and sizes that feature your little one’s hand or foot prints and name or custom personalisation. When ordered an ‘inkless hand and foot print kit’ will be sent directly to you with full instructions on how to take your prints. Once they are completed they can then be scanned and emailed back or returned in the envelope provided to Little Prints HQ. Upon receipt, the prints will be transformed into your keepsake and will then be posted to you within 2 weeks.
A range of ceramic tiles, coasters and hanging ornaments that feature your pet’s paw print and name or custom personalisation. When ordered an ‘inkless paw print kit’ will be sent directly to you with full instructions on how to take your prints. Once completed they can then be scanned and emailed back or returned in the envelope provided to Little Prints HQ. Upon receipt, the prints will be transformed into your keepsake and will then be posted to you within 2 weeks
Treat your home (and yourself) with our Home Pamper Hamper! This contains our gorgeous essentials to make your home smell and feel like the festive season, all presented in a reusable wood-effect gift box. Contents: Orange and Cinnamon Reed Diffuser (150ml), Warm Honeysuckle Candle (250g), Vanilla Small Room or
Car Freshener, Orange & Nutmeg Hand Sanitiser (100ml). Bespoke Hampers also available on our website
A gift offering any plant lover the chance to discover the art of macrame and create their own hanging garden. This kit comes with enough cotton cord to make and display two pot plants or terrariums.
Use code IDH for an exclusive 15% discount on all orders.
Luxury plant based soy wax candles and reed diffusers for the home and beautiful essential oil bath and body products for that extra treat we all deserve – the perfect gift this Christmas.
Unique and contemporary personalised portraits from a highly skilled local artist. Emily paints families, individuals, couples, children and pets from either photographs or sittings. A variety of sizes and options available, including oil paintings, watercolour, ink, charcoal and pencil. Order soon, to secure your slot: ratherniceartist@gmail.com
Children can choose either a fairy or Elf design wreath kit for them to design at home. These come with a wide range of artificial Christmas decorations, lights, colouring door kit, and glue pen. To order either visit my Etsy store, email enchantedgardendesigns@hotmail.com or check out my Facebook page facebook.com/enchantedgardendesigns/
This cosy craft kit includes everything you need to make a pair of microwavable, reusable pocket hand warmers. This stocking filler gift idea comes in two colours and makes a thoughtful winter treat for loved ones.
Use code IDH for an exclusive 15% discount on all orders.
The perfect gift for a creative friend. This letterbox friendly kit comes with everything they’ll need to decorate a tote bag, tea towel, or drawstring bag, using fair trade wooden block print stamps and fabric paint.
Use code IDH for an exclusive 15% discount on all orders.
Award winning English sparkling wine grown and made in Radnage, Buckinghamshie. Sparkling white and rose wines and Sparkling cider. Either order online or email info@dawshillvineyard.co.uk
The best, freshest sweets in the world, but tasting is believing. Providing old-fashioned excellent customer service and value for money. Our business motto is to put a smile on everyone’s face, one face at a time. We post out sweets envelopes all over England, Scotland and Wales.
Staying in is the new going out so enjoy Afternoon Tea in the comfort of your own home or garden with those nearest and dearest to you. Available as a christmas gift voucher or a treat at home for the holiday season.
Order either online, by email orders@thekitchencroxley.com or by giving us a ring 01923 805 896.
Colourful, light reflecting jewellery and home decorations. Lots of different sizes and 24 different colours – all handmade in Sarratt, to make you smile!
Why not add a sprinkle of sparkle to your Christmas this year? At the Heritage Jewellery Co, we have curated a range of beautiful vintage and antique jewellery including necklaces, bracelets, brooches, cufflinks and rings such as these fabulous five stone diamond rings.
If you’re looking for a unique and thoughtful gift for a loved one then an individually hand-crafted antique Victorian gold locket with a photograph you’ve chosen could just be the perfect present.
Our Body Pamper Hamper will provide everything you need to create your own calm with the help of our luxury skincare and a hand-poured aromatherapy candle, all presented in a reusable wood-effect gift box. Contents: Intensive Body Serum Cream (50g), Sleepy & Sensitive Skin Body Serum Cream (50g), Baby & Sensitive Skin Body Serum Cream (50g), pair of cotton gloves and bootees (one size), Orange & Nutmeg Hand Sanitiser (50ml), Serenity aromatherapy candle (250g). Bespoke Hampers also available on our website.
