12 Posts of Christmas: #5 Top 10 Holiday DIY Craft Ideas.

One of the easiest side hustles to get into nowadays is selling DIY projects and crafts.

Etsy, eBay and even Amazon.com have a number of successful sellers that deal in handmade crafts. With the holidays right around the corner, our 5th post of Christmas is dedicated to taking a look at the DIY ideas that are dominating the market. For this list I'll be looking at the cost and availability of materials required to make these crafts as well as the overall usefulness of the items themselves.

#10: Christmas Tree Ornaments - Starting off our list is a craft idea many of us picked up in our youth. Holiday ornaments can be made from just about anything from yarn and wire to clay and glass. Depending on the size and complexity of the ornament, the cost of to make several ornaments of similar design can be as low as $15 dollars. The reason this is only at number 10 is because the other items on this list can be appreciated year round.

#9: Door Wreaths - Another festive form of holiday decor. Christmas wreaths have been a classic staple of holiday spirit since the earliest days of the tradition. Typically made from interwoven twigs and decorated with holly leaves, the wreath has since been adapted to a number of mediums such as foam and cloth. The traditional wood wreath can be assembled at no cost for those lucky enough to live near adequately flexible trees, while a trip Michael's for materials may run you about $20 for four wreaths worth.

#8: Table settings and centerpieces - Another home decor item. Table placements are highly customizable and can be made from nearly any solid material. Popsicle sticks, fabric, wood, scrap metal, glass and even foam can be repurposed into unique tabletop decorations that are both decorative and in some cases functional. With simple designs like this only costing you time and effort, while some of the more elaborate designs can cost as much as $20 in materials just for one.

#7: Picture Frames/ Framed Mirrors - For our number 7 spot we have two evenly matched contenders. In fact decorated picture frames can be transformed into decorative mirrors with minimal hassle. Of the three home decor items we listed so far, picture frames and framed mirror are the easiest and most cost effect diy projects. Live near the beach? Comb the sands for some nice shells. It's even easier during the winter months because of the decreased tourist traffic. Typical wooden frames range from $10 to $25 depending on size.

#6: Wine Racks - A personal favorite amongst the housewares featured in this list. Wine racks can be produced from an almost infinite number designs and materials. Providing an extra flair to your kitchen, dining room and or den, they also help prevent unfortunate accidents by keeping your bottles off of your counters and tables. A repurposed pallet can be used to make a simple wooden rack at little to no cost depending on where you go.

#5: Jewelry - Handmade Jewelry has been the pinnacle of DIY gifts since our adolescence. My daughter just recently got a bracelet making kit and ran through all the included materials within a couple weeks. Materials are available anywhere that sells arts and craft supplies and the ability to customize and personalize offers the ability to make one-of-a-kind pieces for a relatively low cost. The materials to make two charm bracelets would be roughly $11.

#4: Mason Jar Candles - Mason jar crafts have seen a significant increase in popularity over the past few years. can all be made using mason jars, but in terms of popularity and cost, I had to go with the mason jar candle. Simple yet always well received, homemade candles are an exceptional gift that acts as both decor and aromatic. Nearly any scent can be emulated and captured with the proper ingredients, leading to a sizable number of repeat customers. Average cost for making 4 half pint candles would be about $25 - $37. The only other mason jar craft that tops it would be our number 3.

#3: Hot Cocoa / Baking Mix Jars - Like I said before, mason jars are a highly versatile craft item. In fact many people use them to spend homemade goodies all year round. But when the holiday season hits, its all about the baked goods and hot chocolate. With mason jars ranging from a half pint up to a quart in size, the possibilities are endless. The added bonus of not having to worry about your goods going bad or getting smashed is also noteworthy. A case of 12 pint sized mix jars can cost anywhere from $45 to $87 or more depending on what's in your cocoa recipe.

#2: Bath Bombs - For our top two DIY ideas, we're gonna need to dust off those high school chemistry class skills. Bath bombs have been taking over bathroom pantries the world over for the last few years, and are continuing to gain popularity now that people know how to make them. The typical bath bomb mix is:

• 1 cup baking soda

• 1/2 cup citric acid

• 1/2 cup Epsom salts

• 1 tsp. water

• 2 tsp. essential oil

• 3 tsp. olive oil

• food coloring

With bath bomb molds, the cost to make a batch of 4 bombs is about $26.

#1: Homemade Soap - Topping off our list today is the home craft that has become one of if not the fastest growing home based business idea in recent years. With a limitless variety of scent and color combinations, batches of homemade soaps can be tailored to an individual consumers tastes. Standard ingredients for making a batch of soap are:

• ⅔ cup coconut oil

• ⅔ cup olive oil

• ⅔ cup other liquid oil – like almond oil, grapeseed, or sunflower oil

• ¼ cup lye – also known as 100% sodium hydroxide

• ¾ cup cool water – use distilled or purified

The cost of ingredients ranges from $47 to $69 excluding the soap making tools such as a stick blender and molds. Many people have made successful home based businesses founded on soap making alone.

So what kind of DIY gift ideas pique your interests. Let me know in the comments and don't forget to subscribe to Yagoli for more holiday posts as we continue to countdown to Christmas.

#DIY #Christmas #Giftideas