Holidays Archives - Try Handmade

Be mine!

November 14, 2018 by Amy L. 1 Comment

I’ve got a preview of Valentine’s day gifts from all over the www to share with you today! Yes I know Valentine’s is almost a month away – and besides the fact that I love holidays, when you’re ordering handmade items I find it’s always good to order in advance. This is especially true if you live anywhere outside of the US as shipping delays can be lengthy at times. Heart shaped lollipops from Calabasas Candy Co

Print is from Rosy Designs

I feel like Valentine’s gets a bad rap some of the time, and I’m curious to hear your thoughts on the holiday. I do remember being single and that it was sometimes a bit discouraging not to have a special someone to celebrate the day with. Having said that I’ve always thought that Valentine’s shouldn’t just be a “romantic” holiday, it’s also a great time to celebrate love and to eat chocolate. Not that most of us need an excuse, but it’s great when it feels like we are justified to do so, and especially when it comes wrapped up in such pretty boxes!

Bicycle heart necklace from Rachel Pfeffer Designs

Did you know that Valentine’s day wasn’t originally a romantic holiday, but instead a religious one? I sure didn’t. It turns out that it wasn’t associated with romantic love until Geoffrey Chaucer wrote a poem to honor the first anniversary of the engagement of King Richard II of England to Anne of Bohemia in 1381 (at the time of their marriage they were both only 15 years old)! The line from Chaucer’s poem reads: “For this was Saint Valentine’s Day, when every bird cometh there to choose his mate.”

Conversation Heart Soaps from So Stinking Sweet

From there Valentine’s Day became increasingly associated with romantic love and by the early 19th century paper valentines had become so popular in England that they were assembled in factories, with fancy valentines being made with real lace and ribbons. By the second half of the 20th century the practice of exchanging gifts also became common, bringing us to the present day, where Valentine’s continues to be a very popular holiday!

More historical facts about Valentine’s can be found here on Wikipedia.

Holiday Honeys: beach cover-ups

November 11, 2018 by Helen Hobden 2 Comments

Following on from my last post, it seemed the logical thing to have a little look into options as to what to wear over the top of the swimming costume. Practicalities have to be thought of here: it has to be easy to throw on over the top – you don’t want to be fiddling about with complicated fastenings – especially if you’re like me and want to put on something a little less revealing the second you emerge from the water. It has to be easily washable; sand and suncream are unavoidably thrown together despite being so incompatible and if you have children, no doubt sticky ice cream fingers will be clutching at your clothing at some point in the day. If you’re single, looking for a holiday romance and are thinking of spending much of your time lounging casually by a pool-side bar sipping cocktails whilst fluttering eyelashes (covered in waterproof mascara) at the fit locals, then a certain amount of sexiness factor is a priority.

The garment above by NaddyClair combines everything that is practical, and looks fab too. The fabric is terry cloth, so it will even help dry you off.

There is of course the sarong. A little obvious in my opinion, but never-the-less, an extremely useful piece of material to have with you at the beach. You can wrap it around you to keep a little warmer if the sea breeze is chilly; you can drape it over your shoulders to prevent them from burning in the midday sun, whilst being light enough to not make you over heat; you can lay on it if you haven’t brought a towel with you to save on luggage weight allowance on the flight and will help stop the sand getting in awkward places, and you can get a friend to hold it up for you to get changed behind. All those uses, and we haven’t even started on the various ways of wearing it. I love the blend of colours in this one by The Peddling Gypsies

Lastly, this beach cover up by Chabri certainly fulfils the sexiness factor – it doesn’t really cover up anything! It does however, exude glamour and confidence and would certainly grab plenty of attention at that beach bar.

Give Thanks

October 28, 2018 by Rebecca Hadfield 4 Comments

Vintage fork with hand-hammered message (above) by Wooden Hive.

My business contacts in the US are always surprised when I tell them that my office will be closed at the beginning of October in observance of Thanksgiving. “There’s a *Canadian* Thanksgiving?” they inevitably ask. Why, yes. Yes, there is.

Fall wreath with upcycled tin-can flowers (above) by Custom Created.

Thanksgiving north of the border differs a little from the holiday celebrated by our American friends, but along with the name, there are some traditions that we both share. The similarities include football, family and a propensity towards incredibly cute home and table decorations, as seen throughout this article. You won’t find any pilgrims up here, though; our holiday is an autumn festival to mark the end of the crop season and give thanks for the bountiful harvest.

