I’m Gracie (@graciecreates) from the Archer and Olive ambassador team! The holiday gifting season is coming up, and maybe you’re stuck on ideas. Got an artsy friend in your life? Crafty daughter? Creative gal who loves to DIY? Here is my fool-proof gift guide for the artsy friend, whether you want to hand make your presents this holiday season, or you’re looking for the perfect gift to find online in any price range.
I’ve categorized all of the gifts mentioned in this article on a price scale (from $ to $$$) to keep the ideas within your budget.
Mentioned in this blog post:
When shopping for gifts at A+O, you can use my code graciecreates for a discount!
Video
Like chatty videos? Check out the video version of this blog post where I share photo examples of gift ideas!
Handmade Gift Ideas
Like to hand make your gifts? Me too! I will often even hand make a little gift to go on the side of a store-bought gift to give everything a human touch.
Felt Embroidered Ornament ($)
This is a great and easily personalized gift for anyone in your life, kids, moms, friends. All you need to make an ornament is felt, beads or sequins, ribbon, embroidery floss, and fabric scraps (to stuff the ornament)! This can be personalized with your friend’s name or an inside joke between the two of you. I decorated mine in colors my friends would love so they could leave it up as a wall hanging all year, not just during the holiday season.
Beaded Flower Bouquet ($)
The beauty of a bouquet of flowers, but one that will last forever! Try making a miniature flower bouquet with seed beads and jewelry wire. This gift can also be paired with a real flower bouquet – one for the fragrance & freshness, and one that can last as a trinket. Make a few individual flowers & place them together in a miniature vase, or attach to a key ring to be used as a bag charm.
House Painting ($)
Gifting a painting of your loved one’s house is a gift that always hits home. Draw or paint your loved one’s house/apartment/room/special place they love & frame it. No need to paint it photorealistically, it can be even cuter when done in your personal style. This is an especially thoughtful gift to the family of your partner as a thank you for welcoming you into their home/life/family.
Playlist (free)
I know what you’re thinking… a playlist? That’s not a gift! But my friends have been gifting each other playlists for years, and it always comes across as an especially thoughtful gift. A personalized playlist is a way to show your friend you really know them. Put together a playlist of songs you know they love, songs that always remind you of them, and even a few that they might not know but you think they’ll love.
My favorite way to add a physical component to this gift (because everyone should be able to unwrap something!) is by making a card with a link to the playlist inside. Generate a Spotify code so they can easily scan it and add the playlist to their library. Kick it up a notch by making a little collage of the songs included in the playlist, like I did in this blog post!
Shoppable Gift Ideas
Want to pick out the perfect gift for your artsy friend? Here are my ideas!
High Quality Notebook ($$)
As an artsy friend, I will always love the gift of a notebook. Whether your friend plans to use it as a journal, planner, work meeting notepad, or scrapbook, a notebook is a great universal gift. Gifting a notebook that is higher quality or has thicker pages is also a special treat.
Set of Pens ($$)
Gifting a high quality pen or a set of pens/markers in a color scheme your friends will love is a practical gift that will surely get used. Adding a set of pens to a notebook can be a great combination gift, too!
One Month of a Subscription ($$$)
I like to think of subscriptions as the gift that keeps on giving. Gifting your friend a subscription to the A&O Kit Club, Sub Box, or other subscription not only gets them a sweet little package in the mail, but also opens the door to a service they might be interested in continuing for themself!
Concert/Event Ticket ($$$)
We all have people in our lives who are hard to shop for. Maybe they already have everything they could possibly want, maybe they don’t like receiving material gifts, maybe they just don’t have space in their house! This is where tickets come in handy. Not only can they be personalized to any possible thing your loved one might be interested in: sports games, concerts, museums, food tours, live theater, but they can also be dressed up by making a matching themed card so the recipient has something to open on their special day.
Vintage/Antique Item ($$)
The artsy friend always has some niche interest – whether it's a bygone fashion era, a cancelled TV show, or an underground indie music artist, they’ve got their “thing.” That’s why shopping second hand for a unique find can be the best gift to the artsy friend! My friends have caught onto this and know that I love receiving vintage clothes or quirky home decor from the thrift store. And you know the gift will be special because it’s a one-of-one, just like your friend. Don’t have any good vintage stores around you? Try Depop, Poshmark, or eBay to search for the exact niche your friend loves.
Printable Link
Want to bring your gift to the next level? Download my printable for a custom greeting card you can include with any gift. Just print, color, cut, fold and add to your gift!
Looking for more gifting ideas? Check out this blog post from ambassador team member Nabaa on the best gift ideas for journalers!
You can find more creative goings-on in my corner of the internet, @graciecreates on Instagram and YouTube, and @groovygraciecreates on TikTok. If you do this project, share with the A&O team on socials! Tag us @archerandolive and use the hashtags #AOShare and #archerandolive
0 comments