Try Handmade

Shopping blog featuring products made by people not factories.

Wrap it up!

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pidoodle

So, you’ve taken a pledge to give only handmade gifts this Christmas. Your ornaments and decorations are all one-of-a-kind creations gathered from the local craft fair and visitors to your home are going to be treated to local artisan cheeses and breads before being sent home with homemade fudge and gingerbread from your own kitchen. It sounds like you’ve got the bases covered…but you’re not planning to use boring old store-bought wrapping paper, are you? Of course you’re not!

I have always been a proponent of the fabric gift bag. Not only do they look so cute under the Christmas tree, they are almost infinitely reusable. Considering the cost (and waste!) of paper wrapping and plastic ribbon, fabric bags will pay for themselves within just a couple uses. These colourful, reversible gift bags by Pidoodle are doubly-good for the environment because the fabric used to create them was repurposed from thrifted garments. A dedicated thriftier and “fickle crafter”, Carissa seeks out used (and sometimes damaged) pieces at charity shops and gives them a second life by dying, silk-screening and sewing them into gift bags. She even includes a piece of tulle to replace expensive and fragile tissue paper. How clever!

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Holiday Table Decor

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melamine platter

Personalized melamine platter from Rouge and Co.

The official start to the holiday season is just around the corner. And of course – I’m already thinking about what handmade gifts I want for Christmas. Though I must say, I know that I’m getting older, because for the last couple of years I’ve begun to value time with family so much more. It’s something I’ve always enjoyed, but when I was younger sometimes it felt like a bit of an obligation, though now I value it much more highly than any gift I might receive. We’ve already had Thanksgiving here in Canada – but I know it’s not for a couple of weeks for all of you that are stateside. So I thought I’d round up some easy ideas for holiday table decor from some wonderful Etsy shops.

Candle stand from Bragging Bags

I fell in love with this sweet candle stand from Bragging Bags the moment I laid eyes on it. The owners of this shop are happy to add any kind of personalized message you like on your candle stand – ensuring yours is one of a kind. I’m also smitten with the personalized beach photos offered in this shop – I think these would make a wonderful anniversary gift.

Chalkboard from Arizona Creative Studio

I think this little chalkboard is such a fun way to bring some extra personality to an event. It can be used in so many ways – from a special note about a guest: “Abby’s first Christmas, 2010”, to ensuring everyone knows exactly what’s in a particular buffet item and beyond.

Acorns from Green Baboon Designs

How sweet are these acorns from Green Baboon Designs? They come in a variety of colors so you can mix and match for each holiday. I think they look really great displayed on a simple platter to add some fun to any holiday dinner table.

I’d love to hear about your holiday decor projects and your holiday decorating traditions!

Easter Bunny Fever.

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Due to getting a bad case of the flu and having a slow recovery I totally missed getting this post of Cara’s up in time for Easter. Please read it and imagine yourself a week back in time :) -Erika

It’s Easter all over again. The one celebration I can sail through quite happily every year – although Christmas 2010 was a big one for me, being my son’s First Christmas outside of the womb.

I’m not exactly the Grinch who stole Christmas but it’s safe to say when your birthday is Christmas Eve, which mine is, you don’t enjoy Christmas so much. The fun and novelty of Christmas wears off when you’re about 9.

I get that Christmas is about celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ and I don’t take that lightly at all, I suppose, as a Christian I would prefer the focus to be on Baby Jesus rather than it being on heartburn, rubbish TV and stock piles of presents.

For Christmas we bought our son memorable and age appropriate toys. I knew he would be spoiled from a great height from all sides of our families – and he was – hence why I didn’t rush out and buy out my local mega toy super stores (plus that’s so not my style.) Everything seemed so overwhelming and once my husband and I made our decision not to splurge, we were no longer overwhelmed. Everything seemed easier.

For Easter it’s common in the UK to celebrate with a chocolate Easter Egg; usually filled with gummy sweets. With a 15 month old in tow to consider this can be tricky.

