Seasonal Handmade Archives

Mother's Day Gift Guide

October 25, 2020 by Jennifer Simoni 1 Comment

Mother’s Day comes around once a year. Although you should thank mom for what she does all year round, it’s especially nice to do something extra special on mother’s day, too. If you’re like me, you worry about the ‘perfect’ gift for weeks, and then the week of mother’s day you’re running around last-minute and many times, wind up with something a little more cliche than you would have liked (usually flowers). So to help you in your quest for the perfect mother’s day gift, and to eliminate any last-minute scramble, here are a few ideas.

Betty Crocker: If you grew up with, and still come home to, homemade brownies, cookies, muffins, and cakes, you know mom will flip out over a gorgeous cake stand like this one from Vessel and Wares. She can display her wares proudly and it’s pretty enough to stay on the counter, long after the last cupcake has been eaten.

CEO of the Household: What every “CEO of the Household” needs, besides an extra set of hands and more hours in the day, are better ways to get organized. One way is with this adorable little shopper from Get Sassed. She can finally declutter her wallet of coupons and rewards cards and receipts and store all shopping needs right here, where she can also make lists. It’s sure to put a smile on her every time she hits the store.

Mom On The Go: For the mom on the go who needs to bring everything with her everywhere she goes, this sturdy, meticulously-crafted bag from MOOP will keep all her stuff in place.

Mom and Daughter: For an extra-thoughtful gift that you can share in too, check out this mother daughter necklace set from Iris Jewelry Design.

This year, celebrate mom with a thoughtful, handmade gift that will keep her smiling all year round. To all the moms out there, celebrate, be happy, and enjoy life a lot.

Handmade Kitchen

October 24, 2020 by Kristin Huston 2 Comments

[hKristin]

It’s summer, time for lots of parties that will put your kitchen into overdrive! It’s easy to keep your kitchen pretty and well-stocked with a supply of handmade goodies.

First up are these yellow damask tea towels from Fancy Boutique. The yellow color screams summer while the damask pattern adds a hint of sophistication. Also, check out the Fancy Boutique etsy shop for aprons to pretty yourself up while you’re working in the kitchen.

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Dear Old Dad

September 28, 2020 by Jennifer Simoni 1 Comment

Father’s Day is a tough holiday to buy a gift for, at least it is for me. And not for any reason, except that dear old dad is a no-frills kind of guy. You might call him old-fashioned (but please not to his face). A recent retiree he likes golf, reading, the Yankees, the Jets, gardening, and drinking coffee. There’s only so many sports shirts, golf balls, coffee mugs, coffee beans, books, and gardening supplies you can give him.

These unique coasters, from Medium Control, are a twist on the been-there-done-that coffee mug.

There’s a whole new generation of Dads out there. They’re a little hipper (sorry dad!), and younger (really sorry!), and it seems ever so slowly more people (both buyers and sellers) are being more creative when it comes to gifts for Dad.

If Dad likes to bike to work or around town running errands, he’ll love this bike bag from Laplander Bags.

Thinking outside the box this year, I’ve searched on Best of Handmade, to see what a search of Father’s Day gifts brought up. Truthfully, there’s a lot of the same old, same old, but then I started digging a little deeper, and found quite a few unique gems. (Tip: When searching for Father’s Day Gifts, don’t type in ‘Father’s Day Gift’ but try typing in a favorite book or hobby, to get a wider range of gifts.)

Remember, Dad had a whole life before you came around. Maybe a gift that appeals to his pre-you life will make him smile.

Was Dad a wanna-be rocker? Get him these throwback cufflinks from Cufflinks Rock.

Of course, there’s nothing wrong with the more traditional gifts either. Dad’s #1 aprons, mugs, hats, and shirts have been around for a long time and will be around for as long as Dads are.

A t-shirt, like this one from Zoeys Attic praising Dad never seems to go out of style.

Happy Father’s Day!

