Nothing says “I love you” like a gift that is made from the heart…and the hands. With so many kits, plans and How-Tos available at Woodcraft, you are sure to find something fantastic to make for your loved ones no matter your skill level.
ALWAYS A FAVORITE
Pen turning is one of the easiest woodworking skills to learn and one that can become habit-forming! The huge variety of pen blanks and kits make handmade pens the perfect gifts to personalize for your recipients. What’s their favorite color? Favorite sport or hobby? Are they a Veteran? Here are just a few options, but stop by your local store or shop online for a vast selection.
Acrylic pen blanks are available in zillions of colors and themes, like this pretty snowflake in blue/white. Also comes in green/white and red/white.
For the outdoorsman or hunting enthusiast, the Cartridge Bullet Ballpoint Pen Kit looks like a real 30 caliber shell right down to the copper plated nib. Other similar themed kits include the Bolt Action 30 Caliber, .45 Caliber, Magnum Bolt Action, Lever Action and Revolver.
The Chopper Ballpoint Pen Kit makes quite a statement in gold and chrome, combined with your choice of acrylic or wood blank.
Check out this Woodworking Adventures blog for more on specialty pen kits for first responders: Woodcraft Pen Kits Celebrate Firefighters, EMTs, Police, Soldiers & Special Interests.
SMALL WOODTURNING GIFTS
Branch out from pens and you can turn anything from letter openers to ice cream scoops, bottle stoppers, pepper grinders, vegetable peelers, seam rippers, pizza cutters and tons more. Even Christmas ornaments. All wonderful gifts made even more special when customized with that special person in mind.
Wine lovers will appreciate their own custom bottle stoppers.
A bottle opener makes a perfect sized stocking stuffer.
Give a gift that keeps on giving with a pie or pizza server.
Start their day off right with a custom coffee scoop in gold or chrome.
Create keepsake ornaments that bring joy year after year.
CUTTING BOARDS
Cutting boards are not only beautiful but indispensable accessories in the kitchen. Wood cutting board kits from Woodcraft eliminate all the hard work by providing various sizes and colors of hand-selected, pre-milled stock ready to be glued, clamped and sanded. Or use up some of your wood scraps to create your own custom look. Rout out a handle, bevel the edges or add a channel for juices to give it your own special touch.
GIVE THE GIFT OF MUSIC
Building a great sounding musical instrument is easier than ever with ukulele kits from Woodcraft. Available in Soprano (small), Concert (medium) and Tenor (large) versions, these kits contain solid mahogany tops, laminated mahogany backs and sides, full shaped mahogany necks and walnut fretboards. All of the little parts, pieces and strings are included, and no special tools are required to complete these luthiery projects. There is a free video series available online to help with each step of the build if you are a more visual learner.
MAKE A CUSTOM KNIFE
Whether you have a chef, an outdoorsman or a survivalist on your gift list, a handmade knife is a lovely way to show off your craftsmanship. Choose from the WoodRiver Drop Point Skinner Knife Kit, the ZHEN Parer Kit, the WoodRiver Camp Axe Kit or the WoodRiver Ulu Kit, just to name a few. Pair with your choice of colorful acrylic or durable wood handle material and voila! The process is simple – glue and clamp, rough-out the handle, then shape, sand and polish.
For a quick tutorial, check out this Woodworking Adventures blog: Handcrafting a Custom Knife.
GO GET STARTED!
There you go – plenty of ideas to get you started making gifts for those you love. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. At your local Woodcraft store, you’ll find a large selection of woodworking plans for any skill level: jewelry boxes, rocking horses, wine racks, serving trays, blanket chests and so, so much more. A full library of educational books, magazines and videos await your perusal. You can also learn more at Woodcraft’s Learning Center online here. Now go get busy!
We hope you’ll be inspired!