Treat that special someone to a relaxing treatment this Christmas, with a luxurious massage, aromatherapy or healing gift voucher. Vouchers come gift wrapped sure to wow anyone on Christmas Day.
Add some sparkle this Christmas. Our ethically sourced range of crystals can be compiled in to your very own tailor-made gift sets. Select a series of stones and link grandparents with grandchildren, husbands and wives, siblings and friends. From tumbles to towers, from points to geodes, from candles to carvings to keyrings, there really is something for everyone! Give us a call or send a WhatsApp to discuss your personal order, and let us help you make it a Christmas to remember. Give a gift that lasts, connecting you with loved ones wherever you are in the world, showing your love, this Christmas and forever.
Spoil that special person in your life with a gift voucher from Eloquence Permanent Cosmetics. A choice of three bespoke treatments; Hairstroke/ Combination/Ombré Brows, Eyeliner or Lip Blush/Full Colour.
Inspired by Ayurveda an all-natural hair care range based on Ayurvedic principles to strengthen hair and restore dry damaged hair back to its former glory.
Use code IDH for an exclusive 20% discount on all items.
A lot of thought has gone into this collection of Crystal Pouches, each one offering love, support and healing to the individual. Each pouch contains six crystals energised with Reiki healing for a friend or family member and offers support for: Anxiety & Stress, Calm & Relaxation, Wealth & Abundance, Communication & Confidence, Concentration & Memory and Travellers. Visit the website to find an array of beautiful crystal gifts and jewellery which can be personalised with a name, brief message and Reiki healing.
Gift a loved one pure calm, relaxation and healing with a Reiki therapeutic treatment. This gentle Japanese technique is excellent for stress and anxiety, insomnia, headaches, pain, menopause symptoms and much more. Gift vouchers are available for 30 or 60 minute treatments. Visit the website to find out more about how Reiki works.
October for me means pumpkin decorating! And not the scary spooky kind!
Why not create a pumpkin floral display and turn your 🎃 into a vase!
Here’s our easy to follow tutorial…
First you’ll need a pumpkin! We bought three from our local supermarket.
Next, find a plastic pot smaller than the pumpkin you’re using. I used an empty yoghurt pot! There’s probably something perfectly suitable in your plastic recycling bin.
Draw around the diameter of your pot on top of your pumpkin
Dig out the middle of your pumpkin, be careful not to go out of the edges of where you’ve drawn
Optional – Paint or decorate your your pumpkin a colour of your choice, I went for copper paint!
Once dry, pop your pot in your pumpkin and you’ve got yourself a makeshift vase.
Hope you loved this pumpkin decorating idea! If you make one I’d love to have a peek! Tag us on facebook or instagram with @idohandmadeuk or send us an email
Happy October everyone!
If you’re a plant lover, have you seen our hanging garden craft kit? – check it out here.
I love attempting an Ikea hack project! This one is definitely one of my proudest upcycles so far, as I did it all virtually for free!
It all started with me needing shelving units in our newly installed office. I managed to find these two Billy bookcases on the Trash Nothing that someone was giving away.
They were the brown mahogany style and definitely needed some love and TLC!
(Top Tip – if you’re looking for storage solution furniture in your home, I always check recycling websites first, before resorting to buying anything, they’re a great way to save the planet from waste and most of the stuff is usually free!)
I had some white satin wood paint left over from when I moved house, which was perfect for this, so I gave both shelving units two coats, except the back walls of the shelves.
I had a plan to cover the back walls of the shelves in patterned wallpaper. I’ve done this a few times on some of my old pieces of furniture. It’s a great way of bringing some colour into a room. Not needing whole rolls of wallpaper, I nipped down to my local B&Q and picked up a few samples of wallpaper in shades of blue, white and anything with a bit of metallic in it.
(Top tip number 2 – Wallpaper samples are totally free friends! Anytime I’m in a hardware store that sells wallpaper, I always stock up on a few samples of wallpaper, as I use it for so many things. Crafting, card making, present wrapping, scrapbooking. For anyone who’s not done this before, don’t open a new roll of wallpaper! There’s usually always one open, so look for that first and tear off a portion – it’s totally allowed!)
