You know how much you can save when you DIY your Christmas. That is often easier said than done. Time constraints are one of the biggest barriers to a do-it-yourself Christmas. That’s why I’m going to be sharing project ideas with you throughout the season that are easy and fast. The first of these projects is this easy handmade Merry & Bright Christmas card. It is a lot of steps but they go really quickly. Excluding the dry time, it comes together in 5 minutes and the drying is hands-off so you can get other DIY projects done while you wait.

Affiliate links may be used in this post. Ordering a product through these links may result in a commission at no extra cost to you. Read the full disclosure here.

[bctt tweet=”This easy handmade Merry & Bright #Christmascard lets you save money on a DIY Christmas without devoting every free hour of your time to creating it.” username=”diyadulation”]

Materials

12×12 Christmas Memories Paper Stack *See Note Below
Gray A2 Card and Envelope (I got mine in a multi-pack at Michael’s)
Paper Cutter
Glue Runner
Scissors
Red Stickles
Gold Stickles
Glossy Accents
Twine
Transparent Red Button
Tacky Glue
3-D Christmas Embellishment (Similar Pine Cone)
Gray Chalk Pad (Also from Michael’s)
Cranberry Pigment Ink
Chocolate Brown Pigment Ink

*The Christmas Memories Stack is no longer made. If you don’t already own it you can search on Ebay but you can also use this similar pack in the same fashion. Choose a pretty background paper to replace the gold snowflake paper and choose a phrase tag and journaling tag to embellish as I did.

Step 1

First, pull a sheet of the gold snowflake paper out of your Christmas Memories stack.

Step 2

Next, use your gray card to measure and cut your paper with a paper cutter.

Step 3

Turn your card 90º and use it to measure your cut snowflake paper strip and again cut with a paper cutter.

Step 4

Set your card aside and use the rectangle from step 3 as a guide to measure and cut your second rectangle.

Step 5

Now add glue to the front of your card in an “X” as pictured with your glue runner.

Step 6

Next, attach one rectangle of gold snowflake paper to the front of your card.

Step 7

Add a second “X” of glue to the back of your card.

Step 8

Attach your second rectangle of gold snowflake paper to the back of your card.

Tip:

Leave a small space at the fold of your card so that the attached papers don’t hit each other when opening the card.

Step 9

Next, pull out a sheet of the tag paper from your Christmas Memories stack.

Step 10

Cut out the “Merry & Bright” tag and the button journaling tag.

Step 11

Add red Stickles to the candy cane and button on the “Merry & Bright” tag.

Step 12

Also add red Stickles to the berries on the journaling tag.

Step 13

Next, add gold Stickles to the star on the “Merry & Bright” tag.

Step 14

Lastly, add Glossy Accents to the letters on the “Merry & Bright” tag.

Step 15

Set the “Merry & Bright” tag aside to dry.

Step 16

Now thread your red button onto your twine.

Step 17

Cut the twine and thread the cut end through the second hole on your button.

Step 18

Next, tie your twine in a knot to secure it to your button.

Step 19

Trim the ends of your twine as pictured.

Step 20

Add glue to the back of your button.

Note:

The back of your button is the side without the knot.

Step 21

Attach your button over the picture of a button on the journaling tag.

Step 22

Set the journaling tag to the side to dry.

Step 23

Open up with your card and chalk the entire inside with gray.

Step 24

Fold your card in half inside out (with the gold snowflake sides facing each other).

Step 25

Next ink the outside edges of the inside bottom with cranberry pigment ink.

Step 26

Then ink over the gray chalk on the inside top of card with chocolate brown ink. On the bottom, only ink the edges as you did with the cranberry ink.

Step 27

Fold your card the correct way again.

Important

Don’t move on until your tags are completely dry.

Step 28

Add an “X” with your glue runner on the back of your “Merry & Bright” tag.

Step 29

Attach your “Merry & Bright” tag to the front of your card at an angle as pictured.

Step 30

Next, add a 3-D Christmas embellishment to the top right corner of your “Merry & Bright” tag.

Step 31

Lastly, attach your journal tag to the inside of your card, centered in the bottom.

Once you have finished your easy handmade Merry & Bright Christmas card all that is left for you to do is fill out the journaling tag and mail it. Friends and family will delight at such a heartfelt card this year. You will delight at the low-impact is has on your holiday budget. If you haven’t set your Christmas budget for this year, check out Be a Christmas Gift Queen on a Budget. There you’ll find tips and a printable to rock your holiday on a budget.

