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The Secret to a Perfect Gift: Homemade Sentimental Gift Ideas

Find inspiration for sentimental gift ideas from around the blogosphere.

The latest tech gadgets will come and go, but gifts that touch someone’s heart will be cherished for a lifetime. You don’t need to spend a ton of money to make someone smile as they open your gift.

With this in mind, the concept of a gift that holds sentimental value with the recipient is literally the best way to go when you want to go the extra mile this holiday season (or really for any time of the year!). 

To give you some amazing ideas of sentimental gifts, I rounded up some of my favorites from around the blogosphere.

sentimental gift ideas pinterest

Simply click on the purple link to hop on over to the full tutorials of the homemade gifts. You might need to get some tissues ready…

DIY Sentimental Gift Ideas

  1. Make an adorable Christmas Ornament from a loved one’s old clothing from Cutesy Crafts.ornaments out of loved ones clothes

2.  Or an Embroidered Ornament with kid’s artwork from Swoodson Says.

how to gift kids artwork ideas

3.  Learn how to transfer a cherished Family Recipe to an oven mitt for a sentimental gift if you have a Cricut machine.

transferring old recipe to oven mitt

4.  Remember how little your babies were this these sweet DIY Christmas Ornaments out of baby’s socks from Cutesy Crafts.

diy christmas ornaments

5.  Have a travel lover??  Make these easy DIY Map Ornaments from As For Me and My Homestead. A simple project that is a great gift idea!

diy map ornaments

6. Or add a travel photo to a  Clay Vacation Map Ornament from Where The Smiles Have Been.

vacation map photo ornament horizontal

7.  Family pictures like this Embroidered Family Picture Ornament from Swoodson Says are always great sentimental gift ideas for family and a fun way to use an extra embroidery hoop!

tutorial for a christmas ornamen family photo

8.  Any parent would love a Personalized “How Tall” Ornament from Kids on their Christmas tree by Destination Family Fun.

personalize ornaments for kids to make

9.  Getting the kiddos involved makes great DIY gifts even more special. Like this Making a Handprint Calendar from Joyfully Thriving.

sentimental gift ideas

10.  If you don’t have a cutting machine, this is a great alternative for transferring a Handwritten Family Recipe to a Tea Towel from Hearth and Vine.

family recipe tea towel transfer gift

11.  A custom latitude and longitude pillow from Newlywed Survival would be perfect for that special couple or your spouse (you don’t even need a sewing machine unless you want to make the pillow cover too!).     

finished latitude longitude pillow

12.  Put together a cute DIY Scrabble Shadow Box from My Design Rules.

diy scrabble mothers day gift sm

13.  I love this Thoughtful Mug Tradition from A Bride on a Budget.

blogger image

14.  Keep loved ones pictures close by with these DIY Photo Magnets from Amber Oliver.

mason jar lid magnets diy photo magnets

15.  Another good idea for handwritten treasures is this Old Family Recipe Display from Walking on Sunshine.

recipecardprojectfromwalkingonsunshinefeaturedphoto

16.   Anyone would love a personalized Our Love Story canvas sign.

our love story sign

17.  Another creative way to display milestones is this sweet Family Birthdate Sign from The Handyman’s Daughter.

family birthday sign final

18.  Everyone can use a DIY Photo Pen Caddy from Confessions of an Overworked Mom. A bunch of family photos in one place and quick and easy for a last minute gift!

photo crafts ideas easy

19.  Handmade is always the best!  Like this  Handmade Photo Frame from Cookies, Coffee and Crafts. You can decorate a picture frame in so many ways to show off your favorite photos!

papa frame

20.  Such an easy way to change display photos on this Grandkids Make Life Grand Sign from Where The Smiles Have Been.

The best part is that by using clothes pins, they can easily change the photos whenever they want!

grandkids make life grand wood sign final horizontal

21.   Making an Accordion Book Travel Postcard from Shrimp Salad Circus is the perfect way to document a special memory in someone’s life.

accordion book travel postcard tutorial step

22.  House Key Memories Shadow Box from Shrimp Salad Circus is a sweet idea for any new homeowners!

shadow box

23.  Take someone down a trip down memory lane with this DIY Memory Jar from Strength and Sunshine. Use a vase or mason jar and give for any special occasion!

diy memory jar

24.  Parents or grandparents would love a Fingerprint Necklace from Spaceships and Laser Beams. These easy DIY gifts are well loved by the gift recipient.

main fingerprint necklace

25.  For those hard-to-shop-for teens in your life who only want gift cards, transfer some of their favorite things to a phone/tablet stand.  You can also get a bunch more gift ideas teens will cherish here.

teen gift idea wooden phone stand

26.  Transfer your child’s artwork to a tote bag. Any family member would love to receive such a thoughtful gift.

infusible ink tote

27. Making a Cricut music plaque with a photo from a favorite memory that links to a favorite song is a great way to make a unique gift.

spotify glass art cricut

28. Using sublimation printing is a fun way to make the best gifts! You can make custom mouse pads, puzzles, tumblers, pillowcases, and more!

photo pillow diy

There you have it… 28 sentimental gift ideas to make someone smile this holiday season! Handmade gifts are always a great idea, right??!!

If you love to make DIY Christmas gifts, make sure to check out our personalized Cricut gift ideas.

If you’d like to save this list on homemade gift ideas for later, PIN it now!

Give the best gift this holiday season! A roundup of DIY sentimental gift ideas that you shouldn't miss!

What was the best gift you’ve ever received?

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