The Ultimate Handmade Gift Guide

As a child I would have trouble sleeping in anticipation of what I would find under the tree on Christmas morning.  Would it be that tennis racket I asked for, or a new bicycle. I wondered what my sisters would receive, and would my gifts be as good as theirs. (I'm not holding back here on the honesty!)

But BY FAR the most memorable gifts I have received or given throughout my life have been handmade. My dad was a stock broker in 1987.  I know some of you remember "Black Monday," but for those who don't, I'll just say that my parents were struggling financially that Christmas and the next. My parents were excellent about sheltering their children from their stress. My mom made us amazing hand-sewn denim jackets from old blue jeans. They had tuxedo-style lapels, cuffs, and waistbands that buttoned. These were COOL jackets--especially in 1987.  She also made us denim skirts from old jeans. When I wore both the jacket and the skirt, I felt like a style MACHINE! 

Cabbage Patch dolls were also all the rage in the '80s, and my mom made us hand made dolls that resembled the popular toy. I still have mine and have passed it down to my daughter. 

I don't remember much else I received for Christmas during those years, but I have vivid memories of the gifts that were handmade for me.  

Handmade gifts are the way to go. I've compiled a list to support my claim: 

Why Give Handmade Gifts?

• Handmade gifts are more memorable to the recipient (as I established above).
• Handmade gifts can be highly customized to fit the specific wants and needs of the recipient.
• You'll often save money making rather than buying.
• You can avoid the crowds at the mall. 
• You can truly put your heart into the gifts you give.
• Your gift will be one-of-a kind--so truly priceless. 
• Purchasing handmade gifts can benefit those in need.

Below is the Ultimate Handmade Gift Guide.  I have divided it into 6 categories: 

Gifts For Her

Gifts For Him

Gifts For Teens

Gifts For Kids

Gifts for Humanity

Gifts of Humanity is my favorite section. I have made a list of charities that sell handmade gifts, the purchase of which will directly benefit those who made the items in the form of food, housing, education, and job training. Either I have, or someone I know has worked with each of these charities directly. You can trust that your support will be used effectively. 

Now, onto The Guide!

Gifts for Her

Layer Skirt

Get a few measurements from the recipient (or their significant other), a couple yards of jersey knit fabric, and a couple hours. She'll LOVE the cute and comfy finished product!

Poncho Shirt

This is my top sewing post, and for good reason. It takes very little time and the results are fabulous. These look great layered with a long-sleeve under or a cardigan over. 

Espadrilles

Yes, you can make these cute shoes by hand! They take about 2-3 hours to construct, and will be forever remembered by their recipient!

Shift Dress

I was a pattern tester for this simple dress and liked it so much that I made a second for a wedding I was attending. I receive compliments every time I wear it, and so will whoever you make one for!

Gifts for Him

Running Sleeves

I made some of these for my husband. He wears them a TON. Does your guy play basketball? Soccer? Flag football? These are great. You can make them for a fraction of what they cost at the store, and you can choose a color that he'll love. 

Flat Front Pants

Does your husband's wardrobe need some updating?  I have you covered with this alteration tutorial. To my knowledge, this is the only tutorial of its kind on the internet. (This may be as much of a gift for you as for him!)

Camp Stove

This post links to directions and gives advice on making your own alcohol stove.  The link at the end of the post for the V-8 stove tutorial was done by my son. This is a great handmade gift for a son to give his father.

Gifts for Teens

Sleep Mask

Someone gave me one of these when I went to college and I used it a ton! We all know that teens value their sleep. Why not help them make it more sound?!

Indigo Shibori Tie Dye

This ancient art form can be used to make clothing, accessories, and decor.  Make the trendy tie-dyed item for them, or make them a kit to do it on their own--they'll love it !

Contrast Sleeve T-Shirt

This simple tutorial teaches you to turn an ordinary t-shirt into something teenagers will love. Contrast sleeve tees are in style for boys and girls, and this method will work for long or short sleeve t-shirts.

