By now, most of us have a gift-game plan laid out for our friends and family. Some of us though, (ahem… me) might be a little behind schedule. Don't panic! Here is a fun idea for the little ones on your list. 
Supplies: tin cans, leather, decorative fabric, leather laces, Crop-a-dile, wooden dowel and ball, hot glue gun, and cotton. 1. Cut your fabric to fit around your tin can. Use Elmer's Glue to glue it in place. 2. Lay out your leather and trace around your can. Measure 1 inch around the traced circle and draw another circle. 3. Use a pen to map out your holes. Use a Crop-a-dile to punch the holes out. If you don't have a Crop-a-dile, you can use a large needle to make your holes. 4. Run your leather lace through the holes. Cinch tight over the top of the can. Repeat the same steps for the bottom. Run another leather lace diagonally through the top and bottom laces (see picture below for reference). 5. Insert your wooden dowel into the wooden ball. Glue cotton all over the ball to create your drum sticks. 6. Enjoy your adorable new gift! 
I customized my drums by painting designs onto the fabric with fabric paint. It's a fun way to personalize this gift!
Happy gifting! xo. Katie
67 Comments
I haven’t started my gift buying yet! Eeek! These would be perfect for my nephews!
http://theoccasionalindulgence.blogspot.com/
O my gosh these are amazing!! Hm If only I had someone to make them for!! Love them!
This is too cute!
Oh I love this!! So cute (:
xo, Clare
http://thewanderingelefant.blogspot.com/
Oh thank you! I was struggling to come up with a present for my nephew!
I have to make some like those for my baby 😉
Saludos,
Clau!
http://eyecandyphoto.blogspot.mx/
OH. MY. GOODNESS. I am so, so, so in love with these. I’ll have to make a bunch to add to my ever-expanding fox collection! (Drum-playing foxes? Even better!)
blog.katmellon.com
Pre-cious! I love how individualized they are with the paint.
http://catherinedenton.com
So cute!
This would be great for my nephew!
xo Jennifer
http://seekingstyleblog.wordpress.com
You are so smart and creative! These drums are the cutest!!!
http://run2thewild.blogspot.com/
These look so cute! Wow I love them. 🙂
My little mister is just now old enough to have enough fine motor skills to bang on things and play. I’ve been eyeing a music set for him…but these would be perfect!! I love this. Thank you so much for posting!!
Alyssa
http://headoverheelsnv.blogspot.com
these are just way too cute
http://aimlesslylove.blogspot.com/
Those are so CUTE!
http://whiskeybreakfast.blogspot.com
Seriously cute!
this is such a great idea, holey moley they look great.
love it! so cute.. 🙂 http://lovesimplegreen.blogspot.com/
Oh, adorable!
These are totally the cutest! Love the fuzzy ball on the drum sticks!
Literally when I saw the first picture I was like, “Oh my God these girls are SO GOOD!” This is so cute…right up there with all your other lovely DIY’s…I wish I had a lil kid to make this for!! I really do! =)
http://chloemoonergo.blogspot.com
What an awesome idea and project. Thank you for sharing. 🙂
This is a really unique and fun gift idea! I already bought gifts for all my friends and family but my I’ll make one of these for myself! 😀
http://thehonestfox.blogspot.com/
I have the majority of my gifts squared away but I’m pretty sure I’m going to make this now. KTHANKS!
ughhh this is beyond cute! i wish i had a nephew to make and give this too… 🙁 so cute!
-deana, from birds&oxfords
I can think of many little hands enjoying beating on these adorable drums!
-Lindsey
http://ettu-tutu.blogspot.com
These look amazing!It is so much cooler to give a handmade gift, especially to a child! I will keep this tutorial in mind until my little girl is old enough!
http://higgledypiggledywonderland.wordpress.com
Thanks for a great DIY tip! Our toddler loves music and drums she just found this autumn. Self-made drum would be definitely a good Christmas gift for her 🙂
A great and cute idea ):
like!!
xx
http://www.ireneccloset.com
Ooh, this is something! 🙂 I will definitely try this. Thanks for sharing! Greetings from Finland. /Kaisa
what a gorgeous and fun idea!
