Handmade Holiday 2010 Update

Whew, it's October already!  That leaves only 12 weeks until Christmas.  Ack!!!!! It is time to kick it into high gear.  I have begun compiling my ideas for gifts and am now shopping for the supplies.  Here are some links to the cool projects I plan on trying this year.

City Windows Table Runner
Dog Leash
Ribbon Key Fobs
Painted Fabric Silhouettes
Letter Pillows
Quiet Books
Pillows
Napkins
Placemats

These are just a few of the ideas rolling around in my head....who knows what I will actually complete:)

Handmade Holiday 2010

Once again I will be striving for a handmade holiday season this year. I am starting earlier in hopes of creating everyone’s gifts by hand. I will be joining Plain and Joyful Living in this challenge. We can all do our part to promote a more sustainable world this is just one small step. I will be posting links and ideas for a handmade holiday throughout the coming months. If you would like to join me in this endeavor here is the Plain and Joyful Living button to share:

Handmade Holiday Review

The holidays were a smashing success! My handmade gifts were a hit! Here are a few pictures of the children's favorites.

L's fabric dollhouse based on this tutorial.

Dad made here fairy furniture for her handmade wee people:)

Felt food was on the menu at our house Christmas morning. Here are O fav's the ham sandwich and a cake she can decorate. T received a campfire set with roastable marshmallows...were camping out tonight in the TV room and having s'mores brownies.

I wasn't able to photograph all the handmade gifts but here is a list with tutorials:

• NC State stocking


• NC State quilted coasters


• NC state hand towels


• Holiday table runner


• Holiday quilted coasters


• Holiday hot pad


• Fabric coffee cozy


• Apron


• Personalized stepping stones


• Fairy house


• Felt food

I look forward to next Christmas and plan on making everybody's gifts by hand! Of course I'll have to start in July instead of December:)

Handmade Holiday Update

Here are some pictures of the items I have completed so far. I'm really enjoying myself, I had forgotten how nice it is to have a creative outlet. I've included the links to tutorials when possible. Get to crafting y'all, the holidays are right around the corner.

Here is a sampling of the felt food I've been sewing. It's my version of Chinese takeout...I'm going to wrap it in a paper bag and pack it with chopsticks. I used the tutorial from CraftSanity to make the fortune cookies and tweaked the pattern to my liking. All the other items were brainstormed by me.

These gnomes and fairies were based on a design from Wee Folk Art.

I'm still working on making a felt fairy house and more little people for O. I'm hoping to make a doorway puppet theater and some felt camping items for T. I haven't even started on the extended families gifts yet...I'm having too much fun making toys!

Playing with my food.....

We have a birthday party to attend in the near future and I have been "practicing" making the gifts. This is my trial run for the holidays. I plan on attempting to handmake everyone's gifts this year. It's my simple way of reining in the out of control consumer train our family is riding on. With the exception of one or two gifts, I don't expect to "buy" anything for the children. I hope my extended family won't mind their lovingly handmade gifts...it will be quite a deviation from the usually! We are short on funds and the world is short on resources....most of my materials will come from repurposed items and thrift store finds. Wish me luck it's sure to be an adventure. This cupcake is so cute and calorie free! Directions can be found here at Rachael Rabbit.

Thanks to felt, strawberries are now local and in season all year! I found the tutorial for this strawberry at Mr. Monkeysuit. I'm planning on making a few dozen more:)

Perhaps I can challenge you all to a handmade holiday season. Please follow the link on my blog to Etsy and browse the thousand of handmade treasure waiting for you.