With the month of love upon us, we felt inspired to share our favourite gift ideas for the special people in our lives. Whether it’s romantic or platonic, show love to those you care about with a creative and thoughtful gift that they will remember.  

Show you care by putting together a unique DIY art or craft pack for your partner or friend. Bundle together some materials and a set of instructions (either hand written or printed out) to guide them through a creative DIY project such as painting, drawing, colouring, desk décor or sculpting. Once you’ve gathered all the essential materials, package them together nicely in a box or bag.

Image: Grace Agnes Vuetaki

Whether it’s serious or a bit cheeky, creating a love themed drawing for someone is a great way to show you care. If you’re not confident in your drawing skills, you can trace a drawing and add detail, decoration or colour.

What you'll need:

• Pen or pencils

• Paper

Let your inner romantic out with a set of pre-planned dates or ‘I owe you’ coupons. Choose experiences that your partner enjoys and write the coupons by hand to make them personal. Create one for each month to keep the love flowing throughout the year, or create a set that they can use whenever they please. This idea can also work well with best friends.

What you'll need:

• Coloured markers

• Coloured pencils

• Paper

• Envelopes

• Ribbon

Image: Claire Lindsay-McGinn

Put some extra creativity and thought into your gifts with handmade wrapping paper. Paint or draw a simple design (such as polka dots) or challenge yourself with a more complicated design (such as flowers). If you need some inspiration, Claire Lindsay-McGinn has some vibrant handmade wrapping paper designs on her website that will get your creative juices flowing.

What you'll need:

• Acrylic paint

• Paint brushes

• Plain paper

• Twine
  

Image: Queenie Annabelle

Do you have a creative friend, family member or partner? Feed their passion with a gift bundle of art supplies. If they’re interested in painting, you might like to thoughtfully package together some brushes, pencils, paints or a visual art diary for them. You could also include a book of artworks or an artist biography that might appeal to them.

Add a personal touch to flowers with a hand written note. Practice your hand lettering skills to create a beautiful note that your loved one might like to keep in their wallet, on the fridge or frame for their desk. Sometimes the little things mean more than you think they will.

What you'll need:

• Calligraphy set or watercolour paint and brush

Capture a special memory, moment or idea with a colourful customised frame. Pick up a new or used picture frame and personalise it with that special someone’s favourite colour. If your frame has a lacquered surface, we’d recommend sanding it back before you apply your own paint. Once you’ve let your frame dry, insert a photograph of one of their favourite place, a memory you shared together, or something that inspires them. These frames also look great with hand lettering artworks.

What you'll need:

• Acrylic paint

• Paint brush

• Paper or card (for hand lettering or artworks)

• Calligraphy or watercolour set (for hand lettering)

• Sand paper

• New or used picture frame

This gesture can take some time, but it shows love in a big way. Take a piece of card and draw love heart outlines over as much of it as you can, leaving enough space to cut around them. The hearts don’t need to be the same shape or size (some variety works well). Paint all of your hearts with metallic or glitter acrylic paint and leave them to dry. Once they are completely dry, paint the opposite side of the paper with the same, or a different, colour. Repeat this for as many hearts as you’d like to create. Leave these to dry, then cut each heart out. Sprinkle your handmade hearts wherever you want to, or thread them onto string and hang them up.

What you'll need:

• Metallic paint

• Glitter paint

• Pencil

• Card stock

Let your loved one take their art wherever they want to with a portable art set. These sets make a practical and thoughtful gift that can be taken outdoors, on road trips or to collaborative art spaces. These sets come in almost any medium.

What you'll need:

• Paint set

• Drawing set

• Mixed media set

• Adult colouring set

Provide your friend or partner with ongoing inspiration by subscribing them to their favourite creative magazine. Whether they enjoy arts or crafts, there are plenty of creative publications out there to choose from.

Sometimes the best gifts are experiences, not material possessions. If your friend or partner loves art, keep your eye out for an exhibition they will enjoy and make a day of it. This is a great way to show love, inspire them and create a special memory.

Get out the ceramic paint and create a personalised vase. The design can be as simple or complicated as you like, but try to choose something that will fit in with their existing décor and style. To really make an impact, give the vase to your loved one with their favourite flowers in them.

What you'll need:

• Ceramic paint

• Plain vase

An art class is a great place to learn, develop new skills, meet new people and get inspired. Give your friend or partner an experience they will remember. Local studios, schools, galleries and community spaces often hold painting, drawing and sculpting classes. Do some research and find out if there are any in your area. If your partner or friend is a bit shy, buy yourself a ticket too and enjoy the class together!

Pick up your paintbrush, marker or pencil and create a bunch of flowers from scratch. This fun alternative to a traditional bouquet is a great way to show love to someone special. If you’re not confident in your flower drawing abilities, simply print off an image and trace it against a window or glass table. If you need help, check out our video tutorial about how to create your own watercolour flower painting.

What you'll need:

• Paint, pencils and markers

• Paper or canvas

• Picture frame

Create your own guided tour and take your friend or partner to sculptures and art around town. If you’re ambitious, you could even learn a few fun facts about each piece. This gift also creates great opportunities for memorable photographs.

Don’t let the year pass you by without showing the special people in your life that you care. If you have your own creative gift ideas, feel free to tag @montmarteart or #montmarteart on Facebook or Instagram to show us. We’d love to see what you’ve come up with!