Cheapest DIY Retirement Gifts for Women

Tons of funny DIY retirement gifts for women 101! I hope you love these ideas, from unique retirement gifts for women, to last minute retirement gifts and gift ideas for her, to traditional retirement gifts, to quick and easy retirement gift ideas your recipient will absolutely love! These also make great DIY retirement gift basket ideas for her, that she will love and treasure always.

Posts on www.ratherrudecards.co.uk contain affiliate links. For full disclosure, click HERE

1. Best letterbox message cookie ever, ever! (so affordable!) 👈🏻

2. DIY her an explosion gift box 

There is nothing cooler! You could DIY one of these and fill it with photos and work memories of your time together, their favourite sweets, candy and snacks and lovely mementos, or even order one ready made if you are short on time. You could even create a theme with the coloured card and snacks that you choose, or just choose their favourites to tailor it perfectly to your recipient. 

 

Funny heart shaped explosion box template 👈🏻

Multiple layers photos and candy box template 👈🏻

Funny romantic message photo surprise box template 👈🏻

Hexagon tower surprise explosion box template 👈🏻

Template for an exploding candy gift box (just add paper, photos candy!) 👈🏻

Ready made explosion gift box 👈🏻

3. DIY her a 3D photo collage heart 

This looks amazing and you can craft it from cardboard plus some pva or craft glue and some printed photos of special workplace memories. Try crafting a 3D heart shape from cardboard, then papering it with your favourite photos of everyone, to create a 3D collage that she can keep and treasure forever! 

3D model heart template 👈🏻

4. DIY some 3D photo collage letters 

Similar to n.3, simply craft the shape from cardstock or cardboard, then paper with printed out photos of the work crew. She can use it to decorate his space - this looks so cool! 

3D jumbo letter shape template (so great!) 👈🏻

5. Make her a wreath with candies and cute photos 

Craft a paper wreath using the below template, then nestle in or pin some printed photos and cute candies and snacks for decoration, personalising it and tailoring it perfectly to your recipient's tastes. You could even make a wreath out of snacks arranged in a circular formation and attach some cute photos too for decor!

Wreath template (just add paper!) 👈🏻

6. DIY a heart shaped photo collage box 

This is similar to n.3, but your recipient will be able to use it to store things in. You could gift it with some wrapped candy inside and she can keep it afterwards and fill with bits and bobs - the perfect useful yet special gift! 

Heart shaped box making template 👈🏻

7. Make her a macrame wall hanging with photos 

These are a super cute way to turn your favourite work photos into a special keepsake for your recipient and something special she can hang in her space!  

Photo holder macrame wall hanging template 👈🏻

Ready made photo holder macrame wall hanging 👈🏻

8. DIY her a flip book from a video 

To make this, take a special short video of the work crew - or choose a video that shares a happy or hilarious memory! You could even crop your favourite moment from a longer video. Then convert it into still photos and print (you could write next to each snap a number before printing, so you can be sure of the order). Then cut out the stills, placing each in order as you go (you could even write the number for each on the back of each one). 

Then create the binding! You could either use a clip as illustrated, or for a more permanent binding solution for your keepsake, hole punch the stills on the left side and use a small amount of string to tie the pages together. You could even create an outer cover for the binding, using paper or card. Encapsulate your favourite memory in physical copy form for them to keep forever! 

Make a ready to print flip book for her 👈🏻

9. A rocket ship photo box gift 

Attached with the phrase 'you're out of this world'! You could create a concertina style 'zig zag' photo pop up arrangement and fix it to the inside, so that you can see the first photo in the mini window when the box is closed. 

3D rocket shaped box template 👈🏻

10. DIY her a snack bouquet with photo flags 

A low cost gift of her favourites that looks so special to receive! Compile a bunch of snacks, treats and candy bars in bouquet formation, then craft some paper flags with special photos on and attach them to skewers, to then pop in the bouquet to decorate! 

11. Make her a candy and photos letter gift 

Why not put together a selection of their favourite sweets or snacks, along with cute photos of the work crew together! 

Letter or number gift box (the most affordable!) 👈🏻

12. Bake her a custom cookie portrait

The perfect novelty gift! Bake and ice a custom portrait sugar cookie of their face. Nothing is cooler or more special! You could even try to make it life size, it's such a funny and creative gift idea they are sure to love! Who doesn't want an exact cookie replica of their face? Even if it doesn't turn out how you expected, it will be sure to make your recipient chuckle! 

13. Create a comic book starring your recipient

You could document a story they always tell everyone - or document the story of your relationship with your recipient. You could pose them as a superhero in their own custom superhero comic!

14. Bake her a box of literal brownie points 

This is such a cute punny gift idea that is super low cost too! Simply bake some brownies, then use a '+' shaped cookie cutter to make them literally look like 'brownie points'. 

Plus sign cookie cutter (to make +1 shaped cookies!) 👈🏻

 

15. Bake a box of 'sad tears from you leaving'👈🏻

This is a funny and unique creative gift for retirees that they have never been given before! Simply make some teardrop shaped sugar cookies and ice them to look like tears, then arrange them in a pretty box with some tissue paper and a ribbon and voila! You could place a little card inside reading 'sad tears from you leaving'. 

