In an effort to build a space for queer people like myself, every Tuesday I’ll be posting interviews, opinion pieces, listicals, reviews, and more focused on the LGBT community (and occasionally about the Latinx/WOC community since I am Latinx.) Welcome to Queerly Not Straight! Enjoy and leave a comment below if you have a suggestion for what I should cover next.
2020 has been a hard year on many fronts. And with Christmas around the corner there’s extra pressure to get the loved ones in your life gifts for the holiday. In an effort to help readers get their partner something unique and heartfelt, here are 5 DIY jar gift ideas that will wow your loved one. And we added a little twist to each to make it LGBTQ friendly!
Side note: Most of the items that you’ll need are available either at the dollar store or at your local craft store. And don’t forget to visit the craft store of your choice website. They always have coupons to help bring down the price and make things more affordable.
1. 365 Notes in a Jar
What You’ll Need: A jar, glue stick, scissors, paper, pen
How to Put It Together: Using paper of your choice, cut strips or squares of paper until you have 365 pieces. Pick categories that will help you divide up the kind of notes you want to write. Write 365 notes, fold them up, and put in jar. Cut a piece of paper that will fit on the side of the jar and write the categories there. Glue paper to side of jar.
Spruce It Up: Cut the paper into stripes, write the note, and then fold it up in stars! Not sure how to do it? Watch this tutorial!
Ways to Make It Gayer: Rainbow construction paper or matching colors that match how your partner identifies.
2. Date Night Jar
What You’ll Need: A jar, popsicle sticks, Sharpie
How to Put It Together: To clarify, you don’t have to make your jar as fancy as the one pictured below. The core idea is with the popsicle sticks and Sharpie. Write up date night ideas on the popsicle sticks that are intimate, personal, and thrifty! Pop them into jar and give to your loved one!
Spruce It Up: Can’t think of any date ideas? There’s some here and here! Want to make your jar fancy? Buy some fabric, twine, and cardstock of your choice. With glue gun, wrap and secure jar with strip of fabric, followed by twine, and then a cardstock heart with a saying of your choice.
Ways to Make It Gayer: Use rainbow popsicle sticks.
3. Mani Pedi in a Jar
What You’ll Need: A jar, scissors, ribbon, mani/pedi supplies (that you can honestly get at the dollar store) like: nail files, nail brush, cuticle pusher, nail clippers, and nail polish.
How to Put It Together: Wrap ribbon around jar and tie it. Then take your mani/pedi supplies and put them in jar with the taller items in back of jar, shorter in front.
Spruce It Up: Take some colorful paper, cut it into tiny strips, and fold them into zig zag patterns. Cut them up and pad the bottom of jar with them.
Ways to Make It Gayer: Pick rainbow nail polishes of your choice that match how your partner identifies.
4. DIY Tea Sugar Scrub
What You’ll Need: A jar, brewed tea of your choice, granulated sugar.
How to Put It Together: Mix 1 cup of granulated sugar with 1/8 of cup of tea. Add more until it becomes the consistency you desire.
Spruce It Up: Add one spoonful of coconut oil or honey to mixture.
Ways to Make It Gayer: Use different teas to make different color scrub portions that can go in one jar together.
5. DIY Cookie Mix in a Jar
What You’ll Need: Ingredients vary by what kind of cookie you want to make. Instead of listing what you need (besides a jar) here are some kinds like M&M’s, chocolate chip cookie, cranberry hootycreeks, or gingerbread cookies.
How to Put It Together: Layer ingredients based on individual ingredient recipes listed above.
Spruce It Up: Add a ribbon to the jar or take some cardstock, write the recipe on it, and glue it to side of jar.
Ways to Make It Gayer: Use all colored candies, chips, or ribbons.
Queerly Not Straight posts every Tuesday with opinion pieces, listicals, reviews, and more focused on the LGBT community (and occasionally about the Latinx community since I am Latinx.)
