Handmade Christmas Gifts: Make It Yourself or Buy Handcrafted
Even though we've only just entered the month of November, chances are you've already wandered through myriad Christmas and holiday displays. And, if you're anything like me, all that cheery music, faux snow and row after row of twinkly lights put you in the perfect mood for holiday shopping!
Whether you're in the market for kids gifts, presents for mom or trinkets for him, her and them, consider taking a more crafty approach this holiday gift-giving season. After all, there's something about handmade presents that truly warm the heart (even more so than that delicious hot cocoa or responsibly spiked egg nog).
Laid out below, you'll find ideas for personalized, hand-crafted goodies for all sorts of recipients. And, for those who still want to dole out handmade gifts, but don't have the time -- or motivation -- to do it yourself, we totally understand. That's why we've included items that are already handmade and available for purchase.
Jewelry's a prime option for the leading lady in your life. It'd also make a fab gift for your mom, sister or other female friend.
If you're anything like us, you're catapulted back to childhood memories where you spent hours creating your own jewelry. Now that you're all grown up, consider re-living that memory by making your own handcrafted accessories.
You'll need jewelry making supplies before getting started. We love these pink-hued, Kristal Wick Batik beauties ($7 for three) as well as this Assorted Collection of Green and Clear Leaf Beads ($5 for 25). You'll also need something to string your beads on and a well-made clasp. Try the beautiful Vintage French Taffeta Ribbon pictured above ($.45 per yard) and the Darice Jewelry Designer Toggle Clasps ($2.40 for 5 sets).
Buy it handmade:
1 - GemKitty's The Emma, $58
We love GemKitty.com, a relatively new jewelry-designing company, because it makes you the middle man in the jewelry making process. All pieces are uniquely made by artisans, but before that's done, you actually design the jewelry yourself.
You can choose your metal (silver or gold), the style (various types of earrings and necklaces) and the gems (all precious stones). Each piece comes with a card explaining the process, so your recipient will know you spent extra time creating the perfect piece of jewelry. Prices vary, but range from $40 - $200.
2 - Shamila's Blush Necklace - $650
If you're looking for exquisetly-designed and handcrafted jewelry, look no further than Shamila.com. Each piece is created with utmost attention to detail and features the finest quality metal and stone. The piece featured is created of fine pink tourmalines on a sweet pink silk cord and punctuated with amethyst roundels and three trillion cut spectacular Brazilian amethyst briolletes.
As a kiddo, I fondly recall making all sorts of wonderful-smelling soap with my family. We'd spend hours concocting recipes (from oatmeal lavender to chocolate) and wrap them in pretty bows. Voila -- the perfect stocking stuffer!
Before beginning your handmade soap project, there are a few things you'll need. Obviously, a stove top is a necessity, but don't forget your craft molds, basic bulk glycerin and various elements to add to your soap for extra oomph.
We're a fan of essence oils, like the Fiesta Flower Essence pictured above that comes with its own dropper tool ($5). Hickory Wood Ash is another great item to add to your handmade soap ($30 for 10 pounds). As for soap molds, you can use either a candy mold or a mold made specifically for soap making. We like this Seashell Rubber Mold since it's so flexible ($22).
Buy it handmade:
Whether you're low on time or simply don't trust your soap-making skills, you can always purchase soaps and spa items that are already handmade. Here are two of our favorite handmade soap companies:
1 - Rochelle Rose
Talk about divine! These luxurious, well-made soaps are just as aromatic as they are beautifully crafted. They lather up into a nice suds and leave your hands smelling oh-so-clean and feeling ultra moisturized. Plus, there are a plethora of scents to choose from. From male-friendly soaps like Earthly Delight -- an invigorating blend of patchouli, rosemary and mint -- to unisex scents like Blueberry Verbena -- a veggie soap enriched with rich olive oil and shea. Prices are modest at $6.50 per bar.