With my wallpaper samples ready, I measured out the hole I needed to fill and cut out the shapes I needed in the different patterns.
Using PVA glue, I stuck down the wallpaper to the back of each shelf. I had a bit of an oopsie moment, and ran out of wallpaper for two of the shelves so if you look closely, two of the shelves have a strip missing! But I thought if I made the gap at the bottom of the shelf, put books on those shelves, no one will ever notice! The joys of DIY projects!
I’m super pleased with the finished result! It looks quite smart in the office and a little more homey than plain office shelving!
What do you think? Have you tried an Ikea hack before? I’d love to hear more if so!
Here’s a lovely moving house gift idea I made recently for a family who moved to St. Louis in the States, last month.
This gift idea is ideal for people moving somewhere new. It’s a year of day out ideas to help them get to know their new local neighbourhood.
I scoured the internet for fun and quirky things to do for the family, trying not to find things that cost too much. I kept in mind the seasons and the weather it’ll likely be. Finding an unusual ice-cream parlour to go to in January probably wouldn’t be that fun!
I also checked out event sites, to see if there were any one-off festivals or events going on that might not be on the usual ‘things to do in St Louis’ type websites.
When you start googling there really are so many ideas that makes me bet there’s so many unfound gems in my own neighbourhood!
I typed the ideas into text boxes on a word document, giving all the info they’d need to find out more online, and cut out the different cards.
I decorated 12 envelopes adding the month of the year to each one.
Fill the envelopes and tie with string adding a handwritten tag. Hopefully this will give the family a year of fun memories to start making together in their new home town.
I’ve made this gift a few times for a few friends, it works for lots of occasions. A year of date night ideas for the first year of marriage, a year of things to do with a newborn baby.
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Do you know someone who would love something handmade like this? Why not give it a go too.
If you’re looking for a face mask for a special occasion, we might just have something for you.
With face masks becoming the crazy new normal, it’s completely going to change people’s photo albums for weddings and parties.
So imagine this, you’re heading to your best mates wedding, you’ve had your hair done, you’ve got your favourite pair of fancy heels and a designer clutch at the ready, and erm a clinical blue disposable face mask? Probably not the look you had in mind.
So we’ve been working on a few ways for you to look smart and feel safe at the same time.
Introducing our luxurious lace range of face masks?
We recently added lace face masks to our online shop. Don’t worry, they’re made of fabric a little thicker than lace!
These are fabulous for weddings and parties. They also the perfect solution if you’re the bride or groom about to go wedding dress/suit shopping. Check out this luxurious style in our online shop. They’re easy to order and arrive gift wrapped, in letterbox friendly packaging.
Want something completely unique?
As well as the 30+ designs available in our online shop, we love to get our creative hat on to make something totally bespoke for you.
It could be a certain fabric your looking for, or a photo printed onto your mask, or words, a logo or initials.
It could even be a bulk order of special masks for all your guests, we’d love to help.
Bespoke mask prices start from £8 a mask + p&p.
Get in touch and we can start creating a face mask for a special occasion and something completely unique for you.
Want a SUPER simple bake-less cake recipe that will make the perfect dessert for any celebration? Read on 🙂
I celebrated my birthday recently and it’s a tradition in our house for the mama bear to make us all a handmade cake, usually in a creative, quirky fun design.
This year was quite an impressive cake I’ve gotta say, it’s up there as one of my favs! A five decker layer ice-cream cake. Oh my goodness was it yummy.
The best thing is, it’s all made of ice-cream so it’s so simple to make as there’s no baking involved. Any age can make it and it will look super impressive!
How to make you ice-cream cake
You’ll need:
5x tubs of ice-cream, all different colours and flavours ideally (you won’t need it all)
Sweets and biscuits to decorate
Melted chocolate
5x round cake tins
You’ll need the ice-cream slightly squishy to mould it for the first stage. So either take it out of the freezer for 5/10 minutes, or usually by the time you get back from the shops it’s the perfect stage to start making your ice-cream cake.
Scoop out your ice-cream into the cake tins – one flavour for each tin. Press it down firmly to create about a 1 inch thick layer.
