You know you’ve done this. At least once! It’s the day of your best friend’s birthday, and upon waking up, you remember in despair that you have bought ABSOLUTLEY nothing for it and need a gift, pronto!! What can you do? Have no fear, for I am here to share three homemade, handmade, DIY, one-of-a-kind gift ideas that will make anyone feel appreciated and exceptionally special(yes, we’re not happy with just good. It must be incredible!) Shall we continue? Let’s.

First, you must create a gigantic, giraffe-size banner to show just how much you actually remembered today. Wink. Wink. You can use anything like plain printer paper, card-stock, cardboard boxes torn into pieces, or my personal favorite, roll of craft paper. On this banner, is where you create your masterpiece!

The motto here is: The more colors the better. Grab some markers, or paint if you’re feeling extra-crafty, and start creating dazzling designs all over it. Go old-school and just draw flowers, or curly-Qs on all the letters. It won’t matter what your art looks like. For this gift, it’s the thought that counts. Anything goes.

Now, that we’ve established the importance of a monster card/banner, let’s move to something more tangible. A dessert. Yes, your sweet concoction, whatever culinary skill you have acquired, will show your love with one bite. Since this is based upon the fact that you have forgotten to get a gift, I’m assuming that you will need to rummage through your pantry and find anything you can to bake a cake, cookies, cupcakes…you get the gist. Take the time to mix, cook, and cover in frosting.

This is where I come in. You will now need to decorate it with your very own artistic flare. Hardly anything I cook is ever without swirled food-coloring and sprinkles. To upstage any other store bought cake, I love using fresh pansies to etch a floral pattern on top, or for a masculine-looking cake, use anything that reflects the color of camo (hence why all our cookies turn out green). Can you tell, my household is full of BOYS? One more thing, till you’re ready to offer your gift.

This one requires a step outside. A hand-picked bouquet! Search all around your yard (or your neighbor’s yard) and find some wild flowers, greenery, basically anything that looks alive and the least bit beautiful. Arrange it with smaller pieces in front, taller in the back. Then, find a piece of string, ribbon, fabric, (old shirts come in handy for this opportune time) and tie a gigantic bow on the front of your floral conglomerate. Finished.

You now have mastered the ability to go back in time, and create a heartfelt gift from using only your surroundings! Kudos to you! Please share your thoughts and ideas with me. Love to hear from you.