Lovely handmade crafts

Made with 100-yen shop materials! Handmade birthday gift ideas that middle schoolers will love

10 years as a kindergarten teacher / elementary school teacher / junior and senior high school teacher / childminderkepiko
Graduated from Kunitachi College of Music, Faculty of Music (now: Department of Music Culture and Education, Early Childhood Music Education major). In elementary school, my homeroom teacher was Jun Kusaba, a game researcher. After graduating from university, I worked as a kindergarten teacher for 10 years and as an after-school childcare instructor for 7 years, then took a position as a music teacher at an international school in Singapore. In addition to music education, I engaged in activities that introduced Japanese culture, traditional games, and recreational activities, working with many children. Later, through freelance writing, planning, and editing at Shogakukan, I met many delightful adults and experienced the joy of communicating and sharing. Drawing on the perspective cultivated in the field of education and my experience as an editor, I provide practical information with an emphasis on both input and output, mainly in areas related to music and children. My hobbies include instruments, singing, handicrafts, toys, drawing, traditional games, the outdoors, and books. My special skill is spinning-top tricks.
lighterutatane
A person from the melodic hardcore boom generation who loves music, photography, and eating. I’ve been going to live houses for over 20 years. I’m at the age where summer festivals are starting to feel tough physically. I sometimes try shooting live photos and videos for MVs. I’m not great at English, so I often listen to straightforward Japanese rock that hits directly, but if someone recommends something, I’ll listen to anything—Western or Japanese—broadly and casually. I like cooking while listening to music; it’s a nice way to relieve stress.

Are you wondering what to get your middle school friend for their birthday? Actually, you can create a memorable, lovely handmade gift just by combining items from the 100-yen shop.

You can easily make trendy pieces like photo bottles, acrylic stand displays, and Korean-style beaded charms! Here are ideas for handmade presents that are budget-friendly yet full of heartfelt sentiment.

Use these tips to craft a special gift for your dear friend!

Made with 100-yen store supplies! Handmade birthday gift ideas that middle schoolers will love (1–10)

Cat tail keychain

Super easy finger-knitted! Kitty tail keychain 🐈♥️

Cat tail keychain

Here’s an idea for a fluffy yarn cat tail keychain.

It makes a great gift for animal lovers.

The tail part is made with finger knitting: start by wrapping the yarn around your thumb three times, then loop the yarn over your fingers in order—front, back, front—starting from the index finger.

Once you reach the pinky, go back toward the index finger, knitting while tucking the yarn into the looped sections.

After you finish the tail, attach a strap and add cute accents like a ribbon to complete it!

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pouch for a snack package

[100-yen DIY] Easy no-sew candy clear pouch! Adorably finished in no time with a cute charm!

pouch for a snack package

Snack packages often have cute designs, don’t they? Why not try making a pouch using a snack bag? For the pouch, we’ll use a B6-size card case.

Cut off the indented parts of the card case, and trim the snack bag so only the part you want to use remains.

Once you’ve attached the bag to the back of the card case, stick a zipper onto the opening.

Use double-sided tape when attaching.

Warm the card case with a hair dryer to soften it, then turn it inside out so the front and back are reversed.

Make a charm from pieces cut out of the same bag and attach it to the zipper pull, and you’re done! How about making one using the snack bag from something your friend often eats?

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Herbarium ballpoint pen

BT21 Herbarium Ballpoint Pen [DIY]: Handmade with Shrink Plastic and a Herbarium Ballpoint Pen

Herbarium ballpoint pen

Would you like to try making a cute herbarium ballpoint pen by hand? This one is made by placing shrink-plastic parts and herbarium oil inside a craft ballpoint pen.

Most of the materials, including the craft pen, can be found at 100-yen shops.

You can draw on the shrink plastic with a pen, but recently there are inkjet-printable sheets available, so it’s also recommended to print motifs your friends like and use those.

After baking the shrink plastic in a toaster, harden it with resin, then place it inside the pen together with the herbarium oil.

Seal the cap while letting the air escape, and you’re done!

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[Dried Flowers] Glass Dome

[DIY] Flower arrangement in a small glass dome from Daiso 🌷 / Glass dome

[Dried Flowers] Glass Dome

Flowers have a soothing effect on those who look at them.

They’re especially appreciated as gifts.

For high schoolers, though, some may not know how to display fresh flowers when they receive them.

That’s when dried flowers come in handy.

The dried flower glass dome we’re introducing today is an item that adds a touch of elegance just by placing it in your room.

It’s also a great idea to prepare flowers that bloom around your friend’s birthday and arrange them yourself to make a personalized gift.

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Surprise Snack Box

How to Make a Surprise Candy Box! [Jack-in-the-Box, DIY with 100-Yen Shop Items]

Surprise Snack Box

The “surprise candy box,” which bursts open with all kinds of treats when you lift the lid, is a great gift idea! Prepare three boxes of the same shape in different sizes and cut open the corners with a utility knife.

Stack the three boxes with the largest on the bottom, then start filling them with your favorite snacks.

To make it look more festive as a present, use not only the central space but also the gaps between the boxes and the underside of the lids.

Just be careful not to overfill—otherwise the lids won’t close, or they may pop off when you set the box down.

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