2 - WoodSprite Organic Body
Though WoodSprite Organic Body has its share of delicious-smelling soaps, it offers other spa-related items, as well. We're a big fan of the company's handmade fizzing natural bath bombs that come in dreamy scents like ginger glow, grapefruit mint and coconut lime ($9). Other items to check out are their soy candles and luxurious gift sets (extra perfect for the holidays)!
Personalized, screen-printed clothing is sure to produce a giant, "aw" or even "awesome" from the recipient this holiday. Create your own sweatshirt, t-shirt, tank top or even hoodie.
To make your own personalized clothing item, you'll first need a plain garment. Choose something that's comfortable and of high quality, like the White Sierra Rib-Knit short sleeve shirt below ($12) or one of the plain, brightly colored hooded sweatshirts made by High Five ($7).
For a more handy route, use puff paints or fabric paints to decorate the shirts. We love the Tulip 3-D Fashion Paint package featuring 30 hues for $16. You could also go all out with a personal screen printing set, like the Provo Craft Yuda Personal Screen Printing Bundle ($270) featured above.
Buy it handmade:
If making your own handmade clothing item sounds like an impossible feat, consider purchasing a handmade, screen-printed shirt from Ex-BoyfriendCollection.com. You'll find a hoopla of funny, cute, ironic, sentimental and strange options that allow for customization. Options exist for men, women, children and even infants. We promise you'll find something that makes you say, "I know just the person for this!"
We especially dig the ExBoyfriendCollection.com "Check Out My Goat-Tee" T-Shirt ($25) and Argyle Sparrow design on this infant bodysuit ($25). You'll be pleased with your handcrafted item -- the fabric is lightweight, breathable and screen printed designs are crisp and clear.
It's safe to say you probably know at least one person who's crazy about their cuddly canine or friendly feline. Surprise them with a practical gift this year. Both the recipient and her fuzzy companion will be thrilled.
There are all sorts of things you can make for your favorite pet lover. One of our favorite ideas, though, is a hand-painted pet dish. You can fully customize the dish with the pet's name, a silly phrase or even a nickname! You can also hand-draw pictures, like paw prints or a caricature.
You'll want to start with a plain, sturdy pet dish, like this Four Paws Super Pet Stoneware 5 inch dish ($5) or this Venture dog dish in pale blue/green ($7). Then, use paint to draw whatever you want along the border and on the interior. Try the Awesome Acrylic Paints set -- it includes ten 16 oz. bottles for $40. Follow up with non-toxic lacquer to ensure your creation stays intact.
Buy it handmade
Calming Collars - $32.
Looking for a handmade gift item for your pet-loving friend or family member? Consider the calming collar, a plush collar for any pet. It's made straight to order and is chock-full of a natural blend of herbs that soothes your pet. Perfect for a pet who has separation anxiety, various fears (including storms and vacuum cleaners) or hates going to the vet. Each collar is $32.
You don't have to have a green thumb to come up with the perfect garden-inspired gifts. And, even if you've struggled with making your own garden thrive, you can still give a plant-related gift away. For this one, we suggest you take a traditional approach. Consider creating a garden-themed gift basket, chock-full of all sorts of garden-related gifts. This put-it-together-yourself gift will be fun for both you and the recipient.
To complete the gift basket, purchase a hand-woven basket like this Wicker Badger Badger Basket with Gingham Liner ($25 for 2). Then, fill it with a package of potting soil, a plethora of seeds (pictured: Ferry Morse Annual Flower Seeds - $6), a garden guide (pictured: Better Homes and Gardens Complete Guide to Container Gardening - $3) and lots of garden tools.
Buy it handmade:
Moultonology's Garden BonBons
Whoa, baby! You'll be hard pressed to find something as cool as this when holiday shopping this year. These are garden bonbons -- AKA candy for your garden. They're made by Moultonology.com, an online garden specialty store and each set comes gorgeously packaged in what looks like a regular bonbon candy holder. Only, instead of a chocolaty treat inside, you'll find garden truffles. What is it, exactly? A compact ball of organic clay and compost full of seeds. You place it on top of soil, water and wait for plants to sprout. $15 per set.