Handmade Skirt

This was one of my first tutorials, and it is still a favorite. Whip one of these up for your teenage daughter or niece in a trendy fabric, and she'll love you forever!

Gifts for Kids

Dry Erase Travel Kits

I made one of these for each of my kids before a big trip and they were wonderful! They are also great as a quiet activity to take to church or meetings where children are expected to sit still. 

Chalkboard Advent Calendar

This is a gift that would be truly cherished by the children who received it. My kids look forward to filling out the activities on the chalkboard and turning around the numbers each day to see what part of Christ's life is highlighted.  

Girl's Hoodie Jacket

I was a pattern tester for this adorable hoodie. My daughter wears hers regularly. The pattern can be used for sizes 2-16Y, so you can really get your money's worth out of it. Make one for every girl you know!

Mermaid Maxi Skirt

This is the perfect gift for the girly-girl. Whip one up in a couple hours using some fun knit fabric. She'll love it!

Gifts for Humanity

African Promise Beads

I am friends with the founder of this awesome non-profit. From the website: Through the sale of African Promise Beads, Ugandan women are empowered to become heroes in their communities, providing for their families and supporting orphaned children’s education and nutrition through their skill and productivity. 

I own several necklaces, bracelets and earrings from APF, and I have given them as gifts to family and friends. They are truly works of art, and knowing their purchase is doing so much for those in need makes the gift even sweeter. 

Daughter's Rising Artisan Wares

We have all heard the horrors of sex-trafficking around the world. Daughter's Rising is a non-profit dedicated to helping victims of this awful practice regain control of their lives, as well as empowering at-risk girls through education and training. 

The purchase of the jewelry, scarves, purses, and other beautifully crafted pieces will support this important effort.

World Vision Hand-Crafted Gifts

I recently participated in a project with World Vision and my women's ministry to set up basic housing needs for 6 refugee families. This faith-based organization helps thousands of children here in the United States as well as around the globe who are impoverished, orphaned, enslaved, or abused. They provide what they need. Any way you can give to this organization will help children. And isn't that what the spirit of Christmas is all about?

Amazon Smile

Okay, so this isn't a handmade good. But I wanted to share this amazing charitable opportunity I recently learned about.  From the site: "AmazonSmile is a simple and automatic way for you to support your favorite charitable organization every time you shop, at no cost to you. When you shop at smile.amazon.com, you’ll find the exact same low prices, vast selection and convenient shopping experience as Amazon.com, with the added bonus that Amazon will donate a portion of the purchase price to your favorite charitable organization. You can choose from nearly one million organizations to support."  Pretty great, huh?

Whether or not you use any of the links I have listed here in my Handmade Gift Guide, my hope is that this post will get us all thinking outside the crazy crowded holiday mall shopping, and help us to instead focus on the love we should feel for one another as we give. 

Participating in these link-ups

Back to the Future Birthday Party

Let me preface this post with a disclaimer. When it comes to party-planning, I am a true amateur. That said, every time I put on a party for one of my kiddos, I get to create in new and exciting ways. So I am sharing my creativity here. Maybe it will be beneficial to your future party planing endeavors!

Over Christmas break, my husband and I decided it was time to introduce our boys to the Back To The Future trilogy. We both grew up enjoying these films, but my husband knows them like the back of his hand. So he manned to remote to try to mute the bad words, and our kids got to meet Marty and George McFly, Doctor Emmett Brown, Biff, and The DeLoreon.  

For my seven-year-old, this introduction may have upstaged Christmas. He has been talking about Flux-Capacitors, time-travel, and going 88mph ever since.  So when I asked him what kind of birthday party he wanted this year, I shouldn't have been surprised when he said, "How about a Back to the Future party, Mom?" 

I accepted the challenge and got to work. 

First, I found the INVITATIONS. A dear soul has created an awesome design and asks only for a $5 donation to download the template.  You can find the download here.

I customized the invitations with my son's party info using my photo-editing program, printed them so they were front and back on a card, and they were ready to hand out!

