These projects were built and designed by Billy from Newton Makes. They’re beginner-friendly woodworking gifts that are fun to build and easy to customize—ideal for holidays, birthdays, or any time you want to give something handmade.
From decorative planters to functional notebooks and rustic wine racks, these ideas require minimal tools and materials but offer a big visual and personal impact. Each project encourages experimentation and uses common shop scraps in creative ways.
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Geometric Flower Pots
The first project in Billy’s video is a group of geometric flower pots made from a single block of wood. Instead of making uniform shapes, Billy cuts the block into irregular bevels and angles, turning each piece into a unique planter base.
There’s no need to measure perfectly—just eyeball each cut and make adjustments until the composition feels balanced. Once the blocks are shaped, a drill press is used to bore out the center of each one, creating a space for a faux plant or floral foam insert.
Billy recommends using artificial plants to keep the maintenance zero and extend the life of the gift. This makes the project ideal for offices, shelves, or housewarming gifts where live plants might not get the care they need.
Each set can be arranged in different ways, giving the final product a modular, sculptural look. It’s an easy way to let the grain, angles, and wood species speak for themselves.
Wood-Covered Notebooks
The second project combines woodworking with stationery: a personalized notebook with a hardwood cover. It’s sleek, practical, and completely customizable depending on the recipient.
Billy uses white oak for the covers, keeping the grain straight for a clean and minimal look. The wood is milled slightly larger than standard paper size, then drilled alongside the pages to accept binding cords or rings.
Leather cord works especially well, giving the notebook a natural and handmade aesthetic. However, metal binder rings or string can also be used depending on the design.
What really makes this project stand out is its customizability. The covers can be engraved, painted, or even stamped with a name or monogram. It’s an excellent choice for students, artists, or coworkers—and with simple tools, you can make several at once.
Leaning Wine Bottle Rack
The final project is a leaning wine rack that shows off both the wine and the wood it’s made from. Billy starts with a piece of firewood, strips the bark, and exposes a beautiful surface underneath. But he also shows that a basic 2×4 can work too.
The holes are drilled slightly off-center to accommodate the natural taper or uneven surface of the log. Each hole is just large enough to hold the neck of a standard wine bottle, and they’re spaced to allow for multiple bottles to be displayed vertically.
The base is cut at an angle so the board can lean securely against a wall or cabinet. It doesn’t require mounting hardware or stands—gravity does the work. It’s simple, rustic, and eye-catching.
This design works great with live-edge slabs, logs, or even reclaimed lumber. It’s a conversation piece that fits a range of home styles, from modern rustic to traditional.
Tips for Success
Billy keeps all three of these projects straightforward and adaptable, but they share a few traits that make them even more enjoyable to build:
Embrace imperfection. These aren’t tight-tolerance projects. Visual balance and feel matter more than exact measurements.
Use what you have. Scrap wood, firewood, and leftover boards can all be repurposed here. No need to buy anything fancy.
Make it personal. Engrave the notebook, choose plants the recipient would love, or stain the wine rack to match their kitchen.
Work in batches. All three projects are great for gift sets or small-batch builds. They’re quick to repeat with slight variations.
Keep it fun. These are stress-free builds—perfect for enjoying time in the shop and flexing your creative side.
A Great Way to Get Back Into the Shop
These gift projects from Billy at Newton Makes offer a refreshing way to ease back into woodworking, especially after a break. They don’t require a large time commitment, and the end results are pieces that look and feel meaningful.
Whether you want to give someone a personalized journal, a sculptural flower pot, or a handmade wine display, these projects deliver a mix of utility and beauty. And because they use minimal materials and tools, they’re perfect for any workshop setup.
Please support Billy by visiting his website here: https://www.newtonmakes.com/shop.
Matt’s Take
These are my personal thoughts and tips based on my own experience in the shop. This section is not written, reviewed, or endorsed by the original creator of this project.
These kinds of gift projects are perfect for keeping your hands busy without the pressure of precision work. What I really appreciate about Billy’s approach is how he embraces the “good enough” mentality—sometimes we get so caught up in making things perfect that we forget the joy of just creating something with our hands.
The geometric planters are brilliant for using up those odd chunks of wood that are too nice to throw away but too small for bigger projects. When drilling out the centers, take your time with the drill press and use a backing board to prevent tearout on the bottom. A Forstner bit will give you the cleanest walls if you have one.
For the notebooks, white oak is a great choice since it’s durable and takes finishes well. If you’re working with softer woods, consider a light coat of shellac or poly to protect against daily handling. And here’s a shop tip: when drilling the binding holes, clamp everything together and drill through both covers and pages at once to ensure perfect alignment.
The wine rack project really shows how a simple idea can have big visual impact. If you’re using found wood like Billy’s firewood, give it plenty of time to dry and check for any hidden metal or debris before running it through your tools. Sometimes the most rustic-looking pieces make the best conversation starters.