Whether you're in the market for kids gifts, presents for mom or trinkets for him, her and them, consider taking a more crafty approach this holiday gift-giving season. After all, there's something about handmade presents that truly warm the heart (even more so than that delicious hot cocoa or responsibly spiked egg nog).
Laid out below, you'll find ideas for personalized, hand-crafted goodies for all sorts of recipients. And, for those who still want to dole out handmade gifts, but don't have the time -- or motivation -- to do it yourself, we totally understand. That's why we've included items that are already handmade and available for purchase.
Jewelry's a prime option for the leading lady in your life. It'd also make a fab gift for your mom, sister or other female friend.
If you're anything like us, you're catapulted back to childhood memories where you spent hours creating your own jewelry. Now that you're all grown up, consider re-living that memory by making your own handcrafted accessories.
You'll need jewelry making supplies before getting started. We love these pink-hued, Kristal Wick Batik beauties ($7 for three) as well as this Assorted Collection of Green and Clear Leaf Beads ($5 for 25). You'll also need something to string your beads on and a well-made clasp. Try the beautiful Vintage French Taffeta Ribbon pictured above ($.45 per yard) and the Darice Jewelry Designer Toggle Clasps ($2.40 for 5 sets).
Buy it handmade:
1 - GemKitty's The Emma, $58
We love GemKitty.com, a relatively new jewelry-designing company, because it makes you the middle man in the jewelry making process. All pieces are uniquely made by artisans, but before that's done, you actually design the jewelry yourself.
You can choose your metal (silver or gold), the style (various types of earrings and necklaces) and the gems (all precious stones). Each piece comes with a card explaining the process, so your recipient will know you spent extra time creating the perfect piece of jewelry. Prices vary, but range from $40 - $200.
2 - Shamila's Blush Necklace - $650
If you're looking for exquisetly-designed and handcrafted jewelry, look no further than Shamila.com. Each piece is created with utmost attention to detail and features the finest quality metal and stone. The piece featured is created of fine pink tourmalines on a sweet pink silk cord and punctuated with amethyst roundels and three trillion cut spectacular Brazilian amethyst briolletes.
As a kiddo, I fondly recall making all sorts of wonderful-smelling soap with my family. We'd spend hours concocting recipes (from oatmeal lavender to chocolate) and wrap them in pretty bows. Voila -- the perfect stocking stuffer!
Before beginning your handmade soap project, there are a few things you'll need. Obviously, a stove top is a necessity, but don't forget your craft molds, basic bulk glycerin and various elements to add to your soap for extra oomph.
We're a fan of essence oils, like the Fiesta Flower Essence pictured above that comes with its own dropper tool ($5). Hickory Wood Ash is another great item to add to your handmade soap ($30 for 10 pounds). As for soap molds, you can use either a candy mold or a mold made specifically for soap making. We like this Seashell Rubber Mold since it's so flexible ($22).
Buy it handmade:
Whether you're low on time or simply don't trust your soap-making skills, you can always purchase soaps and spa items that are already handmade. Here are two of our favorite handmade soap companies:
1 - Rochelle Rose
Talk about divine! These luxurious, well-made soaps are just as aromatic as they are beautifully crafted. They lather up into a nice suds and leave your hands smelling oh-so-clean and feeling ultra moisturized. Plus, there are a plethora of scents to choose from. From male-friendly soaps like Earthly Delight -- an invigorating blend of patchouli, rosemary and mint -- to unisex scents like Blueberry Verbena -- a veggie soap enriched with rich olive oil and shea. Prices are modest at $6.50 per bar.
2 - WoodSprite Organic Body
Though WoodSprite Organic Body has its share of delicious-smelling soaps, it offers other spa-related items, as well. We're a big fan of the company's handmade fizzing natural bath bombs that come in dreamy scents like ginger glow, grapefruit mint and coconut lime ($9). Other items to check out are their soy candles and luxurious gift sets (extra perfect for the holidays)!