Pop all cake tins back in the freezer to solidify and wait at least an hour for it to properly freeze.
Take out each of your cake tins, and fill up a washing up bowl with boiling water. Just dip each cake tin in the hot water for about 5 seconds, wipe the bottom of the tin with a tea towel and turn the tin over onto a plate. The ice-cream should pop out relatively easily with a few shakes. Take a knife and score around the edges and repeat the water technique again if you’re struggling to get it out.
Place all the layers on top of each other, then use your creative imagination to decorate your ice-cream tower.
Melted chocolate makes a great effect if you drip it down the edge of the cake. Or you could cover your cake in melted chocolate stripes.
Then adorn your cake with yummy sweets and biscuits. My mum decorated mine in mini jammi-dodgers, chocolate fingers, cadburys crunchie and wafer biscuits as they are a few of my favs!
The more colourful it is, the more impressive it’ll look!
Remember to keep it in the freezer until you’re ready to present to the birthday girl or boy.
There you have it, a super epic bake-less cake recipe!
This is a thoughtful handmade gift idea for a new mum or expecting mama. Perfect if you’re wondering what to get someone.
Inspired from a gift I received when I was pregnant, I wanted to write little letters to my bump of all the things I was thinking and dreaming for him. My pregnancy was a little miracle at a time filled with many unsettling circumstances. This little babe was one of the only things that kept us going mentally as a family and I wanted to express this in a letter to explain how perfectly timed his life was and how blessed we are to have him.
Gushy stuff over! I therefore wrote several letters – things I’d love him to try, things I hope for him, important things about life. I put them in different labelled envelopes.
Fast-forward to last month, I wanted to send a few of my pregnant friends a ‘thinking of you’ present. Pregnant during lockdown sounds incredibly tough, you’re desperate for things to keep you busy but want to do things that don’t require too much physical movement! So I personalised some envelopes for them to be able to write a similar thing for their bundle
I wrote five envelopes and labelled them with different topics and decorated the edge of each envelope with some metallic washi tape.
Then I tied them up with string and added a tag to look a little more gift-like! I used the phrase ‘Letters to the one who made me a mum’
And there you have it, a thoughtful gift idea for new mum and mamas-to-be out there.
To date, as a business we have always tried to shop small and source our stock and supplies from small independents or fair trade organisations. But as part of the continued conversation about diversity, one of the things we can do as a company is to be mindful about the businesses we buy from.
One of the ways to support ethnic minority communities is to shop from them.
Personally, I love coming across companies offering unique gifts, quirky accessories and yummy treats, especially if they’re from a small business. So to inspire you, here’s a few BAME-owned small UK businesses we have come across recently.
Don’t forget there’s many ways to champion independent stores through social media follows, likes, comments, reviews, shares, and recommendations.
We hope this inspires you to find some brilliant new brands to support and fall in love with.
Create your own mini home sanctuary with stunning accessories and decor @wildbohome
We’ve introduced a crochet kit which could make the perfect gift for the crochet lovers out there.
This fun crochet kit comes with everything you need to have a relaxing evening, creating a trio of colourful handmade wash cloths.
This easy crocheting project comes with all the supplies to crochet three 16cm square dish cloths or flannels.
Sure to brighten up any home, the kit is suitable for anyone who has learnt the basics of crochet and able to read a super simple pattern. Newbies to crochet will particularly love this kit, helping improve their skills and create something useful for the home.
Choose two of the five colourful 8 ply cotton yarns, all made from 100% soft and natural fibre.
This beautifully presented kit comes in a recyclable, letterbox friendly packaging, wrapped in tissue paper, tied with string and personalised with a message of your choice making it a great option for birthday or ‘thinking of you’ presents.
If crocheting is not their thing, check out our range of crafty kits which also make thoughtful gifts for your creative friends and family.
You can never enough useful storage bags. Well we’re helping the cause making the world become a little more organised with our useful storage bag decorating kits.
People have been getting creative at home with these super therapeutic block printing kits.
These kits come with a cotton bag of your choice, brightly coloured fabric paints and fair trade block print stamps. You create your own signature design using the stamps, leaving you with a beautifully original storage bag.
I’ve loved seeing people’s designs, and how they’re using these bags at home. I thought I’d share a little collection to inspire you how you could use yours.
