Surprise! DIY gifts for a birthday party

Crafty Cactus

Decorate rocks to look like little cacti.

Coat several oval-shaped rocks in different shades of nontoxic green paint. Let dry. Use a small paintbrush to decorate each rock with white dots or dashes. Let dry.

Fill a small flowerpot with little rocks and prop up your cacti in the rocks. Use glue dots to attach little pink paper flowers (found at your local craft store) to your cacti.

Trinket Tray

Make a decorated dish to hold jewelry, keys, or other small objects.

Use an oil-based nontoxic permanent paint marker (found at craft stores) to decorate a porcelain dish or bowl. Try drawing your friend’s favorite animal, or create a design using her favorite colors. Let dry overnight.

Shade Sleeve

Craft a fun, protective case for a pair of sunglasses.

Cut a piece of fleece that’s 6½ inches by 7¼ inches. Fold the fleece in half lengthwise. Use tacky glue to close one short edge and one long edge, leaving one short edge open. Let dry. Decorate using ribbon and appliqués or patches.

Mini Masterpiece

Use craft scraps to make a unique piece of art.

With double-stick tape, attach a piece of felt to a cork square. Trim the felt to fit the square. Plan a design using craft scraps such as yarn, ribbon, sequins, embroidery floss, or beads. Attach scraps to felt using craft glue. Let dry.

Write a note to the birthday girl using marker on the back of the cork. Don’t forget to sign your name!

Neon Noms

Surprise the birthday girl with an edible rainbow in a jar!

Start with a small, clean jar. Layer neon-colored candy inside, one color at a time. After the jar is filled to the top, tighten the lid. Finish with a brightly colored ribbon and birthday message.