We took the route that we didn’t want to overload our son on sugary, processed chocolate and opted out of the Easter Egg thing. I’m still open to suggestion and comment on what, if anything, you would substitute for this.

Personally I’m happy to go down the route of getting him nothing, but I’m remaining open. I’m also thinking of hand-making something and once again I’m trawling through the Skip To My Lou blog for ideas.

Then I came across a treasure trove of Easter Printable’s on their website. And yes, admittedly, these Easter print-outs are for decorating a child’s table at the Easter dinner, but I thought it would be cute to make this for my son:

The beauty of this bag idea is that you can fill it with anything. You don’t have to stuff it full of treats – although treats are cool, too – but I think a bag full of jelly beans would make a little 15 month old’s tummy very sickly – especially a tummy that isn’t used to sugar. Add on top of that the fact it will probably take him about a year to eat the Easter chocolate he’s due to receive.

My ideas for the bag would be to fill it with little toys, or even pieces of dried fruit. No?

How about this:

An Egg Tree from Skip to My Lou.

I don’t have the time or sanity required for this beautiful creation, but it is an admirable homage to Easter. So, what handmade projects do you have in the pipeline for Easter?

Family Time

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Due to family commitments and an unexpected emergency I was unfortunately unable to get this post up the week it was written. Please transport yourself back in time a little and enjoy this wonderful post of Ellie’s with my apologies for the timing :) – Erika

It’s that time of the year – next Friday, or Christmas Eve as it’s commonly known, my husband and I will be travelling across the country to stay with our respective families for the holiday period. This may sound like a long trip, but being as how we live in the UK, it should only take us about two hours (snow permitting)! I love spending the holidays with my family, for the first couple of days at least, and in honour of this special time I’ve rounded up some fabulous, family-inspired handmade goodies. If you’ve still got gifts to buy, this little lot should certainly inspire you!

“Home is where the heart is” has always been my favourite cliched saying and in my case is certainly true. Although I haven’t lived where my parents are for nearly ten years, and although we own our own house here, I always describe going to my parents’ place as “going home”. So I’m really looking forward to spending some time there, catching up with old friends and re-visiting all my childhood haunts.

I may have mentioned once or twice that gifts for my family this year are almost all handmade, by me or others! I’m just a little bit excited about being able to offer my nearest and dearest totally unique items that are so different from the mass-produced goods I’ve bought in the past. I’m also hoping to receive a few handmade accessories of my own this Christmas – hopefully I’ve dropped enough hints with my husband…

Every family has its traditions for the holidays and mine is no exception. On Christmas morning, we eat avocado and bacon sandwiches while opening our stockings, then move onto presents before toasting the occasion with prosecco. My dad then makes the most delicious Christmas dinner you have ever tasted – no kidding – which we eat before collapsing in front of the fire to watch the Doctor Who Christmas special. It’s difficult to say what makes these simple traditions so special, but to me they really are.

I hope you all have a fabulous holiday period, whatever your plans are! I’ll see you in 2011, when I’m looking forward to discovering more wonderful handmade items!

Photo credits:
Preloved Penny Lane
Terrordome’s Extractionarium
Indira Albert
Cross Street Press

ISH Shoes by Randy and Claudia

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I’m not sure who Randy and Claudia are but I have a theory. In my imagination, “Randy” and “Claudia” are the summer home aliases of Mr. & Mrs. Claus. You know, their witness protection program names that they use when they summer in the Great Lakes or Spa in Sedona. Everyone needs a name to put on their Safeway Club Card and Yogurtland loyalty account.

elf1

When they are not busy making sure that Christmas happens, apparently Randy and Claudia are making these adorable leather “ISH” newborn booties. These booties are not cheap, but aren’t your little elves worth it? The level of detail and craftsmanship on these elevates them to a place halfway between clothing and art.

elf2

Even though I’m not so sure about who Randy and Claudia really are, I am sure about something else: The whimsical curlicues on the toes of these shoes just makes me want to smile and giggle.

elf3