16. Make her a 'one in a millions' gift 👈🏻

This is a really cute punny gift that is also super easy and low cost to DIY! If you are short on time, you could even order this gift ready made to your recipient. 

17. 'Job done' chocolate arrangement (so cute and so affordable!) 👈🏻

18. Personalised Happy Retirement sash (how cool are these?) 👈🏻

19. A special plate reveal surprise

Decorate a plain ceramic plate with a special message for your recipient, then let it dry. Then arrange cupcakes - or even a victoria sponge layer cake - all over the plate, so the design is completely covered up entirely with food.

20. A funny photoshopped picture to frame

You could turn everyone in to Avengers by photoshopped her colleagues faces on to superhero bodies - or if she is an animal lover, you could turn all her colleagues in to dogs, cats, or any kind of animal! Picmonkey is amazing to use for this and is much easier than Photoshop to use!

21. Make her a little jar of big thanks

Why not fill a jar with thanks, memories and special messages, plus cute little extras like sweets and fortune cookies for your recipient.

22. A punny chocolate bar message board

Create a punny chocolate bar message board to make your recipient laugh! 

23. 'Official retirement papers' chocolate loo roll gift 👈🏻

This is such a punny gift idea - with an added twist! Gifting a toilet roll is practical, but not quite as fun as a realistic chocolate made one. This realistic chocolate loo roll is perfect to fool your recipient!

24. A retirement survival kit

This is a funny retirement gift idea you can have tons of fun with! You could include items such as bee friendly wildflower seeds, a kitkat to represent the ultimate break, a game with a dice where they can throw a number to choose an activity for that day, wax melts, (chocolate) knitting needles, so many fun ideas!

25. Make a sugar cookie flower bouquet

A bouquet of sugar cookie flowers! Bake the sticks in to the cookies in the oven, then ice them to look like flowers and arrange them in a beautiful bouquet formation, tied with a ribbon! 

26. Most stylish person in the office award and certificate

This is a lovely retirement gift to give, something they can keep and treasure always and a lovely sentiment to make them smile! You could even throw a whole awards assembly especially for her!

27. Personalised socks with the faces of her colleagues on 👈🏻

A practical but super special gift, so she will never forget the faces of her colleagues! This gift will be sure to make her smile, the perfect way to commemorate her time in the workplace.

28. 'When you gotta go, you gotta go' signed toilet seat framed gift

A funny joke retirement gift idea, why not frame a photo of all of her work colleagues within a toilet seat with closable lid that you can make out of card!

29. Painted lego models of everyone in your office or workspace

Make a lego version of your team she can keep with her always! This would make such a special ornament and the perfect way to commemorate her time in the workplace, to remember her colleagues by.

30. Write her a funny poem or a rap

This is a super special and hilarious retirement gift idea that doesn't cost anything, but is something for your recipient to treasure always! You could even frame the finished result for her to keep always.

31. Put on a performance with your work colleagues

Especially for your recipient! It could be a play or a musical performance; this is such a fun no cost retirement gift idea that everyone can have so much fun putting together!

A hilarious retirement gift idea for her is to record you all singing a series of hits - or her favourite songs - then upload the recordings on to this amazing mixtape styled USB device 👈🏻 Your recipient will only have to plug it in to her laptop to listen to the songs you recorded for her! An unforgettable, totally unique and hilarious retirement gift that will make her chuckle, that she is sure to treasure always!

32. 'License to chill' punny gift idea 

Give your recipient a 'license to chill' gift, containing relaxing items such as chamomile tea leaves, a facial mist, a pillow spray and a silk or satin sleep mask!

33. Use a specially engraved watering can to present a retirement gift hamper

It's such a cute practical touch!

34. Make her a set of shower steamers 👈🏻

These are so affordable to buy and look so beautiful, and you can even DIY them from ingredients such as essential oils, baking soda and constarch. There are so many varieties and scents to choose from and they make your shower smell amazing, the shower equivalent of bath bombs for the busy woman on the go!

35. Make her a photo album or scrapbook of memories from her time at work

A really beautiful and thoughtful cheap retirement gift idea she will adore!

36. Make her a weighted blanket

This is a wonderful DIY retirement gift idea that will help your recipient to sleep well! This is such a special gift to give, especially for someone who struggles to get to sleep, as a weighted blanket is shown to soothe and aid sleepless nights. It's like giving the gift of a good night's sleep.

37. Create some open when letters for her

The cutest most thoughtful gift idea! You could create a 'open when you're having a lie in', or 'open when you're feeling lonely', or even 'open when you need a laugh'!

38. A hamper of homebaked goods

39. Create a paper mache version of your workspace

This is a bit of a wildcard entry as it is not perhaps as practical as other gifts on this list, but is definitely extremely unique, creative and special! You can get super creative making an exact miniature replica of the workplace, using cardboard, paint and even miniature furniture - be sure to snap a picture before gifting it to your recipient! There is no colleague gift that can top this, for sure!

If you liked these ideas definitely check out these DIY five senses gift ideas, best creative boss gift ideas, best knitting gift ideas for knitters and best gifts for the woman who has everything!