It has been a while since I made a gift guide and I thought it would be fun to make one this year. While I love getting gifts, I am disappointed 90% of the time after opening one. It turns out to be something that I already have or absolutely don’t like. I am not a picky person – my mom begs to differ! However, I like my things the way – I like them! Now, is that so wrong? Well, I happen to have a good taste. So much so, I am quite often, asked to buy gifts and mementos both at work and within family and friends. So I have put that talent to good use and made a list for you to use and share. Here is my 10 Best budget holiday gifts 2019.
PS: Some Links used are affiliate links. But I picked out products that I love and wish I would personally get.
First things first – when buying a gift for sometime ask your self who that person is and what your budget is. It hate it when people say that they have “no budget” only to say “keep it reasonable.” My gifts are under $50, not DIY and are arranged in the ascending order of price. Prices mentioned are approximates only. These are specifically meant for crafters, photographers, Youtubers, and those with a creative or artistic side. They may not be substantial gifts by themselves but work well as stocking stuffers. Also, they are pretty awesome “me gifts.”
10 Best budget holiday gifts 2019- under $50
1. Beads
This has to be the first item on my list. Whether you have $1 to spend or $50 you can get beads to gift. Artbeads has a site wide with 75% off sale and Beadaholic has 25-30% on selected categories running now. FMG has their black Friday sale up and running as well. Apart from that there are a number of Destash groups of Facebook where people sell artisan beads simply to make way for more. Budget – $1 and above. While you are there do not forget to pick up some wire, nose pliers and an awesome wire cutter.
2. QuickCure clay
QuickCure Clay from rangerInk is a pliable clay formula that cures without baking kiln or oven. It just takes minutes with a heat tool. You can make anything from jewellery and charms to buttons and magnets. Ms. Erin (Prais-Hintz) created a range of Angels using this clay and raved about it on FB. Naturally I was thrilled when I found it on an Indian craft website. Budget – $4 and above – during sale.
3. Hot Glue Gun Finger Caps
If you are any sort of a crafter and still have your fingerprints intact on the fingers of your non- dominat hand then I believe that you are yet to use a glue gun. Or you have the Hot Glue Gun Finger Caps from Mod Podge. These caps are made of silicon. They can be washed and are quite effective. Budget – $7 or lesser.
4.Craft mat
I am a messy crafter and you can see evidence of crafting on several flat surfaces that I use to craft. My dining table is perpetually covered in plastic sheets for this purpose. But I prefer using my non stick craft mat even as I can put it on a board or a makeshift table and use. I use a thin Ranger craft Sheet (2 years now) and it works fine for me. However, If you like heavier mats then you can go for Ken Oliver Crafts The Best Ever Craft Mat
5. Designer’s Compass
The ultimate designer’s compass is a great (tiny) tool for beginners. It helps you draw not just circles and mandalas but a whole lot of patterns. Since it has no sharp point, you can use it to draw on artist cards and other soft surfaces. Budget – $20 or lesser.
6. Lighted Vanity Makeup Mirror
I am crazy about mirrors and this makeup mirror is not for beauty bloggers alone. With 21 LED lights, an USB cord for charging, the mirror offers 1X, 2X and 3X magnification. Whether you are someone who wears fancy shoot makeup or just a hint of blush and eyeliner for an everyday look, this mirror is great. At the very least it solves lighting issues in your room. Budget – $24 or lesser.
7. Online classes
One thing that all crafters love is skill upgradation. The easiest way to attend classes is to do it online. But it comes with its own problems of choosing the right instructor and getting the materials. Bluprint offers the solution here. Get four subscription project boxes a year, plus unlimited access to classes when you become a premium member. For as little as $8 you can gift someone 1 month access to Blueprint classes and $40 for a year. Unlike other gifts, remember that knowledge lasts and helps forever.
8. Handheld torch
A Little hottie hand held torch is a gift for a serious crafter. The max torches are suitable for enamelling too. But If you are scared of big torches, Little hottie has a mini torch that you can try out first. But this is only for minor repair work as it is no bigger than a cigar lighter. Budget $35 and above.
9.Backup
At the present, our phones and laptops are so sophisticated that they cannot survive a single drop or even a little water damage. This means that we constantly need to backup data or risk losing it all. I just lost my phone to water damage and with it the only recording of a 2 hour interview that I conducted. This despite the fact that I back up my data from all my devices every week. So if there is one gift that you want to give yourself this year it must be a back up plan. Go for a Seagate or Toshiba external hard disk or opt for a cloud storage plan. Look up Sandisk Ultra SD cards for a photographer friend. Budget $45 and above.
10. Google Mini
My mom is super fascinated with Alexa ads. So I was looking into voice activated solutions within my budget to purchase. That is when I came across Google mini. I use google assistant on my phone when I am crafting and find it quite useful. I like how it has evolved over time and recognises Indian accent and many local words. Maybe, transitioning to Google mini might help when my hands are covered in glue and paints and I can’t really type on my phone. However, please do remember that a Google mini requires a continuous Wi-Fi network, a nearby electrical socket and compatible devices. Budget – $50 or lesser during festive sales.
Extra recommendation
If you can stretch your budget to $60 then the IT object to buy is the Fujifilm Instamax mini Polaroid camera. This one is on my wishlist too.
That was my list of 10 Best budget holiday gifts for crafters. Since most of my readers are international , I have quoted the price in USD. But, other than the little hottie (which is unable in India) and Bluprint which you have to pay for in USD, the rest are available in India and/or can be paid for in USD.
I would love to hear from you on the gifts that you have picked out for your crafter friends. If you would like to know a dream list of tools (or atleast a gift guide) do tell and I will do a post.
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