6 quick and easy homemade present ideas for friends

I'm sure that everyone, no matter how good you are at remembering birthdays and special events, have forgotten to get a present for a friend. It could be for a birthday or a graduation or just to thank them for being a great friend, we all have had the best of intentions and meant to buy someone a gift but realised all too late that we simply forgot or have no idea what to buy. Don't worry, these quick and easy (and homemade) present ideas will save you no matter the occasion. After all, it is the thought that counts.

1. A hand painted stone paperweight.

A stone like this could be found outside (if you look hard enough) or purchased in the local (plant) nursery. Just use some pencils and the colouring technique of your choice to draw and colour a meaningful picture on the stone. The hand painted paperweight will definitely be unique and is way more symbolic and meaningful than a store bought one.

2. A glass bottle full of shells and beads.

The bottle could be clear or even tinted glass and would be readily available at any homeware store. To create, simply fill the bottle with the shells and beads. If you don't like the look, just shake the bottle and the shells will rearrange to a different position. The shells could be real or plastic but the different sized shells would cause them to have gaps between them when stacked. The beads will fill these holes and cause the bottle to look more full. The gift itself might not be particularly useful but it certainly is aesthetically pleasing and would brighten up anyone's desktop.

3. A friendship bracelet.

To guarantee that your friendship bracelet is a hit, you could ask the recipient about his/her favourite colours and pattern and achieve optimal results. There are some difficult friendship bracelet patterns but there definitely are some super easy ones as well, such as this candy stripe bracelet (picture above). There are quick to make and so easy to personalise. You can even add some beads or charms to the bracelet to make it a super meaningful gift.

4. Bake something.

It could be cookies, cupcakes, pop tarts... anything that you know will make your friend very happy. But honestly, who wouldn't want a whole jar of cookies for their birthday? Go over to the baking tab to find some amazing recipes.

5. A little stuffed toy keychain

The stuffed toy might not be as cute as a store bought one, but it won't be as conventional either. This gift idea might take a little longer but the steps are truly not all that hard. Cut out two basic outlines of the animal of your choice out of felt, Sew on felt details of that animal onto one of those outlines, Stuff some foam or sawdust in between the outlines, Sew the outlines together and attach a key ring. Simple.... You don't believe me? Try it out for yourself.

6. A short poem

This mostly is a just a special little addition that can be added to any birthday card to make it that little bit more special. It could be about a friendship or the friend itself but be assured that the poem(or at least the effort) will touch and warm the recipient's heart.