Personalized, screen-printed clothing is sure to produce a giant, "aw" or even "awesome" from the recipient this holiday. Create your own sweatshirt, t-shirt, tank top or even hoodie.
To make your own personalized clothing item, you'll first need a plain garment. Choose something that's comfortable and of high quality, like the White Sierra Rib-Knit short sleeve shirt below ($12) or one of the plain, brightly colored hooded sweatshirts made by High Five ($7).
For a more handy route, use puff paints or fabric paints to decorate the shirts. We love the Tulip 3-D Fashion Paint package featuring 30 hues for $16. You could also go all out with a personal screen printing set, like the Provo Craft Yuda Personal Screen Printing Bundle ($270) featured above.
Buy it handmade:
If making your own handmade clothing item sounds like an impossible feat, consider purchasing a handmade, screen-printed shirt from Ex-BoyfriendCollection.com. You'll find a hoopla of funny, cute, ironic, sentimental and strange options that allow for customization. Options exist for men, women, children and even infants. We promise you'll find something that makes you say, "I know just the person for this!"
We especially dig the ExBoyfriendCollection.com "Check Out My Goat-Tee" T-Shirt ($25) and Argyle Sparrow design on this infant bodysuit ($25). You'll be pleased with your handcrafted item -- the fabric is lightweight, breathable and screen printed designs are crisp and clear.
It's safe to say you probably know at least one person who's crazy about their cuddly canine or friendly feline. Surprise them with a practical gift this year. Both the recipient and her fuzzy companion will be thrilled.
There are all sorts of things you can make for your favorite pet lover. One of our favorite ideas, though, is a hand-painted pet dish. You can fully customize the dish with the pet's name, a silly phrase or even a nickname! You can also hand-draw pictures, like paw prints or a caricature.
You'll want to start with a plain, sturdy pet dish, like this Four Paws Super Pet Stoneware 5 inch dish ($5) or this Venture dog dish in pale blue/green ($7). Then, use paint to draw whatever you want along the border and on the interior. Try the Awesome Acrylic Paints set -- it includes ten 16 oz. bottles for $40. Follow up with non-toxic lacquer to ensure your creation stays intact.
Buy it handmade
Calming Collars - $32.
Looking for a handmade gift item for your pet-loving friend or family member? Consider the calming collar, a plush collar for any pet. It's made straight to order and is chock-full of a natural blend of herbs that soothes your pet. Perfect for a pet who has separation anxiety, various fears (including storms and vacuum cleaners) or hates going to the vet. Each collar is $32.
You don't have to have a green thumb to come up with the perfect garden-inspired gifts. And, even if you've struggled with making your own garden thrive, you can still give a plant-related gift away. For this one, we suggest you take a traditional approach. Consider creating a garden-themed gift basket, chock-full of all sorts of garden-related gifts. This put-it-together-yourself gift will be fun for both you and the recipient.
To complete the gift basket, purchase a hand-woven basket like this Wicker Badger Badger Basket with Gingham Liner ($25 for 2). Then, fill it with a package of potting soil, a plethora of seeds (pictured: Ferry Morse Annual Flower Seeds - $6), a garden guide (pictured: Better Homes and Gardens Complete Guide to Container Gardening - $3) and lots of garden tools.
Buy it handmade:
Moultonology's Garden BonBons
Whoa, baby! You'll be hard pressed to find something as cool as this when holiday shopping this year. These are garden bonbons -- AKA candy for your garden. They're made by Moultonology.com, an online garden specialty store and each set comes gorgeously packaged in what looks like a regular bonbon candy holder. Only, instead of a chocolaty treat inside, you'll find garden truffles. What is it, exactly? A compact ball of organic clay and compost full of seeds. You place it on top of soil, water and wait for plants to sprout. $15 per set.
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Deb said 11-05-2010 @2:57PM
Thanks for including Calming Collars in your article. I'm the one who makes them!
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