See where I’m linking up!

Don’t Forget to Pin It!

Last Thursday I shared tips to help you Be a Christmas Gift Queen on a Budget. One of the easiest ways to save money on your Christmas gifts is to make them. This seems so much easier when it comes to women or kids on your list. Unfortunately when trying to figure out handmade guys’ gifts it is much more difficult. Finally, it doesn’t have to be! These 10 easy DIY gift ideas for guys are budget friendly and awesome. Many of them also make great batch gifts to save you time. (Find out more about batch gifts on Holiday Gift Options: DIY Your Gifts.) Oh, and did I mention that they’re easy to customize? Find the perfect DIY gift for the men on your list below.

Affiliate links may be used in this post. Ordering a product through these links may result in a commission at no extra cost to you. Read the full disclosure here.

[bctt tweet=”Need gift ideas for the guy in your life? Don’t miss these 10 easy #DIYgifts! #guysgifts” username=”diyadulation”]

DIY Wood Coasters (Batch)

These are great for grandparents because you can personalize them with your children’s artwork. Gifts this precious are sure to become treasured keepsakes.

Star Wars Lamp

I have a ton of lovable Star Wars nerds in my life so this easy DIY is perfect. However, you could easily make it for a sports fan or fisherman by changing the fabric.

Kid Decorated Can Koozie (Batch)

Again, you can let the kids design these or you can draw his favorite video game character like I did.

DIY Ammo Frame

This is a fantastic DIY gift for hunters and veterans. Don’t forget to fill it with their military photo or their biggest catch before you wrap it.

Leather Charging Cord Organizer

Have a friend or family member who is always on the go? Help him keep his cords and chargers organized with this easy DIY.

Etched Mugs (Batch)

This isn’t a new idea but I tested 2 different methods so that you can make them without a fancy cutting machine.

Easy Star Wars Sleep Shorts

Here is another DIY gift that’s easy to customize. The best part is that you don’t need a pattern to make them.

Tassel Keychains (Batch)

Let grandparents keep the kiddos close at all times with these easy keychains. We did the kids’ thumbprints but you could easily switch it out for a photo of your kids, instead.

Sunset Sailboat Painting

Know a man who loves the sea? Surprise him with this gorgeous wall art. It is incredibly easy to make but he doesn’t have to know that.

Geometric Fox Wall Art

I made this awesome DIY for the kids’ room but there is nothing childish about it. Surprise the guy in your life with this rustic wall art for his man cave or hunting lodge.

With these 10 easy DIY gift ideas for guys you can knock out every man on your list. I’ve noted next to the titles the gifts that are easy batch gifts to help you out. You can get all of your gifts knocked out in one day with those gifts and stick to your budget. If you haven’t made your Christmas gift budget yet, be sure to check out the free 10-page Christmas Planner available to subscribers. It have everything you need to dominate your gift giving this year including your budget, stocking planning, brainstorming pages, and more! Sign up in the box below to get yours. Already a subscriber? Awesome! Find your copy on the VIP page, under Holiday Printables.

See where I’m linking up!

Don’t Forget to Pin It!

If you haven’t already started thinking about Christmas yet, there is no time to waste. In order to get the most bang for your buck you have to start you budget and gift planning now. Most of you already know that I start my Christmas planning in January. If helps me get the best deals on unique and amazing gifts while sticking to my super-strict budget. Don’t worry if you haven’t started your planning yet. I have 5 easy steps to show you how to be a Christmas gift queen on a budget. You will get my exact strategy for finding or making fantastic gifts that your friends and family will love and staying under budget. You will also get a free printable to help you do it. Find the basic budget printable below or become a subscriber and get the entire 10-page Christmas planner for free!

Affiliate links may be used in this post. Ordering a product through these links may result in a commission at no extra cost to you. Read the full disclosure here.

[bctt tweet=”Find out how to be a Christmas gift queen on a budget this year with these tips! #Christmasgifts ” username=”diyadulation”]

Start With Your Budget

The first step to any successful financial endeavor is creating a budget. (Grab your free printable by clicking on the picture above!) You need to know how much you can reasonably spend on your gifts this year. They key word there is reasonably. When setting your budget you want the amount to be what you can afford without acquiring more debt and without jeopardizing your personal financial responsibilities. You can read in-depth about creating a written Christmas budget here, but here is a brief overview of the steps:

Pick Your Number – Determine the total amount that you have to spend on Christmas gifts.