Next I came up with a CRAFT to do at the party. In the movie, Marty McFly rides a skateboard (converted from a 1950's scooter) to escape the gang of bullies. So I thought a skateboard craft would be appropriate.

I bought these mini-skateboards from Dollar Tree. My son and I took the black sticker off the top of each of them. We used one sticker as a template and traced the shape on some white wrapping paper (also from Dollar Tree). 

I coated the white paper with spray adhesive on one side. (Be sure to use this stuff outside!)

Carefully place on bare skateboard.

Rub to smooth out any bubbles.

Voila! Cute ready-to-decorate skateboards!

This activity was a HIT at the party! The kids were occupied for a good 20 minutes (some longer!). Score!

Now on to Back to the Future PARTY GAMES.

Have you ever played "The Candy Bar Game?"  It was a family favorite growing up. We played an adapted version of the game for the party (using clothes like Marty McFly's).

For this game you'll need:

1 large blanket or sheet

1 dice

1 pair suspenders

1 jean jacket

1 red down vest

1 spoon

1 or more candy bars

To play:  Lay the blanket out flat. Have the kids sit in a circle around the edges of the blanket, facing each other. Place the candy bars in the middle of the blanket, along with the clothing and spoon.  Play begins with one child rolling the dice, then passing to the next player.  Each time a "1" is rolled, that player has a chance to dig into the candy bars. He/she must put on the clothing grab the spoon, then use only the hand holding the spoon to try to break open the candy bar and get pieces to put in their other hand to eat. While this is happening, the rest of the players get to continue rolling the dice, trying to get a "1."  Once another player rolls a "1," he/she gets to put on the clothes, take the spoon, and go at the candy. 

This game was also a big hit! I love it especially because everyone is a winner! It does make a mess, so be sure you don't care about the sheet/blanket you put down. We used a chocolate bar and a couple of packs of Starburst. The Starburst were great because they were so much less messy!

I went pretty light on the Decorations, Food, and Favors for the party. 

I bought a tri-fold display board from Dollar Tree and drew the Deloreon from the movie on it to be a back-drop for the table. 

I taped tissue paper to cardboard strips to make fire streaks coming off the edges of the picture to add some color and dimension to the table. My kids blew up balloons and stuck them around the room, and I hung a few paper lanterns. 

I printed out some movie-related posters I found on Pinterest and mounted or framed them to set around the room. 

"Lou, give me a milk--chocolate." 

I printed and framed a still-shot of this scene from the movie and set it alongside the chocolate milk we served. (My son was likely the only kid there who "got" this one, but it was HIS party, so it was worth the effort!)

 I am showing my very mortal cake-decorating skills here. The kids loved it, so it was all right with me!

And finally, the favor bag.  I almost didn't do one, but then I came across the little electric guitar necklaces at Dollar Tree and thought they went well with the theme. I added candy from the '80's (Pop-Rocks) and from the 50's (Mary Janes and Bit-O-Honeys), and decided that along with the skateboards, the guests would be going home with decent enough loot. 

Another great option for a favor would be these inflatable guitars;

 you get 24 of them, so they are a smokin' deal!

Participating in these link-ups. 

Why Pursue Domestic Excellence?

Blogging has been a welcome and fulfilling new hobby.  Friends and strangers making dinner rolls or éclairs from scratch for the first time in their life while following my directions makes me think I'm making a difference.

Outside of the blog, but as a result of putting my hobbies “out there,” I have been asked to develop recipes for specific needs, to alter neighbors' clothes, and to help friends with sewing and craft projects. 

As a result, my reason for blogging changed from simply a way to share some of what I make, into trying to create a venue for anyone wanting to improve (or find) their domestic abilities to come and learn. And I love the expansive community of bloggers out there that seem to have that same goal in mind. Not everyone had a mom who taught them how to sew and bake—but it's not too late if you want to learn!