Give Winter a Chance

September 24, 2020 by Jennifer Simoni 3 Comments

I don’t know about you, but I’ve been missing the Seasonal Handmade column, so you can imagine how happy I am to announce that Jennifer Simoni is ready to take it on! (She’s obsessed with tags too :) Here’s her first column, full of love for cold winter weather. Welcome her in the comments, and let her know what your favorite seasonal activities are.

::
Erika

Everyone’s so down on winter. True, it’s cold, icy, and dark. But there are so many fabulous reasons to love winter, I think its time to give it another chance. Here’s a few reasons why I’m such a fan.

What other time of the year do you get to sport your favorite ski sweaters, hats, gloves and scarves? I love scarves. I try to wear the lightweight ones in the summer, sometimes, but it doesn’t work. It’s hot. So as soon as it gets cooler, I have a scarf on always. They’re cozy, they keep me warm, and sometimes, I’m just more comfortable with one than without. The Blue Birds and Blossoms shop has great hand-knit scarves to satisfy my craving for something cozy, new, and blue.

Another great thing about winter is that good feeling you get when you walk into your home after being outside in the cold. Or when you wake up on a Sunday morning to a snowy, blustery, blizzard-y (I made that word up) day. You’re ridiculously happy to curl up on the couch with a book, magazine, old movie and just stay put. (Maybe if you’re motivated, stir up a little soul-warming chili or soup.) This scene is even more perfect with a cozy, warm blanket like this gem from the Two Seaside Babes shop.

Dry skin can be an annoyance during colder months. My hands age 100 years every winter. But instead of cursing the scaly skin, I use it as an excuse to buy luxurious soy lotions. The Scents in Soy shop has many different scents using aloe, shea better and soy. (I am also a big fan of soy candles, which help give my home a more homey feel. ) While on the subject of dry skin, my poor lips are crackly all winter long. I’m incredibly addicted to chapsticks that are extra moisturizing in different flavors, like these from Long Winter Farm. I leave them in coat pockets, purses, jeans pockets, because to be without, even for a few hours, is horrifying. Holly Berry Designs has an ingenious, adorable solution I recently came across for chapstick-addicts like me. A little zipper pouch that attaches to my keys.

That’s just the beginning of my list. There’s a million reasons winter is so cool–pardon the pun. Are you ready to embrace winter and give it another chance?

Easter Best

September 20, 2020 by Jennifer Simoni 3 Comments

Commercially speaking, Easter doesn’t really get the attention Christmas does. No matter how hard the Bunny tries, he will always play second-fiddle to the Big Man. This is okay with me. I can only handle one big holiday a year, which is why Easter, the most low-key, is also perhaps my favorite. (Daisy photo from Country Dreaming.)

Growing up, I looked forward to getting the Easter basket. What kid doesn’t love a basket full of chocolate eggs, marshmallow candies, and a over-sized chocolate bunny? I couldn’t tell you what the basket looked like, but it had that green plastic grass in it that hid lots of chocolate treats. The Easter egg hunt was also a lot of fun. My brother and I would run around the house finding plastic eggs filled with jellybeans. My brother, four years younger, needed help from my parents

A grown-up Easter basket from All Decked Out Boutique

I wouldn’t mind a basket full of these delicious-looking cookies from Holiday Candy Lane.

The second part of Easter after the egg hunt and basket unveiling, was less exciting at least for a kid. It involved getting dressed in a new dress, going to church, and then having a big family dinner. Frilly white dresses with lace and Easter bonnets were popular among me and my fellow 10-year-olds.

A stylish hat from Katrina Couture.

Laid-back yellow halter dress from One Avian Daemon.

25 years later, Easter is a bit different. There are no baskets or Easter egg hunts. However, we still go to church in the morning, I still manage to eat chocolate, and we do have a big family dinner. Also, I always find an excuse to buy myself something new—not necessarily white and frilly, but something for Spring.