Last Minute Gift Idea – Put Together a Very Personal Kit
If you’re trying to figure out a last minute gift idea for someone, and you want it to be personal; here’s an idea. Instead of trying to outdo someone else by purchasing something even more expensive, instead, try for something even more thoughtful and personal, and put together a kit.
This season, I had a few people for whom I wanted to give something special and specific – and useful. With several friends who are “crafters,” I decided that they probably would not spoil themselves at this time of year, and I wanted them to have all the materials for building molds; organized together and ready to use.
Yes, molds – taking small items that you want to replicate, making a mold out of them, and then producing them multiple times. I had an idea that no one would actually treat themselves and purchase all the items for them self, or, they would delay actually cobbling together the items from around their house. I imagine this truly is a very specifically-designed kit!
So, I set out to gather all the materials needed to make molds. It took me only two stops – a dollar store and a home improvement store.
Since the kits were for ladies in my gourd art group, I wanted to personalize their caulking guns, so I added some jewels! I knew they would get a laugh out of their “personalized caulking guns.” We had all taken a class from Leah from Blue Whale Arts, so I knew the girls knew what to do with the supplies!
Also, I wanted to not wrap and produce a lot of waste, so I settled on lining the inside of my see-through containers with tissue paper; less waste, and still seasonal and decorative. And, I wanted to repurpose some plastic totes that formerly had held supplies and were still like new.
First, I found everything I could at a one dollar store – that took care of five of the items. Then to the home improvement store for the rest. For under $15, I had the PERFECT fun, creative, inspirational gift ever.
Into the mixing bowl, I put the baubles in a plastic bag that can be used to hold any additional baubles, and wrapped them in tissue paper.
Into the main container, I placed the rest of the items, shielded from view with another sheet of tissue paper. I would have rather found a mixing container that would fit in there as well, so it could be a completely contained kit, but alas, I did not find a bowl for mixing that would fit.
Some ribbon tied in a bow and a sprig of magnolia leaf completed the wrapping. So, I met my budget goal, met my inspirational/spoil/craft goal, met my reducing wrapping paper waste goal.
What I didn’t expect was the receivers’ reactions!
Since the mixing bowl with various tacky baubles was on top, they unwrapped that first, and struggled with what to say – “Oh, … my…. hmmmm….” I realized my mistake, but also an accidental funny moment! Then came the larger box. The first items to be removed were the cooking spray and caulking gun – and it was like seeing a lightbulb turn on; first the confusion, then the glimmer of understanding, then the laughter. I hadn’t anticipated the sheer humor of the combination!
Still thinking I’d only presented a budget gift, I had under-thought the pleasure that the recipients would have knowing that I designed something so completely personal, useful, and exactly aligned with their interests.
More Ideas
Online, I have seen many “kits” ideas for gifts. A quick search online will give you more ideas – either from finding kits already assembled that you can replicate, or simply ideas for you to gather. In the past, I have presented a Bloody Mary kit in a soft cooler, a car care kit, a writing in the rain kit, a specialty drink kit, a calligraphy kit, and others.
How to Do It
Identify something the recipient loves to do, think of what supplies they would need to participate in that activity, introduce a creative container, and you will have spoiled someone tremendously, and shown support of their interests.
And that is a more thoughtful and personal gift!
By the way – if you’re interested in gourds, baskets, or arts and crafts; Leah from Blue Whale Arts has some great tutorials on her website. Just click my blue link above, and look under “Product Categories” – the first link in the dropdown takes you to her Free Video Tutorials.
