Happy HoliDIYs — The Wheel

Dec 7

Dec 7 Happy HoliDIYs

The Holidays are fast approaching, which means that many college students are on the hunt for cheap and easy gift ideas. I’ve taken the liberty of scouring the internet for festive and giftable crafts, and compiling a list of my favorites here for the convenience of the Wheel reader.

Homemade Heating Pad

To make a heating pad, you will need one knee sock, twine (or yarn), two cups of white rice, and if you want the finished product to be scented, ten drops of your favorite essential oil. All you need to do is mix your essential oil into your dry rice (if you choose the aromatherapy route), pour the rice into the sock (use a funnel or paper towel tube to make this step easier), and tie the end of the sock with your twine. Click here for more detailed instructions.

Warm Cocoa Bath Soak

This warm Cocoa Bath Soak consists of two parts: the Cocoa Bath Salts, and the Creamy Milk Bath. To make the Cocoa Bath Salts, mix together one cup epsom salt, one cup coarse sea salt, and one tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder. To make the Creamy Milk Bath, mix together two cups of powdered milk, one half cup corn starch, and one half cup baking soda. When you’ve finished making each mixture, layer them in a mason jar for perfect presentation. Click here for more detailed instructions.

Marbled Mugs

For this craft, you will need a plain ceramic mug, nail polish, a container (something old or disposable, it will get messy), and toothpicks. Fill your container halfway with hot water. Pour a few drops of nail polish into the water, and use a toothpick to swirl it around on the surface. Then, dip your mug into the water. The polish will start to become tacky as soon as it hits the water, so you will want to work quickly. Use nail polish remover to clean up the bottom of the mug, then let it dry overnight. Click here for more detailed instructions.

Cinnamon Honey Butter

For this tasty recipe, you will need one cup of salted butter (room temperature), one cup of powdered sugar, one cup of honey, and two teaspoons of cinnamon. Start by beating the butter with a whisk for one minute. Then, add the powdered sugar, honey, and cinnamon. Continue beating until all the ingredients are incorporated and your mixture is smooth. Finally, sort your butter into small, giftable containers. Click here for more detailed instructions.