Then my bubble was burst (well, at least deflated slightly). I read an opinion article in the NY Post recently, and I've been stewing over it since. So, I am going to address my side of the issue here today.

In the article “Modern Moms Looking for Perfection in all the Wrong Places,” author Karol Markowicz laments the “proliferation of crafting, baking, clothing-making, all photographed to dreamy perfection in perfect light with a perfectly designed (and clean!) home as the backdrop.” She refers to Heather Havrilesky's piece in The New York Times a few weeks prior in which Havrilesky says, “I like violins and knitted tea cozies and themed birthday parties as much as the next Earthling. But before I get to that stuff, I need to clear a path through this dirty laundry so I can get to the dishwasher. I’m hesitant to throw myself into any high-maintenance child-related activity too enthusiastically lest I doom myself to becoming a specialist in an unpaid field that might cut into the time I spend on things like, I don’t know, making a living? Staying in shape? Seeing my friends occasionally?”

Can you see why these opinions were troubling to me? Can a woman seek perfection--or at least excellence--in her home and still have a psyche that is in tact, a body that is fit, and healthy relationships?  I say YES.

I get the point they are making. As mothers (as women!), we put too much pressure on ourselves, then get down when we fail.  This isn't really news, though. We all see an ideal and wish we could have it, but more often than not, fall short. My boys want to shoot hoops as well as LeBron James. Will they ever? No, probably not. I'd like to have a six-pack (on my stomach), an alphabetized pantry, and musical talent (any kind...I'm not picky). These are all things women I know have; I don't. But knowing about them is okay. Working toward having them is okay—even healthy. Why not be grateful for the standards of excellence that are paraded all around us? We should have them in our sights, taped to our bathroom vanities, written on our New Year's Resolution lists—we should be reaching for them!

Now, don't get me wrong here. I'm not suggesting that the content on my blog is a standard of excellence. It is far, FAR from. But knowing something I wrote inspired someone somewhere to try something new and have a personal victory is a good thing. I never EVER want anyone to feel inferior because I can sew a shirt and they never have. And I believe all the domestic divas out there adding to the “proliferation of crafting, baking and clothing-making” aren't out to make anyone feel down on themselves. If seeing someone else's achievement makes you feel bad about yourself, your problems are deeper than a messed up Mod-podge or sunken soufflé.

To back me up here, I'm going to pull out some real mommy street cred and quote Ms. Frizzle from The Magic School Bus, “Take chances! Make mistakes! Get messy!” We encourage our kids to try new things, not to give up when they fail, and to understand that it's okay to not be the best at everything. Maybe as women we need to give ourselves a good pep talk. When we see success in others, let's applaud, take note, learn, and move forward. When we have success ourselves, let's share, teach, and assist. And when we have or see failure, let's pick each other up, decide if it was worth it, and move forward with new understanding.

Excellence is a worthy pursuit. I believe we have an innate need to create, to improve, and to master skills. Let's not sell ourselves short just because it's hard and frustrating sometimes, or because we see others doing it better. We ALL struggle--even the seemingly unreal people with living rooms straight out of House Beautiful and themed birthday parties with homemade tutu party favors and gluten-free fare.

Let's make a conscious decision right here and now to stop what my mom calls "Stinkin' Thinkin'." This includes, but isn't limited to:

• Comparing our weaknesses to someone else's strengths
• Downplaying our accomplishments 
• Giving up when we have a set-back
• Scoffing at apparent excellence/perfection as fake or unattainable

Now that those are gone from our psyche, replace them with "Positive Perceptions."

• Using mistakes as springboards for growth
• Sharing our skills and talents freely and unabashedly
• Seeking out excellence to emulate
• Focusing on what is important to us as individuals

So, from now on as you are perusing Pinterest or surfing the blogosphere, think about what an incredible resource we are to each other. No one is excellent at everything.  If we all blogged about our weaknesses and shortcomings, while we would never run out of material to write about, what a stagnant, thwarted world it would be! So let's keep the excellence coming!

Participating in these link-ups.