Oh lovely!
What a cute idea <3!
How cute! What a perfect christmas gift for a child.
super cute 🙂
Katie, you never seize to amaze me! This is so cool!!!!
They look great and now I know what gifts I should be giving my friends and because I will have to make these alone it will be something special for them.
So cute !!
Have a look at my new post : http://www.thestilettoholic.com/2012/12/14/khaki-mood/
Oh WOW my girls (1y and 3y) would LOVE these. Too bad I alreday committed to fixing up a dollhouse and a doll bed, otherwise I would so try this!
Wow, who knew you could make such beautiful drums so easily.
Thanks!
Trisha
what a wonderful idea! katie, your DIYs always make me wish i had children. (: so cool!
i love the make it yourself posts. keep them coming.
Really great idea. Perfect like a present for children. Have a nice day.
http://www.fashiondenis.com/
Best D.I.Y I’ve seen in a long time.. especially for my lil’ drummer boy! I wonder if I could get away with using vinyl instead of leather? Happy merry weekend ladies!
mel ;o)
needle and nest design
Hi, when I saw your kitchenette DIY post it inspired me to make a special Christmas gift for my boyfriend’s niece (who is getting a kitchenette of her own;)). Anyways, I would LOVE if you would share it on A Beautiful Mess. However, I couldn’t find a contact email address anywhere so I have posted it on my blog and if you would like to share it (which would make me so so happy) please feel free.
*it’s a DIY post for a felt pizza
http://msveve.blogspot.cz/2012/12/diy-felt-pizza.html
great idea! thanks for sharing!
http://dindaloysia.blogspot.com
Buff
once a friend gave my son a pair of drums and it was terrible! i like those if they do low noise ; )
http://mykitschworld.blogspot.com.es
Way to cute! Thanks Katie for the post!
X
http://kendra-genevieve-rose.blogspot.com
How lovely!
Valentina
http://valentinaduracinsky.blogspot.com/
Emus Upcycled Gifts is nominating you for the Liebster Award http://emusupcycledgifts.wordpress.com/2012/12/13/nominated-for-the-liebster-award/ whether you choose to participate or not (and for the “rules”), please know that I have found much inspiration from your blog.
Katie, you are so good! These are friggen’ precious.
I remember we made these drums in primary school, it’s a trip down memory lane!
xoxo, Femke
By Button
so cute! great gift for the kids <3
http://sztukastudiowania.blogspot.com/
Fantasic idea! Where did you get the leather? Thanks!
Dusty- we buy our leather at a local Tandy shop!
xoxo.
My fiance is a drummer, so I’m thinking this would be a really cute decoration for our almost house! Not quite a kiddo…but that’s fine, right?! 🙂
Omg seriously too cute!
So fun! I love Katie’s style 🙂
Thank you!
These are seriously SO adorable! I would love to make a few as decorations around the house 🙂
♥Brooke
http://youreinbrookelynn.blogspot.com/
these are so cute, I will be making some for my son! 🙂
Wow,how cute and lovely is this!When my godchild gets bigger I`m definitely gonna make him those drums!
xoxo
I’ve been looking for months for the perfect drum for my boys. Problem solved, I’m making my own!! Thanks so much for this DIY!!
I’ve just followed your tutorial and made a set for my nephew’s christmas present. Fab tutorial, so easy to follow and they’ve turned out great!
They look so darn professional!! What a wonderful idea! Any kid (or even adult, let’s be honest) would love this. I haven’t been much of a crafter in the past, but now that I work from home, I’m expanding my horizons a bit. I even completed my first sewing project. I made my daughter a doll’s dress for Christmas using vintage fabric scraps.
http://www.womaninreallife.blogspot.ca/2012/12/vintage-fabric-doll-dress.html
These are seriously perfect. I am making a few of them for my nursery VERY soon! 🙂
This is such a cool idea. I would love to make this for my niece and nephew (and a few friends who would really appreciate the awesomeness of this). I mean it, great tutorial. 🙂
So adorable! My husband is a drummer and wants to have some drum stuff in our baby’s nursery, so these would be great! Thanks! 🙂
XO Nat
http://www.natinlove.com?cm=1