Make Your List – Make a list of everyone that you have to buy for.

Allocate Your Funds – Divide your total budget amount among your list of people that you need to buy gifts for.

Again, you can get tips for paring down your list and percentage ideas for allocating your fund here. These are important for setting the foundation to be a Christmas gift queen on a budget.

Brainstorm Gift Ideas

Next, you will need to brainstorm ideas. Write down friends and family members’ tastes, likes, and needs. This is also the step to write down those big items that are on your children’s wish lists. You can refer to this list when deciding on purchases and in the next step when you are planning DIY gifts. Keep it as a reference for creating your list later.

Bonus Tip:

My oldest wants a new Xbox this year… one with a $400 price tag. That is more than the entire budget for all 3 kids combined. However, since it is the only gift he is asking for, my family and I are all chipping in to get it for him for Christmas. My brother loves this option because all he has to do is hand over money and the gift is bought and wrapped for him. You likely have family members that feel that same way so don’t be afraid to get creative when it comes to those big-ticket items.

Plan Your DIY Gifts

One of the best ways to save money on gifts is to go the DIY route. With that said, don’t plan on making more DIY gifts than you have time available for creation in your schedule. One of my favorite ways to save time on DIY gifts is to make batch gifts. (You can read more about batch gifts on Holiday Gift Options: DIY Your Gifts.) To plan for these gifts you want to write out the following for each gift:

Write down what gifts you are making and for whom you are making it.

List what supplies you need to make it.

Determine the supplies that you already own and what you need to buy.

Lastly, block out time on your calendar for completing the gift.

Make Your List

As I said above, there will specific items that your kids want that you will want to get the best deal on. Put them on your list so that you can compare prices. You also want to include the gifts that you are making for friends and family on this list. If there are materials that you need to purchase, keep them on the list so that you can save on them as well. Many of the craft stores will have awesome sales throughout November. You can also find Lightening Deals frequently on Amazon for materials such as essential oils and battery-operated string lights.

Bonus Tip:

Before you start shopping, check out the Black Friday ad previews. A lot of items can be purchased online now. Knowing the rock-bottom prices ahead of time can save you truckloads of money.

Start Shopping Now

Lastly, start shopping for your gifts now. Many stores are offering Black Friday preview sales this month in advance of the actual day. Kohl’s just had one and Walmart is having one later this month. I have shopped Walmart’s early preview in the past and had great results. I found the same amazing deals without the crowds and with plenty of stock. Don’t forget about the daily Cartwheel toy discount from Target, either. It is another great way to save on those must-have items from your kids’ wish lists. This is why having your gift list ready is so important. Plan ahead for things you may need as part as a gift. For example, if you’re buying your husband that motorbike he’s always wanted, you may need to get in contact with some motorcycle transport companies, to get it delivered to your house. Keep track of the best deals offered so that you can get the best gifts for the best prices and stay under budget.

Bonus Tip:

If you shop at Kohl’s and get Kohl’s Cash, use it to buy stocking stuffers for your family. Pick up lip balm, small toys, and even candy in-store. This is another great way to save money on your Christmas budget.

Whew! That was a lot of information. If you stuck with me to here, thanks! You now know how to be a Christmas gift queen on a budget. Don’t forget that subscribers can download the entire 10-page Christmas Planner for free on the VIP page. Now, as an added bonus to you lovely ladies, let me know what gift you’re most hoping to save on this year in the comments. I will keep an eye out for deals and if I see a great price, I will comment and let you know. You also want to check my tips for Black Friday and Cyber Monday to rock your Christmas savings this year.

See where I’m linking up!

Materials

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4

Step 5

Step 6

Step 7

Step 8

Step 9

Step 10

Step 11

Step 12

Step 13

Step 14

Step 15

Step 16

Step 17

Step 18

Step 19

Step 20

Step 21

Step 22

Step 23

Step 24

Step 25

Step 26

Step 27

**Important**

Step 28

Step 29

Step 30

Step 31

Don’t Forget to Pin It!

DIY Wood Coasters (Batch)

Kid Decorated Can Koozie (Batch)

Etched Mugs (Batch)

Tassel Keychains (Batch)

Don’t Forget to Pin It!

Start With Your Budget

Brainstorm Gift Ideas

Plan Your DIY Gifts

Make Your List

Start Shopping Now

Don’t Forget to Pin It!

Important