10 Thoughtful Gifts for DIY Enthusiasts

It can be tough to find the perfect gift for the people who make everything themselves. Why not give them the tools and supplies they need to create works of art with their own personal touch? Check out these gift ideas for every DIY enthusiast on your list.

1. Prismacolor Premier Hand Lettering Advanced Set; $15

With this set of high-quality pens and pencils, your artistically minded giftees will have the tools to add a personal flourish to letters, signs, greeting cards, and more. The kit includes two graphite pencils, seven illustration markers, two dual-ended art markers for bold lettering, an instruction guide, and—perhaps most importantly—an eraser.

Buy it: Amazon

2. DIY Fortune Cookie Kit; $28

Your loved one can create their own unique messages with this DIY fortune cookie set from Uncommon Goods. The kit comes with all the ingredients they need to make the cookies themselves—including the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, and baking mat—along with a pen and edible ink. Users can also go the more traditional route by taking advantage of the 60 pre-written fortunes in the pack.

Buy it: Uncommon Goods

3. DIY Nut Milk; $20

This nut milk kit comes with everything a person needs to make a creamy, dairy-free drink that’s perfect for coffee, cereal, or smoothies. The four varieties in each set include almond milk, coconut milk, hazelnut chocolate milk, and cashew vanilla milk, all of which come in individual bottles filled with the dry ingredients. All your giftee needs to do from there is add water and blend.

Buy it: Uncommon Goods

4. Miniature library; $20

Recreate your bookshelf in miniature form with this adorable kit from Uncommon Goods. The set comes with 20 illustrated miniature books that you can actually read (the selection includes titles like Thumbelina and The Snow Queen), plus 10 blank books you can write and illustrate yourself. Best yet, the set comes with a miniature bookcase, so you don’t have to worry about where to store your tiny library.

Buy it: Uncommon Goods

5. Impressart Metal Stamping Kit; $113

This slightly intimidating kit contains everything a crafter needs to stamp impressions into metal jewelry or objects. Along with the 1-pound hammer and small steel anvil, the Stamp Straight Tape helps you make impressions in a straight line and keep letters evenly spaced. The stamps themselves feature the letters of the alphabet (upper and lower case kits are available) and special characters.

Buy it: Amazon

6. Make Your Own Hot Sauce Kit; $35

Your bestie will be weaned off Sriracha when he concocts his own sauce with dried guajillo, chipotle, and arbol peppers. The kit contains the essentials (like gloves and bottling materials), plus all the ingredients needed for six custom-made bottles of the hot stuff.

Buy it: Uncommon Goods

7. Solar Photography Kit; $15

Popularized in the 1840s by Anna Atkins, the first female photographer, solar photographs (also known as cyanotypes thanks to their blue color) use sunlight to develop images on chemically treated paper. Just lay a photo negative or object on the paper, place it in the sun for a while, and voilà. This kit includes six sheets of photosensitive paper, a light-proof storage envelope, and instructions. Fabric kits are also available.

Buy it: Uncommon Goods

8. Southern Bourbon Stout Beer Brewing Kit; $20-$45

Why fight the drunken hordes at your local craft brewery when you, or your gift recipient, can brew your beer in the comfort of your home? This artisanal kit includes the hardware—a fermentor jug, racking cane, funnel, and more—and malt extract, specialty grains, fresh hops, and yeast to make one gallon of homemade brew. This particular formula relies on oak chips soaked in bourbon (booze not included) to add woodsy vanilla notes to your beer.

Buy it: Uncommon Goods

9. Bath Bomb Kit; $40

With this kit, the DIYer on your list can make their own bath bombs in scents like lavender, lemon, eucalyptus, and grapefruit. In addition to the essential oils, the set contains epsom salts, cornstarch, baking soda, and citric acid, along with recipes for how to make your own unique bath bomb.

Buy it: Amazon 

10. Molecular Gastronomy Kit; $50-$65

This kit encourages people to play with their food. Get this for the friend who loves to experiment in the kitchen and wouldn’t mind turning honey into jelly-like cubes or strawberries into delicate foam. The set comes with four different food additives (20 sachets), three pipettes, and a variety of other kitchen ingredients. For $16 more, you can purchase a molecular gastronomy book that can help guide you through recipes.

Buy it: Uncommon Goods

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