Handpainted, upcycled record bowl (above) by Eye Pop Art.

While our native peoples have been giving thanks to the land for countless generations before our arrival, the anglo history of Canadian Thanksgiving is a little sketchy in places. The first accounts date back to 1578; when a European explorer held a ceremony to give thanks for surviving a long ocean journey (sound familiar?). In 1872, Thanksgiving was observed in Canada as a civic holiday; however, the date and theme was changed from year to year. Thanksgiving has been celebrated on the second Monday of October, since the passing of an act of Parliament in 1959.

Rustic cutting board/serving platter (above) made from sustainable black walnut by Grey Works Design .

As far as the food is concerned, the Canadian Thanksgiving feast is made up of many of the same foods as the American. Turkey is the traditional main course, although I have seen a few hams hit the table in my time. The roasted bird is, of course, accompanied by sage-spiked stuffing, gravy and cranberry sauce. Usual side dishes are mashed potatoes, veggies, squash dishes, breads and salads.

Pumpkin made from vintage 1970s fabric (above) by Whoopsie Daisies

Visitors from the US sitting down at a Thanksgiving feast in Canada will probably notice one glaring omission – in 38 years of giving thanks, I have never had to “pass along” a casserole of cloyingly sweet, marshmallow-topped sweet potatoes. It’s not that we have anything against sweets; we’re just leaving room for pumpkin pie!

Pinecone and wire turkey place card holders (above) by Carrieveau Craft.

I shouldn’t diss the sweet potato casserole, though. I’m sure that Americans need all the energy they can get for Black Friday; an event that, to a casual observer, almost seems to trump Thanksgiving itself in the US. We do not have an equivalent to Black Friday up here, unless you count December 26th (aka Boxing Day), and usually spend the long weekend raking leaves and napping. Oh, the glory of tryptophan!

Cotton/wool acorns with real acorn “hats” (above) by Rose Cottage Boutique 2.

So, there. That’s Canadian Thanksgiving in a nutshell. I would love to hear from readers on both sides of the border – what are you thankful for?

Handmade Menorahs

October 20, 2018 by Erika Jurney 3 Comments

This year Hanukkah starts at sundown Sunday, December 21, so it is time to start thinking about getting ready. Whether you’ve moved out on your own, started a new family, or are just looking for something new, a handmade menorah is a wonderful addition to your household. I’ve selected some of my favorites to get you started.

“Haifa, The Eagle Has Landed” Menorah, $110 by A. Drauglis.

$75 by AgruArts.

Dichroic Fused Glass Menorah, $165 by Sarabi Glass Studio.

Puzzle Menorah, $125 by Delia Furniture.

Remaining Wall Menorah by Louis Farkovitz Studio. Out of most people’s price range, but still lovely to look at.

Reflections on a New Year

August 22, 2018 by Amy L. 2 Comments

Print above is from The Big Harumph

As I write this, the New Year is just days away… Every year for as many years as I can remember I have had more resolutions than I could count: Eat less candy, workout more, save more money, be more tidy, and on and on the list goes. How about you? What kind of resolutions do you set each year?

This year I won’t set a single resolution. It’s not that I don’t think resolutions are valuable, I know they are! For me they’ve never lasted long, but I’m still glad that I kept each one for a week or two or three.

Image above is from The Wheatfield

This year I’m allowing myself to dream new dreams. Always a pragmatist, I’ll let you know that this is because I feel the time is right for me to try different things and to redefine what I value and what I would like my future to look like. So this means shifting my work focus, and spending more time doing things I love: decorating our family home, hiking, and hanging out with family and friends. It sounds simple, but something in me knows that this will fuel my creativity and my perspective.

Life’s disappointments often ask us to become jaded and to be fearful of trying new things. We so easily tell ourselves that we cannot accomplish the wonderful things we would like to do. This will be a year where my own voice grows stronger and as I work and rest and play I will remind myself that with diligence and persistence that I can accomplish new things.

Image above is from Valentina Design

I have heard experts suggest every year as we set resolutions that we be careful not to set too many, that we write them down and revisit them weekly. I am certain this is good advice, but this year – I’m choosing to dream and to believe that I will find growth both personally and artistically and that my life will continue to spring forth more beautifully than each year before it.

I want to hear your dreams and resolutions for the year ahead of us. It’s the perfect time of year for us to sweep away old disappointments and to look ahead with expectation!