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!
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Made with 100-yen store supplies! Handmade birthday gift ideas that middle schoolers will love (1–10)
Initial key holder
We’re introducing a handmade idea for initial keychains with a cute, translucent look.
Cut the initials out of shrink plastic, bake them, then decorate with stickers and more.
Apply gel nail ink to the back, and finish with a resin coating—that’s it! You can buy all the materials, including the resin, at 100-yen shops, so even mistakes aren’t a big deal.
Initial keychains are popular across all ages, so once you learn how to make them, they’re a handy gift for anyone—from middle schoolers on up.
Shakashaka keychain
A shaker keychain that’s perfect for a small gift.
I’ll share an easy way to make one, so why not try creating it with a motif your friend likes? First, cut a soft card case, fold it in half, and seal it with the heat of an iron to make a pouch.
Put in your favorite beads or sequins, then seal the opening.
Decorate the top and bottom with masking tape, punch a hole, attach a strap, and you’re done.
When using the iron, be sure to place a sheet of baking paper between the iron and the material as a pressing cloth.
Korean-style beaded charm
Let me introduce Korean-style beaded charms you can make using your favorite words and beads! Basically, all you do is thread a clasp for accessories and beads onto fishing line, so even beginners can give it a try.
There are many types of beads available, and among them are alphabet beads.
By combining letters, you can add any word you like to your charm.
You can also include a name so it can be used as a name tag.
All the materials can be purchased at 100-yen shops, so it won’t cost very much!
Handmade album
When it comes to birthday gifts that unexpectedly make people happy, an album might be at the top of the list.
It feels great to know someone treasures their memories with you.
And rather than a simple album where you just stick photos in, ones with playful features—like photos that slide out when you pull a tab, or a base that turns like a Ferris wheel—tend to delight people even more.
It does take time to make, but if you’re thinking of giving a heartfelt present, definitely try creating one using these ideas as inspiration.
resin charm
Many people attach charms to their bags, right? Some wear them as a fashion accessory and change them daily, while others use them as name tags.
Why not try making such convenient charms with resin? Here’s an idea you can use as a name tag.
Pour resin into a mold to create the charm base, place alphabet stickers on the front, add color to the back with gel nail ink, apply gold leaf, and then coat it with resin.
Once you have the materials and tools, you can make it right away.
You can even find resin-related tools at 100-yen shops, so be sure to check them out!
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!
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!