Boyfriends can be hard to shop for. Are you thinking of making something yourself but not sure how he’ll react? Don’t worry, guys are a lot more sentimental than you think (or they’d like to think). And we have just the selection for your nerdy but otherwise perfect boyfriend.

Beer Cake

You’ll be hard pressed to find a man on earth that doesn’t like beer so this gift is a very safe bet. It’s also super easy to make and you can throw it together at the very last minute if you need to. All you need is a case of  his favorite beer, some cardboard cut to separate the cake layers and some ribbon. You can even use a hot glue gun if you want to write something on the ribbon. Detailed instructions can be found at Big K Little G and eightsixeleven. And here some different designs on Pinterest for inspiration.

Nebula Pillow

If you are a bit on the artsy side, and your boyfriend is into space, then this is just for you. Whimseybox has a tutorial on how to make a nebula pillow using Ink Effects from DecoArt. Throw pillows look great just about anywhere and this one has a sweet design for your dorky man. Alas, if it seems too complicated, there’s another artsy gift below.

Wall Art

While real art might be too much for most guys, silhouettes are perfect. Think of three of his favorite things and make a nice set of wall art for him. Here’s a tutorial at DesignSponge. This is an easy, thoughtful project that will look great on any wall!

Beef Jerky!

All men love to eat.. and what’s always near the top of their list? Meat.  And if you have any experience in the kitchen, making DIY beef jerky from Art of Manliness will likely be a piece cake for you. I shared the idea with one of my buddies and got the response, “I’ll marry whoever makes me beef jerky”. Yeah, that’s how much we love beef jerky. Thoughtful and delicious!

And if you want to take it up a notch, check out this Brief Jerky from Instructables.

Naughty Gifts & Your Hot Self

Hands down my personal favorite. Sky is the limit. Go wild!